OSCE Has Reached An Agreement, Foreign Minister Announces

Dec 6 2024

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) announced a new leadership package on Friday, concluding months of negotiations over its top four posts.

The announcement came during the second and final day of the OSCE Ministerial Council held in Malta, where 57 member states convened for high-level discussions.

Feridun Sinirlioğlu of Türkiye was appointed OSCE Secretary General, Maria Telalian of Greece was named Director of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Christophe Kamp of the Netherlands took the role of High Commissioner on National Minorities, and Jan Braathu of Norway became Representative on Freedom of the Media.

This agreement follows extended negotiations, with earlier proposals requiring revisions under pressure from Greece and Türkiye to include their candidates.

Foreign Minister Ian Borg celebrated the breakthrough on social media, stating, “We have just reached a unanimous agreement that has been discussed for months among the 57 OSCE countries. Malta has once again been a protagonist for dialogue and peace.” He added that the OSCE now had certainty regarding its leadership for the coming years.

At a news conference, Sinirlioğlu expressed pride and commitment, acknowledging the challenges ahead, particularly the ongoing war in Ukraine. “My role will enable me to act as a bridge between participating states for consensus and solutions,” he said.

While the leadership agreement brings stability to the OSCE, no progress was reported on resolving the Ukraine conflict. Borg had earlier suggested the leadership package could help facilitate discussions on ending the war.

This marks a significant moment for Malta as the current OSCE chair, underscoring its role in fostering international dialogue during a tense geopolitical period.

#MaltaDaily

Christmas Dishes From Around the World

Dec 6 2024

The festive season showcases an incredible variety of traditional meals worldwide, reflecting each country’s rich culture and history. Here are some standout festive foods from around the world:

Denmark: Julesild

Herrid is a Danish staple year-round, but at Christmas, Julesild takes the spotlight. Spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and sandalwood, it’s served during julesfrokot ( festive lunches) with rye bread and remoulade, often alongside gravlax and cured meats.

Poland: Barszcz

Poland’s meat-free Christmas Eve feast begins with barszcz, a vibrant beetroot soup served with mushroom-filled dumplings, uszka. The 12-dish meal, symbolising the apostles and months of the year, also features carp, pierogi, and poppy seed desserts.

Philippines: Bibingka

After midnight mass on Christmas Eve, Filipinos enjoy bibingka, a rice-flour cake made with coconut milk, butter, and eggs. Traditionally cooked in banana leaf-lined clay pots over coals, it’s often topped with melted cheese, salted duck egg, and grated coconut for a salty-sweet treat.

Siciliy: Buccellato

Sicily’s Christmas dessert, buccellato, is a circular cake filled with dried figs, almonds, and pine nuts. Flavoured with marsala wine, it’s a festive alternative to Italy’s traditional panettone.

Finland: Lanttulaatikko

On Christmas Eve, Finland’s festive meal features roast ham, smoked fish, and casseroles like lanttulaatikko, a spiced swede bake made with cream, breadcrumbs, nutmeg, and treacle, topped with buttered breadcrumbs for a golden finish.

Mexico: Ponche Navideño

Mexico’s ponche navideño is a festive, alcohol-free punch made with guava, apples, sugar cane, cinnamon, and hibiscus. Traditionally served during Las Posadas, it can be spiked with tequila or brandy for a ponche con piquete.

Spain: Sopa de galets

In Catalonia, Christmas lunch starts with sopa de galets, a rich soup featuring meatballs and giant pasta shells. The broth, made from beef, ham bones, chicken, and vegetables, is simmered for hours for a hearty, festive dish.

Norway: Pinnekjøtt

On December 24th in western Norway, the air is filled with the aroma of pinnekjøtt, wood-fired lamb ribs. Dried, cured, or smoked, the meat is slowly cooked over birch wood until tender, served with swede and carrot mash, lingonberry jam, and often a shot of akevitt, a spiced Scandinavian spirit.

Venezuela: Pan de jamón

Venezuela’s pan de jamón, a sweet-savoury bread filled with roasted ham, raisins, and green olives, is a Christmas Eve tradition. Often served with hallacas and dulce de lechoza, it’s sometimes made with filo pastry and topped with cheese for an extra festive touch.

These festive feasts illustrate the incredible diversity of Christmas celebrations, highlighting the unique flavours and customs cherished across cultures.

Malta With Largest Increase In Passengers

Dec 6 2024

In 2023, Malta registered the largest increase in number of passengers travelling by air in the EU at 33.3%.

Malta was followed by Slovenia and Czechia which registered increases of 30.9% and 29.4% respectively.

Meanwhile, Estonia registered the lowest increase at 7.9%, followed by Greece and Lithuania at 9.6% and 12.3% respectively.

Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport registered the most passengers at 67.4 million passengers, a 17.3% increase when compared to 2022).

Meanwhile Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport and Madrid’s Barajas airport registered the second and third highest amount of passengers at 61.9 million (+17.9%) and 60.1 million (+204%) respectively.

Meanwhile, Rome’s Fiumicino airport was the airport with the highest increase compared with 2022 out of the top 10 airports carrying the most passengers.

In 2023, the total number of passengers travelling by air in the EU was 973 million, an increase of 19.3% compared with 2022 (816 million).

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New Harry Potter Series Starts Filming On Original Set

Dec 6 2024

Filming for the highly anticipated Harry Potter series will begin next summer at Leavesden Studios, where the original films were shot. The series is set to dive deeper into the lives of Hogwarts students, with a completely new cast. The search for the lead trio has been extensive, with over 32,000 children auditioning. Shortlisted candidates will attend workshops in January.

Though HBO has not revealed much about the cast, reports suggest some exciting developments. Variety notes that Warner Bros. has reached out to Mark Rylance for the role of Dumbledore, while Paapa Essiedu has reportedly been offered the role of Severus Snape. Meanwhile, Hollywood Reporter confirms that the role of Hermione may be cast with a new, fresh face, though no details have been confirmed.

Ralph Fiennes, who portrayed Voldemort in the original Harry Potter films, has publicly expressed his hope that Cillian Murphy would take on the role of the Dark Lord in the upcoming series. With many casting decisions still to be made, as the series moves forward, showrunner Francesca Gardiner and director Mark Mylod are tasked with navigating a loyal fanbase’s expectations while introducing a fresh perspective on familiar stories.

#MaltaDaily