Pope Francis kisses Ukrainian flag from massacred city Bucha

Apr 7 2022

Condemning the massacre of Ukrainian city Bucha, Pope Francis kissed the flag of the country sent from the town which saw some of the worst war crimes during the entire Russian invasion of its neighbour.

The atrocities saw victims shot at close range, littering bodies all over the streets of Bucha after Russian troops withdrew.

The deaths in the city, which is outside the capital city of Kyiv, triggered global outcries and pledges for more sanctions against Russia from the West. Pope Francis commented on the recent news, expressing his disapproval and horror.

‘Stop the war’ he said as he addressed his weekly audience in the Vatican’s auditorium. ‘Let the weapons fall silent. Stop sowing death and destruction.’ The Kremlin had however denied the allegations thrown at it in regards to the atrocities.

Handling the stained flag, Pope Francis kissed it and held it up to an audience of several thousand as they erupted into applause. He then asked a group of child war refugees who arrived on Tuesday to come up to him.

‘These children had to flee in order to arrive in a safe land. This is the fruit of the war. Let’s not forget them and let’s not forget the Ukrainian people’ he said. This comes right after the Pope met migrants and refugees during this two day visit to Malta.

There, he had also revealed he was considering a trip to Kyiv and went on to indirectly criticise Vladimir Putin by saying that a potentate was tormenting conflict for nationalist interests.

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Local coffee outlet Lot 61 ranked among Europe’s top 50 cafes

Apr 7 2022

International news site Big 7 Travel just released their annual list of best places to eat, drink and visit as those with wander lust travel the world.

And this time around, a local Valletta cafe by the name of Lot 61 Coffee Roasters made it onto the list, placing in 38th place from a list of 50 worldwide outlets. This places the shop next to the biggest names in the industry.

The international recognition is well deserved as Lot 61 managed to capture the attention of critic reviews as well as customer feedback. The cafe was also judged on location accessibility, presentation, value for money and atmosphere.

Sounds tough right? But Lot 61 managed to get onto the list because they ‘pay attention to every detail – from coffee buying, roasting and packing to brewing, serving and receiving guests.’

The motto of Lot 61 is that everyone should get the best coffee experience and education in coffee is key, but no dream is possible without a great team.

The outlet expressed how huge of an honour and privilege having achieved this is, whilst also reminding us that this is not the first time this was achieved. Lot 61 managed to score a place on the list back in 2019 as well, meaning twice in four years!

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Oliver Scicluna announces retirement from politics after not being elected

Apr 7 2022

Oliver Scicluna announced his retirement from the political scene today after he was not elected in Thursday’s casual election.

Scicluna was co-opted into Parliament by Robert Abela back in 2021, but was not elected on either of the districts he contested. He also failed to make it into Parliament during the casual election process.

His place on a Parliament seat was taken by Glenn Bedingfield on the 2nd district and Katya De Giovanni on the 4th. Taking to Facebook, Scicluna said that his ‘adventure in the political scene ends here.’

‘I look forward for what is to come’ he said, going on to congratulate those who will be representing the public in parliament. Before election, Scicluna served as the first Commissioner for the Rights of Persons with Disability. He was appointed to the role in June of 2016, holding the position until his co-option into Parliament.

The post announcing his retirement was met with reactions of sadness but also support, with many expressing that his work will go beyond the political scene and that he has done a lot of good throughout his political career.

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World’s skinniest skyscraper is ready to welcome residents

Apr 7 2022

Dubai might have sealed its place for having the world’s tallest tower, but Manhattan is competing on a whole different front as it has just installed the world’s skinniest skyscraper.

Shop Architects’ 111 West 57th Street, also known as Steinway Tower, recently put the final touches on its exterior construction. This means it is now ready for residents to move into its 84 floors.

It reaches up to 435 meters and is extremely thin at a mere 17.5 meter width, having room for only one residence per floor. The second tallest tower in the Western Hemisphere, it has a height-to-width ratio of 24:1.

The tower is located on Billionaire’s Row in Midtown Manhattan and has been under construction for some time now. It was first announced in 2013, with construction stalled due to ‘financial reasons.’

There are 60 apartments in total on the 84 floors and in the nearby Steinway Hall Building. With a triplex penthouse at the top, prices range from $7.5 million for a studio to $66 million for the penthouse.

The uniquely New York building is also filled with luxury amenities such as a 25-meter swimming pool and a private dining room, with a double-height fitness centre featuring a terrace.

#MaltaDaily