Rolex Middle Sea Race Continues After Stormy Weather

Oct 21 2024

The 2024 Rolex Middle Sea Race, over 24 hours in, has been marked by dramatic wind and sea changes.

As of 16:00 CEST, most of the fleet is spread between Capo Murro di Porco and areas north of Sicily, navigating through light winds. Leading the race is Remon Vos’ Black Jack 100, followed closely by Scallywag 100, Lucky, and Balthasar.

Unstable weather has challenged the fleet, with low pressure generating violent squalls, high winds, and rough seas.

A major squall hit the fleet near Sicily’s southeast corner, causing dismastings and severe damage to several yachts, forcing 29 to withdraw, including last year’s winner, Bullitt.

After the squall, sailors faced calm conditions and struggled with minimal wind. Notable participants, such as the Maltese boats Lazy Duck and Elusive 2, reported intense storms and squally gusts, while navigating water spouts and lightning.

At the front, Black Jack leads but faces competition from smaller boats like Black Pearl as the race progresses towards the Stromboli marker, with the race outcome still uncertain.

#MaltaDaily

Egypt Declared Malaria Free

Oct 21 2024

Egypt has been officially certified malaria-free by the World Health Organization (WHO), a milestone described by the UN agency as “truly historic.”

Malaria, which has affected Egypt since ancient times, has now been eradicated thanks to nearly a century of efforts. The country’s first attempts to control the disease began in the 1920s, with measures such as banning rice cultivation and other crops near residential areas to reduce human-mosquito contact.

Certification is granted by the WHO when a country proves no malaria transmission for at least three consecutive years.

Egypt is the third country in the WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region to achieve this status, following the United Arab Emirates and Morocco. Globally, 44 countries and one territory have reached this significant milestone.

Despite this achievement, the WHO cautioned that Egypt must remain vigilant to maintain its malaria-free status and prevent the reintroduction of the disease.

Malaria continues to claim over 600,000 lives annually, mostly in Africa, making prevention and ongoing monitoring crucial. While vaccines are available in some regions, the most effective prevention methods include monitoring the disease and minimising mosquito exposure.

This certification marks a new phase for Egypt in sustaining its malaria-free status after decades of battling the mosquito-borne illness.

#MaltaDaily

Cocaine Found In Vehicle Of Driver; Stopped After Using Phone While Driving

Oct 21 2024

A 28 year old man resident of St Paul’s Bay was arrested after in his possession were found a number of packets with a white substance, suspected to be cocaine.

Yesterday afternoon, during a routine inspection done on foot in Triq il-Port Ruman, St Paul’s Bay, police noticed a driver using a mobile phone whilst driving a vehicle.

He was stopped and was found to not have a valid driving license.

The man began acting suspiciously, and led to a search in his vehicle. A bag was found with a number of packets with cocaine and cash.

The man was arrested and was kept in the police Floriana lock up. He was arraigned in court today at around 1100hrs.

#MaltaDaily

Local Weather Page Suspends Updates After Attacks; Followers Show Solidarity

Oct 21 2024

Taking to social media, local and beloved weather page ‘It-Temp Madwarna’ released a statement announcing that they will be suspending their daily updates.

This comes after a series of ‘desperate, unjust and malicious attacks’, despite near perfect forecasts.

‘If you have questions about the weather, please ask someone else. Thank you to the thousands who showed us support.’

The post was filled with comments of support, offering solidarity with the page and urging the creator to keep going with the informative content.

One person even said that despite there being a miss in the forecast this past weekend, they rescued a number of cats due to the weather forecasting a storm, thanking the page for the push.

#MaltaDaily