Stunning Maenza joins Italy’s €1 house sell-off

Aug 22 2021

Italy has an ongoing clearance sale of €1 houses, with the first town nearer to Rome joining in on the selling extravaganza. Maenza, in Rome’s Latium region, has started to sell homes just over a dollar. It is a historic location high up on the wild Lepini hills south of Italy’s capital city. Dozens of abandoned stone dwellings are being made available in the hopes of attracting new occupants. Mayor Claudio Sperduti stated he is launching a pact for the rebirth of his hometown.

Interested buyers are advised to either go to the town’s official website or contact the town hall to make specific property requests. With around 100 neglected properties, some of which have become a potential danger hazard, applications for the first few houses on sale close on the 28th of August. The mayor reassures people that more houses will be out on the market as talks with original owners are underway.

Those who manage to buy a property must commit to renovating it within three years and cough up a deposit guarantee of €5,000 to be returned once works are finished. A detailed plan as to what the house will become must also be filled up. They are all located in an area with stunning views, traditional Italian food spots and even historical significance that spans ages.

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Photo Source: CNN Travel

North Koreans banned from discussing Kim Jong Un’s weight loss

Aug 22 2021

Government authorities of North Korea have banned citizens from discussing leader Kim Jong Un’s weight loss and described gossip as a ‘reactionary act.’ Authorities also alleged that Kim was eating less ‘for the sake of the country’ as it experiences severe food shortages. Kim is, as his government would have us believe, perfectly healthy, as gossip around it started following photos showing him having thinned down. Efforts to stifle gossip have failed however, according to Radio Free Asia (RFA).

It is also reportedly the first time officials in North Korea addressed speculation around Kim’s weight loss or health as it is considered a taboo topic. Some sources said that North Koreans were pleased at their leader’s weight loss because he was so ‘large’ it became difficult for him to work. It is suspected Kim lost between 22 and 44 pounds. Late North Korean dictators Kim il Sung and Kim Jong Il both died from heart attacks and were obese throughout their lives.

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Photo Source: BBC

Transport Malta issued 437 fines at sea in 2021

Aug 22 2021

Figures presented by Transport Malta to the Malta Independent revealed how a total of 437 fines were issued at sea by the former since the start of 2021. Throughout the year up until July, figures showed how there were a total of 1,706 inspections at sea by Transport Malta’s maritime enforcement patrol ribs. Of these inspections, 437 fines, along with 182 warnings, were handed out.

Over-speeding seemed to be the main breach reported, racking up 127 warnings and 98 charges. Berthing in a prohibited area was the breach with second highest charges at 92, only racking up 4 warnings in comparison. 25 charges were handed out to vessels without insurance, 46 for not having engines registered, 44 for expired vessel registrations and 27 for having no actual license. The Malta Police force also issued a total of ten fines, whilst receiving a total of 23 reports. The main breach reported to the police was theft from a sea craft.

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Photo Source: The Malta Independent, Transport Malta

Joseph Muscat will never ditch former chief of staff Keith Schembri

Aug 22 2021

Former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat affirmed his bond with former chief of staff Keith Schembri during his second interview with Times of Malta. Despite allegations to cover up the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and money laundering charges, Schembri was still defended by the former prime minister who stated;

‘Time and the course of affairs will tell us what his role was in all these things. And I am not going to judge him in advance.’ He insisted that investigators never flagged Schembri to him, with Muscat having resigned in January 2020 following Schembri’s arrest in connection with the assassination. Muscat reveals that he had cut off contact with his old friend for a while but resumed it when he became aware of his ill health. He also defended some of Schembri’s other actions when he was chief of staff. Muscat stated that he might be wrong or right in this, but he will never ditch him.

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Photo Source: Times of Malta, The Guardian