Zurrieq windmill sustains damages due to strong winds

Mar 19 2022

The ‘Mitħna tax-Xarolla‘ windmill in Zurrieq has sustained major damages after being hit by strong winds between Friday and Saturday.

Photos shared on social media show the windmill to have sustained damages to its blades. Reacting to such damages, Prime Minister Robert Abela stated the windmill is of important historical heritage and that the government will continue to support the local council in order to ensure that the necessary arrangements are made.

The windmill was built during the Knights of St. John’s time in Malta and it is one of four windmills which were used for wheat distribution within Zurrieq and the surrounding areas and was reportedly essential to the production chain, especially with regards to bread production. The Met Office has issued another notice stating that strong winds are to persist over the remainder of Saturday.

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Holders Chelsea drawn against Real Madrid in Champions League Quarter Finals

Mar 18 2022

The UEFA Champions League Quarter final and Semi final draws took place today. The first and second legs of the matches will take place in the first two weeks of April. The semi finals will take place between April 26th and May 4th, whilst the final will be played on the 28th of May in the Stade de France in Paris.

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Holders Chelsea will face 13-time winners Real Madrid for a second year in a row, after facing them in last years semi-final. Spanish champions Atletico Madrid will have to travel to Manchester again as after beating Manchester United they were drawn against last year’s runners up Manchester City. The winners of those ties will face each other in the semi final.

Liverpool were drawn against Spanish side Villarreal who shocked everyone by comfortably beating Juventus away from home, 3-0. If Liverpool win their tie they will either face German champions Bayern Munich or Portuguese team Benfica in what will be a fascinating encounter.

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FATF task force will assess Malta’s grey-listing progress next month

Mar 18 2022

The Prime Minister announced that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) visit to assess Malta’s progress to get off the greyest will occur next month.

Speaking during an event at the MCAST institute in Paola, the PM said that the fact that we had a short action plan and that Malta managed to satisfy the criteria is satisfying.

‘I will not repeat the mistakes of others and say I will get us out of the greylisting in three months. I will continue to exert caution and will deliver’ said Abela.

The FATF ruled that Malta had substantially complete its action plan earlier this month, warranting an on-site visit to verify that reforms have begun. Abela said Malta had to convince the FATF on a plan to implement 85 reforms.

‘We instantly initiated the process to implement the reforms. In April, they will visit Malta, and during the next plenary, we hope to receive the result we are all waiting for’ he said.

Contradicting claims by two PN candidates about trackless tram car lanes

Mar 18 2022

Nationalist Party candidates have allegedly contradicted each other when it comes to explaining how a proposed trackless tram will not lead to a reduction in existing traffic lanes.

Spokesperson for the party Toni Bezzina said that no existing traffic lanes will be lost despite the tram requiring a dedicated lane. He insisted the existing road space will be administered in a way to create a dedicated lane for the tram.

However, PN candidate Ryan Callus contradicted the claim earlier during the week by saying that the tram will take up one of the existing lanes so that roads will not be widened.

Callus told journalists that the tram will take up one of the lanes. ‘We will not take up additional land to widen roads but people will understand the importance of taking the tram rather than using their car.

Callus spoke about ‘rationalising’ existing road space to create a dedicated lane. Neither of the two candidates have explained how existing road space will be better administered or rationalised without having to lose one of the existing lanes.

With the Opposition insisting that no further land will be taken up and no existing lanes will be lost, the only option which remains is to narrow the lanes and add a third squeezed lane. However, this was not yet addressed by the PN for the potential road safety issues.

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