Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1497950
16 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 26 APRIL 2023 NEWS ACROSS 1) Washroom vessel 6) "Back in Black" rock band 10) Guffaw syllables 14) Where you live 15) Aesopian also-ran 16) In a bit, in poems 17) Allots, with "out" 18) Israeli airline 19) "Fancy" artist Azalea 20) "America's Dead Sea" 23) Sci-fi visitors 24) Long in the tooth 25) Cosigners for minors 28) Sign of a full house 29) Fling the horsehide 31) Airline-regulating org. 32) "J. Edgar" org. 34) River through Poland 36) Larger-than-life sorts 38) Literature in 16-point type, say 41) 0. Henry literary device 42) ___ Minor (northern constellation) 43) Takes too much, for short 44) Sty female 45) Pet food brand 47) Op. ___ (footnote abbr.) 49) Flat occupant 51) Intended goal 52) Wimbledon do-over 55) Origin-of-the-universe premise 59) Meets with 61) Computer pioneer Turing 62) Alternative to "bottled" 63) Like some surgery 64) Hefty volume 65) Cursor controller 66) In the altogether 67) One-dish meal 68) Features of winding roads DOWN 1) Cub Scout's award 2) Scrap, as a mission 3) Does a cobbler's job 4) Creative spark 5) Trojan War sage 6) In the future 7) Match a bet 8) "Oh, fudge!" 9) Last place, in baseball lingo 10) 17-syllable poem 11) Spongy kind of cake 12) One who won't share 13) Your choice 21) Fore-and-aft-rigged vessel 22) Wing it 26) Aquarium array 27) Talk fresh to 28) Capricorn, e.g. 29) Will figures 30) Starbucks array 32) ___ Islands (autonomous part of Denmark) 33) Kodiak, for one 35) Conga or bongo 37) Old geezer 38) Letter to Santa 39) Looking over 40) Not said explicitly 46) Box score entries 48) Returnee's declaration 50) Flight seating option 51) Nixon's first No. 2 52) Yoga position 53) Demagnetize, perhaps 54) Does data entry 56) Oodles 57) "Hello" tag datum 58) Mireille of "The Killing" 59) Cry aloud 60) Newsworthy time F Solution to last week's crossword The answers to today's crossword will be published in next week's Midweek edition Weather Fine Visibility Good Wind Northwest force 3 veering Southeast and becoming force 3 to 4 overnight. Sea Slight TODAY TOMORROW Crossword WEATHER MAINLY SUNNY WINDY WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS 20 0 / 14 0 17 0 / 14 0 FEELS LIKE 20 0 FEELS LIKE 17 0 THE owners of Virtu Ferries are set to acquire a 70% sharehold- ing in the MMH Group that operates the sprawling ex-ship- building site in Marsa. In January, Mediterranean Maritime Hub Finance plc said its ultimate beneficial owner, Paul Abela, had signed a "con- ditional and non-binding letter of intent" to transfer shares to Virtu Holdings and LTV Devel- opments. Virtu Holdings have proposed an acquisition of a 70% share- holding, based on a restructur- ing plan that includes LTV be- ing incorporated in the MMH structure; or a 70% share with LTV Developments taking over MMH's operations, business, as- sets and activities. MMH requested authorisation for the transaction to proceed from the governmental author- ities, due to obligations in its 2016 public deed for the tem- porary emphyteusis of its Grand Harbour site in Marsa. "The transaction described above therefore remains subject to the above-mentioned approv- als being issued and the transac- tion becoming unconditional," MMH said. "The MMH Group reiterates its optimism for the proposed transaction to be concluded once all transactional documents have been negotiated and final- ised, the relevant restructuring is completed, the above-men- tioned approvals have been ob- tained and the transaction be- coming unconditional." MMH Holdings guarantees the €15 million unsecured bonds that expire in 2026 issued by Mediterranean Maritime Hub Finance plc. MMH Holdings had acquired by concession the ex-shipbuild- ing site in Marsa in 2016 after the government issued a public call. The site's total area meas- ures 165,000sq.m and includes 1,200m of quayside and engi- neering workshops covering 30,500sq.m. The area strategically abuts on- to the Grand Harbour and cur- rently operates as an operations and supply chain support base for the Mediterranean oil and gas industry. The transfer of shares is subject to authorisation from the com- petent authorities in line with MMH's obligations arising from the public deed entered into with the government in August 2016. Virtu Holdings is ultimately the owner of Virtu Ferries, operators of a catamaran service between Malta and Pozzallo. It also oper- ates a fast ferry service between Grand Harbour and Mġarr. LTV Developments is owned by Francis Busuttil & Sons Ltd, also known as Ta' Bandallu, a major importer of food and groceries. Virtu, Francis Busuttil to acquire 70% holding in Malta Mediterranean Hub The Malta Mediterranean Hub