Новости за 07.12.2015

France's mainstream political parties were scrambling for a way to stop the rise of the far-right National Front (FN) today after its historic first-round lead in regional elections. Boosted by fears over the Islamic State militant attacks that killed 130 people in Paris on Nov. 13, Marine Le Pen's party secured 27.7 percent of the vote nationally. The National Front came first in six of 13 regions in Sunday's vote, its best showing ever. The anti-Europe, anti-immigration party has been gaining ground... Читать дальше...

Business owners are concerned that several franchises operating from Merchants Street, Valletta, would move out if the Monti (open market) moves up the road, the GRTU said today. It said that it had a meeting with the shop owners and the Merchants Street Business Community Association, during which the shop owners expressed their concerns about the proposed move, fearing it would nullify extensive investment they had made in their shops. . The GRTU said the shop owners were prepared to hold talks with a view to achieving a solution.

Russian police have handed over a puppy to the French ambassador in Moscow to replace a French police dog killed in an anti-terrorism raid. The gesture is a show of solidarity with France in the aftermath of the Paris terror attacks last month. Diesel, the seven-year-old Belgian shepherd killed in a French police raid targeting the suspected mastermind of the Paris attacks in November, has been honoured all over the world. Earlier today, Russia's Interior Ministry gave the German shepherd puppy named... Читать дальше...

Claire Magri, girlfriend of Anthony Borg, il-Bona, told a court this afternoon that she picked up the gun he had fired before he was stabbed to death and gave it to the first person who approached her because she was afraid someone else might hurt himself. A tearful Ms Magri took the witness stand in the trial by jury of Allan Galea, who stands accused of stabbing Mr Borg in Marsaxlokk village square on February 21, 2010. Ms Magri, who had spent 10 years in relationship with the deceased, had been... Читать дальше...

The United States has confirmed the death of the Islamic State's senior leader in Libya, known as Abu Nabil, who was targeted in a Nov. 13 U.S. air strike carried out by F-15 aircraft on a compound in the city of Derna. Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis also confirmed that a senior leader of the al Qaeda-affiliated group al Shabaab was killed in a U.S. military air strike in Somalia carried out on Dec. 2. The Pentagon named him as Abdirahman Sandhere, also known as "Ukash," and said the strike represented a significant blow to the group.

A doctor and his nurse wife who kept a man in forced servitude for almost a quarter of a century after illegally bringing him to Britain have both been jailed for six years. Former NHS obstetrician Emmanuel Edet, 61, and midwife Antan Edet, 58, kept fellow Nigerian Ofonime Sunday Inuk as a "houseboy" after telling immigration officials he was their teenage son when they arrived here in 1989. Over the next 24 years he worked unpaid up to 17 hours a day looking after the couple's two sons, cooking, cleaning and gardening. Читать дальше...

Part of Triq Santu Wistin, which carries traffic to Paceville and St George’s Bay, will be closed for traffic on Wednesday and Thursday because of urgent repairs to a waste water main, the Water Services Corporation said.  To reach Paceville centre, vehicles will be diverted through Triq Elija Zammit or Triq Sant Andrija. Vehicular traffic coming from Sqaq Lourdes will be diverted up towards Swieqi. Traffic flow from St George’s Bay towards Triq Mikiel Anton Vassalli will not be affected.

Nicholas Smith, best known for playing Mr Rumbold in the television comedy Are You Being Served?, has died aged 81, Sky News reported.  The 81-year-old was the last surviving member of the original cast of the show which ran from 1972 until 1985. Mr Rumbold was the manager of fictional department store Grace Brothers.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has revealed that his most recent MRI brain scan showed that his cancer has gone. Carter broke the news at a Sunday school class. Standing before 200 people at his church in Georgia, Carter told the crowd:  "When I went this week, they didn't find any cancer at all." The 91-year-old Carter started treatment in August for a cancer that had spread from his liver to his brain.  Despite the diagnosis, Carter continued to volunteer, working to build homes for Habitat for Humanity... Читать дальше...

A 25-year-old man who allegedly injured his sister when he hit her with a statuette has been let off the hook after she forgave him. Neville Carabott, from Marsaxlokk, was accused of having attempted to seriously injure his sister Bernice and with causing her slight injuries.  The incident happened at their parents' house in Marsaxlokk in October last year. The court heard that an argument between the two arose after Neville Carabott complained about shouting by Bernice's young daughter.  Bernice... Читать дальше...

Turkey has warned the Russian ambassador that there should be no repeat of an incident last week, when a Russian sailor allegedly brandished a rocket launcher on the deck of a naval ship passing through Istanbul, foreign ministry sources said. The incident, which was captured in photographs, has further ramped up tension between the two countries, after Turkey last month shot down a Russian plane o

A donkey which became stranded in flood waters in Ireland is recovering after a rowing club member came to his rescue. The animal escaped from its stable in Killorglin, Co Kerry, Ireland, on Saturday night after stormy weather damaged the gate. The male donkey was discovered stranded in a field the next morning, surrounded by deep flood water - the results of a burst riverbank nearby. After receiving a call from his concerned owner, Animal Heaven Animal Rescue (AHAR) issued an appeal for help in... Читать дальше...

European Council President Donald Tusk said today there was a "strong will" among EU states to satisfy British demands for reform but no consensus on London's proposal to curb immigration from the rest of the bloc. In a letter to EU leaders, published by the Council , the former Polish premier who will chair their summit next week, said it was urgent to find an accord with British Prime Minister David Cameron. "Our goal is to find solutions that will meet the expectations of the British prime minister... Читать дальше...

The 'deputy pope' will be summoned to testify before a Vatican court hearing a trial over the theft of confidential papal documents, the first time such a high-ranking official will appear at a public trial inside the city-state. The lawyer for Francesca Chaouqui, a former public relations consultant for a Vatican reform commission, asked that Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and two other high-ranking Vatican prelates appear before the court. Parolin, who is sometimes known as the deputy pope... Читать дальше...

Anthony Borg (Known as Il-Bona) frequently donated money to charitable institutions his brother said in court today as he was questioned about his deceased brother's alleged usury practice and violent methods of extracting money from borrowers. Frans Borg took the witness stand during the trial by jury of Allan Galea, who stands accused of fatally stabbing Anthony Borg in Marsaxlokk  on February 21, 2010. Mr Borg told the jury that, on the day, while he was at the PN club, he remembered his brother... Читать дальше...

Nationalist MP Censu Galea complained to the Speaker of the House today that his questions in Parliament about car clamping were being passed from one minister to another without anybody assuming responsibility.  The questions were about clamping zones. He said that three weeks ago the Minister for Transport and the Infrastructure replied that clamping zones are indicated in a notice issued by the Commissioner of Police. In a reply submitted today, the Home Affairs Minister referred Mr Galea to the Minister for Justice... Читать дальше...

Updated - Adds Speaker's comments - A magisterial inquiry into the fuel consumption of the Opposition leader's car is being carried out at the request of the Speaker, Anglu Farrugia. The Nationalist Party said this afternoon that as soon as Opposition leader Simon Busuttil learnt about the inquiry, he presented an application in court making himself available for any information that may be requested. He said that he too wanted to know what had happened, as soon as possible. Dr Busuttil has also... Читать дальше...

A campaign against drink-driving was launched today by the medical authorities, the police, Sedqa and several organisations involved int he sector. The campaign, to be held in the run-up to Christmas is called #checkmate (check your mate) against drink driving. Jonathan Joslin, from the Mater Dei Hospital Emergency Department said that since alcohol affected people differently, his recommendation was for drivers not to drink any alcohol at all. See the campaign video below.

Malta is backing a proposed EU directive aimed at addressing women’s under-representation in economic decision-making by setting a threshold of 40% for the proportion of the under-represented sex on the boards of listed companies by 2020 (by 2018 in the case of public undertakings). Civil Liberties Minister Helena Dalli told an EU ministerial meeting that, whilst significant progress in the field of equality has been achieved, statistics showed that gender equality remained very much a work-in-progress... Читать дальше...

Police in the southern Italian city of Bari have arrested an Iraqi man suspected of helping 11 foreign Islamist militants go to Italy, from where they had moved on to France, Belgium and other European countries. Special operations police named the man as Majid Muhamad, 45, who they said had obtained false passports to enable the suspected militants to enter Italy between March and September this year. The police said Muhamad, who was released last year after serving 10 years in jail for international terrorism... Читать дальше...

A total of 965,000 people were registered as asylum seekers in Germany from January to the end of November. The figure, given by Germany's interior minister Thomas de Maiziere, puts the total number of new arrivals this year above the total of 800,000 he forecast for 2015 in August. He said he would not give a new full-year forecast. Mr De Maiziere said the actual number of new arrivals to the end of November is below 965,000 because of people who registered more than once or continued to other countries, but he cannot say how much lower.

Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis said this afternoon that whatever the government was doing for Air Malta was being done for the benefit of workers. He, however, did not give a straight reply when asked in Parliament whether all current Air Malta full-time and part-time workers would be retained, and whether they would be retained in their grade and with their conditions. The question was asked by Nationalist MP Antoine Borg. Earlier, Dr Zammit Lewis refused to give details on talks which the... Читать дальше...

Three environmental organisations have called on the planning authority to revoke a development permit given to Parliamentary Secretary Ian Borg for a property in Rabat and on Dr Borg to resign. They made their call following the publication of a report by the Malta Independent on Sunday in which the Environment and Planning Commissioner highlighted the “devious manner” in which Dr Borg applied for the permit. Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar, Ramblers and Friends of the Earth said Dr Borg’s position was untenable. Читать дальше...

A 42-year-old man was today ordered to undergo a drug rehabilitation programme after he admitted to possessing cocaine and mephedrone. Paul Magro from Tarxien was also charged with dangerous driving and being in possession of burglary tools after he had already been convicted of theft or of handling stolen goods. The accused pleaded guilty to the charges before Magistrate Josette Demicoli and was placed on probation for two years, on the condition that he completes a drug rehabilitation programme. Читать дальше...

A man from Ivory Coast was arrested by police at Catania Airport just as he was embarking on a flight to Malta. The man was arrested after he found carrying fake Italian documents, Italy’s La Republica reported. A number of migrants carrying fake documents have been arrested by Italian police on their way to Malta in recent days.