Новости за 11.12.2015

Two Syrian nationals were arrested in Geneva today and traces of explosives were found in their car, the city's daily Tribune de Geneve and Swiss television said. The newspaper gave no details on the identity of the two men or the circumstances of their arrest and said that it was not clear whether there was any link with the heightened security alert launched by Geneva authorities yesterday. Swiss President President Simonetta Sommaruga said earlier today that  federal authorities put Geneva on... Читать дальше...

Oil prices extended their freefall today, flirting with 11-year lows, after the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned that global oversupply of crude could worsen next year. Brent and U.S. crude's West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures fell as much as 5 percent on the day and 12 percent on the week as mild pre-winter weather and a plummeting U.S. stock market added to the toll on oil prices.   Oil traders and analysts were perplexed by the intensity of the decline, coming exactly a week after Dec. Читать дальше...

The police are conducting a search for a prisoner who escaped this afternoon. The prisoner, Martin Xuereb, who had been convicted of fraud, was doing community work in Zabbar when he went missing. The police said that whoever has any information about his whereabouts should call on 119 or 2122 4001, even in confidence, or visit the nearest police station.

The president of the Chamber of Commerce, Anton Borg, said at a meeting with the leader of the opposition today that it should never be a race to the bottom when it comes to governance, rule of law and standards. Instead, it should be a battle between the two sides of parliament on which party can offer the best policies while upholding excellence and quality in everything it does. Mr Borg said the chamber was concerned about reports in the press about poor management of public funds, poor decisions, conflicts of interest and other issues. Читать дальше...

A 63-year-old man died this afternoon when he was hit by a car in Siggiewi. The incident happened at about 4.45pm in Dun Manwel Zammit street. The man died on the spot. The vehicle, a Mitsubishi Shogun, was being driven by a  25-year-old man from Siggiewi.

Countries targeted by Islamic State will probably soon have to crush the group in Libya, France's prime minister said today, as rival Libyan factions neared signing a United Nations-backed unity agreement. French officials have been warning for more than a year that the political void in the north African state, which faces European Union members Malta and Italy across the Mediterranean Sea, is creating favourable conditions for Islamist groups. The longer a national unity government is not in place... Читать дальше...

Nestlé Malta today launched The Perugina Malta Scenes chocolate collection at the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta. The collection follows last year’s edition of Scenes of Valletta  which commemorated the 450th anniversary of our capital city. This year’s collection shows  different scenes from Victoria (Gozo), Mdina, Valletta, Sliema, Birkirkara, Mosta, St Paul’s Bay, Qormi, Vittoriosa and Zabbar on the wrapping of the Perugina milk chocolate bar. Ten Maltese artists collaboraed with Nestlé on this project - Mario Cassar... Читать дальше...

The Local Governance Board has found Valletta Council member Raymond Azzopardi guilty of having violated the code of ethics of councillors when he published information which the council had agreed to keep secret. The board considered the case after a complaint was filed by the council secretary on December 4. Mr Azzopardi, a Labour councillor, was found to have published information about a theft from the council offices which the council had unanimously agreed to keep secret, not to prejudice investigations. Читать дальше...

Hilltop Gardens Retirement Village, a project of the AX Holdings Group, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat in Naxxar today. The €43 million complex offers a choice of independent living arrangements including 133 luxury apartments and penthouses, spread over a 17,000sqm, all surrounded with extensive views, and landscaped areas. AX chairman Anglu Xuereb explained how Hilltop Gardens is a new concept for Malta. "This is not what we are used to as an 'Old Peoples’ Home' but a small retirement... Читать дальше...

Foued Mohamed-Aggad, one of three young men who shot dead 90 people at a Paris concert hall a month ago, was turned down by the French army and possibly also by the police before Islamic State took him on to fight for them. Army recruiters in the eastern city of Strasbourg decided after conducting physical and psychological tests that he was not a suitable candidate to bear arms as a French soldier. Mohamed-Aggad's identity was only established this week because of a text message his mother Fatima received. Читать дальше...

A number of hover boards, also known as drifting scooters and balance wheels, may pose a risk of injury or death due to falls off a moving platform, the Consumer Affairs Authority warned today. It urged users to wear adequate and approved personal protective equipment and carefully read and abide with the instruction manual.

Members of the Islamic community in Malta this afternoon held a protest against terrorism at the mosque in Paola. Many of them carried placards condemning terrorism and saying that it harms Islam.The protest started after Friday prayers, with some 100 people, mostly men, taking part. Imam Mohamed El Sadi led the protest, held in the wake of terrorist attacks in Paris and the US. A statement was read out condemning terrorist attacks in various parts of the world.  "Terrorism is not Islam, terror has no religion or borders," the statement... Читать дальше...

A dash cam video captured the moment a semi-truck trailer lost control on a highway in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Patrick Novak, the driver of the truck, posted this video of his truck flipping over and sliding across the highway. Free Ride by the Edgar Winter Group can be heard on the radio during the crash. Following the crash, Novak wrote there "couldn't be a better song" to be playing at the time of the crash. Mr Novak walked away with no major injuries.

The Economy Ministry said today that consultations on the transfer of the Valletta market are continuing and no final decision on the relocation has been taken yet.    The Merchants’ Street Business Community Association said yesterday it had confirmation that the market would move up the road on Monday. It filed a judicial protest this afternoon calling on the government to stop the move (see below). Association president, Tonio Camilleri, complained yesterday that the association had not been officially told about the imminent move... Читать дальше...

Fighting broke out in parliament among members of Ukraine's ruling coalition after a member of President Petro Poroshenko's bloc physically picked up Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk and pulled him from the podium. Yatseniuk was defending his embattled government's record when lawmaker Oleh Barna walked over to him with a bunch of red roses and then grabbed him around the waist and groin, lifting him off his feet and dragging him from the rostrum. Members of Yatseniuk's People Front party waded in... Читать дальше...

One of the world’s top chefs has given his blessing to cakes which will be sold at the Christmas Fayre to be held at St Paul’s Pro-Cathedral, Valletta Michel Roux Snr, of flagship restaurant The Waterside Inn at Bray, has three Michelin stars and a particularly soft spot for the mince pies and brownies prepared by chef David Antell, who travels between the UK and St Julian’s The young Englishman has had the honour of cooking for M. Roux on many occasions. During a recent stay David served mince pies for tea. Читать дальше...

Malta’s GDP  per capita was 84% that of the EU average last year from 85% in 2013 and 84% in 2012, figures issued today show. Actual Individual Consumption (AIC) was unchanged at 79%. AIC is a measure of the material welfare of households expressed in Purchasing Power Standards (PPS). Ten member states recorded AIC per capita above the EU average in 2014. The highest level in the EU was recorded in Luxembourg, 41% above the EU average. Germany and Austria were more than 20% above. They were followed by Denmark... Читать дальше...

A Palestinian driver attempted to ram his car into Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint in the occupied West Bank today and was shot dead, the Israeli military said. The attack occurred on the outskirts of Hebron, a large Palestinian city in the south of the West Bank. A campaign of stabbings, shootings and car-rammings by Palestinians has killed 19 Israelis and a U.S. citizen since the start of October. Israeli forces have killed 107 Palestinians, around two-thirds of whom the army identified as assailants. Читать дальше...

Car drivers can drive small powered motorcycles, following training, as from January 1. Transport Malta confirmed today. i  The motorcycle’s cylinder capacity must not exceed 125cc and have a power rating of 11KW or less. The power/weight ratio for electric motorcycles must not exceed 0.15KW per kg. Motor tricycles’s power must not exceed 15KW. Drivers must train with a certified motoring school for 10 hours, seven hours of which will be practical, the authority said. The motoring school will need... Читать дальше...

The Republic Street Business Community Association said today it backed those who are opposing the move of the Monti open market further up Merchants' Street. "It is our concern that if the ‘Monti’ is relocated in this street, it would be detrimental to both the shop owners and the prestigious firms they represent, as well as to the workers of these shops and to the City in general," the association said. "We do understand that the hawkers have a right to their living and we are therefore appealing... Читать дальше...

Have you ever walked through Mdina wondering what the ancient city was like long ago? Now you can find out just by whipping out your smartphone or tablet, pointing it at St Paul’s Cathedral and making a 360-degree turn. On your screen you will see the square as it was back in mediaeval times, complete with passers-by dressed in the clothes of the era. This is possible through a new, free app called Mdina Through Time, which allows users to switch between four eras: the Middle Ages, the Renaissance... Читать дальше...

Problems of poor governance have gone out of control and need to be reined in, according to the president of the Chamber of Commerce Anton Borg. Speaking during a meeting with Opposition leader Simon Busuttil, Mr Borg said the island seemed to be on a "race to the bottom". "We are worried to read in the press of new stories about poor management of public funds, poor decisions, conflicts of interest and other issues," he said. The chamber met with the Opposition to discuss the PN's new economic policy document... Читать дальше...

A recital of works by Beethoven and Schubert performed by Bar-to-Bar Trio will take place tomorrow at the Manoel Theatre at 8pm. A pre-concert talk will take place at 7.15pm. Bar-to-Bar trio is an offshoot of Bar-to-Bar Quintet which consists of members of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra who are passionate about chamber music and relish every opportunity to perform in this more intimate formation. The trio is made up of violinist Klara Nazaj, pianist Joanne Camilleri and cellist Akos Kertesz. Throughout their individual careers... Читать дальше...

The Maltese come second only to the British in the purchase of clothes online, results of an EU survey issued today show  Eurostat said that  the proportion of individuals aged 16 to 74 who have ordered goods or services for private use over the internet ("e-buyers") has risen from 30% in 2007 to 53% in 2015 across the EU.  Among EU internet users who did not make any on-line purchase in 2015, 75% reported that they preferred to shop in person and 27% were concerned about payment security and privacy. Читать дальше...

Full-time employment increased by 3.9 per cent in June when compared to the same month last year, while registered part-time employment as a primary job rose by 2.3 per cent, the National Statistics Office said today. Over a period of one year, the labour supply (excluding part-timers) increased by 2.8 per cent, reaching 175,531. This was mainly attributed to an increase in the full-time gainfully occupied population (6,345) and a drop in registered unemployment (1,542). Registered full-time employment In June... Читать дальше...