Новости за 04.12.2017

Zimbabwe's new president Emmerson Mnangagwa swore in his cabinet on Monday, with allies defending him against criticism for giving top posts to the generals who helped his rise to power. Sworn in as president on November 24 after 93-year-old Robert Mugabe quit following a de facto military coup, Mnangagwa has also come under fire for bringing back several faces from the Mugabe era, including Patrick Chinamasa as finance minister. Air Marshall Perrance Shiri, who was handed the sensitive land portfolio... Читать дальше...

Updated 1.40pm - Added video Police Commissioner Lawrence Cutajar left a press conference at police headquarters on Monday morning through a side door, without uttering a single word about one of the biggest police operations in Maltese history. The press conference saw the commissioner and Home Affairs Minister Michael Farrugia congratulate reserve police constables engaged with the force. Forty-one new reserve police constables, eight of them women, graduated during the ceremony. Although the event... Читать дальше...

Malta Comic Con, the yearly event that attracts hundreds of people – from gaming to cosplay enthusiasts – has grown by a third. Malta Comic Con weekend, now a staple in the local activity calendar, has increased in popularity to the extent that it has had to move to the Mediterranean Conference Centre. One of the organisers, Fabio Agius told Times of Malta that the number of visitors was predicted to surpass the 2,000 mark. He noted that the event was diversifying and attracting people of all ages... Читать дальше...

On December 7, Malta will host a Blockchain & Bitcoin Conference at the Intercontinental Hotel in St Julians. FinanceMalta is sponsoring this event which is targeted at all those interested in blockchain and cryptocurrencies in terms of business. Delegates and speakers include entrepreneurs, investors, consultants and IT specialists working with blockchain and digital currencies. The objective of the event is to develop the blockchain community and to establish communication between its participants. Читать дальше...

In a thought-provoking film, the director Annalisa Piras follows the EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini over two years of upheaval. A serious documentary on a determined politician's attempts to overcome Europe’s multiple challenges with pragmatism but also humanity.

To celebrate the restoration of the 18th century Positivo Organ at Our Lady of Victories church, Valletta, Din l-Art Ħelwa, supported by the Eden Leisure Group, will present an organ and vocal recital tomorrow. The historic instrument is made up of 271 pipes and it disappeared from the public eye while being kept in storage for safe keeping by the Valletta Regeneration Committee when this had been organising the early restoration of the church of Our Lady of Victories. Brought back to the church... Читать дальше...

Due to the New Year’s Eve Celebrations being held in Valletta, the Sliema/Valletta and the Three Cities/Valletta ferry will operate a shuttle service starting after normal schedule on New Yera's Eve up until 4am. The last trip departs from Valletta. Kindly be advised that on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, the public holiday schedule will apply, however, operations will be suspended between noon and 4pm.

Companies overseas owned by Maltese entities generated more than €639 million in 2015, employing 8,242 persons abroad. The National Statistics Office said on Monday that these figures showed increases of 12.4 and 23.3 per cent respectively over 2014. Most of the activity was in accommodation and food service activities, which on its own employed 4,891 employees. The education sector registered an increase of 30.2 per cent over 2014 and generated a turnover of €92.5 million. Most of the activity ... Читать дальше...

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat started a press conference on Monday morning about the arrest of eight people in connection with the October murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia with a reference to what had happened in 2002, saying he did not want to prejudice any eventual court case. He was referring to the press conference at the Auberge de Castille called by then Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami. Ashen-faced and emotional, the Prime Minister had revealed that Chief Justice Noel Arrigo and Judge Patrick... Читать дальше...

Through a mosaic of encounters and the mixing of genres, including musical and science fiction, Swagger brings to life the words and fantasies of teenagers who are growing up in some of France’s most underprivileged council estates. Despite how difficult their lives can be, these young people have dreams and ambitions. And no one can take that away from them. Teen-movie docudrama, Swagger, directed by Olivier Babinet, carries one in the midst of the astonishing minds of 11 teenagers from an underprivileged neighbourhood. Читать дальше...

Investment Thesis We maintain our price target of €100 on Renault. In the fourth quarter of 2017, Renault launched a new strategic plan for 2017-2022 with an ambition to reach €70 billion (at constant exchange rates) in revenues, and 7% operating margin at the end of the plan, while maintaining a positive operational automotive free cash flow every year. We expect the improvement in valuation to come from:• Increasing sales: Renault envisages having nine national markets where sales exceed 200k units per year. Читать дальше...

Updated 11.20am Police investigating the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia have arrested 10 suspects in connection with the case, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said on Monday. Eight of the arrests were announced at a press conference held at Auberge de Castille, with Dr Muscat subsequently tweeting that two more suspects were in police custody.  The arrests were made this morning in a number of areas including Marsa, Żebbuġ and Buġibba. All of the initial eight suspects are Maltese nationals, with at least some of them known to police... Читать дальше...

Updated 10am Police investigating the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia have arrested eight suspects in relation to the case, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said on Monday. The arrests were made this morning in a number of areas including Marsa, Żebbuġ and Buġibba. All the suspects are Maltese nationals, with at least some of them known to police, Dr Muscat told a news conference at Auberge de Castille.  Police now have 48 hours to interrogate the suspects and prosecute.  Dr Muscat said investigators... Читать дальше...

There is “insufficient” evidence to guide recommendations on the use of vitamin D supplements in pregnancy, a study has concluded. Researchers called for large new trials to determine whether levels of the vitamin have an effect on maternal issues in pregnancy such as pre-eclampsia, infant growth and respiratory conditions. All adults, including pregnant and breastfeeding women, need 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day and should consider taking a supplement containing this amount, according to NHS Choices. Читать дальше...

Another year’s over but before the new one begins, Malta’s comedy ensemble – the Comedy Knights – will be returning for their annual show, which has become an integral part of thousands of Maltese people’s Christmas, along with the crib, the Christmas tree and being stuck in traffic for three hours after a last-minute shopping spree in Bisazza Street, Sliema. The tickets for 5how Me the Funny – which is a play on words on the ultra-quotable line from the film Jerry Maguire, show me the money – are now on sale. Читать дальше...

Daphne Caruana Galizia’s gruesome murder had ingredients of a mafia-style killing, according to Italian politician Antonio Di Pietro. In an interview with the Times of Malta (in Italian), Dr Di Pietro said it was evident that it was not an occasional crime but seemed like a professional homicide. “It was professional and a classic mafia-style homicide. Mafia’s style is intimidation. The target was not only poor Caruana Galizia, who was killed, but all those around her because it was a clear warning... Читать дальше...

For decades, economists have measured a country’s wealth by the size of the gross domestic product or GDP. If we lived in a fair world, we would be gauging our wealth by adopting the GDP per capita formula. Policymakers, politicians, and economists do not like unstructured sets of indicators. They prefer to encapsulate their verdict on how well off we all are by referring to long-established economic indicators. Many, of course, measure their well-being by other means. Apart from academics and politicians... Читать дальше...

Training managers to care for the mental well-being of their staff could be an effective way for companies to reduce the burden of sick leave costs, according to a recent study in Australia reported in medical journal The Lancet Psychiatry. Sick leave recently hit local headlines when, as part of its Budget proposals, the Malta Employers’ Association suggested that that the first day of sick leave should be unpaid, as happens in some other countries, as a way of deterring abuse and cutting the cost of sick leave for employers. Читать дальше...

Workmen resumed demolition works at Villa St Ignatius in Balluta this morning, defying the Planning Authority which had stopped the works a few days ago. The demolition works began at 6.30am this morning, with men wearing no safety gear seen on the villa's roof, hacking away at a rickety wooden structure perched on the corner.  Workers chipped away at the structure, loosening it before sending it crashing down to the ground, two storeys below.  Last Saturday, Times of Malta reported that workmen... Читать дальше...

Most politicians have become accustomed to insults and colourful language hurled their way by opponents, but recent weeks have shown them less willing to close an eye when the line is crossed into what they perceive as a direct threat. Emmanuel Navarro was arraigned in court recently after writing on Facebook that Nationalist MEP Roberta Metsola deserved to be “burned alive”. The 66-year old was initially denied bail, but was allowed to return home after retracting the comment and apologising, though the charges remain. Читать дальше...

Roche on Monday said its Foundation Medicine unit won US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for a test to help doctors understand the genetic profile of patients' tumours and guide them to effective therapies. Roche, which owns 58% of Foundation, is hoping to use the FoundationOne CDx assay to personalise cancer care, where treatment is better tailored to the specific molecular characteristics of each patient's disease.

Another two “well-preserved” townhouses will be making way for apartments along Valley Road in Marsalforn, to the disappointment of residents. The planning authority had refused the development of two food outlets and 12 apartments on Triq il-Wied, but the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal then revoked the refusal. Last month, signs went up on the townhouses, asking residents not to park in the area, and workers turned up on site. Among the reasons for refusal, the authority had noted that... Читать дальше...

When news broke in January that the fabric of St Paul’s Anglican Pro-Cathedral in Valletta was in dire need of restoration and that severe problems had been identified which threatened the stability of the tower, the spire and the external stonework, considerable national concern was expressed. It is therefore encouraging to learn not only that the planning permit for restoration work to begin will be granted before the end of December but also that work to restore the iconic spire should commence... Читать дальше...

Last month, the President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, was ousted after a 37-year grip on his country. The army coup also prevented the eventual takeover by Mugabe’s wife, Grace. Instead, Emmerson Mnangagwa was sworn in as the country’s third President. After Mugabe’s fall, Zimbabwe’s streets were packed with people rejoicing. Yet, there is little to rejoice for. In one of his customary annual interviews Mugabe – now 93 – claimed that “avoiding a full-tummy” is the secret to reaching his venerable age. Читать дальше...

Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe is one, and so is Barnaby Joyce, Australia's deputy prime minister whose dual citizenship almost brought down the government. They can both describe themselves as "Kwaussie", a portmanteau term that refers to a person who is both Australian and a New Zealander and was named on Monday as Australia's word of the year. It means someone who is both a "kiwi", or a New Zealander, and an "Aussie". Researchers say Crowe, the star of the films such as "Gladiator" and "Les Misérables"... Читать дальше...