Новости за 21.12.2017

Chief Justice Emeritus Vincent De Gaetano has been elected a full member of the European Consortium for Church and State Research. The consortium, set up in 1989, meets formally once a year and unites academics from EU Member States who share an interest in relations between States and religious denominations in Europe from a historical, political and juridical point of view. For the last three years Dr De Gaetano, a judge in the European Court of Human Rights, served as rapporteur for Malta. This year’s meeting... Читать дальше...

Pro-independence parties in Catalonia appear to be on track to keeping an absolute majority of seats in regional elections, according to preliminary results based on 30 percent of the votes published by the regional government. This seemed to confirm an earlier exit poll. It was however unclear yet if final results would match the initial data. The separatist parties were seen getting some 71 seats in the 135-seat assembly, the preliminary data showed. Opinion polls before the vote had shown separatists... Читать дальше...

The authorities are warning motorists about the dangers of drinking and driving, labelling this year’s campaign ‘Life is not a game’. The campaign, which will include spots and notices on various media outlets, encourages drivers to not only ensure their own safety but also that of passengers, family and friends. Launched by Health Promotion and Disease Prevention director Paula Vassallo, it urges people to nominate a designated driver, who would refrain from consuming alcohol, or use a cab and taxi... Читать дальше...

German pilots at Ryanair have called for a four-hour strike on Friday that is set to be the first by pilots in the company's history after the Vereinigung Cockpit union said it was unhappy with the Irish airline's approach to talks. The strike comes less than a week after Ryanair shocked investors by saying it would recognise unions for the first time in its 32-year history in a bid to avert coordinated strikes across Europe over the Christmas period. The walkout in Germany, described as a "warning strike"... Читать дальше...

Retired nurses are being called up to apply for positions in state hospitals as the health authorities continue to struggle with a nursing staff shortage. In a call for applications published on the government’s website (www.gov.mt), retirees who are in possession of a nursing licence are being invited to apply for the posts of Staff Nurse and Enrolled Nurse with the public health sector. According to the details fleshed out in the call published on Friday, the invitation is open to all “suitably... Читать дальше...

128 countries have voted in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution calling on the United States to withdraw its decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The strong vote was taken despite a threat by US President Donald Trump to cut aid to those countries which voted against the United States. Just nine countries backed the US and voted against the resolution and 35 abstained. Malta, along with the rest of the EU, had condemned the US decision.   Minutes before the vote, the United... Читать дальше...

Brussels is not impressed with the level of cooperation afforded by Malta to EU authorities when recovering taxes, according to a European Commission report. In fact, Malta is among the countries mentioned as needing to step up efforts in this area, particularly by increasing the human resources necessary to deal with the EU mechanism in place. In its first evaluation report of a directive introduced in 2012 to facilitate recovery of claims relating to taxes, duties and other measures across the EU... Читать дальше...

Levski Sofia are set to arrive Malta on January 9 and will stay on our shores for four weeks, during which they will play five friendlies.  One of their games will be against Malta champions Hibernians followed by matches against Oleksandria, currently 8th in Ukraine's top-flight and Orenburg from Russia's Division Two.  While the fourth opponent is still to be known, the Bulgarian side will conclude their training camp with a sparring against Bayern Munich II.The Bavarian side are the second team... Читать дальше...

The European Commission cleared a deal by Lufthansa to buy insolvent Air Berlin's subsidiary LGW on Thursday, after it agreed to give up some runway slots at Duesseldorf, the EU's executive said. Lufthansa had originally planned to buy LGW along with another Air Berlin airline, Niki, but dropped its bid for Niki after the Commission indicated it would block the purchase. As part of the deal agreed upon, some Air Berlin aircraft, crew and slots at several airports were transferred to LGW. Lufthansa... Читать дальше...

The MSE Equity Price Index eased minimally lower to 4,454.543 points dragged by Lombard Bank shares which also offset the marginal uplift in HSBC on the stock exchange on Thursday. Meanwhile, BOV and FIMBank traded unchanged. Activity in Bank of Valletta plc rebounded as 204,000 shares changed hands across sixteen deals having a total value of €0.38 million representing 90% of today’s total value traded. The bank’s share price remained unchanged at the €1.85 level. Meanwhile shallow volumes in Lombard... Читать дальше...

At least two dozen people perished when fire broke out in the basement of a sports centre in Jecheon in South Korea. Many others were injured and the death toll is expected to rise as firefighters search the building, where the blaze has now been extinguished.

The government is proposing night-time and afternoon waste collection in Valletta, and heavier fines for those who take out their litter too early. Parliamentary Secretary Deo Debattista has launched a consultation document which proposes that waste in Valletta will be collected by vehicles of set dimensions between midnight and 3am and between 3pm and 5pm every day, including Sundays and public holidays. Residents and business owners will be obliged not to take out waste more than half an hour before the proposed times. Читать дальше...

Over the last few days, 26 tonnes of rice have been distributed to food banks and charitable organisations around the island to provide much-needed relief to families in extreme poverty. The high-quality rice, sourced from fields in Thailand, is a donation from the local chapter of the Constantinian Order of St George and the Cross of Constantinople (Byzantium). It was chosen because it is long-lasting – the donated bags will be good for three years – and can be kept in all conditions. “It’s shocking... Читать дальше...

The Christmas ‘grotto’ just outside the town of Għajnsielem will be vacant for some time on Sunday as the Holy Family joins the traditional procession, held every year on Christmas Eve in various localities. The grotto is part of the life-size crib – Bethlehem f’Għajnsielem – which covers an area of 20,000 square metres and features about 150 actors. It is the brainchild of Franco Ciangura, who first organised a live crib in the Għajnsielem parish square 17 years ago. About 15,000 people are estimated... Читать дальше...

South Africa' has downgraded its embassy in Tel Aviv to a liaison after a US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital, ahead of a UN vote on Thursday on a resolution urging Washington to drop the move. The decision was taken at the end of a five-day African National Congress conference, in which Cyril Ramaphosa was elected as its new leader and South Africa's likely next president after 2019 elections, following Jacob Zuma. "Delegates endorsed the proposal that we must give practical support... Читать дальше...

Lakers 122, Rockets 116 Rookie Kyle Kuzma scored 38 points, and the Los Angeles Lakers snapped the Houston Rockets' 14-game winning streak with a 122-116 upset victory Wednesday night. Houston had its streak end despite James Harden pouring in 51 points and adding nine assists. The Rockets also lost for the first time with guard Chris Paul in their lineup. Paul departed early in the fourth quarter with a sore left leg and did not return after posting eight points, five assists and five rebounds over 25 minutes. Читать дальше...

An elderly Paola resident testified in court on Thursday how she heard a sound similar to a tremor outside her front door, only to discover the following morning, that a shot had actually been fired at the door. The woman was testifying in criminal proceedings against Melvin Debono, a 26-year old unemployed man of Paola, who last week was arrested and arraigned over the incident. The elderly woman explained how on the afternoon of November 19 she had heard what sounded like a tremor outside her door. Читать дальше...

Five cribs are on show at St Dominic parish church, Valletta. The largest one serves as a backdrop for parishioners to place food items in front of it, which will then be distributed among the needy of the parish. The other four cribs are made out of wood, Jablo, rubble stone and sack material. Another activity was a meal for those who cannot afford one during Christmas. L-Ikla tal-Ħbieb (a meal for friends) was held at the parish’s Christian Doctrine Centre last Sunday. Today at 5pm, the parish... Читать дальше...

S&P Global Ratings have assigned a BBB+/A-2 long- and short-term credit rating to Bank of Valletta. The outlook is 'stable'. "Our ratings on BOV reflect our view that the bank will maintain its dominant domestic market position and sound retail franchise, which enable it to access an ample, stable customer deposit funding base," the agency said. "The ratings also factor in our expectation that the bank will continue to reduce its stock of non-performing assets (NPAs) through a combination of write-offs... Читать дальше...

Director Paul Thomas Anderson calls his movie "Phantom Thread" a romance, but its star Daniel Day-Lewis said that filming it made him so sad he decided to quit acting. Triple Oscar winner Day-Lewis plays fastidious 1950s London fashion designer Reynolds Woodcock whose self-centered life is disrupted when his latest muse, Alma (played by newcomer Vicky Krieps), falls in love with him and matters take an unexpected and sinister twist. The movie, arriving in US theaters on Dec. 25, took two years to... Читать дальше...

Updated with Julie Meyer comment at 3.10pm The UK company Ariadne Capital run by entrepreneurship guru Julie Meyer has been out into the hands of administrators, just weeks after she insisted it was ‘liquid’ in spite of mounting debts, according to a letter sent to her creditors in the UK. Business Insider’s online magazine said that Ariadne Capital’s creditors were informed that Leonard Curtis, one of the largest independent firms in the UK specialising in corporate recovery, insolvency and business restructuring... Читать дальше...

In Hong Kong where the cost of living is sky-high, rethinking what home looks like may help the city's least fortunate. A refashioned concrete water pipe is called an "Opod." While it may seem small the architect behind it believes these are a perfect solution in a city where some sleep in spaces smaller than a closet." "We can actually try to use land that is not currently suitable for conventional development. So what are these pieces of land? So sometimes there's land leftover between buildings... Читать дальше...

Libya's rival factions should stick to a United Nations peace process and prepare for elections in spring 2018, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Thursday, trying to give stalled UN talks a new push. The North African country has two rival governments, one in the east and a U.N.-backed administration in the capital Tripoli in the west, in a conflict stemming from the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. France was a leading player in the NATO intervention against Gaddafi, sending warplanes to bomb his forces. Читать дальше...

Paul Clement became the sixth Premier League manager sacked this season when bottom club Swansea City ended his one-year tenure on Wednesday but any upswing in results the Swans enjoy will be largely down to luck, according to a leading analyst. The so-called "new manager bounce" often accompanies a club parting ways with a manager and hiring a new one as demonstrated this month with West Ham United's resurgence under David Moyes after he replaced Slaven Bilic. But research by the 21st Club suggests the phenomenon is over-rated. Читать дальше...

The man accused of carrying out the terror attack on Muslims in London has pleaded not guilty to murder and attempted murder. Darren Osborne allegedly mowed down Akram Ali, 51, and nine other people on a crowded pavement in north London. The area was busy with Muslim worshippers attending Ramadan night prayers at the time. Osborne, 48, of Glyn Rhosyn, in Cardiff, is charged with the murder of Mr Ali and attempted murder. The charges state he murdered Mr Ali on June 19 and attempted to murder "persons... Читать дальше...