Новости за 03.01.2021

President Donald Trump pressured the Georgia secretary of state in an extraordinary phone conversation Saturday to "find" enough votes to overturn Joe Biden's victory in the Southern state, news media reported Sunday. The secretly taped conversation with fellow Republican Brad Raffensperger, first reported by the Washington Post, includes threats that Raffensperger and another Georgia official could face "a big risk" if they failed to pursue his request. "The people of Georgia are angry, the people... Читать дальше...

Manchester City brushed off a series of coronavirus-related absences to outclass Chelsea 3-1 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday and reassert their Premier League title challenge. Pep Guardiola’s men had scored more than twice in a league game just once since their opening match of the season, but were 3-0 up by half-time thanks to goals from Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne. Victory lifts City to within four points of Liverpool and Manchester United at the top of the table, but with a game in hand on both to come. Читать дальше...

Four persons were injured, one seriously, in a collision between two cars in Swieqi on Sunday morning. The police said the crash on Triq Sant' Andrija at about 9.30 involved a Fiat 500 and a Toyota Vitz. The injured were a 70-year-old man from Pieta', who was driving the Vitz, a 30-year-old woman from Zurrieq who was driving the Fiat, and two women, aged 73 and 76 from Xgħajra and Swieqi respectively, who were in the Vitz. The police said the 76-year-old was seriously injured while the injuries suffered by the others were slight. Читать дальше...

A motorcyclist was seriously injured in a collision with a van in Gozo on Sunday morning. The police said the crash took place at 10.30 in Triq Gedrin in Victoria.  The 32-year-old from Għajnsielem was involved in a collision with an  Isuzu Rodeo driven by a 40-year-old man from Qala.

Borders between the UK and the EU are no longer as open as they were a few days ago. How does the historic divorce impact people and goods? Julian Delia provides a quick guide. Travelling to the UK Maltese citizens, just like all EU citizens, can visit the UK with a national ID card up until October 2021. After that, passports will be accepted for a total visiting period of six months. Those who wish to live and work in the UK will now have their applications processed via a new points-based system. Читать дальше...

A National Audit Office (NAO) review of Infrastructure Malta flagged how a sample of invoices issued by three contractors to the roads agency could not be considered as valid fiscal documents. As part of a wider audit of the 2019 government accounts, the NAO found that the payment requests by the three contractors with €1.5 million worth of VAT due on them did not contain the roads agency’s VAT number, meaning it was not a valid fiscal document. “Lack of compliance with fiscal obligations may indirectly encourage tax evasion... Читать дальше...

Lautaro Martinez scored a hat-trick as Inter kicked off 2021 in blistering form with a 6-2 win over lowly Crotone on Sunday to take top spot in Serie A. Inter claimed an eighth consecutive league win to move two points ahead of AC Milan who travel to midtable Benevento later on Sunday with champions Juventus hosting Udinese. Martinez and Romelu Lukaku proved decisive for the northeners, the strike duo being involved in five of Inter’s goals. Continue reading this article on Sports Desk, the sports... Читать дальше...

A family-run clothing business has triumphed for a second time in a “David and Goliath” court battle against luxury car manufacturer Bentley over a long-running trademark dispute. In November last year, a High Court judge concluded the car maker had infringed the trademark rights of Manchester-based Bentley Clothing by using the Bentley name on its own range of goods. The result of the ruling was that Bentley Motors would no longer be able to use the name – either on its own or in conjunction with its famous “wings” logo ... Читать дальше...

Manchester City have launched an investigation into reports France defender Benjamin Mendy flouted coronavirus rules by hosting a gathering at his house on New Year’s Eve. Mendy, 26, allowed a chef and two friends of his partner to visit his Cheshire home, according to a report in The Sun. Regulations currently prevent people from different households in Tier Four from mixing indoors due to the continued spread of the virus in Britain.   Continue reading this article on Sports Desk, the sports... Читать дальше...

FIFA has suspended Kieran Trippier’s 10-week ban for breaching betting rules, freeing the England international to play for his club Atletico Madrid pending appeal. The 30-year-old was barred from any football activity by the English Football Association last week, ruling him out for at least 13 matches for the Spanish league highflyers. FIFA’s decision taken late Saturday allows Trippier to return to play for Diego Simeone’s side until the appeal is heard at a crucial period of the season.   Continue reading this article on Sports Desk... Читать дальше...

Many of us can relate stories about the fear that some of our pet dogs experience at the sound of fireworks. My seven-year-old rough collie, Mimos, behaves in exactly the same way as described in the article ‘Why Fireworks Scare Some Dogs but not Others’ (Smithsonianmag.com, Courtney Sexton, June 26, 2020): “Ears back. Body trembling. Hiding in the bathtub or crawling under the bed.” In another faithful description, an eminent author cites: “I have seen a dog much terrified at a band of musicians who were playing loudly outside the house... Читать дальше...

Eighty-five new COVID-19 cases were reported by the health authorities on Sunday. Sixty-four patients recovered, leaving 1587 active cases. [attach id=1009818 size="large" align="left" type="image"][/attach] The new cases are still being investigated. Of Saturday's 88 new cases, 18 were traced back to family members who were also confirmed positive, nine were contacts with other positive cases at work, four were contacts with other positive cases and three stemmed from social gatherings.  The virus has claimed 220 lives so far.

Less than four months had elapsed since the rescript authorising the solemn coronation of the statue of Maria Bambina had been issued by the Holy See on April 25, 1920. The feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin in September 1920 was one of special enthusiasm. [attach id=1009731 size="medium" align="right" type="image"]On June 12, 1921, the foundation stone of the baldachin was laid and blessed by Mgr Caruana.[/attach] Due to the difficult circumstances of World War I, the external festivities had been suspended since 1913. Читать дальше...

A 64-year-old man on Sunday pleaded not guilty to grievously injuring a man who he doused with boiling coffee in an early-morning argument in Zabbar.  He also allegedly smashed the cup in his face. Joseph Spiteri, from Kalkara, denied injuring the victim in what appears to have been a long-standing feud between the two.  Police Inspector Darren Buhagiar told Magistrate Doreen Clarke that the incident happened in Pjazza Medjatrici at 6.30am on Saturday.  Spiteri was also charged with being in possession of a penknife... Читать дальше...

A 35-year-old taxi driver on Sunday denied grievously injuring a Romanian man who he allegedly assaulted with a hammer on New Year’s Day.  Christian Lawrence Desira, from Zejtun, pleaded not guilty to injuring Alin Mircea Ladariu and to threatening a Colombian national, Luis Pierino Vargas Garcia during the same incident. Police Inspector Jonathan Cassar told Magistrate Doreen Clarke that the incident happened in St Julian’s at 3.20pm on New Year’s Day.  In a statement on Friday the police said that... Читать дальше...

Many people would have left the house there and then, but Leo was still sceptical. He was convinced that there was a simple, logical explanation for everything that had happened until then but he had a hard time explaining how the baby had got out of his cot, pushed the stool, opened the window and got out on to the balcony, They started to toy with the idea of leaving but whatever was behind the incidents seemed to sense that it may have gone too far and things quietened down for a while. Years passed by, with only the odd incident. Читать дальше...

Malta is on track to make it through a crucial evaluation of its anti-money laundering regime, Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Sunday.   In a brief phone-in interview on the Labour Party’s ONE radio, Abela said the government had put a lot of work into addressing shortcomings that had been highlighted in State authorities's handling of financial crime.   In 2019, Malta failed an evaluation of its efforts to fight money laundering by the Council of Europe’s so-called MoneyVal assessors.  A final... Читать дальше...

Opposition leader Bernard Grech has called on the nation to re-evaluate the way of life people were used to before the COVID-19 pandemic, saying the country should not go back to being “business as usual”.  In a telephone interview on the Nationalist Party’s radio station, NETFM, Grech said that saying that things will go back to the way they were before the pandemic hurts those who have been suffering.  “When the Prime Minister says we’re soon going back to 'business as usual', what does he mean? Читать дальше...

The Pastoral Formation Institute is celebrating the feast of the Epiphany with a free online webinar entitled ‘Viewing the Epiphany: Reflecting on the sacred through art’. The main idea behind this event is to celebrate the feast of the Epiphany together despite current COVID-19 restrictions. The Pastoral Formation Institute has opted to organise the event in a virtual manner instead, intending this to be an occasion upon which to reflect on the Epiphany while also appreciating the artistic heritage that it begets. Читать дальше...

A man who allegedly slashed his estranged wife with a kitchen knife during a row that followed a New Year’s Eve dinner has been remanded in custody. The 58-year old man was taken court on Saturday evening. He pleaded not guilty to attempted grievous bodily harm, slightly injuring and harassing his wife as well as sending her threatening messages.  Prosecuting inspector Eman Hayman explained that the couple were going through personal separation, with proceedings before the family court having reached an advanced stage. Читать дальше...

We have just started a new year with all its challenges ahead. Navigating through these is going to be quite a feat and I feel it is timely to share some tools and techniques to help you ride the waves. Every month I will be presenting one particular tool that one culture or another found of benefit for their well-being. Most of these tools have strange names as they are derived from foreign countries and so are in another language, but we will explore the concepts behind them that have stood the test of time with their insights and wisdom. Читать дальше...

Rebecca Zammit Lupi, whose battle with cancer was chronicled by her father and award-winning photographer Darrin, passed away on Sunday. She was 15 years old.  In a Facebook post, Zammit Lupi uploaded a picture of his daughter with the words: "There's a new angel in heaven." He later changed his cover picture to a photo of Rebecca jumping in the air, with the words: "Fly high, angel." Just hours before she passed away, he wrote: "Becs’ breathing is shallower but regular. Very peaceful and serene." Rebecca... Читать дальше...

Gozo, a portrait of an island by Daniel Cilia and Iggy Fenech published by Gozo Regional Council, 2020 Giovanni Bonello If you know of any book on these islands more visually stunning than this, please let me know. I don’t. This one is an almost aggressive extravaganza of colour, the fairyland where chronicle and aesthetics coincide, a tsunami of nostalgia. [attach id=1009614 size="medium" align="right" type="image"][/attach] Daniel Cilia, perhaps the most prolific and creative among a rich series of creative and prolific camera artists... Читать дальше...

Jaguar has revealed an electric endurance race car designed for the Gran Turismo video game. Called Jaguar Vision Gran Turismo SV, it has been designed with aerodynamic efficiency in mind, which contributes to its 255mph top speed. Helping it reach those heady figures is a 1,876bhp electric powertrain, with one motor in each wheel, providing a total torque figure of 3,360Nm. The streamlined car can go from 0-60mph (0-97km/h) in just 1.65 seconds, but it has been built with long-distance racing as a key consideration. Читать дальше...

Tuesday 7.40am The president is interviewed on the programme TVAM at PBS Studios in Guardamangia. Wednesday 10am The president presents the Letters of Credence to Malta’s Ambassador to Finland, Kenneth Vella, at San Anton Palace, Attard. Sunday 9am The president and Mrs Miriam Vella attend a Pontifical Mass presided by HCardinal Mario Grech on the occasion of the official opening of the eighth centenary of the death of St Dominic at the church of the Annunciation of Our Lady in Vittoriosa.