Новости за 15.12.2021

Online gaming regulations vary from one country to the next – and from one state to another. And yet, when it comes to Canada, the country presents a conundrum. On one hand, it is illegal to operate an online casino in Canada – and on the other, figures show that the online gambling sector in Canada was worth $12.75bn in 2020, with a 2021 forecast hitting $12.54bn. However, that conundrum requires clarification. Because, unlike what a first reading would hint, online casino gambling in Canada is legal. Читать дальше...

A Zabbar woman is holding the medical authorities responsible for damages after she allegedly suffered permanent scarring as a result of an “infected needle” used to administer her COVID-19 jab. The 24-year old has filed a judicial letter explaining that after she got her single-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine in May, she contracted an infection that resulted in a permanent scar. The woman was administered the vaccine at Mcast in Paola on May 21. But that jab left her permanently scarred as a... Читать дальше...

Labour MEP Alex Agius Saliba has been elected as one of the nine vice presidents of the Socialists and Democrats Group of the European Parliament.  The vote took place in Strasbourg on Wednesday ahead of a meeting of the group's leadership on Thursday.  He got 85% of the votes of socialist MEPs.  In a brief message on social media, Agius Saliba said he was honoured by the trust shown in him by his colleagues.  As one of the grouping's nine vice-presidents, Agius Saliba will be part of the S&D Group's Bureau... Читать дальше...

Yorgen Fenech spoke of having contact with Malta's prime minister in one of several phone chats with a Bangladeshi minister presented to court on Wednesday. The chats, on messaging application WhatsApp, also included exchanges in January 2019 with former PN media head Pierre Portelli. Chats were presented to court in a constitutional court case where Fenech is claiming that the repeated denial of bail since his arrest two years ago, breached his fundamental rights. The businessman who is awaiting... Читать дальше...

A recently-formed political party has launched a petition in a bid to force a referendum on the new cannabis law approved by parliament on Tuesday. ABBA party leader Ivan Grech Mintoff said the party was collecting the signatures for a public referendum to be held on the “unwanted Cannabis Act”, with the aim of having the law revoked.  Under local law, a petition must include the signatures of at least 10 per cent of eligible voters to force a referendum. Such applications are assessed by the... Читать дальше...

Europe’s top clubs are threatening not to release players for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon over fears surrounding its Covid-19 health protocol. The European Club Association, which represents leading clubs across the continent, made its concerns known to FIFA in a letter seen by AFP. “With regards to applicable protocols, as far as we are aware, CAF (the Confederation of African football) has not yet made available a suitable medical and operational protocol for the AFCON tournament... Читать дальше...

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said he believes taking the coronavirus vaccine is about “solidarity, loyalty and togetherness” as he revealed his whole squad has been at least double vaccinated. From Wednesday, fans in the Premier League will have to show proof of vaccination or a negative test result in the past 48 hours to enter stadiums as Britain battles a new wave of coronavirus cases caused by the new Omicron variant. Two Premier League games have also been postponed in the past week due... Читать дальше...

Italy will tighten restrictions for arrivals from the rest of the EU from Thursday, requiring coronavirus tests of everyone and a five-day quarantine for those who are not vaccinated. Previously, EU arrivals had to show proof of vaccination, recent recovery or a negative test. The decree signed by Health Minister Roberto Speranza late on Tuesday "provides for the obligation of a negative test on departure for all arrivals from European Union countries", a spokesperson said. "For the unvaccinated... Читать дальше...

There are grounds for a criminal investigation into the Vitals Global Healthcare (VGH) hospitals deal, former opposition leader Adrian Delia believes.   Addressing a press conference in the wake of a 460-page Auditor General report about the controversial contracts, Delia slammed the government for having voted in parliament to give current concessionaires Steward Healthcare more money - on the same day that the  report was released.  Steward Healthcare took over the running of the St Luke’s... Читать дальше...

A once dilapidated building in Birkirkara has been transformed into a musical haven for children with disabilities and autism- a first of its kind in Malta. The official opening of Villa Bianca Centre for Music took place on Wednesday morning. Video: Chris Sant Fournier. The centre provides a safe space for children and young people to explore the power of music, which benefits them both creatively and therapeutically.  The project is funded by the Malta Trust Foundation and the premises were... Читать дальше...

Marcelo Bielsa did not try and sugarcoat Leeds United’s record-equalling night for all the wrong reasons after being mauled 7-0 by Manchester City. “This is the worst performance in four years,” said the Argentine, who restored one of English football’s sleeping giants to the Premier League. “I can’t find anything that can be of value.” Leeds have never lost a league match by more than seven goals. The last time they surrendered to defeat by a similar margin was in 1934. “It’s a lot more noticeable... Читать дальше...

The prime minister and Mrs Abela will be meeting members of the public at the Auberge de Castille on Saturday afternoon to exchange Christmas and New Year greetings. Visitors are required to pre-book on telephone number 22002400/1. Visits will be between 4.15pm and 5.45pm. Visitors will also be able to see the Cabinet room and the Ambassadors' Hall.       

GO has signed a €16 million deal with telecommunications giant Nokia for 5G infrastructure leading to nationwide coverage by the end of 2023. As of Wednesday, GO pay monthly customers with 5G-enabled handsets can take advantage of the latest generation of mobile technology, for free, when in 5G covered areas, such as St Julian’s and Sliema.  Pay monthly GO customers will automatically see the 5G logo on their mobile device, provided their handset is capable of 5G. So far, only a few handsets,... Читать дальше...

Nowadays, there are plenty of opportunities for students from the US to go abroad to study. Even the potential hurdle of not being good at written English is no longer an issue – as there are professional essay writing services, like CustomWritings, that are available 24/7 to assist young learners in need. One such country that students may want to consider furthering their studies in is Malta.  Indeed, any website run by one of the many colleges and universities in Malta will explain why choosing to study with them is a great opportunity. Читать дальше...

Malta’s National Anti-Doping Organisation issued a statement on Wednesday to make it clear that the use of cannabis from sports athletes could still constitute a doping violation. On Tuesday, Maltese Parliament has approved cannabis law that will allow users to carry, buy and grow amounts of the drug, making Malta the first European country to introduce laws to regulate recreational cannabis use. NADO said that “substances under section 8 “Cannabinoids” of the 2021 WADA Prohibited List and 2022... Читать дальше...

Pressure is mounting on Education Minister Justyne Caruana to resign over a probe that flagged ethical misconduct. But is the minister also the subject of a criminal investigation?  Caruana has been in the eye of a storm ever since Standards Commissioner George Hyzler last week finished an investigation which concluded that she broke ethics when she awarded her close friend, Daniel Bogdanovic, a €15,000 contract for work he never actually did.   The full report was published on Tuesday and you can read it here. Читать дальше...

Chinese consumer spending grew at a slower-than-expected pace in November, data released on Wednesday showed, with analysts warning that an uptick in coronavirus cases was dampening sentiment and adding to questions over a rebound in the world’s second-largest economy. China’s economy bounced back quickly from the pandemic after authorities contained COVID-19 with strict border controls and targeted lockdowns, but the recovery has been losing steam this year. Economists said a current nationwide increase in Chinese coronavirus cases... Читать дальше...

Barcelona and Argentina striker Sergio Aguero on Wednesday announced his retirement from football at a tearful press conference, just over a month after the 33-year-old was diagnosed with a heart problem. “I have decided to stop playing professional football. It is a very hard moment but I am happy with my decision. My health comes first,” said Aguero, who enjoyed 10 highly successful years at Manchester City before leaving at the end of last season. He signed a two-year deal with Barcelona but had made just five appearances... Читать дальше...

The Aquatic Sports Association of Malta hosted the third and final day of the National Swimming Championships at the National Swimming Pool in Tal-Qroqq in what were the best weather conditions for the three-day event.  In Sunday’s competition, Caine Schembri continued to deliver respectable results having established another age group record, this time in the 100m Breaststroke event where he clocked a time of 1:12.76. This time supersedes the time of 1:14.16, which he established in June 2021, in Gzira. Читать дальше...

Fit for an audience of all ages, especially those out there who are down for a boogie, Brass House Unit (BHU) will perform 90 minutes of non-stop hit music arranged exclusively for Disco Royale - Bringing Back the Boogie at Sky Club. The 60’s and 70’s were trailblazers when it comes to popular music history, making the upcoming collaboration between MPO and Brass House Unit a concert surely not to be missed! With a less conventional format for a concert - the stand-up setting guarantees that the... Читать дальше...

The Order of St John, that ruled over Malta from 1530 till 1798, was a religious order and, befittingly, its member knights celebrated in a solemn manner all the main feasts found in the Catholic Church’s religious calendar including, naturally, Christmastide consisting of Christmas Day and its Eve (December 24 and 25), The New Year (January 1) and the Epiphany (January 6). Such festivities were mostly concentrated in their Conventual Church that, from the last decades of the 16th century, was... Читать дальше...

Karin Grech Hospital is running at half its capacity because of a nursing shortage, the MUMN claimed on Wednesday. In a statement, the union said that a further 14 nurses resigned over the past two weeks, with the hospital now 50 nurses short.  "Because of this shortage, out of 270 beds at Karin Grech Hospital, only around 140 are being actually utilised," the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses said. The shortage crisis had no limits and no boundaries, it lamented. The union further claimed that... Читать дальше...

You might want to ask what the "stunning" dame Za Za La Bouche is doing on your laptops and mobile phones. We don't really have a clear answer for that, but we thought it would add some Christmas cheer and much-needed satire in a country where satire often takes new meaning.  Trust the expert advice of the fabulous Za Za La Bouche. The pandemic has grounded Malta's pantomimes for the second year running, but renowned dame Alan Montanaro will transport his traditional hysterical Christmas stage jokes to Times of Malta... Читать дальше...

Argentinian tango dancers Paula Guzzanti and Claudio Gonzalez will be performing in Bisazza Street on Sunday, December 19. The couple will perform from 4 to 6pm at different stations along the pedestrian pathway. Guzzanti is a member of an international collective of musicians and dancers who have teamed up this year for sharing and promoting the culture of tango in Malta. The group includes tango dancer Angelo Grimaldi (Italy), pianist Jeremy Coleman (Scotland), clarinettist and composer Martin Della Vecchia (Argentina)... Читать дальше...

RABAT AJAX                 3 VITTORIOSA STARS      0 Rabat Ajax coach Vesko Petrovic insisted Rabat Ajax are alive and kicking in their battle against relegation after claiming a priceless victory over fellow strugglers Vittoriosa Stars. “After the heavy defeat against San Ġwann, we had to hit the reset button and pick the players up. It was a psychological issue not a football one. Today, the players executed the plan to perfection. We deserved this win,” Petrovic told the Times of Malta.... Читать дальше...