Новости за 15.12.2021

Malta will be allowed to apply for EU funding for a proposed gas pipeline, though none of those funds may “directly or indirectly” flow to anyone involved in criminal activity. The agreement was thrashed out during late-night negotiations between the European Parliament, Commission and Council. One source privy to the negotiations said the reference to criminal activity is built in as a safeguard to try to prevent the Electrogas consortium or any of its shareholders from benefitting from the pipeline funding. Читать дальше...

I suppose some of us still have an idealised vision of the festive season. The happy family trudging through the snow to midnight mass, then home to a glass of mulled screech and a plateful of hot buttered turkey giblets. Ah those were the days… nostalgia, nostalgia. But we are living in the nearly new millennium – times change and with them so does that festive season. Oh yes, Christmas isn’t what it used to be… and then some. Take last year for instance. Sure we intended to do the midnight mass... Читать дальше...

Christmas gifts tend to not survive the first week of the new year – and are quickly relegated to the company of other seasonal skeletons in the closet. Some don’t even make it out of the glittery wrapping – and are quickly, and a tad unkindly, recycled to a relative you don’t really like. Then there are those gifts which you wish you had never received – as they can’t be passed on, used or abused. Cue grandma’s knitted Christmas jumper, an 800-page tome on the entomology of the Amazon forest (you have an extreme fear of insects)... Читать дальше...

Giant and unusual trees shine a Christmas light from the sister island, says Esther Lafferty. As winter sets in and advent wreaths go up on our doors, the landscape is painted with fresh lush grass and crops – and there are other green things to look out for on Gozo that both celebrate Christmas and a sustainable approach to life. For over a decade before the pandemic, at Christmas time people from across Malta and beyond flocked to Gozo to enjoy the living nativity in the Bethlehem f’Għajnsielem village. Читать дальше...

Several European nations start vaccinating children aged five to 11 against COVID-19 on Wednesday, in an effort to contain a raging pandemic and keep schools open, while others are still deciding their approach. Germany, Spain, Greece and Hungary are among those opening up their inoculation drives to younger kids, with doctors reporting strong initial demand from parents. In Malta, the first jabs were administered on Tuesday. The EU's medicines watchdog last month approved the Pfizer-BioNTech... Читать дальше...

Hibernians coach Stefano Sanderra hailed his team’s resilience as the Italian coach celebrated his 100th match at the helm of the Paola club when leading his side to a come-from-behind victory over Gżira United last weekend. The Paolites were soon on the backfoot when they found themselves a goal down when Maxuell headed Gżira United ahead after six minutes of play. But gradually Hibernians stepped up their gear and two goals from Jurgen Degabriele and another from the in-form Jake Grech propelled... Читать дальше...

Two people were grievously injured in separate traffic accidents between Tuesday and Wednesday, the police said in a statement. An 18-year-old man from Xewkija was injured after falling in a valley while driving a Fiat just after midnight on Triq ir-Rabat in Żebbuġ. He was given first aid on site before being rushed to the Gozo General Hospital. Earlier, at around 5.15pm on Tuesday, a 67-year-old woman from Mosta was hit by a car in Triq l-Imħalla, Naxxar. The car that hit her - a Toyota Ractis... Читать дальше...

Annetto Depasquale: Wirt Għażiż tal-Knisja f’Malta is a new book edited by Mgr Anton Gouder and Fr Kevin Schembri on the 10th anniversary of the death of Bishop Depasquale (1938-2011). The title of the publication is not simply a caption; indeed, it is the message that clearly emerged from the testimonies of several people who knew him closely. Depasquale not only worked hard all his life for the good of the Church in Malta, but the Church in Malta, after his death, still enjoys much of what he has contributed. Читать дальше...

Chorus Urbanus is presenting its 24th Christmas concert at the Astra Theatre in Victoria on Sunday, December 19. The concert is the final event of the three-year project Feel the Magic. The concert, titled Feel the Magic of Christmas, consists of traditional Christmas songs and carols including Let it Snow and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, among many others. The Chorus Urbanus Festive Orchestra, made up of 22 elements, is conducted by John Galea. Apart from the 40-strong Chorus Urbanus choir... Читать дальше...

The Gaulitanus Choir has launched the second edition of Yuletide Bliss. The mini-series, being held between Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, follows the success achieved with the experimental edition held last year and again features three concerts, which are completely different in nature. The series kicks off on December 26 at St Francis church, Victoria, with a concert entitled Festive Strings featuring the Gaulitanus String Orchestra led by Marcelline Agius and directed by Colin Attard. A programme... Читать дальше...

Given the markets’ increased focus on ESG considerations, legislators and regulators alike have started legislating with a view to (primarily) increasing ESG-related disclosures. While the scope of a number of these laws is narrow (e.g. the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), which requires financial market participants and financial advisers to disclose information about the sustainability risks they face and their principal adverse impacts), other pieces of legislation apply more broadly, including in respect of issuers. Читать дальше...

Abortion and healthcare I can assure Giovanni Bonello who, in his letter ‘Abortion – self-defence’ (November 29) described my actions as an “ill-informed sortie in the field of law”, that I did nothing of the sort. This is because abortion sits firmly in the field of healthcare – specifically women’s healthcare – and it is when legislators make their own “ill-informed sortie” in the field of medicine by restricting access to this essential healthcare service that women are harmed. According to Bonello... Читать дальше...

Game day seven of the MAPFRE MSV Life Women League resulted in leaders Hibernians losing their unbeaten record when they were beaten by the odd basket against a resolute Caffe Moak Luxol who lost their American guard Jenniffer Oramas through injury early in the second quarter. The game set off on a balanced note with both sides practically at par for the first quarter. Yet Luxol started distancing themselves in the second rubber and even opened a double-digit 35-24 half-time lead as Josephine... Читать дальше...

Manchester City powered four points clear at the top of the Premier League as Kevin De Bruyne inspired a 7-0 rout of Leeds just hours after clubs were given strict new measures to curb the threat of the coronavirus on Tuesday. De Bruyne delivered an imperious display including two goals on his first league start since November 6 after the Belgian star recovered from a bout of Covid-19. Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Riyad Mahrez, John Stones and Nathan Ake were also on target as Pep Guardiola’s side ran riot at the Etihad Stadium. Читать дальше...