Новости за 08.02.2016

Forces allied to Libya's eastern government carried out air strikes on Islamic State militant areas of Derna city, but an aircraft later crashed because of mechanical failure, a spokesman said. Libyan National Army forces, led by Gen. Khalifa Haftar, carried out an air strike on the Hay Arrbamiya area of Derna, a city that has been the scene of fighting between Islamic State militants and rival Islamist fighters. An eyewitness in the city confirmed an airstrike on Derna in the area controlled by... Читать дальше...

Detainees held by the Syrian government are being killed on a massive scale amounting to a state policy of "extermination" of the civilian population, a crime against humanity, United Nations investigators said today. The U.N. commission of inquiry called on the Security Council to impose "targeted sanctions" on high-ranking Syrian civilian and military officials responsible for or complicit in deaths, torture and disappearances in custody, but stopped short of naming the suspects. The independent... Читать дальше...

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada would pull out six jets that have been bombing targets in Iraq and Syria, ending Canada's controversial combat role in the effort against Islamic State. Canada will end its bombing missions by February 22 but keep two surveillance planes in the region as well as refueling aircraft, and triple the number of soldiers training Kurdish troops in northern Iraq to about 200, from about 70 currently, the government said. "In any mission, you need to make choices. Читать дальше...

Qatar may create special courts during the 2022 soccer World Cup to deal quickly and "very gently" with alcohol-consuming fans who break the law in a conservative Muslim state where public drunkenness is prohibited, a Qatari official said. Qatari officials have said that the 500,000 football fans expected to descend on their country during the World Cup will be allowed to consume alcohol in designated zones, but how to best balance the country's cultural values with FIFA's requirements for the tournament remains contentious. Читать дальше...

The carnival organising committee this evening declared this year's Carnival a success, saying turnout was exceptionally good in Valletta and elsewhere, and the standard of the floats and costumes was high.  Jason Busuttil, artistic director, said standards of quality had risen across the board and competition judges had a tough job. He was also pleased with turnout in Hamrun, where another carnival was held. Many children attended workshops held at St James Cavalier yesterday.  A costumes competition... Читать дальше...

Emirates Airline is to hold a Cabin Crew Open Day on  February20 at 9.00am at Le Meridien St Julians Hotel & Spa, Balluta Bay. It said it is seeking to recruit people who are dedicated, open-minded, helpful, friendly and service-oriented. Applicants have to be at least 21 years old. They need to send their CV  in English, and a photograph on emirates.com/careers. Fluency in English (written and spoken) and at least a high school certificate are essential. Candidates must have a reach of 212cm while standing on tiptoes. Читать дальше...

Buses heading for Mater Dei Hospital will no longer stop at St Luke's because very few passengers have been using that stop, Transport Malta said today. As a result, Mater Dei bus services will be around 15 minutes faster. Route 122 between Valletta and St. Luke’s hospital will have its frequency increased. Bus route Route X1 at 6.45am will no longer go through Mellieħa centre, thus reducing the time it takes to reach Mater Dei hospital and University from Ċirkewwa.  Routes X1 and X2 will serve Mater Dei hospital and the University. Читать дальше...

A tremor near Ragusa in Sicily was felt slightly in parts of Malta this afternoon, notably in Valletta. The tremor registered 4.6 on the Richter scale at 4.35pm. Another tremor, registering 3.4, was felt in the same area yesterday. No serious damage was caused. The tremor was also recorded in the university's Seismic Monitoring & Research Group.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat is in Dubai for the fourth World Government Summit, the government said. The meeting groups heads of government, policy makers, intellectuals and business leaders. This year's theme is 'Shaping future governments.' Dr Muscat is accompanied by Environment Minister Leo Brincat, Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi  and the head of the civil service, Mario Cutajar. https://worldgovernmentsummit.org/summit/speakers-2016

The prime minister has still not answered three crucial questions about the Gaffarena expropriation case: Whether he knew about the deal beforehand, whether the police are investigating Castille over the case, and who Mr Gaffarena paid in order to be given €3.5m in cash and several parcels of land by the government, PN deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami said today. He told a press conference that Dr Muscat needed to answer these questions in the interests of transparency, more so since the Auditor-General’s... Читать дальше...

Mellieħa local council members pushing for the reintroduction of barbecues at Għadira had, in 2009, voted in favour of banning outdoor cooking at the bay, this newspaper has learnt. According to former mayor Robert Cutajar, at the time the council had unanimously agreed on banning barbecues at the bay. Both currentmayor John Buttigieg and vice-mayor Clayton Bartolo were council members then. “When I was mayor, we had unanimously agreed to ban barbecues to assure that Mellieħa Bay became the most... Читать дальше...

Maltese internet users had among the highest rates of security issues in the EU last year, according to data issued today by Eurostat.    Throughout the EU, a quarter of internet users reported common security issues, such as viruses affecting devices, abuse of personal information, financial losses or children accessing inappropriate websites. Croatia and Hungary reported the most cases, with a share of 42% and 39% respectively of their internet users. That was followed by Portugal at 36% and Malta at 34%. Читать дальше...

After trending in negative territory for the past two weeks, the MSE Share Index edged 0.3% higher during this morning’s session to 4,481.364 points largely due to the positive movements in the share prices of BOV and GO. Bank of Valletta plc edged 0.4% higher to regain the €2.239 level across eleven deals totalling 27,385 shares. Similarly, GO plc moved up 1% to recapture the €3.20 level on volumes of 12,800 shares ahead of the 2015 full-year results publication next Thursday. FIMBank plc also performed... Читать дальше...

At least four people were hurt by a leopard which entered the grounds of a school in India's southern Karnataka state on Friday. Video showed the large cat attacking a man near a swimming pool.  The leopard was later tranquilised and safely removed.

A woman had her mobile phone confiscated in court this morning after she took photos in court of a Libyan man testifying against her boyfriend’s younger brother. The incident happened during the hearing of a case about a knifing incident that happened on January 30 in Swieqi when three Libyan men clashed over political rivalry in their home country. Magistrate Josette Demicoli ordered the Police Commissioner to take all the steps he deemed necessary against the woman. She was escorted out of the courtroom. Читать дальше...

Francis Vassallo will not be seeking re-election as chairman of Mediterranean Bank, in order to devote more time to his charitable work, the bank announced today. Mr Vassallo, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Malta, will continue to serve as chairman until the approval of the bank’s annual report for financial year ending March 31, 2016. In November Mr Vassallo became a professed Knight of the Order of St John.

Indian scientists are investigating whether a man was killed by a meteorite, which if confirmed would be the first recorded death from falling fragments of space rock in almost 200 years. Jayalalithaa Jayaram, the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, said a bus driver at a college in her state was killed by the meteorite and awarded 100,000 rupees ($1,470) in compensation to his family. "A meteorite fell within the college premises," Jayalalithaa said. The man "sustained serious injuries and died while on the way to the hospital". Читать дальше...

At least 33 migrants attempting to reach Greece have drowned after two boats got into difficulties off the Turkish coast. Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency said 22 died after a boat capsized in the Bay of Edremit, near the Greek island of Lesbos. Earlier, the private Dogan news agency said the bodies of another 11 migrants had been found further south, near the Aegean resort of Dikili. The International Organisation for Migration says 374 migrants have died so far this year while trying to reach Greece. Читать дальше...

The Mepa Board has granted planning permission for Palazzo Zammittello in Valletta to be converted into a boutique hotel. The palazzo, at the corner of Republic Street with South Street, will undergo major restoration works, considerable internal alterations and an extension of the unfinished third floor. Mepa said that faced with the option of either approving the full extension of the third floor or a receded floor, as requested by the Superintendent of Cultural Heritage, the Board approved the full extension citing that aesthetically... Читать дальше...

Mepa has turned down a request to allow the development of seven swimming pools with decking and soft landscaping on agricultural land in a pristine ODZ area of Sannat, over an area of approximately 1,700 square metres. The pools would have formed part of a complex of 25 apartments. The building of the apartments will be allowed as they are within the development zone.  The site is accessible from two alleys off Triq il-Kbira in Sannat. The approved development faces the Sannat Urban Conservation Area. Читать дальше...

Where is Malta? See what went on at My Kitchen Rules, an Australian competitive cooking game show.  https://www.facebook.com/MyKitchenRules/videos/10153834058560149/

Coldplay headlined Super Bowl halftime show last night, but it was R&B super stars Beyonce and Bruno Mars who delivered the sizzle with a lively, upbeat production that paid homage to previous halftime performers. Known mainly for mellow hits, British alt-rockers Coldplay amped up the energy, staging "Viva La Vida" on a colorfully illuminated floor surrounded by dancing violinists. After Coldplay crowd-pleasers "Paradise" and "Adventure of a Lifetime," a black-leather-clad Mars, who headlined the halftime show in 2014... Читать дальше...