Новости за 08.07.2016

Manually cleaning up tons of seaweed washed up on beaches was not viable, the Cleansing Directorate director has said, as the arduous job would require hundreds of workers. “I cannot fathom how bays like Għadira, where thousands of tons of seaweed are washed up every year, could be cleaned up manually,” director Ramon Deguara told this newspaper. He was reacting to repeated calls by environmentalists to stop using heavy machinery to clean up seaweed washed up on beaches. Last month, this newspaper... Читать дальше...

A venomous species invading the Mediterranean has made its way to Malta, the University’s Conservation Biology Research Group announced yesterday, joining an increasing list of tropical reef species found in Maltese waters. The announcement comes days after this newspaper reported that the lionfish – a venomous and voracious species which originates in the Indian and Pacific Oceans and which colonised part of the Cypriot coast – could be heading towards Malta. Now the Research Group has confirmed that the species has arrived in Malta. Читать дальше...

The benchmark S&P 500 stock index traded above its record close today as Wall Street rallied after a much-larger-than-expected rise in jobs growth confirmed the US economy has regained speed after a first-quarter lull. The S&P traded less than four points away from the all-time intraday high of 2,134.72 reached in May 2015. After a dismal payrolls report for May that raised concerns about the health of the economy, employers added 287,000 jobs in June, beating market expectations for the first time in four months. Читать дальше...

Investigators have determined that the shooter in Dallas who killed five police officers did not have any connection to terrorist organisations, the White House has said. "It is my understanding that investigators have now publicly ruled out the possibility that the individual who carried out this terrible act of violence had any sort of connections to terrorist organisations either in the United States or around the world," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters in Warsaw, where President Barack Obama had attended a NATO summit. Читать дальше...

Justice Minister Owen Bonnici is considering a magistrate’s suggestion that criminal complaints be filed against a fee and that those persons making them abusively be punished. In a recent judgment acquitting government vet Frank Galea of perjury, Magistrate Joe Mifsud appealed to the police to carefully go through reports before deciding to take court action. He suggested that the courts should be empowered to impose penalties when cases were found to be frivolous and abusive. Dr Bonnici said that... Читать дальше...

The next Budget would seek to give a boost to the most vulnerable in society, Finance Minister Edward Scicluna said this evening. Such measures, he said, were in line with other measures introduced by this government in the last three years that led to the first decline in poverty in years.Prof Scicluna was speaking during the latest in the public consultation meetings called Gvern Li Jisma.“Our aim is to reduce poverty and we are a workers’ party. Rest assured that by the end of this legislature... Читать дальше...

Britain's Andy Murray tormented Tomas Berdych to claim a 6-3 6-3 6-3 victory and reach his third Wimbledon final today, setting up a weekend showdown with Canadian Milos Raonic. The second seed was totally dominant in the early-evening sunshine on Centre Court, ruthlessly dispatching the burly Czech who never threatened to stop the Murray bandwagon. The Scot's only brief wobble came early on when he dropped serve in the third game, having broken in the game before. Some poor errors from Berdych gifted Murray another break... Читать дальше...

Three members of the Spice Girls hinted at a reunion as they released a video on Friday marking 20 years since their band's debut single Wannabe stormed the charts worldwide. Emma Bunton, known as Baby Spice, Mel B, Scary Spice and Geri Halliwell (now Horner), Ginger Spice, thanked fans for their support in a video posted on YouTube and a website called "Spice Girls GEM", thought to refer to the trio's initials. There was no sign of the other two original band members, Victoria Beckham, Posh Spice... Читать дальше...

A 28-year-old woman has tested positive for Zika after returning to Malta from a visit to Nicaragua, the Health Ministry has said.  The woman, who is single and lives alone, has been admitted to Mater Dei hospital, where she is in a good medical condition.  This is the second reported case of a Zika-infected patient in Malta, after a Maltese man tested positive for the virus in January. The man had returned from a visit to the South Pacific islands.  The Zika virus is not transmitted from person-to-person except through sexual intercourse. Читать дальше...

Portugal and Ronaldo chase first major title  France confident after knocking out Germany  History and home advantage favour Les Bleus The fate of Sunday's intriguing European Championship final between France and Portugal weighs largely on two men wearing the number seven shirt, one already at the top of the game and the other one getting there fast. Cristiano Ronaldo, accustomed to fighting with Lionel Messi for the right to be called the best player in the world, takes on a different challenger in France's Antoine Griezmann... Читать дальше...

Milos Raonic made Roger Federer feel his age on Friday as the Canadian sharp-shooter bombarded Centre Court with a succession of 140 mph missiles to flatten the seven-times champion and reach his first grand slam final in five gripping sets. Raonic appeared to be down and out as he trailed Federer by two-sets to one and 15-40 in the fifth game of the fourth set but somehow he managed to cling on for a 6-3 6-7(3) 4-6 7-5 6-3 win and became the first Canadian man to reach a major final. "It's an incredible comeback for me. Читать дальше...

A group of NGOs and citizens marched from Valletta to Msida today, taking a stand against hate speech.Agenzija Zgħazagħ, SOS Malta, Integra Foundation, Kopin, African Media Association Malta, Migrant Women Association Malta and Spark 15 joined forces, carrying balloons which read "no hate", and placards which read “there is room for refugees but no room for hate”. The march forms part of a broader online campaign initiated by the Council of Europe's No Hate Movement. Ahead of the march, the collective said that the initiative... Читать дальше...

Credit rating agency Standard & Poor's has said it expects an eventual Brexit impact on Malta to be "relatively contained" with local economic growth outpacing the eurozone average.  In a research update published today, the agency affirmed Malta's BBB+/A-2 rating as well as its positive outlook, saying Malta had a "one-in-three" chance of getting a rating upgrade within the next 12 months.  S&P said it expected the Maltese economy to grow by an average of 2.9 per cent a year between 2016 and 2019... Читать дальше...

A pilot project aimed at encouraging households to separate their organic waste is to be extended to Gozo, Environment Minister Jose Herrera said today. Organic waste will start being collected in Gozo from 30 September, and Gozitan residents will be able to leave any organic waste out for collection on every Monday, Wednesday and Friday thereafter.  An intensive information campaign will begin next week and run throughout the summer, the minister said. The campaign will involve door-to-door visits by Wasteserv representatives... Читать дальше...

President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca will be meeting with Maltese-Australian communities in Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney next week as part of an official visit to Australia.  President Coleiro Preca will also have meetings with the premiers of Victoria and South Australia, Daniel Andrews and Jay Weatherill, Victoria's state governor Linda Dessau and the president of the legislative counil of New South Wales' parliament, Don Harwin.  She will also be delivering the keynote speech at a University... Читать дальше...

A 62-year-old Slovak man died this afternoon after finding himself in difficulty at sea while swimming at Għadira Bay.  Police said they were alerted at around 3.30pm.  The man, who lived in St Paul's Bay, was brought ashore by civilians at the scene. An ambulance rushed him to Mater Dei hospital for treatment, but doctors were unfortunately unable to save his life.  Magistrate Marseanne Farrugia has appointed various court experts to assist in an inquiry into the man's death. Police say they are investigating further.

Grammy nominated American jazz guitarist Mike Stern has been forced to pull out of the Malta Jazz Festival due to a serious injury, festival organisers have said.  Stern, who was scheduled to perform on Friday 22 July as part of the Mike Stern/Bill Evans band, will be replaced by Dean Brown on guitars. He has been forced to cancel all dates of his European tour due to the injury.  Brown is a well-known American session musician and composer in the jazz/fusion scene, whose music combines rock, latin, jazz, funk, and fusion. Читать дальше...

A suicide bomber killed six people inside a mosque in northeastern Nigeria's Borno state at dawn today, an army spokesman said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack in the town of Damboa but it bore the hallmarks of Islamist Boko Haram militants, who have waged an insurgency since 2009 to carve out a state based on sharia (Islamic law) in the northeast of Africa's most populous country. Army spokesman Sani Usman said there were two suicide bombers involved, one of whom failed... Читать дальше...

A 37-year-old man who failed to install a lift despite having been paid to do so has been handed a suspended sentence. Charles Abela was also charged with fraud but was acquitted of this charge. The case dates to April 2012, when a report was filed against Mr Abela over an €8,000 deposit to install a lift in a Mellieha flat. The global price of the lift was €20,000, and 40 per cent of the sum was requested as a deposit. The contract between Elevators DC Company Limited and the injured party stated... Читать дальше...

A barman charged with drug possession after police found cocaine in his jacket has been cleared of the charges after a court held that the charges were not sufficiently proven. Dylan Agius, 28, had been serving drinks at a Floriana bar when he was arrested in February 2011 following a police raid. Police had found nothing illegal on the staff and patrons' persons, but two sachets of cocaine were found strewn on one of the steps of a spiral staircase leading to a basement toilet used by the public... Читать дальше...

Malta's tourism industry is not expected to feel the Brexit pinch for at least a few months, as the majority of Britons planning to visit the island had booked their trip prior to their country's EU referendum. This view was expressed by a number of operators and Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis at a conference about the impact of Brexit on Malta's tourism industry. The conference was organised by the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association.   News of Britain's referendum decision to leave the... Читать дальше...

A yacht owner has been cleared of involuntary homicide after his yacht collided with the small boat of an 81-year-old angler who was fishing off Tigne Point. The case dates back to July 2010, when John Zarb, 57 of Naxxar, was accused of negligently causing the death of Giuseppe Gatt whilst at the helm of a motor yacht. The accused had been at the helm of the 'MY Sorcery' when it collided with the victim's small, open, fishing boat 'San Ġużepp', which then took on water and sank as a consequence of the impact on its port side. Читать дальше...

A Dwejra steering committee dismantled more than three years ago has been reconstituted, Environment Minister Jose Herrera announced this morning.  The eight-person committee will be chaired by marine archaeologist Timmy Gambin and will include representatives from the Malta Tourism Authority, Gozo Ministry, environmental NGOs and the hotels and restaurants sector, among others.  Dr Herrera said it was time Malta forged ahead in its drive to have environmentally important sites such as Dwejra recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Geoparks. Читать дальше...

Experts from Google will be in Malta next week to inspire local start-ups and businesses in their quest to thrive in an online marketplace.  The one-day Growing and Thriving Online seminar had generated immense enthusiasm, said event host and MEP Therese Comodini Cachia. "This is a sign that we have embraced digital innovation and want to grasp the opportunities that digital tools offer," Dr Comodini Cachia said. "Google have from our first meeting been committed to provide this training and I am... Читать дальше...

With the mercury hitting unbearable highs, a pedestrian in St Julian's decided to forego clothing and instead take a walk in his birthday suit. The naked man carried what appeared to be a pair of trousers in front of him as he crossed the road at Birkirkara Hill - although the view from the rear left little to the imagination.  And with a pair of socks on his feet protecting them from the scalding tarmac, the man could afford to take his time as he plodded along the road towards San Ġwann.  Witnesses... Читать дальше...