Новости за 27.07.2016

Motorists fond of the popular Għajn Tuffieħa bay are furious after receiving parking fines despite parking according to traffic regulations. The Times of Malta last week reported how parking tickets were being issued to motorists who parked along the road leading to the beach when their vehicles crossed the white line marking the lane. The transport authorities explained that parking this way was a violation of traffic rules and the fines were being issued as cars were not meant to cross the white lines. Читать дальше...

The Muslim Community in Malta this evening expressed “shock, sorrow and grave concern” at the recent series of terroristic acts in several countries including France, Germany and the United States. It said it was also shocked at the “heinous coward crime” of killing the French priest Fr Jacques Hamel. “Those horrible acts were falsely proclaimed in the name of Islam and Muslims, while Islam prohibits and condemns the killing of innocent people irrespective of their faith or alleged justifications for such criminal acts. Читать дальше...

Nearly 1,700 officers have been formally discharged from Turkey's military following the country's failed coup, according to the state-run news agency. The government has also decided to close down dozens of media organisations, including 45 newspapers and 16 television stations, the Anadolu Agency added. The Turkish government says a US-based Muslim cleric was behind the failed uprising by a faction within the military that led to some 290 deaths on July 15. Thousands have been detained for suspected links to the coup. Читать дальше...

Members of the GO Employees Foundation accused the government and their own board of trustees of “betrayal” after its liquidation and the sale of its assets (shares) to Tunisie Telecom was halted. GO employees contacted the Times of Malta yesterday to contradict what the government said on Monday to justify its decision to stop the sale of about three million shares held by the foundation. “The government is not telling the truth and is trying confuse matters to justify its actions,” one employee said. Читать дальше...

A mysterious hot spot in Jupiter's upper atmosphere is caused by the planet's most famous feature, say scientists. The Great Red Spot - a massive storm system three times wider than the Earth - is heating the atmosphere high above it to temperatures hundreds of degrees warmer than anywhere else on the planet. Scientists made the discovery after observing Jupiter's infrared light emissions, which allowed them to make temperature measurements. At high altitude, some 500 miles above the planet's visible cloud tops... Читать дальше...

A bacterium that lives in the human nose produces an antibiotic lethal to the MRSA superbug, scientists have discovered. The new drug, named lugdunin, is made naturally by Staphylococcus lugdunensis, one of a number of different kinds of microbe that inhabit the nostrils. In tests, it showed potent antimicrobial activity against a wide range of bacteria including the superbug strain methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Nasal swabs from 187 hospitalised patients showed that 5.9% of people carrying S. Читать дальше...

Monsoon season is bringing chaos and misery to northern India, with floods displacing more than a million people and causing major headaches for commuters in both urban and rural areas. Gavino Garay reports.

Some 20 predominantly young women gathered outside Parliament ahead of a committee hearing on the Morning After Pill this evening, arguing that their voices were being excluded from the debate. The women, responding to a call on social media, said they were frustrated by a speakers list for the hearing which they felt was unfairly biased towards opponents of the pill.   Most of the women, however, were not let in to the joint meeting of the Social Affairs, Family and Health committee due to a lack of space. Читать дальше...

Preparations for tomorrow’s concert by Joseph Calleja are in full swing. The world-renowned tenor's concert, at the Granaries in Floriana, will this year include the participation of legendary Italian singer Antonello Venditti and American singer songwriter Suzanne Vega. The entire standing area will be free of charge and open to the public. Seated tickets will be in front of the stage. Joseph Calleja and Antonello Venditti will be accompanied by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Steven... Читать дальше...

The government would not say whether a probe into the quality of oil used at one of the power stations as recently as October 2013 had been concluded or not. Headed by Judge Philip Sciberras, the inquiry was launched in the wake of “doubts” on the quality of oil used by State energy company Enemalta. The alarm bells were sounded by minister Konrad Mizzi, who, according to a government statement issued on October 22, 2013, was acting on “information” forwarded to him. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat tasked Judge Sciberras to look into the claims. Читать дальше...

Avid climbers yesterday expressed concern about the dangers of looking for geocaches in places too difficult to reach. The climbers were speaking after the body of 17-year-old German Mike Mansholt was found only a few metres away from the location of one such geocache yesterday morning. A geocache is a box hidden in remote locations and found using a device with GPS. The area, known as Għar Mirdum, holds one such geocache and is regarded as one of the toughest to locate, one climber, who previously managed to find the spot... Читать дальше...

Five special bus service routes will be operated by Malta Public Transport tomorrow to facilitate travel following Joseph Calleja’s concert at the Granaries. The concert starts at 8.30pm. He is to be accompanied by Italian legend Antonello Venditti and American singer songwriter Suzanne Vega. The concert will include the participation of the BOV Children’s Choir and the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Steve Mercurio. The special services are as follows: N13 from Bay A1: Valletta, Msida, Gżira, Sliema Ferries, St Julian’s. Читать дальше...

Rules are there to be broken, it seems - and bollards to be ignored. In a video uploaded to Facebook today, this delivery van can be seen driving over bollards as a "charitable" citizen keeps a look out for traffic. Know more about this incident? Email mynews@timesofmalta.com

Netflix’s new original series The Get Down holds the title of the most expensive TV production Netflix has had. Production cost the company €6.8 million ($7.5 million) per episode, rounding up to a massive €109 million ($120 million) in total. The Get Down shows the birth of hip-hop culture in 1970s South Bronx, New York. The series is produced by Moulin Rouge producer Baz Luhrmann, making it his first TV production. The series is due to premiere on Netflix on August 12. “I really believed that I was sort of going to be an uncle to the project... Читать дальше...

Update 5.50pm An explosion that went off around 200 metres (220 yards) from a reception centre for migrants in a town close to Nuremberg was a controlled detonation and nobody was injured, Bavarian police said on Twitter.  "No explosion, no injuries," police said. They said police forces were on the scene after the incident, which occurred around 2.15pm local time (1215 GMT). Police said in a statement a spray can in the suitcase may have exploded, adding that they were looking for the owners of the suitcase. Читать дальше...

What happens when a short-tempered bus driver and similarly agitated pedestrian bump heads?  Tourists on a number 13 bus going to Baħar ic-Cagħaq yesterday morning got to find out, and the results weren't pretty.  The ruckus kicked off after the bus driver was forced to turn the corner of Ross Street, St Julian's, at a sharp angle, frightening a group of pedestrians in the process and prompting one of them to bang on the side of the bus in alarm.  "Then the bus driver stopped the bus and went out... Читать дальше...

The Three Palaces Festival, a week-long festival with performances set in historically important and magnificent buildings, is this year being held between November 4 and 13. It will be directed by violinist Peter Manning, a leading figure in the classical music world. Also a concert master and conductor, Mr Manning has toured some of the world's major concert halls and led the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Britten String Quartet.  He is eager to make the... Читать дальше...

The global governing body for athletics has stood behind its ban on Russia's track and field athletes competing at the Rio Olympics, effectively leaving all avenues explored in Moscow's attempts to get the team readmitted. The decision was discriminatory, amounted to a political campaign waged against Russian sportspeople and devalued any medals won in their absence, Russia's President Vladimir Putin said. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) imposed the ban in November in... Читать дальше...

The man who wounded US President Ronald Reagan and three other people in a 1981 assassination attempt should be freed after 35 years and released to live with his mother, a federal judge ruled today. US District Judge Paul Friedman said John Hinckley Jr. no longer posed a danger to himself or others and could be released from a government psychiatric hospital in Washington. Hinckley, 61, "is permitted to reside full-time in Williamsburg, Virginia, on convalescent leave, which shall begin no sooner than Aug. Читать дальше...

A Dutch man determined to diminish plastic waste has created a machine that turns plastic waste into whatever you want. Dave Hakkens started a project called Precious Plastic, where he shows how simply you can turn your trash into treasures. He has developed machines that grind, melt and mould plastic into any design. The machines are made from “basic materials” so that they are affordable and easy for anyone to build. Hakkens’ plan is to spread  knowledge around the world and encourage people to start up their own plastic workshops. Читать дальше...

A Briton on holiday in Malta ended up in court after he crashed a motor scooter in St Paul’s Bay, grievously injuring the pillion rider. He also refused to take a breathalyser test. The incident happened two days ago in Triq it-Trunċiera at about 7.50pm. The accused, 31-year-old Matthew David Bullian, from Reading, was also injured and turned up in court today covered in bruises and with his left foot in plaster. Police inspector Godwin Scerri told the court that the man had already paid €470 for the scooter damage. Читать дальше...

Last week, Times of Malta counted 42 vehicles breaking priority lane rules in just 15 minutes in Marsa.  The priority lane is intended for cars carrying three people or more, buses, taxis, coaches, motorbikes, electric and LPG cars and bicycles. But the driver of this ministerial vehicle must have missed the memo.  A Times of Malta reader was surprised to see a BMW with ministerial numberplate GM 13 zip by in the Aldo Moro road priority lane yesterday afternoon.  GM 13 is the car assigned to Research... Читать дальше...

Pope Francis has told reporters on his way to Poland for a five-day visit that the world is at war, but is stressing that it is not a war of religions. Pope Francis spoke to reporters on the papal plane en route from Rome who asked him about the slaying of an 85-year-old priest in a Normandy church on Tuesday. Pope Francis replied: "The real word is war...yes, it's war. This holy priest died at the very moment he was offering a prayer for all the church." He went on: "I only want to clarify, when I speak of war... Читать дальше...

A Ħal Far open centre resident seriously injured a barmaid who chased him all the way from King’s Own Band Club in Valletta to City Gate to retrieve the mobile phone he had stolen from her, a court heard this morning. Shiling Fadi, 32 from Libya, was arraigned before Magistrate Charmaine Galea where he admitted all charges. The incident happened last night at about 1.30am as the bar was closing. Police sources said that the accused got hold of the barmaid’s mobile phone and ran up Republic Street... Читать дальше...

After registering four consecutive daily declines, the MSE Share Index edged up by 0.17 per cent to 4,466.235 points today. Activity was limited to just three shares, with two of them (BOV and Mapfre Middlesea) registering gains whilst MPC closed unchanged. Trading activity was at the lowest level this year ahead of the resumption of the interim report season next week with the publication of the financial statements by HSBC Bank Malta plc.Bank of Valletta plc climbed 0.5 per cent to recapture the €2.21 level across 13,575 shares.Similarly... Читать дальше...