Новости за 09.07.2017

The extreme metal festival marks its first decade this year with a line-up that sees some of Malta’s biggest names come together with newer acts for a celebration of metal. Festival founder Edward Tagliaferro shares some thoughts with Ramona Depares. What is the concept behind the festival? Xtreme Metal Assault exists mainly to showcase local talent in the vein of Xtreme Metal, better known as heavy metal.  It brings together bands showcasing various styles within one event. And how was the idea born? Читать дальше...

Chelsea have made their first major signing of the summer with the arrival of Roma defender Antonio Rudiger on a five-year contract. The 24-year-old Germany international will cost the Stamford Bridge club an initial £29million with add-ons potentially taking the deal to £33.3m. Rudiger will take over the number two shirt left vacant after Branislav Ivanovic's departure to Zenit St Petersburg in February. "It's a great feeling because not every player has the opportunity to join a huge club like this," the defender... Читать дальше...

Valletta 2018 chairman Jason Micallef has insisted the recent controversial dismissals within the organising team are common occurrences in other European Capitals of Culture and not an issue of concern to the public. “The matter is now behind us. It is business as usual within the Foundation and I am determined that the upcoming celebrations will not be tainted by any controversy,” Mr Micallef told The Sunday Times of Malta. “I know of no concerns or preoccupations among the general public over this... Читать дальше...

The National Book Council has prepared a treat for all book lovers this summer: the Summer Book Festival – Gozo, a two-day event packed with cultural activi­ties based around the themes of youth literature and poetry, besides being a fully-fledged book fair. The fair takes place in Gozo on Friday and Saturday at Sir M. A. Refalo Sixth Form in Victoria. Friday is dedicated to literature for youth. Activities on this day include a panel discussion on the topic of Youth and Literature, which will touch... Читать дальше...

All Eyez on Me2 starsDirector: Benny BoomStars: Demetrius Shipp Jr, Danai Gurira, Kat GrahamDuration: 139 minsClass: 15KRS Releasing Ltd Hot on the heels of last year’s criti­cal and commercial hit Straight Outta Compton, which charted the successes and failures of gangsta rap group N.W.A., comes All Eyez on Me, a biopic of rapper Tupac Shakur (Demetrius Shipp Jr), who was shot dead aged 25 in 1996. I will confess that I’m not a connoisseur of Shakur’s music or world yet and by the end of the film... Читать дальше...

A Tunisian man serving life in jail for four murders in 1988 has seen his application for a review of his sentence thrown out. Ben Ali Wahid Ben Hassine’s request was first rejected by a Parole Board last month and told to reapply in five years’ time but he filed an appeal asking the courts to treat it with urgency. But this request was turned down last Thursday, with a judge saying the court needed to take its decisions without any undue haste. The Tunisian was convicted in February 1992, along with co-national Mohsen Bin Brahim Mosbah... Читать дальше...

The Iraqi army has recaptured the city of Mosul from Islamic State. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced "victory" and went to the city to congratulate the soldiers. As the Iraqi soldiers made it to the centre of the city Islamic State militants threw themselves into the River Tigris, trying to flee the battlefield. A US-trained elite Iraqi force in the Old City of Mosul reached the Tigris riverside, state TV said, indicating that the insurgents' last redoubt is on the verge of falling. The battle... Читать дальше...

A striking exhibition of paintings by artist Mark Mallia at Caffe Cordina successfully raised funds for ALS Malta, which will go towards finishing the ALS Community Home that is currently being developed. The exhibition was organised as part of Caffe Cordina’s corporate social responsibility programme. In the past five years, it has raised €35,000 for Puttinu Cares and other causes through corporate donations, as well as donations made by its team members. “We became aware of the work that amyotrophic... Читать дальше...

A former official of the FIAU, the government’s anti-money laundering agency, was not given any reason for his dismissal after he was told last month not to report for work any longer, The Sunday Times of Malta has learnt.  Speaking to this paper, Charles Cronin, the former head of the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit’s Compliance Section, said his dismissal, while he was still on probation, came totally out of the blue. “I was heading out to lunch when I was summoned by the deputy director to the director’s office at the FIAU. Читать дальше...

There are only a few days and a few tickets left for Balzunetta Towers, one of the most highly anticipated events of this year’s Malta Summer Arts Festival, involving more than 100 people in a show that will run in less than a week’s time. Among this pool of people is established cartoonist Seb Tanti Burlò, who designed the set, which is being built by Norman iċ-Ċiċċo Hill, known for his carnival floats, and lights designer Andrew Zammit. These three are working on what is said to be the largest stage ever built at Pjazza Teatru Rjal. Читать дальше...

Valtteri Bottas won the Austrian Grand Prix for Mercedes on Sunday with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel finishing a mere 0.6 of a second behind to increase his lead over Lewis Hamilton to 20 points after nine races. Hamilton, Bottas’s team mate, started in eighth place after a grid penalty triggered by an unscheduled gearbox change and finished fourth. Vettel now has 171 points to Hamilton’s 151. Australian Daniel Ricciardo finished third for Red Bull, at a circuit owned by the energy drink brand, for... Читать дальше...

Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko is one of the best “finishers” in tennis and should be considered a favourite for the Wimbledon title, according to former world number one Mats Wilander. The 20-year-old was unseeded when she turned the women’s game upside down with her incredible run to the French Open title - thumping 54 winners and taking the last five games of a rivetting three-set final to stun Romanian Simona Halep. She has brought her fearless brand of tennis to the Wimbledon lawns and is now in... Читать дальше...

Spider-man: Homecoming4 starsDirector: Jon WattsStars: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr.Duration: 133 minsClass: 12KRS Releasing Ltd It pains me to report that I really enjoyed Spider-Man: Homecoming. As I believe I have already had occasion to state, I loved Andrew Garfield in the role, and was rather miffed when he was dumped in favour of Tom Holland for yet another (cue eye-roll) reboot of the franchise. But a friend wisely (and rather irritably) told me that since Garfield has clearly moved on, maybe I should too. Читать дальше...

Leading Steward John Conti Borda, who joined the Royal Navy in October 1935, embarked on the heavy cruiser HMS Devonshire in May 1939. He was wary of the vessel at first as it was nicknamed the Hoodoo Ship after one of its gun turrrets exploded during gunnery practice on July 26, 1929, off Volos, Greece, killing 17 seamen. But Conti Borda found Devonshire to be a lucky ship and a happy one too. His action station for the first six months was a cordite magazine; for the second six months a shell room... Читать дальше...

Rafael Nadal needs no reminder of the dangers posed by left-handers from Luxembourg - after all his first taste of defeat on Wimbledon’s lawns was against one such player. Twelve years on and that same man, Gilles Muller, could ambush Nadal’s attempt to land a third title. As Wimbledon swings into its second week Nadal is looking supreme, but 34-year-old grasscourt specialist Muller represents an altogether different challenge with his old-school serve-and-volley style that so bamboozled the Spaniard 12 years ago. Читать дальше...

The BrewThe StrandSliemaTel: 2703 0398 Food: 3/10Service: 4/10Ambience: 6/10Value: 5/10Overall: 4.5/10 The world is divided into two unequal portions. A large number of people would slow down when driving past a traffic accident and take a peek. A smaller number won’t. They’ll glance quickly at the cars involved to make sure it’s not a family member and drive past without a second thought. For the most part, I belong to the smaller, possibly more callous, division. I’m not interested in twisted metal... Читать дальше...

Wayne Rooney has confirmed he has rejoined Everton from Manchester United. The 31-year-old has issued a statement to Press Association Sport thanking United for the past 13 years and expressing his happiness at returning to his boyhood club. Rooney, who was filmed at Everton’s training ground on Saturday, left the Toffees for Old Trafford in 2004 and returns after winning five Premier League titles and a Champions League with United. Everton announced Rooney had signed on a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee. Читать дальше...

John Spencer has insisted the British and Irish Lions would have won their Test series in New Zealand with just one more week's preparation. The Lions' 2017 tour manager is determined to see the famed touring outfit receive extra preparation time for future tours. Warren Gatland's squad pulled off a drawn series against the back-to-back world champion All Blacks against all odds, having flown out to New Zealand just two days after the Premiership and PRO12 play-off finals. The Lions opened their... Читать дальше...

Former Manchester United midfielder Philip Mulryne has been ordained a Roman Catholic priest in the Dominican Order. The 39-year-old, who once earned £600,000-a-year during his playing days, has now also taken a vow of poverty. The ex-Norwich City star was ordained a deacon in October last year. Mulryne was a product of the Manchester United youth academy and made his debut for Sir Alex Ferguson’s in 1997. He only made one Premier League appearance for the Red Devils before he moved to Carrow Road. Читать дальше...

Add flavour to your summer dishes while helping your body stay healthy. Recipes courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research. Shrimp Salad with Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette Ingredients1/2 cup frozen corn (no salt added)1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, dividedSalt and freshly ground black pepper1 head romaine lettuce8 oz shrimp (thawed, tails trimmed)2 tbsp red wine vinegar1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil1 1/2 tsp prepared mustard1 tbsp chopped sundried tomato1 clove garlic... Читать дальше...

Gozitan MP Chris Said was the second person to declare himself a contestant in the PN leadership race. Keith Micallef asked the former party general secretary about his credentials, his handling of the DB Group agreement, the PN’s failure in Gozo and gay marriage, where he says he would have considered allowing a free vote. Is it a lifetime ambition of yours to become PN leader? I always sought to serve party and country in the best manner. Having been a mayor, an MP, a minister and a general secretary... Читать дальше...

Helena Dalli, Chris Fearne and Edward Scicluna stuck to their core messages in a debate this morning that targeted Labour Party delegates in the run-up to the deputy leader election. The election will take plce on Thursday and Friday, with a run-off on Saturday, if necessary.   The three contenders for the post of deputy leader parliamentary affairs – a role that will immediately make them deputy prime minister – played the chummy card with each other in a three-way debate on One TV this morning. Читать дальше...

Japanese rescue crews have taken advantage of a break in the weather to clean up and search for survivors of torrential rain, floods and landslides, as the death toll from several days of freak weather rises.  Thousands of people have been displaced around the city of Asakura. Authorities have warned there are more downpours on the way, bringing little relief to locals, some of whom have seen more rain in a matter of hours than they usually get in the whole month of July.

When we received an invitation to a friend’s wedding in Croatia, we initially felt excited but also a little confused. We had agreed that we would not be taking any trips for a while in an effort to save up for our long-term travels, which at the time were still in their planning stages. But Croatia sounded tempting, and after convincing ourselves that our absence from our friend’s special day would be a rude gesture (a decision that in all took about three seconds), we searched for flights for a three-day weekend break in Split... Читать дальше...

The photographer Guillaume Herbaut and the journalist Philippe Trétiack cross France on the eve of the election, taking snapshots of French society, from low culture to high culture to everything in-between. The Crazy Horse, full of glitz and glamour, is escapism in its purest form. It's the place people go to forget that the economy even exists. But the girls themselves clock in and clock out, just like at any other factory.