Новости за 09.11.2017

Former Blackburn and Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel has been named as the new head coach of the New England Revolution. Friedel, who also had spells at Liverpool and Tottenham in a Premier League career spanning almost two decades, had been coaching the United States' under-19 team prior to accepting the challenge with the Major League Soccer team. Friedel said: "My staff and I are delighted and honoured to have been hired by the New England Revolution. "I can guarantee that we, the staff and players... Читать дальше...

Unrealistic pre-electoral promises, coupled with weak planning and environmental institutions, are destroying Malta’s urban and natural fabric to the detriment of future generations, the Church has warned. It also called on the State to commission a study in view of property bubble concerns and to investigate whether prices are being inflated by the sale of passports and, possibly, money-laundering activities. The Church’s Environment Commission was commenting in a message marking World Town Planning Day, which falls today. Читать дальше...

A bloody attack on a journalist has prompted outrage in Italy and put the spotlight on suspected links between extreme right-wing politicians and organised crime in a notoriously unruly seaside suburb of Rome. A local vote last Sunday in Ostia sent the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement and a centre-right coalition to the second-round runoff, but also showed a sharp increase in support for neo-fascist group CasaPound. The vote is being closely watched as it is the first since the local government was dissolved two years ago by police... Читать дальше...

Malta U-21 will be looking to break their duck in the UEFA Championships qualifiers then they host Turkey in a Group 6 match at the Centenary Stadium this afternoon (kick-off: 3pm).  Skipper Jake Grech is confident in Malta's chances against the Turkish national team, with both teams separated only by two points. "We are a talented group, everyone knows each other well and we feel that if we stay sharp and focused throughout the whole game, we can chalk up our first points," Grech said.  While Malta lost their previous four outings... Читать дальше...

A cloud of radioactive pollution over Europe in recent weeks indicates that an accident has happened in a nuclear facility in Russia or Kazakhstan in the last week of September, French nuclear safety institute IRSN said. The IRSN ruled out an accident in a nuclear reactor, saying it was likely to be in a nuclear fuel treatment site or centre for radioactive medicine. There has been no impact on human health or the environment in Europe. IRSN, the technical arm of French nuclear regulator ASN, said... Читать дальше...

BOV Premier League revelation Gżira United have bolstered their attack in bid to maintain themselves at the heights of the championship after acquiring the services of forward Haruna Garba from Swedish side Djugardens IF. Garba, 23, is a familiar face in Maltese football having featured for Ħamrun Spartans in Division One and also formed part of the squad in the top-flight, where he managed to tally five goals in his first six outings.  The Nigerian striker will be available to don the Gżira United as from the next transfer window, in January. Читать дальше...

Malta-based Pharmacare Premium, a Palestinian-owned pharmaceutical company, has teamed up with Genepharm of Greece for the development of two generic medicines for use by cancer patients across the world. The deal was signed in Athens today in the presence of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.  The prime minister said this was an example of cooperation in the Mediterranean which benefited everyone.   Pharmacare Premium Malta chairman Bassim Khoury thanked the prime minister for his support and praised Malta for its business environment. Читать дальше...

The MSE Equity Price Index extended yesterday’s decline of 0.94% by a further 0.02% to a fresh 11-month low of 4,540.101 points as the 1% drop in the share price of BOV slightly outweighed the gains in Mapfre Middlesea (+3.4%) and RS2 (+0.4%). Trading volumes contracted to a six-day low of €0.2 million. Bank of Valletta plc trended lower for the second consecutive trading session as it lost 1% to the €1.803 level on volumes totalling 50,945 shares. The rights issue offer period commenced yesterday and closes on 6 December 2017. Читать дальше...

A 54-year-old motorcyclist from Sta Luċija was seriously injured in a freak accident this morning when he was hit by a wheel which came off a trailer. The accident happened on the Mġarr road as the motorcycle and the trailer were driven in opposite directions. The wheel bounced straight at the motorcyclist, who was later hospitalised.

Saudi Arabia's attorney-general said today that 208 people have been called in for questioning in a sweeping anti-corruption investigation, and seven of them had been released without charge. "Based on our investigations over the past three years, we estimate that at least $100 billion has been misused through systematic corruption and embezzlement over several decades," Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb said in a statement. He repeated statements by other top officials that normal commercial activity had not been affected by the crackdown... Читать дальше...

HSBC Life Assurance (Malta), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the HSBC Bank Malta, has today entered into an agreement with Lombard International Assurance SA for the sale of insurance policies governed by the Wealth Insurance Italy portfolio, the bank said in a company announcement. As at September 30, 2017, the insurance portfolio being transferred had total funds under management of circa €500 million and produced gross annual management charges of approximately €780,000 in 2016. This insurance portfolio... Читать дальше...

Former Kirkop mayor Mario Salerno has lost a libel case he had instituted against Il-Mument after a magistrate ruled that facts reported by the Sunday newspaper were basically correct. Mr Salerno had claimed that the article on March 23 was defamatory in his regard. The article had explained how the former Kirkop mayor had been investigated by the Department for Local Government over allegations that he had received an allegedly irregular sum of around €18,000 after having appointed himself as researcher on an EU-funded project called Litus Go.

Former Kirkop mayor Mario Salerno has lost a libel case he had instituted against Il-Mument after a magistrate ruled that facts reported by the Sunday newspaper were basically correct. Mr Salerno had claimed that at article on March 23 was defamatory in his regard. The article had explained how the former Kirkop mayor had been investigated by the Department for Local Government over allegations that he had received an allegedly irregular sum of around €18,000 after having appointed himself as researcher on an EU funded project called Litus Go. Читать дальше...

The police are looking for a man who reportedly escaped on a bicycle after carrying out a hold-up at a convenience shop in Swatar this afternoon. The incident happened at about 3.45pm when the man, who was hooded and brandished a pistol, entered the shop and demanded cash. He then ran out and escaped on a bicycle towards St Martin's College. It is understood that a considerable amount of cash was stolen. No one was injured.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker today called on Europe to stand up against separatism at a time when the Catalan independence push has deeply divided Spain. The standoff between Madrid and supporters of Catalan independence, triggered by a banned October 1 referendum on splitting from Spain, has stirred separatist feelings far beyond Spanish borders. "Nationalisms are a poison that prevent Europe from working together", said Juncker in a speech at a university Spanish city of Salamanca, where he received an award. Читать дальше...

Supplies of thousands of medicines are at risk of disruption if Britain leaves the European Union without a trade deal, forcing manufacturers to prepare for duplicate product testing to ensure their drugs stay on the market. More than 2,600 drugs have some stage of manufacture in Britain and 45 million patient packs are supplied from the UK to other European countries each month, while another 37 million flow in the opposite direction, drugmakers said today. Brexit threatens the free flow of these goods... Читать дальше...

The #occupyjustice group said today that it had not engaged in discussion with the prime minister during a meeting yesterday because one did not engage in discussion with someone who repeatedly and publicly said he would not budge. The group, which is calling for institutional change following the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, was criticised yesterday by the prime minister's spokesman, Kurt Farrugia, who in a Facebook post said its representatives had nothing to say once the media left. The... Читать дальше...

Bank of Valletta is to offer 105,000,000 new ordinary shares to its existing shareholders on the basis of a ratio of one new ordinary share for every four ordinary shares held at an offer price of €1.43 per new ordinary share. Existing shareholders may assign part or all of their rights to third parties. Employees and other investors may apply for any new shares not taken up by either existing shareholders or their assignees. All categories of investors may apply for the new shares by December 6... Читать дальше...

A number of Guinness World Records fell across the world over the last week. British inventor and entrepreneur, Richard Browning, soared into the record books when he made the fastest ever speed in a body-controlled jet engine power suit. The founder and chief test pilot of Gravity Industries achieved a speed of 51.53 km/h on his third and final timed effort over a lake in Reading, England. World records were also broken in the United States where the Harlem Globetrotter, Thunder Law, achieved the record for the highest upward basketball shot. Читать дальше...

Maltese liri, which ceased to be legal tender after Malta adopted the euro on January 31, 2008, will not remain exchangeable after 12.30pm on January 31, the Central Bank said. Following that, they will be worthless. It said in a statement that the Lm2, Lm5, Lm10 and Lm20 banknotes (fifth series) were first issued in circulation on September 18, 1989. They are coloured red (Lm2), blue (Lm5), green (Lm10) and brown (Lm20). They all have a common front side on which is depicted a female figure representing Malta holding a rudder. Читать дальше...

Nationalist MEP David Casa has called for the scrapping of secrecy laws which enable corrupt politicians to go unpunished. He was reacting to comments made in parliament yesterday by former minister Manuel Mallia who said an investigation should be launched into whether it was true that the Nationalist Party had received copies of FIAU reports, and if so, who had leaked them and how. He quoted the law which says that the leakage of such documents in a crime punishable by a fine of up to €116,000 and/or a jail term of up to five years. Читать дальше...

Updated at 4.50pm The Planning Authority board has expressed a preliminary opinion against the construction of the Farsons business park, which the company has taken - in a announcement on the Stock Exchange - as a rejection. The Planning Directorate had recommended the approval of permit PA02523/16 for the creation of a business park along Mdina Road, Mrieħel that consisted of international Grade A offices with landscaped courtyards and multi-level car parking facilities. The €40 million development... Читать дальше...

The Planning Authority board has voted against the construction of the Farsons business park, according to a company announcement. The Planning Directorate had recommended the approval of permit PA02523/16 for the creation of a business park along Mdina Road, Mrieħel that consisted of international Grade A offices with landscaped courtyards and multi-level car parking facilities. The €40 million development was earmarked to complement the rehabilitation of the Old Brewhouse that sought to restore... Читать дальше...

The former minister responsible for lands, Jason Azzopardi, has strongly rebutted allegations of having ever met property magnate Nazzareno Vassallo or having had any say in the sale of the old Lowenbrau Qormi brewery in favour of the latter back in 2009. The Opposition MP was this morning testifying in the libel suit instituted against Justice Minister Owen Bonnici after the latter had alleged at a press conference in January that Dr Azzopardi had met the businessman and had reached a ‘compromise’... Читать дальше...

The colonnade opposite the parliament building in Valletta is being cladded for decorative purposes as part of the city gate project by the Grand Harbour Regeneration Corporation and Heritage Malta. The work was taken in hand this morning.  The colonnade is being upgraded to a design by architect William Bondin, selected after nine submissions were made to a call for applications. The design is based on a hardstone cladding to be installed on the columns, having a smooth transition in intensity starting... Читать дальше...