Новости за 28.11.2017

Ding Junhui suffered a stunning upset at the hands of 41-year-old Irishman Leo Fernandez in the first round of the UK Championship in York. The world number three and twice former winner of the title lost five frames in a row as Fernandez clawed back from 5-1 down for a famous 6-5 win. Fernandez, the world number 130, had not won a match in four tournaments since returning from a 15-month ban after admitting playing a foul shot to facilitate a betting sting in a World Championship qualifier last year. Читать дальше...

Tiger Woods makes another return to competitive golf this week and despite 10 months on the sidelines recovering from a fourth back surgery, the 14-time major winner's goal remains the same - to win. While Woods's famous competitive fires continue to rage the former world number one conceded he may have to temper his expectations at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. He takes on an elite 18-player field that includes eight of the top 10 in the current world rankings. "I just really want to be able to compete this week... Читать дальше...

The EU has voted to allow the use of the controversial weed-killer glyphosate for another five years, as Malta and eight other countries were defeated in their attempt to block the extension. Yesterday’s decision by the appeal committee of EU governments came after months of indecisive votes amid fears that the chemical causes cancer. Malta has consistently opposed efforts to renew the glyphosate licence, which was set to expire in December. Ahead of the vote, an environment ministry spokesman said... Читать дальше...

North Korea abruptly ended a 10-week pause in its weapons testing Tuesday by launching what the Pentagon believes was an intercontinental ballistic missile, a move that will escalate already high tensions with Washington. President Donald Trump, who was briefed while the missile was still in the air, later reacted to the launch by saying: "We will take care of it." The president, meeting Republican politicians in Washington, said: "It is a situation that we will handle." Pentagon spokesman Colonel... Читать дальше...

Bank of Valletta is no longer allowing its clients to buy cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin.  Clients making Sepa transfers to cryptocurrency exchanges or wallets are having transactions reversed, with the bank declining to explain the reasons why.  "A bank representative I spoke to was very friendly but unable to give me any more information," one disgruntled BOV customer told the Times of Malta. "They just said they were informed that the bank's policy had changed." 'Risk appetite' A BOV spokesperson was equally guarded... Читать дальше...

Maltese designer Rosemarie Abela showcased at Serbia Fashion Week on Friday. This opportunity was made possible as part of an ongoing collaboration between Malta Fashion Week and Serbia Fashion Week. Serbia fashion week is visited each year by over 2,500 guests, this year it hosted over 60 designers from 20 countries. It is also frequented by journalists, fashion week organisers and designers. This year it also hosted Patricia Gucci. Ms Abela began her career in 2014 and debuted at Malta Fashion Week that same year. Читать дальше...

An incident over an ice-bucket at a nightclub two years ago landed a partygoer a four-month jail term and left a security guard at the doors with a grievous facial injury. Kevin Turner, 43, had been partying with friends at the club in the limits of Birkirkara in April 2015 when, just on his way out at around 1.30am, he became involved in an argument with one of the securities at the door. The latter had stopped the accused, who appeared to be hiding something under his jersey, when the argument broke out. Читать дальше...

A structural appraisal report commissioned by the Planning Authority to assess the problems at the former Sea Malta building in Marsa found that the foundations were in such a poor state that it was posing a risk to the operation of the port. Last week, the Chamber of Architects, Din l-Art Ħelwa and Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar jointly called on the Planning Authority to declare the permit awarded null and void. A significant part of the building was approved by the PA for demolition on the basis... Читать дальше...

The wedding of Britain's Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle will take place next May in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, a venue with royal associations going back centuries. The fifth-in-line to the British throne, 33, and the American actress, 36, previously best known for her starring role in the TV legal drama "Suits" announced their engagement on Monday, sparking a trans-Atlantic media frenzy. The couple have chosen to marry in Windsor, west of London, because it is "a special place for them", Harry's spokesman told reporters.

The Domestic Violence Commission has opened new premises in Santa Venera to serve as a centre for all organisations working in the sector. The offices will also include a new facility for research. A cooperation agreement signed with the National Statistics Office during the inauguration will ensure better collection of statistics.

It took more than 100 test flights and a first attempt that had to be abandoned, but the Soul Flyers finally achieved the seemingly impossible. In one of the most spectacular ways to ever catch a flight, Fred Fugen and Vince Reffet succeeded in flying into the open door of a tiny light aircraft in mid-air after freefalling from the summit of the Jungfrau in the Swiss Alps. The French duo have already wowed millions around the world with their outlandish Soul Flyers wingsuit stunts over Mont Blanc and the Dolomites. Читать дальше...

Pittsburgh 31, Green Bay 28 Chris Boswell's 53-yard field goal with no time left gave the Pittsburgh Steelers a 31-28 win over the Green Bay Packers. Brett Hundley, the third-year injury replacement for injured Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers, gave Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers the full Rodgers treatment with touchdown passes of 39, 54 and 55 yards. But the old veteran Roethlisberger found his go-to receiver, Antonio Brown, in the late going to set up Boswell's game-winning kick. Pittsburgh... Читать дальше...

The MSE Equity Price Index trended higher for the first time in the last three trading sessions as it rebounded by 0.77% today from its 13-month low of 4,410.647 points to 4,444.589 points. The gain in the local equity index mostly reflects the 10% jump in the equity of RS2 while only PG plc inched lower with a drop of 0.7% to the €1.44 level on two deals totalling 4,659 shares. Yesterday, PG announced that its Board of Directors is scheduled to meet on Monday December 4 to consider the declaration... Читать дальше...

The State has to protect – in any way necessary – the media’s freedom, which is jeopardised by unscrupulous entities that resort to foreign jurisdictions, MEP Roberta Metsola is insisting. “When a bank that has been accused of being in the centre of illicit activities, including money laundering, begins to go after Malta’s critical media houses using foreign jurisdictions, there is a problem,” the Nationalist MEP told the Times of Malta. It puts the very freedom of our media at risk, she said. Malta’s... Читать дальше...

Cold weather is expected over the coming days and temperatures are expected to drop, the government said. Although anyone can suffer from cold-related health effects, elderly people, infants, and those suffering from long-term health conditions are more at risk. As people age it takes longer for them to warm up, which raises the risk of increased blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes. As such, it is important that people keep to warm areas, eat warm food and drinks, avoid alcohol and tobacco—which... Читать дальше...

Kings 110, Warriors 106 Bogdan Bogdanovic hit a driving banker over Draymond Green with 12.6 seconds remaining Monday night to break a tie and lift the Sacramento Kings to a 110-106 victory over the Golden State Warriors. Golden State, which was playing without Stephen Curry (bruised right hand) and Kevin Durant (sprained left ankle), led 106-102 before the Kings scored the game's last eight points over the final 3:08. Sacramento earned its first win in its past nine visits to Oracle Arena and snapped... Читать дальше...

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has ruled out selling Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez in the January transfer window "unless something unbelievable happens." Both players are out of contract in the summer and have been the subject of repeated speculation that they may leave, with Ozil a reported target for Manchester United and Barcelona, and Sanchez the subject of a failed bid from Manchester City last summer. Speaking ahead of Wednesday's game with Huddersfield Town, Wenger was asked whether he thought... Читать дальше...

The writer of an article alleging that the Permanent Commission against Corruption had violated the principles of natural justice has been cleared of libel by a Superior Court of Appeal 18 years after his writing went to print. Architect Ian Zammit had penned the article entitled “Development at Mongur Street, Għarb” in retaliation to a decision whereby numerous employees of the Planning Authority, including the director of planning, two chairmen and four building inspectors, were declared guilty... Читать дальше...

Industrial action directives are expected to be issued by the Malta Union of Teachers tomorrow after the union today declared an industrial dispute with Mcast. In a statement this afternoon, the union said the the college had failed to respect a deadline to provide counter proposals for financial aspects of the collective agreement being negotiated. The union said it submitted its financial proposals to Mcast several weeks ago and observed all time-frames of the agreement, including attending a meeting... Читать дальше...

Malta returned to the 57the edition of the La Biennale di Venezia this year, after an absence of nearly 20 years. The show, between May 13 and November 26, was visited by more than 100,000 people. Malta’s pavilion exhibited Homo Melitensis: An incomplete inventory in 19 chapters. The pavilion was co-curated by Raphael Vella and Bettina Hutschek. It included 200 objects and represented 13 contemporary artists from the Maltese diaspora in a bid to provoke when it comes to history, religion, politics and Maltese cultural identity. Читать дальше...

Malta had the third highest rate of new HIV diagnoses in 2016, according to a report issued by the World Health Organisation and the European Centre for Disease Control today to mark World Aids Day on December 1. In 2016, 29,444 people were diagnosed with HIV in the 31 countries of the EU/EEA, with a rate of 5.9 per 100,000 when adjusted for reporting delay. Latvia topped the list (18.5; 365 cases), followed by Estonia (17.4; 229 cases), and Malta (14.5; 63 cases). The lowest rates were reported... Читать дальше...

An illustration by The Sunday Times of Malta cartoonist Steve Bonello was selected for the home page of Cartoon Movement, the biggest online publishing platform for cartoonists. Mr Bonello's cartoon, published in the November 26 edition, reflects the controversy over rule of law in a democracy like Malta. A man at the ophthalmologist is seen misreading the words 'populist' and 'autocracy' as 'functioning democracy'. "It's the uncomfortable dual reality of a functioning European democracy with a legitimately-elected... Читать дальше...

The university student council has issued over 5,000 parking permits to students since Freshers Week 2017 for only 700 student parking places within campus. The Kunsill Studenti Universitarji executive said that student mobility was one of its most important focus areas, aimed at alleviating the pressure at the university as well as reducing the number of cars on the road. KSU has identified five pillars on which it will be working this academic year. 1. Car PoolingKSU will be trying a new pilot project in Car Park 6. Читать дальше...

On Sunday night we gasped in awe at the latest stunning images of marine life in BBC’s marvellous Blue Planet II. Blue sharks dodged great whites to scavenge on oceanic carrion; a baby turtle took its chance to shelter on some remote piece of driftwood; albatrosses sadly caressed one another as their final chick took flight; spinner dolphins, yellowfin tuna and giant rays raced for the spoils of a giant bait ball; sperm whales dozed vertically then plunged to unfathomable depths to feed. For the fourth week running it was jaw dropping stuff. Читать дальше...

A report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has sounded warnings on Malta’s reliance on the Individual Investor Programme (IIP), more commonly known as the cash-for-passports scheme, and on rising local property prices. In its report, the IMF said that there was a need for sustained efforts to safeguard the financial system’s integrity, through robust and effective enforcement of anti-money-laundering laws. Members of the European Parliament were highly critical of the passport scheme during a recent debate on the rule of law in Malta... Читать дальше...