Новости за 24.12.2017

Updated Monday 8.35am - Customs officers seized 150 kilos of cannabis in a Christmas Eve drug bust after searching a van as it was driven off the catamaran from Sicily. They also found an automatic pistol and €36,210 cash on the van which arrived from Sicily  During the inspection, the driver, a 42-year-old Maltese man residing at Msida, was asked if he had anything to declare to Customs and he replied that he had a few alcohol bottles for personal use and some toys for his children, the Customs Department said. Читать дальше...

A major drug overhaul was made by the police from near the Sea Passenger Terminal this evening. The police confirmed the catch but did not have more information. Sources said that some 150 kilogrammes of drugs have been confiscated.

In his Christmas message, Gozo bishop Mario Grech called on the people to appreciate Christmas - the gift of the birth of baby Jesus, the transformation of God to man. Listen to the bishop's speech in the video above.

Respect and solidarity are essential for everyone to feel part of society, President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca said in her Christmas message today. She said these values were always fundamental for the Maltese, who now had to continue promoting respectful dialogue between all, including the communities and groups living on the Maltese islands, whatever their culture, beliefs, ethnicity, origin, status, sexual or political orientation. She called for dialogues to continue to be respectful as this overcame division and united all. Читать дальше...

The story of Christmas still bears a message relevant to today, Archbishop Charles Scicluna says in his Christmas message to the Maltese nation. Speaking from near the Cathedral of Mdina, where a Neapolitan crib has been set up, Archbishop Scicluna says the rationale behind Neapolitan cribs is that the Christ event did not only take place 2,000 years ago, but is endlessly renewed in every culture and in every environment. “My wish for all of us this Christmas is that Jesus truly enters in our hearts... Читать дальше...

Christmas time may not be a time of happiness for some as it was when their poverty became most pronounced, so let this be a time to remember the most vulnerable, PN leader Adrian Delia said in his Christmas message. Mrs Delia, who joined her husband in the greetings and urged the public to remember those in most need, those who would not be held by L-Istrina. Watch Mr and Mrs Delia's Christmas message in the video linked here.

For a large number of people, the joy that is meant to accompany the festive season is dampened by the financial strain it places on them, a new survey shows. The Maltese spend an average of €500 over the Christmas and New Year’s period, with more than half of that amount going to gifts, a survey carried out by Misco for The Sunday Times of Malta has found. However, most respondents view this level of spending as a strain on their finances. Asked to what extent Christmas represented a financial burden... Читать дальше...

North Korea has called the latest UN sanctions to target the country "an act of war" that violates its sovereignty. The UN Security Council unanimously approved tough new sanctions against North Korea on Friday in response to its latest launch of a ballistic missile that Pyongyang says can reach anywhere on the US mainland. The resolution was drafted by the United States and negotiated with the North's closest ally, China. North Korea's foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday that the sanctions... Читать дальше...

In the first of a two-part feature Anthony Manduca lists some of the comments and controversial statements made during interviews with The Sunday Times of Malta in 2017. "I am for euthanasia. I am for divorce. I am for gay marriage. I am for everything. I am against abortion but I think it is something personal and should be decided by the person, not by a government" - PN Candidate Salvu Mallia contrasting his liberal views with his party’s more conservative policies, January 8. "In recent history Iraq was invaded once and twice over... Читать дальше...

The sommelier recommended an aged Colombian. Or maybe a nice Kiwi or tasty Belgian. Or, on further thought, perhaps an Elephant. He reconsidered. And then offered me a Van Gogh. And, finally, Three Parrots. My first thoughts were on a Gordon’s, a Hendrick’s or a Bombay Sapphire. But, although wise reliable choices, they seemed very conservative, a little conventional and unadventurous. Square, even. Especially, when you are in the presence of one of the UK’s largest collection of gins. The 14th... Читать дальше...

The US military commenced its annual tracking of Santa Claus and his airborne sleigh on Saturday morning, as his eight reindeer pilot him on his mission to deliver presents to children around the world. Every year the North American Aerospace Defense Command (Norad) broadcasts its "Santa Tracker", where the public can follow a computer generated Saint Nick on his imaginary journey from the North Pole towards US airspace. The agency tasked with protecting North American airspace also has a hotline... Читать дальше...

Sufficient evidence existed for the three men accused of murdering Daphne Caruana Galizia to stand trial, a magistrate ruled. Magistrate Claire Zammit Stafrace decreed brothers Alfred (il-Fulu) and George (iċ-Ċiniż) Degiorgio and Vincent Muscat (il-Koħħu) could be placed under a bill of indictment for the October 16 car bomb murder. Dr Zammit Stafrace put off the compilation of evidence to February 1. The third day of the compilation saw two magistrates recuse themselves from the case because of possible conflicts of interest. Читать дальше...

Nuggets 96, Warriors 81 The Denver Nuggets limited the Golden State Warriors to 3-for-27 on 3-point shooting Saturday, stunning the defending NBA champions 96-81 on the second night of back-to-backs for both teams. The loss ended the Warriors' 11-game winning streak on the eve of their showdown with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Christmas Day in a rematch of last season's NBA Finals. Coming off a tremendous defensive effort in a 102-85 win at Portland on Friday night, the Nuggets were even better less than 24 hours later... Читать дальше...

Just like the Daft Punk song humans in a post-religious age crave ever more intense experience: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.

Twinkly lights and shopping for presents mean one thing – we’re about to eat more in a month than we do all year. By the time you’re reading this, we’re rushing headlong into the week where matters really reach a frenzied peak. It also means I get to look back at a year of eating and writing about it and, as is now traditional, I take a stab at putting the whole thing into perspective. I’ve often tried to summarise the year into a couple of words. ‘Poor service’ managed to summarise quite a few of them and... Читать дальше...

The Armed Forces of Malta came up with a fun, refreshing video for Christmas. The took a break from their normal duties to wish the people of Malta and Gozo a Happy Christmas, in an original way.

Just like ink spreading through the skin, tattoos have slowly permeated our culture. They are wearable art, fashion statements, memory preservers and symbols that tie individuals together. Twelve per cent of Europeans sport at least one tattoo and although winter is now creeping in, last summer’s fashion showed that Malta is no exception. But what chemicals are in that ink? Isaac Wood, resident artist at Paceville’s Tattoo Factory, tells me that no client in Malta has ever asked. More worryingly... Читать дальше...

Jumanji – Welcome to the Jungle4 starsDirector: Jake KasdanStars: Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Kevin HartDuration: 119 minsClass: 12KRS Releasing Ltd I have very vague memories of Jumanji, released in 1995, other than remembering it was about an ancient board game that comes to life. I can only conjure up foggy images of the late Robin Williams struggling with quicksand, a dilapidated mansion, and a herd of elephants stampeding down a street. Clearly, however, someone, somewhere had much better and clearer memories of it... Читать дальше...

Two suspected loan sharks will be spending Christmas behind bars after a Magistrates’ Court this morning turned down their request for bail. They were arraigned over charges of having demanded excessive rates of interest, almost driving their victim to commit suicide. Anthony Galea, 55, and his 26-year old son Gilbert, both residing at Żurrieq, were taken to  court under arrest after their allegedly long-suffering victim finally confessed to the police how a loan of some €7,500 led to exorbitant repayment claims, even reaching €220,000. Читать дальше...

The Police Cyber Crime Unit has launched investigations in relation to phishing messages that were received by local users over the weekend. In a statement, the police said examples include a message claiming to be from an international supermarket chain offering gift vouchers, and e-mail messages received from a global bank with a local presence, about unread notifications. "A closer look at the links contained in the messages reveals that these are not genuine. It is important to ignore such messages... Читать дальше...

Coming off two very strong editions, Glitch Festival has quickly established itself as the biggest festival in Malta as well as one of Europe’s major electronic festivals. Following last year’s strong response, hosting 4,000 people from over 50 countries, including the UK, France, Germany, Australia, Brazil and the US, the Glitch team is already gearing up for an even bigger 2018 edition. The festival returns on August 14, 15 and 16, where music enthusiasts from all over the world are called to gather... Читать дальше...

Christmas brings a multitude of opportunities to spend valuable time with our loved ones, friends and colleagues. It is a time when we can embrace our love and appreciation for one another and take the opportunity to thank all those who have been there to support us and be there for us when we need it. This time brings many people together and there’s a good feeling around for most of us. We hear ourselves say: “If only Christmas could be all year long!” Kids say this, as they want endless holidays. Читать дальше...

More family-friendly fare for the festive season in Ferdinand, the animated story of a giant bull who prefers flowers to fighting. Ferdinand’s story was first told in the 1936 book The Story of Ferdinand written by Munro Leaf and illustrated by Robert Lawson. Described as a warm and charming take on how appearances can be deceptive (or, why you should never judge a bull by its cover…) the book’s message of love and acceptance has resonated for decades and has now reached the big screen courtesy of... Читать дальше...

Disgraced former Allied Newspapers managing director Adrian Hillman was given a government consultancy job at the Malta Gaming Authority two weeks after Labour was returned to power last June, The Sunday Times of Malta has learnt. Mr Hillman, who is facing several magisterial inquiries over alleged kickbacks and money-laundering activities between him and the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, Keith Schembri, was given an annual €48,000 direct order contract by MGA executive chairman Joseph Cuschieri. Читать дальше...

The new US ambassador to the Netherlands has apologised for a fake claim about fake news. Pete Hoekstra was filmed in 2015 saying there are "no-go" zones in the Netherlands and claiming extremists are bringing "chaos" to Europe. After arriving in the Netherlands for his new post, he was interviewed this week by a Dutch TV journalist who asked him about the "no-go" comment. Mr Hoekstra denied saying it, calling the journalist's claim "fake news". The TV show then showed him clips of the 2015 comments. Читать дальше...