Новости за 31.12.2017

WhatsApp, a popular messaging service owned by Facebook Inc, suffered a global outage for about an hour on Sunday before the problem was fixed. "WhatsApp users around the world experienced a brief outage today that has now been resolved", a WhatsApp spokeswoman said in an emailed statement. The cause of the outage, about an hour long, was not immediately known. In India, its biggest market with about 200 million of its billion-plus users, the app was down just a few minutes past midnight into the new year. Читать дальше...

Reforms on controversial subjects will continue to be pushed forward in 2018, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said today in his message for the New Year. “We will continue what we started in the past few years, after initiating discussions we will now extend voting rights to 16-year olds,” he said. As Malta’s capital, Valletta, takes centre stage as the European Capital of Culture, Dr Muscat said that besides showing off the jewels left to Malta by its people’s ancestors, it would also show off its culture as a way of life. Читать дальше...

One lucky punter will be ending this year and the new one with a big bang as he pockets more than €2 million. The winning Swedish horse racing ticket, of €2,111,973, was bought from a Maltco Lotteries point of sale in St. Julian’s. Three other winning tickets above €8,500 each were also won. Swedish Horse Racing is offered by ATG in the Swedish and Maltese market and beyond.

Opposition leader Adrian Delia today appealed for the country to unite and hope together, with everyone doing their part to help those in need. "Let’s start changing the way we think, the way we do politics, to strengthen ourselves and improve as a nation," he said. You may listen to Dr Delia's message here.

Jay Rodriguez's last-minute penalty earned struggling West Brom a deserved point against uninspiring Arsenal. The striker netted after Calum Chambers handled in the area to clinch a 1-1 draw just as it looked like Alexis Sanchez had given the Gunners victory. The forward's deflected free-kick put Arsenal ahead with seven minutes left in boss Arsene Wenger's record-breaking 811th Premier League game in charge. Sanchez had been in the spotlight after Thierry Henry suggested there was a dressing-room... Читать дальше...

Jay Rodriguez's last-minute penalty earned struggling West Brom a deserved point against uninspiring Arsenal. The striker netted after Calum Chambers handled in the area to clinch a 1-1 draw just as it looked like Alexis Sanchez had given the Gunners victory. The forward's deflected free-kick put Arsenal ahead with seven minutes left in boss Arsene Wenger's record-breaking 811th Premier League game in charge. Sanchez had been in the spotlight after Thierry Henry suggested there was a dressing-room... Читать дальше...

Iran's president Hassan Rouhani has said people are free to protest in his first comments since widespread demonstrations against the government began. He spoke out as it emerged around 200 people have been arrested in Tehran during protests, while two people were killed at a rally in the city of Daroud, and the government blocked access to messaging apps used by activists. The demonstrations, which began on Thursday, appear to be the largest to strike the Islamic Republic since the protests that... Читать дальше...

It was almost a given that following the success of the first two films in the Pitch Perfect series, a third instalment would come to the big screen. The story finds the beloved Bellas now graduated from college and out in the real world where it takes more than a cappella to get by.  But when they get the chance to reunite for an overseas USO tour, this group of awesome nerds will come together to make some music, and some questionable decisions, one last time. Pitch Perfect producers Paul Brooks... Читать дальше...

Beijing may have turned a corner in its battle against the city’s notorious smog, according to Reuters calculations, and environmental consultants say the Chinese government deserves much of the credit for introducing tough anti-pollution measures. Grace Lee reports.

Daphne’s murder It was the pivotal story of 2017 – the car bomb murder of controversial journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was a cataclysmic event, the likes of which comes along perhaps only once in a lifetime, a true ‘I-remember-where-I-was-when-I-heard-the-news’ moment. On the sunny afternoon of October 16, news broke of a violent explosion in Bidnija just after 3pm. Word that Ms Caruana Galizia was the victim was immediate, and it was not long before rumour became fact and the worst fears were confirmed. Читать дальше...

Multiple sheriff's deputies have been injured after being called to an apartment south of Denver, Colorado, police have said. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said on its Twitter account that a major road south of the city was shut down on Sunday. Residents in the vicinity were asked to shelter in place, and avoid windows and exterior walls. The office tweeted that at 5.13am local time deputies responded to the Copper Canyon Apartments for a domestic disturbance. "During the Investigation, shots were fired and multiple deputies were injured.

TapazTriq Santu Wistin, St Julian’sTel: 2138 3634 Food: 5/10Service: 8/10Ambience: 7/10Value: 7/10Overall: 6/10 In the UK a mere pork scratching or salted peanut will suffice. In Malta, the equivalent would be a handful of olives and a slab of ħobż biż-żejt. These are your average bar snacks - hardly countertop temptations. But what if bar grub could actually be sensational? Spain, much like the Greeks with their mezzes, has an entire class of small meals designed to accompany alcoholic drinks. This is eye-catching food that is petite... Читать дальше...

Times of Malta journalists work tirelessly to keep readers informed of what is happening in Maltese society. And while all news items are important, journalists will always have their favourites among their year's work. As 2016 draws to a close, five members of our newsroom each share a story that struck a chord with them.    Jacob Borg - 'There were always suspicions it was a done deal' There have been several arched eyebrows over the way Vitals Global Healthcare took over three state hospitals... Читать дальше...

Yes, it’s that time of year again when – for the umpteenth year running – (30 actually) – this Old Bore, Sylvanus, gazes long and hard into his crystalballs and comes up with exactly what is going to occur in the following year. And… I have never yet been known to be wrong… er. Well anyway, here goes… January The government re-requisitions the land at Żonqor Point from the American University in Malta in order to sell a lease on it to the Walt Disney Corporation. Joe Bannister accepts another five... Читать дальше...

The city of Sydney hosted its annual fireworks spectacle to welcome in the 2018 New Year on Monday with the biggest fireworks display the city has ever seen. According to organisers, 3,000 individual lighting effects were choreographed to the fireworks display - 1,000 more effects than last year. During the 12-minute display eight tonnes of fireworks - one tonne more than last year - along with 13,000 shells and 30,000 shooting comets were used, said organisers. To mark Australians saying 'Yes' to marriage equality in November 2017... Читать дальше...

The Greatest ShowmanDirector: Michael Gracey Stars: Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zac Efron Duration: 105 minsClass: PGKRS Releasing Ltd By all accounts, Phineas Taylor (P.T.) Barnum, who died aged 80 in 1891, was an enterprising, driven and certainly complex man. Born into a poor family, he lifted himself by the bootstraps to become a showman and businessman. He even dabbled in writing, publishing and politics. However, Barnum is, of course, best known for his showmanship - his name to this day associated with circuses... Читать дальше...

The police have mounted a search for a woman believed to have been duping shopkeepers out of money by offering a €200 note for her purchases and hiding some of the change. The woman, believed to be a foreign national, was captured on closed-circuit television cameras attempting to trick shop owners as they tendered change for her €200 note. In the footage, the woman is seen hastily concealing some of the change that she has been returned and then arguing with the shop owner that she had not been given enough change. Читать дальше...

A bombing has targeted the funeral of a district chief in eastern Afghanistan, killing at least 17 people, officials said. A rickshaw rigged with explosives went off among people gathered to mourn the official in Jalalabad, the provincial capital of Nangarhar province. Noor Ahmad Habibi, deputy spokesman for the governor, said around 13 other people were wounded. He said initial reports were that a suicide bomber was behind the attack, but that authorities now believe it was a remotely detonated explosion. Читать дальше...

An escaped pig which had police officers running after it as it approached the airport some days ago is still on the run, its owners said. After a video of the officers running after the pig was uploaded on Facebook on Christmas Day, the pig’s owners said on Saturday that it was still on the run and appealed for information.

Crystal Palace, who missed a stoppage-time penalty, became only the second team to take points off Manchester City in the Premier League this season when they held the runaway leaders to a 0-0 draw at Selhurst Park on Sunday. City, who drew 1-1 with Everton in August, extended their unbeaten run to 21 matches but their winning streak was halted at 18 by a resolute Palace defence despite throwing everything at them in a dominant second half. Palace earned a penalty in stoppage time when Raheem Sterling... Читать дальше...

Here we are again, the end of 2017, another year of cinematic delights and, as per usual, studios leaving their big guns for the end-of-year slugfest that is Awards Season, as individual critics and critics associations list their favourites and the major award ceremonies – The Golden Globes, Baftas and the Academy Awards – are in the throes of final preparations. The most celebrated films of the year are a mixture of the fantastical (The Shape of Water), the honourable (The Post), the romantic (Call... Читать дальше...

Warriors 141, Grizzlies 128 Stephen Curry returned from an 11-game absence due to an ankle injury and set an NBA season-high by hitting 10 three-pointers as the Golden State Warriors beat the Memphis Grizzlies 141-128 on Saturday. In his first game since Dec. 4, Curry scored 38 points on 13-of-17 shooting. He made 10-of-13 as Golden State (29-8) shot 54.5 percent (18-of-33) from behind the arc and 58.8 percent overall. Klay Thompson added 21 and hit five three-pointers while Kevin Durant contributed 20 for the defending champions. Читать дальше...

The Labour and Nationalist parties have each decided to broadcast the end-of-year messages from both party leaders on their media outlets today. Party sources yesterday confirmed that Labour leader Joseph Muscat and Nationalist Party leader Adrian Delia’s New Year messages would be played on both One and Net, the two parties’ television stations, as “a sign of goodwill”. “The idea is for the messages of both leaders to be played to both audiences. It’s a breakaway from the way things have been done in the past,” one PL source said. Читать дальше...

Alfred Massa:Vaganzi Sajfin: a novel in MalteseHorizons Publications, 2017; 223 pp. Nothing goes down better in the hot summer days than a good novel and a cold drink. The average Maltese reader, however, is particularly fond of romantic stories at all times and, whatever the season, this genre of literature never fails to appeal nor seems to diminish in its huge popularity. Many are the Maltese authors who have, both in the past and currently, essayed and contributed most generously to this type of novel; and... Читать дальше...