Новости за 07.08.2018

The Malta College of Arts Science and Technology said on Tuesday it had very recently set up the 'Grievance Office' because it “values and cares for all its staff”. In a statement last week, the Malta Union of Teachers objected to Mcast’s decision “to set up an ombudsman’s office” and appoint a senior staff member as ombudsman, a decision which, it said, raised several questions. Mcast said the main objective of the 'Grievance Office' was to hear and resolve issues pertaining to working and learning conditions... Читать дальше...

Some 1,600 young participants from 21 countries came together in the first international camp of its scale organised by the Scout Association of Malta and the Malta Girl Guides. Over 1,000 Maltese Scouts and Girl Guides took part in the event – a “record in itself”, said Malta Girl Guides deputy director Mary Rose Vella. Centred around the theme of bridging cultures, the eight-day camp saw young students participating in activities such as visits to a village feast and the Esplora science centre. Читать дальше...

A 41-year-old man from Marsascala was grievously injured in a collision in Żabbar. The police said accident happened in Triq Villabate at 2pm. The man was driving a Toyota Vitz that was involved in a collision with a Peugeot 308 that was being driven by a 40-year-old man from St Paul’s Bay. The injured party was taken to Mater Dei Hospital by ambulance.

The downpours over the weekend marred some feasts around Malta, even forcing the cancellation of the procession at San Ġwann. In Valletta, the statue of St Dominic spent some time under the arches in Republic Street when rain picked up during the evening procession. “It was quite sad seeing the work that we’ve done over an entire year being washed away so fast,” Mark Bezzina from the external festivities committee of the Madonna of Lourdes in San Ġwann told the Times of Malta when contacted. He explained that by Saturday evening... Читать дальше...

No one was injured in a gas explosion at a residence in Qormi. The explosion, which led to a fire in the basement of a residence in Triq Dun Ġwann Cilia, was at about 6.15pm. The fire was put out by members of the Civil Protection Deparmtent in about half an hour.

Israel's defence minister said on Tuesday that Syria was building up its ground forces beyond their pre-civil war size, an assessment that suggests President Bashar al-Assad's army has recovered from a critical manpower shortage earlier in the war. The Syrian military was hit by major defections in the first years of the conflict, which began in 2011, and by 2015 Assad acknowledged that "a shortfall in human capacity" meant the army could not fight everywhere for fear of losing vital ground. Russia... Читать дальше...

Fancy seeing Spider-Man in a thong? Or Superman in a skimpy leotard? These images are part of a set of revamped comic book covers that aim to highlight the "sexist" depiction of superheroines, the artist behind the project said on Tuesday. Shreya Arora, a 21-year-old graphic design student, made six drawings and juxtaposed them with the original covers of comic book giants Marvel and DC Comics that show scantily-dressed women in sexually suggestive poses. "I have been reading comic books for a while... Читать дальше...

An informal camping site in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq has been transformed into a disgusting dumping ground, littered with plastic, rotting food, and other waste. Marine biologist Alan Deidun told the Times of Malta he was shocked when he visited the area known as Qalet Marku on the Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq peninsula earlier on Tuesday. “You won’t notice it from the Coast Road but once you enter on foot it becomes immediately clear. It’s absolutely disgusting. People have laid concrete illegally for camping sites... Читать дальше...

Birkirkara opened their UEFA Women’s Champions League commitments with a 8-0 defeat at the hands WFC-Kharkiv, who are hosting the mini-tournament. The Ukrainian representatives forged ahead after six minutes when Yuliia Shevchuk hit a shot from the edge of the area which deceived Stripes’ goalkeeper Janice Xuereb. Three minutes later, Daryna Apanaschenko, unmarked inside the penalty area, flicked the ball into the net following a corner. Kharkiv found a third when Nadiia Kunina beat the offside trap and headed the ball over Xuereb... Читать дальше...

Random tests on schoolchildren to assess the extent of their cannabis use is unethical, according to experts working with substance abusers, who believe energy and resources should instead be invested in preventing drug use. The Maltese Association of Psychiatry (MAP), Caritas, the OASI Foundation and doctors working in drug addiction were reacting to news that a survey and random testing of schoolchildren aged 10 to 15 years was among the options considered for evidence-based analysis of illicit cannabis use. Читать дальше...

GlobalCapital has appointed a new chief financial officer for the company and its subsidiaries, after his predecessor stepped down less than four months into the job. Ezekiel Saliba took over as GlobalCapital’s CFO as of August 2, the firm said in a company announcement. Prior to joining GlobalCapital, Mr Saliba was the group-wide financial controller of ESW Capital, where he led various merger and acquisition transactions and integrated finance teams across multiple countries, GlobalCapital said. Читать дальше...

The effect of ‘sea slime’ emanating from fish farms on aspects of the marine environment has not yet been thoroughly assessed due to a lack of studies, according to a new environmental report. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on doubling the tuna cages at the Azzopardi Fisheries farm off Sikka l-Bajda states that on shore, the oily slick “is not envisaged to have any large adverse effects on marine species and habitats”, as it quickly biodegrades, but the EIA goes on to warn of a “lack of... Читать дальше...

Relatives of patients in the Intensive Therapy Unit can escape the chaos in a dedicated room fitted out with a kitchen, arm chairs, and even a bed for over-night stays. The Drew Room, was inaugurated today by Health Minister Chris Fearne, who said the space would prove priceless for relatives of patients in life threatening conditions. “The ITU is one of the most sensitive parts of the hospital and sees around 1,500 patients annually. A lot is said about the patients and the staff who work here,... Читать дальше...

A man who admitted to his involvement in a theft from an Msida apartment two years ago has been granted bail pending judgment in his regard. Abdulkarim Mohamed El Magtouf, a 28-year old Libyan national, pleaded guilty to the aggravated theft during his arraignment on Tuesday, but insisted that although he had participated in the theft, he had not actually taken anything. Items of jewellery and money, exceeding €2,329.37 in value, had been taken in the robbery, the court was told. However, since the victims no longer resided in Malta... Читать дальше...

Two men, allegedly involved in an armed holdup perpetrated by a gang of four upon a BOV employee in San Ġwann 18 years ago, are claiming a breach of their right to a fair hearing. James Vella, 38, and Christopher Scerri, 40, were arraigned in 2014 over their alleged involvement in the violent robbery which had taken place in September 2000. It was around 5am when Alphonse Ferriggi, a bank messenger, was killed by a single shot fired from a gun at a distance of some five metres, just as he exited the car outside the San Ġwann BOV branch. Читать дальше...

One person died in a motorway accident near the Italian city of Bologna when a tanker truck exploded, authorities said, revising the death toll down from two as originally reported. Video of Monday's incident showed the tanker, which contained inflammable materials, slamming into the back of another lorry which had come to a halt because of heavy traffic near Bologna airport. The tanker exploded in flames, sending a huge ball of fire and black smoke into the sky. Read: Maltese family escapes Bologna... Читать дальше...

Extensive restoration works at the 'white' tower in Armier are well underway in a challenging project by Din l-Art Ħelwa. The project is being carried out thanks to lead financial support of the HSBC Malta Foundation. It is being led by volunteer Martin Vella. The works, which commenced last year, are being carried out in stages. They have so far included the demolition of illegal structures around the tower, the elimination of a dividing wall in an old blockhouse and removal of inappropriate paint... Читать дальше...

The government on Tuesday broke its silence on a €274 million direct order given to a private consortium for a 500-bed extension at St Vincent De Paul nursing home. In a statement, a day after Finance Minister Edward Scicluna said he did not approve any direct order related for this project, and had only leant about it from The Sunday Times of Malta, a statement issued by the Family Ministry said “it categorically denies that a direct order was issued” and that the mentioned contract “was drawn according to procurement regulations.” Read... Читать дальше...

England goalkeeper Joe Hart has signed a two-year contract with Premier League Burnley after falling out of favour at Manchester City. Burnley did not disclose the transfer fee but media reports said the 31-year-old with 75 international caps cost about 3.5 million pounds ($4.5 million). Burnley have two other England keepers on their books in Nick Pope and Tom Heaton but both are currently sidelined due to injuries. Pope, who was part of England's World Cup squad in Russia but did not play, suffered... Читать дальше...

The health authorities have banned swimming at the Sirens area of St Paul's Bay because of a sewage outflow on Monday. The Superintendence of Public Health said that although the necessary works have been carried out, no swimming should take place until water test results are out.

Human rights NGO Aditus has demanded action against a woman who allegedly filed a false police report about a child abduction attempt at Għadira Bay. Police confirmed last week that a man had been briefly held after the boy's mother had claimed he had grabbed the child while her back was turned and started to fondle him while trying to pull him into a tent on the beach. However, TVM reported on Monday that the case against the man, who the mother said was black and of “foreign” nationality, had been... Читать дальше...

Church school teachers are to enjoy better pay and conditions as a result of a new collective agreement signed on Tuesday between the Church and the Malta Union of Teachers. The two sides in a joint statement said educators will benefit from an improved financial package with revised salary scales, allowances and work resources, better working conditions, structures and opportunities at their workplace. No details were given. The collective agreement also includes specific parameters regulating practices... Читать дальше...

German police said on Tuesday that parts of Terminal 1 at Frankfurt Airport had been evacuated due to police action, with newspaper Bild citing a police spokesman as saying an unauthorised person had got past the security area and disappeared. More soon.

Malta has itself a new environmental agency, at a time when concern about the country's natural heritage is at an all-time high.  But what will Ambjent Malta be responsible for, and why does the public sector need yet another bureaucratic structure to get the job done?  In this Times Talk interview, the newly-installed chairman of Ambjent Malta's board of governors Conrad Borg Manché discusses his new role and what he feels its priorities should be. Watch the full interview on Wednesday morning.

A Munich-based start-up has taken advantage of the strong Bavarian sun this summer to test the final development of the charging system of its Sion car, an all-electric solar vehicle that lets you charge as you drive. Germany will likely miss its target of putting 1 million electric cars on the road by 2020 but the government said in April it was ready to offer support to companies that make batteries for electric vehicles. Sono Motors, founded in 2016, is developing the Sion, a fully-electric vehicle... Читать дальше...