Новости за 04.05.2021

Cyprus Airways and Air France have announced new services to Malta during the summer, and a specialist website has reported similar plans by Russian airline Aeroflot.  The Cypriot airline said on its website on Tuesday that it will operate a twice-weekly service between Larnaca and Malta from the end of next month. It will mean a resumption of flights between the Mediterranean islands after Emirates discontinued flights to Malta when demand dropped because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cyprus Airways... Читать дальше...

A ban on bird hunters taking their children with them while hunting would be a breach of human rights, the hunters' federation (FKNK) said on Tuesday. In an open letter to various ministers, the police commissioner and the commissioner for children, the federation said the call, by BirdLife, "instigates more aggravation towards hunters which can only lead to direct confrontation."   BirdLife reported last week how a child was seen handling a shotgun and being guided to aim and shoot at a bird in Miżieb. Читать дальше...

A motorist who was involved in an accident that resulted in the death of a father-of-two almost five years ago has been cleared on appeal after a judge found that the victim’s own actions contributed to the fatality. Jonathan Hili, 26, had been handed a suspended sentence and a six-month driving ban in December after being found guilty of having caused the death of the 40-year old man through reckless and dangerous driving. The incident took place at daybreak one July morning back in 2016 when the victim had been walking along Marfa Road... Читать дальше...

The Nationalist Party wants a fairer tax system for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with leader Bernard Grech saying this would not only improve businesses' competitiveness but also generate more revenue for the government.  Speaking on the party's television channel, NET TV, on Tuesday evening, Opposition leader Bernard Grech said the PN wants to modernise the country's taxation model so that the government can generate more revenue while ensuring families do not suffer.   "The world... Читать дальше...

A community hub for people with disabilities, announced with fanfare in 2017, remains just a big hole in the ground close to the Trade Fair grounds in Naxxar, Nationalist MP Claudette Buttigieg said on Tuesday. Speaking in parliament, she said the government needs to explain why the project had been held up and whether it would go ahead.  Neighbours, she said, have for years, suffered the inconvenience caused by the works, including dust and the presence of rats, since excavation works were made in 2019. Читать дальше...

Spain’s La Liga is investigating whether a party organised by Barcelona players at their captain Lionel Messi’s home broke COVID-19 protocol. “We’re looking into it,” La Liga sources told AFP on Tuesday. Monday’s meal brought together Barca players, some accompanied by their partners, at the Argentinian star’s house, despite social distancing rules in the Catalonian capital outlawing groups of more than six to meet in private. The party may constitute “a possible breach of Covid-19 protocols”, the source suggested. Читать дальше...

A campaign to spruce up Malta kicked off on Tuesday and will continue for the rest of the month - just before the formal reopening of tourism takes place. The government said the campaign is being coordinated in the Office of the Principal Permanent Secretary. 450 workers were directly deployed on the campaign - called ‘Insebbħu Malta’ - on Tuesday.  Their work focused on street-cleaning on arterial roads from Tal-Barrani to Birzebbuġa, removal of graffiti on walls and street furniture in Valletta... Читать дальше...

Suzuki has pulled the covers off the 2021 GSX-S1000, showing off its new look, updated engine and improved electronics. The popular naked bike has been given completely new bodywork and lighting, now sporting a sharper, more angular aesthetic designed to give it a ‘mass-forward’ appearance. It’s available in three colours, called triton blue, gloss black and a new matt grey. It also gets textured radiator shrouds, Moto GP-inspired winglets, and urban camo side panels. Want to read the full article? Читать дальше...

World number three Simona Halep was dumped out of the Madrid Open on Tuesday, losing 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 in the round of 16 to the Belgian Elise Mertens.  Halep had sailed through the first two rounds on the Spanish clay without dropping a set but she ended up second best in a match which yielded 15 breaks of serve. Halep produced 10 double faults in the match, Mertens nine.  Halep, a two-time Grand Slam champion and former world number one, was twice a break up in the final set at 3-1 and 4-3 but finally... Читать дальше...

Airport passenger traffic in April predictably remained flat as the travel industry continued to suffer the consequences of COVID-19. Malta International Airport said that just 39,392 passenger movements were recorded, a drop of 94% compared to the same month in 2019. The top source markets were Italy, Germany, Turkey, France, and Bulgaria, with the United Kingdom remaining in the bottom half of the top 10 market table as a  travel ban between the two countries remained in place.  In April, Airports... Читать дальше...

Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut’s Twitter account was “permanently suspended” Tuesday for violating policies on hateful conduct and abusive behaviour, the social media giant said. Ranaut, the award-winning star of 2014’s Queen and 2015’s Tanu Weds Manu Returns, has attracted controversy over her outspoken social media presence and frequent spats with fellow actors and film-makers. “We’ve been clear that we will take strong enforcement action on behaviour that has the potential to lead to offline... Читать дальше...

Thousands of Afghans were forced to flee their homes as fierce fighting erupted between government forces and the Taliban in a southern province after the US military began withdrawing its remaining troops from Afghanistan, officials said Tuesday. Afghan forces pushed back insurgent attacks on multiple checkpoints in the past 24 hours itself in the province of Helmand where the US military on Sunday handed over a base to government forces as part of its formal pullout that began on May 1. About... Читать дальше...

The MSE Equity Price Index on Tuesday dropped by 1.26% to 3,979.468 points following the declines in BOV, BMIT, HSBC, IHI, RS2 and MaltaPost. Meanwhile, GO was today’s only positively performing equity whilst MIA closed unchanged as overall trading activity remained muted at €0.06 million. In the banking sector, HSBC Bank Malta plc lost 4.2% as it returned to the €0.805 level across a single trade of 1,050 shares whilst Bank of Valletta plc continued to trade in a tight range as it slipped by... Читать дальше...

The government will resume talks on Wednesday with representatives of 69 pilots sacked by Air Malta last year with a view of achieving a "fair deal", Finance Minister Clyde Caruana told parliament on Tuesday. He was replying to questions by Nationalist MP David Thake about whether talks with the European Union on state aid for Air Malta provided for the reinstatement of the pilots. Thake also observed that the pilots had since been employed by the government, doing work that had nothing to do with their training. Читать дальше...

A dedicated team within Malta’s anti-money laundering unit, the FIAU, is being set up to enforce a recently imposed €10,000 limit for cash transactions on high-value goods.  This limit, introduced in March, applies to immovable property, antiques, jewellery, vehicles and works of art.  In a media briefing about the unit’s work last year, FIAU officials confirmed that the new team will be carrying out onsite inspections to ensure the cash limit is enforced.  Last year saw a record number of 5,175... Читать дальше...

The police warned on Tuesday that no can be asked to pay a fine on the spot. In a Facebook post, the police said they had received reports that unidentified individuals have been stopping people in the street and asking them to pay a fine on the spot for not wearing a mask. Fines are never paid on the spot, the police said. They can be paid online, at local council offices or after tribunal hearings.  The police urged anyone encountering people demanding payment of fines to  report at the nearest... Читать дальше...

A newly-designed 10-bed ward at Mount Carmel will open its doors to patients on Wednesday after the government invested €1 million in works at the mental health hospital. Health Minister Chris Fearne unveiled the ward during a press conference from the hospital on Tuesday, a day before the first group of patients are to be admitted to the ward.  Fearne used the press conference to reveal that the government would be providing details about the easing of more COVID-19 restrictions in the coming days. Читать дальше...

Legendary Nigerian drummer Tony Allen, who pioneered Afrobeat alongside his old band mate Fela Kuti, was knocking out rhythms right up until his death last year at the age of 79. And as shown on a new album out this week, Allen never stopped pushing boundaries and promoting young talent. At the time of his death in April 2020, he was deep into a new project that aimed to showcase a new generation of stars. "Tony wanted to do a rap album, to feature some young rappers, boys and girls, but outside... Читать дальше...

The government has extended, till the end of this year, a grant scheme to cover deposits lost when marriage receptions were cancelled because of COVID-19. The scheme, which also covers ceremonies for civil unions, was originally announced last year. The extension was announced by Finance Minister Clyde Caruana. A total of €2 million have been allocated. Couples may apply once only and can be eligible for a maximum of €2,000.  The scheme applies for ceremonies due to be held up to the end of the... Читать дальше...

Continental Cars have launched an open week at their Ta' Xbiex showroom. Running from May 3 till May 8, this Open Week is an opportunity for anyone looking to buy a new car, to enjoy unbeatable offers and great financing on VW, Audi, Porsche, SEAT vehicles in stock and the newly launched Cupra. Moreover, 0% deposit and part-exchange are available. Open all day between 9am and 6pm at Continental Cars, Ta' Xbiex. 

Paulo Fonseca will leave his job as Roma coach at the end of the season, the Serie A club confirmed on Tuesday. “On behalf of everyone at AS Roma, we would like to thank Paulo Fonseca for his hard work and leadership over the past two years,” said chairman Dan Friedkin, who took over the club last summer. “Paulo guided the team through many challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and a change of ownership, and did so with selfless integrity and great character.” Continue reading this article on SportsDesk... Читать дальше...

The government is set to unveil its plan for the relaxation of more COVID-19 measures "in the coming days", Health Minister Chris Fearne announced on Tuesday.  He was speaking during a press conference from Mount Carmel Hospital, ahead of the opening of a new ward on Wednesday. Although he provided no details on the next phase in the country's reopening as infections continue to drop, Fearne assured that the government would be unveiling its plan to further ease public health measures soon.  "The... Читать дальше...

The number of crimes committed by right-wing extremists in post-war Germany jumped to its highest level ever recorded in 2020, according to official figures released on Tuesday. Police recorded 23,604 crimes of a far-right nature last year, a jump of over 5% on the previous year, and the highest figure since records began in 2001.  "Right-wing extremism remains the biggest threat to our country," said Interior Minister Horst Seehofer as he presented the figures at a press conference on Tuesday. Читать дальше...

UEFA said Tuesday it would allow expanded 26-man squads at Euro 2020, meeting a demand from coaches who feared they could lose players due to coronavirus. European football’s governing body said it had agreed the increase from 23 players “to mitigate the risks of teams facing a shortage of available players for certain matches due to possible positive Covid-19 test results and subsequent quarantine measures”. France coach Didier Deschamps and Belgium boss Roberto Martinez were among those who... Читать дальше...

Twenty-seven new COVID-19 cases were recorded on Tuesday while no new deaths were recorded for the second day in a row. This is the 15th consecutive day that the number of new daily coronavirus cases remained below 50.  The 27 new cases were detected on a day when healthcare workers administered 1,636 swab tests. Another 19 people recovered overnight, meaning Malta now has 288 active cases. The country's vaccination drive continued with applications opened to people in their 30s on Tuesday. ... Читать дальше...