Новости за 04.08.2021

A super performance by Neptunes froze San Giljan as the two teams locked horns in a keen duel when the Reds tipped their opponents with a late rally. There was no question about Neptunes’ comeback as the Jovan Popovic’s side firmly established a foothold on the proceedings courtesy of a well-thought gameplan that stifled their opponents from the third session onwards. The high-scoring element and the high rate of expulsions – three players were fouled out, two for San Giljan, one for Neptunes – made for an exciting encounter. Читать дальше...

The solutions to the acute staff shortage in hospitality include increasing job satisfaction and salaries and committing to long-term employment of foreigners, some of those involved in the sector have said. The industry suffered a huge blow when the coronavirus pandemic hit in March 2020. As a result of restrictive measures to control the outbreak, hotels and catering establishments were shut and travel restrictions halted tourism for long months. Faced with this, many establishments had to lay off staff to cut costs... Читать дальше...

The World Health Organisation on Wednesday urged COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers to keep their prices low and affordable, after reports that two producers will raise the cost they are charging the EU. Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are upping the prices for their messenger RNA vaccines because they have adapted them to the new virus variants, according to reports. The Pfizer vaccine will jump from €15.5 euros to €19.5 and Moderna from €19 euros to €21.5, British newspaper the Financial Times revealed Sunday... Читать дальше...

Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg has been criticised by an inquiry board for facilitating the signing of an agreement with Electrogas without parliament approval. Former energy minister Konrad Mizzi had signed off on the controversial contract binding the government to buy energy off Electrogas for 18 years. The security of supply agreement was vital for Electrogas to secure multi-million-euro bank loans to keep the project afloat. E-mails found in a cache of leaked Electrogas data indicate... Читать дальше...

A feud between Ireland's church and state escalated on Wednesday, after the Archbishop of Dublin told Catholic priests they can resume communions and confirmations in defiance of government coronavirus guidance. In a letter seen by AFP, Archbishop Dermot Farrell told Dublin Archdiocese priests that the ceremonies can be performed "if you consider it safe". Government guidance currently says "it is advised" that such religious ceremonies "should not take place at this time". The face-off between church and state has been brewing for days. Читать дальше...

The Malta Development Bank has provided support to the tune of more than €500 million in loans since its first scheme was launched in late 2018, it said on Wednesday. These loans were taken up by close to 650 local businesses, operating across the local economic spectrum, to invest in the expansion of their operations or to access the working capital needed to ensure survival through the COVID-19 pandemic. Micro, small or medium-sized enterprises represent 91% of all businesses assisted, the bank said in a statement. Читать дальше...

General Motors lifted its 2021 profit forecast on Wednesday on strong vehicle pricing amid limited car inventories due to the semiconductor chip shortage. The big US carmaker now expects full-income of between $7.7 billion and $9.2 billion (€6.5-7.7bn), up from the prior range of between $6.8 billion and $7.6 billion. Second-quarter revenues more than doubled compared with the prior-year period to $34.2 billion. Profits came in at $2.8 billion, compared with a loss of $806 million in the 2020 period that was marred by COVID-19 restrictions. Читать дальше...

Two new trucks have been added to the Civil Protection Department’s fleet through an investment of €500,000, the government said in a statement. The new vehicles will be used to carry heavy objects which cannot be carried with other equipment. Workers will also be specially trained in their use, CPD director-general Emanuel Psaila said.  Home Affairs Minister Byron said that the new vehicles complement 15 other new vehicles added to the CPD's fleet this year.  He said that the department had... Читать дальше...

A marital argument just before bedtime landed the husband in court after he allegedly loaded a firearm, prompting his wife and daughter to dial 112. The 57-year-old man was arrested following the episode at the family’s Iklin home last week and was granted bail on condition that he receives medical treatment at Mount Carmel Hospital. The husband and wife had allegedly argued over money matters. That evening, as the couple were about to go to bed, the man opened his weapons’ showcase, drew out a firearm and loaded it. Читать дальше...

Manchester City are on the verge of signing Aston Villa playmaker Jack Grealish in a British record £100 million ($139 million) deal, according to reports on Wednesday. City made their blockbuster bid for Grealish on Friday and now it appears Villa are ready to let their captain move to the Etihad Stadium. The Premier League champions have been heavily linked with the 25-year-old since the end of last season. Continue reading this article on Sports Desk. 

Two men who targeted various outlets of a local chain store, stealing foodstuffs to feed themselves after running into serious financial problems, were remanded in custody pending judgment. Mario Campolo, 48, from Fgura and Sandro Mifsud, 48, from Floriana admitted to various charges of simple theft and two attempted thefts after they were arrested at the Marsascala store on Monday. Shop staff had observed the duo, who had previously turned up at other outlets of the same store, picking items off the shelves and not paying at the cash point.

Christian Eriksen on Wednesday met his Inter Milan teammates for the first time since suffering cardiac arrest at Euro 2020, in a visit to the Italian champions’ training ground. In a statement, Inter said that Eriksen, 29, paid a visit to the training centre at Appiano Gentile outside Milan on Wednesday morning. “The Danish midfielder met the club directors, the coach, teammates and all of the staff present. Eriksen is doing well and is in excellent physical and mental shape,” Inter said. Continue reading this article on Sports Desk. Читать дальше...

Shares in telecoms giant Vodafone’s debt-ridden Indian unit fell sharply for a second day on Wednesday following reports that its billionaire chairman thought the firm was on the brink of collapse and wanted to sell his stake. Vodafone Idea and other operators have been squeezed hard since Jio, owned by Asia’s richest man Mukesh Ambani, entered the market in 2016 with dirt-cheap internet and free calls. In a June 7 letter to a cabinet secretary that emerged in news reports this week, Vi’s Kumar... Читать дальше...

A man who swindled his 90-year old victim out of some €3,000 by pretending to be a priest helping people in need admitted his wrongdoing, saying that he only did it to get debtors off his back.  Dillon Kenneth Junior Bartolo, a 28-year-old Cospicua resident, confessed upon his arraignment on Wednesday that he had resorted to the ruse after running into debts on account of his drug addiction. To make matters worse, he was currently unemployed because he had suffered a workplace injury that affected the use of one hand, the court was told. Читать дальше...

Malta International Airport welcomed three inaugural Ryanair flights from Brindisi and Genoa in Italy, and Sofia in Bulgaria. Bi-weekly flights to Brindisi (Tuesdays and Saturdays), Genoa (Tuesdays and Saturdays) and Sofia (Mondays and Fridays) will be operated by Ryanair until October.  While Brindisi is a brand-new route between Malta and southern Italy, Genoa has made a comeback to MIA’s flight schedule following a brief absence and the Sofia route is currently also served by Wizz Air.  

Sony upgraded its full-year profit forecast on Wednesday on the back of a strong quarterly performance, although the pandemic boom enjoyed by the gaming sector is slowing. The Japanese conglomerate said solid earnings in its music and consumer electronics businesses offset a first-quarter operating profit decline in the gaming sector. A box-office triumph for the anime epic ‘Demon Slayer’, distributed by Sony’s animation unit Aniplex, also boosted its better-than-expected quarterly results. Sony... Читать дальше...

An “aggressive” youth who allegedly vandalised a number of parked cars in St Paul’s Bay on Monday was remanded in custody after “gently” protesting his innocence.  Timothy Obiagebna, a 25-year-old Nigerian who lives in St Paul’s Bay, was escorted to court facing charges over the fracas he allegedly caused when a call from the police control room alerted the Qawra district officers to the man’s presence on the streets.  A stranger was allegedly smashing car windshields, the officers were told.... Читать дальше...

Three people died and dozens more were injured on Wednesday when two trains collided at a village in the west of the Czech Republic, according to railway officials. The Munich-to-Prague express, number Ex 351 belonging to the German firm Die Laenderbahn, collided with a regional train between the Czech towns of Plzen and Domazlice, which was coming from the opposite direction. Rescuers said two of the dead were Czech engine drivers, one of whom was operating the German train. The third victim was a female passenger on the regional train. Читать дальше...

Dutchman Louis van Gaal will return for a third time as the national football coach, leading the team to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Dutch football federation (KNVB) said Wednesday. The appointment of the 69-year-old, dubbed the “Iron Tulip”, comes after the resignation of Frank de Boer in June after the Netherlands’ dismal last-16 exit from Euro 2020. The no-nonsense Van Gaal, whose last major job was at Manchester United, previously managed the Oranje between 2000-2002 and 2012-2014, when... Читать дальше...

Rudolph Marmarà has been elected organisational executive secretary of the Nationalist Party. The PN said in a statement the vacany had been vacated by Michael Piccinino, who was some days ago elected as the party’s new general secretary. As organisational executive secretary, Marmarà will be responsible for the party’s organisation at a local, regional and national level as well as for the logistics to enable the party’s organs and organisations to carry out their daily political work efficiently. Читать дальше...

Italy won gold in the men’s team pursuit for the first time in 61 years on Wednesday, breaking their own world record to beat Denmark in a thrilling final at the Izu Velodrome. The Italians shaded a neck-and-neck battle on the track, their blistering time of 3min 42.032sec just enough to hold off Denmark, who crossed the line in 3:42.198. Led by the 25-year-old Filippo Ganna, the Italy quartet roared with delight after they powered to victory, circling around the arena in front of an enthralled crowd of around 1,000 fans in Shizuoka. Читать дальше...

Car-manufacturing powerhouse Germany is rushing to join the private sector space race as it looks to ride a boom in mini-launchers for small satellites and compete with major US firms such as SpaceX. Three projects, in particular, are making Germany a serious player in the race to provide mini-launchers for the increasing number of small satellites which observe the Earth and provide connectivity for the internet of things and smart vehicles. At the end of July, German company Rocket Factory... Читать дальше...

Some 70 per cent of all planning applications sent to the Commission for Rights of Persons with a Disability (CRPD) for vetting did not meet the necessary accessibility standards, Commissioner Samantha Pace Gasan said in a press conference on Wednesday.  Pace Gasan was presenting the CRPD’s annual report, which highlighted the work undertaken by the commission throughout the past year.  Just 15% of applications approved Of the 4,030 applications send to the authority for accessibility vetting... Читать дальше...

A man who was allegedly involved in the theft and sale of bicycles was remanded in custody after his arraignment on Wednesday. David Yates, 51 of Gzira, was arrested early on Tuesday after investigators, browsing the Marketplace Facebook site, linked him to the stolen bikes. Yates pleaded not guilty to two instances of aggravated theft, handling stolen goods as well as breaching previous bail conditions. The court was told that a Legnano bike was allegedly stolen from St Albert Street, Gzira on the night between May 13 and 14. Читать дальше...

A small quay and a lift leading to the Explora science centre in Bighi have been rehabilitated. The conclusion of the project was celebrated on Tuesday evening in a ceremony attended by the prime minister. The former historic cot lift, which used to take bed-ridden patients directly from boats up to the former Bighi Naval Hospital - where the science centre is now housed - has been replaced by a modern lift to enable easy access for visitors who wish to go to Esplora by boat.    Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando... Читать дальше...