Новости за 18.08.2021

Sliema rose splendidly to the occasion to stun the more-fancied Neptunes with a diligent display of disciplined waterpolo, chartered by their new coach Fernandez Abella and throw the title race wide open. The biggest beneficiaries from Sliema’s surprise victory are San Ġiljan who now face Neptunes in a title showdown this Saturday on equal points. The Reds started wastefully on their two man-up sets. These were followed by a penalty miss from Steven Camilleri before Sliema exploited their first scoring opportunity through Jerome Gabarretta. Читать дальше...

The Taliban, who have pledged a different sort of rule in Afghanistan from their brutal regime two decades ago, met with former president Hamid Karzai and senior official Abdullah Abdullah Wednesday as they seek to form a government. The talks came as president Ashraf Ghani - who fled Afghanistan as the insurgents closed in on Kabul at the weekend, sealing their return to power - said from the United Arab Emirates that he supported those negotiations and was in talks to return home. The Taliban won a lightning victory in a matter of days... Читать дальше...

This year’s feast of the Assumption of Our Lady, with its low-key celebrations held across the islands, may be well and truly over but Joe Chetcuti can continue to keep the festa spirit alive at his home thanks to a miniature church. Measuring one-and-a-half metres by two metres, the model is based on the Mosta basilica and features a faithful replica of the titular painting of the Assumption by Stefano Erardi and of the titular statue by Salvatore Dimech, which was then altered by Vincent Apap. Читать дальше...

Hundreds of firefighters struggled for a third day Wednesday to contain France's worst wildfire of the summer near the glitzy Riviera resort of Saint-Tropez which has left two dead and forced thousands of residents and tourists to flee. The fire is the latest to hit a Mediterranean region that has seen an onslaught of blazes claim lives in Greece, Turkey, Italy and Algeria in recent weeks, with numerous officials blaming climate change. The fire near Saint-Tropez has scorched some 5,000 hectares in a region known for its forests... Читать дальше...

Fifteen doctors' associations have joined together to refute claims made by a controversial doctor, who has repeatedly criticised health authorities over their approach to COVID-19. In an interview with Times of Malta this week, Jean Karl Soler questioned the benefits of lockdowns, vaccinating healthy children and other strategies to control the virus. The doctor insists others support him - but a statement by the Malta College of Pathologists, endorsed by 14 other associations, said some of his claims were "incorrect or misleading". Читать дальше...

Malta is “considering” taking in an Afghan family of three from Kabul after the Taliban claimed control of the country earlier this week.  A spokesperson for the Home Affairs Ministry said “Malta is considering the resettlement of an Afghan family of three individuals”. The spokesperson added that talks are ongoing at EU level regarding the evacuation of Afghan staff working with an EU delegation in Kabul. Earlier, the Nationalist Party said the government should prepare for a possible influx... Читать дальше...

The World Health Organisation condemned Wednesday the rush by wealthy countries to provide COVID vaccine booster shots, while millions around the world have yet to receive a single dose. Speaking before US authorities announced that all vaccinated Americans would soon be eligible to receive additional doses, WHO experts insisted there was not enough scientific evidence that boosters were needed and said providing them while so many were still waiting to be immunised was immoral. "We're planning... Читать дальше...

Arsenal are on the verge of a permanent deal for Real Madrid midfielder Martin Odegaard, according to reports on Wednesday. Odegaard joined Arsenal on loan for the second half of last season after failing to break into the Real Madrid team. The 22-year-old scored just two goals in 20 appearances for the Premier League club, but impressed Gunners boss Mikel Arteta with his composed performances. Continue reading this article on Sports Desk. 

Schools are likely to again follow strict COVID-19 measures when students return to their desks in September, Times of Malta is informed, with bubbles and mask-wearing to be mandatory for the second year running. The major change in the sector is expected to impact those students in post-secondary education, who were forced to follow lessons online throughout the last scholastic year. Because the majority of these students are now vaccinated, it is expected that they will be allowed back to lecture halls once the new year starts. Читать дальше...

The health authorities have dismissed claims that patients with COVID-19 symptoms are mixing with others in government health centres after Times of Malta received such reports about the facility in Mosta. Claims were made on Monday that those identified as having symptoms associated with coronavirus were still made to wait alongside others who were in the clear. The claims included a photo that purportedly showed a patient with potential COVID symptoms seated in a waiting area with other patients. Читать дальше...

European stock markets slid on Wednesday, despite bumper Asian gains, as a surge of the coronavirus Delta variant fanned fresh fears about the global economic recovery. “The source of uncertainty is almost entirely due to the resilience of COVID and virus-related restrictions which have negatively impacted the global economy recovery,” noted ThinkMarkets analyst Fawad Razaqzada. “Global stock markets have been struggling across the world in recent days, although the selling has been limited for... Читать дальше...

As many Maltese are taking to Sicily for the holidays this summer, Ray Bondin describes the sites and joys provided by a lesser-known destination on the island, Buscemi, where nature inspires to simplicity. Perhaps after a difficult year brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, one would be thinking of a different type of holiday, one that is closer to nature and simplicity. And there cannot be a more authentic part of Sicily than Buscemi, a small village in the mountain hinterland. Buscemi is on... Читать дальше...

A woman charged with murdering her partner repeatedly complained of domestic abuse and even threatened to commit suicide, a court heard on Wednesday.   Mayumi Santos Patacsil, 44, of the Philippines, stands accused of murdering her partner Marcelino Montalban Saraza on July 1, 2021. Testifying in court on Wednesday, the woman’s former landlord Roberto Bartolo said he had received complaints about her from other tenants.  He told the court how other residents in the couple’s Mellieħa apartment... Читать дальше...

Animal Commissioner Alison Bezzina is calling for more pet-friendly beaches in Malta and Gozo so dogs can enjoy swimming "with the rest of the family". There are nine beaches on the islands - seven in Malta and two in Gozo - where dogs are allowed. They can also swim anywhere that is not a designated bathing area, unless a specific Local Council By-Law prohibits it. But Bezzina says that while health must be the priority, with dogs banned from most beaches due to the bacteria from their waste... Читать дальше...

Chinese tech giant Tencent’s revenue grew at its slowest pace in two years, results released on Wednesday showed, as it and other gaming firms now brace for an expected regulatory crackdown. Total revenues came in at $42.3 billion for the first half of 2021, up 23 per cent year on year while operating profits were up 17 per cent.  Sales rose 20 per cent to $21.3 billion for the second quarter, while mobile games sales grew 13 per cent. While the figures remain healthy, the growth rate has slowed closer to pre-pandemic levels. Читать дальше...

A suspected arms dealer, arrested three months ago for carrying an unlicensed and loaded pistol in his car boot, was fined for possession of the faulty weapon but cleared of relapsing.  Aaron Cassar, 41, had been targeted by officers from the police major crimes unit following an anonymous tip-off about a suspected arms deal. He was stopped at his hometown, Birżebbuġa, one May afternoon and his car was searched in a joint operation with members of the Rapid Intervention Unit. An unlicensed weapon... Читать дальше...

Birkirkara continued to strengthen their squad with the signing of Argentine defender Enzo Ruiz from Floriana FC, the Stripes announced in a statement. Talks have been ongoing between the two clubs and it looks as though that the transfer had stalled over the weekend but on Wednesday, Birkirkara announced that they had completed the transfer of the veteran defender. Young Neil Micallef has been included as part of the deal and will now move to Floriana FC. “Birkirkara FC are please to announce the signing of Enzo Ruiz... Читать дальше...

Judge Aaron Bugeja has abstained from presiding over the forthcoming trial of Yorgen Fenech, who stands accused of complicity in the murder Daphne Caruana Galizia.  The decision was announced in a decree issued on Wednesday morning, soon after a bill of indictment sending Fenech to trial was filed by the attorney general's office.  Mr Justice Bugeja had already abstained from presiding over the trial of the Degiorgio brothers Alfred and George, who stand accused of carrying out the Caruana Galizia assassination. Читать дальше...

A total of 37 COVID-19 patients are currently in hospital receiving treatment, with just one patient requiring intensive treatment. The figures emerge from COVID-19 statistics provided by the health ministry on Wednesday, on a day when 82 new virus cases were announced. A total of 71 virus patients recovered overnight while no deaths were reported. As a result, there are currently 615 active cases in the country. Healthcare workers administered 3,192 swab tests over the previous day. Data indicated... Читать дальше...

The number of COVID-19 cases which stem from travel has gone down to 10%, confirming the decision to require travellers to produce a vaccination certificate, Charmaine Gauci, superintendent of public health, said on Wednesday. She was speaking in the Ask Charmaine programme hosted by Times of Malta. Gauci defended the decision by the health authorities to refuse Recovery certificates from travellers. Recovery certificates are issued to people who tested positive in the previous 180 days, but Gauci... Читать дальше...

Matthew Pace, 18, will attempt to scale the Matterhorn on Friday, becoming the youngest Maltese to do so, if successful. On his way up one of the most difficult mountains in the Alps, located between Switzerland and Italy, Pace will keep in mind the fighting spirit of Rebecca Zammit Lupi, his second cousin who sadly died earlier this year. The 15-year-old, whose battle with cancer was chronicled by her father and award-winning photographer Darrin Zammit Lupi, is remembered by many for her resilience. Читать дальше...

  Malta basketball referee Bernard Vassallo has announced the end of his international career after 25 years of service. In a facebook post on his social media, Vassallo said that after taking charge of 496 official international games, the time has come for him to call it a day as his licence will not be renewed after the end of the season after he reached the 50-years threshold. Vassallo said that his farewell is tinge by the disappointment of missing out on the 500-games mark after his plans... Читать дальше...

Maltese sailor Victoria Schultheis has secured another prestigious result to her CV when she placed second in the women's division at the European WASZP Games in Lake Garda. The Games were originally scheduled to be held in Norway but the organisers were forced to switch venue and were hosted by the Circolo Vela Arco.   The competitions saw all 87 participants, made up of male and female sailors, taking the water to battle out for the honours. Schultheis produced a very consistent run of results... Читать дальше...

The dramatic drop in demand for passenger air transport since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing containment measures, is threatening the viability of many companies operating in both the air transport sector and the rest of the aviation industry.  Nevertheless, the recently implemented easing of travel restrictions together with several traffic developments led to an improvement in passenger numbers handled by Malta International Airport (MIA) during June 2021 when compared to the previous months. Читать дальше...

Updated 12.28pm Yorgen Fenech bought grenades, poison, machine guns, pistols and around 800 bullets more than one year after Daphne Caruana Galizia was murdered, a court heard on Wednesday. The business mogul, who will face trial for complicity in the journalist’s 2017 murder, made the weapons purchases on the dark web and paid for them using cryptocurrency Bitcoin, deputy attorney general Philip Galea Farrugia said. Galea Farrugia said Fenech had bought “two grenades, two Glock pistols, two machine guns... Читать дальше...