Новости за 11.09.2021

A motorcyclist who grievously hurt himself in a crash in the middle of the night has yet to be identified by authorities.  The victim, who is 29 years old, lost control of a Honda motorcycle while on Vjal Sir Paul Boffa in Paola at around 2am, the police said in a statement on Saturday.  He is believed to be foreign but his nationality has not yet been determined.  A medical team took him to Mater Dei Hospital by ambulance, where he is receiving treatment.  Police are investigating further. 

Having scored a hat-trick for Argentina in World Cup qualifying, Lionel Messi will have to wait for his home debut in France, possibly leaving Paris Saint-Germain without their star front three for Saturday’s Ligue 1 match against promoted side Clermont. PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino will be deprived of the majority of his South American contingent after their countries played World Cup qualifiers on Thursday. Messi notched all three goals as Argentina, who also included PSG’s Angel Di Maria in their lineup... Читать дальше...

Cyrus Engerer will negotiate a report on fundamental rights across the European Union on behalf of the Socialists and Democrats MEP grouping.  “Fundamental rights are the cornerstone of our democracy. It is thanks to the Charter of Fundamental Rights that our identity as unique individuals is protected. The Charter protects our freedoms- the freedom to be, the freedom to speak and the freedom to love,” Engerer said following his appointment.  He said the report would give him the opportunity to... Читать дальше...

Yorgen Fenech is insisting that the appointment of Madam Justice Edwina Grima to preside over his trial breaches his fundamental right to a fair hearing.  Madam Justice Grima has already dismissed an application by Fenech’s lawyers requesting her to abstain from presiding over his upcoming trial. The judge was appointed to the case by the President, on the recommendation of the Chief Justice.  Fenech is pleading not guilty to complicity in the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2017. On September 1... Читать дальше...

Fr Julian Cassar reminisces and reflects about the tragic day of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre 20 years ago and its aftermath while he served in New York On the 20th anniversary of one of the most tragic days in history, I’d like to share a few reflections from my own pers­pective as I recollect the day and aftermath of the worst terrorist attack that shocked the world on an otherwise uneventful day, at least until 8.45am, New York time. I was assistant pastor at St Stanislaus Kostka parish in Pleasant Valley... Читать дальше...

Juventus travel to one of their biggest rivals on Saturday as they return from the international break hoping to rebound from the dispiriting opening two weeks of the season which have left serious question marks hanging over their Serie A title credentials. Napoli await for Massimiliano Allegri’s team who have so far managed just a point from their two league fixtures and fell to a humiliating home defeat to promoted Empoli late last month, a day after Cristiano Ronaldo fled for England.   Continue reading this article on Sports Desk... Читать дальше...

Updated 11.04am The deadline to use government vouchers has been extended to the end of October, as a quarter of vouchers have not yet been utilised.  Vouchers were due to expire on September 15 but that deadline has been extended to give people some more time to make use of them, Economy Minister Silvio Schembri said on Saturday morning.  So far, 74 per cent of vouchers have been used, with 26 per cent, or around €12 million worth of vouchers, still unused. The voucher scheme is costing the government €45 million. Читать дальше...

Afghan pop star Aryana Sayeed recalls asking her fiance one thing as they snuck into Kabul's chaotic airport after the Taliban moved in: "Don't let them take me away alive". Aryana, who brags of 1.4 million Instagram followers and is often likened to US megastar Kim Kardashian, had drawn the religious conservatives' ire for her women's rights activism and figure-hugging clothes. A singer and former judge of a popular Afghan music talent show, the 36-year-old could not walk down the streets of... Читать дальше...

Bayern Munich new signing Marcel Sabitzer is relishing returning to former club RB Leipzig on Saturday, but he expects a frosty reception on his debut for the Bundesliga champions. Leipzig finished runners-up to Bayern last season and Saturday’s league clash at the Red Bull Arena is an early chance for both clubs to throw down a marker. Sabitzer, the Leipzig captain, joined Bayern last week to reunite with coach Julian Nagelsmann and defender Dayot Upamecano, who both moved to Munich this season. Читать дальше...

Updated 1.40pm Rosianne Cutajar has been given a second and final opportunity to answer breach of conduct accusations before the Council of Europe’s parliamentary assembly. Cutajar, who is one of three Maltese MPs to form part of the assembly, is being investigated over a 2019 speech she gave in which she shot down a colleague’s report into the Daphne Caruana Galizia case and the rule of law in Malta. More than 30 members of the Council of Europe assembly endorsed the request for an investigation filed by Dutch MP Peter Omtzigt... Читать дальше...

A pedestrian in Birkirkara was grievously hurt when he was hit by a car on Friday evening, the police said on Saturday.  The victim, who is 56 years old and from Birkirkara, was on Triq il-Ferrovija when he was hit by a Toyota Ractis being driven by a 61-year-old from Balzan. It was around 8.30pm at the time.  A medical team called to the site took the victim to Mater Dei Hospital by ambulance. Doctors have certified his injuries as being of a grievous nature. A police investigation is under way. Читать дальше...

A 70-year-old man had to be hospitalised on Friday evening after he was involved in a fight with a man 40 years his junior.  The senior citizen got into an argument with a 27-year-old man on Triq is-Santwarju, Żabbar at around 5.30pm, the police said in a statement.  The two men, who are both from Żabbar, then reported to their local health clinic for treatment. They were then transferred to Mater Dei Hospital. While the younger man only suffered slight injuries in the scuffle, the elder man was grievously injured, the police said. Читать дальше...

Dennis Vella Baldacchino is to replace John Cachia as Commissioner for Mental Health, the government announced on Saturday. Vella Baldacchino currently serves as chief medical Officer within the Health Ministry – a post he has occupied since 2014. He will start working as mental health Commissioner on October 1 and will be officially appointed to the post on December 1, the ministry said. According to the Mental Health Act, commissioners are appointed by the prime minister after consulting the Opposition leader as he sees fit. Читать дальше...

Parking is a commodity that, like most other commodities, is subject to the economic law of supply and demand. A small, densely populated country, which has an economic strategy that seeks further substantial growth, needs to manage the demand for scarce parking spaces more intelligently than it does now. As the number of cars on the roads continues to rise alarmingly, the task is made that much more difficult by a public transport system which still does not provide an efficient enough alternative for people used to travelling by car... Читать дальше...

These are the leading stories in local newspapers on Saturday. Times of Malta leads with a report from court, where a man accused of shooting another in Iklin pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, saying he did so in self-defence. The newspaper also gives prominence to the recollections of a New York firefighter whose mother is from Żejtun, to mark the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Anthony Gurrera was meant to be working that fateful day. The Malta Independent leads with a... Читать дальше...

The environment out there is in dire straits. Research and studies from the European Commission over these last years show that 92 per cent of the Maltese population is worried about climate change and its serious repercussions. The PN is reaching out to everyone who has the environment at heart and wants us to be proactive when it comes to finding solutions for our environmental challenges. Last week, the working group PN Greens was launch­ed in order to come up with tangible proposals. The party is calling upon everyone... Читать дальше...

Fully vaccinated people are 11 times less likely to die of COVID and 10 times less likely to be hospitalised compared to the unvaccinated since Delta became the most common variant, US health authorities said Friday.  The data came from one of three new papers published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all of which underscored COVID vaccines' ongoing effectiveness against severe outcomes. For reasons that are not yet well understood, data from one of the studies suggests Moderna's... Читать дальше...

Were you asked to vote in the latest opinion poll about whether Malta wants a channel tunnel? Nor was I, nor was anybody I know. So, join in this one. Let me start with an easy question: should people who never cross the channel be entitled to vote in the tunnel-versus-ferry debate? That seems a fair point. What about the people who make the return journey only once or twice a year: should they have what may be a deciding vote? What if they don’t care about the tunnel, either way, but are concerned about the ruination of land ... Читать дальше...

Obituaries CUSCHIERI. On September 9, at her residence in Sliema, JOSEPHINE, aged 81, passed away peacefully. She leaves to join the risen Lord and her parents John and Mary Cuschieri, to whom she dedicated much of her life. She leaves to mourn her loss her sisters, Sr Sylvia (Olga) of the Order of St Joseph of the Apparition and Marlene Abela, her beloved nephews and nieces Alan, David and Annelise, and Catherine, her cherished great-nephews and nieces Michaela, Raphael, Daniel, Kristina, Lisa... Читать дальше...

Apple was forced to loosen the grip it holds on its App Store payment system, after a US judge ruled Friday in a closely watched battle with Fortnite maker Epic Games. Though app makers will be able to take steps to skirt the up to 30 per cent commission Apple takes on sales, the tech giant avoided being branded an illegal monopoly in the case. Here are some key questions on the App Store and the impact of the ruling: How does the App Store work?  The App Store acts as the lone gateway for mobile... Читать дальше...

Saturday marks 20 years since the 9/11 New York terror attack, the most horrific on American soil. Anthony Gurrera, a 33-year-old firefighter of Maltese descent, was among the first on-site. It was only by sheer luck that he was not among colleagues killed at the scene. Sarah Carabott reports Twenty years ago, Anthony Gurrera was frantically looking for any signs of life under the debris piled on the ground where the Twin Towers had stood moments before. But all he came across were picture frames... Читать дальше...

America marks the 20th anniversary of 9/11 Saturday with solemn ceremonies given added poignancy by the recent chaotic withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and return to power of the Taliban. Heart-wrenching commemorations will unfold at each of the three sites where 19 Al-Qaeda hijackers -- mostly from Saudi Arabia -- crashed packed airliners, striking the cultural, financial and political hearts of the United States and changing the world forever. The memorials come with US troops finally gone from Afghanistan... Читать дальше...

126th day of the 'new normal' Żepp is produced by Ġorġ Mallia. See more Żepp cartoons.

After extensive maintenance work carried out on the façade and belfries of the Nadur basilica, restoration work is now being carried out on the interior of the church, especially on the ceiling decorations. Most of the decorative moulds are in dire need of repair because the moulds were originally attached to the stonework using ferrous wiring and iron straps. They are now being reattached to the stonework using modern-day material, including resin dowels.

Renal deficiencies Being a renal patient on dialysis, on August 28 (two weeks ago) I went as usual to the renal unit for my treatment. To my great amazement and chagrin, I was turned away as there were not enough nurses to go round and treat all the booked patients. For those who don’t know, dialysis is absolutely vital for renal patients. Instead, I had to go, at great inconvenience, for the 8pm to midnight session. This dire situation (not enough nurses) has been going on for months. The staff... Читать дальше...