Новости за 16.11.2021

Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff said “diplomacy” had ended as he demanded on Tuesday a review of an incident from last weekend’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix when Red Bull’s Max Verstappen appeared to force Lewis Hamilton off the track. Mercedes are convinced that Verstappen, then leading the race, defended too aggressively on a corner during the 48th lap as title rival Hamilton was attempting to overtake him. The defending champion Hamilton was driven off the track but stewards decided at the time to take no action against the Dutchman. Читать дальше...

Bentley Motors is celebrating a centenary of sales, with 100 years since the brand’s first. A 3-Litre model registered in 1921 as KS 1661 was purchased by wealthy Londoner Noel van Raalte, who enjoyed a passion for racing exceptional motor cars and whose family owned Brownsea Island, near Poole Harbour. The first production Bentley ordered was manufactured in Cricklewood, North London, and featured lightweight aluminium coachwork and brass brightwork. Introduced by company founder, W.O. Bentley... Читать дальше...

Ġbejna producers have reached a compromise in their fight to have EU-wide protection from copycats and large-scale producers. Local sheepherders have for years been trying to have the term ġbejna protected but have been hamstrung by local dairy giants who last year blocked their application before it could even reach Brussels. The herders say they have now found a compromise and, earlier this month, reapplied for protective status for the cheese, working around the wording. Last year, Times of... Читать дальше...

Edward Zammit Lewis got masking rules back-to-front on Tuesday, taking his mask off while telling colleagues “pardon me, but I’ve got a mild bout of the flu”.  The Justice Minister’s somewhat bizarre interpretation of masking rules came at the end of a parliamentary committee meeting concerning a breach of ethics by his Labour MP colleague Rosianne Cutajar.  Zammit Lewis wore a mask for most of the hour-long meeting, taking it off each time he spoke.  But he ditched the small blue piece of fabric towards the end of the meeting... Читать дальше...

A senior German politician has called to make it mandatory for all professional footballers in Germany to be vaccinated as the country struggles to contain a ferocious fourth wave of Covid-19. “I’m in favour of compulsory vaccination for certain professional groups—that’s what we need,” Bavarian state leader Markus Soeder told Bild TV. “I think it would be a good signal if we discuss something like that for the football sector as well—as a signal of unity between fans and players,” he said.... Читать дальше...

The extension of Black Friday offers from a weekend to the whole month of November has probably become a trend here to stay, according to the head of a leading business lobby. “Not only do customers get to avoid long queues and traffic jams, but businesses also begin to reap sale profits throughout the entire month,” Abigail Mamo, CEO of the Malta Chamber of SMEs,  said. Black Friday, which originated as a US custom held on the day after Thanksgiving, is now considered the biggest shopping event of the year worldwide. Читать дальше...

Russia’s Danil Medvedev cracked a broad, winning smile after edging Germany’s Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (8-6) in a tense ATP finals encounter Tuesday. The pale and serious looking Medvedev missed two match points after struggling from 4-2 down to 6-4 up in what was a see-saw final tie break that he described post-match as ‘amazing’. “I wanted to do something brave at 6-5,” he said allowing himself to smile of his double slip. “But that was a match to remember, just amazing,” said Zverev... Читать дальше...

A bill to reform cannabis laws is designed to reduce the harm that users of the substance are currently subjected to, minister Owen Bonnici said during a second reading of the bill on Tuesday. "The government is not encouraging people to use cannabis. But if someone wants to, the best way to do so is in the context of harm reduction," the minister said, noting the "real and great" spread of cannabis use across Maltese society.  Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, Bonnici said the number of people... Читать дальше...

McLaren has denied that it has been purchased by Audi, following reports that the German manufacturer had bought the Woking-based group. In a statement, McLaren said that the reports, initially published by Autocar, were ‘wholly inaccurate’. It added: “McLaren’s technology strategy has always involved ongoing discussions and collaboration with relevant partners and suppliers, including other carmakers, however, there has been no change in the ownership structure of the McLaren Group.” For McLaren’s road cars... Читать дальше...

Walmart lifted key profit forecasts on Tuesday following another solid quarter and expressed confidence it would have sufficient inventories for the holidays despite global supply chain snarls. The big-box chain now projects full year adjusted earnings of $6.40 per share, up from the prior range of $6.20 to $6.35 a share after third-quarter US comparable sales jumped by 9.2 per cent.  The biggest retailer in the world acknowledged higher costs connected with shipping and supply chain pressures... Читать дальше...

A cartoonist and satirist who was branded a "whore" and a "witch bitch", among other insults, after uploading caricatures of Joseph and Michelle Muscat has alerted the police cybercrime unit. Miriam Galea, a translator based in Brussels, regularly posts satirical drawings inspired from stories in Malta and around the world. Two drawings she published last week were inspired by photos that Michelle Muscat posted to her social media, revealing her new blonde look. One drawing shows Muscat posing for a photo with the caption... Читать дальше...

 A legal notice on an exemption from tax on property transfers is effectively an amnesty which the government has introduced by stealth and which should be withdrawn because it is discriminatory, the PN said on Tuesday. Legal Notice 419, entitled 'Exemption from Tax on Property Transfers (Set-off of Tax Arrears) Rules, 2021' provides that persons who have tax arrears can set off those arrears by transferring tax due on property transfers. The PN said this legal notice was a blow to all those who... Читать дальше...

Casinos have inhabited the internet since its inception and have evolved over time. An online casino such as netti-casino.org allows its users to play various games without having to leave the comfort of their home. With the growing demand for cryptocurrencies in the digital market, online casinos have incorporated this technology as one of the new payment methods available for gambling. And although its use and demand online has grown, not everyone is aware of its applications and benefits. Here... Читать дальше...

Labour MP Rosianne Cutajar is to be reprimanded by parliament following an ethics probe into her role in allegedly brokering a property deal with Yorgen Fenech, although the Opposition wanted her suspended from the House.   Parliament’s Committee for Standards in Public Life voted on Tuesday afternoon for Cutajar to face censure in the form of a “stern reprimand".   The committee voted on a motion by Speaker Anġlu Farrugia, with Labour MPs Glenn Bedingfield and Edward Zammit Lewis raising their hands in favour. Читать дальше...

A courier van was extensively damaged in a blaze early on Tuesday afternoon on the road to the Ċirkewwa ferry terminal. The fire appears to have started in the engine compartment at about 3pm and quickly spread. The van was full of boxes, an eyewitness said. The police said no one was injured.   The fire was extinguished by a fire-fighting unit of the Civil Protection Department as a long traffic jam built up, with that part of the road being single lane. Photo: Leander Thomas.

Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri is failing to protect prison warders and inmates who are facing attempts at intimidation for refusing to sign a petition seeking the recall of prisons director Alex Dalli, the PN said on Monday. Dalli suspended himself last week after the 14th suicide in the prisons in three years. The shadow minister for home affairs, Beppe Fenech Adami said that the minister, after having failed to effectively remove Dalli, was now permitting a situation where warders and inmates were threatened... Читать дальше...

Guanyu Zhou will become China’s first ever Formula One driver after Alfa Romeo announced on Tuesday the 22-year-old would drive for the team next season. Zhou has been making waves in Formula Two and replaces Antonio Giovinazzi alongside Valtteri Bottas, who is moving from Mercedes to replace the retiring Kimi Raikkonen. “To be the first ever Chinese driver in Formula 1 is a breakthrough for Chinese motorsport history,” said Zhou. “I know a lot of hopes will be resting on me and, as ever, I will... Читать дальше...

Documents by Steward Healthcare in which they described the Malta hospitals concession contract as 'fraudulent' are to be included in a court case instituted in Malta by former Opposition leader Adrian Delia seeking to annul the deal. The decision was taken by Mr Justice Depasquale upon a request by Delia, although State Advocate Chris Soler minuted that Delia’s request was not relevant to his original claim. Delia is challenging the controversial 2015 privatisation deal whereby Gozo General Hospital... Читать дальше...

MGC Pharma is developing its Hal Far facility to produce medication to treat inflammation caused by Covid-19 and other respiratory problems, the Enterprise Ministry said on Tuesday. The company, headquartered in Australia, is focused on developing and producing cannabinoid-derived medicines products. Its new €4 million investment in a 800m2 facility in Hal Far will enable it to produce up to 24,000 units of its new product, known as CimetrA. The company chose Malta to start production after research... Читать дальше...

The Malta High Income Fund which is a sub-fund of CC Funds SICAV plc announced an annualised distribution of three per cent.  CC Funds SICAV plc was launched in September 2011 and presently has an aggregate NET Assets of over €158 million, spread over 10 distinct sub-funds. The Malta High Income Fund aims to maximise the total return for investors, by investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of bonds and equities listed on the Malta Stock Exchange. The Malta High Income Fund is actively... Читать дальше...

A group of 22 church organisations have jointly presented a position paper on the cannabis reform bill, expressing serious concern about the proposed legislation’s effects on society. They also called for “a serious, mature and researched debate” on the subject. The bill is to start being debated in second reading in Parliament on Tuesday. According to the bill, cannabis users will be able to grow plants at home or buy the substance from specially set up associations, but smoking a joint in public will remain against the law. Читать дальше...

Planning Authority approval this Thursday of an application to convert a disused explosives factory in Dingli into ten bungalows would be 'another planning travesty' the Moviment Graffitti lobby group said on Tuesday.  The application is being recommended for approval by the case officer.  The proposed dwellings will include a pool, car park and management block. “This application is a shameless attempt to circumvent constraints on ODZ development. If approved, this may well open the door to similar... Читать дальше...

The Sanctuary of Lourdes is a famous pilgrimage place renowned for its apparitions for the past 150 years.  Visiting Lourdes is to be within a place of faith at the crossroads of nations, languages and cultures. It’s also the opportunity to live a true spiritual and human experience and for those of the Christian faith, it’s a way to live Universal Church experience. Lourdes is a unique place because people from all over the world can meet together and share. In Lourdes, there is a place for each person whatever their situation... Читать дальше...

A new national lottery rights licence has been awarded to National Lottery plc. The company was one of two submitting offers following a call by the privatisation unit. While National Lottery plc’s offer was for €105,077,777, Sisal Malta Consortium submitted a €53,330,001 bid. The company, which is majority-owned by the Izi Group, will take over the national lottery from Maltco Lotteries, whose concession ends on July 4, 2022.  Maltco had signed its concession with the government in 2012.  Proposals... Читать дальше...

The strongman in the east of war-scarred Libya, Khalifa Haftar, said Tuesday he would run for president in a December 24 election that is also set to be contested by a son of former dictator Muammar Gaddafi. "I declare my candidacy for the presidential election, not because I am chasing power but because I want to lead our people towards glory, progress and prosperity," he said in a speech, broadcast live on Libyan television. His announcement comes two days after the candidacy of Seif al-Islam... Читать дальше...