Новости за 23.12.2021

Former US president Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to block the release of White House records to a congressional committee investigating the January 6 assault on the Capitol by his supporters. Trump asked the nation's highest court to stay a ruling this month by a federal appeals court which rejected his attempt to keep the documents and records secret. Trump, who has been accused of fomenting the assault on Congress, is seeking to exercise his privilege as a former president... Читать дальше...

Chelsea star Hakim Ziyech has been left out of Morocco’s preliminary Africa Cup of Nations squad with coach Vahid Halilhodzic saying he was a disruptive influence. Halilhodzic named a 25 man squad with the definitive list being revealed on December 30. However, it appears highly unlikely Ziyech will gain a last minute reprieve for the biennial Africa football showpiece being hosted by Cameroon which runs from January 9 to February 6. Ziyech and Halilhodzic have been at odds with each other... Читать дальше...

Lawyers for Julian Assange have launched an appeal before Britain's Supreme Court against a High Court ruling that he may be extradited to the United States, the WikiLeaks founder's fiancee said Thursday.  The December 10 decision by the High Court in London reversed an earlier judgement by a British magistrates' court that it would be "oppressive" to extradite the 50-year-old Australian to the US justice system due to his mental health and the risk of suicide. The United States wants Assange... Читать дальше...

For nearly two years, older people have been considered among the most vulnerable but the COVID-19 pandemic did nothing to stop Sr Annie Catania, 82, from supporting deprived families in the Philippines. Since 2003, Sr Annie has been living and working with victims of the “wealth injustices” in Quezon City, some of whom have to live in a cart they wheel around the town to pick up trash. “By day, they pick up plastic and cardboard, which they sell for a living. By night, the cart is their home,” Sr Annie... Читать дальше...

European nations reimposed tough rules and China locked down millions Thursday, as countries scrambled to contain surging coronavirus infections driven by the Omicron variant. Early studies from England and Scotland said infections of the Omicron strain appeared less likely to result in hospitalisation than the Delta variant. But despite that initial data, scientists have warned that Omicron is highly contagious and could still lead to more overall severe cases. As families across Europe prepared for Christmas... Читать дальше...

After repeated failed attempts to access all evidence concerning the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder investigation, Yorgen Fenech has put up a fresh constitutional challenge for full disclosure. Ever since his arrest in November 2019, the businessman, who currently awaits trial over his alleged complicity in the 2017 assassination plot, put forward numerous requests for all material gathered by investigators throughout the murder probe. His first request was made during interrogations following... Читать дальше...

A man has failed in his bid to overturn his conviction for usury before a court of appeal which confirmed that the victim’s version was more credible. Joseph Schembri, a horse trader who occasionally undertook construction projects, first landed under suspicion in 2009 after trying to cash a cheque at a local bank. That cheque turned out to have been issued in the name of a company whose bank account had been closed years before and the signatory was a third party who had no connection with that company. Читать дальше...

A 52-year-old man was grievously injured on Thursday when he fell down a three-storey shaft in Marsa. The police said the accident happened at a building in Xatt il-Mollijiet at around 1pm. The victim, who lives in Pembroke, was carrying out some work when the accident happened. He was given first aid by a medical team and members of the Civil Protection Department on site and was then taken to Mater Dei Hospital by ambulance. The police are investigating.

Spain's Catalonia will reimpose a nighttime curfew starting Christmas Eve to fight a record surge in COVID-19 infections following a court ruling on Thursday. The northeastern region is the first to reinstate a nightly curfew in response to the highly contagious Omicron variant. Catalonia's regional government earlier this month asked the courts to approve a 1-6am curfew in areas where infection rates surpass 250 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, a level recorded in most of the region. It also sought permission to close nightclubs... Читать дальше...

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin said on Thursday that the hugely successful British band will stop recording in 2025, while assuring they will continue touring.  Coldplay, known for hits such as Yellow and Clocks, released their first studio album Parachutes in 2000.  They’ve since recorded eight more, including the most recent Music of the Spheres, released in October, which it is taking on a world tour next year. In a BBC radio interview to air on Thursday evening, Martin said: “Our last proper record will come out in 2025... Читать дальше...

A warm Christmas in Sicily awaits 214 people rescued in four operations off Malta by the NGO vessel Sea Eye earlier in December. The vessel, which had been refused disembarkation in Malta, has finally been offered a port of safety in Pozzallo, a Sea Eye representative confirmed to Times of Malta on Thursday.  Just an hour earlier, the Church in Malta had appealed to the government not to leave these migrants, and another 70 reported stranded by Alarm Phone on Wednesday, at sea, and had even offered them shelter in its homes. Читать дальше...

Just as Belgium emerges from a fourth wave of COVID infections it is bracing for a fifth, spurred by the Omicron variant, with staff at a hospital telling AFP they are already at breaking point. Doctors and nurses are in a state of “extreme exhaustion,” said Martial Moonen, head of the infectious diseases service at the public hospital in Liege. He said his ward, currently holding 70 COVID patients of whom 14 are in intensive care, was struggling with “permanent saturation”. Video: AFPTV/AFP A... Читать дальше...

Leaving people stranded at sea is “inhumane and unlawful” and is not serving as a deterrent to migrants attempting to reach the EU, the Church said on Thursday. In a statement issued through the Migrants Commission, the Justice and Peace Commission and the Jesuit Refugee Service, the Church urged the authorities to “take immediate action” and ensure that asylum seekers currently stranded at sea are rescued and disembarked at a safe port.  More than 220 children, women and men rescued by the Sea... Читать дальше...

A quiet Naxxar chapel has become the backdrop of a Christmas light show and carol singing held in aid of charity this week. A Christmas show, with lights and music, is being projected on to the chapel of Santa Marija Tax-Xagħra using a video mapping technique. It is being organised by Lorainne Buttigieg and audio-visual engineer Clyde Camilleri in collaboration with the Naxxar local council. Buttigieg and Camilleri first created the light show last Christmas when they illuminated the façade of... Читать дальше...

The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) has called on the government to intervene with an emergency hospitality support package that reflects the current extraordinary situation. It also called for asserts a plan to ensure that life and business operations can continue, despite the virus. In a statement issued just after new measures were announced by Health Minister Chris Fearne, the association said the festive season was the one chance the sector had to recoup some of the losses suffered earlier in the year. Читать дальше...

Greece on Thursday said face masks would be compulsory both indoors and outside to limit the spread of the coronavirus during Christmas and New Year’s gatherings. More than 20,000 people have died of the virus with over 600 currently in intensive care. The government has resisted calls from health experts for additional safeguards and mobility restrictions, even among the vaccinated. “There is major mobility during the festive season and large crowds gather outdoors,” Health Minister Thanos Plevris told reporters. Читать дальше...

Liverpool’s clash with Leeds and Watford’s trip to Wolves, scheduled for December 26, became the latest Premier League games to be postponed due to coronavirus outbreaks on Thursday. A total of 12 matches have now been called off in the past two weeks as Britain battles record numbers of positive Covid cases due to the Omicron variant of the virus. Earlier this week Premier League clubs rejected the option of temporarily halting the season to allow a circuit breaker for infections. Continue reading this article on Sports Desk. Читать дальше...

The New Year's Eve show in Palace Square, Valletta has been cancelled in view of the COVID-19 situation, the Valletta Cultural Agency said on Thursday. The planned programme will instead be presented on television and carried on  TVM, ONE and NET TV. The announcement was made after Health Minister Chris Fearne said that stand-up events will be banned from Monday, will the only exception being weddings and funerals. The agency had been hoping it could go ahead with the show, observing protocols currently in force... Читать дальше...

It's the penultimate appearance of Za Za La Bouche on Times of Malta - and she finally manages to help one reader with a real-world problem: how to find the right name for a newborn. And to resolve this issue, Za Za draws inspiration from native Indian cultures... If you missed panto legend Alan Montanaro's previous messages, you can find them here: Episode 1 Episode 2 Episode 3      

A letter written to the magical city of Miami: this is how MC20 Fuoriserie Edition for David Beckham was born. The ambassador of the Italian automotive brand becomes a designer with the help of the Maserati Centro Stile. Thanks to this union, the passion of the British champion for his second home city takes shape in a customised car that exemplifies the concepts of performance and sportiness: the MC20. This project is part of Maserati’s Fuoriserie customisation programme, which in its various... Читать дальше...

Malta has recorded the highest number of new COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic, with 733 reported on Thursday.  It is the second day in a row that the country has reported record figures, after 582 cases on Wednesday.  Health authorities published the new figures just minutes after confirming the highly transmissible Omicron variant has been detected. A raft of new restrictions  were also announced, including a ban on standing events and the introduction of vaccine certificates for most entertainment venues. Читать дальше...

No spectators will be allowed in any sporting events as from next Monday, Health Minister Chris Fearne announced in a press conference on Thursday. Spectators will be allowed to return to sports stadia from January 17 but only if they will be in possession of a COVID-19 certificate that shows that they had taken the booster dose. The decision was made by the Health Authorities following a dramatic rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in Malta in recent months, with the first cases of Omicron variant confirmed by Dr Fearne. Читать дальше...

Combine the world renowned excellence of the Toyota Yaris with the adaptability of an SUV. Add cutting edge hybrid technology, stylish urban looks and top-of-the-range in-car software, you have the all-new Toyota Yaris Cross; available for you to drive away at €229 a month with 0% interest. This 36-month, 0% interest offer allows you to experience all the Toyota Yaris Cross has to offer - and it doesn’t disappoint. “The introduction of Yaris Cross has been designed and developed to meet the needs... Читать дальше...

Hundreds of people were seen queuing for their COVID-19 vaccine booster shot at the University of Malta on Thursday morning. People flocked to take the booster as the number of coronavirus cases spiralled reaching a record 733 new cases. Speaking during a press conference on Thursday Health Ministry Chris Fearne said that booster take-up was high across all age groups offered the jab so far. Registration is currently opened to those over 35 and will be extended to over 18s as from Monday. People... Читать дальше...

A record number of German companies said they were experiencing supply issues, data published on Thursday showed, as bottlenecks which have hampered industry for months tightened once again in December. Almost 82 per cent of businesses surveyed by the Ifo institute reported problems sourcing raw materials or components – the highest proportion recorded by the Munich-based think tank. In November, 74.4 per cent said they were facing shortages, after the situation had eased slightly in October. “German manufacturing faces a paradox. Читать дальше...