Новости за 26.12.2021

Romelu Lukaku came on to score his first Premier League goal since September to keep Chelsea in the title race as the European champions came from behind to beat Aston Villa 3-1. Reece James’ own goal put Villa ahead, but Jorginho quickly levelled from the penalty spot in a clash between two of the many English sides hit by cases of coronavirus. Lukaku was one of Chelsea’s absentees due to a positive test for draws against Everton and Wolves last week that saw them lose ground in the title race. Читать дальше...

Iran has agreed to accept  Ceylon tea in payment for a Sri Lankan oil debt valued at $251 million, Iranian media reported Thursday. "In recent negotiations, we reached a written deal to reimburse Iran's debt and interest on it in the form of a monthly shipment of tea produced in Sri Lanka," the head of Iran's Trade Promotion Organisation said. Alireza Peyman-Pak was quoted as saying that "a deal was reached on Tuesday, according to which Sri Lanka will export tea to Iran every month to settle... Читать дальше...

In the first of a two-part feature, Anthony Manduca lists some of the     memorable comments made in The Sunday Times of Malta in 2021 "We cannot continue living like this" – President of the Chamber of Architects André Pizzuto, speaking about the unsustainability of having no proper planning framework for the construction industry, January 3. Read the interview. "I will believe that the rule of law has left the ITU when I see the first important politically exposed person made accountable. Читать дальше...

Manchester City opened up a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League with a first half demolition of Leicester in a thrilling 6-3 win as Arsenal and Tottenham were also comfortable winners on Sunday. Three of the scheduled nine Boxing Day matches were postponed due to coronavirus outbreaks as Britain battles record numbers of cases caused by the Omicron strain of the virus. Earlier this week, Premier League clubs rejected the option of temporarily halting the season to allow a circuit breaker for infections. Читать дальше...

Top US pandemic advisor Anthony Fauci on Sunday acknowledged a COVID "testing problem" as the Omicron strain overwhelms the nation, and he vowed to make more tests available to Americans next month. "One of the problems is that that's not going to be totally available to everyone until we get to January, and there are still some issues now of people having trouble getting tested," Fauci told ABC talk show "This Week". "But we're addressing the testing problem," he added, saying it should be corrected "very soon". Читать дальше...

More than 100 people took the streets of Valletta on Sunday afternoon to protest against COVID-19 measures, which they described as “dictatorial”. Protestors, some of whom were without masks, said the current pandemic rules were curbing their individual freedom. New measures to curb the virus were announced by Health Minister Chris Fearne earlier in the week. As of Monday, all events have to be seated with the exception of weddings and funerals. All establishments have to shut down by 1am and no spectators are allowed at sports events. Читать дальше...

Prime Minister Robert Abela and his wife Lydia received their booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Sunday while their daughter Giorgia Mae, who turns 10 in February, received her first dose of the vaccine. They were given the shots at the University of Malta. Malta's COVID-19 vaccination drive continues.  Authorities are currently sending out invitations to vaccinate children aged between five and 11.  Registrations for booster doses are currently open to all residents aged 35 and over. To register... Читать дальше...

Last Christmas, Mario Jansen finished work and went straight back to his apartment in St Paul’s Bay. Alone, he sat on his sofa, cracked open a can of beer and took a shot of heroin. This Christmas, Mario is celebrating 11 months of being sober and clean. “Heroin used to numb my pain and sorrows, but I don’t want to be like that anymore. I push myself to get out of that dark and lonely place. It’s all part of my recovery,” he said. The Belgian did a recovery programme in his country a few years... Читать дальше...

Updated 10pm More than €5 million were collected in the 26th edition of the charity telethon l-Istrina by 10pm. The 12-hour marathon, which started at noon, is being held at the Kirkop Sports Pavillion. Held every year on Boxing Day since 1995, L-Istrina raises funds for the Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation, which uses the money to help people requiring rare or expensive medical treatment to get the care they need. To donate, one can call on 5190 2030 (€50), 5180 2012 (€25) or SMS 5061 9201... Читать дальше...

The 26th edition of the charity telethon l-Istrina is currently under way. The 12-hour marathon is being held at the Kirkop Sports Pavillion. Held every year on Boxing Day since 1995, L-Istrina raises funds for the Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation, which uses the money to help people requiring rare or expensive medical treatment to get the care they need. To donate, one can call on 5190 2030 (€50), 5180 2012 (€25) or SMS 5061 9201 (€11.65). One can also call 7935 9565 to donate through BOV banking or 2126 9565 to make a pledge. Читать дальше...

Bejn Storja u Miti: L-Imħallef Giovanni Bonello  edited by Sergio Grech published by Horizons, 2021 Reviewing a life in a few words is demanding, but when it concerns one who has bloomed into an icon, it becomes almost impossible. Giovanni Bonello has excelled in various fields, especially his incredibly daunting work on human rights and his prolific, intriguing and ever-delightful publications. This 215-page book in Maltese, published by Horizons as part of the series Bejn Storja u Miti, is a... Читать дальше...

When the captain of HMS Ark Royal received urgent orders to sail out of the Grand Harbour soon after Christmas Day of 1960, the message was kept under wraps because the aircraft carrier was hosting a children’s party. The party continued without mishap with the aircraft carrier quietly slipping out of the harbour at night after some 2,000 children and several top officials had safely disembarked. The aircraft carrier had sailed to Malta specifically for the children’s party, with the innovative... Читать дальше...

A 69-year-old woman died while COVID-positive, health authorities reported on Sunday, as the number of patients in hospital rose to 80. Health authorities recorded 572 new COVID-19 infections on Boxing Day, remarkably less than the 917 new cases reported on Christmas day. Sunday's victim was the 475th person to die while COVID-positive in Malta.  A total of 94 patients recovered overnight. As a result, the number of active cases currently stands at 5,766 Five of the 80 virus patients receiving treatment in hospital... Читать дальше...

British police have arrested a man suspected of breaking into the grounds of Windsor Castle, where Queen Elizabeth II was spending Christmas, with what was reported to be a crossbow. "An investigation is ongoing following this incident and we are working with colleagues from the Metropolitan police," the local force said in a statement late on Saturday, adding that the 19-year-old man was found at 08:30 GMT on Christmas Day. The Queen spent a low-key Christmas Day at the castle, west of London. Читать дальше...

Greens Supermarket in Malta and Gozo has been recognised for its various business efforts at the Local Business Excellence Awards 2021, held for the first time on November 26 by Dynamic Events Ltd in collaboration with the Malta Business Review.  The awards are given solely on merit and are awarded to commend those most deserving for their ingenuity and hard work by a qualified top-level judging panel.  Greens was awarded in the following categories: best food and beverage retail customer service... Читать дальше...

The Comedy Knights return for their first live Christmas show after 714 days on Sunday evening. This year, the crew has moved to MFCC and The Comedy Knights Live: Bigger, Louder and Funnier! will play for just three shows. Join all your favourite cast members Chris Dingli, Marc Cabourdin, Jo Caruana, Pia Zammit, Colin Fitz, Thomas Camilleri, Chantelle Micallef Grimaud and Steve Hili – as well as special guests James Ryder, Malcolm Galea, Samantha Cassar Ellis, Francesca Scerri and Naomi Said ... Читать дальше...

The Greenhouse received the Best Local Café and Cake Shop of the Year award during the Local Business Excellence Awards 2021.  The management is very proud of this achievement and aims to continue working hard to provide an excellent service to its customers. It also looks forward to the coming year in which they will be opening other catering establishments. The Greenhouse has grown substantially since opening its doors in terms of product offerings, as well as the service offered.  The menu... Читать дальше...

There could not be more fitting weather to drive in on my way to view Brad Birch’s psychological thriller Black Mountain than the dark downpour that had dominated the day. Staged in the intimacy of MADC’s own Clubrooms theatre, this deeply unsettling and heavy piece weighed on the mind and brought the audience to the edge of their seats. The plot not so much unravelled as it untwined, revealing its barbs and a spiralling twist at the end. Birch’s work often explores the darkness of the human soul... Читать дальше...

Over 100 researchers showcased their work at the third edition of the MCAST Research and Innovation Expo held on December 20 and 21. This end-of-year event brought to a close the college’s 20th anniversary celebrations.  MCAST has radically strengthened its research agenda, recruiting 96 researchers in the past two years.  The Applied Research and Innovation Centre (ARIC), that organises this expo, focuses on stimulating and driving applied research and innovation among the college’s six institutes... Читать дальше...

The Farsons Foundation sponsored the donation of copies of the first book of the Karamellu tar-Raħal t’Isfel stories as a Christmas present to children in Church homes. Author Charles Buttigieg presented the books to Mark Pellicano, Children’s Service senior manager and Elmer Stanmore, central office senior manager of Fondazzjoni Sebħ, at Dar Fra Diegu in Ħamrun on December 17. The main aim of Fondazzjoni Sebħ, which takes care of the children in Church homes under its administration, is to offer... Читать дальше...

ZVART, the Zaren Vassallo Art initiative, closed off the year 2021 with a piece of art entitled Rotunda by local artist Flavia Marmara commissioned by Vassallo Builders Group Ltd on the initiative of group CEO Pio Vassallo. The artwork measures a little over a metre and is made purely out of glass mosaic. The subject chosen, the Mosta Basilica, is a very special one for the Vassallo family and likewise for the artist, who was also born in Mosta.    Marmara’s work ranges from abstracts to typical Maltese architecture... Читать дальше...

The Nationalist Party on Sunday called for rapid and timely interventions to curb the spread of COVID-19. In a statement, the PN noted that the Omicron variant of the virus is much more infective than previous strands leading to the active number of cases rising daily. As a result, more patients are recovering at Mater Dei Hospital and some even require intensive treatment, increasing pressures on the frontline and health services. The increase is also leading to the cancellation of operations... Читать дальше...

Afghanistan's Taliban authorities said Sunday that women seeking to travel anything other than short distances should not be offered transport unless they are accompanied by a close male relative. The guidance, issued by the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, also called on all vehicle owners to offer rides only to those women wearing Islamic hijabs. "Women travelling for more than 72 kilometres should not be offered a ride if they are not accompanied by a close family... Читать дальше...

More than half of restaurant bookings have been cancelled over the Christmas period due to the surge in COVID-19 cases, with patrons either in quarantine or exercising caution, according to the Association of Catering Establishments. Staff parties and large group events have “really fizzled out”, its secretary Matthew Pace said, with the rise in cases leaving a “severe impact” on the industry. “These events are what makes it happen for catering establishments around the festive season,” Pace said. Читать дальше...

Animals may not make use of Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, but many of them form social networks that are complex and have a drastic effect on the survival of the members of that community and of other communities. The social status of an individual influences basically every aspect of its life, be it feeding, reproducing, becoming sick or surviving from an attack. But how is social status acquired? There is an intense debate among biologists studying animal populations, recently seeing a greater involvement of mathematicians... Читать дальше...