Muscat, Mizzi attend LNG tanker ceremony in Singapore

An LNG tanker to be used at the new power station in Delimara will begin its voyage to Malta in the coming days, after Prime Minister Joseph Muscat presided over its sailing-away ceremony in Singapore.  The Armada LNG Mediterrana was converted for use at the power station over 17 months and is expected to arrive in Malta in September, the Office of the Prime Minister said in a statement.  Dr Muscat said the project would "complete the turnaround of Malta's energy sector" and ensure electricity prices remained low.  Minister without portfolio Konrad Mizzi, also in Singapore alongside Dr Muscat, said the project was a "world-class" one, with it having been lauded by the European Commission. 

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Stay hydrated: Mater Dei Hospital issues warning about ‘hot day’

Mater Dei Hospital this morning issued a warning for people to keep hydrated on what should be a hot day.

Temperature will rise to 35 degrees Celsius, according to the Met Office, but it will feel like 39 degrees.

People are urged to stay away from the sun, in particular during peak hours, and to drink lots of water.

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As 'caliphate' shrinks, Islamic State looks to global attacks

Islamic State, losing territory and on the retreat in Iraq and Syria, has claimed credit for a surge in global attacks this summer, most of them in France and Germany. The wave of attacks followed a call to strike against the West during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in June and July, in an apparent shift in strategy by the jihadist group, which has been hammered by two years of U.S.-led coalition air strikes and ground advances by local forces. Instead of urging supporters to travel to its self-proclaimed caliphate, it encouraged them to act locally using any means available. "If the tyrants close the door of migration in your faces, then open the door of jihad in theirs and turn their actions against them," said an audio clip purportedly from spokesman Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, referring to Western governments' efforts to keep foreign fighters from travelling to the join the group. Radicalised followers have responded to that call repeatedly in the past two months, in countries part of the international coalition battling Islamic State, including shooting people at a Florida nightclub, running them over with a truck in the French Riviera, and hacking them with an axe on a...

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Men risk their lives forming a human chain to rescue woman from flash flood

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A look inside Casa Apap Bologna, a new respite home for persons with special needs

Casa Apap Bologna, which is the first respite home in the community for persons with special needs operated by the private sector, held an open morning yesterday.

The home, situated on Constitution Street, Mosta is four storeys high and includes a spacious back garden, kitchens and kitchenettes, creativity rooms and sensory rooms.

Nathalie Briffa Farrugia, Director of the Home for Independence and Limitless Abilities (HILA), explained that the home has not begun offering its services, as it is the final stages of completion. The aim of HILA is to offer a range of services to persons with special needs, including advocacy; independent supported living housing, support services, learning, development and leisure with a person-centred approach.

Mrs Briffa Farrugia explained that they wanted the home to be situated in a community, which is why it is on a main road in Mosta. "The home is spacious and accessible, offering flexibility as we need to cater for the various needs of people with disability".

"We took both physical and intellectual disability into consideration, and many features in the home will reflect the consultations we had with people with disability and parents, in order to cater for everyone's needs."

The home can hold a maximum of 40 people. "There are single rooms with en-suite bathrooms and double rooms as well."

"The idea is to support parents with children who have special needs. Residents won't be permanent. Clients using the services will be offered different forms of therapy, and we might even offer life-skills training, so it would be of a benefit for the clients themselves".

"The home will be led by a team leader who will have a group of support workers working with him. The idea is for a support worker to be assigned to a person, and cater for their needs. So when people come here, they will be assigned a support person and that support worker will be responsible for their care".

Vassallo Group Director Charlo Bonnici said that in October together with MCAST, "we will launch a programme held at our own training centre leading to a level three award in disability studies. Staff working here will undergo this programme."  

He told this newsroom that a second home in Qormi is currently in the initial stages of construction. 

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Meet the British teen diver who dreams of becoming a detective after the Rio Olympics

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Commercial, homemade infant meals ‘both flawed’

Parents making home-cooked meals often provide babies with too much fat and overall calories, while store-bought meals may not have enough of the fat children need to grow, according to a UK study. Meals made at home also tend to be cheaper for parents of young children and to offer a larger variety of vegetables, the researchers write in the Archives of Disease in Childhood. Because they are growing quickly, young children need more fat in their diets than adults, said lead author Sharon Carstairs, a public health researcher at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland Carstairs noted, though, that too much fat in the diet can also be an issue. "We don't wish for our young children to continue high-fat diets into their later childhood and adult life as this is linked to health problems," she said by e-mail. Past research has found that commercial baby foods provide about as much nutrition as breast milk, but they lack variety in the types of food they include, Carstairs and her colleagues write. The introduction of solid foods to infants at about six months of age is a critical time when babies will start to form food preferences and when they need the right amounts of energy and...

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Pope says it's not right to talk about a 'violent, terrorist' Islam

Pope Francis on Sunday said he won't label Islam as "terrorist" because that would be unfair and not true.

Reporters aboard the papal plane flying him home after a pilgrimage to Poland, the day after extremists slit the throat of an elderly priest celebrating Mass in a French church, asked him why he never uses the world "Islam" to describe terrorism or other violence.

While in Poland, Francis made an unscheduled stop at a church in Krakow to implore God to protect people from the "devastating wave" of terrorism in many part of the world.

When asked why he didn't describe the priest's murder and other attacks as Islamic terrorism, Francis replied he won't do that because "it's not right to identify Islam with violence. It's not right and it's not true."

"I believe that in every religion there is always a little fundamentalist group."

"I don't like to talk of Islamic violence because every day, when I go through the newspapers, I see violence, this man who girls his girlfriend, another who kills his mother-in-law," Francis said, in apparent reference to crime news in predominantly Catholic Italy. "And these are baptized Catholics. If I speak of Islamic violence, then I have to speak of Catholic violence."

"In Islam, not all are violent, not all the Catholics are violent. It's like a fruit salad, everything's in there.

Noting he has spoken with imams, he concluded: "I know how they think, they are looking for peace."

As for ISIS, he said, the Islamic State group "presents itself with a violent identity card, but that's not Islam."

Francis spoke on the day when Muslims in France and Italy flocked to Mass to Sunday Mass in a show of interfaith solidarity following a string of extremist attacks threatening to sharpen religious divides across Europe.

 

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North Korea's only law firm suspends operations

North Korea's first and only law firm, Hay, Kalb & Associates, will suspend operations, the firm's principal said in a statement today, as the country grows increasingly isolated. The firm is a joint venture between the North Korean state and British-French citizen Michael Hay, who has represented foreign clients in the capital, Pyongyang, for 12 years. Hay said he had made the decision based on "business and geopolitical principles". "This decision has been taken only after lengthy and thorough deliberation and an examination of the continuing deterioration of inter-regional relations pertaining to the Korean peninsula," Hay said in a statement. "It is not unreasonable to assume that no meaningful change or indicator of change in relations shall occur, if at all, until well after the United States Presidential Inauguration, on January 20, 2017," the statement said. North Korea has come under growing diplomatic pressure since its January nuclear test and a long-range rocket launch in February, which led to a new U.N. Security Council resolution in March that tightened sanctions against Pyongyang. The majority of Hay's clients are foreign investors, many of whom have been...

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World news in one minute: Find out what happened around the world on 31 July

This is the main news as reported by the Associated Press on 31 July

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MH370 was flown into water 'deliberately', crash expert says

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Man seriously injured after losing control of motorbike

A man was seriously injured last night when he lost control of the bike he was riding and crashed in St Thomas Bay, Marsascala, the police said.

The 61-year-old, of Marsascala, was taken to hospital where he was found to be suffering grievous injuries but is not in critical condition.

The accident took place at 12.30am.

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Premier League transfer fees poised to break record

With one month of the transfer window left remaining, English Premier League clubs are poised to push escalating fees closer to another new record this week. The projected move of France midfielder Paul Pogba from Juventus back to Manchester United for a world record one hundred million pounds ($132.3 million) would take spending by the 20 teams to almost £600m, adding to the £175m recorded by accountancy firm Deloitte in the January window. Last year was the first in which annual fees reached one billion pounds. So far this close-season Arsenal – criticised in the past by many supporters for not spending enough – have recorded the highest individual outlay by paying £35 million for Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka. But Pogba's proposed return to Old Trafford would dwarf that and all other sums in the history of the sport, smashing the world record of £85.3 million that Real Madrid paid for Wales forward Gareth Bale three years ago. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is among those who are bemused by how high fees have risen but still believes there is no longer any limit. "Since I've been in the sport I always thought it can't go any higher up and I've always been wrong," he told...

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It doesn't matter who replaces Nigel Farage. Without him, Theresa May has the chance to destroy Ukip

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Cold spring means Brits face a longer wait for ripe blackberries

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Quarter of cancer patients diagnosed in 80s still suffering ill-effects

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Induced labour not linked to higher autism risk

Inducing labour does not appear to increase the baby's odds of autism, a study suggests. Researchers examined data on more than 1.3 million births in Sweden and found about 3.5 per cent of babies born after induction were diagnosed with autism by age 20, compared with 2.5 per cent of other infants. This translates into a roughly 19 per cent greater risk of autism with induced labour, which is statistically significant. But when researchers took a closer look just at sibling pairs with one baby that arrived after induction and another that did not, they no longer found any link between induced labour and autism risk. The results from nearly 700,000 siblings suggest that any elevated autism risk associated with labour induction is actually due to other factors such as genetics or medical issues experienced by individual women, said lead study author Anna Sara Oberg of Harvard University in Boston. "The association observed between unrelated individuals may be a result of confounding factors, and not a causal effect of labour induction on the risk of autism spectrum disorder." Oberg and colleagues reviewed data on all live births in Sweden from 1992 to 2015. Overall, about 11 per...

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Manchester United have ‘something big going on’ says Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes "something big" is happening at Manchester United and feels it will become even more interesting if they sign Paul Pogba. The Red Devils have been chasing the signature of their former academy graduate for some time but negotiations with Juventus over a potentially record-breaking deal are taking their time. However, Ibrahimovic, who moved to Old Trafford on a free transfer this summer after leaving Paris St Germain, is already looking forward to the arrival of the France international. "We have something big going on," he told Swedish television station Kanal 5 after United's 5-2 friendly victory over Galatasaray in Gothenburg, in which Ibrahimovic scored after just 195 seconds on his first appearance for the club. "It looks very interesting. Let's see if Pogba will also (come), then it will be even more interesting." The likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Adnan Januzaj were not included in the travelling party to Sweden and are set to be the first casualties of manager Jose Mourinho's clear-out. Of the players who did travel, Mourinho gave most of them a chance to impress with the Portuguese making 11 changes in the second half against...

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Motorcyclist seriously hurt following Marsaskala fall

A 61-year-old British Marsaskala resident was seriously injured overnight after falling from his motorcycle, police said.  The accident happened on Triq il-Bajja ta' San Tumas, Marsaskala at 12.30am.  Police said it appeared the man lost control of his Suzuki motorcycle and subsequently fell off it.  An ambulance rushed the man to Mater Dei hospital. His condition is not considered to be life-threatening.  Marsaskala police are investigating further.

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Motorcyclist seriously hurt following Marsaskala fall

A 61-year-old British Marsaskala resident was seriously injured overnight after falling from his motorcycle, police said.  The accident happened on Triq il-Bajja ta' San Tumas, Marsaskala at 12.30am.  Police said it appeared the man lost control of his Suzuki motorcycle and subsequently fell off it.  An ambulance rushed the man to Mater Dei hospital. His condition is not considered to be life-threatening.  Marsaskala police are investigating further.

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North Korea's only law firm suspends operations

North Korea's first and only law firm, Hay, Kalb & Associates, will suspend operations, the firm's principal said in a statement today, as the country grows increasingly isolated. The firm is a joint venture between the North Korean state and British-French citizen Michael Hay, who has represented foreign clients in the capital, Pyongyang, for 12 years. Hay said he had made the decision based on "business and geopolitical principles". "This decision has been taken only after lengthy and thorough deliberation and an examination of the continuing deterioration of inter-regional relations pertaining to the Korean peninsula," Hay said in a statement. "It is not unreasonable to assume that no meaningful change or indicator of change in relations shall occur, if at all, until well after the United States Presidential Inauguration, on January 20, 2017," the statement said. North Korea has come under growing diplomatic pressure since its January nuclear test and a long-range rocket launch in February, which led to a new U.N. Security Council resolution in March that tightened sanctions against Pyongyang. The majority of Hay's clients are foreign investors, many of whom have been...

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‘Unfinished business’ at Leicester made Vardy decision easy

Rejecting a move to Premier League rivals Arsenal was an easy decision for Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy because he has "unfinished business" with the champions. The 29-year-old, who scored 24 league goals to help Leicester win the title last season, spurned the advances of Arsenal, after the north London club had triggered a release clause in his contract, in favour of extending his stay with the Foxes. "It's not been put out there that I have always said the boys, the close-knit brotherhood, is unbelievable and for me, there's a lot of unfinished business here," Vardy told Sky Sports. "I feel that the club is only going one way and that is forward, that's why I want to be a part of it. It was not that big (the decision) when I think about it. It was quite easy and this is where I want to be." Claudio Ranieri's men, who lost 4-0 to Paris St Germain in the International Champions Cup in Los Angeles on Saturday, start their title defence with a trip to promoted Hull City on Aug. 13.

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Plans to create a 'new', debt-free Air Malta

Talks between Air Malta and Alitalia have led to an agreement in principle to set up a new company in a bid to free the Maltese national carrier from all current debts, the Times of Malta is informed. During a hearing on its ongoing dispute with the pilots, Air Malta admitted in court last week that, despite the five-year restructuring programme, it still had about €66 million in outstanding debts. Civil aviation industry sources said the Maltese government had already made it clear during the talks with the Italian airline, which is interested in buying a 49 per cent stake in Air Malta, it was willing to absorb all outstanding debts so the new partnership could start with a clean balance sheet. "Alitalia and the Maltese government have already agreed that a new airline company will be created which will be freed of debt. The excess loans would be absorbed by the government," the sources said. Although such an arrangement was very much a done deal, the sources noted that, if the green light of the European Commission would be required before proceeding to formalise the agreement, problems might arise in view of strict EU State aid rules. "At this stage, the two sides are...

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Assault on NAO a step too far

Labour MP Michael Falzon's fiery assault on the National Audit Office in Parliament was not the first of its kind since he was unceremoniously removed from parliamentary secretary in the wake of the Gaffarena scandal. This time around, his speech was replete with references to Nazi Germany. Mentioning NAO personnel by name, accusing them of partisanship, of political motivation, of following an agenda that is out to destroy people in very much the same way as Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels used to do, was more than a step too far on the part of Dr Falzon. The Prime Minister needs to put an end to these rantings, something he should have done at the very beginning when Dr Falzon evidently refused to accept the NAO report on the scandal that led to his departure. The former parliamentary secretary may say he is not attacking the NAO institution but it is hardly possible to see it otherwise. This time, Dr Falzon went even further, comparing (unspecified) local English-language newspapers to the Nazi tabloid Der Stürmer, accusing them of being out to destroy people "for no reason" and of hiding behind unnamed sources. His adjournment speech in Parliament was a double...

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No reason to criticise Pep, Rummenigge tells Ribery

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has criticised Franck Ribery for recent digs aimed at former coach Pep Guardiola. The France midfielder spoke highly of Bayern's new coach Carlo Ancelotti and suggested he represents an improvement on Guardiola in a series of recent interviews. In Sport Bild, Ribery branded Guardiola "inexperienced" and added that "sometimes he talks too much", but Rummenigge says he has been out of order making such statements. "There is no reason to put the boot in because we won a lot under Guardiola," Rummenigge told Bavarian television. "We've benefited a lot from having him and putting the boot in doesn't get you anywhere." Guardiola won 14 trophies in four years in his first managerial assignment with boyhood club Barcelona from 2008-2012, then after a year-long sabbatical claimed seven in three years with Bayern Munich before taking up his new role at Manchester City recently. Ribery did not get as much action as he might have hoped for under Guardiola last season and was even left out of the starting XI for the Champions League semi-final defeat to Atletico Madrid, together with Thomas Muller. "You can't make a mistake in a Champions League...

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Profile of an ISIS recruit

What motivates ISIS terrorists? This was the question asked by Jeff Goodwin, a global sociological authority on the study of social movements, during the recent International Sociological Association forum in Vienna, in which I participated. I was very curious to see what Goodwin had to say about ISIS, both as a sociologist but also as a father who, like many people, feels an eerie sense of anxiety with the terrorism phenomenon. It is as if terrorism is now a fact of life, a lottery of death for persons busy living their lives in different continents. And if the terrorist imagery is now so... This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.

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Marriage preparation for all

The apostolic exhortation of Pope Francis, Amoris Laetitia, completes the reflection on the family conducted by the Synods of 2014 and 2015, a reflection that engaged the entire world in a vivid discussion in the social media and even promoted much dialogue at personal level. Among the less-noted passages of Francis's new exhortation is a lengthy section on marriage preparation, a subject the Pope has repeatedly made reference to, calling for additional focus at diocesan and parish levels. "Learning to love someone does not happen automatically," says the Pope, "nor can it be taught in a... This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.

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In search of a mosque

Moslems across the world have just concluded their 40 days of fasting, which is known as Ramadan. Entwined with the act of fasting is also the exercise of prayer. Where possible, these prayers are done within a community and in a special place, which is known as the mosque. All this brings to mind the question that has lately arisen in Malta, that of another mosque. Locally, this question is actually one of déjà vu as it already arose in the early 1970s when the Maltese government strengthened relations with Libya and other Arab countries. It was a time when Malta was inundated with Libyan... This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.

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The art of fan painting

Tradition merges with the contemporary in unique Chinese artworks currently on display in Valletta. Lorella Fava takes a look at the exhibits which focus on the connection between man and nature. When first created approximately 3,000 years ago, Chinese fans were simply used to block out the sun and keep cool. In fact, many of us today still see them in such a way. However, over the years, these fans have evolved from practical artefacts into works of art, status symbols and props for theatre and dance. Having said this, Chinese fan painting still observes tradition closely. This in no way... This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.

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Bordeaux reach deal with Milan over Menez’s transfer

Bordeaux have reached an agreement for the transfer of Milan striker Jeremy Menez, subject to a medical. The 29-year-old France international is on the verge of returning to Ligue 1, where he has spent the majority of his 12 years in professional football after beginning his career with Sochaux in 2004. A statement on the six-time French champions' official website read: "FC Girondins de Bordeaux have made an agreement with AC Milan for the transfer of Jeremy Menez. "Subject to a medical examination, the French international will commit to the Girondins before being presented to the press on Monday (today) at the Chateau du Haillan." Menez, who has 24 international caps to his name, also lists Monaco, Roma and reigning French champions Paris St Germain among his former clubs before he moved back to Serie A with Milan two years ago. Meanwhile, the Rossoneri have already started looking to bring in a replacement for the French midfielder and reports said that they are locked in a battle with Fiorentina for Adnan Januzaj, of Manchester United. The Belgian winger spent six months on loan at Borussia Dortmund last season, but made just 12 appearances and was sent back in...

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I want to learn and become more consistent says Origi

Divock Origi is aiming to become an "important player" for Liverpool after making a goalscoring return to action in Saturday's pre-season game against AC Milan. The Reds beat their Serie A opponents 2-0 in the International Champions Cup clash in Santa Clara, with substitutes Origi and Roberto Firmino finding the net. Origi, on his first outing since turning out for Belgium at Euro 2016, opened the scoring just before the hour mark with a smart turn and finish. The 21-year-old shone at times last term but has yet to cement his spot in the Liverpool team - something he is keen to address. "I'm very happy to be back on the pitch," he told the club's official website. "I can feel the confidence from everyone and can improve and enjoy my game. "Year by year I'm improving and I'm still young. The most important thing is to make steps and last year I had some good moments, so I want to learn and become more consistent to help the team even more and become an important player in the team." Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is also tipping Origi to make an impact for Jurgen Klopp's team, despite battling the likes of Daniel Sturridge, Danny Ings and Christian Benteke for game time up...

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Football news

Schalke are poised to sign Sevilla defender Coke after agreeing a deal with the Europa League winners. The German club said the 29-year-old would complete the final details of his move today. After the loss of head coach Unai Emery to Paris St Germain, the deal for Coke also means Sevilla will see their captain depart this summer. "Schalke have agreed in principle with Sevilla the transfer of right-back Coke to the Royal Blues," Schalke said on their website. Fernandes set to join Sampdoria Bruno Fernandes looks on his way to join Sampdoria after the Blucerchiati struck a deal with Udinese. The Genoa outfit are set to lose key midfielder Roberto Soriano to Spanish club Villarreal, but have moved quickly to bring in a replacement. According to Sky Sport, Samp have agreed to pay Udinese €7m for the 21-year-old, who has been in Friuli since 2013. Fernandes will sign on an initial loan deal for €1m, with the Genoa side then obliged to pay an additional €6m for his permanent signature a year later. Milner mulling England retirement James Milner is considering international retirement to clear the way for England's young talent. The 30-year-old Liverpool midfielder was part of...

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Transgender superhero stars in new comic book

Move over, Spider-Man and Superman. Here comes Chalice, a transgender superhero hitting the comic-book world. Chalice makes her debut in September in the Alters, a series of stories about a group of outcasts whose unique circumstances give them superpowers. Transitioning to female and donning a miniskirt and cloak, Chalice develops an ability to control quantum mechanics. Other Alters include a quadriplegic man and a character suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. While transgender rights have made recent US headlines, Chalice's story was not meant to be political commentary, said her creator, Atlanta-based comic-book artist Paul Jenkins. "Her transition is an important part of the story," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "But the fact is, why is she great? Because she kicks ass." Still, in a "nod and a wink" to current debate, a special cover of Chalice's first issue will be designed and released in North Carolina, a US state with a controversial law requiring transgender people to use public bathrooms matching their sex at birth. The North Carolina cover is undecided but might feature Chalice sending greetings from the statehouse or confronted by various...

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Pope Francis: I fell because I forgot there was step at altar's edge

Pope Francis has explained why he took a tumble last week during a public Mass outdoors in public while on a pilgrimage.

Reporters aboard the papal plane flying him back to Rome after the five-day trip to Poland asked him Sunday night how come he fell while sprinkling incense around the outdoor altar at the Jasna Gora monastery, in Czestochowa, before a huge crowd at Poland's most popular Catholic shrine.

Francis says the July 28 tumble happened this way: "I was watching (an image of) the Madonna, and I forgot the step."

He credited his reflect action with having him escape any injury.

"I let myself fall, and this saved me. Because if I tried to resist it, I would have gotten hurt."

Vatican officials said Francis, 79, was uninjured.

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Five-year-old dies after being struck by lightning

Authorities say a 5-year-old boy on vacation with his family died after being struck by lightning on a North Carolina beach.

According to WTVD-TV, authorities say the family was on the beach Sunday in Carova at about 4 p.m. when the child was struck.

The family put the boy in their SUV and met EMS partway. He was then taken to a hospital where he died.

Authorities did not identify the family.

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Djokovic beats Kei Nishikori for 4th Rogers Cup title, record 30th Masters win

Novak Djokovic paused after accepting the Rogers Cup trophy for the fourth time, scanned the stands Sunday at York University's Aviva Centre and asked everyone in the crowd to hug the person beside them.

A small chuckle circulated the capacity crowd and then Djokovic said he would lead by example, turning to public announcer Ken Crosina and wrapping his arms around the emcee. Fans laughed and followed suit.

"It was a really wonderful moment," Djokovic said. "I did feel that it was just the right moment for me to ask politely the crowd to do that, because in the end of the day, we are all here for the same thing. We are all here to connect through tennis, through passion for the sport.

"It's nice that we got to sense and feel that kind of energy around the stadium."

The top-ranked Serb beat third-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-3, 7-5 after a short rain delay. Djokovic also won the hardcourt event that rotates between Toronto and Montreal 2007, 2011 and 2012. Ivan Lendl holds the tournament record with six titles.

The 29-year-old Djokovic has seven victories this year and 66 overall, a record 30 in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events such as the Canadian stop. He has 12 Grand Slam titles, winning this year in Australia and France.

"After Grand Slams, these are the biggest events we have in sport of tennis," Djokovic said. "Naturally, I'm going to be very disciplined, committed, and focused to do well."

Djokovic has won his last nine matches against Nishikori and leads the series 10-2.

"I had too many unforced errors especially during important points," Nishikori said. "He was returning really well today, I think. I was hitting some good first serves, but he was making returns in deep."

In April in their previous match, Djokovic won the Key Biscayne final. Nishikori won his fourth straight Memphis title in February for his 11th ATP Tour victory.

In the doubles final, Croatia's Ivan Dodig and Brazil's Marcelo Melo topped Britain's Jamie Murray and Brazil's Bruno Soares 6-4, 6-4.

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Melita internet’s new normal: 50Mbps

Melita has continued to push internet speed boundaries further with new internet packages starting at a minimum entry level speed of 50Mbps. It is the only internet service provider in Malta to offer superfast speeds, starting from 50Mbps, anywhere in Malta and Gozo. The new packages are designed for different usage patterns in the household and cater for all types of users including the heavy streaming and surfing consumers. The Melita Fibre Power product suite includes Fibre Power 50Mbps Surfer, Fibre Power 50Mbps Streamer, Fibre Power 100Mbps Racer and Fibre Power 250Mbps Pro. Higher... This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.

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50c-a-day tourist tax funds to be used ‘exclusively’ for tourism projects

The controversial 50c-a-day tourist tax that started being collected last month will be used "exclusively" for tourism-related projects, the Ministry of Tourism has confirmed.

Some €6 million a year is expected to be collected from the tax paid by tourists, which has been capped at €5.

Contacted by this newspaper, a ministry spokesperson explained, "This eco-contribution will be used exclusively to improve the quality of the tourism product in our country at a time when the tourism sector is achieving unprecedented success.

"The funds will be administered by a trust which will review a number of projects proposals that will be implemented by 2017."

The eco-contribution will be collected by the Inland Revenue on pre-set periods. The first period covers five months, starting on 20 June and ending in October. As such, the initial collection will be towards the end of year.

Results from the tourism sector this year are expected to break visitor number records, with 855,000 tourists having visited the country in the first six months in this year alone.

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Emirates A380 on Johannesburg route

Emirates will be upgrading one of its four daily flights between Dubai and Johannesburg, South Africa to an Airbus A380-800 from February 1, 2017. The A380 will offer a total of 516 seats in a three class cabin configuration, with 14 private suites in First Class, 76 mini pods with lie-flat seats in Business Class and 426 spacious seats in Economy Class. It will be deployed on the first flight of the day, EK761, and will depart Dubai at 4.40am and arrive in Johannesburg at 10.55am. The return flight, EK762, will depart Johannesburg at 1.25pm and arrive in Dubai at 11.45pm. Emirates operates daily scheduled flights between Malta and Dubai on Boeing 777-300 aircraft.

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Cartoon 31 July 2016

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Anġlu Xuereb has a 10-year plan for Valletta

Can you imagine a Valletta where large government buildings have been transformed into five-star hotels, subterranean tunnels link the city to its suburbs, and dilapidated townhouses are restored to their former glory? Entrepreneur Anġlu Xuereb can. In a detailed 10-year master plan passed on to The Sunday Times of Malta, Mr Xuereb maps out his vision for the capital. "My vision is for a Valletta with a long-term master plan that will enable it to be regenerated into a truly unique Renaissance city. "I love our capital city and I want it to be brought back to life as a centre of commerce and a home for the many residents that should be attracted back," says Mr Xuereb's 14-page plan, Regenerating Our Renaissance Capital. His suggestions range from logistical changes such as limiting the window for when delivery trucks can enter the city or putting an 11pm curfew on live music to not disturb residents, to larger, more ambitious proposals such as an underground electric tram connecting the Floriana park-and-ride to City Gate. In fact, Mr Xuereb envisions an extensive tunnel network for Valletta and its surroundings, such as a network connecting the Porte des Bombes to Floriana and...

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Malta FA registers an increase in operational profits

The Malta Football Association has registered an increase in operational profits of over one million euros according to the governing body's annual financial report that was presented to delegates and club members yesterday. Ivan Mizzi, the Malta FA Treasurer, said that the latest accounts were held over ten months after changes to the association's time-frames with the cut-off date set on March 31, 2016. During this period the total income for the association totalled €6.1 million... an increase of €411,937 over the previous financial year – that was calculated over 12 months – while the... This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.

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Zenga – new Wolves coach

Wolverhampton Wanderers have appointed former Italy goalkeeper Walter Zenga as their new head coach, the English Championship club said yesterday. Wolves acted quickly in naming a replacement after they sacked manager Kenny Jackett late on Friday, a little more than a week after China-based Fosun Group took over the second tier outfit from long-standing owner Steve Morgan. Zenga, whose previous managerial stint was in the Middle East with Al-Shaab last season, has managed sides including Steaua Bucharest, Red Star Belgrade, and Catania, Palermo and Sampdoria in Serie A during an 18-year coaching career. "We're delighted to appoint Walter as the new head coach of Wolves. He is a hugely passionate personality who lives for football and is fiercely determined to succeed in everything he does," Wolves director Jeff Shi said in a statement. "We are looking forward to working with him, and supporting him in the shared aim of trying to help Wolves achieve promotion back to the Premier League." The 56-year-old, who kept five clean sheets for hosts Italy when they finished third in the 1990 World Cup, will formally take charge of the squad tomorrow. Former Millwall manager Jackett, 54,...

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Ibrahimovic creating ‘functional empathy’ at United – Mourinho

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is playing a pivotal role in creating a friendly atmosphere in the Manchester United dressing room, manager Jose Mourinho has said, adding that the striker should not restrict his role in the squad to goalscorer. "With Zlatan you may see someone with a big ego, big self-esteem, but it is in a positive way. When he is with the group, he is humble and friendly to everyone – integration is good," Mourinho told MUTV yesterday. "Zlatan is a fantastic player and, immediately in training, we could feel what I call 'functional empathy' – people looking to him, him looking to connect with other players. He is an amazing link player, an amazing player. "He could be anything on the pitch, not just a goalscorer." Ibrahimovic joined up with the first team only recently following his arrival early this month after being given extra time off following Euro 2016, where Sweden crashed out in the first round of the tournament. Yesterday, the 34-year-old made his first appearance for United in his home country after featuring in a friendly match against Turkish side Galatasaray in Gothenburg. Ibrahimovic scored the opener as United won the match 5-2. Mourinho has already begun...

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Terror attack on Britain 'a case of when, not if', warns Metropolitan Police commissioner

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Verratti flattered by Real link but committed to PSG

Marco Verratti has distanced himself from reported interest from Real Madrid, insisting he remains committed to his club Paris St Germain. The Italy midfielder, 23, missed much of last season with a groin injury but that has not prevented speculation about his future this summer. Real were reported to have lined him up as a possible alternative to another of their targets, Juventus star Paul Pogba. But, with the France international seemingly set to join Manchester United, they face further disappointment. "I'm flattered that a club like Real Madrid is interested in me," Verratti told Spanish news agency EFE yesterday. "But I have already made the decision to stay in France and be successful with Paris St Germain. "Before I get tired or the club doesn't want me any more, I want to win something big here." Four straight Ligue 1 titles and five domestic cups have not sated Verratti's appetite for trophies and he is desperate to help PSG prove themselves outside of France. "Until we've won the Champions League I want to stay here," he continued. "That's the goal I've set for myself. "I want to win the Champions League with this team because they are a bit like a family to...

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Escaped lynx from Dartmoor Zoo is finally captured with a trap after killing four lambs

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Ex-Guatemalan soccer chief pleads guilty to bribery charges

A former president of Gua-temala's soccer federation pleaded guilty to charges he received bribes to award lucrative media and marketing rights for matches, the latest development in the US corruption investigation into world soccer's governing body FIFA. Brayan Jimenez said he was guilty of racketeering conspiracy and wire fraud charges at a hearing in federal court in front of United States magistrate Judge Robert Levy. Jimenez is accused of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for authorising "friendly" matches played by the Guatemalan national team and for awarding contracts for media rights for the team's World Cup qualifier matches to the sports marketing firm Media World. Jimenez, who had been president of the country's federation since 2010, was arrested in Guatemala in January and later extradited to the US. He now faces a maximum sentence of 20 years for each count.

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Juve win friendly in Hong Kong

Medhi Benatia (left) with Juventus team-mate Alberto Cerri after scoring against a South China selection in the International Challenge Cup, in Hong Kong, yesterday. The Italian champions won the match 2-1 following goals by Benatia and young Lorenzo Rosseti. Juve fell following a blunder by keeper Neto and Chian Siu Ki profited to open the score. But Benatia levelled before the half-hour mark from a Miralem Pjanic free-kick. Substitute Rosseti was on the right spot to score the winner eight minutes from time.

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Maltese workers pay Europe’s second-lowest taxes

Maltese workers pay the second-lowest amount of taxes in Europe, according to a study released by the Molinari Economic Institute this week, and are the bloc's second-lowest taxed workers after the Cypriots.

The study entitled "The Tax Burden of Typical Workers in the EU 28" released this week, shows that the real tax rate on an average Maltese salary stands at 29.44 per cent. 

Taking the average Maltese gross salary of €17,759 a year, the study deducts social security payments and income tax, leaving a take-home pay of €13,309. After deducting an estimated €779 in VAT payments over the year, the average worker is left with €12,530 as a real net salary and an overall real tax rate of 29.44 per cent.

Tax Freedom Day represents the day on which people stop working for the government (i.e. to fund their tax bill) and start working for themselves. Malta's Tax Freedom Day is the EU's second-earliest and falls on 18 April. Cypriots' Tax Freedom Day falls on 29 March.

On the other end of the tax spectrum, France has surpassed Belgium as the European country with the highest taxes on the average employee. The tax burden on the average salaried worker in France is 57.33 per cent, meaning that they effectively will have worked until 29 July this year to pay their tax obligations, or 210 days.

France overtakes Belgium in the European tax league table this year, although the tax burden is only marginally lower on the average Belgian worker at 56.9 per cent. This means that Belgians experienced "tax freedom day" on 27 July this year.

Austria has Europe's third-highest taxes on individuals, with a total burden on 54.7 per cent, giving it a tax freedom day on 19 July.

The EU average tax burden on individual workers is now 44.96 per cent, according to the report.

The study used OECD tax data and national salary statistics to reach its conclusions, with payroll tax calculations provided by EY.

The report's authors observed that countries with high tax burdens do not always deliver the best public services, and this seems to be the case in France and Belgium.

"Belgian and French workers spend more than half of the amounts distributed by their employers [on] taxes," said James Rogers, associate researcher at the Molinari Economic Institute and one of the report's authors. "It is worthwhile to ask why they do not get back the best schools, the best health care, or the most generous pensions."

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Summer swimming

Children enjoying summer at Neptunes Summer School. One of the oldest in Malta, it was set up to inspire and teach children how to swim and the appropriate skills to enjoy the sea while keeping safe. Organised by experienced coach Monique Mangion, the school offers lessons for all ages and abilities. This year, it is being overseen by Neptunes head coach Andy Colbourn, who was coach for the national team. http://ift.tt/2alwzb5

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Ivory&Co. fashion show at Dock 1

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Dine 4 Diabetes fundraising event

This year's Dine 4 Diabetes, the annual fundraising event organised by the Maltese Diabetes Association, was held in the ballroom of the Westin Dragonara Resort, St Julian's. The event was attended by around 300 guests from all walks of life.

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A meal fit for kings

Internationally renowned, award-winning mentor and president of the Slovenian Culinary Academy, Chef Jožef Oseli, recently visited Malta as a guest of The Palace hotel, Sliema. During his stay he created a memorable buffet dinner together with the hotel's executive chef Joseph Xuereb, blending Slovenian and Maltese elements to produce a unique gastronomical experience. The Slovenian chef started as a waiter in the Slovenian Parliament, where he developed a passion for food. He has cooked for numerous world leaders, presidents, kings and emperors at the Slovenian Presidential Residence in the Brdo Castle in Kranj from 1972 to 1989. Among his many awards he has won medals from the GTZ Slovenian Competition and Yugoslav State Orders. He is currently also a member of several associations and organisations such as the Slovenian Chef Association, Academie Coulinaire de France, the Emirates Culinary Guild and the Slovenian Sommelier and World Association of Chefs Societies.

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Singers needed to join choir

The New Choral Singers invites interested singers to join the choir for its 23rd season. Following another successful musical year, which included a prestigious concert with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Brian Schembri and another concert under the baton of internationally acclaimed Wayne Marshall, the choir is now looking for a few additional singers to strengthen both its female and male sections. No previous choral experience or sight-reading ability is required but a committed approach is expected. The choir has a wide and extensive repertoire of both sacred and secular music and performs regularly. Weekly rehearsals are held at the Johann Strauss School of Music in Ħamrun on Wednesdays between 7 and 9pm. For audition requirements and additional information, call Adrian Sammut on 7982 6158 or Angèle Caruana on 7970 6689, e-mail info@thenewchoralsingers.com or visit http://ift.tt/1jUvC7W.

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Red Bull exhibition winner

Glenn Ellul won the first edition of the Red Bull Curates Canvas Cooler Project by Red Bull in collaboration with Add More Colors, a street art agency. Mr Ellul managed to impress with his MedAsia Lounge cooler and won the exhibition with maximum points.

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Today's newspapers in review

These are the lead stories from today's local newspapers.  The Sunday Times of Malta reports that a Health Ministry official is being investigated after he was accused of running a racket charging Libyans thousands of euros to get a visa to enter Malta.  The Malta Independent on Sunday reports that police are investigating local internet relay chat (IRC) rooms that are being used by paedophiles to exchange sexual photos of young girls.  Malta Today writes that local corporate service providers are creating shell companies for Dubai agents to sell, with third-country nationals then using the shell firms to obtain Maltese business visas and a way of entering the country.  It-Torca writes that six MPs have been fined €50 each for having skipped parliament's final session without providing a valid reason for doing so.  Il-Mument writes that a government notary was 'humiliated' and forced to strip at police headquarters in Floriana as part of an investigation into a land expropriation deal.  Kullħadd reports on a Eurobarometer survey which found that Maltese have more faith in their government than any other EU member state.  Illum writes that medics were forced to administer...

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Beach gone to the dogs

The decision to allow dog owners to use a number of public beaches this summer has proved to be annoying, unhygienic and downright illogical, to say the least. While the Malta Tourism Authority and Nature Trust are daily providing us with statistics about the newly acquired high standards on our beaches, we give in to insane requests by dog lobbyists who egoistically enjoy going to the beach with their four-legged friends. I can only speak of what is taking place at Selmun Bay, or Mġiebaħ. I have no information on other localities. Here, this most beautiful of sandy beaches in Malta has... This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.

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Church and State matters (1)

In the editorial of The Sunday Times of Malta (July 24), when commenting about euthanasia it was stated: "It is important that Church teachings should inform the debate", and in the same breath it was affirmed "however, they should not determine its outcome". I cannot understand how one can participate in a debate without leaving any impact on its outcome. Why should one set limits or conditions when one is debating anything? Unless we enter a discussion with an open mind and without any prejudices, one would not be able to reach a holistic and satisfactory conclusion. What is... This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.

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Church and State matters (2)

"It is important that Church teachings should inform the debate. However, they should not determine its outcome." This is the conclusion of The Sunday Times of Malta's editorial on July 24. Any guess as to which 'teachings' will determine its outcome? This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.

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Still waiting for new bulb

At the beginning of May the street lamp in the middle of Għar il-Lembi Street, Sliema, went out. After several calls by myself and my neighbours to the Sliema local council I was informed that they were sending their contractor to fix it. Weeks passed but nothing happened. So I called the council again complaining that the lamp had not been fixed. Several calls later I was informed that the contractor could not fix the lamp and that they were passing the buck to Enemalta. This was about a month ago and all I can say is that we are still in darkness. Why does it have to take more than three... This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.

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Door numbers in Swieqi

Reference is made to the letter by Lina Warrington (July 24) entitled "Swieqi door numbering". Ms Warrington and other readers may not know that responsibility for door numbering was allotted to the Electoral Office only last January. Note has been taken of Ms Warrington's request for door numbering of her particular street in Swieqi. An exercise to number doors of streets in Swieqi will be undertaken in due course according to a schedule. This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.

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Flight path

So the 'towers' at Mrieħel will, after all, go ahead – it could not be otherwise considering the composition of the Planning 'Authority'. I am no expert in the field, but I often see airplanes coming in to land at Gudja airport. Will these towers be in the flight path of these aircraft? I wonder whether this has been taken into consideration? This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.

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Mail service to Canada (1)

I refer to Maria Bianco's letter entitled 'Snail mail' (The Sunday Times of Malta, July 24). It is always with regret that we learn of such unfortunate delay. Maltapost delivers several million untracked letters every year and takes much pride in their timely delivery. We have a solid track record of delivery as evidenced by independent quality of mail delivery results. Maltapost would like to inform the public that a mail dispatch is sent directly to Canada on a daily basis. A letter destined to Canada arrives in around five to six days. As per tracking records, the mailbag within... This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.

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There’s a Pokémon in my room

The shriek echoed around the house. "Eek! Everyone! Quick! COME QUICK! I FOUND ONE!" By the time I followed my daughter's racket upstairs – was it a spider, a snail or a slug? – the S.O. was already by her side. Together they were excitedly snapping away photos of the latest resident in the house: Pudgey the Pokemon, a greyish, frowning, winking owl jumping up and down in the middle of the room. I could not even spout my sceptical bah-humbug-these-modern-games spin, because dear reader, I too got carried away by enthusiasm. The V-shape of my raised eyebrow abruptly changed to a soft O-shape... This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.

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Mail service to Canada (2)

Hurray, my brother's birthday card at last arrived in Canada on July 20, having taken 29 days to get there. The Russian balloon took 11 days to go round the globe. In 1953, when my father emigrated to America, we used to receive letters within a week and parcels in three to four weeks by surface mail. It seems technology has thrown us backwards. Last year, on October 15, my sister-in-law posted a calendar and Christmas card by surface mail. It arrived in Malta on December 1 and Maltapost did not deliver it, so on New Year's Eve I received a final notice to go and pick my parcel up from the... This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.

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All’s well at the human zoo

Of all the fanciful and bizarre exhibits at the Brussels International Exposition of 1897, one in particular stood out. A section of the royal park at Tervuren was set up as a kind of living diorama and contained a simulation of a village of about 60 Congolese people. The exhibits were expected to go about their daily lives as they did back in the Congo. Thousands of people turned up to gape and prod, and the exposition was a hearty success. Part of the backstory was the vicious colonial experiment of King Leopold II of the Belgians, who in 1885 had appropriated a vast area of the Congo as... This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.

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New and old in the Church

In his article 'Thank you; but no thank you' (The Sunday Times of Malta, July 17), which discussed the curious position of a Vatican prelate, Fr Joe Borg wrote that "our local brand of Tridentine conservatives, fuelled by several priests who were ordained during the past 15 years or so, were thrilled to no end". What is old, what is new in religion? What is progressive, conservative? If Fr Borg's comment is valid, how come younger priests are giving the impression that they are conservative or antiquated, and the elderly priests more progressive or more modern? Admittedly these phrases –... This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.

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'Sheikh' of Eastbourne's historic pier bans picnics and dog walkers, and tries to paint it gold

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Open letter to Père Jacques Hamel

Your cold-blooded execution, Père Jacques Hamel, on Tuesday mor­n­ing, while you were celebrating Mass in the parish church of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, has shocked men and women of good will. Yet another senseless attack, in the wake of other recent killings in Paris, Nice and Munich, Istanbul, Aleppo and beyond. Despite your age, you continued to be available to all. Your example inspires many of us, men and women of good will, to show selfless generosity and dedicated service to all those who pass our way, whether they are friends or foes. We, in Malta, had never heard of you. Like many... This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.

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55% of Maltese trust government in 2016 compared to 34% in 2012

Maltese trust their government more than other European citizens do, a government statement referencing a Eurobarometer published on Friday survey found.

"In 2012, 34 per cent of Maltese trusted government while 52 per cent had said they did not trust it. The situation has now changed, and 55 per cent trust the government while 32 per cent say they don't, meaning that Malta has one of the highest government trust ratings in the EU," the government highlighted yesterday.

It said that this "confirms the optimism being seen by Maltese families when it comes to the country's economic performance".

The government said that 80 per cent of Maltese believe the economy is doing well. "This is double the level in the rest of the EU. In 2012, more than half the population felt the economy was not doing well."

The Eurobarometer also reveals that 57 per cent of Maltese feel that Malta is heading in the right direction. "This percentage is the highest in the EU."

The government also said that three-quarters of Malta believe that the employment sector is doing better, "which is three times the eurozone average. In 2012, the Eurobarometer showed that 50 per cent of those interviewed in Malta believed that the employment sector was doing badly.

"These results confirm the optimism and trust in this administration".

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Empty plots must be enclosed

It is baffling that the competent authorities are not insisting that owners have their empty plots surrounded by a boundary wall. Apart from being an eyesore, these plots are a nuisance and an inconvenience to users of pavements and to residents. One plot on a Kappara main road recently caught fire after unusable white goods were dumped in the middle of it. Another has overgrown trees that are blocking the pavement and parking bays (see pictures). Unenclosed plots are being turned into convenient rubbish dumps where rats can live, multiply and roam. Through their inaction, the... This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.

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Is Britain really safe from Islamist terror?

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Gozo Bishop Mario Grech urges organ and blood donations

In his sermon during a Mass on Friday, Gozo Bishop Mario Grech made an appeal for people to reflect on what can be done to increase the number of blood and organ donations.

Bishop Grech said that St Francis de Sales, who was Bishop of Geneva, the beatified Carlo Gnocchi – a priest from Milan who died in 1956 and Gozitan priest Manuel Camilleri have one thing in common – they donated parts of their bodies, after death, to either further medical science or to help others.

"When St Francis de Sales was 20 he fell seriously ill, but he was ready to donate his body to the School of Anatomy at the University of Padova in order for research to be undertaken and better help advance human health.

"When the beatified Carlo Gnocchi was on his death bed, he called the doctor close and told him to take his corneas once his heart stopped, in order to help those who could not see. He made this request even though he knew that he was asking the doctor to do something illegal, as at that time Italian law did not permit organ donation. He was the first organ donor in Italy."

Bishop Grech said that Manuel Camilleri chose to leave his body to the university so that medical science would be able to continue its research and save lives.

"These three donated their blood, or their organs, to save the lives of others. It is love that drives a person to such a heroic gesture, to give their body as a gift to others."

Donating an organ to someone else, he said, is an 'act of mercy'. "Through his noble gesture, from both a civil and an evangelical aspect, Dun Manuel is inviting us not to hold back but, like him, perform this act of mercy."

He said that society is often "affected by egoism and individualism, where the people are careful, saving their bodies. When someone decides to donate their body for the good of the community, he or she is sending a strong message."

Dun Manuel was a priest who carried out this gesture of altruism and generosity, Bishop Grech said. While there are a number of ways priests give themselves to helping others, giving up ones organs to save the life of someone who is ill or for use in medical research is a special form of donation. "The value of these donations increase when one considers that those who can benefit from such generosity are anonymous."

He said that people often hold back from donating blood and/or organs, often because "we do not understand the pressure of sickness."

In the years when he was travelling in America, Don Manuel carried out the majority of his priestly ministry helping the sick in hospitals. "I do not know exactly what motivated Dun Manuel to donate his body to medical science, but apart from wanting to walk in the footsteps of his teacher – who gave up his body for others – I believe it was also his experience with sickness that helped him reach his decision."

Bishop Grech urged people not to forget that there is a long list of those awaiting organs for transplants. "Our readiness to donate blood or organs makes a real difference in the lives of many", he said.

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Watch: Daredevil skydives 25,000 feet without a parachute

A daredevil skydiver yesterday became the first to jump from a height of 25,000 feet (7,620 meters) without a parachute, landing in a net in southern California, a spokesman said. Luke Aikins, 42, who has 18,000 jumps under his belt, completed the jump in Simi Valley just west of Los Angeles, landing in a net measuring 100 feet by 100 feet (30 meters by 30 meters) in a feat broadcast on Fox. "Aikins' leap represents the culmination of a 26-year career that will set a personal and world record for the highest jump without a parachute or wing suit," his spokesman Justin Aclin said in an email. The Fox broadcast showed Aikins, who was wearing an oxygen mask because of the altitude, jump out of a propeller plane in a bright green outfit along with three parachutists. He later handed the mask to one of the other jumpers in mid-air. Then, the three accompanying skydivers opened their chutes and seemed to rise up away from Aikins, as he fell alone. Lights were set along the side of the net to serve as a guide for Aikins to aim himself as he hurtled toward it. When he was on target, the lights shone white. After a free-fall lasting about two minutes, Aikins at the last second flipped...

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Paceville fight lands Dutch man, 20, in hospital

A late-night Paceville punch-up has left a Dutch 20-year-old man seriously injured, police said this morning.  Police summoned to St George's street, Paceville at around 3.30am found the man injured in the street. It appears he was punched by another man, also foreign, following an argument between the two.  The alleged aggressor was detained by St Julians police, while the victim was taken to Mater Dei hospital for treatment.   

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Man offers $50 and an apology for stealing Christmas lights in the 1960s

Authorities in Owendale, Michigan were surprised to receive a letter from a man offering them $50 and an apology for having stolen a set of Christmas lights ... more than 50 years ago.  "To Whom it May Concern," the note began. "In the sixties I was in Owendale drinking. I took some blue Christmas light bulbs from your decorations. Later I felt guilty about this. Over the years it bothers me more and more. Please forgive me. Enclosed this may help with your needs. Thank you. Sorry!" Owendale treasurer Manuel Thies told the Huron Daily Tribune that the $50 will go into the village's general fund, but that the letter will be framed and hung up in his office wall, as a reminder that it's never too late to make amends.  "He took some lights and it just kept gnawing at him until he did what he had to do to calm his conscience," Thies said. "He sat on that blister a long time."

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Time to look at teaching quality

The recent publication of SEC results and a report by the National Commission for Further and Higher Education on the employability deficiencies of students entering the workforce have put the spotlight on the effectiveness of our educational system. While it is true that over the past decade the rate of early school leavers has de­creased and the number of University and Mcast graduates has increased, the Maltese educational system remains among the least successful and the most wasteful in Europe in terms of human resources. International comparative studies such as TIMSS, PIRLS and PISA in reading, maths and science for both primary and secondary levels have shown that a third of Maltese students do not have the necessary basic skills. The ability gap between boys and girls is among the highest of the participating countries. The education reforms of 2006 were meant to address this situation. As with all reforms, there is a big difference between the original intentions and what was actually achieved. The reforms upgraded physical and teaching resources, improved student support services, increased school autonomy, reduced the gap between State and non-State schools and...

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Quotes of the week

"If local businesses were to invest more equity in their businesses, they would find local banks more inclined to lend them money." John Cassar White, chairman of Bank of Valletta, commenting in the wake of a report quoting banking observers as saying that the Prime Minister's remarks on lending practices were likely directed at BOV. "We take comfort from the fact that he died doing something he loved as he explored this beautiful island." The family of athletic German teenager Mike Mansholt, 17, whose dead body was found in a cave at Dingli Cliffs on Tuesday, a few metres away from his... This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.

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Dutchman in hospital after injuries sustained in punch-up

A Dutchman is in hospital with serious injuries after being involved in a punch-up in St Julian's early this morning, the police said.

The incident took place in St George's Road at 3.30am.

The 20-year-old was punched by a foreigner, the police said, without disclosing the nationality.

The police said that a man is being held for questioning.

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Militants storm Iraq gas compressor station

Militants stormed a gas facility in northern Iraq this morning, killing four workers and planting several explosives before security forces managed to regain control, security sources said. At least four gunmen with hand grenades broke through the external door of the AB2 gas compressor station, about 15 km (10 miles) north-west of Kirkuk, at around 0300 (1200 GMT), leaving two guards in critical condition. They proceeded to shoot dead four employees in a control room inside and planted explosives charges, at least five of which went off, the sources said. Forces from the elite counter-terrorism service then stormed the facility, regaining complete control and freeing 15 other employees who had hidden in a separate room. It was not yet clear if the attackers had been killed or if they had fled. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but Islamic State has previously targeted oil facilities in the area with explosives, repeatedly targeting oil wells at Khabbaz oilfield south-west of Kirkuk. Islamic State militants, who seized a third of the OPEC producer's territory in 2014, have since been pushed back in many areas by an array of Iraqi forces backed by...

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Whistleblower alleges racket over Libyan medical visas

A Health Ministry official ran a medical visa racket chargingLibyans thousands of euros to get into Malta, a whistleblower has claimed. The official, Neville Gafa, allegedly pocketed the funds, amounting to nearly €38,000, and purchased a BMW, according to a letter sent to then-health ministerKonrad Mizzi back in April. The government said yesterday that the matter was being investigated. Mr Gafa denies the allegations. The letter, leaked to The Sunday Times of Malta, details how Mr Gafa was allegedly charging Libyans a €2,500 monthly fee to secure medical visas, treatmentand accommodation, along with an additional €100 charge. Back in November 2015, this newspaper reported on the extraordinary number of medical visas issued that year and how police had received serious allegationsof abuse. More than 600 medical visas allowing Libyan citizens to come for treatment in Malta were issued in the first half of 2015, a far cry from the 252 issued in 2011, whenthe Libyan conflict was at its peak. According to the leaked letter, signed by lawyer Leslie Cuschieri on behalf of Libyan Khaled Ben Nasan, Mr Gafa coordinated the operation for around a year andthree months, "until this way of...

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Volkswagen customers misled over safety ratings

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World news in one minute: Find out what happened around the world on 30 July

This is the main news as reported by the Associated Press on 30 July.

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Watch: 3 dead, 1 hurt in shooting near Seattle; suspect in custody

A gunman attacked a gathering of young adults at a suburban Seattle home early Saturday, killing two people at a fire pit before firing more shots from the roof, the grandmother of one of the witnesses said.

A total of three people were killed and another injured at the Mukilteo property. State troopers pulled over and arrested the fleeing 19-year-old suspect on an interstate more than 100 miles away, authorities said.

"She was hiding in the closet and called me from the closet while it was going on," Susan Gemmer said of her 18-year-old granddaughter, Alexis. "We were texting back and forth, telling her to stay quiet, stay calm, we're on our way. She kept saying, 'They're dead, they're dead, I saw them, I was right there and I saw them.' "

Police did not immediately release the name of the suspect, but a man named Allen Christopher Ivanov was booked into the Snohomish County Jail on Saturday afternoon for investigation of three counts of murder, including one of aggravated murder, which can bring the death penalty.

It was unclear whether Ivanov had obtained an attorney. He was expected to face a court appearance Monday.

Gemmer said that according to her granddaughter, the gunman arrived with a rifle at the party of about 15 to 20 friends from Kamiak High School — mostly recent graduates aged 18 to 20. The gunman walked through the house to the fire pit out back, where he shot two of the victims. Those present knew the gunman, she said, and he and one of the victims had broken up last week.

The shooter then made his way onto the roof, where some of the friends were hanging out, Gemmer said.

The young man who lived at the home tried to lead Alexis Gemmer to safety by escaping out the garage. As they rolled under the garage door and the boy bolted across the street, the gunman began shooting at him from the roof, her granddaughter told Gemmer.

"She panicked and ran back in the house and hid in the closet until police arrived," Gemmer said. The young man made it across the street.

Authorities did not immediately release information about or the identities of the suspect or the victims.

"Our community has suffered a great loss tonight," Mukilteo Mayor Jennifer Gregerson said. "There were many young people who saw and heard things that no one should ever experience."

The shooting happened in the upscale Chennault neighborhood of Mukilteo, a waterfront town of about 20,000 people, 25 miles north of Seattle.

Washington State Patrol Trooper Will Finn said the male suspect was pulled over at around 2 a.m. heading south on Interstate 5 near Chehalis, about 113 miles away. Finn declined to release information about his identity, but he said troopers returned him and the vehicle he was driving to the custody of Mukilteo police.

Victor Balta, spokesman for the University of Washington, said a student matching Ivanov's name, age and hometown of Mukilteo has been enrolled at the university's campus in nearby Bothell, where he was going into his sophomore year.

"These victims were just starting the new chapter of their lives as young adults," Gov. Jay Inslee said in a written statement. "Such a loss is difficult to comprehend, and we know the hearts of every Washingtonian go out to their grieving mothers and fathers."

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Pharmacies opening today between 9am and noon

Malta

Valletta: New British Dispensary, 109/110 St John Street; Marsa: Trinity Pharmacy, 32 Marsa Road; Qormi: Brown's Pharmacy, 278 Victory Street; Fleur-De-Lys: Marrit Pharmacy, 1^st May Street; Gżira: D'Argen's Pharmacy, 330 D'Argens Road; San Ġwann: Lourdes Pharmacy, Naxxar Road; Sliema: Drug Store: Anglo Maltese Dispensary Ltd, 382 Manwel Dimech Street; Balzan: Medica Pharmacy, Naxxar Road; Mosta: St Louis Pharmacy, Cali Street; Qawra: Qawra Pharmacy, Earl's Court/1, Imħar Street; Tarxien: Tarxien Pharmacy, 59 Tarxien Road; Fgura: Alpha Pharmacy, Cospicua Road c/w Cottoner Avenue; Xagħjra: Medicor Pharmacy, 57 Carmelo Ritchie Street; Gudja: Medicaid Pharmacy, 62 Tower Avenue; Mqabba: Kristianne Pharmacy, Cavi Street; Żebbuġ: Santa Marija Pharmacy, 40 L-Għasfura Street; Rabat: Ideal Pharmacy 63, High Street.

Malta International Airport: The '8 Till Late Pharmacy' is open every day from 7am to 10pm.

Gozo

Victoria: Palm Pharmacy, 2 Palm Street; Nadur: Vella Pharmacy, 15, 13^th December Street. 

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Pope Francis visits sites tied to Polish saints in Krakow

Pope Francis took part in religious celebrations on Saturday at sites tied to two saints cherished in Poland — late pope St. John Paul II and St. Faustina, a mystic who had been a source of comfort to him.

Francis, who devoted the day to the theme of mercy, arrived early at the imposing Divine Mercy Sanctuary in Lagiewniki, a district of Krakow.

The frail, 82-year-old John Paul II consecrated the new basilica during his last visit to his homeland in 2002, by anointing its white marble altar and celebrating prayers there. He stressed then his special attachment to St. Faustina whose accounts of visions of Jesus have led to the spread of devotion to Divine Mercy.

On Saturday, nuns and priests, singing and waving little banners, greeted Francis as he entered the vast church. He then prayed before the chapel of St. Faustina, where she is buried.

Francis met and blessed children and the infirm who were waiting for him in the church.

Later he went to the nearby Sanctuary of St. John Paul II, also in the Lagiewniki district, consecrated in 2013 and dedicated to the late pope who is still the source of great pride in Poland. The lower church houses the relics of John Paul, who died in 2005, while his body is entombed inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican.

The close proximity of the two major shrines has drawn some surprise criticism, as it has resulted in crowds splitting up between the two during ceremonies.

Francis is taking part in World Youth Day, a global celebration of hundreds of thousands of young Catholics, during his five-day visit to Poland.

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Report says Belgium arrests two suspected of plotting attack

Belgian media say police have arrested two brothers on suspicion of plotting an attack.

Newspaper De Morgen cited state prosecutors as saying the two suspects were arrested early Saturday. It said the two suspects were identified only as Noureddine H. and Hamza H.

The newspaper said the arrests happened during police raids on several residences overnight in numerous locations. It wasn't immediately clear if any weapons were found in any of the searches.

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Belgium arrests two men suspected of planning attack

Belgian police arrested two men suspected of planning an attack in Belgium after house searches yesterday evening, federal prosecutors said today. The two, named as 33-year-old Nourredine H. and his brother Hamza H., will appear before a judge today to determine whether they should be held in custody beyond an initial 24 hours. "Based on provisional results from the investigation, it appears that there were plans to carry out an attack somewhere in Belgium," the federal prosecution office said in a statement. For the time being there was no connection with the attacks at Brussels airport and the metro on March 22, in which 32 people were killed, the prosecution office said. Police carried out seven house searches in the region of Mons and a further house search in Liege. No weapons or explosives were found. Brussels, home to European Union institutions and the headquarters of NATO, and Belgium in general are on a security alert level of three out of a maximum of four, a "serious" status with a "possible and probable" threat.

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Higher stipends for B.Sc. in Pharmaceutical Science students

The Ministry for Education and Employment, together with the University of Malta, has upgraded the stipend classification of the B.Sc in Pharmaceutical Science course which will allow for the respective students to receive a higher stipend and initial financial grant, the Department of Information said. The change will come into effect as from this month, and will be added in the next stipend payment in August.

This decision was taken in light of the fact that, for a number of years, students in this course were denied an equal playing field with those following other similar courses, as well as in view of the Government's aim to further incentivise and promote education in the science subjects.

The Ministry said it is pleased to report that there was a noteworthy increase in the number of Form 3 students who have chosen a science subject for the upcoming scholastic year. 550 students have chosen Biology and 300 students have taken up Chemistry during the September 2016 intake. These numbers are the result of collaboration between the Education Directorate and the private sector to promote the science subjects, and their potential in industry, in schools during the past year.

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Bugibba Water Park closed due to "technical problems"

Bugibba Water Park has been temporarily closed due to "technical problems", the Environmental Health Directorate said today.  The decision to close the park was taken in conjunction with the Ministry for Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change. "The necessary steps are being taken by both entities to allow the park to reopen as soon as possible," the Directorate said.   

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B.Sc Pharmaceutical Science students to get higher stipend

Students reading for a B.Sc in Pharmaceutical Science are to receive a higher stipend and initial financial grant as of next month, the Education Ministry has announced.  It did not however say how much stipends would rise by. The change, effective immediately, will be reflected in students' August stipend payment.  The ministry said the decision was taken in light of the fact that students in this course had for a number of years been denied a level playing field with students in similar courses. Upgrading the course's stipend classification also complemented the government's policy of encouraging science education, it added.  The ministry also said it was pleased that there had been a "noteworthy" increase in the number of Form 3 students choosing to study a science subject next year. 550 students have taken up Biology as a subject, with a further 300 students opting for Chemistry. 

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Young man injured after he was hit by car in Marsa

A young man was taken to hospital after he was hit by a car in Marsa this morning, the police said.

The 20-year-old of Tarxien was hit by a car driven by a 21-year-old of Zurrieq, which hit a pavement before careening onto the Tarxien youngster.

The accident took place in Aldo Moro Road at 4am.

The Tarxien young man was taken to hospital where he was found to have suffered grievous injuries but is not in critical condition.

 

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Pedestrian seriously hurt in early morning crash in Marsa

A 20-year-old Tarxien man was seriously injured early this morning after he was hit by a car on Aldo Moro road, Marsa.   The accident happened at around 4am, police said, when the 21-year-old driver of an Opel Astra lost control of his car and crashed into a pavement, hitting the pedestrian.  An ambulance rushed the pedestrian to Mater Dei hospital for treatment. Although serious, his injuries are not life-threatening, police said.     

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After harsh criticism, PN’s Independence activities head back to the Granaries in Floriana

The Independence Day activities organised by the Nationalist Party this year will head back to the Granaries. Last year, the anniversary celebrations were held in Republic Street, with the main stage being a few metres away from the Parliament building, leading to harsh criticism.

The Granaries in Floriana have long been synonymous with the Nationalist Party's annual Independence Day celebrations. But last year, the PN decided to take a break from the usual spot and head for Valletta's main road, Republic Street, and the area surrounding the newly-opened Parliament building.

PN event organisers had set up goal-posts and basketball nets in front of Renzo Piano's Parliament, a move which some found to be quite offensive. The PN was also criticized for setting up kiosks, tables and chairs at de Vallette Square for the same purpose.

The party had been heavily critical of the government's plan to allow the daily Monti to be held there, and their decision to use the Parliament area for political and sport events associated with the Independence Day activities had backfired.

Asked what caused the change of heart, a spokesperson for the Nationalist Party said that the Granaries are "more suitable for the requirements of this year's programme".

The reply did not specify if it's an issue of space or logistics. It simply stated that the Granaries will serve a better purpose for the activities planned.

The programme for this year's Independence Day activities will be unveiled "in the coming weeks" but the celebrations will also kick start the new political season after September.

According to the spokesperson, last year's celebrations were held "at the heart of the Nationalist Party's heritage in the capital city".

"This year we will be celebrating the Independence festivities at Fosos, Floriana, which is more suitable for the requirements of this year's programme which will be launched in the coming weeks."

 

 

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Pictures of the day: 30 July 2016

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No clean bill of health for EU banks in stress test

Banks from Italy, Ireland, Spain and Austria fared worst in the latest European Union stress test, which the region's banking watchdog said showed there was still work to do in order to boost credit to the bloc's economy. Eight years since the collapse of Lehman Brothers sparked a global banking meltdown, many of Europe's banks are still saddled with billions of euros in poorly performing loans, crimping their ability to lend and putting off investors. "While a number of individual banks have clearly fared badly, the overall finding of the European Banking Authority - that Europe's banks are resilient to another crisis - is heartening," Anthony Kruizinga at PwC said. Italy's Monte dei Paschi, Austria's Raiffeisen , Spain's Banco Popular and two of Ireland's main banks came out with the worst results in the EBA's test of 51 European Union (EU) lenders. "Whilst we recognise the extensive capital raising done so far, this is not a clean bill of health," EBA Chairman Andrea Enria said in a statement. "There remains work to do." Italy's largest lender, UniCredit, was also among those banks which fared badly, and it said it will work with supervisors to see if it should take further...

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Disgruntled parent pays £60 attendance fine in pennies

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Off-duty police constable steps in to stop Tarxien vandal

An off-duty Valletta police constable yesterday went beyond the call of duty and intervened to stop a vandal damaging a car in Tarxien.  The constable was driving down Napuljun Caruana Dingli street, Tarxien at around 10.35am when the driver of the car in front of him stopped his vehicle, got out of the car and started damaging a parked Toyota Vitz.  Sources told the Times of Malta that the car allegedly belonged to the vandal's ex-girlfriend.  The off-duty constable immediately ordered the man to stop what he was doing, only to find himself entangled in a scuffle after the vandal turned his fists on him.  "He was off-duty with his family but still intervened," a source said, "and he managed to hold the man off until other police officers arrived."  Members of the police's rapid intervention unit subsequently arrested the man, a 26-year-old from Birżebbuġa.

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Are Swedes having less sex? The government wants to know

The Swedish government is launching a major study of the sex lives of the country's citizens after reports that lovemaking is on the wane.

Public Health Minister Gabriel Wikstrom notes that the last thorough study of Swedes' sex habits was 20 years ago. Since then, reports in tabloid newspapers have pointed to a decrease in sexual activity.

In an opinion piece in newspaper Dagens Nyheter on Friday, Wikstrom wrote that "it's important to investigate whether that is the case and if so what the reason is."

If stress and other health issues are affecting Swedes' sex lives, he said, "that is also a political problem."

The Public Health Agency of Sweden was tasked to carry out the study and prepare a report by 2019.

In a separate article on the government's website, Wikstrom said the government needs better information about people's sex habits to guide its policies related to sexual and reproductive health.

"Sex is an area that strongly influences people's health, so we can't just talk about things like, for example, venereal disease, but also things that are positive and lust-filled about sex," Wikstrom said.

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Editorial: Panama Papers - Disappointed is hardly the right word

The Panama Scandal was one of the most disappointing events that happened in the last three years of his legislature, the prime minister said some days ago. 

In an interview with Lovin Malta, the Panama debacle, together with the death of hundreds of people off Lampedusa, were the two most challenging issues he had to face so far.

Dr Joseph Muscat described the Panama Papers story as "disappointing" because it dented people's trust in the whole political system. "I need to work hard to rebuild that trust. Not only me, but I think people do understand what I stand for."

Replying to questions by Chris Peregin, the prime minister said that he felt disappointed, rather than betrayed, by the stories circulating about his two close colleagues. "I was so disappointed that the good things we were doing during that period went by unnoticed and people were focusing on just this issue."

Now this is a double surprise.

Here we have the head of government admitting, as in a confessional, he had been disappointed by the Panama Papers saga.

And yet all through he has been unable to address the issue, to tackle it at its root, to ensure it does not get repeated, to warn his followers of dire consequences if anyone were to follow Konrad Mizzi's example.

So we have a 'disappointed' prime minister who is also impotent to do anything about what has brought ignominy on Malta and on his own administration.

Then, correcting his aim, Dr Muscat says first that he was disappointed because people's trust in politicians was dented as a result of the Panama Papers episode.

Then, correcting even more, he says he was disappointed because the good things his administration was doing went unnoticed.

So we have two, possibly three, interpretations of the word 'disappointed' in one and the same breath. Actually, Dr Muscat never went as far as saying he had been disappointed by Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri. That does not seem to enter his mind. It is almost as if the disappointment was an Act of God for which no person is responsible. When we all know who caused it.

Ironically, and this states volumes about the Maltese public opinion, the issue had rather quietened down, pushed to the background by terrorist attacks and summer lethargy. It was Dr Muscat himself who seems to have re-ignited interest in the Panama Papers. Sunday after Sunday the issue gets mentioned by the Leader of the Opposition but on a national scale, the issue has become dormant, not to say comatose.

But when the Maltese snap out of their summer lethargy and start thinking about politics, and mentally preparing themselves for the coming general elections, the issue will still be there with all the toxic consequences it carries, made worse by long neglect in the public consciousness.

In short, Dr Muscat has not taken any step to face the issue, to cauterize the ill-effects and this will still matter in the public domain.

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