Moscow is «thinking» of making it easier for all Ukrainians to obtain Russian citizenship, President Vladimir Putin said Saturday, after it earlier moved to grant passports in the country's separatist east, causing uproar in Kiev.   «We are actually thinking about providing citizenship in a simplified order to all citizens of Ukraine, not only residents of the Lugansk and Donetsk republics,» Putin told the press during his visit to Beijing, referring to the unrecognised separatist republics governed by Moscow-backed rebels.  This week Putin signed a decree allowing people living in the breakaway regions to receive a Russian passport within three months of applying for one.  The conflict between the Ukrainian government and breakaway rebels began after Moscow annexed Kiev's Crimea peninsula in 2014. The war has claimed some 13,000 lives.  The latest declaration sparked more condemnation in Kiev.  «Russia wants further escalation and chaos in Ukraine and therefore continues to complicate the rules of the game,» Dmytro Kuleba, Kiev's permanent representative to the Council of Europe, wrote on Twitter.   Putin's decree came just days after Ukraine elected comedian Volodymyr Zelensky...

Our words, language and meanings are being stolen and then used against us. In an era when evidence, facts, analysis and science are being actively undermined, language becomes an important battleground. This is to been seen, for example, on a daily basis for in the US, Britain, Brazil, Russia and Italy; there are many more locations that could be added. It has also becoming increasingly obvious and even ‘normal’ here in Malta. Words and meanings are not only stolen, they are twisted and usurped and then used to attack us. Key words and values have become so degraded they have come to mean exactly the opposite of what we popularly understood them to mean. They are crudely mobilised to mask particular agendas and actions and to manipulate public understanding and sentiment. Repeated ad nauseam, we are told ‘this is democracy’, ‘this is the rule of law’, ‘this is the will of the people’, ‘this is progress’, ‘all else is fake’. This plundering of language and meaning, this pillaging of truth represents a victory of vested interests over people and society. The abuse of language and ideas allows such interests to ridicule critics and critical thought; to marginalise them and to...

The BOV Premier League title battle reaches its decisive end this afternoon when leaders Valletta and nearest rivals Hibernians will be looking to be crowned champions on final day of the campaign. Valletta are on pole to retain the title as they start the day two points clear of Hibernians. They have a tough test when facing old rivals Ħamrun Spartans who are in search of sealing fourth spot in the championship that could yield them a place in European football. Hibernians have an equal tricky test in the form of Balzan who are also vying for top four spot. In the other match of the day, Sliema Wanderers will be facing Pieta Hotspurs and hope to force a decider for fourth spot should Ħamrun or Balzan lose. Follow all three Premier League matches here with us in what promises to be a highly-emotional afternoon. 3.20pm Valletta FC also received a message of support from their former striker Sebastian Monesterolo. The Argentine goal-machine was in the Valletta team that won the league championship in 2007-08 and also won the golden boot for top scorer in the Maltese Championship. 3.10pm This morning Valletta coach Gilbert Agius posted an emotional message to the club's...

Strawberries will once again be the main attraction in Mġarr tomorrow as the agricultural village hosts the annual fair called Festa Frawli from 10am to 5pm. The event will see an abundant supply of freshly picked strawberries on sale throughout the day, ferried regularly to the square by the farmers themselves. Desserts, snacks and beverages made from Mġarr strawberries will be available in an open-air kitchen and professional chefs will also prepare strawberry-based gourmet dishes. Meanwhile, Maltese musicians will be playing folk and ethnic music. The event is organised by Mġarr local council and the Kummissjoni Lejla Mġarrija with the help of hundreds of volunteers. For more information send an e-mail to festafrawli@gmail.com or call 7928 9301 or 2152 0011.

Free wi-fi service will soon be available in various localities in Malta and Gozo, thanks to an EU initiative. A total of 27 localities who submitted their application will be awarded the sum of €15,000 from the EU for the service, which offers a minimum of 30Mbps. Speaking at the press conference, Local Government Minister Owen Bonnici said this initiative is  another example through which more efficiency and better services are being given to members of the community.  Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government Silvio Parnis said the government believes in the local councils’ autonomy and this is why they were given the liberty to indicate where this wi-fi service is best installed in the localities. The Parliamentary Secretary called on those local councils who still have not applied for this initiative to submit their application. 

Chinese police have dismantled a ring accused of manufacturing some $30 million worth of counterfeit Lego sold across the country, authorities said. Police earlier this week raided the premises of Lepin -- a Chinese toymaker manufacturing Lego knockoffs in the southern city of Shenzhen -- arresting four people, Shanghai police said on Friday. «In October 2018, the Shanghai police found that Lepin building blocks available on the market were extremely similar to that of Lego,» the statement said. The toys were copied from Lego blueprints and sent to a factory in Shenzhen to be manufactured before they were sold all over China. «Across more than 10 assembly lines, over 90 moulds had been produced... (police seized) some 630,000 completed pieces worth more than 200 million yuan ($30 million),» the statement said. Images from the Tuesday raid -- posted on official law enforcement social media accounts -- showed moulds and boxes that looked remarkably similar to lines produced by the Danish toy giant. A Star Wars knock-off is called «Star Plan», while sets released in conjunction with the new «Lego Movie 2» have also been copied and sold under the name «The Lepin Bricks 2». The...

The annual World Tai Chi Day in Malta – organised by the China Cultural Centre – will be held at Freedom Square, Valletta, today between 10am and noon. The event will feature guest Tai Chi experts Ye Xuan and Ye Feng. All course participants and Tai Chi enthusiasts are invited to participate. For more information, call the centre on 2122 5055.

Mellieħa local council should take the lead in efforts to restore Selmun's Fort Campbell, chart an eco-tourism plan for the locality and ensure its natural beauty is shielded from rampant development, Alternattiva Demokratika said on Saturday. Party chairperson Carmel Cacopardo noted that the town in northern Malta was one of the few in the country where nature continued to play a predominant role. AD local council election candidate and Mellieħa resident Luke Caruana  argued that towns like Mellieħa needed green politics to keep development pressures at bay. The proposed Malta-Gozo tunnel, he said by way of example, was a serious environmental threat to towns like Mellieħa and communities in Manikata and l-Għerien. “It is unacceptable that other local councillors and candidates have not voiced their concern on this significant impact on our rural communities,” Mr Caruana said. The AD candidate said that he wanted Mellieħa to become greener and “prioritise people over cars”, with more pedestrian zones and the possibility of making main streets more accessible to bicycles, electric taxis and other cleaners forms of transport.

During Festa Frawli, Heritage Malta will be opening Ta’ Ħaġrat Temples in Mġarr at a reduced price. Ta’ Ħaġrat was excavated between 1923 and 1926 and includes two well-preserved structures. The older one, dating to the Ġgantija phase (3600-3200BC), has a monumental doorway that leads into a courtyard with a raised stone kerb. This space gives access to three chambers through megalithic doorways. During this event, the site will be open between 9am and 5pm (last entry at 4.30pm). Guided tours will take place every hour, starting at 9.30am, with the last tour being at 2.30pm. Tours will be in Maltese and English alternatively, with the first tour being in Maltese.  Reduced entry tickets of €2 can be purchased on the day from Ta’ Ħaġrat Temples.

“We have lost one of our brothers,” President Emeritus Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca told a crowd gathered to honour the memory of a migrant murdered earlier this month. Lassana Cisse was walking home on the evening of April 6 when he was shot by a man driving a Toyota Starlet. Almost a month later, police have yet to find the killer or establish a motive, with investigators not ruling out the possibility of it having been a racially-motivated attack. Sixty-four organisations and around 100 activists gathered in memory of the 44-year old man on Saturday. A sombre crowd met in Ħal Far, carrying flowers and holding pictures of Mr Cisse. They laid flowers on the side of the Triq il-Ġebel, where he was killed. Some migrants who joined the vigil looked on in melancholy, clearly still moved by the murder. Watch: A hit-and-run went unnoticed, until a murder on the same road Aside from President Emeritus Coleiro Preca, MEP candidates Arnold Cassola, Michael Briguglio and Cyrus Engerer were also present. 'Not a single bad word' Friends of Mr Cisse said he was a gentle and kind man. “You cannot say one bad thing about him,” Ousmane Dicko, who had known Mr Cisse since 2011, said. “He...

Fire tore through a Floriana street early on Saturday morning, burning down a triumphal arch used for its yearly feast and extensively damaging four parked cars in the process. The fire on Triq San Tumas was reported to the police at around 1.30am, with officers and Civil Protection Department firefighters reaching the scene shortly afterwards. It took them around 90 minutes to put out the roaring flames, and by then the arch, which is a fixture at the feast of St Publius, had been burnt. Feast lovers took to Facebook to express dismay. “We wake up to sad news,” one wrote. The police said it is too early to say whether the fire was accidental or a case of arson, but added that magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit is leading an inquiry into the incident. The feast of St Publius will take place on May 5. 

A man was hospitalised early on Saturday morning following a car crash on Rue d'Argens in Gżira, the police said.  The 5am crash involved the 31-year-old Santa Venera resident driving a Peugeot 107 and a 30-year-old Gżira man driving a Mercedes SUV.  Four parked cars were also damaged in the collision, the police said. Rue d'Argens was closed for an extensive period of time following the crash.  No information about the injured driver's medical condition was available at the time of writing. 

Today marks 70 years since eight countries signed the 1949 London Declaration establishing the modern Commonwealth, a voluntary partnership of equal member countries based on common values and shared aspirations. In April 2018, the UK hosted the 25th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, in London. It was the largest of its kind in our country’s history and a fitting way to follow Malta’s wonderful success in Valletta in 2015. During the summit, leaders agreed an agenda of ambitious policy objectives, which Commonwealth countries are now working to put into action and deliver. These outcomes are clear evidence that the Commonwealth has never been so relevant, as we take on collective responsibility and work together to build a fairer, more sustainable, prosperous and secure future. Leaders acknowledged that one of the most pressing priorities for achieving a sustainable future is the need to build the resilience of small and vulnerable states to deal with the effects of climate change and other global crises. The UK and Malta, as two island states open to future sea-level rises, know very well the importance of getting this right. It is no coincidence that, in 2016, all...

Somebody, somewhere within the government must be obsessed with gender equality. It is, of course, laudable to implement sensible measures ensuring that all of those able and willing have the same opportunities irrespective of their sex. But one must be careful not to allow one’s obsession to take the matter to such extremes that risk bringing a noble cause to ridicule. Take the latest directive give to the police. The Malta Independent reported on Wednesday the police have been instructed to “avoid exposing gender” when issuing statements to the media. It quoted a “spokesperson” of the police community and media relations unit saying that “as a result of reforms relating to transgender individual policies, we have been instructed to change the way we deal with these individuals by being neutral and, therefore, avoiding the exposure of their gender”. The Times of Malta immediately contacted the police unit asking for a copy of the relevant circular for guidance. The officer in charge promptly replied the request was being “processed”. That was Wednesday late afternoon but our request was still being “processed” at the time of writing this leader yesterday lunchtime. What exactly...

One of Malta’s finest choral ensembles, The Voca Choir, will be treating audiences to a varied repertoire in the upcoming Voca – The Journey, supported by BNF Bank, in aid of The Puttinu Cares Foundation. The concert will be held on May 24 and 25 at Sir Temi Zammit Hall, University of Malta, with tickets at €15 Voca is a non-profit organisation founded in 2010 with an aim of promoting music by playing and singing diverse genres while raising funds for charitable and worthy causes. Voca is renowned for its distinguishing forte in gospel music, sung and played by seasoned choristers, soloists and musicians who share a love and passion for music. Voca’s repertoire ranges from spiritual and worship music, to musicals and contemporary pop and the group has also performed overseas. Voca – The Journey will feature a live band and 40 choir members, supported by Errol from Airport Impressions and dancer and choreographer Warren Bonello and his students. This music extravaganza boasts over 20 numbers including iconic tunes by Abba, Queen, The Cranberries, The Greatest Showman and Sister Act as well as songs by local artists The Travellers and Airport Impressions. “The term ‘journey’ in...

I do wish that people like Barry Lynch (‘Dodgy arguments’, April 22) would quote some actual figures instead of trotting out the same old inaccuracies propagated by the British media. Fifty-two per cent of UK voters did not decide to leave the EU. Of the people who voted, 52 per cent voted to leave. As a percentage of the electorate that works out at close to 37 per cent, which is a figure not too difficult to work out with a basic grasp of arithmetic, although the correspondent did, unfortunately, mention uneducated morons, his quote not mine. When speaking about lies, somebody should explain the big red bus with the sign in huge letters claiming that £350 million a week would be immediately available for the national health scheme. As for politicians in Westminster, it is becoming very difficult to find a decent honest one who is not there to line his/her pockets. For example, Jacob Reese-Mogg refuses to discuss the £7 million he has made since the referendum. I find talk of voting for a return of English sovereignty ridiculous. Brexiteers are under the illusion that the rest of the world is desperate to enter into trade deals with the UK. That does not match up with the...

European stock markets wavered yesterday with investors treading carefully as global slowdown worries return to the fore, with analysts pointing to an economic divergence between the US and the rest of the world. Oil prices fell sharply on profit-taking, one day after nearing six-month highs on supply concerns. Markets await responses from OPEC and Russia after the US said it would not extend waivers that allow certain countries to buy crude from sanctions-hit Iran. Stock markets traders have meanwhile been cheered by a string of better-than-expected earnings from corporate titans this reporting season, with Facebook, Microsoft and Amazon adding to the positive mood on Wall Street, but unable to fuel broad gains. However, there have been a couple of misses from other top firms, while a series of downbeat data and central bank caution have dampened spirits. Central banks in Japan, Sweden, Turkey and Ukraine, with an eye on the global outlook, on Thursday took a dovish turn and flagged softer policy in the near future. That came after a growth forecast cut by the Bank of Canada. Russia's central bank opted to hold its key interest rate on Friday, indicating that inflation passed...

Italy's highest court ruled Friday that judges considering asylum requests must use their investigative powers to determine the risks in the claimant's country of origin rather than relying on «stereotypes», Italian media reported. Judges are «obliged to ascertain the real situation in the country of provenance through the use of official investigative powers and the acquisition of documents, so each request may be examined with up to date information,» the court said. The rebuke followed a rise in anti-immigrant sentiment in Italy under far-right interior minister Matteo Salvini. The Court of Cassation in Rome ruled in favour of a Pakistani citizen who had appealed after his asylum request was refused by two lower courts «on the basis of generic information on the internal situation in Pakistan». It said judges must not rely on «generic formulas» or simply cite «international sources» as a basis for their decisions, according to the reports. The case of the Pakistani asylum seeker will now be reexamined in the Lecce region of Italy. French NGO slams EU system Meanwhile in France, la Cimade non-governmental organisation which works to help asylum seekers and refugees, on Friday...

QORMI            1 Brincat 61 MOSTA            1 Gusman 75 Qormi were condemned to relegation after just one season in the Premier League as they could only manage a 1-1 draw against Mosta at the National Stadium. The Yellow Blacks had started brightly and almost took the lead after three minutes when Yannick Yankam found himself unmarked inside the area but his shot was blocked by a defender. Eight minutes later, Antonio Rozzi picked Jordy Lokando from a corner kick but the Qormi striker headed just over. Mosta finally responded on 17 minutes when from a James Brincat corner kick, Tyrone Farrugia’s downward header was well blocked by the alert David Cassar, the Qormi goalkeeper. Qormi’s best chance came on 25 minutes when Lokando stormed into the area, moved past Moto and fed Wellington. The Brazilian, however, was thwarted by the alert Mosta goalkeeper. Seven minutes from the break, Mosta almost stunned Qormi when Akeem Roach hit a low drive that rolled just past the upright with Cassar beaten. Qormi threatened again just before the interval when Manolito Micallef finds Antonio Rozzi but his volley bounces just over the bar. Four minutes into the second half, Yankam fed Rozzi...

ST. ANDREWS 1 Woo Ling 7 GŻIRA UNITED 0 St. Andrews will be contesting the BOV Premier League Play-Off against the team finishing third in Division One after defeating Gzira United 1-0. This second win on the trot was, in fact, not enough for the Saints to secure their status as Senglea Athletic claimed the three points in their clash with Birkirkara. Knowing that only a win would enable them to make sure of avoiding automatic relegation, St. Andrews went all out in search of the three points. Boosted by Monday’s narrow win over Floriana, the Saints created several goal-scoring opportunities, leaving their opponents on the receiving end for most of the ninety minutes. St. Andrews held the initiative right from the start. Aidan Friggieri was prominent with a low shot which was parried by Curmi after just five minutes and a few seconds later, Friggieri went close once again with another low shot which was blocked by Curmi but the ball was cleared into safety before Martin Davis could conclude. However the Saints took the lead on seven minutes. Following an assist by Aidan Friggieri from the right, Martin Davis’ effort was blocked by the Gżira rear-guard and Matthew Woo Ling...

BIRKIRKARA 2 Jorginho 19, Mifsud 88 SENGLEA ATHLETIC 3 Venancio 47 pen., Garcia 75, Grech 84 pen. Senglea all but secured their Premier League status yesterday after coming from behind to beat Birkirkara 3-2 in a crunch tie and avoided the play-out against Sta Lucia. This has been an extraordinary season for Senglea Athletic but they deserve credit for the way they turned around their fortunes since January. Friday's match was a reflection of their season when they performed another ‘houdini act’ to turn tables on Birkirkara and obtain direct salvation. With Birkirkara looking from atop their peaceful seat, one would have excused some elements complacency in their game with coach John Buttigieg gave home-grown hopes Gianluca Bugeja and Paul Mbong added experience in the premier league. But building up morale in view of their FA Trophy tie with Mosta next weekend, was a priority for them as Senglea needed a win to avoid the play-out. That panorama set the scene for yesterday’s confrontation. The match was in its 19th minute when Birkirkara scored. The energetic Michael Mifsud made a solo run on the right flank before laying the ball towards Jorginho who signed the formalities...

Liverpool powered back to the top of the Premier League as Naby Keita's goal after just 15 seconds inspired a 5-0 rout of Huddersfield on Friday. Jurgen Klopp's side struck three times in the first half at Anfield, with Keita bagging Liverpool's fastest ever Premier League goal before Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah also got on the scoresheet. Mane and Salah netted again in the second half to move the Reds two points clear of second placed Manchester City, who will regain pole position if they win at Burnley on Sunday. The lead at the top of the table has now changed hands for a record 29th time as this memorable season heads for a thrilling conclusion. Unfazed by City's crucial win at Manchester United on Wednesday, Liverpool are keeping their end of the bargain in their chase for a first English title in 29 years. Liverpool required just seconds to demonstrate that the chances of an upset from already relegated Huddersfield were non-existent. Their goal-spree also ate into the eight-goal deficit by which they trailed City in the goal difference column before kick-off. Keita started the rout with the first of those goals, Liverpool's quickest of the Premier League era, an effort...

Parents of adopted children could soon be spared the bureaucratic trouble of applying to obtain Maltese citizenship for their sons and daughters, with the government preparing a bill that will amend current laws. The amendments, if passed, will ensure that adopted children are automatically granted Maltese citizenship once adopted. Plans to amend laws were made public by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat during a speech he gave at Malta’s first national conference for adoptions. Family minister Michael Falzon told the conference audience that the government was committed to simplifying the adoption process, noting however that there were several international standards and regulations which Malta was duty-bound to abide by. The conference was organised by the Family Ministry and Social Care Standards Authority.

The BOV Premier League relegation battle reaches its decisive end this evening when Senglea Athletic, St Andrews and Qormi will look to avoid from joining Pieta' Hotspurs in Division One next season. Stay with us on timesofmalta.com as we are providing live commentary of what is happening in all three relegation matches - Birkirkara vs Senglea Athletic, Mosta vs Qormi and Gżira United vs St Andrews. LIVE STANDINGS: Standings provided by Sofascore LiveScore   7.50pm St Andrews face a stern test in Gżira United. Coach Johann Scicluna has picked the following players for the starting line-up... M. Calleja Cremona, A. Satariano, K. Mcfarlane, A. Friggieri, J. Farrugia, K. Magro, J. Walker, M. Davis, L. Sciberras, T. Blagrove, M. Woo Ling. 7.45pm Here are Jesmond Zerafa's selections as Gżira United are set to face St Andrews in one of the three games... 7.40pm Two youngsters in Gianluca Bugeja and Paul Mbong in the starting XI as Birkirkara prepare to face Senglea ... 7.35pm Here are Senglea Athletic's starting XI as deployed by Italian tactician Vincenzo Potenza... 7.30pm Gżira United players are going through their paces as they prepare for their encoounter against St...

A family living next door to a dilapidated property which has been vacant for the last ten years have filed a judicial protest to force its owners to repair the dangerously run-down property. The Farrugia couple, living in Triq Lapsi, St Julian’s, filed the judicial act in the wake of the recent collapse of buildings in Gwardamanġa and Swieqi. In the protest, they called upon M & M Properties Ltd and co-owner Mario-Victor Attard to carry out all necessary remedial and precautionary works on the adjacent property and to do so within one week. The couple’s claim was backed by architectural reports attesting to the “unsafe scenario” caused by the property next door which had been left vacant for around 10 years with little or no maintenance and was overgrown with vegetation even throughout the roof area, in spite of repeated calls by the concerned neighbours. Part of the property’s roof had collapsed in January and the situation was aggravated by heavy rains and storms in recent months. An architect appointed by the Farrugias had said that the collapse was “predictable to say the least”, given the “inaction and lack of general maintenance” of the property. The Farrugias say their...

Opposition leader Adrian Delia railed against foreign workers in a brief speech on Friday evening, telling his audience “clans” of low-quality foreigners were frightening children and “making society poorer”. Speaking at St Paul’s Bay – the town with Malta’s highest proportion of foreign residents – Dr Delia said the government had no integration plan and was content to import workers who had nothing to offer Maltese society. “These are not foreigners of quality, who can teach us,” he said. “They’re practically slaves who make society poorer, not richer”. He accused the government of relying on “foreigners” as a solution to its every problem. “Pensions? Foreigners. Tunnel? Foreigners. The economy? Foreigners,” he said. Dr Delia has regularly drummed up concerns about foreign workers during his time as party leader and used a Freedom Day speech in March to argue that “we are being taken over by outsiders”. As well being the town with the highest share of foreign residents, St Paul's Bay also ranks, alongside St Julian's, Sliema and Valletta, as one of localities where most crimes are reported.  Venice Commission The PN leader also slammed the government for its decision to steam...

It’s about that time of year that colour, music, and fireworks become a part of our weekends. Locals and foreigners gather to enjoy one of the most traditional forms of celebration in Malta, the ‘festa’ (feast). During the feasts, the main streets and squares, balconies, and rooftops are decorated with bright wreaths and garlands, illuminations, flags, statues, and flowers. Each village celebrates a different patron saint or two depending on the number of churches in the locality. This year, Yobetit will be included in sponsoring feasts at Birkirkara, Birżebbuga, Ħal Balzan, Ħal Għaxaq, Ħamrun, Luqa, Mqabba, Qormi, Rabat Gozo, Tarxien, Valletta, Żebbuġ Gozo, Żejtun and Żurrieq.Yobetit has long been known for sponsoring local events and talent, as well as providing betting odds on local happenings. The Maltese iGaming company is very invested in giving back to the community by doing everything it can to help Malta flourish. “As a company we enjoy involving ourselves in local events and inject as much support as we can to help Malta continue to shine. We chose to be involved in the local festas as they are events which highlight our national identity, and we feel that is something...

Malta's president should be appointed by a two-thirds majority in Parliament instead of a simple majority, constitutional lawyers said on Friday.  Speaking during a debate as part of an annual Workers' Day conference organised by the UĦM Voice of the Workers, former European Commissioner Tonio Borg  and Constitutional lawyer Austin Bencini argued that the president should not be elected through a simple parliamentary majority. Instead, they insisted, the appointment as well as the removal of the head of state should be through a two-thirds majority.  «With a simple majority, even if you have just 15 people in parliament on the day, you can elect or remove a president. In my opinion, the president should be elected with two-thirds majority,» Dr Borg argued. A similar call had been made by the Partit Demokratiku in January, with the party saying that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat was on record saying that the next president would be appointed through a parliamentary resolution.    On the argument that such a change could lead to problems if the two sides failed to come to an agreement, Dr Borg said that if the rules were set in a way that did not allow for a 'Plan B', meaning there...

Around 22 entities are involved in regulating the construction process, Kamra tal-Periti head Simone Vella Lenicker said on Friday. Speaking during a meeting between the Chamber and PN leader Adrian Delia, Ms Vella Lenicker expressed concern about the “regular” incidents reported at construction sites over the past months. The most recent major incident was reported on Wednesday night, when an apartment block in Gwardamanġa collapsed.  Ms Vella Lenicker said reactions to the Gwardamanġa collapse had highlighted the “fragmented” way in which the construction industry was regulated. The Kamra tal-Periti had already highlighted «excessive fragmentation» within the sector on Thursday, in a statement reacting to the collapse. On Friday, Ms Vella Lenicker said the Chamber welcomed plans by the government to set up a new building and construction authority. This authority will be tasked with enforcing construction rules, overhauling existing legislation and taking over responsibilities currently under the remit of various entities and boards. Ms Vella Lenicker said the majority of issues when it came to overdevelopment were a direct result of outdated local plans. The strategic plan...

Bank of Valletta has filed proceedings against Italy before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, trying to ensure a ‘fair hearing’ in the €363 million Deiulemar case. The bank said in a company announcement on Friday that the proceedings were being instituted to safeguard “its fundamental right” in terms of the European Convention on Human Rights. Read: €363m to be frozen after BOV loses appeal in Italian case The €363 million is linked to a trust opened by the owners of the collapsed shipping giant Deiulemar. The company went bankrupt in 2012 with losses of more than €800 million on its books. Seven people were jailed as a result of the collapse.The claim was filed by liquidators of the Deiulemar group and representatives of 13,000 Italian bondholders who lost all their life savings in the fraud scheme dating back to 2009. Bank of Valletta lost its appeal last July against a €363 million precautionary warrant imposed by an Italian court at Torre Annunziata a few months earlier. The actual hearing of the case hasn’t yet started and a Calamatta Cuschieri analyst had explained last August that the location of the court was a concern: "The Tribunal of Torre Annunziata...

Britain's main opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on Friday declined an invitation to a banquet with Donald Trump when the US president visits in June, accusing him of using «racist and misogynist rhetoric». Prime Minister «Theresa May should not be rolling out the red carpet for a state visit,» Corbyn, a veteran left-winger and pacifist, said in a statement. Trump «rips up vital international treaties, backs climate change denial and uses racist and misogynist rhetoric,» Corbyn said, although he added that he would welcome a meeting with Trump during the June 3-5 visit. Corbyn said it was «disappointing that the prime minister has again opted to kowtow to this US administration». House of Commons speaker John Bercow, who has ruled out allowing Trump to address parliament, and Vince Cable, leader of the opposition Liberal Democrats, have already declined the invitation to the dinner. State dinners for visiting heads of state are usually held at Buckingham Palace and are lavish affairs. May invited Trump for a state visit when she visited him in January 2017 - just days after he took office. The invitation proved controversial and an online petition to cancel it reached 1.9...

Uber pulled back on its ambitious valuation target Friday, while still pricing its share offering in a range that would make it one of the largest tech market debuts in recent years. The ride-hailing firm said in a securities filing it would sell 207 million shares in a range of $44 to $50 dollars, raising up to $10 billion. That would give Uber a market value of between $74 billion and $84 billion. Some media reports said the figure could be up to $90 billion accounting for restricted stock options. But the pricing target - still subject to change - fell below earlier ambitions of a valuation of more than $100 billion for the firm operating in some 700 cities around the world. Uber will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker «UBER» sometime next month. It also announced a private placement of the tech finance firm PayPal of $500 million. In its filing, Uber estimated a loss in the first quarter of 2019 of $1.1 billion on revenue of $3 billion, continuing a trend of steep losses for the San Francisco-based startup. Uber has become the largest ridesharing platform but has also been expanding into new segments including food delivery, freight, and «last mile»...

A touching video clip of a man who lost his wife to cancer has provided the springboard for a fund-raising marathon in aid of Hospice Malta in Friday's edition of Xarabank.  Jean Pierre Camilleri's wife Janet passed away two years and an online clip with his recollections has gone viral with over 160,000 views.  «I've decided to tell my story to help people understand the way Hospice steps in moments of need,» said Mr Camilleri, who will be among those answering phonecalls during the fund-raising marathon.  Hospice Malta offers patient-centered palliative care, targetting the relief of pain and other physical symptoms, as well as emotional, psycho-social, and spiritual issues. Hospice Malta assisted Mr Camilleri even after his wife passed away: «They kept offering their services after she did so we could cope with the loss. Their work is priceless.» To donate €25 call 51802024, to give €50 call 5190 2031 and for pledges call 2124 9200. To donate €6.99 send an SMS to 5061 8997/

Money laundering cases take longer to be resolved in Malta than in other EU countries, the EU's 2019 Justice Scoreboard reveals.  According to the figures, parties involved in money laundering cases waited an average of over 1,400 days for the court to deal with their cases 2017. Latvia was a distant second, with the court taking 800 days to deal with such cases. The time needed to resolve civil, commercial and administrative cases has been on a steady decline since 2010, the scoreboard revealed. That year, Malta had one of the highest waiting time to solve legal cases, with some taking over 800 days to resolve, figures show. In 2017, the time needed to resolve those cases declined to almost 400 days. However, Malta had the second-highest waiting time needed to resolve litigious civil and commercial cases in court of appeal. Cases there still take up to 800 days to be resolved, the figures showed. Malta had by far the longest waiting time for decisions on judicial review cases on electronic communications in 2016. People could wait up to 2,500 days for the review to be completed, the report noted. In 2017, the average waiting time was almost 1,000 days. The scoreboard also...

The Democratic Party's deputy leader Tomothy Alden will contest next month's local councils election as an independent candidate after his own party left him off their official list of candidates.    Mr Alden told Times of Malta he had been «very frustrated» when he discovered that although he had correctly submitted his candidature to the electoral commission to run for the Sliema local council, a member of the PD team had accidentally left his name out of a list of candidates on the orange ticket.  «I will therefore be listed as Timothy Alden 'tal-oranġjo', but I won't be on the PD list. Naturally if elected I will represent the PD on the Sliema local council,» he said, describing the incident as a «cosmetic annoyance».    'A clerical error'  The situation might actually have turned out to be far worse. He said that on Tuesday he had been contacted by the electoral commission and told he may not be allowed to contest at all.  Mr Alden said he had appealed to the electoral commission to rectify the matter, however, was informed that the lists had already been finalised by the time the matter had been brought to their attention.   In the end he was allowed to run, but not as a...