THAILAND U-15 2MALTA U-15 0 The Malta U-15 girls team wrapped up their commitments in the Development Tournament with a 2-0 defeat against hosts Thailand, at the Chang Arena in Buriram on Thursday. Led by coach Dorianne Theuma, the Maltese girls took the initiative from the outset but they failed to capitalise on their numerous chances. Hayley Bugeja squandered two occasions in the opening stages of the game.These chances came back to haunt Malta as Thailand struck on the 15th minute from a set-piece.Malta remained well and alive in the game and they could have levelled terms but Thailand's goalkeeper was always alert to avert the danger.After the change of ends, Theuma's girls continued to press in order to equalise but it was the hosts who found the net and virtually sealed the win when they doubled the score on minute 59.Late in the game, Malta almost pulled one back through Maya Lucia but her effort was in vain as the Maltese finished on the wrong side of the result. Malta ended its Thailand expedition with two wins, against Mongolia and Singapore, and a defeat.MALTA FORMATIONM. Cachia; H. Bugeja (88 H. Khatib), E. Sissons, V. Mifsud, K. Willis (90 M. Cortis), M. Lucia, M.

Kyle Lowry scored eight of his team-high 23 points in an early runaway Wednesday night as the Toronto Raptors completed a season-series sweep over the Golden State Warriors with a 113-93 romp in Oakland, Calif. Lowry (12 assists) and Serge Ibaka (20 points, 12 rebounds) recorded double-doubles, helping Toronto snap a 13-game losing streak at Golden State that dated back to 2004. Kevin Durant led all scorers with 30 points on 13-for-22 shooting for the Warriors, who were held to their third-lowest output of the season. The Raptors, who beat the Clippers in Los Angeles on Tuesday, improved to 6-0 on the second night of back-to-backs, doing so despite not having Kawhi Leonard, who sat out both games due to a sore right hip. Early in the second quarter, Toronto center Jonas Valanciunas sustained a dislocated left thumb after getting slapped in the hand by Draymond Green. Valanciunas did not return. Celtics 130, Wizards 125 (OT) Kyrie Irving hit a tiebreaking, 31-foot 3-pointer with 17 seconds remaining in overtime, and visiting Boston held off Washington. Bradley Beal and John Wall missed 3-point attempts to tie the score before Irving closed out the Celtics' victory with two free...

Updated 9.30pm The suspected gunman, who killed three people at a Christmas market in Strasbourg, has been killed, two police sources said on Thursday, ending his 48-hours on the run. Cherif Chekatt was killed in the Neudorf/Meinau area of the city after a police operation was launched around 9pm (8pm GMT) on Thursday about two kilometres from where he launched his attack on Tuesday. Chekatt was killed after firing on police officers, who returned fire, one of the sources said. Reuters reporters near the scene heard three to four gunshots after a huge police operation with armed forces from the BRI and RAID units. A police helicopter had been circling overhead. The death toll from Tuesday's attack rose to three as police on Thursday combed the city in the east of France for a second day and manned checkpoints on the German border. Police issued a wanted poster in multiple languages for Chekatt, who was the main suspect in the attack and who had been on a watchlist as a potential security threat. Authorities say the 29-year-old was known to have developed radical religious views while in jail. Earlier in the day armed and masked police swooped on Strasbourg neighbourhoods with...

Firemen were on Thursday night battling a fire in Sliema. The Civil Protection Department confirmed they were called to fight the fire, at an apartment in The Strand. No other information is available but roads have been closed to traffic.

Olympiakos pulled off a stunning 3-1 Europa League win over  Milan that put them into the last 32 and sent the Italians crashing out as the remaining places in the knockout stage were decided on Thursday. All the goals in Greece came in a thrilling second half, with Milan defender Cristian Zapata scoring an own goal to make it 2-0 to Olympiakos in the 70th minute, before he pulled one back for his side two minutes later. Yet Milan’s defensive frailty was punished when Konstantinos Fortounis scored from the penalty spot in the 81st minute to give his side the win that left them second in Group F on 10 points. They edged out the seven-times European champions on goal difference and progressed along with group winners Real Betis. Chelsea dropped points for the first time this season in the competition as they drew 2-2 with Vidi FC in Budapest, but the game was overshadowed by allegations of anti-Semitic chanting by the visiting fans. Swedish side Malmo pulled off one of the bigger shocks of the round, winning 1-0 away to 10-man Besiktas to finish runners-up behind Genk in Group I. Besiktas’s Ricardo Quaresma was given a straight red card for a reckless tackle on Franz Brorsson in...

Naxxar residents and local council members are ‘livid’ that the Planning Authority accepted illegalities at a new restaurant on a public pavement in the old village. The regulator confirmed in September that Cicchetti, a restaurant on Victory Square, metres away from the parish church, failed to observe the conditions of the permit issued, adding it was monitoring the situation so the owners would regularise their position. When, a few days ago, the Times of Malta asked for an update of the situation after receiving photographs from residents, the planning watchdog said all the irregularities had been settled following amendments to the permit. “Following a site inspection, the [Planning] Authority can confirm that the outdoor area for tables and chairs is according to approved minor amendments,” a spokesman said. A visit to the site showed that all the irregularities originally confirmed by the PA were still in place and that no changes had been made. However, it seems that through some new PA process, what had been defined as incorrect and not in conformity with the permit has been ‘straightened out’. After Times of Malta had reported on the situation, the restaurant...

Two people were hospitalised on Thursday after the rental quadbike they were riding overturned in Mġarr. The female rider lost control of the bike in the road leading to Għajn Tuffieħa at 2.30pm. Both she and her pillion, a man, were taken to Mater Dei Hospital by ambulance. They are both foreign. The police are investigating.

Updated at 4.30pm with PD statement An activist was 'beaten up' on Thursday while protesting in front of the Great Siege Monument in Valletta, the groups Repubblika and Occupy Justice said. They said in separate statements that while activists were protesting peacefully by placing flowers and candles at the foot of the monument, they were threatened by a group of people who gathered in front of the monument. At one point, two of them beat up one of the protesters, the protester's mobile fell and the attackers slammed it to the ground, breaking it in the process. A report was filed at the Valletta Police Station. Repubblika said it condemned violence without reservations. Attacks on peaceful protesters seemed to have become the norm and aimed to intimidate. As had been declared by the police more than once, Repubblika said, the ongoing protest in front of the Great Siege Monument calling for justice with slain journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was in line with the law. One’s right to protest should not be actively strangled by the government. Freedom of expression meant that the government had the duty to protect those who protested according to law. If the government did not...

President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday he would never put Europe ahead of the demands of the French people, days after he caved in to a anti-tax revolt by announcing costly measures set to increase the French budget deficit. «No country can move forward if it doesn't listen to the legitimate anger of its people, an anger which is expressed everywhere in Europe,» Macron told reporters ahead of an European Union summit in Brussels. «I will never carry out the European project, in which I believe, against aspirations I consider as legitimate. I think they can be reconciled and that's what we're trying to do,» he added. The tax breaks and other measures he is offering to appease the yellow vest protestors are likely to push France's budget deficit above the European Commission threshold of three percent of GDP.

Learning difficulties should not hinder one from pursuing alternative career paths. At least, that’s the message of an exhibition of artisan crafts being held at the Economy Ministry in Valletta. The artefacts on display, including ganutell and textile and lace items, were created by female students at the Maria Regina College Learning Support Centre in Naxxar, which offers individualised programmes for learners with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, among other challenges. The centre provides a curriculum of both core and vocational subjects and also offers intensive personal programmes on emotional literacy, self-esteem, anger management and social skills. “Participation in this event has offered an ideal stimulus to our learners to exhibit their strengths and talents through different skills while offering great satisfaction to the professionals involved in this project,” wrote Learning Support Centre manager Angela Attard in a brochure accompanying the exhibition. “Transmission of these artisan skills could provide our learners with the possibility and the opportunity to pursue this knowledge as a career path,” she added. Among other items on display are...

A 41-year-old man was on Thursday arraigned on theft charges after the police traced him through CCTV footage. Mark Scerri, from Marsascala, admitted stealing €350 in cash from a Zebbuġ garage and €430 from a Fgura hardware store in October. The court heard how Mr Scerri had drug issues and a history of such thefts, but had managed to reform himself. His last theft charge before this one was in 2010. Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras ordered the drawing up of a pre-sentencing report. The accused was granted bail against a personal guarantee of €7,000. Inspectors Shawn Pawney and Hubert Cini prosecuted.Lawyers Amadeus Cachia and Franco Debono appeared for the accused.

Paola will today cheer in the festive season with several activities that will kick off at 2pm in the main square and surrounding streets.  The 11th edition of Christmas in Casal Paola is being organised by the local council and the Socjeta De Paule, in collaboration with several associations based in Paola and the locality's commercial community. The event will transform the locality into a Christmas village which will see the participation of music bands, exhibitions, singing and dancing. Father Christmas will also make an appearance at 6.30pm to collect children's letters and distribute sweets.   

CYPRUS Andre Schembri scored his first goal for Apollon Limassol in this 2018/2019 campaign in their 2-0 win over Enosis. Schembri played the whole game and drew first blood on minute 16. Apollon were on the back of a thumping 5-1 defeat against APOEL. Apollon are currently third on 25 points, three points behind leaders AEL with a game in hand. ITALY Zach Muscat played the whole game for Pistoiese in their 2-1 defeat at the hands of leaders Carrarese. The result means Pistoiese stay in 18th place in the Serie C, Group A. Nicole Sciberras played in Grifone Gialloverde's 1-1 draw against Cross Roads, in the Italian Serie C. ENGLAND Luke Gambin played the full game for Crawley Town in their 1-0 defeat against Northampton, in League 2. The Reds are now 16th in the 24-team league on 26 points.  Sam Magri was involved for all 90 minutes as Ebbsfleet United left it late to beat Barnet 1-0 in the National League. Ebbsfleet are closing in on the play-off places as they are now 10th on 34 points, three points distant from the seventh-place which is the final play-off spot in the standings. Meanwhile, James Magri played for Ebbsfleet's youth team in their 5-0 win over Whitleaf FC. St...

A woman accused of acting as a Russian agent to infiltrate the powerful National Rifle Association lobby group and influence US policy toward Moscow is expected to plead guilty in federal court on Thursday in a deal that could help prosecutors gain insight into Russian efforts to meddle in American politics. Maria Butina, a Russian former graduate student at American University in Washington who has publicly advocated for gun rights, is slated to change her plea from not guilty to guilty in a hearing before Judge Tanya Chutkan in US District Court in Washington. Butina was charged in July with acting as an agent of Russia's government and conspiracy to take actions on behalf of Moscow. As part of the plea agreement, she is expected to cooperate with prosecutors during an ongoing investigation, according to US media reports.  Prosecutors have accused Butina, who was jailed awaiting trial, of working with a Russian official and two US citizens to try to infiltrate the NRA, a group closely aligned with Republican politicians including President Donald Trump, and sway Washington's policy toward Moscow. Butina's lawyers previously identified the Russian official as Alexander Torshin,...

An American man on Thursday admitted to trying to leave Malta with 29 bullets and a firearm magazine in his hand luggage. Dwyer William Edward, 63, from Philadelphia, was held at Malta International Airport before a flight to Frankfurt en-route to the US. Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras handed Mr William Edward a six-month prison term, suspended for two years. The man was handed a five-year ban on holding any firearm licence and ordered to leave Malta. No reason was given in court as to why the bullets were being carried.  Inspector Silvio Magro prosecuted while lawyer Lucio Sciriha appeared for the accused.

Britain's weakened Prime Minister Theresa May arrived in Brussels on Thursday to lobby European leaders for help after she survived a parliamentary mutiny that highlighted the deadlock over Brexit. May won the backing of 200 Conservative Party members of parliament versus 117 against, in a secret ballot that deepened divisions just weeks before parliament needs to approve a deal to prevent a disorderly exit from the European Union. In Britain's biggest decision for decades, Brexit has split the nation and will shape the future of its $2.8 trillion economy including London's status as a global financial hub. Pro-Europeans fear exit will weaken the West, already struggling to assimilate Russian and Chinese power as well as Donald Trump's unpredictable U.S. presidency. Brexit supporters hail it as casting off a flailing German-led European project. Brexit Minister Stephen Barclay said May, who has been shuttling round Europe for months and will attend an EU summit until Friday afternoon, would seek assurances Britain would not be tied to the European Union indefinitely post-Brexit, as her party critics fear. The «direction of travel» was in Britain's favour, he said. "The prime...

Two goals from striker Guillaume Hoarau led Young Boys to a shock 2-1 Champions League win over already-qualified Juventus on Wednesday after Ronaldo missed several chances for the Serie A side and Paulo Dybala had a stoppage-time goal disallowed. Dybala, who had pulled Juventus back into the game with a goal in the 80th minute, thought he had equalised with a long-range shot, but it was chalked off for offside when Ronaldo leapt at the ball in front of goalkeeper Marco Woelfli but did not make contact. Juventus finished top of Group H despite the defeat after Manchester United also lost to Valencia. The Swiss side finished bottom despite notching their first-ever win in the Champions League group stage. Hoarau opened the scoring with a penalty on the half hour and struck again in the 68th minute in a match which will long be remembered by the Swiss club.   Standings provided by Sofascore LiveScore

Olympique Lyonnais earned the point they required to book their place in the Champions League last 16 but needed Nabil Fekir's equaliser 20 minutes into the second half to salvage a 1-1 draw away to Shakhtar Donetsk. The French side fell behind to a goal from Junior Moraes midway through the first half and looked in danger of being overtaken in Group F by the Ukraine side and bowing out. But Fekir's curled shot from just inside the box meant they drew for the fifth time in the group to finish as runners-up to Premier League champions Manchester City. Lyon had never lost against Ukrainian opposition in five previous European encounters and came into the match in good form, having lost only twice in 17 matches so far this season. They were the better team for most of the match but suffered some hair-raising moments in the final period of the game as Shakhtar threw everything forward in search of the goal that would have taken them through. In the end, though, it was Shakhtar's inability to keep a clean sheet -- this was their eighth European match in a row where they conceded at least one goal -- that cost them dearly. The result means Shakhtar finish in third place and go into...

Manchester City battled back to winning ways, coming from a goal down to overwhelm Hoffenheim 2-1 in the Champions League with a brilliant Leroy Sane double that ensured they progressed to the last-16 as winners of Group F on Wednesday. The already-qualified English champions, who had suffered their first league defeat in 22 matches at Chelsea on Saturday, needed a point to guarantee top spot but were quickly shocked again when going behind to an Andrej Kramaric penalty. Yet in a hugely entertaining and open encounter, German starlet Sane inspired the comeback against the Bundesliga side with a magnificent free kick moments before the break and another neatly-taken left foot finish just after the hour. The win, which should have been far more decisive such was City's dominance with 25 goal attempts, saw them top the table on 13 points, ahead of second-placed Olympique Lyonnais, who qualified on eight after they had drawn 1-1 at Shakhtar Donetsk. The Ukrainian side earned the Europa League spot in third place with Hoffenheim last on four points. Hoffenheim made a bright, enterprising start, with Kramaric putting them ahead from the penalty spot in the 16th minute after Aymeric...

Manchester United endured an undignified end to their topsy-turvy Champions League group stage campaign by losing 2-1 at already-eliminated Valencia on Wednesday and missing their chance of topping Group H. United were already guaranteed a last-16 berth but needed to win and to see Juventus lose to group minnows Young Boys if they were to take the top spot. One-half of the unlikely scenario materialised as the Swiss side beat the Italian giants 2-1 but United blew their chance with a defeat that consigned them to second place in Group H. Carlos Soler put the La Liga side ahead in the 17th minute with a powerful finish before United defender Phil Jones scored an embarrassing own goal at the start of the second half to double Valencia's lead. Substitute Marcus Rashford gave them brief hope of a comeback by heading home in the 87th minute after a rare bright passage of play from the visitors, but Valencia comfortably saw out the victory. Juventus finished top of the group on 12 points, with United on 10. Valencia, who were already assured of third place and qualification for the knockout stages of the Europa League, finished with eight while Young Boys earned four. With one eye on...

Striker Robert Lewandowski scored twice as Bayern Munich sealed top spot in Group E following a thrilling 3-3 Champions League draw at Ajax in which both sides ended with 10 men. Ajax came from behind to lead through Dusan Tadic's double and looked set to claim top spot before a frenetic finale in which Bayern edged in front only for Nicolas Tagliafico to equalise for the hosts deep into stoppage time. Lewandowski, who has now scored 21 goals in as many games in all competitions this season, grabbed an equaliser from the penalty-spot before Kingsley Coman struck what seemed an excellent late winner for the German side. The hosts set up a thrilling finish when defender Tagliafico's effort ended up in the back of the Bayern net, but the visitors were able to see out the remaining seconds and go into the second round draw as one of the seeded sides. Both teams finished the pool unbeaten with Bayern on 14 points to Ajax's 12, while Benfica ended in third with seven points after they claimed a 1-0 home victory over AEK Athens thanks to Alex Grimaldo's late winner. Bayern led 1-0 at halftime thanks to Lewandowski's 13th minute goal, but the game came to life in an extraordinary second...

Host side Al Ain came back from three goals down to draw 3-3 with Team Wellington and then won 4-3 on penalties in a dramatic first round match at the Club World Cup on Wednesday. Al Ain goalkeeper Khalid Eisa saved two penalties in the shootout to earn his team a second round tie against African champions Esperance, of Tunisia, on Saturday. Team Wellington, the Oceania champions, got off to a flying start when Mario Barcia scored with a dipping long-range shot in the 11th minute and Aaron Clapham finished off an incisive passing move for the second four minutes later. Al Ain had a 36th-minute goal disallowed by VAR for a foul in the buildup and things went from bad to worse for Al Ain as Mario Ilich added a third for the semi-professionals in the 44th minute, tapping in unmarked at the post from a corner. But New Zealanders allowed the hosts to get a morale-boosting goal on the stroke of halftime, Tsukasa Shiotani slotting home after the defence had failed to clear. Al Ain coach Zoran Mamic said that proved the turning point. "It was really hard to come back, thank God we scored in the first half. That goal gave us some spirit and some chnace to come back in the second...

Sparkasse has decided to restrict non-euro payments to certain sectors, the bank’s chief risk officer, Dominic Fisher, confirmed. Mr Fisher said the bank’s risk appetite was regularly calibrated. Social media reports said on Tuesday Sparkasse customers who provided payment services had been informed the bank would no longer allow them to make or receive payments outside the Single European Payments Area and any payments within Sepa would have to be in euros. The restrictions by Sparkasse would also be extended to gaming companies in its client portfolio, the reports added. Mr Fisher said the bank’s risk appetite review had taken into account the findings of the recently-published National Risk Assessment and the overall perception of risk. The NRA classified remote gaming as a sector exposed to a high risk of money laundering. The bank’s managing director, Paul Mifsud, said the strategy had always been clear as one focused on serving the investment and fund services sector in Malta, primarily in the custody and depositary space. This area would be unaffected by the decision. Mr Mifsud played down the significance of the de-risking exercise. He said similar decisions were made...

The Super 5 Jackpot of €1,183,449.38 has been won by one punter. The ticket was purchased from Żejtun. The winning numbers were 4, 24, 14, 19, and 6.

CSKA Moscow secured a superb 3-0 win away to the already-qualified Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday but the Russian side were still pipped to a Europa League spot by Viktoria Plzen. Feder Chalov put CSKA in front against the Group G winners and triple Champions League holders with a curling shot in the 37th minute and Georgi Shchennikov doubled the visitors' advantage at the Santiago Bernabeu two minutes before halftime with a scrappy volley on the rebound. Iceland international Arnor Sigurdsson struck a remarkable third goal for the Russians in the 73rd minute, completing an unlikely second victory for CSKA over Madrid in this Champions League campaign. They also won 1-0 in the Russian capital in October when Julen Lopetegui was in charge of the Spaniards. Moscow's only two wins in the competition this season have come against the 13-times winners and they finished bottom of the group on seven points due to their inferior head-to-head record against Plzen, who beat AS Roma 2-1. Real, who were already guaranteed top spot, remained on 12 points while Roma, who had clinched second place in the group, ended on nine.   Standings provided by Sofascore LiveScore

Prime Minister Theresa May won a confidence vote from her Conservative party on Wednesday, but 117 of her lawmakers said she was no longer the right leader to implement Britain's exit from the European Union. Britain's March 29 exit has been plunged into crisis by parliamentary opposition to the divorce deal she struck with the EU last month, which has opened up possibilities including a delay to Brexit or even another referendum on membership. May on Monday cancelled a parliamentary vote on the deal, which is designed to maintain close future ties with the EU, after it became clear she would lose it. Eurosceptic critics of the deal within her own party triggered a no-confidence vote in her leadership on Tuesday, hours after she returned from talks with European leaders aimed at winning additional assurances about her deal. After two hours of voting in Committee Room 14 in the House of Commons, Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers, said 200 Conservative lawmakers had voted in support of May as leader, and 117 against. May, who voted to remain in the EU in the 2016 referendum, had warned opponents of her withdrawal deal - struck after two...

New rules on how English loan words should be written in the Maltese language have been published, bringing years of work and consultation by the National Council for the Maltese Language to an end. The new rules, which will become official on December 11, 2023, were published in the Government Gazette on Tuesday. The rules may sound complicated, but the 15 pages of text end with a table which somehow simplifies them. And people have five years to get used to them. According to the new rules, when deciding which word to use, a writer should consider whether there is an established word in Maltese with the same meaning which could do the job. So one should use biljett and not 'ticket', for example. But if you have to use the English word to explain yourself - such as «chatting» - the English word should be used. And if the English word is to be used, how should it be spelled? • It should always be written in English if it is made up of two or more words - such as 'windscreen', 'roundabout', 'shock absorber' and 'fire extinguisher'. • It should be written in Maltese, according to Maltese orthographic rules, if it is integrated in Maltese grammar, for example: Nouns (expect those...

Bryn Forbes scored a season-high 24 points and pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds to lead a balanced San Antonio attack as the Spurs strolled past the visiting Phoenix Suns 111-86 on Tuesday. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich earned his 1,211th career win, moving him past Pat Riley for fourth place on the all-time NBA coaching victories list. Ahead of him are Don Nelson (1,335), Lenny Wilkens (1,332) and Jerry Sloan (1,221). LaMarcus Aldridge added 18 points for San Antonio, which earned a third consecutive victory. Dante Cunningham hit for 14 points. T.J. Warren paced the Suns with 23 points. De'Anthony Melton scored 17, and Deandre Ayton notched 12 points and 11 rebounds for Phoenix, which has lost 10 straight. Rockets 111, Trail Blazers 104 James Harden scored a team-high 29 points, but it was a maligned group of reserves who helped carry host Houston to a come-from-behind victory over Portland. Following a change in their starting lineup, with guard Eric Gordon replacing James Ennis, the Rockets received 37 points from their bench. Gerald Green (13 points), Danuel House Jr. (12) and Nene (10) all scored in double figures to help Houston snap a three-game skid. Rockets guard...

West Ham United have extended captain Mark Noble's contract until 2021, the Premier League club said on Wednesday. Since making his first-team debut in 2004, Noble has made 446 appearances for West Ham, scoring 51 times. «I've been at this club all my life -- I've always said I wanted to be at this club and I think we're moving in the right direction, so it was the right time to do it,» Noble said of exercising the option to extend his contract. The 31-year-old midfielder has made 11 appearances for the club this season, helping them to three wins from their last three Premier League games. Noble is looking to end his playing career as a one-club man and wants to contribute at the east London club in some capacity even after his deal expires. «To be honest, I haven't done my coaching badges,» he said in a statement. «I'd love to be involved somewhere though.»

New, larger mesh nets used by trappers in line with changes to the law are a form of animal cruelty, a magistrate concluded. The law was changed earlier in the year introducing larger 45mm gauge nets to prevent smaller birds such as protected finches from being caught. The larger nets were a key factor in the negotiations with the European Commission to allow trapping on two species, the song thrush and the golden plover, just four months after the European Court of Justice declared the practice of finch trapping illegal. Trappers have opposed the nets, which are intended to prevent smaller birds such as protected finches from being caught. In a court decree on Wednesday, Magistrate Joseph Mifsud said the new nets were causing serious harm because the holes were large enough for birds, particularly plovers, to partly go through, leading to injuries to the side of the neck and other parts of the animal. “Once the law allows for live birds to be caught, it must also ensure they are caught with the least damage possible,” the magistrate said in the decree, communicated to Animal Rights Parliamentary Secretary Clint Camilleri, the Ornis Committee chairman and the Wild Birds...

The tragic death of septuagenarian Ronnie Stafrace, of Żabbar, in February 2016 shocked the entire country. The 71-year-old lived on his own and the police only discovered his body, apparently mauled by his hungry dog, after being alerted by neighbours who had not seen him for several days. This story opens a documentary on solitude that will be aired on local media stations and other platforms in the coming weeks. Titled “Il-ġerħa tas-solitudni: il-mixja lejn soluzzjoni” (The scourge of solitude: the walk towards a solution), it is produced by the Faculty for Social Wellbeing in collaboration with Caritas Malta and follows a conference on the subject organised by both entities last month. “Solitude is an extraordinary complex issue,” Andrew Azzopardi, dean of the Faculty for Social Wellbeing, said yesterday. “We have to look at it straight in the eyes to address it.” The 26-minute feature, narrated by journalist Keith Demicoli, explores causes, consequences and possible solutions to this phenomenon with experts and people who suffered from solitude first-hand. Among the causes listed are moving house, the death of loved ones, separations, hectic, modern lifestyles that are...

Last year, it was reported that the UK has one of the worst rates of drinking while pregnant in Europe. These figures come from a study which shows 41% of women in the UK drank alcohol during their pregnancy. (The figures for malta showed that only 2.8% do so - but the figures were from 1998). Among UK women who drink any alcohol when pregnant, an estimated 19% drink more than seven units of alcohol on one occasion. This is defined as binge drinking. Research has also found that the UK has one of the highest predicted prevalence of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome in the world. Foetal Alcohol Syndrome is the most severe form of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, a group of conditions that can occur in a person whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders include a range of physical, mental, behavioural and learning disabilities. In the UK, 61 cases are estimated to occur for every 10,000 births. This is significantly higher that the global average of 15 out of 10,000 births. These numbers however, do not give a picture of either timing or levels of alcohol exposure. Australian research, for example, shows that many women drink in the period before they...

Malta Enterprise has approved 10 applications for the production of medical cannabis, with the companies holding the letter of intent now subject to the approval of the Medices Authority. The information was given by Justice Minister Owen Bonnici in response to a parliamentary question by MP Claudio Grech. TIMELINE February 2018:Canadian firm Nuuvera takes over Maltese pharma company ASG Pharma for €5 million project to turn it into a hub for the production and distribution of oil-based medical cannabis products to the emerging European medical cannabis market. The company says it does not intend to grow cannabis in Malta. March 2018: Malta Enterprise approved five projects with a total investment of €30 million. The projects will create 185 new jobs. Three of the projects are Canadian while the others are Australian and Israeli. April 2018: The Production of Cannabis for Medicinal and Research Purposes Act, 2018 is approved by parliament and enacted. Read: Cannabis patients are left high and dry April 2018: Government decides to allow large-scale cultivation of cannabis plants, including the selling of flowers, quite a change from the promise made by Prime Minister Joseph...

A carpenter, weaver, baker and blacksmith are among the 60 characters featuring in a walkthrough live crib being held in Lija. This year, the St Andrew Social Club and the St Pius X Band Club have joined forces to organise the event, which dates back to 1962, in new premises: a previously derelict farmhouse in front of the local council offices. The focus of the crib is, of course, the Nativity scene, featuring Mary and Joseph and Baby Jesus, who is being represented by two infants, about a year-old each. However, visitors, especially the young ones, will also enjoy seeing the live animals, including a cow, sheep, chickens and rabbits. Other features of the crib are a waterfall, live stream anda windmill. Oranges, for which Lija is so well known, qagħaq ta’ l-għasel (honey rings), imqaret (date-filled pastries) and mulled wine, besides other Christmas-related items, are on sale at the premises. The live crib, which was blessed by Archbishop Charles Scicluna on Saturday, will remain open until December 25 in Robert Mifsud Bonnici Street, Lija. It is open on Saturdays from 6 to 8pm and on Sundays and public holidays from 3.30 to 8pm. Entrance is against a €1 donation.

The Nationalist Party has nominated Simon Busuttil and Carm Mifsud Bonnici as its delegates to the Standing Committee on Standards in Public Life. The nominations were put forward by Opposition leader Adrian Delia. Maria Deguara and Frederick Azzopardi are substitute members. The Standards in Public Life Act, which had been in the pipeline since 2012, was approved by Parliament in March last year but a legal notice to implement it was only published in October. Read: MPs to finally get some added oversight It came into force on October 30, with former Nationalist parliamentary secretary George Hyzler as the first Commissioner for Standards, following talks between the government and the Opposition. The commissioner is empowered to look into breaches of ethics committed by MPs and those appointed on a position-of-trust basis within the public service. It also provides for the establishment of a parliamentary committee that would propose sanctions against offending legislators. MPs themselves would have the final say on what course of action to take, if any.