Malta

Malta Origin and Sliema Stompers recorded first up victories at the Balzan FC Ground in last night's opening round of the 2012 MRL Dove Men+Care Championship.A spirited Gozo team asserted themselves against Malta Origin as the improvers of Maltese rugby after only forming 18 months ago and were well led by their senior players in Debattista, Hili ... (more)

27 refugees from various African countries left Malta for the United States this morning as part of a resettlement programme. They were seen off by Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici and US Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley. The United States has resettled almost 900 people who arrived in Malta as migrants since 2007.

No fuss from this family...

[This Day] In response to the growing demand from consumers in Nigeria for Grade 'A' football matches, Guinness Nigeria Plc has announced that Arsenal Football Club has chosen Malta Guinness to be the Official Malt Drink of the club in Nigeria for the next three years.

At present Malta does not offer any subsidies on the purchase of electric motor vehicles .

[Daily Trust] Guinness Nigeria Plc has announced that Arsenal Football Club has chosen Malta Guinness to be the Official Malt Drink of the club in Nigeria for the next three years.

Berlin-bound Air Malta passengers will not be affected by the delay in opening the German capital’s new main airport, the airline said. Berlin-Brandenburg International Airport was supposed to replace the city’s two current hubs – Schoenefeld and Tegel – from June 3. But it was announced last Tuesday that its opening has been delayed indefinitely due to fire safety problems, angering politicians and the aviation industry. Air Malta currently flies to Berlin Tegel, but was set to switch flights to Berlin-Brandenburg from June 3 – when Tegel was scheduled to close. However, Tegel will now remain open “until the autumn” and an Air Malta spokesman said the airline would continue to fly there until the opening of the new Berlin-Brandenburg. Air Malta is in the process of contacting affected passengers about the change, he added. According to the latest information received by Air Malta, Berlin-Brandenburg will not open until at least August 4. The new date should be confirmed by the middle of next week. “At that stage we will decide how to proceed with respect to Air Malta flights scheduled for after August 4,” the airline spokesman said.

Top Maltese model-turned-designer Tiffany Pisani launched her first swimwear collection last night during the second edition of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Malta, which reaches a climax tonight with the Trussardi Jeans Malta Fashion Awards at the MFCC.

Mr George Vella, the Director heading the Business Advisory arm at Grant Thornton, is the new President of the Malta Business Bureau .

Tenor Joseph Calleja has condemned the way Malta was shown in a prime time RTL programme about hunting. Writing on facebook, he said: "Whilst I deplore and condemn any form of poaching or illegal hunting I equally condemn the way that Malta was portrayed in the German media on the RTL TV station. This is not what Malta and the Maltese are about and one can hardly generalise because some individuals go renegade and behave in an unacceptable manner. "It is indeed irresponsible to negatively portray a whole nation or to suggest, whether directly or indirectly, that the Maltese are a nation of psychos and bird killers. Illegal hunting in Malta is simply more visible because of our small size our island having no remote countryside. This is of course no excuse and illegal hunting should not happen. "Illegal hunting is a horrible universal concern and it happens all over Europe and beyond. However, in the end I do not think that the "numbers" justify singling Malta out and portray it in this manner. "Perhaps RTL should have focused instead on the HUMAN immigration problem Malta is facing as Europe's most southern tip and help putting into much needed light the grave...

[UNHCR] Valetta, Malta - Somali asylum-seekers who landed their boat on one of Malta's most popular beaches at the weekend have told UNHCR that seven fellow passengers died during their week-long voyage from Libya.

UN refugee agency reports a boat carrying 90 Somali refugees landed on one of Malta's most popular beaches

The Malta Airport Fire & Rescue Service Team has carried out training sessions with the Italian Military Mission in Malta. The training consisted of a familiarization exercise on the mission's  Augusta-Bell AB212 helicopter including  opening of emergency exists, shutting down engines and rendering of the aircraft safe for rescue.  Present for part of the training session were representatives from the Civil Aviation Directorate of Transport Malta, who were invited to experience the type of training which the Fire & Rescue team at Malta Airport organises on a regular basis.  

HSBC Malta in a statement on the Malta Stock Exchange this afternoon appeared to allay any fears that it could be leaving Malta, pointing out instead to its investment programme. The statement was issued a day after It-Torca in a front-page story asked whether the bank was about to leave Malta. It based its story on comments by Group CEO Stuart Gulliver, who when speaking about the markets the bank operates in, noted that Malta is very small adding:  “which makes it difficult to explain why on earth are we there... we will sort this in the next year or something similar.”  He also spoke on the bank's focus on commercial banking. In the statement today, HSBC quoted Mr Gulliver as saying: "Malta is one of our best performing markets and we continue to invest in our Maltese franchise, expanding our range of services and products for our customers.” Mark Watkinson, HSBC Bank Malta Chief Executive, added: “There are exciting opportunities to develop our business as part of the government’s strategy of expanding the financial services sector in Malta. "HSBC’s international footprint provides the Bank with a unique competitive advantage in this growth sector. “Over the last year, HSBC...

For those of us living in the West, Eastern cultures are a source of fascination for us. Yet this is also reciprocal. Li Jianmin, 39, one of the almost 800 Chinese living in Malta, has always been interested in Western culture. "I used to study English in China but wanted to continue improving it for international business translation. So I started doing some research online and saw that Malta was very good for learning English, and the tuition fee was reasonable too. I also applied to read for an MBA in Malta and was keen to learn more about the West – Malta was the perfect combination." Once in Malta, Li felt so comfortable in the Maltese community that he decided to stay here. He has now been living in Malta for 11 years, is married to Xhe and has two children, both born in Malta – an eight-year-old boy and a six-month-old girl. "After I graduated, I started a small business in Malta and registered a trading company and a translation company. I was doing translations for India and for the United Nations. "I remember how once, my salesman left a box with some samples on the pavement. By the time we realised what had happened, the box had disappeared, but I left a note with my...

GRTU, General Retailers and Traders Union expressed its trust towards Richard Cachia Caruana as the permanent representative for Malta in the EU.

Newly appointed US ambassador to Malta Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley has sent the Maltese nation a video greeting which one may watch at http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=381561621882196 . In her greeting, the new ambassador says she is proud to be Malta's US ambassador. Malta and the US had a special relationship and the two countries worked together in times of trial and triumph. During her term she would like to reaffirm that relationship by working with the Maltese government on many of the important issues facing both the US and Malta and the world. she said. The new ambassador also spoke on Malta's hospitality, which she said was well-known in the US. The ambassador and her husband could not wait to explore Malta and Gozo and get to know the Maltese people, particularly the local artisans, she said.

31 refugees from Somalia, Eritrea and Sudan including a family of three,  left Malta today to start a new life in the United States, under the US Refugee Resettlement Program (USRRP).  On arrival, they will be assisted by NGOs to proceed to their final destinations in various states. Their departure brings the number of refugees resettled to the United States from Malta since 2007 to 958, including 147 this year. More resettlements to the United States are planned in the coming weeks. 1,592 refugees and beneficiaries of international protection have been relocated or resettled to various other countries from Malta since 2005, the Ministry of Home Affairs said.

During the harsh and bitter conflict in former Yugoslavia in the late 1990s, a lot of Serbians found refuge in Malta and settled here. Nowadays, the Serbian community in Malta numbers almost 3,000. “My husband first came to Malta as he had found a job in the IT industry,” says Vanja Miljkovic, 40. “I had a very good job in Serbia and the plan was that my husband would work in Malta while I would work and stay in Serbia, together with our children. “Then, when I came to visit him, I just fell in love with Malta – I found the country to be pleasant, the people friendly and the weather fantastic. Moreover, Malta was very safe for my two young children and so we decided to settle here.” Vanja has now been living in Malta for more than a decade and all the members of the Miljkovic family have settled well. “My first year in Malta was difficult as I couldn’t speak Maltese or English,” says Stephanie, Vanja’s daughter. Stephanie’s parents decided that, because of the language barrier, it would be better if she repeated her third year in primary school. “Then, on my ninth birthday, I wanted to ask my classmates over for a party. The only problem was that I couldn’t tell them myself, as I...

The police said today that a huge consignment of suspected cocaine was discovered at Malta Freeport today. The consignment is believed to have been destined for another country. It was found on a container on land. Tests are being carried out. Informed sources said the haul is 'well over 100 kilos, possibly close to 200 kilos'. The discovery was made by the police assisted by Customs and the AFM's Bomb Disposal Unit. This was one of the biggest drug funds ever made in Malta, the police said. Magistrate Edwina Grima is holding an inquiry.

WAM Riyadh, Apr 30th, 2012 --The United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Malta have signed at the Embassy in Riyadh, the minutes of the exchange of ratification of the Convention on cooperation in combating illicit narcotic trafficking, psychotropic substances and organised crime.

A total of 52 immigrants made shore this morning - 29 in Malta and 23 in Gozo. The immigrants who landed in Malta were seen at Manikata trying to climb up a cliff, while those in Gozo were seen near Qbajjar. The police, with the held of the Armed Forces of Malta rounded up the immigrants and gave them water as they waited for coaches to take them to the police headquarters for questioning. The immigrants who were in Manikata claimed to be from Palestine.

“I knew about Malta before I came here,” says Rasha El-Nahhal, a 25-year-old girl from Rafah, a city in the South of Gaza. “My aunt Sanaa, who lives in Malta, used to tell me about Malta and how much the Maltese support the Palestinian cause. I grew to love the Maltese from afar. Then when my aunt invited me to come to Malta and I met the Maltese, I grew to love them even more,” she says. Having graduated in English language and literature from Gaza University, Rasha was invited by her aunt to come to Malta so that she could improve her spoken English. “I was so happy when my aunt invited me to Malta – apart from improving my English, it was also an opportunity to visit a new country and learn about a different culture. I prepared everything very quickly and came to Malta.” Rasha has now been in Malta for more than a year yet she is aware of the ongoing tensions in Palestine. “I feel very sad when I see what is happening in Gaza. But I want to be strong for my country. I want to be alive and that is what makes me strong,” she says. Nathalie Grima, a close friend of Rasha and of her aunt Sanaa, says that Rasha is a very determined girl. “She is a very positive girl,” Nathalie says.

Chinese specialists who had treated President George Abela when he was accidentally injured during a state visit to China two years ago will see him again today... to say hello. The specialists form part of a high level delegation from the Shanghai Health Bureau, which is on a three-day visit to Malta. The delegation has already been to Dubai and Tunisia where they had talks with the health authorities there. The delegation was invited to Malta by Reno Calleja, president of the Maltese-Chinese Friendship Society and general secretary of the Malta-China Chamber of Commerce. The delegation will have talks with University Rector Juanito Camilleri. Mr Calleja said cooperation between the University of Malta and several universities in Shanghai would be discussed These universities, he added, were likely to prove very useful in providing scientific support to the Life Sciences Park that Malta Enterprise is building in San Ġwann.

Rome's Cinecitta Studios and the Malta Film Commission have reached an agreement to allow productions shot in Italy and Malta to tap tax credits from both countries and other benefits, to attract more high-profile pics, such as Universal's "U-571," The Chicago Tribune said. The partnership also involves a joint venture between film equipment company Panalight and lighting company Nexos Malta, aimed at providing services at a lower cost. More details will be unveiled on Saturday during a Lights on Malta conference in Malta. Italy currently offers international productions a tax incentive of up to 25% of money spent in the country, with a $5 million cap, while Malta provides a cash rebate of up to 22% of eligible expenditure.

Film News: Films to access Italo, Maltese tax credits

International News: Films to access Italo, Maltese tax credits

Between 2005 and 2011 a total of 6,505 babies were registered as having been born to single mothers in Malta and Gozo, Health Minister Joseph Cassar told Parliament in reply to a question by Nationalist MP Jean Pierre Farrugia. The biggest number in any year in that period was in 2011, when a thousand babies were born in Malta and 44 in Gozo. The lesser number was 737 in 2005, with 707 in Malta and 30 in Gozo.

The Federal President of the Republic of Austria, His Excellency Heinz Fischer, will be paying a State Visit to Malta between April 24 and 26 2012.

Austrian President Heinz Fischer tomorrow starts a three-day state visit to Malta accompanied by Mrs Fischer. He will have talks with President George Abela Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat. He will also address the Maltese/Austrian Business Forum.

Lawrence Zammit is to be appointed Chairman of Malta Enterprise and Malta Industrial Parks Limited, while Dr Sue Vella will be appointed as Chief Executive Officer, the government announced today. They will succeed Alan Camilleri who is moving abroad at the end of his term. Both appointments will take effect as from 12 May 2012. Mr Zammit, until recently chairman of Air Malta, is a founding partner of MISCO, the marketing research and HR consulting firm with operations in Malta and Cyprus. He also served as chairman of the Malta Development Corporation, the Employment and Training Corporation and Malta International Airport and was also involved in the setting up of Malta Enterprise. Dr Sue Vella joined Malta Enterprise as Chief Operations Officer in March 2010. Prior to joining Malta Enterprise, Dr. Vella was Chief Executive Officer at the Employment and Training Corporation, while also serving as Vice President of the Employment Committee in Brussels and Chair of its technical group. She has worked in public sector consultancy and in various policy fields, also serving on a number of public sector boards and committees including vocational education,...

A Dutchman is said to be in critical condition after falling from the cliffs at Ghajn Tuffieha Bay on Malta on Saturday night. Maltese media describe the Dutchman as a...

"On my flight to Malta from Germany, I prayed a lot – because Malta was a completely new country for me, I prayed that God gives me courage and wisdom to get to know the Maltese people," says Laiq Ahmed Atif, 30, from Pakistan. "As soon as I was out of Malta International Airport, I felt comfortable – I knew that Malta would be my second home." Atif has been in Malta for four years and is the president of an organisation called Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Malta. He is married to Bushra and they have two children – a boy and a girl. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Malta, with headquarters in the UK, offers solidarity to all peoples from all cultures and religions. The organisation is present in almost 200 countries and has over 160 million members worldwide. "There are a lot of branches in Islam. In Ahmadiyya, we believe that the Messiah and Mahdi (guide), who according to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) would come to reform Islam, has already come." The motto of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Malta is 'Love for all, hatred for none'. "When we help people, we help human beings – we don't look at race, religion or culture," says Atif. Atif has worked hard to integrate. "The Maltese...

Asmaa Saleh, 28, has lived in Malta for the past 16 months together with her husband, Mohammed. They have a daughter and a baby boy who was born in Malta. Asmaa was born in Egypt yet grew up in Saudi Arabia. After 17 years in Saudi Arabia, she moved back to Egypt to study at university and four years ago, she married Mohammed. "My parents, both doctors, still live in Saudi Arabia," she says. Then Asmaa and her husband moved to Malta. "We arrived in Malta just one week before Christmas. At first, I felt uncomfortable as Malta is very different from Egypt and Saudi Arabia. But now, I have settled down well – the Maltese people are lovely and I have made many friends. I have also met and befriended other Egyptians in Malta. My daughter is also doing very well at school – she goes to a Catholic school and, even though we are Muslim, she has never had any problems and has made many friends." Asmaa teaches her daughter the Quran and every Friday they go to the mosque in Paola to pray. Asmaa herself has integrated well in Malta and is even learning Maltese. "Having a positive character has helped me a lot – I am very sociable and get on well with people. I'm like my mother – we both love...

Malta’s participation in the Partnership for Peace programme does not impinge on its neutrality because it leaves countries free to choose the extent of their participation, according to a senior Nato officer. Assistant Staff Officer Elias Togas, of the Greek navy, said participation in PfP was beneficial to Malta because it was contributing to ensure safety, peace and security in the Mediterranean region. “It does not affect Malta’s neutrality, which is very much appreciated and respected. Every partner can choose its own pace and the extent of cooperation. Everyone does whatever they want. We don’t push anyone,” he said. “By contributing to this programme, Malta also contributes to its own security and stability.” Malta joined Nato’s PfP in 1995, which was suspended a year later when a Labour government was elected. It rejoined in 2008. Malta is in PfP along with a further 22 countries. Lt Togas is in Malta on one of six Nato vessels that entered the Grand Harbour yesterday for a short stopover aimed at strengthening the cooperation and understanding between Nato and Malta. Standing Nato Mine Counter Measure Group 2 (SNMCMG2) comprises six mine-hunting ships from Germany, Italy,...

Qatar is eyeing $1.3 billion in investments in Malta's EneMalta Corp. energy company and a natural gas distribution hub on the island, a local report indicated this week.

Malta has signed the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Optional Protocol will allow the Committee overseeing the Convention's implementation to receive and examine individual complaints from children and to organize country visits to investigate cases of grave and systematic violations of children's rights. The Protocol, which was adopted at the 66th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 2011, opened for signature at a signing ceremony held in Geneva, Switzerland, on 28 February 2012. Malta is the 21st signatory of the Protocol. Ambassador Christopher Grima, Permanent Representative of Malta to the United Nations signed the protocol - just days after the government was criticised by the PL for not doing so. See also http://www.timesofMalta.com/articles/view/20120417/local/protocol-which-enhances-children-s-rights-not-yet-signed-by-Malta-pl-spokesman.415912

The acts join will.i.am for the free Malta-based music concert.

In a report published on Monday by the Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News, the minister, who paid a visit to Malta last week, was quoted by the Anatolia News Agency as saying that his country was `acquitted' of the 1915 incidents in Malta.

For Anastasia Lesnikova, 36, Malta is home. “When I go abroad, I miss it and I am eager to return,” she says. It was Anastasia’s husband Maxim, a computer programmer, who first came to Malta to learn English. “Originally, he planned to stay for two months. Then he extended his stay and suggested that I join him in Malta for some months until he finished his course. When the course ended, he found a job that was an exact fit to his line of work. We felt so comfortable in Malta that we decided to buy an apartment and settle down here.” Anastasia, originally from Moscow, has now been living in Malta for 12 years. She runs a travel agency which caters especially for Russian tourists. Anastasia and her husband have integrated well in Malta – one factor which has helped is the similarity between Russian and Maltese cultures. “Despite appearances, both cultures are similar, especially in the importance they give to family values,” Anastasia says. “There are, obviously, some differences – Russians, for instance, are a bit more reserved than Mediterranean people. But living in Malta has made me become more open.” Anastasia appreciates that Malta is safe, stable and tolerant – she is...

Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr will visit Malta this week, on his first trip to Europe as foreign minister, Australian media has reported. Senator Carr said Australia and Malta had a long history of co-operation. "As premier of New South Wales, I developed a strong relationship with the Maltese community whose members have contributed a great deal to Australian society," he said in a statement. Senator Carr will meet Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Foreign Minister Tonio Borg.

Senator Carr said Australia and Malta had a long history of co-operation. "As premier of New South Wales, I developed a strong relationship with the Maltese community whose members have contributed a great deal to Australian society," he said in a statement today.

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi this morning warned the Labour Opposition not to ruin Malta's good reputation, which had been fostered by the Nationalist government.

Daniela Darmanin is the winner of Miss World Malta contest held at the Mediterranean Conference Centre. She will be representing Malta in the Miss World finals being held in Ordos, Inner Mangolia, China, in August. Stephanie Portelli was first followed by Alison Galea Valletta. The Malta contest was organised by Modelle International.

Malta U-17 lost 2-0 to Northern Ireland in the last match of the Malta International U-17 Tournament at the Centenary Stadium this afternoon. After winning their opening two games, 1-0 against Liechtenstein and 2-1 against Romania, Malta went into the final day of the quadrangular event on top of the table but their hopes of winning the title were dashed by the Irish. Josh Doherty fired Northern Ireland ahead after 13 minutes and Liam Donnelly sealed the issue with a second goal five minutes into the second half. Northern Ireland won the tournament thanks to their better goal difference as they finished level on six points with Malta and Romania. Romania beat Liechtenstein 4-3 in today's other game.

British firm De La Rue defended Kenya's government over its decision to print money in Nairobi, rather than in Malta, where production costs are ...

Malta has released some €300 million belonging to Libyan companies which had been frozen in Malta in line with EU and United Nations sanctions. The sanctions were lifted some weeks ago, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said. However €86 million which are believed to have belonged to members of the Gaddafi family are still frozen. The funds were frozen soon after the uprising in Libya started last year. The release of the funds had been the subject of talks between Maltese and Libyan government officials over the past few months. Malta in February also returned two Mirage F1 fighters which were kept in Malta after their Libyan pilots defected.

Days before competing in the Tour ta' Malta Etienne Bonello of Team Greens was on top form winning the overall classification of the Tour of Cyprus.

Minister and Chief Negotiator of EU Affairs of the Republic of Turkey Egemen Bagis will be in Malta tomorrow for bilateral talks with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tonio Borg.

Minister and Chief Negotiator of EU Affairs of the Republic of Turkey Egemen Bagis will be in Malta tomorrow for bilateral talks with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tonio Borg.