timesofmalta.com newsletter - 10 May 2018

Copyright © 2018 timesofmalta.com Newsletter for Thursday, 10 May 2018 [Times of Malta]( [Times of Malta]( National - [Malta seen as one of the more corrupt countries in Western Europe]( Malta is still perceived by country experts and business people as one of the “more” corrupt countries in Western Europe in spite of moving up one place on a Transparency International index. The interviewees’ ratings are used to compile the... - [Pilatus Bank administrator silent on bank closure]( The former US financial regulator appointed by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) to take charge of all Pilatus Bank assets, has declined to comment on reports that the controversial bank is winding up. The MFSA tasked the regulator,... - [Today's front pages - May 10, 2018]( The following are the top stories in national newspapers today. Times of Malta says that according to Transparency International, Malta is perceived by country experts and business people as one of the ‘more’ corrupt countries in Western Europe. - [Lapsi Road gets badly-needed resurfacing]( Works are at an advanced stage on the badly-needed resurfacing of the road which from SiÄ¡Ä¡iewi leads down to Lapsi. Transport Minister Ian Borg said €15 million will be spent in the coming months on an upgrade of roads in rural areas such as this. - [Malta to share air passenger information]( The House of Representatives on Wednesday gave a second reading to a bill for the transposition into Maltese law of an EU directive to centralise passenger records across European airports. It also started to debate a Bill to repeal and replace... World news - [Israel strikes Iranian targets in Syria after 'rocket barrage']( The Israeli military said it attacked "dozens" of Iranian targets in neighbouring Syria in response to an Iranian rocket barrage on Israeli positions in the Golan Heights. The exchanges are the most serious military confrontation between the two... - [Donald Trump promises 'a scene' as three detainees return to US from North Korea]( US president Donald Trump is promising "quite a scene" when three Americans detained in North Korea return to the mainland US after more than a year in prison. Mr Trump and his wife plan to celebrate in person when the freed men arrive at the... - [North Korea releases US prisoners]( North Korea released three American prisoners and handed them over to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday, clearing a major obstacle to an unprecedented summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump... - [Spain moves to block Catalan ex-leader forming government]( Spain acted on Wednesday to block pro-independence politicians in Catalonia from voting in ex-leader Carles Puigdemont, now in Germany, as their regional head with a deadline looming to form a government and avoid fresh elections. Madrid said it... - [Watch - News from around the world - May 9, 2018]( The aftermath of the US decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal dominated the foreign news scene on Wednesday. There was relief as the US announced that North Korea had released three US prisoners ahead of a planned meeting between the US... Opinion - [Strategy of the Church - Carmel Vella]( I was very sorry to read the contribution by Fr Mark Montebello (April 25). It was truly unbecoming. However, as I am accustomed to his... - [What Fr Peter really said - Ranier Fsadni]( Recently, in the middle of a debate about the proposed new IVF law, the government waved a shiny object at its critics. And it has... - [The problem of change - Manuel Vella Rago]( Anyone remotely familiar with philosophy or has attended some basic introductory course may be familiar with ‘the problem of change’. It... - [State of Maltese politics - Martin Scicluna]( Last week I highlighted the deep polarisation in Maltese politics and the country’s fixation on conspiracy theories. The assassination of... - [Trickle-down economy - Carmel Mallia]( The title above contains the buzzwords frequently used by the Minister of Finance and other Members of Parliament on social media and on... Letters - [Satan and exorcism]( Thanks to Pope Francis, Satan and exorcism are back in vogue. A write-up in the Times of Malta on May 22, 2013, referred to “Francis’s... - [Kudos]( Allow me to publicly express my praise and compliments to the female director, Katia Caruana, currently running the Justice Department... - [Excellent service]( I would like to publicly thank the Justice Department in Malta, impeccably directed by a female, for the excellent service provided to me... - [Utter disgrace]( I am at a loss as to why car owners continue to empty their ashtrays onto the kerbside. Tourists Street in BuÄ¡ibba is an utter disgrace... - [Solar rights]( The ‘solar rights’ referred to in the Times of Malta report (May 3) are not something artificial or unreal. If the Planning Authority... Sport - [Juve thump Milan to lift Coppa Italia]( Juventus won the Coppa Italia for the fourth year running with a crushing 4-0 victory over Milan who suffered a second-half meltdown in... - [Huddersfield hold Chelsea to retain status]( Chelsea suffered a heavy blow in their late-season push for a Champions League spot when they were held to a 1-1 draw at home to... - [Watch: Former United manager Ferguson out of intensive care - club]( Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson is out of intensive care after undergoing emergency surgery for a brain haemorrhage, the... - [Malta coach includes U-21 players in provisional squad]( Newly-appointed Malta coach Ray Farrugia has named a provisional squad of 26 players for the national team’s training camp. The first... - [Watch: Snooker champ bares all at news conference after title win]( Mark Williams stayed true to his word after clinching his third world snooker title on Monday (May 7) by conducting his post-match news... Business News - [Vodafone to pay $21.8bn for Liberty assets to boost European presence]( Vodafone has agreed to pay $21.8 billion to buy Liberty Global’s assets in Germany and eastern Europe to take on rivals with a broader... - [Oil soars as Trump dumps Iran nuclear deal]( Crude oil prices hit three-and-a-half-year highs yesterday after President Donald Trump pulled the US out of an international nuclear... - [Shipping movements]( The following ships are expected in Malta: The Vega Hercules from Tripoli to Genoa, the Joanna from Civitavecchia to Mersin, the Hansa... - [Google eases tech stress]( Google showed how its virtual assistant can now call restaurants and salons to book appointments, navigating complex conversations, as... - [MSE Equity Price Index drops to one-week low]( The MSE Equity Price Index lost 0.25% to a one-week low of 4,291.741 points on Wednesday, mostly driven by the notable declines in the... Community - [Nostalgic for a better past]( Karen Caruana, a full-time artist and illustrator, is putting up her first solo art exhibition entitled Vernacular, at Palazzo de La... - [Announcements - May 10, 2018]( CAMILLERI. On May 9, at Villa M.SS.ma Annunziata, Balzan, Sister Livia (of the Sisters of Charity), aged 94, passed peacefully away to... - [Attard railway embankment to be restored]( Malta's only remaining railway embankment of note is to be restored and incorporated into a walking heritage trail leading to an... - [Local student picked to attend global journalism conference]( A young Maltese student will be heading to Scotland in July after being selected to participate in a worldwide conference to train and... - [Announcements - May 9, 2018]( CREMONA. On May 8, at her home, BLANCHE, née La Rosa, passed peacefully away. She leaves to mourn her great loss her husband Tony, her... Blogs - [The Weakened Embryo Production Act]( One hundred professors and lecturers from 14 faculties of the University of Malta are the latest in a long list of experts that have... - [IVF: Will Joseph Muscat ignore the President as well?]( Will the government heed the appeal by the President about the IVF debate, after having ignored appeals made by many, including George... - [Oh my Malta, indeed]( I’ve been on sabbatical from my writing and on April 21 it will have been six months since I felt the urge to write. The events which... - [Jason and the Whatnots]( You have to hand it to him, Jason Micallef sure knows how to stir up publicity for himself and V18. And surely that must be a good thing,... - [Daphne's laptop: Why the fuss?]( I am finding it very difficult to find a shred of logic behind the motivation of this sudden “Where is Daphne’s laptop” political... 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