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Van Gaal to quit Dutch job after WCup

May 31, 2013, 3:16 pm
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Louis van Gaal will quit as coach of the Netherlands after next year’s World Cup after which he is hoping for a chance to work in the English Premier League, he said yesterday. “I took over as national coach with the ambition of going to a World Cup or a European Championship. That I have never done before and I’m doing everything to make sure I can achieve that. After that I will leave,” he told a news conference in Hoenderloo where the Dutch team are preparing for a trip to Asia next week. He suggested he might call an end to his long-standing career after the tournament in Brazil, “unless an attractive club from the Premier League come for me”. Van Gaal said he preferred working with players on the training field every day rather than the infrequent opportunity presented to a national team coach.
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Italy thump San Marino 4-0 in Bologna

May 31, 2013, 3:17 pm
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Andrea Poli, Alberto Gilardino, Andrea Pirlo and Alberto Aquilani were all on the mark as Italy beat San Marino 4-0 in a friendly international in Bologna, last night. Azzurri coach Cesare Prandelli opted to try his fringe players ahead of next week’s World Cup qualifier against the Czech Republic and the Confederation Cup in Brazil later this month. Bologna, just a stone’s throw away from San Marino, had two players in the Italy line-up – Alessandro Diamanti and Alberto Gilardino – as Stephan El Shaarawy, Riccardo Montolivo and Andrea Barzagli were sidelined with injury. San Marino’s tight cover was frustrating Italy but on 28 minutes Andrea Poli pounced on a loose ball and hit home his first goal for the national team. Gilardino then made it 2-0 to the delight of the home crowd as Prandelli changed his entire forward line soon after the break, introducing Mario Balotelli, Alessio Cerci and debutant Marco Sau. Pirlo scored the third with a superb free-kick ordered by Maltese referee Marco Borg and Aquilani made it 4-0, tapping in following another Pirlo delivery.
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Monaco splash out over €50 million on Falcao

May 31, 2013, 3:18 pm
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Monaco’s shopping spree continued yesterday when they agreed to buy Colombia striker Radamel Falcao from Atletico Madrid, taking their transfer spending past €120 million since being promoted to Ligue 1. The 27-year-old is set to sign a five-year contract with the principality club, Monaco said on their website. The fee was not disclosed but media reports put it at mover than €50 million. Falcao’s arrival at Monaco follows closely on the heels of fellow new recruits James Rodriguez, who is also Colombian, and Portuguese pair Joao Moutinho and Ricardo Carvalho. Dmitry Rybolovlev, the Russian billionaire who owns the club, said: “We are absolutely delighted Radamel Falcao has accepted the challenge of coming to play for Monaco. We are proud to have secured one of the best players in the world.” Midfielders Rodriguez and Moutinho joined last week from Porto for a combined fee of €70 million while free-agent Carvalho left Real Madrid three days ago. The sought-after Falcao said on his Twitter feed he could not wait to play for the former French champions who also reached the Champions League final in 2004. “I’m eager to start this challenge. I count on your support,” said the...
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Nsekera wins historic women’s vote

May 31, 2013, 3:19 pm
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Lydia Nsekera, of Burundi, became the first woman to be formally voted on to FIFA’s executive committee yesterday. Nsekera, 46, president of the Burundi FA and a member of the IOC, was co-opted on to the FIFA executive a year ago, becoming the first woman to sit at the top table since FIFA’s formation in 1904. Nsekera polled 95 votes yesterday, ahead of the 70 gained by Moya Dodd, of Australia, and the 38 for Sonia Bien-Aime, of the Turks & Caicos Islands. Dodd, a former Australian international player and vice-president of the Asian Football Confederation, had been widely regarded as a far stronger candidate with better credentials for the job.
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FIFA Congress adopts tough new anti-racism measures

May 31, 2013, 3:20 pm
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FIFA adopted tough new measures in soccer’s fight against racism in Mauritius yesterday when delegates at its Congress approved their introduction by 204 votes to one. The proposals, introduced by Jeffrey Webb, the CONCACAF president and chairman of the Anti-Racism and Discrimination Task Force, constitute a number of new sanctions. They include the possibility of points deductions and expulsions from competitions or relegation, the introduction of anti-discriminatory officers at games, a minimum five-match ban against players guilty of racial abuse, tougher minimum financial penalties and the introduction of a hotline for players and fans to report incidents of racism. FIFA president Sepp Blatter expressed surprise that one vote went against the proposals before dismissing it as an electronic voting error. In his presidential address to the Congress yesterday, Blatter said there was no longer any room for racism in soccer and it would not be tolerated. “There have been some despicable offences this year that have cast a long shadow over football. “I am speaking about the politics of hate – racism, discrimination, intolerance and small-minded prejudice,” the Swiss said. “That...
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Press digest

May 31, 2013, 10:31 pm
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The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press. The Times of Malta and all the other newspapers focus on yesterday’s Marsa murder. The newspaper says the police are hunting two suspects. Victim Paul Degabriele was well known to the police and was lucky to avoid a car bomb eight months ago. The Malta Independent also reports how a car bombing target was gunned down in Marsa yesterday. l-orizzont asks if this was a vindictive homicide. In-Nazzjon says yesterday’s murder victim was shot five times. The overseas press British Foreign Secretary William Hague has unveiled the first of the EU reforms the UK government wants before holding a referendum on membership, calling for a “red card” scheme so that individual nations could block laws they dislike. Börzen Zeitung reports Hague told a foreign policy think-tank in Berlin that Germany should help Britain “lead the way” in reforming the 27-nation bloc. He also called for an extension of the current “yellow card” system under which parliaments in member states could force the European Commission to reconsider a law. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung says an estimated 2,500 supporters of the anti-capitalist group...
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Mother and baby among five killed as new tornado picks up their car in Oklahoma City

May 31, 2013, 11:04 pm
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Violent thunderstorms produced tornadoes in central Oklahoma that killed five people including a mother and her baby and menaced Oklahoma City and its hard-hit suburb of Moore, authorities said. The mother and baby were killed while travelling on Interstate 40, just west of Oklahoma City, when their vehicle was picked up by the storm, said Betsy Randolph, spokeswoman for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. The interstate was shut down due to the storm, with multiple crashes and injuries. Two of the deaths occurred in Union City and one was in El Reno, west of Oklahoma City, said Amy Elliott, a spokeswoman for the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. She could not immediately confirm where the other deaths occurred. Some 40 to 50 people were being treated for storm-related injuries, including five patients in critical condition, among them a child, according to the Integris Health hospital system. National Weather Service meteorologists had earlier declared a tornado emergency for parts of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, and a twister touched down in Moore, which was hit by a massive EF-5 twister last week that killed 24 people. A tornado also rampaged down Interstate 40...
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Police break down wall to arrest Frenchwoman

June 1, 2013, 12:00 am
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The partly demolished boundary wall of Catherine Sophie Pernot Sprangers’ house. Photos: Swieqi deputy mayor Justin Fenech

Police arresting a Frenchwoman took a magistrate’s orders – to use force if necessary – quite literally and partly demolished a low wall to get in, Times of Malta has learnt. Swieqi deputy mayor Justin Fenech said that, on Wednesday afternoon, he received a phone call from a friend of Catherine Sophie Pernot Sprangers, 57. When he went to Ms Pernot Sprangers’ home in Swieqi he saw the partly demolished boundary wall. By then, he said, the police had left and taken Ms Pernot Sprangers with them. Dr Fenech said he then asked an officer at the St Julian’s police station what had happened and was told the police had acted on a court mandate and would pay for the damaged wall. When asked for a comment, the St Julian’s police station referred Times of Malta to the police press officer. However, questions sent to the community and media relations unit, asking why the arresting officers felt it necessary to partly demolish the wall, remained unanswered by the time of going to print. This newspaper received the standard acknowledgement reply, stating: “With reference to your e-mail below, please note that your request is being processed.” Magistrate Francesco Depa-squale ordered the...
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Individual donates €100,000 as Xarabank raises money for Mission Fund

June 1, 2013, 1:02 am
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The Xarabank team and the Mission Fund have thanked viewers after raising €566,436 in a special fund-raising programme yesterday.  They also thanked an individual who is giving a donation of €100,000 for the building of fresh water wells by the Fund. Yesterday's special edition of Xarabank included several features about the hardship endured by people in Tanzania. Programme participants including the prime minister and the leader of the opposition . The programme in this schedule has so far raised €1,273,430 in aid of  Caritas, Puttinu Cares and the Mission Fund. Donations will continue to be received on 5170 2015 for a donation of €15, 5180 2025 for a donation of  €25 of by SMS om 50618071for a donation of €4.66.
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New law will facilitate transfer of business between family members

June 1, 2013, 1:11 am
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The government has started working on a Family Business Act which will facilitate continuity on the transfer of family businesses, Economic Affairs Minister Chris Cardona said. He said the new law would include a clear definition of 'family business' in order to deter abuse.  The law, he said, was in line with government action to boost every sector of the economy. Family businesses, he said, should not be disadvantaged because of their composition. He noted that no direct reference to them had been made in the 2011 Small Business Act. Some 75% of businesses in Malta are family-controlled. Most are transferred to a second generation, but many fail during this transition. Only 10% make it to the third generation. Some 31,000 small family businesses employ between one and five persons for a total of 38,000. Other employ between 250 and 500.  Dr Cardona said there was clearly a need for a legal framework to guide family business planning, particularly the transfer of business among the members of the family.  The issue will be discussed with all interested stake-holders.
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New residence scheme for foreigners launched - thresholds drastically reduced

June 1, 2013, 2:02 am
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A new residence scheme for foreigners was launched this morning, replacing the foreign residents' scheme which was controversially suspended in 2011. Parliamentary Secretary Edward Zammit Lewis said the Global Residence Programme, as the new scheme is called, will allow people who buy high value property and pay taxes in Malta to benefit from a residence permit. The previous scheme was suspended and initially replaced by the High Net Worth Individuals Scheme which did not prove popular because the minimum value of purchased property had been raised from €116,000 to €400,000. Under the Global Residence Programme, the value of immovable property bought in Malta by foreigners has to be at least €275,000. However, when the property is in the south of Malta or in Gozo, the minimum value can be €220,000. Dr Zammit Lewis said that whereas under the High Net Worth Individuals Scheme, applicants would also have been eligible if they rented a property for a minimum of €20,000 annually, that threshold has been lowered to €9,600 in Malta and €8750 in Gozo or the South of Malta. In the past, third country nationals also needed to place a €500,000 bond with the government and an additional...
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Alberta appoints renewable energy head

June 1, 2013, 3:36 pm
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Alberta Group has appointed Peter Vella as the head of business development, renewable energy. Mr Vella’s career spans across a number of years of continuous growth and responsibility in the manufacturing industry and recent senior positions in operations management in the waste and transport industries. Mr Vella will be working closely with the directors on the strategic development of the Alberta Renewable Energy division, spearheading increasing presence and growth within the industry both locally and internationally. The renewable energy division of the Alberta Group has gained increasing expertise in the installation of solar PV and heating systems and was awarded the biggest PV project to date in Malta. A statement by the directors of Alberta Group said: “In a continued commitment towards this world revolution of the energy market, we are strengthening our renewable energy team.  Peter’s appointment to this new position within the group is a key part of our strategy to move Alberta to the next phase of its growth plan. “We are delighted to have Peter on board. He brings with him a wealth of experience and will be a key member of our senior management team.” Mr Vella...
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Middlesex set to launch third international campus in Malta

June 1, 2013, 3:37 pm
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Middlesex University’s campus in Malta, located in Pembroke.

Middlesex University has announced that it will open a campus in Malta, with students welcomed from September this year. The campus, located in Pembroke, will initially offer business, computing and finance courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels: B.Sc Honours Information Technology and Networking (Year 2/3 direct entry); B.Sc Honours Internet Application Development (Year 2/3 direct entry); M.Sc Business Information Systems Management; BA Honours Financial Services (full degree); BA Honours International Business Administration (Year 3 direct entry). The project builds on a successful collaborative franchise partnership which has operated for the last six years, resulting in excellent student success. Middlesex deputy chief executive Melvyn Keen said: “Now is the right time to build on the success of the last six years, putting in place new options for people in Malta as well as providing further access to a high quality British education for students across North Africa, the Middle East and Asia. “As the first international university to locate to Malta, we look forward to working with the Maltese Government who shares this commitment to providing more opportunities for...
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Exante flies Malta flag in Portugal

June 1, 2013, 3:38 pm
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Exante’s first hedge fund winners, MTG Fund (Andris Kaneps and Liza Aizupiete), receiving their award from Alexey Kirienko, chairman of Exante, second from right, and Raymond Bondin, Malta’s chargé d’affaires in Portugal, right.

Lisbon became Malta on May 25 as The Ritz Hotel became the hottest place to be for celebrities, politicians and financial companies as Malta-based Exante celebrated its first award ceremony in style to a packed audience. Exante was founded in March 2011 with the aim to design, produce and support cutting-edge infrastructure for greater financial market accessibility and pricing transparency. The company has never been out of the news, receiving worldwide coverage from the likes of the Financial Times due to its ATP (automatic trading platform) and most recently its Bitcoin fund which has created a ‘buzz’ within the financial arena. “Exante has done Malta proud in achieving such massive growth in such a short time,” said Raymond Bondin, Malta’s chargé d’affaires in Portugal. “This has been one of the best networking and award events I have ever attended and a very enjoyable evening,” he added. Max Keiser, presenter at Russia Today, was among the many guests at The Ritz as were journalists from Bloomberg and Forbes. All the major financial institutions attended the event, with many banks sending employees from overseas. The award ceremony itself saw awards given to high achievers...
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Free, limitless calls for Pay-As-You-Go customers

June 1, 2013, 3:39 pm
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Only one month after launching a range of limitless plans for Pay-Monthly customers, Go is now extending the benefit of limitless calls to Pay-As-You-Go customers. The two new limitless Pay-As-You-Go plans are specifically designed to fit all the needs of frequent callers and frequent texters alike. The first plan offers callers free, limitless calls to all Go mobile numbers after making the first call of the day to a Go mobile number. This plan can be activated by sending an SMS with the word ‘TALK’ to 16414 before topping up with €10 or more. The second plan gives customers free, limitless calls and SMS to all Go mobile numbers. Customers opting for this plan will benefit from free limitless calls to Go mobile numbers for all calls throughout the day following the first call of the day. Customers will also benefit from free, limitless SMS to Go mobile numbers throughout the day following the first SMS of the day. This plan can be activated by simply sending an SMS with the word ‘TALKTEXT’ to 16414 before topping up with €10 or more.
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‘We have a good future in Malta’ – HSBC Europe CEO

June 1, 2013, 3:40 pm
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Brian Robertson: “We continue to invest in Maltese business, we are refurbishing branches, investing in new ATMs and hiring new graduates this year”. Photo: Paul Spiteri Lucas

HSBC continuously runs a rigorous six-filter process on its various portfolios and as long as HSBC Malta continues to pass these tests the banking giant will remain committed to the Maltese market, Brian Robertson, HSBC UK and Europe CEO tells The Sunday Times of Malta in an interview. The six filters are: future economic potential; connectivity across the group; return on equity; cost efficiency; loan/deposit ratio; and financial crime risk. “As long as Malta continues to meet the return equity requirements, the efficiency ratios and increasingly as Malta gets more connected with the rest of the world, I can see no reason why we should exit Malta because it’s a good investment. As long as we have a place to play in the Maltese economy, and as long as we can continue to perform in the Maltese economy, then I can say we’re here,” Mr Robertson says. Mr Robertson, who was recently appointed on the board of directors of HSBC Bank Malta, says HSBC’s biggest portfolio in Europe is in the UK, “followed by France, then Germany and Turkey, who are neck and neck, and then Malta, which is our fifth largest business in Europe. It performs very well, it’s a well run bank and it pays good...
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Press digest

June 1, 2013, 10:28 pm
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The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press. The Sunday Times of Malta says the man murdered on Friday knew of an imminent plot to kill him. It also says uninsured damages from Friday's blaze in the Carnival huts could top €200,000. The Malta Independent on Sunday quotes the prime minister as saying that the government is aiming for a leaner ministerial code of ethics. It also reports that proposals will be presented shortly to establish that MPs will be paid according to the number of sittings they attend. Malta Today reports how a cleaning company was awarded €8m in cleaning contracts by the previous government. It also says that the Auditor General has been asked to investigate the Food Causes Fund and commitments by the former government. It-Torca says mismanagement has cost the ETC millions in lost EU funds. Il-Mument says the government is planning a pilot project to reduce the number of students at the Mcast ICT institute by 10 percent, thus also reducing its stipends bill. Illum says there is anger within the government at the version given by Air Malta CEO Peter Davies after his wife was allegedly allowed on a flight which was delayed in...
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Moderate tremor in the Central Mediterranean

June 1, 2013, 11:16 pm
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A slight to moderate magnitude 4.4 tremor took place in the Central Mediterranean early this morning. The tremor, 10km deep North of Benghazi was also picked up by the University of Malta's seismic monitoring centre at 4.47 a.m.    
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Uninsured carnival blaze cost: €200,000

June 1, 2013, 11:18 pm
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Carnival enthusiasts lost close to €200,000 worth of uninsured equipment in a fire that engulfed a Luqa warehouse on Friday, The Sunday Times of Malta has learnt. Jason Busuttil, newly appointed carnival director, said three of the island’s top carnival companies had their entire livelihood stored in the warehouse from lifters, to generators, and material to build their coveted floats. He explained that for years carnival companies had to work and store their material in makeshift, provisional places, which made it impossible to insure. “At the moment we’re like squatters. Apart from that, none of the places used by enthusiasts are in their name so no insurance company will cover them,” Mr Busuttil said when contacted. He said talks had started with the Government to ensure this situation was resolved for good. Enthusiasts will have permanent premises where the title would be in the Government’s name and insurance would also be its responsibility. Mr Busuttil, president of the Malta Association of Carnival Participants, revealed that the proposed Carnival Village earmarked for Corradino would now shift to Marsa close to Millenia, following fresh talks. Last November, the planning...
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Gang vendettas?

June 1, 2013, 11:20 pm
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The death of five men within 14 months is raising fears of gang vendettas in Malta. Ariadne Massa looks into a phenomenon that seems to be rearing its ugly head. Gang vendettas are more difficult to resolve and more difficult to prevent, according to police historian Eddie Attard. “Often the mastermind will have a cast-iron alibi and he would have contracted somebody else, possibly a foreigner, to kill the target for about €5,000. “If Sicilian, the killer would leave the island very quickly. All this makes it harder to solve,” Mr Attard said when contacted. Referring to the murder of Paul Degabriele, 48, outside a Marsa bar on Friday, Mr Attard spoke of a similar incident at the Butterfly Bar in Birkirkara five years ago. On April 24, 2008, two men wearing crash helmets entered the bar in broad daylight and shot Raymond Agius, a 49-year-old car dealer from Żebbuġ, then fled on a motorbike. To date this crime remains unsolved. The victim of Friday’s shooting is well-known to police, and last December he was arrested in connection with the investigation into the murder of 46-year-old Joseph Cutajar, known as il-Lion, in Mill Street, Mosta. Last October, a car bomb was placed...
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