16500 spectators for Champions League final in Portugal

May 26 2021

As the Champions League final on Saturday draws nearer, Portugal’s authorities have permitted up to 16,500 spectators to watch the match live. The UEFA announced the news on Tuesday and opened up ticket sales after having shifted the final from mid-May in Istanbul due to COVID-19. The figure is only one-third the capacity of the Estadio de Dragao, but spectators will need to provide negative COVID-19 tests to enter.

UEFA had already reserved 6000 tickets to Chelsea and Manchester, to which traditional invitations will be added as well as 1700 tickets for the general public. The tickets will operate on a first-come, first-serve basis. This is not the first mass event of its kind as countries all across the world are testing out how to carry on with such gatherings in a safe manner.

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Photo Source: The Stadium Guide

Over 50% of Msida and St. Pauls Bay residents were foreigners by 2019

May 26 2021

Latest digits acquired by MaltaToday from the National Statistics Office show that Msida and St. Paul’s Bay had more foreigners than Maltese residents by the end of 2019. 54.1% of people in Msida by December 2019 were foreigners, with 53.1% of people in St. Paul’s Bay being foreigners as well. This shifting demographic is the first instance that foreigners were more prevalent in a Maltese locality than Maltese nationals.

Gzira had the third highest ratio, with Sliema and St. Julian’s in fourth and fifth respectively. By 2019’s end, 20% of the population were foreigners (100,000). Localities with the smallest ratios of foreign residents were southern and western areas of Malta. These figures also predate the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw many foreigners returning to their country origin.

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Photo Source: Holiday in Malta

Matthew Perry is selling vaccine shirts and anti-vaxxers aren’t happy

May 26 2021

FRIENDS star Matthew Perry has drawn the attention of anti-vaxxers after promoting T-Shirts which switch the sitcom logo with ‘Could I be more Vaccinated?’. The Chandler Bing actor took to Twitter to promote the merchandise and despite the general consensus sided with Perry on the issue, some anti-vaccination followers and conspiracy theorists went wild with the post.

Some called Perry and other ‘celebs’ propaganda machines, with another playing on the phrase by saying ‘Could this BE anymore of a turn off’. Fortunately, many comments are supporting Perry’s vaccine awareness as the battle with the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Some even outright stated that despite not wanting to buy the shirt themselves, they would very much rather let awareness occur than be upset about the actor’s decision.

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Photo Source: Matthew Perry Twitter

Clayton Bartolo announces Marsascala Regeneration Design Contest

May 25 2021

Minister for Tourism and Consumer Protection Clayton Bartolo announced that the Tourism Ministry will be launching a new initiative which will allow engineers, architects, urban planners and town planners to submit holistic design concepts in order to better Marsascala’s visitor experience. Appropriately titled the Marsascala Regeneration Design Contest, the chosen group of designers will be asked to come up with innovative ideas which will regenerate the urban area of the locality.

Entries are to be sent to the Maltese Tourism Authority up until the 9th of September 2021. The winning design will be granted a service contract which will see the implementation of the project. The minister added that Marsascala’s contribution to the tourism economy is very bright, and the government will be pushing forth investments into the locality.

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Photo Source: Clifton Fenech