312 new electric car charging points installed in 6 months

Feb 1 2022

In the past six months, 312 new charging points for electric cars were installed in various localities in order to increase the breadth of areas where drivers can charge their vehicle.

The aim of the charging points is to encourage more people to use vehicles with cleaner energy and at the same time do this in the least amount of time.

The latest figures show that there are 5,000 electric vehicles registered in Malta, with engineer Abigail Cutajar telling TVMNews that more charing points are being installed in public places as more electric transportation is registered.

The points are capable of charging a battery in 30 minutes, with the number possibly increasing especially due to the subsidy increase which was announced in this year’s budget. This would bring a grant of €11,000 for buyers of electric cars.

Energy Ministry project manager Joanna Incorvaja said that attention is being given to local councils’ suggestions before new charing points are installed. This is just one of many initiatives taken into consideration by authorities in order for Malta to transition to a sustainable economic model.

This is also part of the nation’s commitment to follow the UN meeting on Climate Change, COP26. Malta pledged that it will reduce the carbon use within nine years while it will no longer use toxic gas by 2050.

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Photo Source: Miriam Dalli FB

Force 8 winds to batter Maltese islands later today

Feb 1 2022

As hail rained down in various localities around the Maltese islands, the weather is set to get more intense as the days go on.

For today and to kick off a new month, Tuesday 1st February 2022, cold Force 7 winds started the day off. This is set to increase to Force 8 later during the day, report various weather news portals.

The sea is also reportedly forecasted to increase in force, especially in areas wherein the incoming winds match. Temperatures are set to be 13 degrees Celsius as per the highest and 9 degrees Celsius later today.

We all know that this varies in terms of how it feels however, as temperatures are set to feel like 11°C and a freezing 4°C. The chances of thunder and lightning are at a 40%, with more chance of rain expected throughout.

Such weather brings slippery roads, fog, the usual traffic jam and increased cautionary warnings for anyone venturing out. Stay safe out there!

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Photo Source: Ramon Curmi – It-Temp Madwarna

3D avatars are coming to Instagram and Messenger in Meta move

Feb 1 2022

Along with Super Bowl themed shirts, 3D avatars will be coming to Messenger, Facebook and Instagram as part of a ‘metaverse-focused strategy.’ With Facebook changing its company name last fall, it promised an upcoming strategy which would blend VR, AR and the company’s existing social media platforms.

Today, Meta announced that its 3D VR avatars will be showing up on the company’s other apps – Facebook, Messenger and Instagram, with a limited time Super Bowl themed jersey. The current avatar-creation tools which are already on the Oculus Quest 2, and were updated last year, will start appearing on other Facebook apps.

However, using them beyond profile images will mainly happen through sticker-pack-type emoji for now. The avatars will be animated with expressions which can be sent n messages on Messenger or put into Instagram posts. The changes are set to first come to the US, Mexico and Canada but will eventually spread out to other regions next. Facebook already had avatar profile image options before, but the update adds 3D animations.

Meta’s GM of Avatars and Identity Distribution said that the meta verse is seen as an interconnected digital world which bridges VR, AR mobile and computer. ‘Being able to offer avatars across all the platforms is one of our first steps towards making this vision for the metaverse a reality.’ Meta still isn’t allowing more than one avatar ti exist per profile in any app. They are currently designed to be singular, and humanoid based. Meta’s head of Metaverse, Vishal Shah, said that a big part of the company’s avatar and metaverse strategy will be selling virtual items, either for virtual spaces or as avatar accessories.

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Move over Squid Game, ‘All of Us Are Dead’ is the next hit

Feb 1 2022

Squid Game can just move over as a new South Korean thriller has just entered the game and it’s already scored 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. The latest Netflix show ‘All of Us Are Dead’ is a zombie horror which has been receiving critical praise by both audiences and critics after dropping on the 28th of January.

According to ComicBook.com, the show has already reached the third spot on the streaming platform in the US. The thriller is based on a popular webtoon called ‘Now At Our School’ and takes place at a high school which is overrun with zombies.Students are forced to decide whether to hide, flee or fight against the raging monsters, with teasers showing hordes of blood-thirsty zombie-like creatures invading a school.

With the series featuring a young ensemble cast, the early favourable reviews are expected to push ‘All of Us Are Dead’ to rise to the level of other such K-drama Netflix hits like Squid Game in a short amount of time.The series is filled with constant action and gore, but the themes being tackled are highlighted as universal, making it extremely relatable. It’s no wonder that a cross between The Walking Dead and Squid Game is receiving such praise. It still has some way to go before it knocks off the most viewed Netflix show in history, but it’s making a sprint towards the top faster than any of the running zombies it features.

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