Australia to give students free access to pads and tampons on campus

Mar 8 2022

The New South Wales government has announced that it will go ahead with plans to roll out period products in schools across the state.

The decision comes just after a successful trial across over 30 schools. Women’s health advocates have long campaigned to make pads and tampons free in schools, with the decision by the government set to cost around $30 million to roll out.

Already, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania have implemented the free products in schools. The NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said that she wants young women to feel comfortable in knowing they have access to free sanitary products when they need.

‘We have seen through the pilot program that providing sanitary items has a positive impact on educational engagement and attainment’ she said. The roll out is slated to be completed by June of this year, and has been well received by many activists and women, especially given it’s coinciding with International Women’s Day.

International Women’s Day in Malta also prompted many politicians campaigning for the March election to reveal several proposals which address the same issue. Labour, Nationalist and even progressive party Volt spoke about putting similar measures if elected into government.

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Reproductive rights are human rights says progressive party Volt Malta

Mar 8 2022

Issuing a statement on International Women’s Day, progressive party Volt Malta reminded the population that the European Parliament declared sexual and reproductive rights as human rights.

The party unveiled its stance that we need to make significant progress to live up to those ideals, working towards gender equality especially when it comes to bodily autonomy.

Outlining its principles, the party said that citizens need to be empowered with correct information growing up, regardless of which schools they go to. Schools ‘must teach an age-appropriate Standard Factual & Inclusive Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights Curriculum. Furthermore, the party aims to make use of public and private media to educate the adult population who didn’t have the opportunity to learn correct information growing up.’

The party is also aiming to widely increase accessibility to contraceptives, classifying them as essential medicines and products. They must be made free from public healthcare institutions and reimbursable from private outlets.

The party wishes to adopt the Fraser Guidelines to ensure individuals who are under 16 are not excluded from them. Accessibility should also be extended to the morning after pill, with the Copper IUD introduced as an emergency contraceptive.

Thomas Kass Mallia aid that every year youths younger than 16 are getting pregnant and that it would be naive to exclude them from access to contraceptives.

Volt also said that abortion should be decriminalised in Malta as it is a healthcare matter not a criminal one. ‘Furthermore, the party believes Malta should legalise Medical abortions. A process that involves using Mifepristone & Misoprostone within the first 12 weeks of the pregnancy.’

The party concluded by saying that it would ensure that it is possible to perform surgery under exceptional, especially life-saving circumstances. The process should also be coupled with abortion after care services.

‘‘It’s 2022, and women are still seen as incubators in the eyes of the law. How many more years are we going to keep the status quo?’’ said Alexia DeBono, Volt Malta Candidate.

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Motorcyclist dies following a Sunday car crash

Mar 8 2022

A 34-year-old motorcyclist from Bulgaria has succumbed to his injuries following a crash in Żejtun on Sunday evening.

The second fatality on the roads in as many days, the food courier was driving in Anton Buttigieg Street, Zejtun when he was involved in a crash with a pick up truck which allegedly emerged from a side-road.

This follows the passing of a 20-year-old motorist who died from injuries he suffered when the car he was driving crashed into a tree and over turned. It also follows an Aldo Moro incident wherein a truck overturned, killing Ajay Shrestha after he was hit by a falling pole.

Rest in Peace

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God of War could be made into a TV series by Amazon Prime

Mar 8 2022

Yes, you read the title correctly – Amazon Prime is in talks to transform playstation’s epic saga of God of War into a live-action TV series.

According to Deadline, Amazon Prime is currently engaging in all the corporate talk and negotiation required to give Kratos a live-action adaptation.

If the rumours are true, the Expanse creators/executive producers Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby could be teaming up with Sony Pictures Television and PlayStation Productions to create a series around the mythical video game.

The rumours have not been confirmed by anyone yet, but this would mean that God of War could join the likes of The Last of Us to be one of the playstation games brought to live-action.

Many fans of the console are familiar with the God of War series, which sees Kratos brutally making his way across the Greek Olympian pantheon through blood, gore and a tormented thirst for vengeance.

However, given that the God of War series was revamped to take Kratos to the freezing North and fight the Norse gods, it is unsure which part of the games the series would be taking on.

Whichever version of the game they take on, it is sure to be the perfect series for all fans of all things mythology, fantasy and adventure. But there are also themes of family, love, loss and vengeance to explore – making it a perfect pick for a TV series.

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