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Ban on demolition and excavation in touristic areas for summer

Ban on demolition and excavation in touristic areas for summer
May 13 2022 Share

A ban has been placed on demolition and excavation works within touristic areas for the period of 15th June up to the 30th of September. 

The areas which will see the prohibition are the localities of Cottonera, Floriana, Sliema, Gzira, Mellieħa, Rabat, Mdina, Marsaskala, Birzebbuġa, Marsaxlokk, Swieqi, St Paul’s Bay, Wied Iż–Żurrieq and Floriana in Malta.

As for Gozo, the localities are Qala, Sannat, San Lawrenz, Victoria, Marsalforn, Għasri, Mġarr, Għajnsielem, Xagħra and Xlendi. 

The Planning Authority released a statement saying that the enforcement is one way of mitigating the nuisance that construction sites have on both the tourism industry and the number of Maltese families who move to summer residences. 

‘The demolition and excavation phases at a construction site are by far the greatest inconvenience for the surrounding neighbourhood’ read the statement. Any illegal works carried out during this period can be reported to the Building and Construction Authority. The full list can be found here. 

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Elon Musk’s $44 billion Twitter deal is currently on hold…

Elon Musk’s $44 billion Twitter deal is currently on hold…
May 13 2022 Share

Elon Musk’s $44 billion purchase of Twitter is currently on hold, the Tesla CEO confirmed. 

It all started when the SpaceX chief and multi-billionaire became the social media firm’s largest single stakeholder with a 9.2% stake. After much speculation, Musk revealed he had intended to buy the entire platform. 

However, an investigation into the ratio of bot accounts to actual users has put the deal in limbo. The richest man alive had been very clear that he wanted to make Twitter better than ever by defeating spam bots and focusing on ‘free speech.’

On Friday, Musk posted a link to an article which states that spam/fake accounts represent less than 5% of 229 million monetisable daily active users.  

In fact, Friday’s announcement saw Twitter’s shares drop by 20% in early electronic trading. Other bumps on the road came from Musk’s claim that he would lift the ban off Donald J. Trump’s Twitter account. 

Many activists and users have also since claimed that they would boycott the platform if Musk opened up the gates to abusive and misinformation posts. It remains to be seen whether Musk will go through with the deal, but it is not looking good… 

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9 million people aged 15 to 30 in Europe suffer from mental health problems

9 million people aged 15 to 30 in Europe suffer from mental health problems
May 13 2022 Share

A recent report by Mental Health Europe (MHE) showed that 9 million young people between the ages of 15 to 30 living in Europe suffer from mental health problems. 

The Office of the Commissioner for the Promotion of Rights of Persons with Mental Disorders presented the data during a European Mental Health Week conference. 

The World of Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that 50% of mental health problems which currently affect adults start in their adolescence, with Malta in a similar position. Data showed that persons between the ages of 15 and 24-years-old who suffer from mental health problems has doubled, with the pandemic contributing to these numbers. 

The Commissioner for the Rights of Persons with Mental Disorders Denis Vella said that the problem must be pointed out before it escalates and that more emphasis on education for children needs to increase. 

Several organisations, such as Dar Kenn Ghal Sahtek, are working to address such issues, but they all acknowledged that more work needs to be done. Focus on breaking the stigma against speaking up about mental health issues has taken priority to help people seek help and thus prevent the issues from growing. 

#MaltaDaily

WATCH: Close call as trailer dangerously manoeuvres in Hal Far road

WATCH: Close call as trailer dangerously manoeuvres in Hal Far road
May 13 2022 Share

A video posted to RUBS Road Page shows what could have been a horrific disaster. 

A driver narrowly avoids a head-on collision after a large trailer overtook another vehicle in Hal Far. The trailer in question swerves onto the wrong side of the road, narrowly missing the car driving towards them both. 

 

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Times of Malta revealed that a spokesperson for Concorde International Freight Forwarders Ltd said that the driver has been temporarily suspended until the management decides the disciplinary action to be taken. 

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