Calls to decriminalise abortion sound again after court case

Jun 2 2023

Following the news that a Maltese woman was brought to court after facing criminal charges for self-managing a medical abortion at home, the abortion debate which had taken Malta by storm after a bill was proposed by the Maltese government picked up steam once more.

It was revealed in a statement by Doctors for Choice Malta that the woman had reached out to them asking for help after being reported by someone known to her.

She was referred to the legal team of the Women’s Rights Foundation, and was found guilty and handed a conditional discharge for three years.

‘We have one clear message after today: this will continue to happen. We often hear in public and political discourse that women are never prosecuted in Malta for accessing abortion’, wrote Voice For Choice. ‘Today was an outrageous and painful reminder that this is not unthinkable, that it has happened, and can happen to any pregnant person who has an abortion through any means in our country.’

‘Every year, hundreds of women in Malta self-manage their own abortions. Medical abortion pills (mifepristone and misoprostol) are safe and are listed on the WHO’s list of essential medicines. However, the criminalisation of abortion means that people worry about accessing the care they need for fear of legal (and social) repercussions. In the absence of laws that protect them, they feel alone – scared of talking about it and scared of seeking support.’

‘There cannot be talk of equality as long as women and people who can get pregnant who access abortions continue to be treated as criminals.’

The groups calling for the decriminalisation of abortion and issuing the statement are: Academics for Choice, Aditus Foundation, Doctors for Choice, Grandparents for Choice (Nanniet għall-Għażla), Integra Foundation, Lawyers for Choice, Moviment Graffitti, Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement, Malta Humanist Association, Men Against Violence, Parents for Choice, Women’s Rights Foundation and Young Progressive Beings.

#MaltaDaily

AI recreates Valletta City Gate from 1964

Jun 2 2023

AI creator @malta.ai is at it again, this time reimagining Valletta City Gate were the post-independence alterations have remained to this day.

‘The gate’s sculptural relief, created by artist Edward Caruana Dingli, depicts historical motifs and symbols, capturing the spirit of a nation forging its own identity’ the creator explained.

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A post shared by Colour My Travel – Tours Malta (@colourmytravel)

In collaboration with Colour My Travel, the images show the entrance during the day and at night as people make their way into or out of the capital of the island.

‘The architecture reflects the prevailing modernist style of the time, with clean lines and geometric forms. The gate’s design aimed to project a sense of authority and power, symbolizing Malta’s newfound independence. Its rigid and robust appearance reflects the aspirations and optimism of a young nation breaking free from its colonial past.’

#MaltaDaily

Malta reaches 20 gold medals in GSSE

Jun 2 2023

Excuse the pun, but Malta has made well with its golden opportunity of playing at home to rack up a total of 20 gold medals as of Thursday, 1st June in the Games of the Small States of Europe.

Yesterday saw a total of 18 medals in total won, with 8 of them Gold, building up on the previously won 12 in the previous days.

This time around it was Janet Richard who won gold in Athletics Women’s 400m and Claire Azzopardi yet again in the Athletics Women’s Triple Jump. Gina McNamara too won another Gold in Athletics Women’s 1500m.

Matthew Grech won the medal in Shooting Men’s Double Trap, followed by the Malta Squash Men’s Team and closed off by Camella Iacob and Renata Strbikova in the Table Tennis Women’s Doubles.

Swimming too saw two gold awarded, with Kyle Micallef winning it in the Swimming Men’s 50m Freestyle and Georgia Kate Bohl in the Swimming Women’s 100m Breaststroke.

Here are the other awards for the day:

SILVER

Athletics Men’s Long Jump – Jeremy Zammit
Athletics Men’s 400m – Graham Pellegrini
Athletics Women’s Triple Jump – Rebecca Sare’
Athletics Women’s 1500m – Mireya Bugeja
Shooting Men’s Double Trap – William Chetcuti
Table Tennis Men’s Doubles – Dimitrij Prokopcov/Felix Wetzel

BRONZE

Athletics Men’s Long Jump – Ian Paul Grech
Athletics Men’s 1500m – Jared Micallef
Athletics Men’s 3000m Steeplechase – Luke Micallef
Swimming Women’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay – Malta Team

#MaltaDaily

Dale’s Future on Love Island Hangs in the Balance: What Lies Ahead

Jun 1 2023

After Nicola’s shocking decision to choose Andriy over Dale, speculation arises regarding Dale’s future at the Love Island villa. Here are some possibilities:

The girls have previously expressed that they only spared Dale from elimination because they wanted Nicola to be happy. Now that he is no longer with Nicola, if the girls face a similar situation, there would be no reason for them to hesitate in choosing to eliminate Dale.
Another scenario could involve the producers allowing the public to determine the fate of the islanders. Based on recent polls and public opinion, Dale currently appears to be the least favored islander, making him highly susceptible to elimination through public voting.
It has been some time since new bombshells entered the villa. If this happens in the near future, Dale might have an opportunity to form a couple with one of the new arrivals, as he has previously expressed interest in exploring connections with bombshells, even while he was with Nicola.
Winning back Nicola remains a possibility, although it may seem like a plot from an “Mission Impossible” movie. Dale has made it clear that he is willing to fight for her, and Nicola still holds feelings for Dale, evident from her choice to sleep with Dale’s sweater despite selecting Andriy. She may want to see Dale make an effort to win her back.

The fate of Dale is uncertain, and it remains to be seen which direction his journey on Love Island will take.

#MaltaDaily