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Customs canine Charlie intercepts €38,000 in undeclared cash

Customs canine Charlie intercepts €38,000 in undeclared cash
Dec 24 2021 Share

Customs sniffer canine Charlie managed to intercept over €38,000 in undeclared cash this week. 

The Customs Department issued a statement on Friday detailing the finds. €15,000 were first intercepted when the K9 unit dog gave positive indication on a checked-in piece of luggage at the airport loading tunnel. 

Charlie also made a positive indication on a Maltese passenger who was travelling with his wife and daughter in the departures lounge. A search resulted in the find of €22,000 in the man’s jacket, €1,230 in the wallet and €355 in the female passenger’s purse. 

The woman and daughter were given an allowance of €10,000 each whilst the man was offered an out-of-court settlement which he agreed to and signed for the rest of the money, receiving a fine as well. 

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Photo Source: Customs Malta FB

TikTok beats Google as most visited internet website

TikTok beats Google as most visited internet website
Dec 24 2021 Share

TikTok has, for the first time ever, surpassed both Facebook and Google as the most popular internet website. According to a technology firm tracking online activity called Cloudfare, TikTok was deemed to be the most visited website and most widely used social media platform. The ranking is based on how much web traffic a site generated in 2021. 

TikTok was launched back in 2016 by Chinese startup ByteDance, garnering massive attention a year later when it bought rival app Musical.ly. Popularity surged in the US in 2020, with some of the platform’s most iconic videos hitting the web. 

Despite garnering massive attention, TikTok never rose higher than Number 7 in web traffic. This changed in 2021, with it’s top spot achieved in February for a day. After that, it constantly rose to the top, keeping it steady by August. According to Cloudfare, more than 1 billion users sign on to scroll TikTok monthly, most of them kids or teenagers. It has also notably led to the rise of several artists and stars, including Lil Nas X. 

TikTok was followed by Google and Facebook in 2nd and 3rd place. Netflix follows Amazon in 7th and 6th place respectively, with YouTube in 8th place. In terms of social media platforms, Facebook remains one of the most widely used platforms, outranked only by TikTok in 2021. YouTube, Twitter and Instagram follow suit in 3rd, 4th and 5th place. 

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The Omicron variant is in Malta: what do we know about it?

The Omicron variant is in Malta: what do we know about it?
Dec 23 2021 Share

Earlier today, Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne addressed a press conference revealing that Malta has registered its first two cases of the Omicron variant, whilst also reaching a record-high daily case number with 733… but what do we know about the Omicron variant?

While the heavily-mutated variant was declared ‘of concern’ by the World Health Organization, recent studies have shown that the Omicron COVID-19 variant has less severe consequences on people’s health.

Early results have shown that hospital treatment is required less when individuals contract the Omicron variant, as opposed to other variants, with a decrease of up to 70% on occasion. Despite this, concerns remain persistent because, despite Omicron having less severe consequences, high hospitalisation numbers may put pressure on national health care systems as infections continue to rise.

Earlier today, Chris Fearne and Superintendent for Public Health Prof. Charmaine Gauci announced a number of new measures with regards to the current COVID-19 situation in Malta. Amongst other measures, standing events will all be cancelled as of Monday with establishments to close at 1am while bars, band clubs and most other establishments will only be accessible upon presentation of a valid vaccine certificate.

What do you make of this situation?

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No rain on Christmas Day; winds expected to increase over the weekend

No rain on Christmas Day; winds expected to increase over the weekend
Dec 23 2021 Share

Despite a recent drop in temperatures and increasing winds, the most wonderful time of the year looks like it will be welcome some equally wonderful weather, with the Malta International Airport’s meteorological office forecasting clear skies and dry conditions.

The Malta International Airport’s meteorological office forecasts clear skies and dry conditions. The report states that locals and travellers alike will be able to soak up the festive atmosphere ‘without any inclement weather threatening to dampen the Christmas spirit.’ An area of high-pressure is expected to hover of the Mediterranean, with cloudy skies and force 2 to 3 winds expected to blow on Christmas Eve and increase to force 4 to 5 through the entirety of Christmas Day, which will start off partly cloudy but clear up during the day.

The wind will gradually decrease to force 4 on Boxing Day, with temperatures to reach highs of 19°C and lows of 14°C.

Do you look forward to a sunny Christmas?

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