€250 fines for two men using fake disabled parking permits

Feb 18 2022

Two men have been fined €250 each for using a fake Blue Badge which was originally issued for use for their parents.

This was revealed by the Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD), revealing that the first person was a 20-year-old from Swieqi.

He was identified by the police during a patrol in St Julians after they spotted his car parked in a space reserved for Blue Badge holders. Following investigations with the CRPD it was concluded that it was in fact fake with the date on the badge manipulated. It had originally been issued for the man’s mother.

The second case involved the CRPD receiving a report form the public that a person who seemed he did not have a physical disability was making use of the badge. After enforcement officials convened on the spot, it was concluded that the badge had been reported lost or stolen.

Following enquiries with the St Julians police station, it was established that the fake badge had originally been issued to a father of a 37-year-old man form Sliema. Inspector Leeroy Balzan Engerer led both prosecutions, with Magistrate Ian Farrugia finding them both guilty.

#MaltaDaily

Rachel Lowell enchants the audience with ‘White Doves’

Feb 18 2022

Ensuring that her Malta Eurovision Song Contest debut is one to remember, Rachel Lowell hits the stage with utmost confidence, singing a song about faith. Her performance of ‘White Doves’ conveys a message of faith, complemented by visuals of actual white doves, the symbols of peace.

Lowell reportedly wanted actual doves on stage, but unfortunately the Eurovision Song Contest’s rules stipulate that no animals are allowed on stage.

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Nicole Azzopardi brings it back with ‘Into the Fire’

Feb 18 2022

Eurovision vibes at their very best, Nicole Azzopardi put on a super-energetic performance which definitely gave the audiences the vibes they needed. The singer’s presentation of ‘Into the Fire’ was characterised by the high-octane, fiery visuals accompanying her vocal performance.

Nicole had previously represented Malta in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2010 with the track ‘Knock Knock!… Boom! Boom!’

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Life back to normal? Mask removals, return of feasts and more easing…

Feb 18 2022

Could this be the start of a slow progression back to before the COVID-19 pandemic?

Active cases have finally dropped below 1,000, registering at 988 of COVID-19 positive individuals in Malta. With 79 new cases registered between Thursday and Friday, 288 people recovered. Hospitalisations are also low, with 46 currently at Mater Dei, 4 of whom in the Intensive Care Unit.

The vaccination rate is also contributing highly to this as 1,234,688 doses have been administered till yesterday. This comes as new measures were eased and announced, with standing events and feast celebrations possibly returning within weeks.

Health Minister Chris Fearne said that authorities are analysing whether or not measure easing would negatively affect public health, hospital load and ITU cases. Fearne also announced that as of March 14th, masks will no longer remain obligatory in open public spaces. They will still be obligatory for indoor public spaces such as mass gatherings.

Primary contacts too will be able to quarantine seven days instead of 10, but only applicable for fully vaccinated individuals. As of March 7th, quarantine for vaccinated primary contacts will be completely eradicated.

It’s been two years ever since we’ve went about our normal life without a pandemic threatening to strike at every corner. The prospect of return to normalcy has raised some questions as to what normalcy actually was.

And yet, the possibility remains desirable, but ever more elusive. Authorities still urge everyone to get vaccinated in order to prevent new variants from emerging and setting the progress back.

#MaltaDaily