€626.3 million in aid for families and business during pandemic

Jan 27 2022

During the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, government expenditure was characterised by a substantial increase in costs for the economy and health. Social expenditure remained the highest in 2020.

The largest expenditure in the social sector was pensions, wherein costs reach up to a billion in euros. The second largest expenditure of €626.3 million was for financial aid given to families and businesses during the pandemic.

Slightly more than half a billion euros were spent on hospitals. This was revealed by official digits published by the National Statistics Office (NSO) in a review of public finances for 2020.

The government spent around €946 million and a half in public finances when compared to the previous year at around €6,002 million.

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Disney+ streaming service confirmed for Malta this summer

Jan 27 2022

If you’ve delved into every possible show on Netflix and are frustrated you can’t keep up with what Marvel’s doing with their series – fret no more!The popular streaming service from the Walt Disney Company, Disney+, has just confirmed that it will be launching its streaming service to 42 new countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa this summer.

And yes, Malta is one of them! So far, the only streaming services available on the island are Netflix and Amazon Prime. Disney+ will bring yet more shows and content to our shores as it collaborates with Marvel, Disney, Pixar, Star Wars and even National Geographic. The current registration to streaming service in Italy amounts to €8.99 a month or a yearly subscription fee of €89.90. This also comes just as Netflix announced an update to its prices this year.

The streaming service launched in the fall of 2019, made available to only a handful of European countries. As it expands, it posits some competition for Netflix – but we’ll doubt people are willing to give up on Netflix just like that.That means more subscriptions, but also more fees, for TV lovers. Disney+ has long been awaited however, as it has content which people are absolutely obsessed over. We’ll see how it impacts other services on the island.

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Bernard Grech calls to remove ‘discriminatory’ vaccine rules for culture and sports

Jan 27 2022

Opposition leader Bernard Grech urged the government to scrap the COVID-19 vaccine certificate requirements for sports and cultural events along with those authorities announced will be retracted.

Grech described the current rules as ‘discriminatory’, saying that measures keep getting introduced and scrapped.

‘Now that the PN has spoken in favour of freedoms and against discrimination, the people have risen up against you and the election is approaching, the government has suddenly realised that the rules introduced on the 17th of January had to be removed’ said the PN leader in Parliament yesterday.

He said that the PN speak out of conviction and the Labour government speak out of convenience. ‘This is the main difference between us’ said Grech.

Grech brought up a discussion he had with a mother who welcomed the news of easing measures but was worried due to her unvaccinated daughter not being able to go to training yet. He said that he told her to ‘have faith’ because the Opposition will speak on her behalf. ‘In [the PN’s] eyes, you and your daughter are both important.’

Grech went on to accuse the government of displaying a complete lack of empathy for people who are concerned about the booster for medical reasons and urged it to provide a sense of certainty as to whether village feasts will be allowed in summer.

This comes as Health Minister Chris Fearne announced, ten days after vaccine entry rules came into force, that there are plans to ease them in the coming weeks. The Deputy Prime Minister argued this was possible because some 75% of the population has been boosted with hospitalisations remaining low.

Jab certificates will no longer be obligatory to enter restaurants, snack bars, or każini as of 7th February, and they will not be obligatory for bars, gyms and pools as of the 14th. However, the rules will remain obligatory for casinos, nightclubs, travel, sports and events.

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Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna immortalised in bronze LA statue

Jan 27 2022

Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna were immortalised through a bronze statue placed at the crash sit on the two year anniversary of the helicopter collision which killed nine people.The statue of the hall-of-fame star and his 13-year-old daughter was placed at the site in a mountainous area of Calabasas in LA. The sculptor, Dan Medina, said ‘heroes come and go but legends are forever.’

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A plaque honours the other seven victims with their names on a plaque at the base. The piece depict Kobe looking down at Gianna, who was just 13-years-old at the time of her death. With her father’s left arm on her shoulder, Gianna is depicted carrying a basketball whilst looking up to her father. Both are wearing their respective basketball uniform, with Kobe in his Lakers No. 24 uniform.

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Medina placed the statue on the morning of the anniversary where it will only stay for the remainder of the day. However, he plans to continue to display it every anniversary of the tragedy and on Bryant’s birthday. With dozens paying their respects, Medina revealed he is working on a life-size version of the same statue which is 90% complete.

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‘I think we need something like this to be installed on a permanent basis. It hasn’t been done yet and this is maybe a catalyst for that. But I’m willing to donate whatever’s here at no cost. That’s the hope, to find a way to have it permanently installed.’

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Photo Source: @medina_sculptures IG