EMA to decide on extending COVID vaccine to kids aged 5 to 11

Nov 23 2021

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) will be discussing an application inputted by Pfizer-BioNTech to extend the Comirnaty COVID-19 jab to kids between ages of 5 to 11 on Thursday.

The vaccine is as of yet approved for use in people aged 12 and over. According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), 65% of Europe is fully vaccinated.

This also follows the rollout of the booster dose, with Deputy Prime Minister having just received his own third jab and urging people to do the same.

Malta is at the forefront of vaccinations as the rest of Europe lags behind and registers a massive spike in cases. Malta is also experiencing a significant rise in cases, but the focus on hospitalisations and deaths instead of cases allowed the Health Ministry to not add or remove any health restrictions.

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Probe into alleged Eurovision betting spend finds no irregularities

Nov 23 2021

According to broadcasting Minister Carmelo Abela, an investigation into the allegation that Malta spent a massive portion of its Eurovision budget on manipulating betting odds found no wrongdoing.

Following a report by Times of Malta that Malta spent over €650,000 promoting Malta’s entry, the probe was launched. It was claimed that a part of the budget was used to manipulate the betting odds in order to make Malta a frontrunner in the competition.

Abela told The Malta Independent that the audit found that both the Malta Tourism Authority and the Public Broadcasting Service worked within their own respective procurement regulations.

The minister declined making the report public, arguing that there were restrictions on the publication of the full report. Malta was considered a massive contender for the victory but instead placed 7th.

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Squid Game overtaken by South Korean horror ‘Hellbound’

Nov 23 2021

It seems as though South Korean TV series are taking the world by absolute storm. But this is bad news for Squid Game as it loses its place from most popular Netflix series globally.

Fantasy horror series ‘Hellbound’ toppled Squid Game, becoming the most watched Netflix television series on the 20th of November. It topped the streaming ratings in more than 80 countries within 24 hours of its debut.

The series is just as violent as Squid Game, but instead centres around a team of demons who hunt down sinners who have been previously visited by a mysterious being who informs them of their date and time of death. Yep, bizarre.

The massive monsters incinerate their victims and send them to hell, and this prompts an outbreak of public hysteria. By comparison, an estimated 142m households in 94 countries watched Squid Game in October. It generated an estimated $900m in profit for Netflix as these ultra violent series captivate Netflix viewers by the millions.

Have you watched either series yet and which one did you prefer?

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Photo Source: Polygon, The Daily Beast

Christmas has come to Valletta as lights decorate the city

Nov 23 2021

Valletta has taken new festive life as the Christmas spirit manifests through spectacular lights and decorations to captivate both locals and tourists alike.

Switched on by Culture Minister Jose Herrera and Valletta Cultural Agency CEO Jason Micallef, the Christmas in the City entertainment programme was also kicked off, set to run till the new year.

With a large Christmas Tree set up just inside the city gate opposite parliament, several lights shine across the streets and a crib attracts the tourist gaze in St John Square.

Posting to Facebook, Micallef announced the beginning of the festive season in the capital city. He highlighted the beautiful atmosphere created through song and music upon launch.

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Photo Source: Jason Micallef FB, Darren Agius VCA