Global coffee supply under threat as Vietnam enters lockdown

Sep 1 2021

We might have some bad news for coffee lovers out there. Concerns over the global coffee supply are growing as Vietnam imposed tough COVID-19 travel restrictions to tackle the aggressive spread of the Delta variant. Vietnam is the second biggest exporter of coffee, with supply chains now being disrupted due to the health measures in the country. Lockdown measures have impacted the port of Ho Chi Minh City as well as coffee-growing areas of the Central Highlands.

The Vietnam Coffee-Cocoa Association urged the government to ease the restrictions as traders struggled to transport beans to ports for export. Despite having managed to contain the spread last year through rigorous contact tracing and lockdowns, the south-east Asian country’s economic growth has been threatened by its inability to do the same with the Delta variant. The total caseload for Vietnam rose to 445,292, which is up from the measly 1,500 infections during all of 2020.

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Photo Source: Gardenia Pharmacy, Wego Travel Blog

Scotland to trial four-day work week

Sep 1 2021

Scotland is going be trying out a four-day work week without loss of pay. This comes just as among proposals for Malta’s 2022 budget the same concept was put forth for consideration for our island. The reduced hours will not have to be taken weekly and could be targeted at particular groups such as parents. This scheme sounds great for employees, with around 80% of the population preferring this over the traditional 5-days.

A report out today includes some ideas for how this 4-day work week could be taken on, with Iceland and New Zealand taken on for inspiration. However, accompanied with the 4-day work week needs to be accompanied by other measures which make workers feel valued. This includes high-quality management, flexibility, autonomy and trust on the work place. The reduced hours could be used to boost training or bundled into sabbatical breaks from work. It remains to be seen if Malta follows in these footsteps…

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Photo Source: CNN,, The Conversation

Pope Francis could visit Malta in November 2021

Sep 1 2021

Despite there being no confirmed dates yet, Pope Francis might be visiting the Maltese islands at the end of November. Sources close to those arranging the Pope’s trip spoke anonymously and stated that the Vatican has not confirmed any dates. It is also unclear whether the visit to Malta will be combined with trips to Cyprus which, according to the Cypriot government, would happen in December.

The Cyprus trip is expected for the 2nd and 3rd of the last month of the year, but Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni did not confirm or deny the Cyprus trip. The Pope was expected to visit Malta in May last year but plans were postponed due to COVID-19. With a stopover in Gozo included in the trip, Pope Francis would be the third Roman Catholic pontiff to visit Malta after St John Paul II and pope emeritus Benedict XVI.

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Photo Source: The Telegraph, comece.eu

76 COVID-19 cases registered with 49 recoveries

Sep 1 2021

Malta has registered 76 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours from 4,043 swab tests, while 49 patients have recovered. No deaths were registered in the past 24 hours. This information was announced by the official Facebook page of Malta’s Ministry for Health.

As of Tuesday 31st August 2021, 797,017 vaccine doses were administered of which 413,985 were 1st doses. 412,767 people are currently fully vaccinated.

To date, Malta has registered 36,247 COVID-19 cases in total, of which: 34,727 have recovered, 441 died and 683 are still active.

Mater Dei Hospital is currently treating a total of 31 COVID-19 positive patients, 2 of whom are in the ITU.

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