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Kristina Timanovskaya: The sprinter refusing to go back to her country because of fear

Aug 3 2021 Share

Kristina Timanovskaya is a Belarusian runner who was being forced to leave Tokyo by her country. The story began when Kristina angrily posted a rant on her Instagram to the Belarus Olympic Committee for choosing her to take part in 400m relay without her consent. This post was later deleted and replaced with a post stating that had they told her she would happily have taken part. The damage unfortunately was done. For context Belarus are governed by an authoritarian government and leader, Alexander Lukashenko. The post didn’t sit well with the higher-ups of the Olympic committee and as a result they forced her to come back to Belarus.

The BOC (Belarus Olympic Committee) have said that the reason for the call back “home” was that Kristina was suffering emotional and psychological pain. With the help of the Belarusian Sport Solidarity Foundation, Kristina has been posting videos of herself telling her fans and Olympics audiences that she is feeling good and has asked for the IOC to interfere.

 

Hearing all this news, many countries have reached to Kristina offering her asylum. Poland have gone one step further granting her a humanitarian visa in order for her to continue running. Her husband had to escape Belarus out of fear and is now in Kiev, but is supposed to be reunited with his wife in Poland. She is now safe, staying at the Polish embassy in Japan waiting for her next steps.

#MaltaDaily

WATCH: Orangutan rocks sunglasses dropped in its enclosure

Orangutan rocks sunglasses dropped in its enclosure
Aug 3 2021 Share

After a woman visiting a zoo drops her sunglasses into an enclosure, the last thing she’d expect was that an orangutan would try them on for size. The ape lumbers forward, child hanging onto its side, and after analysing the object promptly places them onto its face. Its offspring even tries to reach for the sunglasses, with the parent ape swatting its hands away to keep its style.

@minorcrimes

So I’m down a pair of sunglasses but up a very good story #monke

♬ original sound – Lola Testu

The orangutan can be seen trying them in various ways – upside down and backwards, all the while the baby looks on. Finally, the sunglasses didn’t seem to match the orangutan’s likings as it yeets the pair of sunglasses away to enjoy some green grub. Who knew losing sunglasses could be such an interesting incident? Orang-utans are known to have several human-like characteristics and behaviours. They are reportedly able to laugh, recognise different faces, have a hairline and age in the same way humans do. 

#MaltaDaily

Photo Source: @minocrimes TikTok

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Malta added to the US very high COVID-19 travel risk list

Malta added to the US very high COVID-19 travel risk list
Aug 3 2021 Share

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) added 16 new destinations to its very high COVID-19 risk level on Monday, and Malta made the list. According to the CDC, such risk designations of ‘Level 4: COVID-19 Very High’ means that people should avoid travel to these locations. Full vaccination is required before travel to such countries. Malta made the list alongside Greece, Ireland, Iran, Gibraltar and US Virgin Islands. 

The CDC stated that fully vaccinated travellers are far less likely to get infected with or spread COVID-19. International travel still poses risks however, even for those fully vaccinated. The destinations which fall into the very high risk category have had more than 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days. 

#MaltaDaily

Photo Source: Tracy’s Travels in Time

69 COVID-19 cases registered with 134 recoveries

Aug 3 2021 Share

Malta has registered 69 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours from 3,157 swab tests, while 134 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 Monday 2nd August 2021, 762,832 vaccine doses were administered of which 400,760 were 1st doses. 385,049 people are currently fully vaccinated. 

To date, Malta has registered 34,508 COVID-19 cases in total, of which: 32,145 have recovered, 423 died and 1,544 are still active.

Mater Dei Hospital is currently treating a total of 31 COVID-19 positive patients, 5 of whom are in the ITU. The average age of yesterday’s cases was 34.

#MaltaDaily