Last chance to pick up vote documents today

Mar 24 2022

Today, the 24th of March 2022, is the very last day you can pick up your voting documents, without which one would not be allowed to head to the polls.

The Electoral Commission reminded the public that they can pick up the document from their Naxxar Office as well as the Identity Card Office in Pjazza San Frangisk in Rabat, Ghawdex. The offices are open from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm and from 3:pm to midnight.

Any person going to pick up their document should do so personally and present their ID card. No other identification documents are being accepted when picking up the vote.

No voting documents can be printed, handed out or collected on the 25th and 26th of March according to law.

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Study reveals how much sleep adults need to get each night

Mar 24 2022

Striking the perfect balance between too much and too little sleep is quite the gamble – with some shirking the necessary rest due to overwork and others never wanting to throw off their bedsheets.

Now, a recent scientific study has come out with a brand new finding as to how much an adult needs to sleep in order to function and keep the brain going optimally.

The official guidance from the NHS suggests that we need around six to nine hours of sleep each night, despite many thinking that they can function on less than that. However, the new research claimed that some adults could be sleeping too much.

The research claims that people who sleep less than 4.5 hours or more than 6.5 hours were found to be more at risk of cognitive decline. However, the quality of sleep might be more important.

So anywhere between the 4.5 and 6.5 hour mark is an optimal amount, provided it is quality sleep. Senior psychology lecturer Greg Elder told The Conversation that science isn’t quite sure why lack of sleep increases risk of cognitive decline.

Other factors are surely at play, scientists acknowledge. These could vary from poor health, physical activity and socioeconomic status. But it does come as a bit of a relief for those only manage to fit in few hours of quality sleep.

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Abandoned house to become an LGBTIQ+ community home

Mar 24 2022

LGBTIQ+ rights NGO MGRM took to social media to announce that the progress on a housing project for the community is well under-way.

Titled ‘Dar Qawsalla’, the home has just had the permit approval process completed and the NGO announced that it will be working on the restoration and construction process of the house.

The building was a dilapidated house in San Gwann given to MGRM following a competition organised by the Social Accommodation in order to restore and provide housing for LGBTIQ+ people encountering difficulties throughout their lives.

‘If everything goes to plan, we will be able to host our first guests later in 2023’ the group excitedly announced.

The project still requires heavy investment however, and the NGO urged anyone interested in helping to donate and cover costs on a fundraiser set up by the group.

MGRM is an organisation which ‘strives to achieve full equality for LGBTIQ people in Maltese society’ and a ‘society that enables people to live openly and fully without fear of discrimination.’

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Labour set to win by 39,000 votes predicts final poll before election

Mar 24 2022

The final poll of the 2022 general election is forecasting a 39,000 vote win difference for Labour, despite there being a record drop in voter turnout.

The poll was carried out by statistician Vincent Marmara for L-Orizzont, forecasting a 55.9% vote for Robert Abela’s Labour Party, contrasted to Bernard Grech’s 42.8%. He surveyed 1,800 respondents between March 18 and 23, with a 95% confidence interval and 2.3% margin of error.

This aligns quite closely to other surveys commissioned by other news platforms, with Times of Malta forecasting last week that Labour is set to emerge victorious at 55.1% and the PN at 43.5%.

Should these calculations prove correct, it would signify a third consecutive record victory for PL as it improves its vote count by 0.9% and a decline of 0.9% for the PN from the 2017 election.

The poll by Marmara is also indicating an 88% turnout, a record low in local general elections as they had never seen a dip below the 90% mark. 3.8% of voters who supported Labour in 2017 will not be voting, with PN losing 2.7%.

Around 4.9% of respondents who voted PN in 2017 revealed they intend to vote Labour, whereas 1.4% of PL voters intend to switch to the Opposition. 13.9% of 2017 Nationalist voters are unsure of who to vote for, versus 8.1% of PL voters.

When it comes to third parties and independent candidates, the voting results are set to remain unchanged from 2017 – a mere 1.3%.

#MaltaDaily