Maltese Born Kevin Bonavia Elected In UK Election

Jul 5 2024

Malta-born Kevin Bonavia has been elected to the UK House of Commons as a Labour Party candidate. He won the seat in the north London constituency of Stevenage, Hertfordshire, which had been under Conservative control since 2010.

Bonavia secured 17,698 votes, defeating Conservative candidate Alex Clarkson, who received 11,080 votes.

Labour achieved a landslide victory in Thursday’s elections, with projections indicating they will secure over 400 seats.

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After his victory was announced, Bonavia expressed that it was the “honour of his life” to be elected and pledged to restore the MP role to its core purpose of service.

Bonavia, 46, was born in Malta and spent his early years in Rabat, where he helped his father with a beachside business renting umbrellas and boats.

At age 8, he moved to the UK, where his father worked as a cab driver before his parents started a café and a video rental store. In his victory speech, Bonavia thanked his parents for teaching him the value of hard work and helping others.

Stevenage has been a constituency since 1983. It was held by the Conservatives for 14 years until Labour’s Tony Blair won a landslide victory in 1997, when Barbara Follett replaced Tim Wood as MP. Bonavia now takes over from outgoing Tory MP Stephen McParland.

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YouTuber Holds ‘L’ Behind Rishi Sunak For Losing Election

Jul 5 2024

Following the Conservative Party’s defeat in the general election, Rishi Sunak, who retained his seat in Richmond and Northallerton, fell victim to a prank by YouTuber Niko Omilana.

During Sunak’s speech, Omilana, who had stood as an independent candidate, walked behind him holding a paper with the letter “L,” implying “loser.” Omilana later claimed the prank on social media, writing, “Hold this L Rishi, your time is up.”

Despite efforts to remove Omilana from the camera frame, he remained visible. Sunak described the election result as “a sobering verdict” and took responsibility for the Conservatives’ loss.

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A post shared by Niko Omilana (@niko)

He expressed regret for the many hardworking Conservative candidates who were defeated, including former Prime Minister Liz Truss, Commons leader Penny Mordaunt, and Defence Secretary Grant Shapps.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, poised to become Prime Minister, celebrated the victory, stating that change “begins now.”

He emphasized Labour’s readiness to serve the country and pledged an “age of national renewal” despite acknowledging the challenges ahead. Starmer spoke of the “sunlight of hope” shining again for Britain after 14 years.

Meanwhile, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn retained his Islington North seat as an independent candidate, defeating Labour’s Praful Nargund by 7,247 votes. Corbyn dedicated his victory to the people of Islington North, emphasizing his campaign’s positivity and commitment to unity.

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Swimmers Sasha Gatt to Represent Malta in Paris Olympics This Summer

Jul 5 2024

The Maltese Olympic Committee has announced the addition of two more athletes to the Maltese team for the Games for the XXXIII Olympics in Paris, which is set to take place from July 26th to August 11.

Swimmer Sasha Gatt, who is competing for the second time in the Olympics after her debut in Tokyo in 2021. will be part of the team. Sasha Gatt , is one of the youngest members of the Maltese contingent in Tokyo, has been recently performing consistently in the 1500m, 400m, and 800m freestyle events. Important to note, that she achieved two season bests in the 400m freestyle at the Mare Nostrum Swim Tour 2024 in Barcelona.

Kyle Micallef will also be joining Sasha at the Paris La Défense Arena, making his Olympic debut. As he was currently studying in the United States, Kyle Micallef set a national record in the 50m freestyle with a time of 22.80 at the European Aquatics Championships in Belgrade earlier this week.

Charlene Attard, the Maltese Olympic Committee Director of Sport, emphasised that the athletes have demonstrated consistent performances in their preparation for potential selection for the Paris Games. Their selection was made possible through Universality Places programme, which is assigned by the Olympic Games Tripartite Commission, based on the athlete’s international competitive experience, technical level, and commitment to qualifying for the Olympics by participating in relevant qualifying events.

Sasha Gatt and Kyle Micallef will join three other Maltese athletes at the Games: Judoka Katryna Esposito, shooter Gianluca Chetcuti, and sprinter Beppe Grillo.

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Sunday Is Hospice Malta’s ‘L-Aħħar Pass’ Fundraising Telethon

Tomorrow Is Hospice Malta's 'L-Aħħar Pass' Fundraising Telethon

Jul 5 2024

Hospice Malta, the NGO dedicated to free palliative care, is launching its annual fundraising telethon, ‘L-Aħħar Pass,’ on Sunday, 7th July 2024, from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm.

The telethon aims to secure public support to finalise the St Michael Hospice complex, set to open in September 2024.

Broadcast live for 12 hours from St Michael Hospice in Santa Venera, the event will feature touching stories and interviews highlighting Hospice Malta’s impact and the importance of completing the hospice project.

St Michael Hospice, Malta’s first palliative care complex, is a significant milestone in Hospice Malta’s 34-year history, providing crucial in-patient facilities and expanded services for patients with life-limiting illnesses.

Ms. Bernadette Bonnici Kind, Chairperson of Hospice Malta, expressed gratitude and urged the public, benefactors, and businesses to support this nationally important project.

CEO Kenneth Delia highlighted the nearing completion of St Michael Hospice, which will enhance current services and offer potential for future expansion.

In 2023, Hospice Malta served nearly 900 new patients and 1,500 families, providing almost 37,000 care sessions with the help of 11,000 volunteer hours.

The telethon is essential for sustaining high-quality palliative care services. Donations can be made via calls, SMS, online platforms, and pledges, bringing Hospice Malta closer to realising the vision of St Michael Hospice.

For more information and to donate, visit here.

Donation Details:

ONLINE

CALL: €25 – 5180 2024 | €50 – 5190 2031

SMS: €11.65 – 5061 9234

BOV Mobile: 7993 3894

BOV Bill Payable or APS Bill Payable

PLEDGE: 2122 0011

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