Maltese MEPs in split vote as ‘abortion’ report passes in European Parliament

Jun 25 2021

Maltese MEPs of both political parties exhibited a mixed voting patter on Thursday after the passing of the sensitive Matic report calling for universal access to safe and legal abortion in the EU.

Labour MEP Cyrus Engerer was the only Maltese MEP to vote in favour of the report, with fellow Labour MEP Alex Agius Saliba joining Nationalist MEPs Roberta Metsola and David Casa voting against while Labour MEPs Alfred Sant and Josianne Cutajar abstained.

The report raised a fair amount of controversy after Croatian MEP Predrag Fred Matic claiming a campaign of misinformation by a Polish anti-human rights organisation.

The report calls for a universal provision of contraceptive supplies, counselling and widespread information of contraception, amongst other proposals.

#MaltaDaily

UK to impose ban on junk food advertising online & after 9pm from 2023

Jun 25 2021

In attempt to tackle the UK’s ongoing obesity crisis, the UK government is set to impose a ban on junk food advertising as from 2023, a ban which prohibits TV advertising after 9PM and all forms of online paid promotion.

These new measures, which many have called radical marketing restrictions, will impact a market which spends over £600 million per year on food advertising.

The 9pm television ban applies to products which have been deemed to be high in fat, salt and sugar while the online ad ban concerns all online paid promotion including Facebook ads, paid Google results, text message promotions and sponsored posts on Instagram and Twitter.

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WATCH: Pope Francis’ trip to Malta “is on the agenda”

Jun 25 2021

In a recent meeting with Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo and Holy See ambassador for Malta Frank Zammit, Pope Francis stated that his visit to Malta is still on the agenda.

During their meeting, Pope Francis confirmed with Minister Bartolo that his visit to Malta is still on his agenda, with the Minister gifting a book of Malta’s religious attractions soon after.

After receiving the book, the Pope smiled and recalled the biblical episode of when St. Paul was bitten by a snake after his shipwreck on the island of Melita.

✈️ Ninsab fi triqti lejn Ruma 🇮🇹 bil-għan li nsaħħu l-ħidma tagħna biex nattiraw lejn pajjiżna t-turiżmu reliġjuż.

Posted by Clayton Bartolo on Tuesday, 22 June 2021

In a recent social media post, the Tourism Minister reiterated his commitment to increase the demand and promotion of faith tourism in Malta.

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Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association predicting tourism recover for Malta during summer

Jun 25 2021

The Maltese Association of Hotels and Restaurants is predicting a steady recovery for local tourism following the country’s entry into the UK travel green list.

MHRA President Tony Zahra welcomed Malta’s green list qualification with open arms, highlighting the decision as a critical turning point in Malta’s tourism recovery, with the UK being Malta’s primary market in tourism.

Zahra applauded the Government’s creation of balance between economy and health, going on to highlight that we must remain vigilant as the pandemic and its challenges are still among us.

“We are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. So now is the time for us to work together to revive the tourism sector which is crucial for the local economy”.

#MaltaDaily