Michael Mifsud To Join Man Utd Vs Coventry Commentary

Apr 16 2024

This weekend’s FA Cup semi-final features Coventry City against Manchester United, marking their first meeting since a League Cup tie in 2007. A win at Wembley would send the Sky Blues to their first FA Cup final since their historic 1987 victory.

Mifsud revealed on a social media video that he will be joining the BBC CWR Commentary Team for the upcoming match this Sunday.

Maltese Michael Mifsud scored the two winning goals during the historic match, seeing the the Maltese striker eastablishing a cult-hero status in Coventry. In the 2007/08 League Cup third-round clash, then in the Championship, Coventry faced Sir Alex Ferguson’s formidable Manchester United squad. Despite expectations favouring the reigning Premier League champions, Coventry, led by Mifsud, defied the odds.

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Mifsud broke the deadlock on 27 minutes by converting Michael Doyle’s cross, stunning the Old Trafford crowd.

Then, on 70 minutes, the Malta international’s clinical finish ignited jubilation among the 11,000 traveling Sky Blues supporters, securing a historic victory. United’s lineup boasted future World Cup and Champions League winner Gerard Pique, Portugal’s Nani, and Michael Carrick coming off the bench.

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Floriana Car-Cade As Feast of St Publius Kicks Off Festa Season

Apr 16 2024

Many from Floriana took to the streets with their cars yesterday in a traditional car-cade in celebration of the first festa which kicks off the season in Malta.

The car-cade celebration goes back ages as the Malta Premier League and the feast used to link together on the spring/summer schedule.

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This would see many from the locality celebrating victories during the league with a car-cade, waving around football club banners, as they enter the festa season.

This year, Floriana are at the top of the standings with 57 points, ahead with Ħamrun Spartans and Sliema Wanderers, who have 55 and 43 points respectively.

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Tradition Of Throwing Down Toys From Balconies In Floriana Feast

Apr 16 2024

As festa season kicks off in Malta with the feast of St Publius in Floriana, the tradition of throwing down toys from house balconies played out as it has been doing so for many years.

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Originally, prayer beads were thrown out of the balconies with paper flowers so that residents could decorate cars and buses during the traditional ‘xalata’.

Many people gathered to grab a hold of the thrown beads, but this eventually changed into throwing toys, towels, t-shirts and other items as the band march makes its way through the streets.

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Source: James Aaron Ellul

IVF Refunds Extended For Maltese Prospective Parents

Apr 16 2024

Refunds on IVF medication have been extended to prospective parents undergoing IVF in Malta, as well as prospective parents who have undergone IUI, IVF, or embryo transfer at private clinics as of January 1, 2023. This was announced by the Minister for Health and Active Ageing, Jo Etienne Abela.

The Assisted Reproduction Sector, known as IVF, has been regulated by the Embryo Protection Authority since 2013. It was explained that from then until today, a total of 601 babies have been born, and currently, there are 50 mothers expecting to give birth to another 55 babies.

Minister Abela explained how the government empathises with the sacrifices made by prospective parents undergoing IVF, which is why, since 2015, services have been offered free of charge at Mater Dei Hospital. These services continued to expand with amendments to the law enacted in 2018 and 2022.

The Minister stated that by the end of March 2024, the Embryo Protection Authority (EPA) approved over one million and twenty-eight thousand euros (€1,028,543.54) to be reimbursed to prospective parents for the medication expenses they incurred.

Minister Abela announced that following discussions with the competent regulator, the EPA, this refund will now also be extended to prospective parents undergoing IVF in licensed centres and not just at Mater Dei. Every prospective parent who undergoes IUI, IVF, or embryo transfer in private clinics until January 1, 2023, will also be eligible for this refund.

He explained that with this refund, a total of 285 prospective parents who have undergone 56 IUIs, 131 embryo transfers, and 98 IVF procedures until January 1, 2023, will benefit. The government will be reimbursing around two hundred fifty thousand euros in total. This will be in addition to the 634 prospective parents who have already benefited from the medication refund for services offered at Mater Dei until January 1, 2022.

“This is evidence of the investment the Government is making. We are committed to improving IVF services and being a support and assistance to Maltese and Gozitan families,” Minister Abela concluded.

Applications and original receipts for medication must be submitted to licensed centres and sent to the Embryo Protection Authority for processing the refund.

Statement by Opposition

The Nationalist Party issued a statement expressing satisfaction about what was announced by the Minister of Health regarding refunds on IVF medication, recalling that this was a proposal of the Nationalist Party while Parliament was discussing the IVF law.

Shadow Minister for Health Adrian Delia acknowledged the sacrifices made by prospective parents and therefore emphasized that the refund should also be extended to those undergoing the process in private clinics.

What Minister Abela announced contradicts the words of Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne, who at the time, as Minister of Health, stated that this refund was already being provided. However, it has now emerged that Fearne’s criticism was not accurate, the Nationalist Party alleged in the statement.

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