Parliament Delayed Due To Traffic For Second Time This Month

Nov 29 2023

On Wednesday, Members of Parliament (MPs) experienced the frustrations of daily commuters as parliamentary proceedings faced their second delay in a month, courtesy of traffic issues.

Typically scheduled for 4 pm, parliamentary plenary sessions this month included a 9 am morning session for post-budget discussions. However, the nation’s persistent traffic challenges disrupted proceedings on two occasions.

The first incident occurred on November 14 when both Inclusion Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli and shadow minister Graziella Galea were ensnared in traffic.

This Wednesday, Justice Minister Jonathan Attard’s tardy arrival for a debate on his portfolio led deputy speaker David Agius to temporarily suspend the session, resuming 20 minutes later.

Simultaneously, the ‘Maltese Roads Traffic Updates’ Facebook page reported road closures from Mellieħa to Selmun and Burmarrad road due to ongoing works. Infrastructure Malta CEO Ivan Falzon attributed the closures to asphalt plant failures impacting night works, compounded by inclement weather.

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Unemployment Rate For October 2023 At 2.5%

Nov 29 2023

In October 2023, the seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment rate remained steady at 2.5 percent, unchanged from the preceding month but displaying a decrease of 0.3 percentage points compared to the same month in the previous year.

Throughout this period, the total number of unemployed individuals numbered 7,613, with the 25 to 74 age group contributing significantly to the overall unemployment figure. Among them, 2,007 were youth, and 5,606 were individuals aged between 25 and 74.

Breaking down the data, the unemployment rate for males in October 2023 was 2.4 percent, marking a 0.1 percentage point decrease from the previous month. Concurrently, the unemployment rate for females held steady at 2.6 percent, consistent with the figures reported in September 2023.

Examining age-specific unemployment rates, individuals aged 15 to 24 years experienced a 7.0 percent unemployment rate, representing an increase. In contrast, those in the 25 to 74 age bracket saw a 2.0 percent unemployment rate, indicating a slight decrease of 0.1 percentage points compared to September 2023.

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Controversy After Forbes Crowns Bad Bunny ‘King Of Pop’

Nov 29 2023

The designation of Puerto Rican sensation Bad Bunny as the “King of Pop” by Forbes magazine has sparked controversy and dissent among some individuals.

Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, gained international acclaim and secured a spot on Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list as one of the world’s most prominent music stars.

Forbes lauded Bad Bunny’s global impact, noting his historic headline performance at the Coachella music festival and his achievement as the first Latin artist to do so.

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The magazine highlighted his immense popularity, surpassing major English-speaking artists on YouTube with over 32 billion views, three Grammy Awards, and 11 Latin Grammys. Additionally, Bad Bunny broke Spotify streaming records, boasting the most streams for a non-English-speaking artist and the highest streaming year in history with over 18.5 billion streams in 2022.

However, not everyone agrees with Forbes’ portrayal of Bad Bunny as the “King of Pop.” Critics argue that the title rightfully belongs to Michael Jackson and express discontent with the comparison.

Some fans highlighted instances of Bad Bunny’s actions, such as throwing a fan’s cell phone into the sea, as disrespectful. While acknowledging Bad Bunny’s musical versatility, dissenting voices question his claim to the “King of Pop” title, emphasising the enduring legacy of Michael Jackson in the pop genre.

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International Football Set To Introduce Orange Card

Nov 29 2023

In an effort to address behaviour issues in high-level football matches, there’s a plan to introduce “orange cards” for temporary player dismissals, inspired by a concept from rugby.

This idea, proposed by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), may be tested in elite leagues like the Premier League as early as the upcoming season.

The goal is to tackle the increasing number of disciplinary problems during games. Since 2019, England has successfully implemented ten-minute temporary player dismissals, known as sin-bins, to handle dissent from grassroots to academy levels.

When a player displays dissent through words or actions, they not only receive a yellow card but are also temporarily taken off the field for ten minutes. The proposed trial may extend this rule to penalise tactical fouls.

This trial also aims to address contentious incidents, like the one in the Euro 2020 final where Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini received only a yellow card for a cynical foul on England’s Bukayo Saka, much to the dismay of fans. If the new measure is implemented, such fouls could be punished with an “orange card.”

However, spectators won’t physically see these orange cards on the field; they will only be displayed on electronic boards when a player is temporarily dismissed.

This rule seeks to impose more significant penalties for offences that warrant more than a standard booking but fall short of a complete sending-off. Additionally, IFAB has mandated a rule change to show a red card for “deliberate” handballs in the penalty box, starting from the next season.

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