Pensioners could get free transport to use reverse vending machines

Feb 9 2023

The Maltese government is engaged in negotiations with the operator of the Beverage Container Refund Scheme (BCRS) in order to provide free transportation to the elderly who wish to use the reverse vending machines (RVMs).

According to Environment Minister Miriam Dalli, the operator, BCRS Malta Ltd., is a non-profit organization that brings together the Malta Beverage Producers Association, the Malta Beverage Importers Association, and the Malta Beverage Retailers Association.

The government is working with a government organization that provides transport to the elderly to extend its services to include RVMs.

At present, there are 305 RVMs across Malta, and 8 more are expected to be installed in the near future. The scheme has faced controversy over the manner in which it is run, as the more containers that are recycled, the less revenue the operator receives.

There have also been concerns about the potential for profit-making, as back in 2014, a similar scheme was planned by Yorgen Fenech and Keith Schembri’s business partner, Malcolm Scerri.

The government is thus working to address the controversies surrounding the BCRS by offering free transportation to the elderly and making it easier for them to recycle containers using RVMs.

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Turkish restaurant will donate all launch earnings to earthquake survivors

Feb 9 2023

The new Posh Turkish restaurant set to open in PAVI Qormi this Friday has pledged to donate all opening day proceedings to the earthquake zone.

The restaurant will be opening this Friday, February 10th 2023 at noon and will be giving away the proceedings to the epicentre of the tragedy in Kahramanmaraş, where 10 Turkish cities were affected.

The establishment had been raising hype towards their launch as the recent earthquake which hit both Turkey and Syria prompted many to donate many belongings to help the survivors.

The death toll has, as of latest reports, passed 15,000. Rescuers, including Maltese Civil Protection Department officials, are finding it difficult to help victims trapped underneath rubble and debris.

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Malta’s CPD team in Turkey gives update as earthquake death tool surpasses 15,000

Feb 9 2023

Deaths continue to rise in Turkey and Syria in the aftermath of a string of devastating earthquakes, with civil protection teams from across the world contributing to the search and rescue efforts.

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Al Jazeera have reported earthquake survivors calling the disaster “worse than the bombardment in Syria”, with relief efforts yet to reach parts of the country.

The region has reportedly suffered at least 100 aftershocks since the initial earthquake, with the second 7.6 magnitude tremor contributing to major damages.

Malta’s Civil Protection Department has released another update video from Malatya in Turkey, speaking in front of a collapsed building, as the Maltese CPD was utilising life locators to attempt to find signs of life amid the wreckage.

The CPD official spoke how weather conditions are not favourable either, with other factors such as language barriers and methodologies affecting progress.

Reliable sources have reported that the search and rescue team have since been provided an interpreter.

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Toy Story 5 has officially been confirmed by Disney & Pixar

Feb 9 2023

Film lovers are eagerly awaiting the reunion with Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the toy gang.

Disney has revealed that a new Toy Story movie, the fifth instalment of the beloved animated franchise, is in the works. The announcement was made by Disney CEO Bob Iger during the company’s Q1 earnings call.

In addition to the news about Toy Story 5, there will also be new entries in the Frozen and Zootopia franchises, which were also announced during the same press call.

“I am thrilled to announce that our animation studios are working on sequels to some of our most popular franchises, Toy Story, Frozen, and Zootopia. We will have more to share about these productions soon, but this is a testament to our commitment to our unbeatable brands and franchises” Iger stated during the earnings call.

The previous entries in these franchises have been both commercially and critically successful.

Toy Story 4 earned over $1.07 billion worldwide and was nominated for two Academy Awards in 2020, including Best Original Song for “I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” by Randy Newman, and won Best Animated Feature.

Frozen 2 was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song with “Into the Unknown” and earned $1.45 billion globally. The original Frozen film won two Academy Awards, including Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song with “Let It Go”.

Zootopia earned $1.02 billion and won the Best Animated Feature award at the 2017 Academy Awards.

The first Toy Story film was released in 1995 and was the first feature film to use fully computer animation.

It went on to become one of the most cherished animated series of all time. The success of the first film led to three sequels: Toy Story 2 in 1999, Toy Story 3 in 2010, and Toy Story 4 in 2019. Additionally, the series produced a spinoff film, Lightyear, in 2022.

The Toy Story franchise has earned a total of $3.03 billion worldwide across its four mainline films, making it one of Disney’s biggest animated series and a cornerstone franchise for Pixar.

#MaltaDaily