People Who Work From Home Gain 24 Extra Sleep Minutes

Nov 12 2024

A recent survey by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals that homeworkers benefit from extra rest and productivity by not commuting.

On average, they gained 24 minutes of additional sleep and 15 extra minutes for activities like exercise.

This time saved from commuting added up to nearly an hour more per day compared to those working away from home.

However, the data also suggested that homeworkers might work 10 minutes less on average, although the ONS cautioned that this was not definitive.

While remote work has seen a decline since the pandemic, hybrid working—split between home and office—is now more popular. In October 2024, 28% of UK workers had hybrid arrangements, with working parents, especially fathers, being more likely to adopt this model.

Hybrid work is also more common among managers, those over 30, and individuals with higher qualifications.

Despite the benefits of working from home, some companies are scaling back flexible arrangements. For example, Asda and Amazon have reversed policies to bring employees back to the office full-time.

These changes contrast with the UK government’s Employment Rights Bill, which aims to bolster workers’ access to flexible work options, allowing them to request such arrangements from the outset of their employment.

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417 Apartments Transacted In October 2024 In Malta

Nov 12 2024

In October 2024, the number of final deeds of sale for residential property reached 1,121, a 1.4% decrease compared to October 2023.

The total value of these transactions was €295.2 million, down 3.7% from the previous year. Of these, 92.4% (1,036 deeds) involved individual buyers, totalling €247.2 million, or 83.7% of the total value.

The highest number of final deeds was recorded in the Northern Harbour (319) and Northern (226) districts, while the lowest occurred in the Western (102) and Gozo and Comino (131) districts.

The most active localities were San Pawl Il-Baħar (107 deeds), Birkirkara (64), and Ħaż-Żabbar (53), which together accounted for 20.0% of the total deeds. The most transacted properties were apartments (417) and garages (291), making up 34.7% and 24.2% of the total.

Regarding promise of sale agreements, 1,282 were registered in October 2024, marking a 5.0% increase from the previous year. Of these, 91.3% (1,170 agreements) were made by individual buyers.

The highest numbers of these agreements were in the Northern Harbour (374) and Northern (253) districts, with the lowest in the Western (128) and Gozo and Comino (151) districts. San Pawl Il-Baħar (101), Birkirkara (64), and Il-Mosta (56) recorded the most agreements, totalling 17.2% of all promise of sale agreements.

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Conference On Space Sector To Be Held In Malta

Nov 12 2024

Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Research, and Innovation, Keith Azzopardi Tanti, spoke at the 2024 Astronomical Data Analysis Software and Systems conference, hosted by the University of Malta’s Institute of Space Sciences and Astronomy.

Azzopardi Tanti highlighted the government’s commitment to the Space sector, announcing a €1.9 million investment in upcoming projects and funding opportunities in collaboration with the Institute of Space Sciences and Science Malta, the agency leading the nation’s space policy and program implementation.

He also mentioned that Malta has recently signed an agreement with the European Space Agency to join the Plan for European Cooperating States (PECS), as part of a five-year plan to advance Malta’s Space sector.

This agreement builds on foundational work initiated through Science Malta’s Space Research Fund with the European Space Agency, which has supported local researchers in using satellite data for diverse applications, including agriculture, coastal management, health, cultural heritage preservation, and Artificial Intelligence.

“We are dedicated to strengthening initiatives in this sector and to advancing the national Space strategy,” Azzopardi Tanti stated.

The conference also served as a platform for experts to exchange insights and present new developments in astronomical software and systems.

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MEP Daniel Attard Launches EP Youth Programme

Nov 12 2024

MEP Daniel Attard invites motivated young leaders to experience life as a Member of the European Parliament through a week-long program.

In collaboration with the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats and the student group Pulse, this initiative offers progressive-minded youths a unique chance to join Attard in the heart of parliamentary activities in Brussels and Strasbourg.

Far more than a tour, this immersive program allows participants to engage directly in discussions, share ideas, and support MEP Attard in representing Malta and Gozo on the European stage.

Open to young adults aged 18-35, the program seeks individuals passionate about European issues, including transport, tourism, technology, energy, and regional development.

Those interested can submit their applications via the official portal here.