Petition launched calling for standing weddings

Jan 21 2022

A petition was launched appealing for the Maltese government and health authorities to review the current COVID-19 regulations which concern weddings.

At present, weddings can only take place if guests are all seated, but a petition by Danielle Scerri seeks to change all this. She said that the rules are unfair for couples as they are having to spend more money for an un-ideal wedding.

She stated that while restaurants and other establishments have been given the freedom to accommodate more people and events during the pandemic, the regulations on weddings have remained unchanged for a long period of time.

Scerri appealed to have more feasible options to allow non-seated weddings, such as the use of PCR tests for the unvaccinated. She said that having seated weddings does not guarantee an exemption for virus infection.

The petition on change.org is aiming to reach 2,500 signatures, and it has currently amassed around 2,380 signatures as of time of writing.

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No amount of alcohol is good for the heart says report – but critics disagree

Jan 21 2022

The World Heart Federation released a policy brief on Thursday stating, in a rather bold move, that no amount of alcohol is good for the heart.

‘At the World Heart Federation, we decided that it was imperative that we speak up about alcohol and the damages to health as well as the social and economic harms, because there is an impression in the population in general, and even among health care professionals, that it is good for the heart’ said Beatriz Champagne, chair of the advocacy committee that produced the report.

Champagne continued on to say that alcohol is not good for the heart, and that ‘evidence has increasingly shown that there is no level of alcohol consumption that is safe for health.’

The comments and report were met by swift criticism, disputing the federation’s stance. Many critics stated that studies which show a small benefit to some heart conditions were being ignored.

David Spiegelhalter, a Winton Professor for the Public Understanding of Risk at the University of Cambridge, stated that one study of the risks of alcohol was extensively used in the WHF brief, but was seriously misrepresented and selectively reported.

Another professor, Emmanuela Gakidou, said that ‘given the WHF report references this paper, it is really odd that their conclusion is that no amount of alcohol is good for the heart.’

In response, Champagne sent CNN a statement, replying that while they stand by their key messages, ‘it is helpful to know that the wording of parts of the policy brief can give rise to misunderstandings.’

However, studies which show a ‘significant cardio-protective effect of alcohol consumption’ have been by-and-large inconsistent, observational, funded by the alcohol industry and/or not subject to randomised control.

Furthermore, any ‘potential cardio-protective effect is negated by the well-documented risks and harms, rendering our judgement that no amount of consumption can be considered good for heart health’

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Photo Source: Harvard Health, The Telegraph

Bernard Grech calls for unity with workers to save Air Malta

Jan 21 2022

Opposition Leader Bernard Grech has issued a call to ‘work together’ with Air Malta’s worker representatives to save the airline.

The Nationalist Party leader on Thursday appealed for the collective effort during a meeting with unions representing the employees, following a government announcement last week that it would be cutting the workforce by half from 890 to 420.

In a statement outlining his call, Grech said that ‘we need to see how to move forward. Lets work together in order not to lose Air Malta. The Nationalist Party has a political duty to not lose the nation al airline because, at the end of the day, it is the workers, our economy and the entire country who will suffer.’

The statement revealed that the Opposition felt the need to meet the unions because they felt like they need a party which listens to them and understands their current plight.

During the meeting, Grech said that the Nationalist Party had a plan for Air Malta – a plan that started to work but the Labour Party abandoned. ’All this means that we need to look at this plan and see the realities of today in order to find an alternative to ensure the workers and their families that they have a future.’

The Opposition leader said that this situation needs to be solved as quickly as possible, not just for the work itself but also for the passion the employees showed their employment. ‘We cannot lose AirMalta because it is an important flag for our country and it is indispensable on various levels of our economy.’

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Photo Source: Bernard Grech FB, Nationalist Party Communications, @aeronited (Air Malta FB)

PM holds urgent meetings with MPs after Joseph Muscat home search

Jan 21 2022

Prime Minister Robert Abela has been calling in Labour Party MPs and Ministers for private meetings in Castille following the police investigation in his predecessor Joseph Muscat’s home.

Abela has allegedly attempted to manage and keep a split from forming within the party as several Labour supporters openly supported Muscat, questioning how the current prime minister did nothing to stop the police investigation.

Abela wanted to send the message through the ministers and MPs that the party was untied and that they should remain calm and serene following the ‘embarrassing visit’. This follows calls made openly by Labour’s One TV chairman Jason Micallef and presenter Emanuel Cuschieri for the party’s faithful to take to the streets to support Muscat. Sources have revealed that they were also expected to be called in by Abela over their social media posts.

The Valletta Cultural Agency head took to social media to rally Muscat’s supporters, saying the the former prime minister is ‘one of us’ and the time to ‘make our voices heard is here.’

Cuschieri also uploaded a similar post, saying; ‘message to Joseph Muscat. You will never stand alone. Just call me and you’ll find me by your side.’

Micallef revealed on Thursday that Abela did not ask for any posts to be removed, revealing that he wholeheartedly trusts the prime minister whilst also standing shoulder to shoulder with Muscat.

The former prime minister, whose Burmarrad home was raided by police and the phones of his two daughters were confiscated, revealed on a Facebook video that after his birthday weekend, he would address his supporters. This has sparked speculation by many that he would contest the election.

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Photo Source: Robert Abela FB, Joseph Muscat FB, Jason Micallef FB