Prime Minister assures no refunds for COVID wage supplement

Mar 15 2022

Addressing a meeting of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development on the Ukraine Crisis, the Prime Minister gave his word that the millions spent in wage supplements during the pandemic will remain in the businesses’ pockets.

Abela denied claims that there will be a request for their refunds, saying that this was a false claim made by Opposition leader Bernard Grech. He reiterated that the wage supplement will not require refund as agreed with the MCESD members on the 24th of March 2020.

Abela also spoke about his attendance of two summits in Brussels and Paris where the Ukrainian war was discussed. He focused on Malta’s position of peace, adding that the European Council condemned the war. He said that what is happening in Ukraine breaches International law and that Malta will join in sanctions and helping refugees.

The Prime Minister said that Malta and all European countries will work so that they all change to cleaner energy. Malta is neutral the Prime Minister emphasised, and therefore every enforced sanction has to be in conformity with Malta’s Constitution.

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Ex PN MP Mario Galea addresses Labour mental health conference

Mar 15 2022

Former PN MP Mario Galea spoke at a Labour conference about mental health today alongside former party colleague Roselyn Borg Knight.

After resigning his candidature with the PN on the opening day of the election campaign, Galea said Prime Minister Robert Abela’s wife Lydia had invited him to address the conference.

The ex MP said he had made it clear upon resigning that he would speak about mental health issues as well as animal rights. During the conference, he revealed that this was his first invite after resigning from politics.

‘I want to do my part to keep mental health high on the agenda’ said Galea. Later taking to Facebook, the MP said that mental health should not be politicised and that he always accepted invitations to speak about such matters.

He still maintained a Nationalist stance, saying that he was born and will die as one. He had however revealed that he had been stigmatised by two PN officials in particular, one of whom has since quit. Saying that they made his life hell, he still did not reveal the names.

Galea said that he would still address political conferences about the topic of mental health, even if the topic itself should not be politicised. He said that politicians can make a difference and joked by saying that he will hold Lydia Abela to account and make sure she keeps her promises about tackling mental health.

Former PN official Roselyn Borg Knight also spoke at the event after withdrawing her candidature in November and resigning from her post as PN international secretary in January. She commended Labour’s children’s guarantee which will see €145 million invested in Malta’s children.

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Melting face among 123 new and inclusive emojis added to iOS 15.4

Mar 15 2022

Apple has just released iOS 15.4, and it is also introducing a whopping 123 new emojis which seek to be more inclusive and expressive in the language that is emojis.

The new emoji roster includes everything from heart hands, melting face, saluting face as well as a handshake emoji combinations.

A troll, beans, X-ray and a coral reef were also added to the new emoji batch. Among them are also pregnant persons through two new gender neutral person emojis. These also come with crowns and a biting lip emoji.

This is the largest number of smiley emojis introduced in an Apple emoji update since iOS 11.1 debuted back during Halloween 2017.

The emoji additions are available to iPhone and iPad users, and are extending the bounds as to what people can express through emojis alone. Emojis has become a certified language due to its versatility and is constantly growing to include more signs and symbols.

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National Centre for Motorsport in Ħal Far officially starts development

Mar 15 2022

With an investment of around €20 million, the work on the National Centre for Motorsport in Ħal Far officially kicked off following a new deal signing.

Speaking at the announcement, Sport and Education Minster Clifton Grima said that this investment is one which will see Malta have an official motorsport centre of international caliber.

‘Everyone will benefit from this new investment, and it is yet another promise which will be brought to life’ he said. Grima highlighted how such measures show that the government is placing sport at the peak of the agenda.

The Malta Motorsport Federation, SportMalta and the NDSF were all present for the signing which will see around €16 million sent to the Motorsport centre.

Speaking at the event, parliamentary secretary Alex Muscat said that this project will become a reality with an investment of €20 million. He said that no such project has ever occurred in Malta, and through this initiative the government will be investing in the community.

With designs made by German experts, the centre will be ensuring a drag racing and karting community has the facilities and space it needs to focus on the passion of many locals. The project will also not take up any land which is outside the development zones.

#MaltaDaily