Proposal to increase minimum wage to €1000 monthly by YMCA

Aug 26 2021

NGO YMCA has proposed that the minimum wage be increased to €1,000 per month to help decrease the amount of homeless people in Malta. As the government preps for the 2022 budget, YMCA Chief Executive Anthony Camilleri told Television Malta that the government should once again intervene in the rental market so people on a minimum wage aren’t affected by the social problem any longer. Considering the pandemic’s negative impact, two of YMCA’s houses are packed, offering shelter to 36 residents between them.

Revealing that even families with children have sought help from YMCA, Camilleri said that with people losing their jobs and others lost their homes due to being on minimum wage or even working part time. The last time the minimum wage was increased was four years ago, but with rents and overall standard of living becoming more expensive, the minimum wage should reflect this reality.

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Photo Source: Kays Medical, YMCA FB

PSG admit Kylian Mbappe wants to leave

Aug 26 2021

In a recent interview, PSG’s sporting director Leonardo stated that Kylian Mbappe wants to leave Paris for Madrid. This transfer has reportedly been in the works for quite a while, now at its hottest stage after Real Madrid offered £137 million for the player.

Leonardo revealed in the interview and expressed his opinion on the move and how Real Madrid have been handling the negotiation. The sporting director also announced that PSG have rejected Real Madrid’s offer, as they would have made a loss on the player had they accepted the deal. When asked about his reaction to the offer he said “In terms of our position on Real, it seems like a strategy to try to get a no from us, to show that they have tried everything and to wait for a year to get him for free. For the last 2 years, Real Madrid have been behaving like this, it is not correct, illegal even because they contacted the player.”

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Leonardo also announced that Kylian Mbappe wants the move, stating “Kylian Mbappé wants to leave, that seems clear. If Real Madrid are making an offer, that seems clear… Me I am giving a position, that, I think, is clear for everyone.” He also stated that “If he wants to leave, we will not hold him back, but on our terms.”

The transfer is bound to happen since the player wants it to happen. It is a matter of when not if.

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Local naturalist discovers two brand new cockroach species in Malta

Aug 26 2021

A local scientist and naturalist has discovered two new species of cockroaches which can only be found in Malta’s natural environments. Naturalist Arnold Sciberras told newsroom Times of Malta that he was ‘elated to contribute knowledge of these two new endemic species to the world’, hoping that people understand the significance of such findings. He named one of the species ‘Malta’s Cockroach’ (Kokroc ta Malta’) as it has been located in various places around the islands.

He named the other Jeffrey’s Fungus Rock Cockroach (Wirdiena tal-Gebla tal-General ta Jeffrey) after his botanist brother Jeffrey who dedicated his life to research and ‘trailing Arnold everywhere.’ He pointed out how very few people would appreciate having a cockroach named after them, but this is because the insect and its significance to biodiversity is often overlooked and misunderstood. ‘We should be proud that Malta is still offering unique species you don’t find anywhere else in the world’ he added. ‘Even though we’re living in a concert jungle, we’re still finding new species in 2021.’

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Photo Source: Arnold Sciberras FB, Stephen Fenech

Malta makes international headlines as Italian director slams green pass system

Aug 26 2021

Malta has made international news headlines once again as an Italian director’s experience with travelling to the island goes sour. Newsroom ‘La Repubblica’ posted the story of theatre director Piero Maccarinelli, who expounded his experience to the news outlet. He says how despite having had one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine due to having contracted the virus the year prior, his green pass did not give him access to Malta.

This is because the certificate is only applicable for Malta with two vaccine doses. He described the experience as surreal and framed it as a clear limitation to a European citizen’s liberty to travel to a European nation. His voyage to the island was put down due to Malta’s specific pandemic regulations.

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Photo Source: Tracy’s Travels in Time, La Repubblica