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Proposal to put cyclists at par with pedestrians in car accident cases

Proposal to put cyclists at par with pedestrians in car accident cases
Feb 4 2022 Share

Rota, a local environmental NGO, has put forward a set of proposals ahead of the upcoming general election which aim to be inline with a vision for sustainable mobility. 

Rota said that the bicycle should not just be an afterthought in the planning and infrastructure of the island. ‘On such a small island, where the average commute is only a few kilometres, we want to see the bicycle seriously considered as one of the main modes of transport.’ 

Focused on cycling advocacy, a set of 17 proposals serve as solutions to guide the government’s efforts to give everyone the opportunity to use the bicycle as a viable means of transportation. 

The proposals include increasing commuting by bicycle, legally protecting bicycle users and pedestrians, insurance cover for bike users and incentivising sustainable transport. 

An emphasis on lighting and CCTV cameras to increase safety was also included, as were narrower car lanes, separated sustainable infrastructure in main roads, better and more regular bike racks and the adoption of suitable design standards. 

The NGO highlighted contraflow exemptions for cyclists, the respect towards sustainable transport infrastructure, safer residential roads, use of country roads and the encouragement of multi-modality in terms of transport.

Last but not least, the NGO called for more pedestrianisation, a safe cycle network and the consultation of civil society and citizens. Rota said that an avenue must be made available in which legal action can be taken against authorities that fail to adhere to the legalisation. 

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Photo Source: Rota FB

Illegal bird killing triple in past four years

Illegal bird killing triple in past four years
Feb 4 2022 Share

BirdLife Malta have revealed that the illegal killing of birds remains high during 2021 as the amounts tripled in the past four years when compared to previous four. 

The number of protected birds known to BirdLife Malta that been diagnosed as illegally shot during 2021 stood at 181. The NGO appealed to both parties to stop being ‘spineless’ towards those who break the law and start taking illegal killing and trapping seriously. 

The NGO said in a press statement on Friday that this amount is only a small fraction of what really happens since it only represents the injured or dead birds found by the public. 

BirdLife Malta said that it is fair to conclude that thousands of other protected birds such as birds of prey, flamingos and herons were illegally shot down and collected by culprits, mainly for taxidermy purposes.’ 

Presenting the figures, a total of 794 illegally shot protected birds were found by the public during the past eight years. The upward trends stands out with 76% of these being in the last four years. 

‘From 2014 to 2017, a total of 190 birds were diagnosed as illegally shot while in the past four years, from 2018 to 2021, this more than triples to 604.’ 

The NGO also said how in November, a political decision was taken to stop the involvement of BirdLife Malta in such cases related to finch trapping in order not to expose the problem’s severity. ‘The last year proves once again that the Prime Minister, his cabinet and the relevant authorities are not taking the problem of illegal hunting and trapping seriously even after the EC has listed this issue as a concern and initiated legal action against Malta for failing to control the illegal hunting situation, apart from the smokescreen ‘scientific research’ derogation slowing finch trapping.’ 

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Photo Source: BirdLife Malta FB

Meta loses $230 billion in market value after 26% drop in stocks

Meta loses $230 billion in market value after 26% drop in stocks
Feb 4 2022 Share

Facebook’s parent Meta dropped over 26% on Thursday after the company forecasted weaker-than-expected revenue growth in next quarter. It also revealed that it is taking a massive hit from Apple’s privacy changes and showed the first quarterly decline in daily active users on record. 

This is the biggest-one day drop ever, ahead of the 19% plummet it saw in July 2018, Thursday’s drop shaved more than $230 billion from its market cap.This brings it to about $660 billion, with the company missing earnings estimates for the fourth quarter. Facebook’s active users have fallen to 1.93 billion, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg saying that the company is facing serious competition for user time and attention, specifically from TikTok. 

Zuckerberg however did stat that he is investing more in the meta verse project and is shifting more of Meta’s resources into making it a success. Facebook spent more than $10 billion along these lines last year. According to Forbes calculations, Zuckerberg himself saw $28.6 billion slashed from his net worth, dropping below the $100 billion mark for the first time since last year at $85.9 billion. 

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Mixed reactions for South Korea’s nose-only mask for safe eating

Mixed reactions for South Korea’s nose-only mask for safe eating
Feb 4 2022 Share

South Korea has just released an anti-virus mask that only covers the nose and can thus continue to be worn while eating and drinking. The ‘kosk’, a combination of ‘ko’ (the Korean word for nose) and mask, has been released by a company called Atman and sells for 9,800 won (equivalent to $8.13 or £5.99) for a box of 10. 

It consists of two pieces, one of which can be removed to leave the mouth freely uncovered. Meanwhile, three reusable ‘Copper Antivirus Nose Masks’ which only cover the nose are available in different colours for 2,000 won ($1.65/£1.22). The masks are designed to be worn under a regular mask that covers the mouth. The unusual creation has attracted a lot of attention online, not all of it very positive. 

Some studies have been suggesting that the nose is the easiest route for COVID-19 to enter the body however, and so wearing a nose mask may not be as ridiculous as it looks. Some experts are saying that it could make a marginal difference, whilst others compare it to the ‘stupidity’ of wearing masks below the nose. This comes as cases in South Korea hit a record 22,907 on Thursday. The East Asian nation has registered a relatively low 6,812 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic, representing a death rate per million of 113. In comparison, the UK registered a 2,300 death per million. 

#MaltaDaily