Robert Lewandowski wins Best FIFA Men’s Player award

Jan 17 2022

Robert Lewandowski has won the Best FIFA Men’s Player award for the second year in a row. This time he had to beat Argentinian legend Lionel Messi for a second time and Liverpool star player Mohammed Salah. Other awards such as Best FIFA Women’s Player and best coach for both men’s and women’s football were also awarded.

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Spanish playmaker Alexia Putellas won the female version of the award, after a stellar season helping Barcelona achieve a historical treble winning the Spanish league, the Spanish cup and the UEFA Women’s Champions League.

Chelsea coaches Thomas Tuchel and Emma Hayes both won the male and female version of the best coach of the year award. Tuchel’s Chelsea won the UEFA Champions League whilst Emma Hayes guided her Chelsea team to a domestic double, winning the league and the cup.

Chelsea goalkeepers Edouard Mendy and Lyon keeper Christiane Endler won the Goalkeeper of the year awards. Mendy was a crucial player in the Chelsea side that went on to win the Champions League whilst Endler helped PSG in dethroning her new club Lyon’s 14 year title winning spell.

Special awards were given to Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and Canada captain Christine Sinclair for both breaking international team goal records. The Puskas award, given to the player who scored the best goal was won by Argentinian Erik Lamela for his rabona goal in the North London derby against Arsenal.

The FIFA Fair Play award was given to the Danish medical and national team for saving Christian Eriksen’s life back in June during the Euros.

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Robert Abela and Bernard Grech visits Strasbourg to bid farewell to Sassoli and support Metsola

Robert Abela visits Strasbourg to bid farewell to Sassoli and support Metsola

Jan 17 2022

Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela is currently in Strasbourg for an official visit following the unfortunate passing of EP President David Sassoli and Roberta Metsola’s appointment as Acting President.

Metsola is also the European People’s Party candidate for the role of EP President and a near-certain election winner ahead of Tuesday morning’s official election. Three other candidates will be contesting for the role and while nothing is set in stone, her recent successes in the European Parliament and appointment as Acting President make her a favourite.

Abela gave Metsola his well-wishes upon arriving in Strasbourg, stating that while ‘there were episodes in the past’, they belong in the past and today is a day in which we look to the future.

Opposition leader Bernard Grech also made his way to Strasbourg in order to show his support for Roberta Metsola.

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Volt Malta propose increasing minimum wage to €1,100 monthly

Jan 17 2022

Political party Volt has expressed its belief that every worker has the right to a living minimum wage. The party proposed the minimum wage to increase to €1,100 a month, with the aim of achieving it within 3 years.

In a statement, Volt revealed that it reached this figure by calculating 60% of the median wage, based on recommendations of the European Commission for a decent minimum wage.

‘Latest Eurostat data shows Malta’s minimum wage is 43% of the median wage, so 60% of the median wage (€1824.84) would be €1094.90.’

The party also called for the establishment of a Living Wage Directorate within the NSO that is responsible for regularly calculating the living wage. The NSO would also provide regular public figures on the median wage within the regular Labour Force survey.

Kassandra Mallia, Volt Malta Candidate and Vice-President said that ‘In Volt Malta we believe having good food and water, clothing, safe housing, efficient transportation and affording emergency expenses is a human right. A living wage is a stepping stone we are pushing for to make sure everyone has this right.’

Commending the efforts of Foodbank Lifeline and urging people to donate to them, the party acknowledged that current rising prices on essential items such as bread and dairy are worrisome and are impacting the working poor among us.

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Adrian Delia suggests Air Malta should scrap in-flight magazine to cut costs

Jan 17 2022

PN MP and former leader Adrian Delia proposed Air Malta should cut its in-flight magazine il-Bizzilla in order to reduce costs.

Taking to Facebook, Delia said; ‘So AirMalta is planning to remove hundreds of workers in order to cut its costs. A small idea to reduce costs would be to stop throwing away money in the production and printing of magazines when restaurants have to cut off paper menus or find digital alternatives.’

He also argued that the removal of the magazine, which is produced monthly in collaboration with marketing agency TBWA\ANG, will also reduce the amount of infections due to COVID-19.

This follows after last week, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana announced that the airline company will have to halve its workforce in order to survive. The company’s executive chairperson David Curmi also revealed that the airline had registered an operating profit in two out of 16 years.

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Photo Source: Adrian Delia FB