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The highest temperature recorded today was just 13.4°C

The highest temperature recorded today was just 13.4°C
Dec 7 2021 Share

Today’s highest temperature recorded at just 13.4 degrees Celsius, which is around 5°C lower than the average for this time of year. 

With rain showers bringing even hail to the islands, the temperature dropped to below 10°C.

Temperatures are set to feel between 12 and 18°C, so its set to be a freezing week ahead. Considering the fact that Malta just emerged from heat wave after heat wave, this weather might be a breath of fresh air… literally. 

However with such temperatures also comes the likelihood of rain showers and thunder storms. A thundery shower is forecasted for Saturday, kicking off the weekend with a tempest. 

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Photo Source: Azure Ultra

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The UAE is cutting its working week to four-and-a-half days

The UAE is cutting its working week to four-and-a-half days
Dec 7 2021 Share

The United Arab Emirates is officially cutting its working week to four-and-a-half days. It is also moving its weekend from Friday-Saturday to Saturday-Sunday. 

This aims at improving the country’s competitiveness, say officials. The national working week will be mandatory for government bodies as of January 1st of 2022 and bucks the regional norm of full day offs on Friday for Muslim prayers. This will also bring the resource-rich UAE into line with the non-Arab world as it will become the only Gulf state not to have a Friday-Saturday weekend.

Before this new timetable commences, the public sector weekend starts at noon on Fridays and ends on Sunday. Muslim prayers at Mosques will be held after 1:15pm all year round. The UAE is the First Nation in the world to introduce a national working week shorter than the global five-day week. The UAE observed a Thursday-Friday weekend until 2006 before moving to Friday-Saturdays, followed by the private sector. 

It is said to ensure smooth financial trade and economic transactions and even facilitating international business links for thousands of UAE based and multinational companies. 

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The Digital Justice Strategy launches Malta into the future

Dec 7 2021 Share

Minister for Justice and Governance Edward Zammit Lewis launched the Digital Justice Strategy and Action Plan. Alongside the Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, he stated that an 18 month long journey stands testimony to their commitment towards making our justice system more efficient, effective, and accessible. 

The COVID-19 pandemic forced everyone out of their comfort zone and embrace technology ‘as a means to ensure that justice continues to be served.’ Despite the Maltese Justice System not being new to the digital sector, the adaptation of this new framework is a priority as it makes best use of technology, respects rule of law and identifies objectives. 

Investing in Digitalisation as the next major phase in the evolution of society, Malta is now in a unique position to forge the future of how justice will be served in the years to come. ‘This strategy provides a common vision and unites all justice entities in their efforts to embrace this transformation and without reserves, commit to the change process.’

Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi said that this action plan for digital justice is an important process n which we can build several steps for the future. With an investment of around €300,000 co-financed with European Funds, the digitisation of the justice system will be improving the efficiency and facilitate access to justice for those going to court. 

‘The Robert Abela Administration will remain committed and renowned for the digital transformation and reforms carried out in the Justice system.’

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Photo Source: Gustizzja DOI

Will saying Happy Christmas at work become illegal? Dalli’s document explained

Dec 7 2021 Share

Helena Dalli, the European Commissioner for Equality, faced a substantial amount of criticism after a working document concerning communication guides for EU staff leaked to the press. People across the continent were utterly infuriated at the guidelines set by the document which, among other things encourage; 

Workers to avoid using ‘Happy Christmas where not everybody is Christian; to avoid addressing an audience as ladies and gentlemen; to stop using Mrs when addressing women and; to avoid using solely Christian names when bringing examples of people living in the EU. 

The outcry, with many stating that the document was muzzling their freedom of expression, led to Dalli withdrawing the document. She revealed that it is a work in progress and her office is taking note of concerns to update it. 

Even Dalli’s colleague Margaritis Schinas, the European Commissioner for European Way of Life, took a jab at Dalli, saying; ‘Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I hope we can still call you ladies and gentlemen in the commission.’ 

The Pope too issued a response to the document, going as far as to compare these actions as those carried out by Nazi dictatorships and communists. He told journalists on his flight back to Rome from Athens that the document was ‘watered-down secularism’. The Vatican leader said that we should be careful not to be vehicles of ideological colonisation and that is why the Christmas issue is an anachronism. 

However, the same was not said by Maltese MEP Cyrus Engerer who stood by Dalli’s document. He said that all of us need more information on how our language can be more inclusive. He said that the document doesn’t mean nobody can say Happy Christmas and asked whether the commission understands that ‘not everyone in Europe fits in and identifies as 1 of the 2 gender boxes in their minds.’ 


What do you make of all this?

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