Videos uploaded to weather forecast Facebook page ‘It-Temp Madwarna’ shows a tornado which formed in Qawra in the limits of St Paul’s Bay.
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The first video was sent to the weather news portal by Sian Dave Williams, followed by another video of a similar phenomenon sent by Reuben Fenech in the same vicinity.
Malta was hit by what was described as the perfect storm yesterday, resulting in flooding in various areas around the island.
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A recent report by Oxfam reveals that the wealthiest 1% of the global population generated as much carbon pollution in 2019 as the poorest two-thirds of humanity, consisting of five billion people.
This alarming discrepancy, outlined in the report titled “Climate Equality: A Planet for the 99%,” underscores the outsized carbon emissions of the super-rich and the detrimental impact on global climate and inequality.
The carbon emissions of the richest 1%, totaling 16% of global consumption emissions in 2019, are projected to result in 1.3 million excess heat-related deaths between 2020 and 2030, akin to the population of Dublin, Ireland.
Oxfam emphasizes the urgent need to address extreme wealth and its associated carbon-hungry lifestyles, asserting that meaningful progress in curbing global warming is unattainable without confronting the era of extreme wealth.
The report, drawing on research by the Stockholm Environment Institute, exposes the stark contrast between the super-rich and the majority of the world’s population.
The wealthiest 1%, comprising 77 million people, accounted for emissions equivalent to all car and road transport emissions, while the richest 10 percent contributed half of global emissions. The report underscores the persistent inequality, noting that it would take nearly 1,500 years for someone in the bottom 99% to produce as much carbon as the richest billionaires do in a year.
To break the cycle of climate breakdown and inequality, Oxfam urges governments to implement measures such as a 60% tax on the incomes of the richest 1 percent.
This tax could not only significantly reduce emissions but also raise $6.4 trillion annually to finance the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. The report emphasizes the interconnectedness of addressing extreme wealth, inequality, and the climate crisis, calling for a transformative approach to taxation, global redistribution of incomes, expedited fossil fuel phase-out, and a reevaluation of progress indicators beyond GDP growth.
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Speaking to MaltaDaily, Education and Sport Minister Clifton Grima stated that a contingency plan has been put in place as teachers, under directives of the unions are set to strike next Monday.
The Minister said that parents can still send their children to school, but no lessons will be given if the teacher in question is participating in the strike.
Grima said that a safe space will still be offered for students and that there is mutual communication between the Education Ministry and the Union in regards to the strike.
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Asked what would happen if the strike went beyond Monday if agreements were not reached, the Minister said that the directives are clear and the strike is only set to occur on Monday.
Parents are also set to receive a message in regards to the strikes, with students who do not attend being listed as ‘excused’. Around 50K students are set to be impacted by these strikes.
During a conference, the Minister also highlighted how the teachers who will strike will only be paid if they go for work. This comes as, the Minister said, a new package for teachers is being proposed to the union.
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A recent study revealed that a third of British men seek refuge in their bathrooms, spending a total of seven hours a year for brief moments of respite.
The survey, commissioned by bathroom experts Pebble Grey and involving 1,000 men, unveiled various motivations for this behaviour, ranging from a quest for tranquility to avoiding domestic responsibilities.
Aside from the pursuit of quiet, men escape to the bathroom to evade nagging from their partners, dodge childcare duties, and enjoy uninterrupted moments to look at their mobile phones.
The study highlighted that one in 10 bathroom visits gets interrupted on average, totalling 171 interruptions in a typical year.
According to a spokesperson for Pebble Grey, the bathroom serves as a sanctuary for individuals to momentarily disconnect from the outside world. The findings emphasised the sacred nature of peace and quiet, with men frequently seeking these moments in the bathroom.
The research indicated that partners are the primary disruptors, closely followed by children. Of those surveyed, 45% expressed the struggle to secure personal time, and 25% admitted that bathroom breaks are essential for coping with life’s demands.
Additionally, one-third of respondents considered the bathroom their exclusive haven for solitude, while 23% described it as their safe place.
Interestingly, 44% of men confessed that their partners usually handle bathroom cleaning duties, despite it being their place of calm.
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