UK council to pay smokers £400 to quit smoking cigarettes

Jun 3 2022

A new UK pilot scheme has been proposed to pay smokers to quit lighting up cigarettes and abandon the habit for good.

After smoking rates stopped declining, with more than 10% of a council’s residents, including pregnant women, still smoking, Cheshire East Council took matters into their own hands.

The pilot will see people paid £200, with this doubled £400 for pregnant women. The council stated that robust evidence shows that financial incentive schemes are effective to help people quit.

The incentive could take on a national scope, and could inspire other countries to try it out…including Malta. A 2021 study by the European Commission found that Maltese smokers are among the most likely from Europeans to light up every day.

The survey found that 97% of smokers in Malta smoke at least once a day, making it the second-highest rate in Europe. The EU average is 67%, with Maltese cigarette smokers smoking through 14 a day.

On the other hand, two-thirds of Maltese (62%) claimed they have never smoked. 17% of Maltese who used to smoke they have abandoned the habit. Maybe a financial incentive could push this further.

#MaltaDaily

Prime Minister awards Emma Muscat and Kurt Calleja for their Maltese music contributions

Jun 3 2022

Prime Minister Robert Abela welcomed local singer and song-writer stars Emma Muscat and Kurt Calleja at the Auberge de Castille.

Abela awarded the two singers for being exemplary Maltese talent and, most importantly, for their contributions to Maltese music. The two were recent winners in prestigious local competitions, with Calleja winning Mużika Mużika and Muscat the Maltese Eurovision final.

Calleja rose to the top of the competition all about songs in Maltese with his ballad ‘Bla Tarf’. With a crowd singing along with Calleja, the win was deemed very well deserved by the general public.

On her part, Emma Muscat has been a rising star both locally and internationally. She went on to represent our island in Turin, but failed to make it to the finale of the competition.

In comments following the semi-final, Muscat said she was very proud of her performance but exclaimed she did not expect to be left out of the final. Still, she thanked all her fans for support and raised excitement for upcoming album ‘I am Emma.’

#MaltaDaily

Malta gets its own mural in prestigious Shoreditch, London

Jun 3 2022

A stunning image of Malta’s sister island Gozo has been set up to capture the attention of people in the heart of Shoreditch, London.

The snapshot was shared to the Malta Tourism Authority’s social media, as the island continues to recuperate from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Malta is a well-known tourist favourite spot, especially with lovers of the summer atmosphere, pristine beaches and even a nightlife to accompany the wanderlust. And Shoreditch itself is very popular for graffiti murals as well as many luxurious brands promoting their brands with the wall burns and tags.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Malta Tourism Authority (@maltatourismauthority)

And it does seem that the local tourism authority’s promotion is working as the numbers of incoming visitors soared this April. According to the NSO, around 195,000 tourists headed to the island.

This is around 19 times the number of people than the same period last year. They are still below pandemic levels as the world still reels from the virus’ setbacks. Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo had even stated in early April that 80% of the island’s pre-pandemic routes have been recovered, indicating a positive sign for the near future.

#MaltaDaily

Do-nut worry! Here are five of Malta’s best doughnut spots

Jun 3 2022

Doughnut day is finally with us and while the pursuit of our ideal summer body remains prevalent at the back of our minds, we also happen to live in a country which specialises in these doughy delights. That’s why on this special occasion, we’ve compiled a list of some of Malta’s best doughnut spots… just in case you feel like indulging today.

Zwiit Cravings Cafe

Challenging everything we know about doughnuts while celebrating everything that makes them special, this super St. Julian’s spot offers a scrumptious selection of doughnuts in all shapes and sizes and if you haven’t tried them already… what are you waiting for?

The Donut Factory

With five locations across Malta, Donut Factor offers daily made doughnuts with all kinds of toppings to make you drool. From Raspberry jam, chocolate and gummy berries to white chocolate with marshmallow, this place is the definition of doughnut goals.

Shakes n Bakes

An all-time go-to spot for all that is sweet, Shakes n Bakes has always been already to satisfy our sweet tooth and with all the creative concoctions that this spot has offered over the years, we always keep coming back for more. On top of that, pairing a milkshake with your favourite doughnut always hits the spot just right.

Donut Empire

It’s all in the name. A relatively new face to the local doughnut game, Doughnut Empire is open 24/7 to satisfy any sweet-lover’s appetite. Their glowing pink neon sign is only as vibrant as their gorgeous, gooey doughnuts and when you’re in the mood for something more than your everyday doughnut, this is the place to go.

Ta’ Doughnuts, Qormi

An all-time classic, there’s not really much to say about Qormi’s Ta’ Doughnuts. Offering what is considered by many to be the best doughnuts on the island, along a number of other mouth-watering delights, this doughnut spot is loved by locals and tourists from all walks of life and we can’t even blame them. P.S. If you want to switch up your usual order and get something off-kilter, the pistachio doughnut is absolutely out of this world.

So on this very special day, forget everything else and get yourself some doughnuts.

Send this to a doughnut lover.

#MaltaDaily