37 Maltese police officers currently suspended over criminal investigations

Jan 11 2022

Responding to a parliamentary question from PN MP Beppe Fenech Adami, Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri revealed that a total of 37 police officers are currently suspended from the force pending criminal investigation.

No names or personal details were included and it was also not made clear what offences these officers were charged with. The bulk of the offenders are likely from alleged extra duty abuse which occurred in February of 2020. This scheme saw traffic officers make away with thousands in euros by reporting for overtime they would not turn up for.

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Photo Source: Byron Camilleri FB

EU Parliament President David Sassoli dies aged 65

Jan 11 2022

President of the European Parliament David Sassoli died aged 65. He was hospitalised in Italy since the 26th of December 2021, with this being the second admission in the span of a few months.

He was admitted to hospital last September with pneumonia. Spokesman Roberto Cuillo wrote that Sassoli passed away at 1.15 am on 11th January at the CRO in Aviano, Italy.

First Vice President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola issued a touching tribute to Sassoli, calling him a champion, friend and leader.

‘I am heartbroken to learn that European Parliament President David Sassoli has passed away early this morning. Europe lost a leader, I have lost a friend, democracy has lost a champion. We have lost one of us’ she said.

‘David Sassoli dedicated his life to making the world a better, fairer place’ said Metsola, saying that his parliament joined Alessandra, Giulio, Livia and all his loved ones in mourning.

Sassoli has been President of the parliament since July 2019, but his career started off in journalism and spanned decades.

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Photo Source: Roberta Metsola FB

Two Mater Dei departments to be named after Victor Calvagna and Albert Fenech

Jan 11 2022

Two departments at Mater Dei Hospital will be named after two medical professional giants who recently passed away – Victor Calvagna and Albert Fenech.

Health Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne announced the news today in Parliament. The Cardiology Department will be named after Fenech, who was Malta’s foremost cardiologist.

Having passed away on the 28th of December 2021 aged 70, Fenech helped establish the department in 1995 and worked there until 2015. He also served as a PN MP between 2013 and 2016 before resigning to seek private work abroad.

Victor Calvagna will in the meantime have Mater Dei’s Children’s Department named after him. A well known oncologist, he was the president and founder of Puttinu Cares.

He was fatally injured after being hit by a car in Qawra. He succumbed to his injuries on the 4th of January at the age of 63.

Mater Dei’s Orthopaedics Department will also be named after specialist Charles Grixti and the Żabbar Health Care Centre will be named after Anġlu Psaila.

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First ever pig heart transplanted into human patient a medical first

Jan 11 2022

In a historic medical first, Maryland doctors have successfully transplanted a genetically modified pig’s heart into a human patient in a last-ditch effort to save his life. Doctors at the University of Maryland medical centre stated on Monday that the patient was doing well three days after the highly experimental surgery. However, it is too soon to know if the operation has been a success.

However, whether a scientific victory or not, the transplant marks a massive step ahead in the quest to one day use animal organs to conduct life saving operations. Doctors said the transplant shows a heart from a genetically modified animal can function in the human body without immediate rejection.

David Bennett, the 57-year-old patient, knew that there was no guarantee the experiment would work. However, he was dying, ineligible for a human heart transplant and had no other option. He described it as a shot in the dark which could potentially just have worked. On Monday, the patient was breathing on his own while still connected to a heart-lung machine to help his new heart. The next few weeks will be critical as Bennett recovers from the surgery.

Scientific director of the university’s animal-to-human transplant program Dr Muhammad Mohiuddin said that if this works, there will be an endless supply of these organs for patients who are suffering. Previous transplants from animals failed, particularly one in 1984 wherein a dying infant lived 21 days with a baboon heart.

What could be different this time is the fact that the pig heart underwent gene-editing to be more suitable in a human body. Doctors are still cautioning it as a tentative step into exploring whether this type of procedure, called xenotransplantation, finally works. What do you think?

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