Cash Salary Payments To Be Banned, PM Announces

Oct 6 2024

Speaking during an interview on ONE, Prime Minister Robert Abela announced that a new Legal Notice will soon come into effect, ensuring that workers in Malta will receive their wages directly into their bank accounts.

This measure is intended to prevent worker exploitation and protect employee rights. Currently, some workers are paid in cash, making it harder to track payments and ensure fair wages, the Prime Minister said.

Under the new rule, employers will be required to transfer salaries via bank deposits, with payment by cheque allowed only if bank transfers are not possible.

The decision was made following discussions with unions and employers in preparation for the upcoming Budget.

The Prime Minister emphasised that this reform will enhance working conditions, particularly for Maltese, Gozitan, and foreign workers, by safeguarding the wages they are entitled to receive.

This new salary measure is part of a broader government initiative to improve labour conditions, which also includes the upcoming introduction of “equal pay for equal value” from January 1st.

Abela highlighted that these changes align with other reforms in recent years, such as the increase in the minimum wage and social agreements between the government, unions, and employers. The new salary measure aims to create a more transparent and fair payment system across the country.

#MaltaDaily

2 Year Old’s Courage Whilst Battling Leukaemia

Oct 6 2024

NGO Puttinu Cares shared an adorable and powerful photo of Little Thomas, who, at just 2 years old, is fighting leukaemia.

Despite his medical battle, Thomas is still bravely facing it all and remaining very positing.

‘There’s a rainbow after every storm’, Thomas’ simple but powerful painting reads.

‘Let’s never give up, no complaints, just keep fighting on’, wrote Puttinu Cares.

#MaltaDaily

Notte Bianca From The Sky: Thousands Flock To Capital City

Oct 6 2024

Here’s what yesterday night’s Notte Bianca looked like from up above!

Thousands flocked to Malta’s capital city of Valletta to engage in a number of cultural and artistic activities.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Is-Servizz Pubbliku (@servizz_pubbliku)

With live music, exhibitions and all sorts of other activities, locals and tourists alike were treated to a test of Malta’s rich heritage and culture.

Speaking during Notte Bianca, Minister for National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government Owen Bonnici expressed his delight at seeing thousands of people flock to another edition of Notte Bianca.

#MaltaDaily

Source: Servizz Pubbliku

UK Lab Working On 1st Ovarian Cancer Vaccine

Oct 6 2024

A U.K. lab, funded by Cancer Research UK, is developing the world’s first vaccine for ovarian cancer.

The project, called OvarianVax, initially focuses on women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations, which significantly increase the risk of ovarian cancer.

While women in the general population have a 2% lifetime risk, those with BRCA mutations face a risk as high as 45%. Currently, women with these mutations are advised to undergo preventive surgery to remove their ovaries by their mid-thirties, causing early menopause and loss of fertility.

OvarianVax aims to create a vaccine that triggers the immune system to detect and attack abnormal ovarian cells before they develop into cancer.

Using ovarian cancer samples, researchers will identify common mutations that result in abnormal proteins recognized by the immune system. Unlike existing vaccines, such as the HPV vaccine for cervical cancer, this vaccine would focus on preventing ovarian cancer by targeting early cell abnormalities.

Though promising, the vaccine will require extensive clinical trials before becoming available, which could take several years. If successful, OvarianVax could first benefit women at high risk, with potential for broader use in the future.

#MaltaDaily