Child abuse reports doubled in the past two years in Malta

Jul 22 2022

New data shows that in the past two yeas, reports of child abuse as well as the amount of applications for care orders doubled.

The concerned authorities are attributing this phenomenon to the fact that professionals who work with children now have the legal obligation, set in motion two years ago, to report abuse on minors.

The reports can take place even if the professionals simply have the suspicion of there being a case of abuse on minors. The number reached up to 4,162 cases, with 57% of them being solved cases.

The Directorate for Child Protection Services, along with the Foundation for Social Welfare Services, is offering a number of protective measures to victims through a new law which was approved two years ago. Among these new initiatives is the opening of a new home for children wherein they can stay as they undergo legal procedures safely without the threat of experiencing more trauma.

Steve Libreri, from the Directorate, said that this law gave a voice to children as it gave professionals the duty to talk to children whilst giving the ability to the Directorate to protect said children.

Minister for Social Policy and Children’s Rights Michael Falzon said that, through this new law, we can now look at how we protect children in a brand new light. He explained how the latest measure to be taken in the process of child protection was the application of a care order.

The number of care orders doubled over these past two years, as it increased from 12 applications in 2020 to 36 in 2021. The year 2022 already registered 36 applications.

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Millie Bobby Brown to make history as highest paid actor under 20

Jul 22 2022

Netflix is reported as being set to pay Stranger Things and Enola Holmes star Millie Bobby Brown a staggering figure just to reprise her latter role.

The 18-year-old actor was thrust into the spotlight by the hit series Stranger Things, and then went on to portray the role of detective Sherlock Holmes’ sister in 2020.

Despite already being paid a significant amount for her role as Eleven, the teenager’s pay check for the Enola Holmes sequel is set to make history. Brown is reported to receive $10 million for the second instalment.

If she is in fact paid that amount, Brown will have been paid the highest upfront salary any actor under the age of 20 has ever been given.

Fans of the actress commended the pay, saying that the actress definitely deserves it for her breadth of work and her capabilities as an actress.

Netflix confirmed a sequel to the 2020 film earlier in May, announcing on Twitter that Millie Bobby Brown and Henry Cavill will be returning for their roles. For the first movie she earned a whopping $6.1 million.

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Snap election for Italy as PM Mario Draghi resigns

Jul 22 2022

Italian President Sergio Mattarella dissolved parliament on Thursday and effectively triggered a snap election following the resignation of Prime Minister Mario Draghi earlier on the same day.

The national election will be taking place on the 25th of September, with Mattarella describing the developments as inevitable. In a short address from his Quirinale Palace residence in Rome, the president thanked Draghi and his ministers for their efforts over the past 18 months.

“The political situation that has been determined has led to this decision,” he added. “The discussion, the vote, and the manner in which this vote was cast yesterday in the Senate made clear the loss of parliamentary support for the government and the absence of prospects for forming a new majority. This situation made the early dissolution of the chambers inevitable.”

The resignation by Draghi comes after several key parties in his coalition boycotted a confidence vote in the government Wednesday night. Draghi’s resignation came despite his popularity among many, both within Italy and outside, as many world leaders see him as an important voice in standing up to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Mattarella continued on to say that the period Italy will be going through does not allow for pauses in the interventions that are indispensable to counteract the effects of the economic and social crisis. In particular, the rise of inflation has caused much turmoil across the globe.

Draghi, a prominent economist unaffiliated with any political party, became prime minister in February 2021, leading a cabinet of ministers from across the country’s vast political spectrum.

The fifth prime minister to lead the country in just eight years, he won the moniker of ‘Super Mario’ after saving the euro during Europe’s sovereign debt crisis.

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8 local business awards won by the Family Sammut group of companies

Jul 22 2022

Companies owned by Family Sammut, including Greens Supermarket, have done exceptionally well at this year’s edition of the Local Business Awards.

These awards pay tribute to and reward the local community’s best businesses – while strengthening the bonds between the local business community, thus helping improve the standards of local businesses.

Held on June 3rd at the InterContinental hotel, the Local Business Awards recognised and rewarded the outstanding standards that companies owned by Family Sammut adhere to – in total winning eight awards.

Joseph Sammut (Greens Supermarket) & Matthew Sammut (Fresh To Go Foods Ltd.)

Greens Supermarket, run by Family Sammut for several years, won three awards: Best Local Seafood Outlet & Supplier of the Year, Best Food Retail Outlet of the Year, and Best Supermarket of the Year. These are certainly high accolades for a family-run business that started out as a small family grocer three decades ago. Over 30 years, this business developed into a second-generation family company operating supermarkets in Swieqi and Gozo, while also soon opening a new, state-of-the-art supermarket in the Central Business District at The Quad, Mrieħel.

The Greenhouse, a novel concept that combines bistro, cafeteria and pizzeria under one roof – won two awards: Best Local Café & Cake Shop of the Year and Best Local Pizza Restaurant of the Year. These are deserving distinctions for an outlet that takes its diners on a delicious journey, courtesy of a menu that makes the best use of fresh and seasonal produce, prepared according to tradition.

Another company owned by Family Sammut, iServe, won two awards, for Most Innovative Project of the Year and the Innovation Award. The company, which is a collaboration with world-leading enterprise Pudu Robotics, specialises in automation within the retail and hospitality sectors, with the aim of bringing innovative technology to Malta through catering robots.

Joseph Sammut, Managing Director of Greens Supermarket, and Matthew Sammut, Managing Director of Fresh To Go Foods Ltd also won the Best Business Leader of the Year award.

The winning companies were presented with certificates and trophies accredited by the European Business Awards, and with the seal of the President of the Republic of Malta.

Congratulations to the Sammut Family for securing the prestigious awards.

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