First round of Brillanti Season 2 auditions highlight Malta’s dance talent

Feb 17 2023

Brillanti Season 2 has officially kicked off and, judging by the first episode alone, Joseph Chetcuti and his panel of judges truly have a massive task ahead of them to pick the best of the best.

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Chetcuti was joined by classical professional Brenda Lee Grech, former Amici star Andrea Attila and Hip Hop icon Patrick Odametey as they kicked off the very first round of pre-selections.

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The first episode saw some familiar faces, the new generation and professionally trained movers from all over the island taking a shot at the competition.

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Some of the first episode’s standouts were young Elisa Morguello, the energetic Rafael Pimienta, elegant Federica Nicastro, the passionate Kristina and Malta’s Got Talent Season 1 runner-up choreographer Cheryl Lofreda passing to the next stage.

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The next episode will air on ONE TV at 2030hrs next Friday as the panel continues the search for more brilliant dancers.

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Overturned vehicle in Għadira jams traffic and hospitalises two

Feb 17 2023

Two persons had to be admitted to Mater Dei Hospital after their Land Rover flipped over at Għadira, further jamming the traffic heading towards Gozo.

The accident occurred close to the roundabout towards Mellieħa at around 1800hrs.

The vehicle reportedly carried the driver and a passenger, both of whom were hospitalised. Their injuries are so far unknown.

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Photo Source: TVM News

5 out of 513 drug related emergencies led to death in 2021

Feb 17 2023

Malta’s Drug Report for 2021 revealed that there were 513 drug-related emergencies, five of which resulted in fatalities.

The report, which was published on Friday by Social Policy Minister Michael Falzon, indicated that cocaine and synthetic cannabis (SCRA) were the primary drugs for which individuals sought medical attention due to intoxication.

In 2021, 273 emergency cases were attributed to cocaine, while SCRA cases increased from 49 in 2020 to 100 in 2021.

The report also disclosed that there were 256 drug law offenses in 2021, with 142 cases related to possession and 114 to trafficking. Cannabis was the most frequently seized substance by law enforcement, accounting for 144 of the 256 cases.

While aspects of cannabis recreational use were decriminalized in December 2021, trafficking remains a criminal offense.

Drug seizures remained relatively unchanged in 2021, possibly due to pandemic-related restrictions. The report recorded a significant increase in cannabis resin seizures, rising from 0.36kg in 2020 to 272kg in 2021.

Additionally, 762kg of cocaine were seized in 2021, up from 525kg in 2020. Police also seized 187kg of cannabis grass in 2021, an increase from 151kg in 2020. There was a reduction in heroin seizures, from nearly 2kg in 2020 to 0.64kg in 2021.

The report showed that 1,990 people were receiving drug rehabilitation treatment, with 50% of cases linked to heroin addiction. Of those seeking rehabilitation, 80% were previously treated for their addiction.

According to Minister Falzon, the rise in the number of people receiving treatment is attributable to heightened awareness, rather than an increase in drug consumption.

Since the establishment of the drugs tribunal in 2015, the number of individuals appearing before the Commissioner of Justice has increased from 135 in 2015 to 815 in 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of cases declined to 287 in 2020 and 351 in 2021.

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Secret Valletta garden opens up as public museum after 400 years

Feb 17 2023

The Mysterium Fidei Museum, which has been closed and hidden for over 400 years, has just been opened up as a museum for the public to enjoy!

The museum comprises St Catherine’s Monastery and the Underground Complex and offers ‘an immersive experience that will take you to a world within a world; into the underground complex lying beneath St. Catherine’s Monastery in Valletta.’

‘Monastic nuns who chose to lock themselves from the outside world, till death and beyond it. Immerse yourself into everyday life at the monastery and the fascinating secrets hidden within these walls. Travel through time from the era of the Knights of St. John, to this day.’

An audio tour of the complex is also available as visitors visit rooms used for work, prayer, restraint and the ‘sleep of death’, the official website explains.

Located only three minutes away on foot from the Grandmaster’s Palace, Mysterium Fidei Monastery secretly lies in the paved part of St. Christopher Street between Republic Street and Strait Street.

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Photo Source: Mysterium Fidei, Travel Malta