Monument To Jean De Valette Pops Up In St George’s Square

Jun 23 2024

Photos sent to this newsroom show the iconic statue of Jean De Valette, which was formerly located in Piazza Jean De Valette in St George’s Square.

In 2012, a square named Pjazza Jean de La Valette was inaugurated in Valletta, featuring a statue of the Grandmaster. The 2.5-meter-high statue, cast in bronze by local sculptor Joseph Chetcuti, depicts La Valette in armor, holding Valletta’s plan in one hand and a sword in the other.

However, photos show the sculpture of the historic figure in St George’s Square, with a bouquet of flowers placed in his hand.

Jean Parisot de Valette was a French nobleman and the 49th Grand Master of the Order of Malta, serving from August 21, 1557, until his death in 1568. As a Knight Hospitaller in the Langue de Provence, he distinguished himself in battles against the Turks at Rhodes.

As Grand Master, de Valette emerged as the Order’s hero and most illustrious leader, notably commanding the resistance against the Ottomans during the Great Siege of Malta in 1565. This forms part of the Mediterrane Film Festival festivities taking place at St George’s Square.

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Microplastics Found In Human Penises For 1st Time

Jun 23 2024

Scientists have discovered microplastics in human penile tissue for the first time, raising concerns about their proliferation and potential health impacts.

The study, published in IJIR: Your Sexual Medicine Journal, found seven types of microplastics in four out of five samples from men with erectile dysfunction (ED) undergoing penile implant surgery.

These microplastics, ranging from less than 5 millimeters to as small as 1 micrometer, are fragments of larger plastics that degrade chemically or physically.

Lead author Ranjith Ramasamy, a reproductive urology expert, based his research on previous studies finding microplastics in the human heart. Given the penis’s vascular nature, Ramasamy wasn’t surprised by the findings. The samples, analyzed using chemical imaging, revealed polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP) as the most prevalent microplastics.

The study underscores the need for further research to determine if microplastics contribute to conditions like ED and to understand their broader health implications.

Toxicologist Matthew J. Campen highlighted the ubiquity of plastics in the body and their potential to disrupt normal bodily functions, including erection and sperm production.

Prior research by Campen found high levels of microplastics in human testicles compared to animal testes.

Experts recommend reducing plastic exposure by using stainless steel and glass containers, avoiding microwaving food or beverages in plastic, and not putting plastic in dishwashers to prevent chemical leaching.

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Is This Malta’s Craziest Ice Cream?

Jun 23 2024

A video uploaded to social media by ‘The Little Desert Van’ might have just created Malta’s craziest ice cream.

An employee of the ice cream van was in the mood for a cool treat, so they went ahead and created an absolute massive ice cream.

@thelittledessertvan

this one was for me 😅

♬ original sound – the little dessert van

Fully equipped with two – that’s right, two – ice cream cones, they dipped the snack into Oreos, Coco Pops and sprinkles multiple times and gave it more pumps and dabs of Nutella, vanilla and chocolate.

Commenters were also eager to try it out themselves, with some calling on the van owner to transform it into a secret menu item.

What do you think? Would you try this out?

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Fans Interrupt EURO Match For Ronaldo Selfies

Jun 23 2024

During a Euro 2024 match between Portugal and Turkey, four fans, including a child, invaded the pitch at Westfalenstadion in Dortmund, Germany, aiming to get selfies with Cristiano Ronaldo. The second half of the game saw multiple interruptions as these fans managed to evade the stewards.

The first invader, a young boy, got onto the field in the 69th minute and took a selfie with Ronaldo, who happily obliged.

The boy was then chased off the pitch by staff, waving to the crowd as he left. Fifteen minutes later, an older fan tried to do the same but was met with a different reaction.

Ronaldo threw his hands in the air and turned away as the fan attempted to put his arm around him. A third pitch invader ran past Ronaldo during injury time.

After the final whistle, two more fans attempted to approach Ronaldo. The first was tackled to the ground, and the second was stopped while trying to confront Ronaldo as the teams exited the field.

Portugal coach Roberto Martinez expressed concern over the pitch invasions, acknowledging the potential danger if fans’ intentions were malicious. Despite the interruptions, Portugal won 3-0, securing their spot in the knockout stage of the Euros with one group match remaining against Georgia.

Ronaldo, who now plays for Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr after stints at Manchester United and Real Madrid, is rumoured to earn over £160 million annually, making him the highest-paid footballer in history.

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