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.

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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.

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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

Turtle Caught In Net Rescued By CPD Rescuers

Oct 6 2024

Yesterday, Civil Protection Malta rescuers from Fire Station 5 rescued a young turtle in distress after it was spotted caught in a net.

‘The rescuers lifted the turtle on board the Vessel, and gently worked to cut the net and set it free.’

The turtle was handed over to Nature Trust Malta for further monitoring and treatment before being released back into the wild.

Well done all!

#MaltaDaily

Malta With 3rd Lowest Student-Per-Teacher Ratio In EU 2022

Oct 6 2024

During the year 2022, Malta registered the third lowest pupil/student per teacher ratio in primary to upper secondary education at 8.7 pupils.

The lowest ratio was registered in Greece, with 8.3 pupils per teacher, followed by Luxembourg at 8.5.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Netherlands registered the highest ratio with 16.0 pupils per teacher.

This was followed by France at 15.0 and Slovakia at 14.2.

In the EU in 2022, the ratio was 12.1.

#MaltaDaily

Source: Eurostat