In court today, a 31-year-old from Santa Venera, admitted to threatening European Commissioner Helena Dalli and other Maltese radio personalities. It was on July 31, that Travis Xuereb, left a basket containing drugs and a threatening note at the Dalli family residence in Marsascala. The family’s lawyer expressed their fear and requested protection.

In court, he claimed that he had seen boxer Conor McGregor leaving the residence and intended the basket as a “gift” for him, unaware that it was the Dalli family’s home. He insisted he did not mean to cause personal harm. Xuereb has a history of similar incidents, including threatening radio personalities and harassing a woman earlier this year.

His defense stated that Xuereb suffers from severe mental illnesses and has been hospitalised multiple times at Mount Carmel Hospital. Magistrate Yana Micallef Stafrace ordered a psychiatric treatment plan and issued protection orders for the Dalli family and others involved. The court will issue a sentence after a presentence report is completed.

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A ban on junk food advertisements before 9pm will officially come into effect in October 2025, the UK government has confirmed. First proposed by the Conservatives in 2021 but delayed twice, the restrictions aim to protect children from exposure to unhealthy food and drink advertising, which has been shown to influence dietary habits from a young age.

Health Minister Andrew Gwynne stated that the ban aligns with Labour’s commitment to addressing childhood obesity. The government hopes the timeline will provide businesses with the clarity they need to prepare for the change.

In addition to the TV advertising watershed, the new rules will also impose a total ban on paid-for online junk food ads. Research indicates that more than one in five children in England are overweight or obese by the time they start primary school, a figure that rises to over a third by the time they leave.

Labour’s plans focus on prevention to “raise the healthiest generation ever,” with an emphasis on tackling the obesity crisis head-on. The British Heart Foundation has called for further measures, such as extending the ban to billboards and sports sponsorship, though these are not currently included in the government’s plans.

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A recent study from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey reveals notable trends in sexual activity and condom use among Maltese teens compared to their international peers. In Malta, 15% of 15-year-old girls and 17% of boys are sexually active, aligning with the average for 42 surveyed countries. However, while condom use among sexually active Maltese boys is slightly above the international average at 62%, girls lag significantly behind with only 40%, compared to an international average of 57%.

This discrepancy suggests a cultural taboo surrounding condom use among Maltese females. Additionally, 49% of Maltese girls did not use condoms or contraceptive pills during their last sexual encounter, well above the 40% international average.

When compared to other nations, Maltese boys are less sexually active than their peers in Italy, Germany, Spain, Sweden, and Denmark, while Maltese girls are notably less active than those in Italy, Germany, Spain, and Sweden. The study also highlights significant gender gaps in condom use, with the largest disparities observed in Albania and Malta.

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