On the 28th of December 1977, a letter bomb killed 15-year-old Karen Grech and grievously injured her 10-year-old brother, Kevin.
Their father, Professor Edwin Grech, a gynecologist, had returned from London with his wife, Pearl, and their two young children to offer his services to the government when Maltese doctors, at loggerheads with the Labour government, refused to work.
Three days after Christmas, a parcel popped into Grech's letterbox. Karen and Kevin rushed to open it, thinking it was a late Christmas gift. A tragedy ensued.
Karen was killed, and Kevin sustained grievous injuries. A cold-blooded murderer wanted to kill Prof Grech; instead, he killed his daughter.
Edwin Grech had been socially ostracised by his medical peers for being a strike-breaker. His 15-year-old kid paid for it with her life.
48 years later, only Kevin remains, Edwin died two years ago, and his wife, Pearl, passed away this week. They joined Karen in a better place, a reunion between three people whose life was ruined by a criminal who never faced justice.
Tomorrow, we bury Pearl, a devoted mother who endured 48 years of unspeakable trauma.
The loss of a child is every parent's nightmare, but having your innocent child killed is an indescribable horror. It is a shame that Edwin and Pearl went to their graves, unaware of who was behind Karen's murder. They never had closure, nor did the country.
Guarded Optimism
As I write, European Leaders, as well as the president of the European Commission and the head of NATO, met US President Donald Trump and the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy The meeting followed a face-to-face meeting between President Trump and the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, in Alaska. Details of the security guarantees were still evolving as the meeting between Trump, Zelenskyy, and the European leaders wrapped up at the White House.
President Trump spoke of an upcoming meeting between himself, Putin, and Zelenskyy. That would be a first since Russian tanks rolled into Kyiv, and a bitter war ensued, leaving thousands dead and lives ruined. I have had to witness firsthand the terrible situation in Kyiv and beyond on multiple visits to Ukraine since the war broke out. Talks of a ceasefire almost always failed, and a lasting peace was almost impossible. Now, there is hope, or rather guarded optimism, at least media reports, and statements by the leaders' concerned point in this direction.
Zelenskyy told reporters following the White House meeting that if Russia does "not demonstrate a will to meet, then we will ask the United States to act accordingly."
The world hopes for a lasting peace.
Mintoff
It's been 13 years since the death of one of Malta's greatest - Dom Mintoff.
On the 20th of August 2020, the country was told that Mintoff had died. His funeral was attended by thousands, for this man, who eradicated poverty from Malta, left a huge impact on the country and its people for generations to come.
Pensioners take their pension, thanks to Mintoff, social housing was his idea, as were childrens' allowances, students' stipends; free healthcare; the minimum wage; women's emancipation; gay rights; church-state separation; Malta's neutrality, and political freedom, and many other social, and economic initiatives which would have never been were it not for Mintoff's zeal to see Malta, and the Maltese a stronger nation.
We owe Mintoff a lot. When the British were told to pack their bags and leave, after 200 years of colonialism, the doomsayers predicted an economic disaster. But Mintoff was resolute to prove them wrong - and he did forcefully and reassuringly.
Rest in peace, dear Dom, you shall never be forgotten.
Full marks
This week, Eurostat told us that Malta registered the largest reduction in greenhouse gas emissions across the European Union in the first quarter of 2025.
Malta's emissions fell by 6.2% compared with the same period in 2024, making it the sharpest decline among all member states.
And in yet another nod to Malta's impressive economic growth, Eurostat noted that the decrease in emissions was accompanied by continued economic growth.
Malta is only one of four EU countries, along with Finland, Sweden, and Denmark, to have reduced emissions while increasing their gross domestic product (GDP). This is a significant achievement for Malta, which we must sustain. I'm confident that we will.
Surviving Pompeii
This week, I had the pleasure of visiting the set of Surviving Pompeii, a National Geographic docu series for Disney+ to be filmed across Malta's stunning venues of Fort Ricasoli, Villa Bologna, and the Park tal-Majjistral.
170 Maltese professionals are contributing their talent and creativity behind the scenes.
On the 24th of August, 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius, in Italy, erupted, devastating the Roman city of Pompeii. The eruption buried the city under layers of volcanic debris, killing thousands. This film brings that unimaginable tragedy to life on our screens.
The decision to produce this film in Malta confirms our country as a serious and well-established destination in global filmmaking.