Times of Malta journalists work tirelessly to keep readers informed of what is happening in Maltese society. And while all news items are important, journalists will always have their favourites among their year's work.
As 2017 draws to a close, five members of our newsroom each share a story that struck a chord with them.
Jacob Borg - 'There were always suspicions it was a done deal'
There have been several arched eyebrows over the way Vitals Global Healthcare took over three state hospitals only to pass the baton to a US healthcare group less than two years into a 30-year contract.
Jacob Borg revealed one of the shadiest parts of this deal back in May, using leaked documents to show Times of Malta readers how Vitals had actually signed an MOU with the government months before a request for proposals to run the State hospitals was ever issued.
"Daphne Caruana Galizia had correctly guessed they would get the contract," recalls Mr Borg. "When I got my hands on the leaked Vitals presentation...it was black-on-white evidence that the €2 billion concession was a done deal from day one."
Sarah Carabott - 'Breakthroughs happen when people talk about their successes, not barriers'
Flora packed her best outfit for burial. The last thing she remembers after her attempted suicide is being lifted into the back of the vehicle. That night, she survived.
Four years have passed since that dark day, and life is a lot sunnier for Flora Tanti these days.
In this story, Sarah Carabott explored the path by which Ms Tanti found help, improved her mental health and turned herself into a leading activist in the drive to #StopStigma.
Ms Carabott sees parallels with the disability sector when looking at prejudice surrounding mental health.
"We were somehow successful [at breaking taboos] when people with a disability spoke about their successes, rather than barriers," she says.
"Flora does just that, and we had better all follow in her footsteps as mental health issues affect one in every four people that we know."
Denise Grech - 'My first front page story will always be special'
Malta made international headlines when it passed a marriage equality law in the summer.
But by late November – more than three months later – not a single gay couple had managed to tie the knot in Malta, as Denise Grech revealed in this front-page story.
The government – which pulled out all the stops to celebrate the law in August – was remarkably taciturn about its failure to enact a legal notice which would turn marriage equality from theory to reality, and Identity Malta would only say that the necessary paperwork would be done and dusted “in a few weeks’ time.”
For Ms Grech, who joined Times of Malta late in the year, the story will always be a memorable one.
"It was my first front-page story," says Ms Grech. "And that alone means it will always hold a special place for me."
Vanessa MacDonald - 'I was wrong to be sceptical, and I could not have been more thrilled'
Lelio Spiteri is not your average headmaster. During assembly, he sings and dances with the students. He organises mini exercise sessions to reduce stress during exam time. On Halloween, he goes to school dressed as Dracula.
It might sound bizarre, but it's all part of Mr Spiteri's drive to ensure that at Victoria primary, the pursuit of happiness comes first, ahead even of academic performance.
Ms MacDonald admits she was sceptical when first assigned the story, adding, "I could not have been more thrilled to be proved utterly wrong."
"The media is so often accused of only carrying bad news, so this was truly a breath of fresh air," she said. "No wonder so many thousands read it..."
Ivan Martin - 'Winning her trust took three months'
Being the victim of revenge porn in a society as tight-knit as Malta is an incredibly traumatic experience. Overcoming that and then sharing the experience as a warning for others is
"The victim was reluctant to come forward," recalls Mr Martin. "She had been ridiculed by her colleagues and many of her friends..winning her trust took about three months."
The key was giving her time to mull things over, and reassuring her about his intentions.
"It was important she knew I wasn't judging her, and that I wasn't going to do in print what so many had been doing behind her back - using her story for laughs or shock."