Weekly News highlights

An Air Malta Boeing 737, carrying 61 passengers and seven crew, made an emergency landing in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Monday after pressurisation problems developed on its descent. The plane was flying to Malta from Istanbul.

Convicted of rape

Diego Agius, 25, of San Gwann, last Tuesday was given a two-year jail term suspended for four years after he pleaded guilty to defiling a 14-year-old girl.

Appeal for temporary accommodation of refugees

The Emigrants' Commission last Wednesday appealed to the public to offer temporary accommodation to refugee families or individuals, since the commission's premises were full. Other premises, including Raghaj it-Tajjeb in Balzan, Dar San Pawl Milqi in Floriana, and the "Luke Gauci" block in Guardamangia, have also accommodated refugees and persons with humanitarian protection status.

US patrol boat donated to AFM

A new patrol boat worth around Lm2.2 million was handed over to the government on Wednesday by US Ambassador Anthony Gioia. The boat, P51, is equipped with two .50-calibre machineguns and will be used by the Maritime Squadron of the AFM in search and rescue operations.

Four years for raping mental patient

Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono, sitting in the Criminal Court, on Wednesday found public officer Mario Falzon guilty of raping a patient at Mount Carmel Hospital in January 1999. Falzon was jailed for four years and ordered to pay Lm569 in legal fees.

Ex-minister awarded Lm600

Magistrate Silvio Meli on Wednesday ordered Alfred Grixti to pay former Nationalist minister Dr George Bonello Dupuis Lm600 in libel damages for an article he wrote in The Times on August 16, 2001.

AFM rescue three at sea

The Armed Forces rescued three people - two men and a woman - who were lost at sea while they were on a fishing trip after the compass of their speedboat developed a fault on Tuesday. Their boat was spotted some 14 miles northwest of Malta.

First college graduates

A total of 171 students from the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology on Thursday received their certificates or diplomas during the college's first graduation ceremony.

Start of procedures for beatification of Mgr Formosa

Archbishop Mercieca has announced the start of procedures for the beatification and canonisation of Mgr Isidor Formosa, founder of the Ursuline Nuns of the St Angela Merici congregation.

PN wins info spots case

The Nationalist Party was given the right to broadcast on the state media spots explaining Malta's relations with the EU. Mr Justice Geoffrey Valencia upheld a writ of summons filed by the PN and ruled that the decision taken by the Broadcasting Authority on October 1 had created an imbalance in broadcasting and was discriminatory against the PN.

Valletta-Athens co-operation

The councils of Valletta and Athens have signed a protocol of co-operation that enables the two cities to strengthen ties in the economic, social and cultural fields. The agreement was signed on Friday by Valletta mayor Paul Borg Olivier and visiting Athens mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos at the Valletta council's premises.

Examination of phone tapping warrants requested

Defence lawyers in the case against 19 people charged with conspiring to deal in drugs in Malta and Italy, last Friday called on the presiding magistrate to examine the signatures and handwriting on warrants authorising the interception of telephone calls, after the court was asked to return phone tapping warrants earlier last week.

PN general council meets in first session

The Nationalist Party's general council, with the theme "The choice for our children", held its first session on Friday. Speaking at the Eden Ice Arena, deputy leader Lawrence Gonzi listed the achievements of the PN government, stressing those which Opposition Leader Alfred Sant had said were not possible. The council continued yesterday with a workshop at the PN headquarters in Pietà, and will close today with an address by the party leader, Dr Fenech Adami.

Thousands stolen in hold-up

A considerable sum of money was stolen in a hold-up at Mambra Electronics in Luqa on Friday afternoon. The police could not give a precise figure to the haul but said it runs into thousands. There were clients and customers in the shop at the time but no one was hurt.