Weekly News highlights

The House of Representatives on Monday ratified the EU accession treaty, and the relative bill was given the President's assent on Wednesday - 13 years to the day Malta had applied (through Professor de Marco, then foreign minister) to join the Union.

The historic vote on the European Union bill had to be taken three times, at the beginning and twice at the end of the sitting, after the Opposition called a division. It was finally carried by 34 Government votes to the Opposition's 25. Labour leader Alfred Sant and four other Labour MPs were not in the House when the final vote was taken.

Malta, UK discuss military co-operation

British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon had talks with Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami on Monday during a one-day visit to Malta. Military co-operation between the two countries was believed to be the main topic on the agenda. Mr Hoon also had a courtesy meeting with Foreign Minister Joe Borg.

Portugal backs Malta's claim to six MEPs

Portuguese Foreign Affairs Minister Antonio Martins Da Cruz, who was on a short visit to Malta, said on Monday his country was in favour of Malta having six members in the European Parliament, the same number as Luxembourg. In its EU membership negotiations, Malta was granted five members. However, in the draft EU Constitution it is being suggested that Malta only gets four.

Iz-Zambi claims human rights violation

Carmel Attard, nicknamed iz-Zambi, filed a constitutional application in the Civil Court on Monday claiming that his fundamental human rights to a fair trial and to freedom from discrimination had been violated. He also requested the court to hear and decide his case with urgency.

Attard, who had filed a guilty plea to complicity in the attempted murder of the prime minister's personal assistant, Richard Cachia Caruana, had been jailed for 14 years on October 7, 1998.

Bus owners agree to discuss reform

The government and bus owners have finally agreed to launch talks to overhaul the public transport service. During a meeting on Tuesday between the government, the Malta Transport Authority and the bus owners' representatives it was agreed that a radical change was needed in the public transport service. All parties have agreed that the reform must incorporate all aspects of the service, especially the bus routes and schedules.

Woman critical after crash

A 30-year-old woman is in danger of dying following a crash in Salina Road, close to Kennedy Grove, on Wednesday afternoon. A five-year-old boy who was a passenger in her car suffered fractures, the police said. The Ghaxaq woman, who was driving a Maruti was involved in a head-on collision with a Toyota pick-up.The pick-up's driver, a 53-year-old man from Rabat, was unhurt.

Alleged rapist wants open hearing

Jamal Badawi, the young Libyan charged with the rape of a 55-year-old Floriana woman, wants his case to be heard in open court. His lawyer, Roberto Montalto, told Magistrate Lawrence Quintano on Wednesday his client did not want his case to be heard behind closed doors, except when the victim testified. But Magistrate Quintano said it would be premature to give a ruling on the matter at this stage.

Although the law stated that, in principle, all court hearings should be public, it laid down some exceptions and these would be taken into consideration at the appropriate time.

Badawi is pleading not guilty to the rape and illegal arrest of the woman in Floriana on June 29.

Two Maltese jailed in Tunisia

Diane Galea, of Qormi, and Carmelo Chircop, of Birkirkara, were respectively jailed for three years and six years by a Tunisian court on Tuesday after they were found guilty of circulating counterfeit US dollars while on holiday there last February.

The two had been reported to the police by a shop owner after they paid for goods with counterfeit money. The couple was traced and arrested. A search yielded about $40,000 in counterfeit notes.

Large increase in female smokers

Cigarette smoking among women has shot up to the extent that middle-aged women nowadays puff away more than men, a study shows. The survey, whose findings were published on Thursday, also shows that smoking is significantly higher among the unemployed and that smoking is still an integral part of Maltese life.

The study - "Smoking Trends Across Three Generations" - was carried out by Charlotte Sant Portanier, under the supervision of senior lecturer Maryanne Sant Fournier and consultant respiratory physician Stephen Montefort. Sixty-seven per cent of the sample of 600 responded to the survey.

Six-car crash in Gzira

Two persons were slightly injured in a six-car crash on the Regional Road, in Gzira, on Thursday afternoon. The police said a 22-year-old woman from Siggiewi lost control of her Maruti 800 and smashed into five cars waiting at the traffic lights leading to Msida. Five of the six cars were badly damaged. The accident slowed traffic at the Kappara roundabout but the police worked hard to keep it flowing.

Charged with stabbing wife

Paul Caruana, 31, of Zejtun, on Thursday was charged with stabbing his wife Sandra on June 12. Magistrate Miriam Hayman heard how Caruana had given himself up after the incident and had been admitted to Mount Carmel Hospital after he tried to take his own life.

'Career criminals' jailed

Charles Mangion, 26, of Fgura and Charlot Aquilina, 23, of Zejtun, were each jailed for two years on Thursday for burgling a mini-market after a magistrate noted that they had both opted to pursue a "career in crime", despite the several opportunities given to them by the court to change their ways.

They pleaded guilty to stealing more than Lm100 cash from Shameria Mini Market in Zejtun and causing less than Lm50 damage on May 22, 2001. Magistrate Abigail Lofaro noted that Mangion's criminal record was 11 pages long and listed no fewer than 14 convictions, and Aquilina had a four-page criminal record listing six convictions.

Man dies while swimming

A 67-year-old German died on Thursday afternoon while swimming off Comino. The Gozo police said the man reportedly felt chest pains before passing away.

Maltese Church wantsto join EU dialogue

The Maltese bishops are calling on Government to do its utmost for the EU Constitution to reflect the values of the people of Europe. They have also expressed their wish to be involved in the local dialogue on EU membership.

The Church, they said, wished to give its contribution. It wanted to confirm its readiness and desire to be present and active, particularly in MEUSAC, and, especially, in those sectors in which the Church believed it could make an important contribution.

Combating cigarette smuggling

A memorandum of understanding was signed on Friday between the Customs Department and Central Cigarette Ltd to jointly battle the trade of contraband and counterfeit cigarettes, which costs the government Lm1 million in lost revenue every year.

The agreement was signed by Customs director-general John Mifsud, Central Cigarette general manager Ronnie Abela and British American Tobacco (BAT) head of customs and excise Brian Weatherburn. Central Cigarette is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BAT, the second largest international tobacco company in the world.

New hospital contract hearings

A legal report commissioned by the Foundation for Medical Services' adjudication board on the Lm25 million medical equipment contract for the new hospital in Tal-Qroqq had concluded that Hospitalia's bid was "conditional", as the offer was subject to the foundation accepting amendments to the original tender document.

The FMS later recommended that Hospitalia, a German company, should be awarded the tender, a recommendation that was overruled by the director general of contracts, who opted for the Italian consortium INSO.

The legal report, drawn up by Judge Godwin Muscat Azzopardi, was circulated during Friday's nine-hour-long marathon hearing of the appeals proceedings initiated by Hospitalia and Simed, another bidder, against the director of contracts' decision. The next session in the appeal proceedings is scheduled for July 29.

Student robbed at gunpoint

A 20-year-old Italian student was robbed of cash in an armed hold-up at Gzira on Wednesday at about 10.30 p.m., the police said on Friday. The student handed over all his money and then reported the incident to his host family. He told them he had Lm20 in Maltese currency and about €300. The police are investigating.