Twenty-seven illegal immigrants, including three women, were brought to shore last Sunday after their seven-metre boat was sighted drifting some 40 nautical miles to the south east of Malta.

The immigrants were escorted by an AFM vessel to the army's maritime base at Haywharf. And were handed over to the immigration police. An AFM aircraft and two patrol vessels were involved in the three search operations.

A search for a freshly reported boat took place on Sunday evening off the southwestern coast of Malta.

Photographer's sudden death

Allied Newspapers Ltd long-standing staff photographer Alfred Giglio died suddenly on Monday morning - the second sudden death to hit the Maltese media scene in a week after the death of 46-year-old Julian Manduca, senior journalist of MaltaToday, on May 17.

The 47-year-old photographer had just returned to Strickland House after an assignment with The Times journalist and friend Michael Testa when he suddenly collapsed and died on the spot.

Mr Giglio joined the Allied Group in June 1971. He was one of the most experienced and highly respected individuals in his profession and his eye for a story yielded some of the most memorable news pictures of the last three decades.

Hundreds attended Mr Giglio's funeral at the church of St Paul Shipwrecked on Tuesday. A life-long bachelor, Mr Giglio lived with his parents in Valletta.

Five injured in brawl

A number of people were being questioned by the police on Monday following a brawl involving 30 people which left five injured in Bugibba.

The police said the fight took place at about 7.30 p.m. in Bay Square and the injured suffered cuts or stab wounds, among them a 23-year old Siggiewi man who was admitted to hospital and was initially in critical condition but later improved.

18-year jail term for attempted murder

Nazzareno Micallef, 40, of Zebbug, was jailed for 18 years on Monday after he admitted to trying to kill four men when he fired a shotgun at them while in a state of mental agitation three years ago.

After hearing Micallef plead guilty to four counts of attempted murder qualified by a state of mental agitation, Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono ruled that his crazy behaviour had ended in four people being wounded and the punishment had to reflect the multiplicity of the crime.

Micallef was charged with the attempted murder of Henry, Joseph, George and Daniel Falzon by repeatedly firing a shotgun in their direction in Mdina Road, Zebbug, on April 16, 2002.

Police confiscate counterfeit goods

About 440,000 cigarettes and over 100 bottles of alcoholic beverages, on which excise duty had not been paid, were confiscated by the economic crimes police squad in two separate raids on Monday. The raids were carried out on a shop in Valletta and a residence in Qrendi.

A 49-year-old man from Qrendi is expected to be arraigned in court soon in connection with the case.

European court rejects judges' complaints

The European Court of Human Rights has rejected three complaints filed by former judges Noel Arrigo and Patrick Vella, claiming a breach of their rights, and declared their application inadmissible.

The judges took their case before the European court in an application lodged on January 28, 2004.

The court heard how on August 4, 2002, former Chief Justice Noel Arrigo and former Judge Patrick Vella had been charged with two counts of bribery and with revealing official secrets in connection with a judgment handed down by the Court of Criminal Appeal against drug trafficker Mario Camilleri.

Boy injured after ceiling collapses

A 15-year-old boy and a 19-year-old youth were seriously injured after the ceiling of a room they were in collapsed. Both of them had to be taken out of the building, where construction work is going on, in Dun Guzepp Vella Street, Qormi, by Civil Protection Department personnel.

More than 200 trees destroyed

Over 200 trees in Tal-Buqana Road leading from Mtarfa to Mosta were destroyed by vandals on Tuesday night - it will cost about Lm3,000 make good for the damage.

The road has just been resurfaced as part of the project funded by the Italian financial protocol. The trees, including olives, jacarandas, cypress, pines and myrtles, were cut down and plants were trampled upon and discarded in nearby fields.

Austrian motorcyclist injured

A 38-year-old Austrian who lives in Malta was seriously injured after the motorcycle he was riding crashed into a footpath in Tower Road, Sliema early on Wednesday morning.

Michael Alfred Neundlinger was rushed to hospital and was in danger of dying - he was operated on on Wednesday and was in a stable condition afterwards.

Algerian charged with escaping from police custody

Algerian Mohammed Tensi, 24, on Wednesday was charged with escaping from police headquarters where he was being detained on Monday night.

Tensi pleaded not guilty to escaping, slightly injuring two police constables, causing damage to a perimeter fence and a constable's uniform and relapsing.

Tensi was granted bail against a personal guarantee of Lm2,000.

Man faces third murder charge

Silvio Mangion on Thursday appeared in the Magistrates' Court charged with murder - for the third time in his life.

Mangion was charged with the murder of Maria Stella Magrin at her home in Cospicua by stabbing her repeatedly on October 29, 1986. He pleaded not guilty.

Barely two weeks ago, Mangion was charged with the murder of Rozina Zammit in her Safi home 21 years ago. She had also been stabbed to death.

Mangion is currently serving a 21-year jail term for the murder of Frenc Cassar, 74, of Zejtun, and the attempted murder of Guza Cassar on August 18, 1988.

In the meantime, a man who was being held by the police investigating Ms Magrin's murder died in hospital Wednesday afternoon after a suicide attempt in a Floriana lock-up on Tuesday.

The Zejtun man, in his early 40s, was called in for questioning on Tuesday morning after a person who had been interrogated about the murder had named him and another man, also from Zejtun, as accomplices in the case.

No more "illegitimate father" on certificates

The words 'illegitimate father' are to be removed from civil status certificates if a bill currently before Parliament is passed.

Justice Minister Tonio Borg explained that just like birth certificates no longer indicated that children were adopted or born out of wedlock, it was not right to carry the words 'illegitimate father'.

Dr Borg added that copies of birth, death or marriage certificates of children born out of wedlock before March 1, 2005 would not have the word 'illegitimate' reproduced on them. The original certificates would not be amended unless this was ordered by court.

Police Commissioner sues for libel

Police Commissioner John Rizzo filed a suit in the Magistrates' Court on Friday claiming that an article that appeared on It-Torca was libellous and defamatory.

Mr Rizzo filed the suit against newspaper editor Alfred Briffa and journalist John Pisani. The case is over a story entitled Tkeccijiet u rizenji mill-korp... imma kulhadd l-istess? (Dismissals and resignations from the corps... but is everyone equal?), published on May 8.

Girl 'attacks' teacher

A teacher at Maria Goretti Girls' secondary school in Tarxien was verbally and physically attacked by a student on the school premises on Tuesday, the Malta Union of Teachers said on Friday.

The MUT expressed solidarity with the teacher and urged parents to teach their children to respect their teachers.

The student allegedly used foul and vulgar language when addressing the teacher in the presence of other students, waved her hand threateningly and allegedly punched the teacher.

A report about the incident was lodged at the Paola police station.