Weekly News highlights

Gennaroso Zammit, 51 of Zejtun, died at the wheel of the coach he was driving as he was taking 40-odd foreign students to the airport on Sunday afternoon. The coach stopped just short of the petrol station next to Manoel Island, thanks to an Italian passenger's prompt intervention, after veering out of control and crashing into a pole.

Second miracle

Theological experts nominated by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints on Tuesday were expected to report that the healing of a Maltese baby boy in 2001 was due to Blessed Gorg Preca's intercession.

It would be the second miracle attributed to the MUSEUM founder, who was declared Blessed by Pope John Paul II in May 2001. Doctors appointed by the Congregation have already confirmed that there is no medical explanation for the boy's recovery. The final decision on sainthood lies with Pope Benedict XVI.

Park and ride current issue

The Valletta 'park and ride' scheme, which should be operational by October, will be totally free of charge, it was announced on Monday. There will be a 35c hourly parking charge in Valletta to a maximum of Lm2.80 a day, but parking at night will be free. Residents and motorcyclists are exempt. The Lm20 Valletta entry permit will be scrapped.

Lm30,000 damages

Rose Gauci, who lost a kidney after abdominal surgery in 1997, was awarded Lm30,000 damages on Monday. The operation was carried out by gynaecologist Olga Avramova, a member of consultant Donald Felice's team. The court-appointed experts had exonerated Mr Felice from all responsibility. Ms Avramova, however, was ordered to pay Mrs Gauci damages.

Lm26,700 in damages

All Services Limited on Tuesday was ordered to pay Lm26,752 in damages to employee Mario Theuma and his wife Josephine after he suffered permanent injuries when a forklifter skidded and pushed him against a truck in May 2000. Mr Theuma, then 42, was taking note of crates of empty bottles which a colleague, Nicholas Scerri, was unloading from a truck. The court ruled Mr Scerri was not responsible for the incident as he had not operated the forklifter negligently.

IBM agreement

The government on Wednesday signed an agreement with IBM to support the growth of the information society and the IT industry in Malta. Investment and IT Ministry Austin Gatt explained that through the new vertical strategic alliance, Malta was partnering the biggest global provider of IT services to attain further support to reach the objectives of the National ICT Strategy and of the Lisbon Strategy for the benefit of students, researchers and businessmen.

Three years' jail for stabbing

Paul Caruana, 34 of Zejtun, on Thursday was jailed for three years after jurors cleared him of trying to kill his wife Sandra in June 2003 by stabbing her but found him guilty of seriously injuring her when he was in a state of mental excitement.

Maltese bishop for Tirana

Maltese Dominican Fr George Frendo has been nominated Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Tirana-Durres and Titular Bishop of Butrinti in Albania where he has been working since 1997.

Hauliers' end strike

It was business as usual again yesterday at the Malta Freeport after the Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprises - GRTU called off industrial action by hauliers, ending a three-day stoppage. The dispute arose over a new tariff regime the GRTU said would increase port-related costs significantly and a Freeport decision to transfer its cash office from Marsa to Birzebbuga. At a meeting with the prime minister in the afternoon, hauliers explained their worries; Dr Gonzi is expected to meet concerned parties to identify solutions to the hauliers' complaints.

Brigitte Nielsen weds in Malta

Danish actress Brigitte Nielsen, 43, yesterday wed Italian bartender Mattia Dessi, 28, at a star-studded ceremony at the Radisson SAS Golden Sands Resort. The ceremony, covered by Hello! magazine, was expected to be witnessed by Ivana Trump, Sixties icon Viviane Ventura and Maltese businessman Chev. Maurice Mizzi.

Ms Nielsen has been to Malta for a similar reason before - she 'wed' Sebastian Copeland in a St Julian's church ceremony in 1990. She was also famously married to Rambo star Sylvester Stallone.