Weekly News highlights

Robbers are believed to have made off with hundreds of liri after holding up an employee of a Paceville establishment on Sunday morning.

The incident happened in Elija Street. The man was held up by two armed and hooded men who leapt out of a car as soon as he left the establishment. They escaped with two bags, which held cash, among other items. No one was injured.

In another case, another two men, a 36-year-old from Birkirkara and a 38-year-old from Msida, were arrested on Sunday after items stolen from a van and a car in Gzira Road, Gzira, were found in a Birkirkara house.

Contractor fined Lm4,000

The contractor responsible for works on Civil Aviation Avenue, the road to the airport, was fined Lm4,000 for traffic management shortcomings, Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett said.

In an interview with The Times, Mr Mugliett explained that contractors are responsible for traffic management close to their work site, with the rest left to the Malta Transport Authority.

But traffic management close to the road - which was completed just weeks ago after giving motorists a headache for months - left much to be desired.

President in Hungary

President Eddie Fenech Adami last Sunday and Monday attended activities in Budapest marking the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution.

'European approach' to immigration

Malta's problems with illegal immigration was discussed during a meeting on Monday between Foreign Minister Michael Frendo and Didier Donfut, Belgian Secretary of State for European Affairs.

During a short press conference at the Foreign Ministry, Dr Frendo said it was important that a way forward was found through collaboration with other EU countries.

The Belgian Minister, who was in Malta to open the Belgian embassy at the Europa Centre, Floriana, said illegal immigration was a problem for Europe and a solution had to be found through a European approach.

Club official awarded damages over beating

Fgura United FC vice-president Lawrence Bugeja, who suffered a 10 per cent disability when he was beaten up after a match against Vittoriosa Stars six years ago, was awarded Lm13,592 in damages to be paid to him by the six young men who assaulted him.

Mr Bugeja and his wife Josephine had filed a court application against Vittoriosa players and supporters Petrovich Coreschi, Johann Spiteri, Marlon Galea and Matthew Laganà and his brothers Larry and Christian.

Pregnant woman, man die after rescue of 19 migrants

A pregnant woman and a man died on their way to St Luke's Hospital on Tuesday moments after being rescued from the sea when a boat packed with about 23 illegal Sudanese immigrants capsized. Three Armed Forces boats were dispatched to the area and the AFM managed to rescue 19 of the immigrants.

Another four were reported missing. Throughout Tuesday, two AFM rescue helicopters scoured the area eight nautical miles east off Delimara in the hope of recovering them. The search did, however, yield three badly decomposed corpses, probably those of illegal immigrants from another unfortunate trip.

Another boat of 25 - 22 from Somalia (19 men and three women) and three Eritreans - also entered Zurrieq on Tuesday morning.

A group of 34 Eritreans were also brought ashore on Tuesday night after the boat they were on was intercepted by the AFM.

Another group of 23 illegal immigrants, including two women, arrived on a boat at Wied iz-Zurrieq on Friday.

Accused in double murder case granted bail

Brian Vella, whose double murder trial was dissolved on two occasions, was granted bail for the first time on Wednesday since his arraignment six years ago.

Chief Justice Vincent DeGaetano granted him bail against a Lm25,000 deposit or on condition that the money is pledged for by a guarantor, after his lawyers filed an application for bail.

Vella had been arraigned over the murder of Gerald and Josephine Grima at their home in Sta Lucija on February 17, 2000.

Vella's case went to the Criminal Court in February 2004. Another trial is to be appointed once ongoing Constitutional proceedings come to an end. Vella is arguing that a third trial will be in breach of his right to a fair hearing.

Former drug user jailed

Six years after a 21-year-old man died of a heroin overdose after sharing drugs with a friend of his, the friend, Mario Magri, 30, has been jailed for three years for drug trafficking and involuntary homicide.

Magri was jailed and fined Lm2,000 after Magistrate Lawrence Quintano heard a probation officer explain that Magri had been clean of drugs for the past six years and had become an exemplary employee.

New bus route to serve cruise passengers

A new bus route will start servicing the cruise terminal at Valletta Waterfront on Wednesday, three years after a proposed shuttle service between Pinto Wharf and Valletta was shot down by white taxi drivers.

Musicians leave GWU

The majority of National Orchestra musicians have left the General Workers Union and joined the Professional and Services Employees Union (PSEU), set up on September 29 by Karmenu Vella, former secretary of the Media and Services Section of the GWU.

Helicopter service to stop

The Gozo-Malta helicopter service operated by the Spanish company Helisureste is set to wind up at the end of the month.

The company has instructed its Gozo-based employees not to accept bookings until further notice but it has not yet informed them that it is pulling out - effectively leaving them in the dark.

Competitiveness Minister Censu Galea said it was unlikely the company would be operating after the end of this month.

Ten years for child abuse

A man jailed last March for six years for defiling his two Romanian adopted daughters over a period of seven years has had his jail term increased to 10 years on appeal.

The jail term was raised after Mr Justice Giannino Caruana Demajo, in the court of Criminal Appeal, upheld an appeal filed by the Attorney General who argued that the man had not been punished for committing a repeated offence.

President in Croatia

The Croatian government and people may rest assured of Malta's continued support for Croatia's bid to join the EU and of Malta's willingness to share its experience, President Eddie Fenech Adami said in Zagreb on Thursday. The President was on a state visit to Croatia.

Labour MPs sue for libel

Labour MPs Charles Mangion, Leo Brincat and Charles Buhagiar filed a libel suit against Radio 101 over claims made during a news bulletin broadcast on Tuesday that, in June, they formed part of a delegation travelling to Dubai on party funds and that, once in Dubai, attended meetings of a personal business nature.

Police seize heroin packets

Three men from Zejtun, aged between 26 and 32, were arrested after 20 packets of heroin and a quantity of cannabis resin were found in a room at St Thomas Bay, limits of Zejtun, on Thursday morning.

Surcharge to be cut

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said in Friday's Budget debate that the surcharge on power and water consumption would be reduced from 63.5 to 59.5 per cent in the coming days because of a drop in international oil prices. Fuel costs would also go down.

Police 'ordered' to arrest girl in teacher assault case

A 13-year-old girl, charged with assaulting and slightly injuring her teacher at Erin Serracino Inglott Secondary School, Cospicua, on Friday appeared in court under arrest with her lawyer deeming it a "drastic measure" by the police who used the minor as a "public relations instrument".

Magistrate Anthony Vella ruled the arrest was not justified. The girl has been suspended from school.

'Malicious fabrication'

Fr Anthony Mercieca, the 72-year-old Gozitan priest at the centre of a sex scandal involving Mark Foley, a former US congressman, has categorically denied accusations of sexual abuse made by a second American man.

"Regarding the allegations made by Attorney Jeffrey Herman, speaking on behalf of an unidentified person by the name of John Doe (an alias) No. 26, Fr (Anthony) Mercieca emphatically denies the accusation made against him and describes it at best as a figment of the imagination and at worst as a malicious fabrication," lawyer Alfred Grech told The Times last week.

The retired priest, who is in the spotlight after being accused of molesting Mr Foley four decades ago, is facing new allegations of sexual abuse by another former South Florida altar boy.

Jailed for boy's defilement

Lanouar Bounab, a 37-year-old Algerian residing in Malta, was jailed for a year on Friday after he admitted to defiling a 15-year-old boy he met over the Internet.

Bounab pleaded guilty to defiling the Maltese teenager and breaching the condition of a suspended jail term in August this year.