Weekly News highlights

Another corpse, probably of a would-be illegal immigrant, was brought ashore last Sunday, the second body retrieved from the sea in 24 hours.

The body, spotted around 100 miles off Malta, was picked up by an Armed Forces of Malta patrol boat, currently part of the EU border agency Frontex's patrols in the Mediterranean.

Euro entry approved

Prices for goods and services had to be displayed in both lira and euro from Tuesday.

Outlets that do not display both currencies will be liable to a Lm750 fine and customers are being urged to phone the euro helpline 154 or send complaints to euro@gov.mt.

European Union finance ministers on Tuesday voted unanimously for Malta to adopt the euro come January 1. Credit rating agencies Moody's and Standard and Poor's upgraded their ratings for Malta on Wednesday.

A day after Malta was given the go-ahead to adopt the European single currency at the summit in Brussels, representatives of unions, employers, retailers and the business community sat behind an upbeat Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi during the launch of the final master plan for the euro changeover.

Policeman jailed for injuring motorist

David Sant, a 46-year-old police sergeant, was jailed for four months for slightly injuring a French woman outside Bay Street, St Julian's, two months ago.

On handing down judgment, Magistrate Silvio Meli noted that, although Mr Sant regretted his behaviour, it was his duty as a police officer to ensure public order and not to stifle it.

In a five-hour sitting, the magistrate on Tuesday heard all the evidence in the case. PS Sant pleaded not guilty to injuring Catherine Sophie Pernot Sprangers, 56, and committing a crime he was in duty bound to prevent on May 10.

The accused, who was suspended from the Police Force, has given notice of appeal.

New law bans alcohol for minors

A new law outlining the sale and consumption in public of alcohol by under-16-year-olds came into force this month.

The new legislation makes it unlawful for anyone to sell or procure alcoholic drinks for under-16-year-olds or for minors themselves to consume alcohol.

Deficit down by Lm1 million

Government's deficit for the first quarter of this year amounted to Lm36.7 million, Lm1 million below the deficit of Lm37.7 million recorded for the first quarter last year.

The National Statistics Office said that while total income for the quarter increased by Lm1.2 million, and amounted to Lm186.4 million, total expenditure increased by Lm0.3 million, and amounted to Lm223.2 million.

Lufthansa Technik to pump €367 million in economy

Lufthansa Technik will contribute €367 million to the Maltese economy within 30 years - excluding the investment being made by Government in the necessary infrastructure, the hangar and training, according to a Malta Enterprise report to the Investments Ministry.

The ministry last week said that Government was financing the building of the new hangar, which would then be rented to Lufthansa Technik for 30 years. The rent will yield the government an income of €63 million.

450 residential roads to be resurfaced by end 2008

About 450 residential roads will be resurfaced by the end of 2008 thanks to an investment by the government of Lm9 million (nearly €21 million), Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett said on Wednesday.

The Network Infrastructure Directorate, one of the branches of the Malta Transport Authority (ADT), is determining which roads need rebuilding and what kind of work they need.

The first contracts for roadworks were given out at the end of last year, Mr Mugliett said, adding that it was the first time that a large volume of jobs was assigned at one go.

Population surpasses 405,000

The population at the end of last year was estimated to be 405,577, of whom just over half were women, the NSO said on Wednesday.

Twenty-four per cent were aged under 20 and 14 per cent were 65 and over.

Between 1997 and last year, the number of live births went down by 20 per cent. However, they rose by nearly one per cent last year over 2005, the number of male births increasing by three per cent and females dropping by nearly two per cent.

Youth died of pulmonary oedema

A post mortem examination revealed that it was pulmonary oedema - the flooding of the lungs with fluid - that caused the death of a 20-year-old from Marsascala on Thursday, the police said. The young man was found dead in Victoria at 7.30 a.m.

The police suspect that a drug overdose caused the pulmonary oedema and are waiting for further test results to confirm this. Police investigations continue.

Farmer dies after ploughing accident

A 72-year-old farmer and former police sergeant from Qala died in hospital on Thursday following an accident while ploughing a field in the limits of his home town on Tuesday. The police are still trying to ascertain the circumstances of the accident and could release no more details on Thursday.

A report by the hospital about the mishap was filed with the Gozo police a day after the accident, when the injured farmer had already been transferred to St Luke's Hospital. The farmer was first taken to Gozo General Hospital, but was later transferred to the ITU at St Luke's because of his serious condition.

MEPA caseload nearly 5,000

MEPA determined 596 applications in June and received 617 new applications, bringing the net pending caseload at the end of the month to 4,979.

During June, the authority processed 82 notifications of development which do not require a formal application; 43 stop and enforcement notices were issued, 36 in Malta and seven in Gozo; 67 enforcement cases were closed, 61 in Malta and six in Gozo; 44 enforcement cases were sanctioned by the issue of a sanctionable permit; and another 23 cases were resolved since owners decided to remove illegal development and comply with the enforcement notice.

Woman dies in road accident

Esther Pulis, 78, of Zejtun, died after she was hit by a car in her hometown late on Thursday evening. She was crossing Triq Alfredo Cachia Zammit when the incident took place. She died on the spot.

The Hyundai vehicle involved in the accident was driven by a 24-year-old man.