Readers' news picks from 2009

Road fatalities, tragic deaths and crimes - not politics or current events - were the news items that most grabbed people's attention on timesofmalta.com in 2009.

Topping the list was the article on the horrific car crash that killed a young couple and their three-year-old daughter in Żejtun in August. This was followed by the outbreak, and the first Maltese cases, of swine flu in July.

Last year was unfortunately marked by a high number of fatal events, including murders, traffic accidents and sudden deaths. In fact, four of the 10 most read articles were about fatalities and included the sudden loss of popular events promoter Desmond Vella and the tragic death of Gennie Psaila, the wife of Malta's former football coach Pippo, in a horse riding accident in July.

The list includes the fatal hit-and-run accident of cyclist Clifford Micallef, who died in July on the Coast Road while training for the LifeCycle Challenge, and the still unsolved murder of Nicola Romano in April who was found half-burnt with nails in his head in his father's gypsum furnace.

Just one week after the explosion of the parcel bomb that left 60-year-old Philip Cini from Qormi fighting for his life last week, the item shot up to the eighth most read story of the year.

The story that followed, dealing with a press conference by pop singer Lady Gaga, is the only light piece in the top-10 list.

Among the list of the 10 most e-mailed articles is a video, taken in January, of high waves whipped up by strong winds and crashing against Marsalforn's shore.

The story of the discovery of a Bengal tiger in a Mosta warehouse, first broken by The Times, was also one of the most e-mailed items.

The visual element is very strong in this section, which includes a photo taken of a sunset over Mellieħa, Malta from space and a meteor shower.

Health and safety articles also ranked high with swine flu, a recall of children's medicine and an official warning not to use a particular type of socket converters featuring prominently.

Top 5 most read articles

1. Mother, father and child die in Żejtun accident - August 26.
2. Swine flu cases rise to four - July 2.
3. Events promoter and retailer passes away - August 25.
4. Police investigating power outage, power restored to all areas - November 18.
5. Female horse rider dies in Magħtab incident - August 4.

Top 5 most e-mailed articles

1. Strong waves pound Marsalforn - January 26.
2. MSA warning on socket converters - August 9.
3. Swine flu cases rise to four - July 2.
4. Cat and mouse? No, it's kitten and rabbit! - July 1.
5. Children's medicines recalled - July 15.

Top 5 most commented articles

1. The God I believe in and the University students (Fr Joe Borg) - June 29.
2. Muslims gather in prayer along Sliema front - May 2.
3. A Church of saints and sinners (Fr Joe Borg's blog) - May 31.
4. Uproar over European court ruling against crucifix - Archbishop Cremona reacts - November 3.
5. Which are the most potholed roads? - January 30.