10 years ago - The Times
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Boat with 227 migrants berths at Birżebbuġa
A boatload crammed with 227 illegal migrants berthed at Wied il-Buni fishermen’s quay in Birżebbuġa yesterday. The boat arrived at about 12.30pm, with immigrants mainly from Somalia, and mostly male, except for 22 women and two young children.
The army’s observation post at Delimara sighted the boat at 11am as it approached Bengħajsa, close to the gas-bunkering tank area. Patrol and rescue boats were immediately sent to the area to investigate. A helicopter was also deployed to assess the situation.
It was noted that, although the immigrants lacked life-jackets, their overall state of health was generally good.
Guilty of brutal child abuse
A chilling case of child abuse was brought to light yesterday when a couple was convicted of neglecting and hurting three children aged between one and five, hitting them with belts and burning them with cigarettes.
The children’s 30-year-old mother was given a suspended jail term and her partner (who is not the father) was jailed for six months after admitting to slightly injuring them and neglecting them in 2002.
25 years ago - The Times
Saturday, February 19, 1994
Plans to amend insurance law
Insurance legislation is set to be changed and the first draft amendments have already been prepared, Finance Minister John Dalli said yesterday.
“Besides ensuring that Maltese users of financial services are protected from irresponsible operators we must also inspire confidence in the international business community that Malta is a serious place for clean business,” he said.
Tempers flare at meeting on proposed Sliema car park
A Planning Authority public hearing on a proposed multi-storey car park at Sliema developed into a raucous affair when tempers flared and it had to be called off by the authority.
Tens of people turned up for the meeting and the authority said that when all the available seats were taken up, a number of persons “forced their way into the hall, shouting and threatening officials of the Planning Directorate and members of the Development Control Commission”.
The residents of Sliema, they said, did not want the car park, which would be replacing a garden which had been there for years.
Half a century ago - Times of Malta
Wednesday, February 19, 1969
Borg murder trial continues
Most of the second day’s hearing at the trial of Joe Borg’s murder at Sydney Criminal Court, Darlinghurst, was taken up with legal argument and defence submissions in the absence of a jury.
Accused on trial are Paul Mifsud, 29, waiter, of Annandale, and Paul Attard, 24, painter and docker, of Newtown, who both pleaded not guilty to the charge of murdering Joseph Borg.
Also charged is Keith Keillor, 50, waiter, of Kings Cross, who pleaded not guilty of the charge of having been an accessory before the fact. Borg was killed on May 28 last year at Brighton Boulevard, Bondi, when a bomb exploded under his utility truck as a detonator under a wheel triggered the explosion that caused his death.
Colour and spectacle in 1969 Carnival
There was plenty of colour, fantasy and spectacle in the 1969 Carnival, which again drew large crowds to Valletta yesterday for the final fling. There has been a marked amelioration in the artistic level of the decorated cars used by companies in costume but the same cannot be said of triumphal cars.