Eight witnesses testified on Thursday in the compilation of evidence against the three men accused of the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia.They included scene of crime officers and pathologists.

This is the 15th hearing, and so far over 100 witnesses have already been brought forward by the prosecution.

Highlights from Thursday's hearing:

• Forensic expert says there was metal shrapnel embedded in Daphne Caruana Galizia's body
• The journalist died as a result of a "severe blast" injury and burns.
• National security information system unit officer explained how information was collated from the various calls, determining the time and location they were made.

10.10am: The hearing has now ended, with the next one scheduled for September 3.

The officer from the Explosive Ordnance Unit, who went to the scene on the day of the incident, was also called to examine a farmhouse in Mosta on December 6, after the arrests in Marsa. The farmhouse overlooks the site of the murder.

Read: Ten suspects in Caruana Galizia murder arrested

"We were looking for bolts similar to those used in bomb. But we found nothing," he tells the court.

Forensic experts Marie Therese Camilleri Podesta and Ali Safraz are next up, testifying jointly and confirming the cause of death as being blast injuries.

10.05am: Prosecuting officer Alexander Miruzzi takes the stand to testify about a 2006 case against one of the accused, Vincent Muscat, about smuggling of birds into Malta. Defence lawyer Martin Fenech is not happy about this, as it happened so long ago, but the magistrate overrules him. 

9.55am: Forensic expert Mario Scerri has taken the stand, and as expected, his testimony is harrowing. He describes to the court that he got involved the day after the bomb, at the request of magistrate Anthony Vella.

"There were body parts scattered across the site, and the palm of a hand was seen close to the car, while a foot was some way off," he said.

"We tried to remove the body as a whole, as far as it was possible, which had metal shrapnel embedded in it.

He confirmed that Ms Caruana Galizia died as a result of the severe blast injury and burns, and that her identity was confirmed by DNA analysis, comparing hers with that of her children.

His testimony is followed by that of court expert Mario Buttigieg, who explains the background of the victim's Peugeot 108, and where it was being kept.

9.45am

A number of telephone calls were made to the authorities about the bomb that went off on October 16. The first witness on Thursday is a national security information system unit officer, who is explaining how information was collated from the various calls, determining the time and location they were made.

The second witness is already on the stand, this time from the Rapid Intervention Unit, who is testifying about the photos that he took with his mobile in Bidnija when he got to the site - to preserve the scene of the crime, he added.

Event timeline

Ms Caruana Galizia was killed in a car bomb blast on October 16 close to her home in Bidnija.

Read: Daphne Caruana Galizia killed in Bidnija car blast

In December, police arrested 10 men in connection with her murder. Three of those - brothers Alfred and George Degiorgio and Vincent Muscat - were charged with her murder. The others were released without charge.

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit is presiding over the compilation of evidence.

So far, she has heard how:

• The bomb - between 300gr and 400gr of TNT - was an improvised explosive device clearly intended to kill the journalist. It was planted inside the car.

• A laptop taken by investigators from Ms Caruana Galizia's residence shows the last data dated back to December 2015. She was using another laptop when she was killed.

• Police used the FBI's help to home in on suspicious phone numbers. One was linked to a remote-controlled device and went active at 2am in Bidnija on the day of Ms Caruana Galizia's murder. It received an SMS at the time the bomb went off and immediately went off-radar.

• They believe that the phone which sent the bomb detonation SMS was an old Nokia 105. Police found several Nokia 105 phones at the Marsa shed where they arrested the suspects.

• Police triangulated cell tower data to work out that the killer SMS was sent from out at sea. George Degiorgio was seen going fishing on that day, and shortly after the bomb went off texted his partner "buy me wine, my love."

• They received reports of a suspicious car regularly parked by tat-Tarġa Battery - an ideal vantage point for the killers - in the weeks leading to the murder. The car was subsequently never seen there again.

• Last June, a judge ruled that Deputy Police Commissioner Silvio Valletta should not be involved in the murder probe.

Who is in the courtroom?

Martin Fenech is appearing for Vincent Muscat, known as il-Koħħu, 55.

William Cuschieri and Martha Muscat are appearing for Alfred Degiorgio, known as il-Fulu, 53.

Josette Sultana is appearing for Alfred's brother George Degiorgio, known as iċ-Ċiniz, 55.

Philip Galea Farrugia from the attorney general's office and inspectors Keith Arnaud and Kurt Zahra are appearing for the prosecution.

Jason Azzopardi and Therese Comodini Cachia are appearing parte civile.