10 years ago - The Times
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Question over gunner’s inability to swim
Soldiers enlisted in the army’s elite C Company need to have the ability to “negotiate water obstacles” and yet Gunner Matthew Psaila, who died during a military training exercise, was unable to swim.
Even though C Company members are primarily land soldiers, a spokesman for the army confirmed “there is a requirement for C (Special Duties) Company soldiers to be able to negotiate water obstacles when moving across the country”. Although the military jargon does not specifically refer to the ability to swim, loosely translated it meant soldiers had to be able to swim and wade through water, according to a former senior army officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Cyclist accused of trying to kill driver
A bicycle rider allegedly came close to killing the driver of a car by slashing his neck in an argument over a broken mirror.
Daniel Briffa, 22, was riding his bike in Birkirkara on Sunday at about 2am when he knocked the side mirror off a car being driven by Nezar El Gadi, a court heard yesterday.
25 years ago - The Times
Friday, February 18, 1994
EU leaders not ‘too keen’ on enlargement
President Vincent Tabone yesterday expressed his fear that “the leaders of a future European integration do not seem too keen to enlarge” the Community.
“Without enlargement there is not Europe, but only part of it,” he said. President Tabone made the comment after receiving a gold medal from the president of La Fondation pour le Merit Europeen, Mr Jean-Paul Benoit.
Master plan on land registration
The Land registry in Valletta plans to have all land in Malta and Gozo registered and computerised over the next 10 years. A master plan drawn up by the Management Systems Unit and the Land Registry Department will bring the existing registration system in line with European land systems. MSU chairman Joseph Tabone presented the master plan to Justice Minister Joe Fenech at his ministry in Valletta yesterday.
Dr Fenech said under the present system it is the name of the owner which is registered at the department and not the land. However, the computerised system will register the land and any claims on it.
Half a century ago - Times of Malta
Tuesday, February 18, 1969
Votive ring stolen from Our Lady of Liesse church
Crime cointinues on the increase – not only involving burglaries of establishments in Valletta, Sliema, Ħamrun, Cospicua and other towns and villages but also thefts of cars which are driven away and often found abandoned with items such as radios, missing.
But the latest crime in Valletta has shocked many people – the theft of a votive rosette ring from the statue of the ‘Ecce Home’ in the niche at the church of Our Lady of Liesse, at Valletta. The glass was broken and the £50 ring in the statue’s finger was removed. The theft occurred last week.
The curator of the church said that other items removed from the church some time ago included the money box in front of the niche of Our Lady of Sorrows and the silver communion plate.
Meantime, Dr R. Denaro of Valletta had his Triumph Herald 1300 taken away at 8pm on Saturday whilst he was at the Mayer Pharmacy in Ta’ Xbiex Wharf, Msida. The pharmacist, noticing a youth about to drive off with the doctor’s car from in front of the dispensary, asked him if the doctor knew he was driving the car away. The young man nodded and made off with the car.