Weekly News highlights

Denis Pandolfino, 54, of Sliema, last Sunday was charged with violent indecent assault of minors, including two boys aged 10 and 11, as well as corrupting the minors who had been entrusted to him. His brother Anthony, 59, of Pembroke, was similarly charged, but only in relation to the 11-year-old boy. They were also jointly charged with child pornography and with distributing pornographic material.

More under-16 smokers

A quarter of children aged between 11 and 15 have experimented with smoking, according to a health behaviour survey carried out among schoolchildren this year. This figure marks a five per cent rise over figures published by a similar study carried out two years ago.

McDonald's raises Lm6,000 for Eden Foundation

A total of Lm6,000 was raised in McDonald's outlets in Malta and Gozo during a recent event, World Children's Day, as part of fund-raising organised worldwide by the fast food chain. All the money raised locally was donated to Eden Foundation.

Portes des Bombes makeover to cost Lm55,000

Restoration work at Portes des Bombes, which started in September, will cost Lm55,000 and is expected to be completed in March. Work is being carried out in collaboration with the Restoration Section of the Resources and Infrastructure Ministry, under the supervision of architect Mireille Fsadni.

Libyan shot dead in police hostage drama

On Tuesday, police shot dead Meloud Ghmaa Ashor Salem, a Libyan, who was about to stab an elderly man he was holding hostage on a Luqa rooftop, after an argument arose between the Libyan and his father-in-law. The Libyan, who was in his 20s, was demanding that his separated wife, 20-year-old Maryann Agius, hand over their seven-month daughter to him.

The Libyan, who tried to gain entry into the Agius residence by going over neighbours rooftops, seized a neighbour, Giovanni Camilleri, 72, and threatened to kill him with a knife. Despite repeated warnings by the police, the Libyan refused to let Camilleri go. Since the elderly man's life was in clear danger, the police were constrained to shoot the Libyan to obtain his release. Camilleri, who was rushed to hospital, suffered some knife wounds but is now in a stable condition.

Three years, fined Lm31,500 for money laundering

A Swieqi man on Tuesday was jailed for three years and fined Lm31,522 for money laundering. Paul Borg, 40, was also found guilty of two counts of illegal dealing in foreign currency.

Court turns down judges' constitutional complaint

The Civil Court on Wednesday dismissed a constitutional reference made by the Magistrates' Court in the bribery case against former chief justice Noel Arrigo and former judge Patrick Vella, and concluded that the Prime Minister's remarks at a press conference on their investigation by the police and the ensuing press statement by the government did not breach their rights.

Court dismisses Iva's claim

Mr Justice Giannino Caruana Demajo on Wednesday dismissed a writ of summons filed by the Iva Movement against the Broadcasting Authority for refusing to allow it to broadcast TV spots.

Deal on agriculture with EU

Maltese farmers and herdsmen will be receiving a total of €181 million in farm supports in the first ten years of EU membership to make up for the dismantling of levies and the imposition of tomato and milk quotas. Agreement on the agriculture chapter of the EU acquis was reached between Malta, the Danish Presidency of the EU, and the European Commission on Thursday.

Chief negotiator Richard Cachia Caruana said however that an agreement on the financial package as well as on Malta's request for a zero VAT rate on food and pharmaceuticals still has to be reached.

Malta Freeport in new round-the-world service

A new round-the-world service by the world's leading shipping companies is to include Malta Freeport, giving the local industry unprecedented connections, from 104 ports to 121. The service is operated by P&O Nedlloyd, Contship Container Lines, CMA-CGM Group, Hapag Lloyd Container Line, Hamburg Sud and Marfret Compagnie Maritime.

Court suspends auction sale at Price Club

The Civil Court provisionally upheld an application filed by Dr Andrew Borg Cardona, the liquidator of Price Club Operators Ltd, and suspended the judicial sale by auction of the contents of the Price Club supermarket at Swatar, originally due to be held on Friday at the request of HSBC Bank.

Dr Borg Cardona filed the application after he had become aware that the sale was to include movables that appeared to be the property of Price Club Operators Limited and not of Price Club (Swatar) Ltd.

Court upholds PN request

The Constitutional Court last Thursday upheld a request filed by the Nationalist Party for the provisional enforcement of a judgment delivered by the Civil Court on November 15 over the broadcasting of information spots on the EU, so that these could go ahead without waiting for the outcome of the Broadcasting Authority's appeal, since all spots would have to cease once the referendum campaign started.

The court, presided over by Chief Justice Vincent DeGaetano, Mr Justice Joseph D. Camilleri and Mr Justice A. Filletti, decided that the request was justified in the circumstances.

Gozitan gets 30 years for wife's murder

Ronnie Vella, 31, of Victoria, Gozo, on Friday was jailed by Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono for 30 years for the murder of his wife Jane in December 1999, after he was found guilty, in a trial by jury, by eight votes to one.

Vella was accused of pushing his wife off a cliff at Tas-Sanap, Gozo. The conviction created a precedent as it was the first case to go to trial without the victim's body. However, the accused had confessed to the murder in a statement to the police.

The Times Website receives award

The Times and The Sunday Times Website (www.timesofmalta.com) on Friday placed first in the media, news and events section of this year's DataStream Malta Web finals.

Over 700 Websites were entered for the awards which were announced at a presentation ceremony at Le Meridien Phoenicia in Floriana.