Weekly News highlights

The budget for 2003 was presented in Parliament by Finance Minister John Dalli last Monday. Government ordinary revenue next year is expected to reach Lm746 million, while total expenditure would reach Lm825 million. Opposition Leader Dr Alfred Sant slammed the budget as repeating the mistakes of the past years. "It is continuing to expose an aging government that had run out of steam and is effectively repeating its policies of the past 16 years," he said.

Jury rejects insanity plea

On Tuesday jurors rejected a plea of insanity by Silvio Mangion, 37, of Zejtun who was pleading not guilty, by reason of insanity at the time of the commission of the crime, to the wilful homicide of Francesco Saverio Cassar, 75, and the attempted murder of his sister Giuseppa in Zejtun on August 16, 1998.

Angler's body found near Blue Grotto

The body of Albert Saliba, 70, was found on Monday in the sea near the Blue Grotto in Wied iz-Zurrieq, four days after he was swept away by a wave while fishing from the shore in the area. Saliba, of Zurrieq, was found floating face downwards at 3.30 p.m. by Armed Forces personnel aboard a helicopter.

Man dies in fall

A 22-year-old Libyan died on Tuesday afternoon when he fell a height of one storey and was buried under rubble on a construction site in Birkirkara. The man was identified on Thursday.

Where's Everybody win Lm3,000 damages

KullHadd editor Felix Agius last Tuesday was ordered to pay the partners of Where's Everybody Lm3,000 in libel damages. Peppi Azzopardi, Lou Bondì and Paul Josef Vassallo sued for libel over the publication of an article entitled "Ta' Where's Everybody Jaharbu", published in KullHadd on December 9, 2001, in which it was alleged that the firm received commissions on the money it collected from the TVM programme L-Istrina.

Request for additional seat ruled out

The Danish presidency of the EU on Wednesday ruled out Malta's request for an additional seat in the European Parliament. Malta has been allocated five seats under the Nice Treaty, but has asked for an additional seat to be on a par with similarly-sized Luxembourg.

Treasury bills ceiling raised

The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a motion raising the limit of government short term borrowing through treasury bills to Lm300 million from the current ceiling of Lm200 million. Finance Minister John Dalli said this motion did not mean increased government borrowing, but a way of helping the better management of cash flow and debts.

Moody's retains negative outlook for Malta

Moody's credit rating agency has maintained its negative rating outlook for Malta in its latest report. The agency has had a negative outlook on Malta's A3 ratings since February1999. It said the outlook stance reflected numerous constraints as well as concerns that much needed reforms in the pension system and the labour market were "deeply contentious politically".

Strickland Foundation seminar

A seminar entitled "Do human rights protect journalists?", organised by the Strickland Foundation in co-operation with the Centre for Communication Technology, was held on Thursday at the University of Malta. The seminar was chaired by Judge Giovanni Bonello, who sits on the European Court of Human Rights. Other members of the panel were Sir Nicholas Bratza, another judge of the European Court, and Ms Anna Austin, a solicitor at the court's registry.

Bus owners suspend action

The Public Transport Association has yesterday suspended its industrial action scheduled for tomorrow as it is to hold a meeting with the Malta Transport Authority.

The association said that drivers would not need to stop providing public transport services at 8 p.m. as planned, while the authority, in a separate statement, said it was calling off the measures, related to the installation of bus ticketing machines, which it had planned to impose, while discussions were under way.

Malta joins war crimes court

Malta became the latest nation to join the world's first permanent criminal tribunal on Friday, bringing to 85 the number of countries which have ratified the treaty creating the court, despite strong US opposition. The new court, which came into being on July 1, was set up to pursue actrocities like genocide, war crimes, and gross human rights abuses.

Man critically injured in fire

A man is in danger of dying from injuries he suffered in a fire that broke out in a mechanic's garage in Mriehel, on Friday afternoon. The police said the fire was caused by a spark falling on a piece of cloth soaked in oil.