The online version of The Times and The Sunday Times of Malta http://www.timesofmalta.com/ http://www.timesofmalta.com/img/tomlogo.gif http://www.timesofmalta.com/ en http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/biscuit-lands-man-in-courtA man who playfully threw a biscuit at a young woman has landed in court after the two allegedly ended up exchanging blows. Mark Chetcuti, 20, of Naxxar is pleading not guilty to breaking the woman’s nose with a punch after she allegedly...Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:09:00 +0100http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/biscuit-lands-man-in-court http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/maystar-breaks-its-tow-drifting-29-miles-off-delimaraThe bulk carrier Maystar which earlier this week was abandoned by its crew, today broke its towline as it was being towed to Malta, the Maritime Authority said. The Cambodian-registered 88-metre ship was abandoned 26 nautical miles off Malta...Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:53:00 +0100http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/maystar-breaks-its-tow-drifting-29-miles-off-delimara http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/man-injured-in-gziraThe police are investigating the circumstances which led to a man being injured in Sliema Road, Gzira, early this evening. The police said the man, whose identity is so far unknown, was admitted to Mater Dei Hospital after passers by in...Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:20:00 +0100http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/man-injured-in-gzira http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/voluntary-repatriation-programme-exceeds-targetFour migrants are to start their journey back home tomorrow under the DAR voluntary return programme coordinated by the Foreign Ministry. The ministry said their departure would mean that the initial target of 50 returnees would have been...Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:38:00 +0100http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/voluntary-repatriation-programme-exceeds-target http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/eden-and-razzett-agree-mergerEden Foundation and Razzett tal-Hbiberija, two charities that cater for the disabled, have agreed to merge, ending weeks of speculation and resistance from Eden’s founder Josie Muscat. The trustees of both sides today finally concluded the...Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:31:00 +0100http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/eden-and-razzett-agree-merger http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/pn-denies-it-solicited-personal-data-from-the-governmentPN general secretary Paul Borg Olivier insisted this afternoon that the PN had not requested the government to forward to it the names and details of persons who submitted complaints at ministries and departments. Speaking at a press conference,...Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:48:00 +0100http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/pn-denies-it-solicited-personal-data-from-the-government http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/grtu-launches-strong-attack-on-parliament-relocation-plansThe GRTU this afternoon launched a stinging attack on the government’s plans to move Parliament to the site previously occupied by the Opera House. In so doing, the chamber said, “20 business establishments in Valletta are being sacked. They...Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:11:00 +0100http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/grtu-launches-strong-attack-on-parliament-relocation-plans http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/mepa-closes-basements-illegally-used-as-tenementsMEPA said today it had sealed two basements which were being illegally as tenements and also removed pigeon lofts which were causing a nuisance in Hamrun. The authority said the lofts were on the roof of a house and had created a health hazard...Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:20:00 +0100http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/mepa-closes-basements-illegally-used-as-tenements http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/teachers-want-to-be-consulted-on-reformsMany teachers taking part in meetings on the proposed educational reforms relating to the removal of streaming, the Junior Lyceum examination and the progression from primary to secondary education, felt the meetings were not genuine...Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:22:00 +0100http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/teachers-want-to-be-consulted-on-reforms http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/opm-confirms-agreement-on-data-protection-commissioner-nominationThe Office of the Prime Minister said this afternoon that now that the Opposition had agreed to a suggestion by the Prime Minister on the person who should be invited to serve as Data Protection Commissioner, Dr Gonzi would be meeting the...Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:44:00 +0100http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/opm-confirms-agreement-on-data-protection-commissioner-nomination http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/man-trying-to-get-out-of-drug-habit-put-on-probation-for-theftFloyd Attard, of Senglea was today put on probation for three years after admitting to stealing from an office in Mosta, a house in Birkirkara and a car in Marsa between December 2004 and March 2005. He also pleaded guilty to relapsing. A...Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:55:00 +0100http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/man-trying-to-get-out-of-drug-habit-put-on-probation-for-theft http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/man-caught-trying-to-steal-a-car-put-on-probationA man was this morning put on probation for three years after pleading guilty to trying to steal a car. 55-year-old Joseph Grech, known as Iz-Zinnanna, was caught red handed trying to steal the car in August 2006. He was also accused with...Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:43:00 +0100http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/man-caught-trying-to-steal-a-car-put-on-probation http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/ecb-cuts-rates-as-recession-bitesThe European Central Bank cut interest rates by 75 basis points today, its biggest ever move as inflation plummets and the euro zone economy sinks deeper into recession. The move takes the ECB's main refinancing rate to 2.5 percent, its lowest...Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:52:00 +0100http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/ecb-cuts-rates-as-recession-bites http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/adt-receives-applications-for-open-top-buses-and-trackless-trainsThe Malta Transport Authority (ADT) has received applications for the issue of permits for the operation of open top buses and trackless trains. The Infrastructure Ministry is presently in the process of issuing new policies to govern the...Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:09:54 +0100http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/adt-receives-applications-for-open-top-buses-and-trackless-trains http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/mobile-subscribers-close-to-382-000The number of mobile telephone subscriptions as at the end of September reached 381,955, the National Statistics Office said. It said that contract-based mobile telephone subscriptions were recorded at 48,507, while card-plan subscriptions...Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:41:59 +0100http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/mobile-subscribers-close-to-382-000 http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/karaThe Chamber of Architects (Kamra tal-Periti) said today that it commends and supports the government’s decision to proceed with the City Gate project and the choice of Renzo Piano as architect. It also urged the government to consider the...Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:07:00 +0100http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/kara http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/graduates-who-graduated-yesterdayThe following is the list of graduates who graduated yesterday. The Times today erroneously published the list of students who will be graduating this evening. The error is regretted Diploma in Commerce George Debrincat, Mary Ellen Mercieca,...Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:52:00 +0100http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/graduates-who-graduated-yesterday http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/muscat-asks-data-protection-commissioner-to-investigate-pn-e-mailThe Labour Party today published an e-mail which it said was sent by PN General Secretary Paul Borg Olivier asking ministries to forward details on the persons submitting requests and complaints to the government. Labour leader Joseph Muscat...Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:25:00 +0100http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/muscat-asks-data-protection-commissioner-to-investigate-pn-e-mail http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/birdlife-fears-negative-impact-from-removal-of-existing-ghadira-roadBirdLife Malta officials insisted today that the government’s plans to build a new road at Ghadira should be stopped until the government produced scientific evidence to back its claims that the project was needed in order to safeguard the...Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:54:00 +0100http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/birdlife-fears-negative-impact-from-removal-of-existing-ghadira-road http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/oil-falls-to-lowest-level-since-feb-2005Oil fell below $46 a barrel to its lowest in nearly four years today, extending four consecutive days of declines in response to the bleak outlook for the world economy and oil demand. Oil prices have dropped more than $100 a barrel from an...Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:57:00 +0100http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081204/local/oil-falls-to-lowest-level-since-feb-2005