2006 - doi photography competition

eneath the seabed about 125 miles south of Athens. The earthquake, whichlasted for about seven seconds, occurred just after 12.30 p.m. and was clearlyrecorded at the Wied Dalam station, operated by the University's PhysicsDepartment.• 9 January 2006 Competitiveness and Communications Minister Censu Galeahas appointed a preliminary inquiry, in terms of the Merchant Shipping Act, toestablish any possible involvement of the Malta registered chemical carrierSichem Pandora in a collision in the English channel, the Malta MaritimeAuthority said.• 10 January 2006 A study on whether more stringent conditions should beimposed on big parties is needed, Justice Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borgsaid. The Minister said this includes the issue of noise levels and thedisturbance caused to neighbours. Speaking during a radio programme onSunday, Dr Borg said the government intended to appoint a commission todraw up an independent report on amendments to the law governingentertainment establishments.• 10 January 2006 The spread of avian influenza in Turkey is no reason forpeople to panic, Tanya Melillo, the chairman of the National InfluenzaPandemic Standing Committee, said. Dr Melillo said that, like all other EUcountries, Malta was monitoring the situation and the World HealthOrganisation had not increased its alert level. This is not the start of apandemic and it seemed that all those who have been infected in Turkeyhad contracted the virus from infected birds, she pointed out.• 10 January 2006 The Ministry for Investment, Industry and InformationTechnology said that Alec Mizzi has been appointed chairman of MaltaEnterprise. Dr Mizzi succeeds Joe Zammit Tabona who has been namedchairman of the Malta Stock Exchange.• 10 January 2006 Seasonally adjusted unemployment in the eurozone stood at8.3% last November, the same as in the previous month, according toEurostat, the statistical office of the European Communities. The rate was 8.8%in November 2004. The EU25 unemployment rate was 8.5% last November,unchanged compared to October.• 10 January 2006 Secondary school girls from Malta will have the opportunityto study the history and traditions of three other European countries throughthe EU's Comenius project. The three-year project, titled Our Schools inEurope: History, Environment and Traditions, includes the participation ofschools in Sicily, Hungary and Spain.• 10 January 2006 More than 104,000 genuine calls were received bySupportline 179 within Agenzija Appogg since it started operating 10 yearsago. Last year alone the supportline received a staggering 22,250 calls,16,501 of which were deemed as genuine, coming from people who wereseeking help. Over the past five years, the supportline has had its fair share ofpeople phoning to play a joke and a total of 3,958 hoax calls were registered.Such calls were not accounted for before 2001.• 10 January 2006 Arrears of government revenue totalled over Lm482.1 millionon December 31, 2004, of which some Lm93.4 million could be collected, theAuditor-General says in his report on the public accounts for 2004. "This is anarea where significant improvements can be registered by introducingefficient procedures for both the enforcement of the collection of debt andsettlement of fines and correct documentation" , Auditor-General J.G. Galeasaid.• 10 January 2006 A total of 7,322 vehicles were registered between Januaryand November last year, of which 2,503 were vehicles up to 1300cc and 1,415

• 11 January 2006 According to Minister for Health, the Elderly and CommunityCare, Louis Deguara, thirteen HIV tests proved positive out of 3,881 tests heldbetween January and July last year. He said there were 23 positive results outof 6,194 tests in 2004 and 16 positive results out of 4,648 tests in 2003.• 11 January 2006 The number of marriages between 2000 and 2005 waspractically unchanged but the number of civil weddings increased, mostlydue to weddings between foreigners, figures given in Parliament show.Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said there were 2,164 marriages in2000 and just two less last year. The number of Church weddings droppedfrom 1,715 in the year 2000 to 1,467 last year while the number of civilmarriages was up from 449 to 695 last year.• 11 January 2006 As of today at 7.30 p.m. Campus FM (103.7 FM) will launch aseries called Mill-Parlament Ewropew. During this six-programme series, CharlesXuereb will be speaking to the five Maltese MEPs about their work in theEuropean Parliament. The MEPs will speak about their contributions to thedebates, their activities in Strasbourg, Brussels and in Malta in connection withtheir commitments as well as on their personal outlook to the new role theyplay on behalf of Maltese citizens.• 11 January 2006 An article on IT in the digital edition ofcomputerworld.com.au, entitled Which Is The Most Innovative Country InEurope?, asks if Malta could be the most IT-savvy country in Europe. PeterSayer, of the IDG News Service, writes that the reply depends on how thematter is measured. Malta, he says, derives a greater proportion of its exportrevenue from high technology than any other European country, accordingto figures from Eurostat. High-tech goods and services accounted for 55.9% ofMalta's exports in 2004.• 11 January 2006 The European Union has approved two Interreg III A projectssubmitted by the local councils of Mosta and Ragusa whose localities havebeen twinned. One of the projects is for the rehabilitation of the Ta' Bistracatacombs in Mosta and the Catacomba delle Travacche in Ragusa. The EUwill be financing €325,000 out of the €350,000 the project is expected to cost.The other project is aimed at reviving folklore while opening and consolidatinga cultural partnership between Malta and Sicily through an exchange ofknowledge and experience.• 12 January 2006 The European Commission's assessment of Malta's updatedconvergence programme is underway and is expected to be published atthe end of February. Economic and Financial Affairs European Commissioner,Joachim Almunia said the Commission is planning that Malta's assessment willthen be discussed and possibly adopted by the Economic and Financial(Ecofin) Council scheduled for March, just a few days before the EU summit inBrussels.• 12 January 2006 The Secretariat for the Self-Employed has set itself the targetof enabling 300 Maltese self-employed persons to participate in EUprogrammes this year, Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry forCompetitiveness and Communications, Edwin Vassallo said in Parliament. Hesaid this target was part of the government's efforts to encourage Maltesebusinesses to seek opportunities abroad, particularly through EU programmes.Mr Vassallo was speaking during the debate on the Budget measuresimplementation bill.• 12 January 2006 Education, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galeaexplained that students were only eligible for a stipend if, among otherconditions, they were Maltese citizens or one of their parents was Maltese. Thestudents must have been resident in Malta for five years. The Minister was

speaking in reply to a parliamentary question that 24 foreign students metthese criteria.• 12 January 2006 In the wake of the alarming news on avian influenza arrivingfrom Turkey, the European Union decided to extend the requirements by itsmember states about surveillance of wild birds and poultry until the end of thisyear. It also decided to dedicate an extra €2 million to assist all the 25member states in their surveillance exercise.• 12 January 2006 In the Auditor General's report on the public accounts 2004,local councils topped the list of entities whose compliance rate with financialregulations "continued to deteriorate". Auditor General Joseph Galea said inthe recently published annual report that shortcomings he noticed andpointed out to local councils in previous years have been repeated in 2004.The report was tabled in Parliament earlier this week.• 12 January 2006 A Biosafety Coordinating Committee has been set up toachieve an integrated approach towards genetically modified organisms,with the protection of human health and the environment as its ultimate aim.Rural Affairs and the Environment Minister George Pullicino, who opened theseminar at the Waterfront Hotel, Gzira, said GMOs were a reality that had tobe faced. Yet, this reality had to be handled with care, responsibility and theaction necessary.• 12 January 2006 Commercial establishments can open on Sundays andpublic holidays between November 1 and January 7 following amendmentsto the legal notice regulating trade licensing. The changes, which wereannounced by Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry for Competitivenessand Communications Edwin Vassallo, extended the Christmas shoppingperiod by a month, from December 1. Mr Vassallo said the amendments areexpected to facilitate the way commercial activities are carried out.• 13 January 2006 The problem of human trafficking was brought up byPresident Edward Fenech-Adami when he addressed the Diplomatic Corps atthe Palace, Valletta. He said that "the scourge of human trafficking is one ofthe foremost concerns not only of our country but also of the other countriesin the Mediterranean region. "I hereby appeal to the sense of humansolidarity of all citizens of the European Union and of the other developednations of the world in the face of the plight of their fellow human beings”.• 13 January 2006 Malta risks being overwhelmed by the magnitude and theintensity of the increasing flows of human traffic from North Africa to SouthernEurope, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi told ambassadors accredited to Maltaduring an exchange of New Year greetings at Auberge de Castille. Howevertogether with its partners in Europe and the Mediterranean, Dr Gonzi said,Malta was working towards a collective response which reconciles immediateremedial action with long-term solutions.13 January 2006 Malta will have to work very hard to catch up with theEuropean Union average when it comes to innovation. A report measuringthe progress being made by member states shows Malta ranks last and needsmore than 50 years to catch up with the of the EU average. The EuropeanInnovation Scoreboard (EIS) is the instrument developed by the EuropeanCommission, under the Lisbon Strategy, to evaluate and compare theinnovation performance of member states.• 13 January 2006 Enemalta Corporation has announced the appointment ofAnthony Rizzo as its CEO. Mr Rizzo will take over his responsibilities as fromMonday following a decision by the board of directors. Mr Rizzo graduatedBMech Eng (Hons) from the University of Malta in 1983. He worked for Air Malta

etween 1979 and 1990 when he moved to the private sector where he heldsenior positions at Menrad and at Playmobil.• 13 January 2006 Albert Ganado's private collection of about 600 Malta mapsis being catalogued and digitised by Heritage Malta with the help of aLm6,000 donation from Maltacom's Fondazzjoni Memorja Kulturali Nazzjonali.Dr Ganado's is the biggest Malta map collection in the world and thecataloguing and digitising process should take about another year tocomplete.• 14 January 2006 EU justice ministers agreed on the setting up of EU rapidreaction teams to respond to mass influxes of migrants at immigration hotspots, including Malta. Justice and Home Affairs Prime Minister Tonio Borg,who attended the meeting, said that this was very good news for Malta andshowed that "our insistence and pressure over the issue during the last monthsis now bearing fruit". He said that during the two-hour discussion on thesubject, Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini made it clear he will bededicating his energies in the first six months of this year towards settling theproblem.• 14 January 2006 Eurozone and EU25 GDP both grew by 0.6% in the thirdquarter of last year, according to revised estimates from Eurostat, thestatistical office of the European Communities. In the second quarter of lastyear, growth rates were +0.4% in the eurozone and +0.5% in the EU25. Incomparison with the third quarter of the previous year, GDP grew by 1.6% inthe eurozone and by 1.8 % in the EU25, after +1.2% and +1.5% respectively inthe previous quarter• 14 January 2006 Sir Vincent Fean, the UK High Commissioner, has paid hisfarewell call on Anton Tabone, Speaker of the House of Representatives. SirVincent will end his tour of duty in Malta shortly. Mr Tabone proposed that theUK, Malta and Cyprus, being EU and Commonwealth members, could enterinto a deeper and wider cooperation, encompassing different areas. SirVincent agreed and suggested the possibility of establishing an institutionalparliamentary link, involving MEPs, between the European Union and theCommonwealth during Malta's two-year period as chair of CHOGM• 14 January 2006 Most students are in full-time employment and earn theequivalent of the average national Maltese wage in their first year aftergraduating, according to a study carried out by the Students' AdvisoryServices at the University of Malta. The findings were published with theassistance of Euroguidance Malta within the Leonardo Da Vinci Programmeof the EUPU. It is accessible online onhttp://home.um.edu.mt/sas/research_2005.• 14 January 2006 All mobile phone stations tested last year show that the localoperators are adhering to the operational standards, according to a reportthat should mitigate the health concerns. The Malta CommunicationsAuthority tested 60 sites last year and in all instances the sites were found tobe compliant, with the vast majority below 5% of the acceptable limit ofemissions.• 15 January 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi underscored Government'scommitment to use European Union funds to raise living standards.Addressing a political activity in Victoria, Gozo, Dr Gonzi said Ministers andtechnical experts had started meetings on the best allocation of the €805million Malta would receive under the 2007-2013 EU Budget, but Governmentwould also hear the people's views in a series of consultation meetings inMalta and Gozo.

• 15 January 2006 Government announced a public consultation on thedesign of the Malta euro coin set, amid pledges of strict policing to stave offinflation once the European currency comes into circulation. ParliamentarySecretary within the Ministry of Finance, Tonio Fenech hinted that theEuropean currency will be known as "euro" in all legal texts, though there isnothing stopping people or the media from referring to it as "ewro", asproposed by the Council for the Maltese Language.• 15 January 2006 British Prime Minister Tony Blair said during an interview with aMaltese newspaper that Malta's EU membership was "a breath of fresh air".He said: "We tend to come at issues from the same direction, and often drawthe same policy conclusions". He mentioned issues such as tax and economicreform - including financial services, better regulation, the Lisbon agenda,working time, "and in time I hope, the CAP" where Malta and Britain see eyeto eye.• 15 January 2006 Archbishop Joseph Mercieca heaped praise on the CanaMovement which this year celebrates its golden jubilee. During Mass at StJohn's Co-Cathedral to mark the anniversary, Mgr Mercieca said themovement's experience on the family was priceless. He said he hoped thatthe movement would remain at the forefront of the Church's commitment toshow one and all, particularly law-makers, that when they safeguarded theunity of the family, they were promoting the country's development.• 16 January 2006 Maltese business is crippled by bureaucracy and overregulation,self-employed persons gathered at the annual conference of theChamber of Small and Medium Enterprise (GRTU) told Prime Minister LawrenceGonzi. Speeches by Dr Gonzi and Labour Deputy Leader Charles Mangionfollowed the survey presentation. The Prime Minister said the government'spolicy was to continue lifting monopolies as well as to restructure thosecompanies which had survived by sucking state funds dry for years.• 16 January 2006 A number of projects will be embarked upon in Gozo thisyear, the majority financed by the EU, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said.Speaking during a social activity in Gozo over the weekend, the Prime Ministersaid work will be carried out on a number of arterial roads and a training hotelwill be built for tourism studies students. Dr Gonzi said the government wantedto create more jobs in Gozo and would be helping small and mediumenterprises to export their products. Help will also be given to the selfemployed.• 16 January 2006 The Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST) hasofficially launched its advisory board, a consultative body to the governmenton science and technology policy. The board is chaired by principalpermanent secretary Godwin Grima and includes 45 representatives fromacademia, industry and government institutes. It will be the main forum forinteraction between the government and key stakeholders in this policy area.During the launch, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said the government wasattaching great importance to research, technical development andinnovation (RTDI) as a means of developing an advanced, knowledge-driveneconomy.• 16 January 2006 Refurbishment work on Dar Malta in Brussels, intended tohouse Malta's Permanent Representation to the European Union, could finallybegin next month after the Belgian authorities moved a step closer to givingthe go-ahead. Detailed plans submitted by the Maltese government andBlaton, the Belgian company commissioned to carry out the works, werediscussed and approved during a public meeting held at the end of lastmonth.

• 16 January 2006 Gozo Bishop Nikol Cauchi saluted the priests and parishionerswho have accompanied him on his 39-year-episcopal journey and promisedthat he would always be thinking of them. In a typically short, seven minute,homily to a packed congregation at the Gozo Cathedral Mgr Cauchidelivered a simple parting shot: "While I hope that you understand my failingsI thank you for your cooperation... I appreciate the prayers for me a greatdeal and I appeal to you to continue because I still need it while I promise youthat I will keep thinking of you and praying for you till the day I die."• 16 January 2006 Three more works of art by Maltese artists have beeninstalled along the new roads financed by the Fifth Italian Protocol. They wereput in place last week while the first one, by ceramist Gabriel Caruana, wasinstalled a month ago at the Zebbug roundabout. A spokesman for the Roadsand Urban Development Ministry said the installation of the fifth and lastsculpture was delayed because of logistical problems.• 17 January 2006 The Cabinet decided that the word "euro" shall be used in allMaltese legislation and official documents though it encourages thecolloquial use of "ewro" in other circumstances. Parliamentary Secretarywithin the Ministry of Finance Tonio Fenech said the EU had long establishedthat all the official languages of its member states must use the term "euro",the only exception being Greece since it did not use the Roman alphabet.• 17 January 2006 Victor A. Galea was elected President of the MaltaChamber of Commerce and Enterprise for 2006. He succeeds Louis Apap-Bologna. Mr Galea has served as vice-president for the past two years.Norman Aquilina was elected senior vice-president while Charles M. Merciecawas elected vice-president.• 17 January 2006 There has been no progress towards visa-free travel to the USas the American authorities still do not consider Malta as having adhered tothe necessary obligations required to be able to join the US Visa WaiverProgramme. This was declared in a report by the European Commission,which is trying to resolve the matter as it affects all the new member states barSlovenia.• 17 January 2006 Eight hotels and guest houses having 1,624 tourist bedsclosed last year while four hotels with 1,330 beds opened, Tourism MinisterFrancis Zammit Dimech said in Parliament. Three new hotels and an extensionof another, with a total of 1,770 beds, all five star, are due to come on streamthis year.• 17 January 2006 Justice and Home Minister Tonio Borg said in Parliament that83 persons were arraigned for a total of 379 times last year for loitering atGzira, Msida, Ta' Xbiex and Marsa. He said 69 were women, including sevenforeigners, and 14 were men. Their age varied from 18 to 65.• 17 January 2006 In reply to a parliamentary question Justice and Home AffairsMinister Tonio Borg said that there were 25 suicides in 2004 and 16 betweenJanuary and November last year. The victims' age ranged from 17 to 95.• 17 January 2006 More than 5,200 European health insurance cards, whichhave replaced the E111 form, have already been issued by the EntitlementUnit within the Health Department. Although the card system came into forcelocally at the beginning of this month, more than 3,300 had been issued bythe end of last month, Entitlement Unit head Shirley Sultana said. The card,which is given out for free, enables residents of the European Economic Area -made up of EU member countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway - toobtain the same health benefits as the residents of an EEA country when theyvisit.

• 18 January 2006 The dreaded influenza pandemic is not likely to strike thiswinter, Douglas Fleming, director of research at Britain's Royal College ofGeneral Practitioners in Birmingham said in an interview. However, the threatfor the coming "couple of winters" is not to be discounted, he said. Dr Flemingsaid a pandemic was more likely to take place in winter, which is the timewhen the annual influenza strikes. Yet, he cautioned, if we have a really badinfluenza season - which is not the case this year - it could extend even intosummer.• 18 January 2006 British High Commissioner Vincent Fean will not be far awayfrom Malta after finishing his term here - he will soon start serving as the Britishambassador to Libya. New High Commissioner Nick Archer will arrive in Maltaon March 3 together with his wife Erica and their sons Alexander and Christian.Deputy High Commissioner Janet Hancock will be chargè d'affaires in themeantime.• 18 January 2006 Completion of the Lm1.1 million restoration of Fort Tignéshould take place by spring 2008 if all goes according to the plans of the MidiConsortium. Midi's chief executive officer Benjamin Muscat, together withRoads and Urban Development Minister Jesmond Mugliett, Midi chairmanAlbert Mizzi and consultant architect Alex Torpiano, visited the fort to see theextensive restoration works.• 18 January 2006 Malta will not be pledging any money during a two-dayinternational donors' conference in Beijing aimed at raising funds to counterthe threat of a global outbreak of avian flu.• 18 January 2006 There are no registered drugs in Malta containing theingredient phenylpropanolamine (PPA), considered unsafe by the US Foodand Drug Administration (FDA), the Medicines Authority said. Sarah Spiteri, aquality assessor within the authority's Post-Licensing Directorate, said nomedicines containing PPA are registered for marketing in Malta. An e-mail iscurrently circulating urging people to stop taking any products containingPPA.• 18 January 2006 The European Parliament ejected an "own initiative" reporton EU citizenship which had pushed for expanding the voting and permanentresidence rights of immigrants who have lived in a member state for a longtime. The controversial report suggested that immigrants residing legally in EUmember states for the past five years should be able to vote in generalelections and elections for the European Parliament.• 19 January 2006 As expected, the European Parliament rejected a EuropeanCommission proposal intended to open up certain services given at Europeanseaports, amid fears that the new measures will lead to job losses. Theproposal was rejected by 532 MEPs with 120 in favour and 25 abstentions. Fourof the five Maltese MEPs voted against. The head of the Labour delegation,John Attard Montalto, was not present for the vote.• 19 January 2006 The European Parliament overwhelmingly backed aproposal by its Budgets Committee to reject the EU budget deal reachedbetween the 25 member states at the end of last year. Instead, MEPsapproved a resolution calling for negotiations over the level of the provisionsfor the period 2007-2013 and also on spending plans. The resolution wasadopted with 541 in favour, 56 against and 76 abstentions.• 19 January 2006 A traffic fine may from now on be waived or reduced if thereis sufficient evidence that it was issued unjustly. For fines served from January1 onwards, a recently set-up Petitions Board can order the local tribunal towaive proceedings against an offender or order the abating of a penalty if a

mistake had been made in the identity of the driver or in the identification ofthe vehicle.• 19 January 2006 The government has made formal proposals to theopposition for the Ombudsman to be included in the Constitution, Justice andHome Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said. Speaking at a parliamentary HouseBusiness Committee meeting which discussed the Ombudsplan (the businessplan of the Office of the Ombudsman), Dr Borg said the government alsofavoured the introduction of an article in the law to extend the Ombudsman'sremit beyond the civil service to include all the public sector.• 19 January 2006 Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of Finance, TonioFenech said that although end-2005 GDP figures were not yet available, theindications were that performance in the last quarter was very goodcompared to previous years and thus 2005 would show sound economicgrowth. Winding up the Budget Measures Implementation Bill debate inParliament, Mr Fenech denied Opposition claims that the economy wasstagnant.• 19 January 2006 The government is carrying out a census of the number ofgraves at the Addolorata Cemetery which have not been used for 50 years.Minister for Health, the Elderly and Community Care, Louis Deguara said thatwhile a number of graves had not been used for a considerable period oftime, there was a waiting list of over 2,665 people who wished to buy gravessince many wished to have a family grave. He said the government wasplanning to extend the Addolorata to meet demand once developmentpermission was in hand.• 19 January 2006 A total of 167 Maltese were employed by EU institutions up tolast November, Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo said in reply to aparliamentary question. He said EU recruitment was run by the EuropeanCommunities Personnel Selection Office. 83 Maltese worked for the EU inBrussels, 71 in Luxembourg and 13 in Malta. These figures did not includeMaltese MEPs and officials nominated directly by the government.• 19 January 2006 The number of Maltese nationals who left the island by air inNovember dropped by 5.8% when compared to the same month in 2004,figures released by the National Statistics Office show. A total of 12,534Maltese nationals travelled overseas last November, including 12,030passengers who departed by air. The bulk - 94.8% - of those who flew out ofMalta stayed abroad for under six months.• 20 January 2006 The Health Division reassured the public that according tothe World Health Organisation, the situation concerning the risk of apandemic of avian flu was unchanged from recent months, despite the casesof bird flu reported in Turkey. The division announced it had just received thefirst consignment of the antiviral Tamiflu, which is being kept at thegovernment Medical Stores. Malta was now better equipped in case of apandemic, the division said.• 20 January 2006 Malta is failing in its obligations under the EU's CommonFisheries Policy (CFP), according to a fisheries scoreboard issued by theEuropean Commission. This is in spite of the fact that the island has fewerobligations than other member states as the Mediterranean is the leastregulated sea in EU territory. Malta is one of only three member states thathas never reported its fish catches despite its obligation to send a monthlyreport to Brussels.• 20 January 2006 Migrants and minorities across the 15 "old" member states ofthe European Union are frequently denied access to housing on grounds ofskin colour, a report on migrants, minorities and housing published last week

y the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC) hasrevealed. Published on January 11, the report takes into account dataprovided by the EU 15 and was commissioned before the 10 new states joinedthe Union in 2004.• 20 January 2006 A total of 672 cars were stolen last year but 450 wererecovered Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said in reply to aparliamentary question.• 20 January 2006 The Broadcasting Authority has revised its Family Viewingand Listening Policy for television and radio stations, including local channelsprovided by the cable operator. In terms of this revision, the authority hasdirected television and radio stations to classify programmes using the sameclassification criteria adopted for cinema and the stage. The BA's policy aimsto ensure, so far as possible, that stations do not broadcast material unsuitablefor children at times when large numbers of them are viewing or listening.• 20 January 2006 Parliamentary Secretary within the Office of the PrimeMinister Tony Abela, has defended the restructuring of property taxes as laiddown in the Budget Measures Implementation Bill. Speaking in Parliament onWednesday, Dr Abela said the government was restructuring taxation on thesale of property after considering all scenarios, including those whodeveloped property and went for a quick sale, as well as ways of solvingsocial problems.• 20 January 2006 The Office of the Prime Minister is to have two permanentsecretaries, one responsible for policy and another to assume duties related tostrategy and operations. Paul Zahra, currently permanent secretary(Finance), is being appointed permanent secretary, Office of the PrimeMinister (Policy) and Anthony Vella, currently permanent secretary (Health,the Elderly and Community Care) is being appointed permanent secretary,Office of the Prime Minister (Strategy and Operations), the governmentannounced.• 20 January 2006 Alfred A Camilleri, currently director general (NationalStatistics Office), is being appointed permanent secretary-designate withinthe Ministry of Finance, while Frank Mifsud, currently director (Social WelfareStandards) in the Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity is beingappointed permanent secretary-designate in the Ministry of Health, the Elderlyand Community Care.• 20 January 2006 Provisional figures for the number of cruise liner passengerslast year look very positive and the growth trend is set to continue,Competitiveness and Communications Minister Censu Galea said. Speakingduring a tour of the passenger terminal at Pinto Wharf on Wednesday, theMinister referred to the Valletta Waterfront project as a perfect example ofhow Malta can take advantage of its attractions and experiences and turnthem into new, profitable opportunities.• 20 January 2006 The harmonised index of consumer prices last month wentup by 0.03% over November. The National Statistics Office said the food andnon-alcoholic beverages index dropped by 0.58% to 103.70, from 104.31 theprevious month. The alcoholic beverages and tobacco index went up by0.08% to 116.64, from 116.55 in November.• 20 January 2006 Supportline 179 is an excellent example of how a stateagency and volunteers can work together successfully, the chief executiveofficer of the Foundation for Social Welfare Service, Joe Gerada, said.Supportline 179 is a helpline operated by the social work agency Appogg.Speaking during an activity to commemorate the 10th anniversary since the

line was set up, Mr Gerada described it as an "extremely important link in thecontinuum of community services".• 21 January 2006 "Substantial progress" has been made at Mater Dei Hospital,which is losing its construction site image and rapidly taking the shape of ahospital. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said that although it was anenormous challenge to bring the hospital together, everything was goingaccording to the established plan to see it open as soon as possible.Speaking during a tour of various parts of Mater Dei, Dr Gonzi said he wasimpressed by the progress made.• 21 January 2006 EU member states will soon be able to make use of amodern information tool designed to help them combat illegal immigration.The system, known technically as Iconet, consists of a secure, web-basedinformation and coordination network for member states' migrationmanagement services, providing the rapid exchange of relevant information.21 January 2006 Last year was an excellent time for the Malta StockExchange with its index value rising more than 60%, MSE chairman JosephZammit Tabona said. The 14 equities listed on the exchange closed the yearwith a total market capitalisation of just over Lm1.5 billion. This "impressive"result, Mr Zammit Tabona added, which included the strong contribution ofHSBC, showed the potential of the MSE as a place to do business both forcompanies wishing to raise finance and for investors looking for income andcapital growth.• 21 January 2006 About 100 tobacco adverts on billboards and bus sheltersare being stripped away as they have to be completely removed by Mondayunder new regulations introduced last month. Talks have been held betweenthe health authorities and the tobacco industry on a grace period. During ameeting this week a number of deadlines were agreed upon. It was agreedthat advertising material on shop canopies, sunshades, umbrellas and anyother medium intended for communication outside shops, bars, otherestablishments or open places should be removed by April 15.• 21 January 2006 A total of 156 registered social workers were the first batch toreceive their warrants since the coming into force, in June 2004, of the 2003Act on the Regulation of the Social Work Profession and the setting up of theMalta Social Work Profession Board. Family and Social Solidarity MinisterDolores Cristina, who presented the warrants, said that over the past few yearsthere had been a record amount of social legislation, which facilitated socialworkers' interventions during the course of their work.• 21 January 2006 The Retail Price Index in December went up by 0.01% to109.02 from 109.01 in November. In December the inflation rate stood at3.01%, the National Statistics Office said.• 22 January 2006 Malta and Libya have discussed revitalising the 1984 cooperationagreement between them to reflect the current political,economic and social situations in both countries. "This exercise will furtherensure that the economic activity and social interchange between Libya andMalta, and the respective peoples, will remain strong," Foreign Affairs MinisterMichael Frendo said at the end of a three-day visit during which he had widerangingtalks with Libyan Ministers, parliamentarians and the commercialsector.• 22 January 2006 More than 300,000 students from over 80 countries havebenefited from the services of the International Association for the Exchangeof Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE) in almost six decades,Competitiveness and Communications Minister Censu Galea said. Speakingduring the opening of the week-long 58th IAESTE conference as the Corinthia

Jerma Palace Hotel, the Minister stated that this training serves to enhancetechnical and professional development and to promote internationalunderstanding and goodwill among students, academic institutions,employers and the wider community.• 23 January 2006 Hundreds of well-wishers gathered in Gozo’s capital, to usherin their new bishop, Mgr Mario Grech, with great pomp and jubilation. Thepolice band and cavalry led the entourage up Republic Street, Victoria, asMgr Grech waved from his open classic Princess saloon to the enthusiasticcrowds who lined the street, cheering and clapping.• 23 January 2006 Air Malta has reduced its business class fares through aspecial return price starting from Lm119, excluding taxes and charges. AirMalta's Club Class service is offered on the Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London,Manchester, Milan, Paris, Rome, Vienna and Zurich routes. It providescustomers with increased seating space and added comfort with four-abreastseating, an empty middle seat and extra legroom space.• 24 January 2006 The number of people who trust the government has shot upby 11% to reach 51%, even though few Maltese expect their life to improveover the next year, according to the latest Eurobarometer survey. Thedetailed results of the Malta survey were given in a news conference held bythe head of the EU permanent representation in Malta, Joanna Drake.• 24 January 2006 The first estimate of the euro-zone trade balance with therest of the world in November gave a €2.3 billion deficit against a €2.6 billioneuro surplus in November 2004, Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the EuropeanCommunities, said. The October balance was +€0.6 billion, compared with+€4.9 billion in October 2004. In November compared with October,seasonally adjusted exports increased by 4% and imports by 3%.• 24 January 2006 The euro-zone annual inflation last month was 2.2%, downfrom 2.3% in November. A year earlier the rate was 2.4%. The monthly inflationlast month was 0.3%, Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the EuropeanCommunities, said. The EU25 annual inflation last month was 2.1%, down from2.2% in November. A year earlier the rate was 2.4%. The monthly inflation was0.3% last month.• 24 January 2006 Proof exists that part of the income generated from thesmuggling of counterfeit products is being used to finance internationalterrorism, the Customs Department said. The department was commenting ina statement on a series of good results achieved by Customs in Malta in itsfight against the trafficking of counterfeit goods.• 24 January 2006 The Malta Tourism Authority is due to issue a tourism strategicplan for 2006-2008 by the middle of this year, Tourism and Culture MinisterFrancis Zammit Dimech said in Parliament. He said the plan followed in thewake of restructuring at the authority which had made it more dynamic andsegment and target-driven and not just source-driven.• 24 January 2006 A total of 4,741 people are being helped by the governmentto meet their electricity and water costs, Minister for Family and SocialSolidarity Dolores Cristina said in reply to a parliamentary question.• 25 January 2006 New EU member states wishing to adopt the euro must stickto the entry criteria and make sure they are in a good position by the date oftheir entry, the Austrian EU Presidency has warned, echoing a similarstatement by the European Commission last week. Addressing the economicand monetary affairs committee of the European Parliament, Austria's FinanceMinister Karl-Heinz Grasser made it clear that the criteria imposed for eurozoneaccession will be strictly adhered to.

• 25 January 2006 The importation of poultry products from Romania has beensuspended with immediate effect in line with the European Commission'sdecisions of January 20. This measure, announced by the Food andVeterinary Regulation Division within the Ministry for Rural Affairs and theEnvironment, was taken following the occurrence of new outbreaks of avianinfluenza in a part of Romania which to date had been considered free ofinfection.25 January 2006 Immigration and the justice system were among the items onthe agenda when Malta and Spain's justice ministers had their first ever tête-àtête.Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg and Minister of JusticeFernando Lopez Aguilar had a one-hour official meeting at Auberged'Aragon and declared closer cooperation between the two Mediterraneancountries.• 25 January 2006 Malta has not been mentioned in an interim report issued bythe Council of Europe (CoE) on allegations that the CIA flew prisoners throughEuropean airports to jails in third countries. Since November, when theseallegations first surfaced in the US press, Malta has been mentioned severaltimes by the international press as one of the new EU member statesimplicated in this US activity. It was alleged that a total of eight flights byseven different CIA planes used in transporting terrorism suspects landed atMalta International Airport for re-fuelling.• 25 January 2006 Malta Shipyards achieved its turnover targets last year andreduced its losses as projected, but this year would be particularlychallenging, Investments, Industry and Information Technology Minister AustinGatt said in Parliament.• 25 January 2006 Less than half of Sea Malta's former shore-based workers,who numbered about 64, have landed a job so far, although the governmentsays the rest may receive a reply to their job applications soon. As for theformer seafarers of the national shipping line - most of whom had objected tosome of the work conditions offered by Grimaldi, which was trying to buy theline - there is no official record of any of them having found alternativeemployment as yet.• 25 January 2006 The House of Representatives unanimously approved the EUaccession treaties of Romania and Bulgaria. The treaties were signed on April25 last year and the two countries are hoping to be admitted into the bloc onJanuary 1, 2007. "We welcome Romania and Bulgaria as countries whichhave overcome the problems of totalitarianism and now practise democracy,enjoy the rule of law and look at the EU as the future for economic growthand improved living standards," Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo toldthe House.• 25 January 2006 Talks with Libya and Tunisia on the delineation of thecontinental shelf are continuing, Resources and Infrastructure Minister NinuZammit said in reply to a parliamentary question on oil exploration.• 26 January 2006 The government, the Federation of Industry and the industrialsector have agreed to map out a new industrial policy for Malta. Thisemerged at a dialogue meeting held by the Office of the Prime Minister todiscuss the use of EU structural funds in the areas of education, training andemployment. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi insisted that funds for researchand design would be made available to research from which Malta and smallislands could benefit.• 26 January 2006 Maltese doctors have been advised not to prescribeantivirals to patients suffering from seasonal influenza unless the flu could leadto "serious illness or hospitalisation and possibly death". The chairman of the

National Influenza Pandemic Standing Committee, Tanya Melillo, said thereason for the national committee's recommendation was the risk of influenzaviruses becoming resistant to antivirals, which would be on the front line in thefight against a flu pandemic.• 26 January 2006 "In order to fight the problem of illegal immigrationeffectively, we must make sure to close all routes across the Mediterranean,"Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo told visiting Spanish Justice MinisterFernando Lopez Aguila on Tuesday. During the meeting, Dr Frendo referred tohis visit to Libya last week and said that from meetings he had with the Libyanforeign affairs and justice secretaries he noted there is a realisation in Libyathat illegal immigration is an important area for collaboration withneighbouring countries.• 26 January 2006 The Malta Environment and Planning Authority has secured agrant of €400,000 by the EU Transitional Facility Programme for an 18-monthproject designed to protect habitats and species. Mepa said the project aimsat improving Malta's capacity to achieve the goals set in both national andinternational legislation in the area of nature protection, particularly the EUHabitats and Birds Directives.• 26 January 2006 Heritage Malta and Bank of Valletta held a preview of theTarxien temples visitor centre - part of the BOV Tarxien Temples Project. Thecentre is the first phase in a conservation project that has been proposed forthe prehistoric temples complex in Tarxien, under the patronage of the bank.Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said the BOV TarxienTemples Project was a prime example of how the private sector could workwith the government to safeguard its prehistoric heritage and make it morevisible.• 26 January 2006 The Ministry for Investment, Industry and InformationTechnology concluded an agreement with Oracle to extend the e-Government framework to include the Oracle technology stack. Thisdevelopment broadens the capabilities of the e-Government infrastructurethat has so far been only based on Microsoft technology stack. Oracle is aworld-recognised proprietary technology that is fully compliant with Europeanstandards that drive towards open standards.• 26 January 2006 A total of 38 babies were born to illegal immigrants held indetention centres between 2002 and last year, Home Affairs Minister TonioBorg said in reply to a parliamentary question.• 26 January 2006 Malta issued 19,634 visas to Russian nationals last year, downfrom 22,151 the year before, according to information given in Parliament byJustice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg. The Minister also said that 2,862visas were issued to Ukrinians ( 3,565 in 2004) while the number of visas issuedto Chinese nationals slumped to 846 from 2,648 in 2004.• 26 January 2006 There was a total of 7,379 people registering for work withthe Employment and Training Corporation at the end of December. TheNational Statistics Office said the number of unemployed was 186 higher thanthat of the preceding month. On the other hand, when one compared thefigures for December 2005 with those of December 2004, the number ofregistered unemployed dropped by 724.• 27 January 2006 About 170 senior officials in ministries and governmentdepartments have already been identified as euro changeover coordinators,according to the chairman of the National Euro Changeover CommitteeJoseph Zahra. Mr Zahra was speaking at the public launch of the PreliminaryMaster Plan for the euro changeover in Malta, which encompasses the work

done by the NECC and its sectoral committees since last summer, up toNovember 2005.• 27 January 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo insisted on the needfor the European Parliament to hammer out a quick agreement on the EU'sfinancial perspectives. The various projects, which were expected to benefitfrom the EU's new budget, should get off the ground from 2007, Dr Frendosaid. Trade unions, NGOs and the public came together for a conference atthe Westin Dragonara on the theme Europe - What's Next?• 27 January 2006 The government expressed satisfaction at the EuropeanCommission's assessment of its work programme (NRP) to reach the Lisbongoals and reiterated its commitment to translate such plans into action.Competitiveness and Communication Minister Censu Galea, who isresponsible for the monitoring and implementation of the plan, described theCommission's assessment as positive. He said the Commission acknowledgedthe government's analysis of Malta's main challenges and described itsprogramme as ambitious.• 27 January 2006 The European Commission has given Malta good marksoverall for its plans to reach the so-called Lisbon targets but it expects theisland to reduce the tax burden on labour as one of its priorities this year. TheCommission's assessment of Malta's plans within the Lisbon Strategy, known asthe National Report Programme, was published on Wednesday in Brusselstogether with the assessments for the other 24 member states.• 27 January 2006 Malta is managing to spend a good amount of its allocationof EU funds, at least until now, according to the European commissionerresponsible for regional policy, Danuta Hubner. However, the island's biggestchallenge is yet to be faced, as most of the funds dedicated to Malta have tobe spent over the coming years, she said. Ms Hubner gave details about thepayments made to each member state last year. According to Commissionstatistics, Malta was last year paid a total of €5.38 million in structural funds.• 27 January 2006 Malta is involved in the drawing up of a maritime masterplan identifying new maritime routes within the eastern Mediterranean region,Competitiveness and Communication Minister Censu Galea said. He wasspeaking at the first ministerial conference on the preparation of an EU projectcalled Motorways of the Sea, in the Slovenian capital Ljubljana on Tuesday.• 27 January 2006 It is a blessing for the hundreds of Maltese persons who visitMedjugorje every year: Bosnia and Herzegovina has agreed to eliminate thevisa requirements for Maltese citizens. During a meeting in Valletta, ForeignAffairs Minister Michael Frendo and his Bosnian counterpart Mladen Ivanicexpressed their satisfaction at the progress in relations registered between thetwo countries over the last year.• 27 January 2006 Almaz Khamzayev, Ambassador of Kazakhstan, and LucianoOzorio Rosa, Ambassador of Brazil, presented their diplomatic credentials toPresident Edward Fenech-Adami at the Palace in Valletta. Mr Khamzayev hasbeen serving as Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Italy since 2004. Mr Ozorio Rosaserved as Ambassador to Hungary among other diplomatic postings.• 27 January 2006 Regulations giving right of access to training opportunities,career development and occupational mobility have all helped to increasethe number of fixed-term and part-time employees, Family and SocialSolidarity Minister Dolores Cristina told her European counterparts. Speaking inan informal meeting of EU Employment and Social Policy Ministers in Villach,Austria, she also referred to the benefits of having a standard set of minimumconditions applicable to all workers, irrespective of the type of employmentcontract or hours of work.

going into specifics, saying: "I'd rather stop here... I'd better give out the detailswhen we're sure."• 30 January 2006 Around 4% of deaths worldwide are alcohol-related - whichmeans they can be prevented, according to George Grech, clinical directorof Sedqa, the national agency against substance abuse. This soberingstatistic was divulged during a national conference on binge drinkingorganised jointly by Sedqa and the Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity.Family and Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina stressed the need toestablish a minimum consumption age, an issue also highlighted by the chiefexecutive office of the Foundation for Social Services, Joe Gerada.• 30 January 2006 More than Lm64,000 have been raised by the Maltese tohelp feed thousands of people in famine-stricken Kenya who are fighting fortheir lives, the Capuchin Friars said.• 30 January 2006 The exhibition of torture instruments, The Art of Pain, whichwas hosted at the Inquisitor's Palace until the end of the year, was visited by40,000 people over a period of 18 months, according to Heritage Malta. Alarge number of visitors were students and senior citizens and more than halfcame as individuals as opposed to being in a group. According to headcurator at Heritage Malta, Kenneth Gambin, most of the Maltese visitors werealso entering the Inquisitor's Palace for the first time.• 31 January 2006 The Leader of the House, Minister for Justice and HomeAffairs, Tonio Borg, criticised the Opposition for not having reacted toproposals for a revision to the rules of the House of Representatives. He saidthe government made its proposals 15 months ago on the basis ofrecommendations made in a report by former President Ugo Mifsud Bonnici.Dr Borg was reacting to questions by Opposition Leader Alfred Sant onwhether he had considered it right that the Speaker, without consultinganyone, had opted to commission Dr Mifsud Bonnici to draw up this report.• 31 January 2006 Malta's ground water is seriously at risk from over-exploitationand pollution, jeopardising the island's only renewable fresh water resource,according to the State of the Environment Report 2005. The report, drawn upby the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, identifies 22 areas wherethe environment is showing a negative trend and only six positive trends.• 31 January 2006 The government was working on expanding the MaltaCollege for Arts, Science and Technology to ensure it continued to moveahead, Education Minister Louis Galea said. The students' population hasmore than doubled to 4,000 from 1,500. Another 3,500 students attendevening courses. Dr Galea was recently speaking at the MCAST graduationceremony of 573 students, among them the first group who obtained a highernational diploma.• 31 January 2006 The Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) last yearmade 4,462 job placements, by far the highest in the past 10 years.Education,Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galea said in reply to aquestion in Parliament that the ETC made 3,579 job placements in 2004.• 31 January 2006 The possibility of developing recycling plants close to theproposed Ghallis landfill is one of the reasons why the original footprint wasreduced, the government said in a statement. The plants which could treatparts of the waste generated - something along the lines of the proposedmodernisation of Sant' Antnin - could "eventually" be developed.• 31 January 2006 An exhibition on Chinese opera figures was inaugurated byTourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech. The Minister said that atotal of 82,445 people visited this museum last year - an increase of nearly 3%over 2004. The exhibition, being presented by Heritage Malta in collaboration

with the China Cultural Centre, is made up of 60 figures, each one showing adifferent character from Chinese opera.FEBRUARY• 1 February 2006 Unleaded petrol and lead replacement petrol (LRP) went upin price by 1c per litre and diesel and paraffin by 1c4. The revised prices,announced by Enemalta Corporation are calculated on the basis of the pricepaid by the corporation for the last consignment of fuel supplies.• 1 February 2006 The government wants more young people to have therelevant certificates to be able to fill the jobs the new economy was creating,Education Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galea said at the end of apublic conference on the report Matsec: Strengthening A NationalExamination System. “This is why we have embarked on a complete reform ofthe education system from early childhood to higher education throughlifelong learning,” said the Minister.• 1 February 2006 The Civil Protection Department was called out to giveassistance 7,075 times last year, Justice and Home Minister Tonio Borg said inreply to a parliamentary question. Figures given by the Minister show 1,223cases involved oil spills, and 1,222 were grass fires. There were 215 false alarms,although, their number was falling.• 1 February 2006 A total of 124 cases of arson were reported to the police lastyear, according to figures for the past five years given by Justice and HomeMinister Tonio Borg. Replying to a parliamentary question, the Minister said 93arson cases were reported in 2001 and one less in 2002. There were 118 casesin 2003 and one more in 2004.• 1 February 2006 Tourist air departures from January to December last yeartotalled 1,150,769, an increase of 23,362 or 2.1% over 2004. The NationalStatistics Office said British tourists, which accounted for 41.9% of departures,increased by 6.6%. Other registered increases included those from Austria,Denmark, Germany, Sweden and a group of 'other' markets. On the otherhand expenditure on package tours was estimated at Lm203.7 million, adecrease of Lm15.9 million or 7.2% when compared to the previous year.• 1 February 2006 Six Maltese artists - Nicholas Magro, Anna Galea, Lino Borg,Patrick Dalli, Celia Borg Cardona and Lawrence Buttigieg – have their workexhibited in a section of the building that is the European Parliament inBrussels. In his inaugural speech at the exhibition, MEP David Casa said thatonly a short time after Malta joined the EU, Maltese artists now had a platformfor their work to be seen by many people in the heart of Europe.• 2 Febtuary 2006 The Commissioner of Inland Revenue has eight years withinwhich to collect income tax, from the year when it is due, Prime MinisterLawrence Gonzi said in reply to a parliamentary question. He explained thatthe eight years start running either from the tax return date or, if an assessmentis made, when that assessment is final.• 2 February 2006 The number of foreigners living in Gozo had doubled in fiveyears, figures given in Parliament show. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said inreply to a parliamentary question that 691 foreigners lived in Gozo in the year2000 and 1,303 in 2004.• 2 February 2006 A total of 289 people were arraigned in court for allegedlyviolating hunting laws last year, Justice and Home Minister Tonio Borg said inreply to a parliamentary question. That number was down from 475 the yearbefore.

• 2 February 2006 The police in the last three years found 41 children (agedunder 16) who had been served alcohol, Justice and Home Minister TonioBorg said in reply to a question in Parliament. During the same period thepolice arraigned 27 people for serving alcohol to minors.• 2 February 2006 The number of new trading licences dipped last year whencompared to 2004, figures given in Parliament show. Competitiveness andCommunication Minister Censu Galea said 1,898 licences were issued lastyear, from 1,958 the year before.• 2 February 2006 Family and Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina moved aBill in Parliament giving new powers to the Benefit Fraud InvestigationDirectorate and reforming invalidity pensions. The Minister said the purpose ofthis Bill was not to reduce benefits, but to ensure that such benefits weredirected only to those who needed them.• 2 February 2006 Malta registered just one third of the average growth intourism experienced by southern Europe and the Mediterranean region lastyear. National Statistics Office figures show that tourist air departures fromMalta between January and December 2005 increased by 2.1% over 2004,though total expenditure by tourists decreased by Lm4.8 million or 1.1%.However, statistics presented last month by the United Nations specialisedagency, the World Tourism Organisation, show that international tourist arrivalsin Southern and Mediterranean Europe increased by an average of six 6%.• 2 February 2006 The Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) said thatdata for last September indicate an additional 91 persons in the labour supplyover the same month in 2004. This resulted from an increase of 1,021 personsin the gainfully occupied population and a drop of 930 on the unemploymentregister, the National Statistics Office said.• 2 February 2006 International passenger movements last year remained atthe same levels as 2004, according to the Malta International Airport's AnnualStatistical Review. The review contains information on aviation trends andoperations at MIA during last year. The market analysis shows that the mainreason for stagnant passenger movements is the decline in the number ofMaltese travellers during the peak months in the latter half of 2005.• 2 February 2006 The Central Bank of Malta on Tuesday left the centralintervention rate unchanged at 3.25%. The decision was taken by GovernorMichael C. Bonello at the end of the Monetary Policy Advisory Council. MrBonello considered that there had been no developments since the previouscouncil meeting to justify a change in the bank's monetary policy stance.• 2 February 2006 Last month was the second wettest January in the last 83years and slightly cooler than the average for that month in the last 10 years,according to the Meteorological Office. With 22 days of rain, the 215.9 mm ofthe rainfall was well above the average, by 130 mm. The wettest January onrecord since the Met Office starting keeping records was that of 1973 with225.6 mm of rainfall.• 2 February 2006 The ports have been at a complete standstill over the pastthree days because of the strong wind and rough sea, with no less than 25ships, including one carrying a consignment of gas cylinders, waiting to enterGrand Harbour.• 3 February 2006 The baptism of Christ - as depicted in the sculpture byGiuseppe Mazzuioli at St John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta - has emerged as thefavourite image among the Maltese to be put on Malta's euro coins after itpolled the highest number of votes. Almost 17,000 votes were cast in anationwide text message and phone poll, Parliamentary Secretary for FinanceTonio Fenech told a news conference.

• 3 February 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo held discussions inBerlin with his German counterpart, Frank Walter Steinmeir, in a meetingdominated by the problem of illegal immigration in the Mediterranean. DrFrendo thanked Mr Steinmeir for Germany's understanding of Malta's situationwith regard to illegal immigration and for agreeing to accept a number ofrefugees. It was essential, he said, that there was a dialogue between thecounties of origin, transit and destination.• 3 February 2006 Eleven projects in Malta and Sicily, mainly of a culturalnature, will benefit from €5 million in EU funding under the Italia-MaltaProgramme, which aims to strengthen cooperation between Malta and Italy.The projects were chosen from 48 proposals submitted jointly by Maltese andItalian organisations following a call for applications last July. Furtherinformation on the Interreg IIIA Italia-Malta Programme can be found onwww.ppcd.gov.mt.• 3 February 2006 The number of mobile phone users climbed to 324,763 bySeptember last year, while there were 88,145 Internet subscribers,Competitiveness and Communications Minister Censu Galea said in reply toquestions in Parliament. The minister pointed out that the number of mobilephone subscribers grew by 21 times in nine years while internet users increasedby nine times during the same period.• 3 February 2006 The Maltese Association of Social Workers (MASW) said thepresentation of warrants to over 150 social workers represented an officialrecognition of over 50 years of challenging and at times unacknowledgedservice to individuals, families, children and communities. Family and SocialSolidarity Minister Dolores Cristina presented the warrants.• 3 February 2006 The Malta Council for Culture and the Arts (MCCA) onTuesday signed off the organisation of the festival to NnG Promotions, thecompany behind the Elton John, Eros Ramazzotti and more recent ClaudioBaglioni concerts. For the first time in 16 years the event will not be organisedby Charles Gatt, known as "City". Culture and Tourism Minister Francis ZammitDimech, who was present at the signing, thanked Mr Gatt for his dedication,saying that without his contribution and vision the festival would not havereached the status it did.• 3 February 2006 The Labour Force Survey (LFS) carried out by the Employmentand Training Corporation for the three months up to last October puts thenumber of unemployed at 11,546, the National Statistics Office said. Duringthe same period last year the number was 11,842. The unemployment rate forthe period under review stood at 7.3%, while the rate for the same month lastyear was 7.5%.• 3 February 2006 Ian Micallef, president of the Association of Local Councils,has been named vice president of the European Union's Committee of theRegions (CoR), the Brussels-based assembly where representatives of localand regional government meet to have their say on EU legislative proposals.• 4 February 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said that proposals overpension reforms are practically ready and they should put people's minds atrest. The Prime Minister was addressing a political activity in Sliema.• 4 February 2006 Revising curricula to ensure the highest level of academiccontent while responding to the changing needs of the labour market will beone of the goals of the newly appointed National Commission for HigherEducation. "The government wants this sector to be among the best in theEuro-Mediterranean region," Education, Youth and Employment Minister LouisGalea said as he announced the names of the commission members.

• 4 February 2006 The Cabinet has approved a new regulation making illegalthe consumption of alcohol by people under 16, who could be fined ifcaught. The sale of alcohol to minors is already prohibited by law but thepolice complain that enforcement is difficult. Family and Social SolidarityMinister Dolores Cristina said that minors caught drinking will only be punishedwith a fine and not with legal action.• 4 February 2006 A record 11,160 clients last year made use of the servicesoffered by Appogg, sedqa and Sapport, the agencies of the Foundation forSocial Welfare Services, according to Dolores Cristina, Minister for the Familyand Social Solidarity. Addressing the staff of these agencies, Ms Cristina saidthe number showed an increase of 20% over 2004. The major increases werein services directed at supporting and protecting children in need.• 4 February 2006 For the first time since Malta joined the EU in May 2004,Maltese MEPs, assistants and visitors alike will have the chance to follow entireplenary sessions of the European Parliament in their mother tongue. This hasbecome possible after the addition of four interpreters to the Malteselanguage pool at the European Parliament.• 4 February 2006 The Parliamentary Secretariat for the self-employed hasvowed it will do its utmost to enable 300 businessmen to take part in EUprogrammes by the end of the year. Addressing business organisations andconsultants on EU programmes, Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business andSelf-Employed Edwin Vassallo said that enough programmes which couldlead to the participation of 150 businessmen have already been tapped.• 4 February 2006 Statistics published by the European Commission and theOrganisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) show thatduring 2004, Malta contributed significantly towards the development of thirdworld countries and reached an EU target for the 10 new member states sixyears in advance.• 4 February 2006 Local health authorities are not concerned by a riskconsultant's global assessment that puts Malta at "extreme" risk of theemergence of an influenza pandemic, saying the assessment has not spurredthe World Health Organisation to direct countries to take any new measures.The Health Division expressed confidence in its planned measures to bothdelay the entry of the bird flu virus and contain the spread.• 5 February 2006 Government policy is translating into investment, jobs andlower unemployment, the Prime Minister said, during a political activity inBirkirkara. Investment in Malta by both Maltese and foreigners was growing asconfidence in the country rose. Foreign investment in the first nine months oflast year had already reached Lm145 million, compared to Lm148 million forthe whole of 2004. Full and part-time employment last year rose by 3,952 andunemployment dropped by 700.• 5 February 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi told candidates for the LocalCouncil elections to use their imagination, talents and abilities to be ofgenuine service to their locality. Speaking during a seminar for candidatesheld in Valletta, Dr Gonzi stressed the importance of local councils workinghand in hand with the government.• 5 February 2006 The campaign for the local council elections taking place in23 localities on March 11 moved into top gear, with the party leadersintroducing the candidates at press events while nominations closed at theElectoral Commission. A total of 282 candidates are standing for theelections, up from 262 three years ago, when the elections were held inparallel with the referendum on EU membership.

• 5 February 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo had talks in Hollandwith Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot and Rita Verdonk, Minister forImmigration and Integration. He said the main reason for his visit was to thankthe Dutch government and people for their solidarity by being the firstEuropean Union country to accept the resettlement of refugees and personswith humanitarian status from Malta. The ministers proposed further cooperationbetween Malta and Holland in immigration matters.• 5 February 2006 The Muslim community in Malta described the publication ofcartoons depicting the prophet Mohammed as an irresponsible act and aninsult, but said that protests should be held in a peaceful and conciliatoryway. While the local Muslim community believed in freedom of expression,criticism should be conducted objectively, responsibly and respectfully.• 5 February 2006 In A Message for World Pro-Life Day today, the Family andSocial Solidarity Ministry focused on quality of life, saying life was a gift thatwas sometimes tainted by poverty, discrimination, domestic violence, andillness. The ministry underlined the good work carried out by foster parents,pointing out that fostering had tripled between 2000 and 2005. The ministryalso thanked agencies and NGOs involved in countering drug and alcoholabuse, particularly by young people.• 5 February 2006 Fabrizio Faniello is getting a second chance to try and bringthe Eurovision Song Contest to Malta, after winning this year’s Song for EuropeFestival.• 6 February 2006 Gift of Life, the anti-abortion foundation, held its first nationalwalk from Valletta to Bay Street in St George's, Pro-Life Day – an attempt toraise awareness in favour of the protection of human life in every stage fromthe moment of conception. Justice and Affairs Minister Tonio Borg, who,together with his Labour counterpart Anglu Farrugia, joined the walk in the lastleg from St Julians Bay to Bay Street, said the government's proposal toentrench in the Constitution the right to life, even of those who were not yetborn, has been supported by 200 associations.• 6 February 2006 A pregnant woman was among 180 immigrants who landedsafely at Delimara after they were rescued by the Armed Forces of Malta. Thefishing boat they were on started taking in water about 19 nautical miles tothe south west of the island, a senior army officer said. The big bulk of theimmigrants - 176 - were males. The army was informed of the immigrants bythe Rescue Coordination Centre in Rome when the boat was still outsideMalta's search and rescue region.• 6 February 2006 The European Commission seems to be toning down its standon spring hunting in Malta and has officially admitted that the governmenthad discussed an exemption from a specific article of the Birds Directiveduring accession negotiations. Environment Commissioner Stravos Dimasmade the admission in reply to a series of questions submitted by 14 MEPs fromvarious political groups represented in the European Parliament.• 6 February 2006 The pensions reform was discussed at the Malta Council forEconomic and Social Development and there was a request for theconsultation process to be extended a bit more, Family and Social PolicyMinister Dolores Cristina said. Speaking at a political activity in Msida, she saidthe reform would be underway as soon as the consultation process isconcluded.• 6 February 2006 JEF-Malta, the national section of the Young EuropeanFederalists, hosted members from JEF-Catalonia for a bilateral youthexchange in Malta. The event was supported by the European CommissionYouth programme, with the theme Sharing The Mediterranean, Comparing

The Past, Exploring The Future. The Catalan participants had the opportunityto get to know more about the island, its people, culture and traditions, andexplore the bonds that exist between the two Mediterranean regions.• 7 February 2006 Malta last year registered the largest percentage rise in birthsin the EU, an increase of 8.7% over the previous year. According to recentdata issued by the EU's statistical arm, Eurostat, this rise, combined with asignificant increase in the number of immigrants, pushed the Maltesepopulation up to 405,800 by the beginning of this year - an increase of 3.1% onthe previous year.• 7 February 2006 President Edward Fenech Adami, turned 72 today. He visitedCarmelina Zammit at St Vincent de Paul Residence this morning to mark her100th birthday. The President and Mrs Fenech-Adami attended Mass at Dartal-Providenza in Siggiewi, a birthday custom of The President.• 7 February 2006 Education, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galeastressed the need for private sector involvement in the development of thehigher education sector when he made a statement in Parliament on thesetting up of the National Commission for Higher Education. The commissionhas interim terms of reference and is to submit a report to the government byApril 7 on its role, functions and governance, including a supportingsecretariat.• 7 February 2006 The Employment and Training Corporation receives anaverage of 111 calls every month reporting illegal employment, Education,Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galea said in reply to a parliamentaryquestion. He said 1,334 reports were made since the corporation introducedthis freephone service.• 7 February 2006 One policeman was admitted to hospital for a suspecteddrug overdose since the year 2000, Justice and Home Affairs Minister TonioBorg said in reply to a parliamentary question. He said criminal proceedingswere pending over this case.• 7 February 2006 Family and Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina said that348 persons sought help from the Sedqa agency last year because of alcoholabuse problems. The youngest was 15 years old.• 7 February 2006 The Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) hasappointed a Green Leader as part of its "Go Green" policy. The employees ofthe corporation have started to separate their waste in offices and usedpaper will be recycled. Energy saving methods will be introduced shortly.• 8 February 2006 The remote gaming industry operating from Malta over theInternet has made huge leaps in its relatively short lifespan. Answeringparliamentary questions Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said that governmentrevenue from the industry had risen from Lm 93,317 in the year 2000 to Lm1.1million in the first seven months of last year.• 8 February 2006 In the wake of the prophet Mohammed cartoon controversy,Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo met four Arab ambassadors to assurethem that Malta would not tolerate religious insults while insisting there was nojustification for violent reactions. Dr Frendo said the publishing of the offensivecartoons was regrettable. "Notwithstanding this, there is no justification forviolence. All the parties involved have to work towards defusing the situation,"he said.• 8 February 2006 Family and Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina calledfor an assessment of how identity cards were issued or amended, saying theease with which one could change his address - without actually changing hisresidence - was opening the way for benefit abuse. She told Parliament that

information given on identity cards could determine whether a person waseligible for certain social benefits and it was therefore important to put inplace a mechanism that would ensure that such information is correct.• 8 February 2006 Nearly 2,000 fines for speeding on the Mriehel bypass havebeen imposed since September, when a speed camera was installed. Theinformation was given in Parliament by Urban Development and RoadsMinister Jesmond Mugliett in reply to a question in Parliament.• 8 February 2006 The highest temperature registered by the airport'sMeteorological Office was just 8.7°C, making it the coldest February day sinceFebruary 15, 1962 when the maximum temperature had reached only 7.2°C.Chief meteorological officer Stephen Porter said that the coldest Februaryday since the Met. Office started keeping records in 1922 was in 1929 with ahigh of 6.7°C. The overall mean maximum temperature in February is 15.01°C.• 8 February 2006 Environment and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicinoconfirmed that production of fresh poultry fell from just under eight million kilosin 2003 to some 4.6 million kilos last year. No statistics were kept for 2000, 2001and 2002, the minister said in reply to a question in Parliament. However,production figures for 2003, 2004 and last year stood at 7.8 million, 6.1 millionand 4.6 kilos respectively.• 8 February 2006 A chair-lift worth Lm6,000 has been installed at the KercemPrimary School allowing students with a disability to manoeuvre their way upthe stairs. In another school in Gozo, Sir Mikelang Refalo Centre for FurtherStudies, Lm7,000 have been spent on improvement works since January 2005and have included the installation of a raisable platform for students inwheelchairs who now have full access to the school's public areas.• 8 February 2006 Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech isanticipating another good year for the cruise industry, one in which one of thelargest Royal Caribbean ships will make regular visits next season. Dr ZammitDimech was speaking at a ceremony to mark the appointment of ExecutiveCruises, a joint venture between SMS Group and the Mondial Group, asinternational representatives and sole sales agents in Malta for RoyalCaribbean Cruise Line and Celebrity Cruises.• 9 February 2006 The government is prepared to review taxation if thecountry's financial targets are reached this year, Prime Minister LawrenceGonzi said. Addressing one of a series of public meetings being held withmembers of the public, he made it clear that if the targets are successfullyreached this year as they were in 2004 and 2005, the government would setup a task force to review taxation to reduce the fiscal burden as the countrywould be in an economically sound position.• 9 February 2006 Malta and Libya have agreed that teams from therespective countries should get together to look into the lineation of oilexploration, Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo said in an interview. DrFrendo said the two countries were discussing a number of options withregard to oil - not just joint exploration - and technical meetings were going tobe held between them.• 9 February 2006 The government is expected to go ahead with the openingof a High Commission in India by the second quarter of this year, ForeignAffairs Minister Michael Frendo said. Launching the strategic objectives ofMalta's Foreign Policy in Valletta, Dr Frendo said the Maltese government wasin contact with the government of India to start the process for the opening ofan embassy in New Delhi.• 9 February 2006 More than 120 partner laboratories, companies andinstitutions from 32 countries, including 16 EU member states, are working

• 10 February 2006 The overall visible trade gap for last year widened by Lm91.1million to Lm502.7 million from Lm411.6 million reported in 2004, the NationalStatistics Office said. The value of imports from the European Union amountedto Lm941.3 million, making up 72.1% of total imports recorded. The maintrading EU partners were Italy, the United Kingdom, France and Germany.• 10 February 2006 Midsea Books Ltd have published the Concise Maltese-English-Maltese Dictionary based on the monumental work of Joseph Aquilina.The dictionary runs into 1,400 pages and includes more than 60,000 entries. It isprinted on special paper which makes it lighter to carry and has beenpublished in a one-volume edition using binding that makes it resistant toheavy use.• 10 February 2006 The Malta Environment and Planning Authority (Mepa) hasobtained €200,000 from the EU in order to help it put in practice the polluterpaysprinciple. The money comes from the EU Transitional Facility programmefor a project entitled Building Capacity To Introduce The Polluter Pays PrincipleThrough Economic Instruments To Implement The EU Environmental Acquis.• 11 February 2006 The European Commission adopted a safeguard measureto ensure increased biosecurity on poultry farms and improved diseaseawareness on the part of poultry owners and their families. Movements ofpoultry from the affected area to other holdings or for slaughter will besubjected to additional rigorous controls.• 11 February 2006 The Tourism and Culture Ministry is now in a better position totap European Union funds through the setting up of an EU Affairs and PolicyDevelopment Directorate, Tourism and Culture Minister Francis ZammitDimech said. Speaking at an information seminar at the MediterraneanConference Centre, in Valletta earlier this week, Dr Zammit Dimech said thedirectorate is responsible for policy development and is the Ministry's focalpoint and guide on EU-related affairs.• 11 February 2006 The former Minister of Economic Services, Josef Bonnici, hasbeen appointed member of the recently set-up Higher EducationCommission. Prof. Bonnici has been a member of the European Court ofAuditors since May 7, 2004 and is rapporteur for the Audit Group II StructuralAnd Internal Policies.• 11 February 2006 Malta's Ambassador in Tripoli, Joseph Cassar, presented 200copies of the Arabic version of Stejjer Ghal Qabel Jidlam, a collection of shortstories by noted Maltese writer Oliver Friggieri, to the Libyan Ministry of Culture.Published by the Embassy of Malta in Tripoli with the support of the Bank ofValletta's Trust Fund for Maltese cultural activities in Libya, the books will bedistributed to a number of public libraries and cultural centres in Libya.• 11 February 2006 A delegation from the Jin Chang district of the municipalityof Suzhou in China, accompanied by a delegation from the Sta Lucija councilpaid a courtesy call on Deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg. Dr Borg noted that35 local councils had established twinning agreements with other towns andvillages overseas, paving the way for the growth and sharing of cultures.• 12 February 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said it was the serious waythe government was drafting its policies that was attracting investment andcreating employment. Speaking in Luqa, Dr Gonzi said the government wasshowing investors that it was serious in everything it does, and that there waseconomic and political stability that would guarantee them having a goodreturn on their investments.• 12 February 2006 Malta has so far remained free of the bird flu virus, but thegovernment was monitoring the situation carefully after it was confirmed thatthe deadly H5N1 strain had reached Sicily. In a statement the Rural Affairs

Lm46,882 by the tank cleaning farm, Lm986 by Malta Shipyards Accty Plant,Lm787 by the shipyards car park and Lm168 by its Calibration Unit.• 15 February 2006 The European Commission is contemplating settingmandatory targets for member states in a bid to boost EU biofuel productionand usage. Following the adoption of an ambitious EU strategy for biofuelswith a range of potential market-based, legislative and research measures,Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel said the Commission would beconsidering the question of mandatory targets as part of a revision of the EU'sunder-performing Biofuels Directive.• 16 February 2006 Maltese entrepreneurs need better guidance and directionto assist them in tapping the opportunities available to them as a result ofMalta's EU membership, Victor Galea, the new chairman of the MaltaChamber of Commerce and Enterprise said. Mr Galea was speaking during acourtesy visit which a delegation from the Chamber paid on President EdwardFenech-Adami.• 16 February 2006 The European Commission agreed to make additionalproposals in a bid to facilitate agreement with the European Parliament overthe new EU budget. After MEPs harshly criticised the Commission's proposals,the EU executive agreed to make more suggestions with regard to therenewal of an inter-institutional agreement over the 2007-2013 financialframework.• 16 February 2006 Over 500 air-conditioning units in Valletta have been resitedby the owners. Speaking at a press conference Environment and RuralAffairs Minister George Pullicino said that following an initiative by the MaltaEnvironment and Planning Authority, the units that were illegally mounted onthe façades of buildings in the city were removed and a substantial numberof others will follow suit once the applications for their re-siting are processed.• 16 February 2006 Analysis has shown that there could be immediate growth inthe tourism industry both with and without low cost airlines, Tourism andCulture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said. The Minister was speaking at abusiness breakfast organised at the Radisson by Business Today on the futureof low cost airlines.• 16 February 2006 All vehicles arriving on ships from Italy will be disinfected asthe government battles to keep the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus from reachingMalta. The government had initially said it would be disinfecting vehiclesarriving on the Catamaran from Sicily but it has now extended this measure toother vessels too as an additional precaution. The Veterinary Division, madeup of 10 teams of two people each, is working round the clock on anexhaustive mission to verify every report of dead birds.• 16 February 2006 The Italian government believes that in certain exceptionalcircumstances, such as bad weather, illegal immigrants transiting Maltesewaters on their way to Italy should be forced to disembark here even if theyrefuse help from the Maltese authorities, Italian ambassador Alvise Memmowas speaking during at a meeting with the Parliamentary European andForeign Affairs Committee.• 17 February 2006 Statistics on missing and sexually exploited children in Maltado not reflect reality and are, therefore, not as helpful as they should be,according to Stephen Vella, from the Foundation for Social Welfare Studies,who compiled the Childscope Malta report. Drawn up last year on 2004 data,the report was released at a multi-agency roundtable with the theme MissingAnd Sexually Exploited Children: Malta In A European Framework.• 17 February 2006 The US Ambassador to Malta, Molly Bordonaro, has stronglycondemned the abuse of Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison, images of

which resurfaced on an Australian television station two days ago. Addressinga press conference at the US Embassy in Floriana, Ms Bordonaro said she was"sickened and utterly disgusted" by the images.• 17 February 2006 Family and Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina hasexpressed concern that while all MPs had spoken in Parliament againstbenefit fraud, some still seemed to have sought justification for the abuser,with one saying that it did not pay to be honest. Winding up the debate onamendments to the Social Security Act targeting benefit fraud, Mrs Cristinasaid the government had no intention of engaging in a witch hunt and nogenuine applications for invalidity pensions would be thwarted.• 17 February 2006 The National Archives were enriched by the private papersof scientist Anthony Valletta (1909-1988). Members of the Valletta familyrealised the potential of the documentation and passed this heritage on tothe government's archives.• 17 February 2006 Malta's six-year-old ambition to become "the technologycapital island city of the Mediterranean" will be made concrete this year,Investment, Industry and Information Technology Minister Austin Gatt said. Hewas speaking during the opening of the Innovating Regions in Europe secondmethodological workshop.• 17 February 2006 The world's major players in the IT business look at Malta notonly as clients but also as genuine partners, Austin Gatt, Minister forInvestment, Industry and Information Technology said. Dr Gatt was addressinga conference on Business Objects, which is the world's leading businessintelligence (BI) software company. It enables organisations to track,understand and manage enterprise performance.• 17 February 2006 American Ambassador Molly Bordonaro visited the Maltabranch of the World Islamic Call Society and Mariam Albatool School. Duringher visit, Ms Bordonaro said: "Education is a key factor to enhance mutualunderstanding together with respect for diversity among different cultures andreligions in every country including the United States of America whichbelieves in and practices the religious freedom and respect of cultures andfaiths."• 17 February 2006 The Malta Communications Authority (MCA), which is theregulator for postal services, has published a consultative paper on theminimum standards needed to protect the integrity of mail by postaloperators. The MCA said that a key element was ensuring consumerconfidence in the market.• 18 February 2006 The European Commission officially tabled its plan of actionfor the coming years to help countries like Malta deal with a sudden influx ofillegal immigrants. Publishing a new communication called StrengthenedPractical Cooperation, the Commission proposed various concrete measures- including enabling member states which face a sudden immigration influx toaccess funds more rapidly - aimed at easing immigration pressure on Maltaand other member states.• 18 February 2006 Boffa Hospital's oncology department will be transferred toZammit Clapp in St Julians and the latter's rehabilitation services will start beingprovided from a new block at St Vincent De Paul Hospital in Luqa. These arethe long-term solutions that Health Minister Louis Deguara presented to meetthe pressing challenges that the health sector is facing.• 18 February 2006 George Pullicino, Minister for Rural Affairs and theEnvironment, said that more farmers ought to be encouraged to growalternative crops. "Alternative crops provide a number of advantages bothfrom the production and marketing point of view," he said when he was

addressing an APS Bank seminar on Alternative Products And Processes ForCompetitive Agriculture And Fisheries In Malta.• 18 February 2006 Maltese farmers and agricultural workers last yearexperienced a drop of six per cent in their income when compared to 2004,Eurostat, the EU's statistical arm said. Data released showed the situation ofMaltese farmers is similar to what is happening in the other EU member stateswhich, on average, saw agricultural income fall by 5.6% last year following anincrease of 6.3%in 2004.• 18 February 2006 An average of five to six litter louts have been fined everyday since the new littering regulations came into force on January 1,according to statistics provided by the Rural Affairs and Environment Ministry.Under the new regulations the fine for littering has shot up to between Lm25and Lm50 from Lm10. The fines for dumping are now up to between Lm1,000and Lm2,500 from Lm500 to Lm1,000, and may double if the offence iscommitted close to monuments, heritage sites, parks or beaches.• 18 February 2006 Anton Tabone, Speaker of the House of Representatives,said women from the northern and southern shores of the Mediterraneanshould meet so as to establish a solid and long lasting partnership betweencountries along the Mediterranean littoral. He was speaking in Sliema at aseminar on Women's Rights in the Mediterranean, organised by theMediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies of the University of Malta.• 18 February 2006 The number of Maltese passengers departing by air last yearamounted to 200,744, a decrease of 1.3% over the same period a year earlier,the National Statistics Office said. Of these, 97.8% spent less than six monthsaway from Malta.• 18 February 2006 Malta unequivocally condemns any action that constitutesan insult to any religion as well as the violence witnessed in the wake of thepublication of cartoons showing prophet Mohammed. This was the gist of astatement presented by the Malta delegation to the Organisation for Securityand Cooperation in Europe at an informal gathering in Vienna on Thursday.• 19 February 2006 President Edward Fenech Adami stressed the importancestressed the importance of overcoming the stigma of epilepsy at the thirdNational Conference on Epilepsy organised by the Caritas Malta EpilepsyAssociation. The condition affects 2,900 people in Malta, athough it is notalways apparent.• 19 February 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi spoke about national issuesduring a political activitiy in Tarxien. He said that the country is projected toend the year with a record low budget deficit, below 3% of GDP (grossdomestic product). Furthermore “this year, the prospects look equally goodand in the coming weeks we may reap more fruit as a result of our decision tojoin the EU," he added.• 19 February 2006 Local Broilers and poultry processors are expected tobenefit from around Lm750,000 in subsidies and restructuring funds from theEuropean Union and the government this year. However, to be eligible forfunds, poultry producers and processors must increase production by 20% thisyear. Part of the funds also have to be allocated to market the local product.Rural Affairs and Environment Minister George Pullicino was inaugurating amodernised Qrendi chicken processing plant owned by C&K Ciappara & SonsLtd, with Parliamentary Secretary Francis Agius.• 19 February 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo has been appointedchairman of the steering committee charged at the Malta CHOGM toimplement the Commonwealth Action Programme for the Digital Divide(CAPDD). One of the issues Malta has been pushing in the Commonwealth is

the importance of the digital divide, finding evidence in the theme of theMalta CHOGM 'Networking the Commonwealth for Development'.• 20 February 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said the upcoming localcouncil elections were important and he wanted councillors to carry on withtheir work. But the government should focus on policies that shape the futureof the country. The Prime Minister was speaking during an activity in Gozo.• 20 February 2006 The President and Mrs Fenech-Adami met residents ofPembroke when they paid an official visit to the locality... "a youngcommunity which was building its own identity". Dr Fenech-Adami saidPembroke was unique because it embraced a large number of organisationsand societies which brought children and youths together.• 20 February 2006 The traditional music of this weekend's carnival paratadance has been revived for the first time in many years with pieces composedby Ruben Zahra. The parata is a Maltese sword dance, performed at theopening of carnival and commemorates the victory of the Knights of theOrder of St John over the Ottoman Turks. The Malta Council for Culture andthe Arts (MCCA) commissioned Mr Zahra to revise the music that wasdiscovered in a collection of transcriptions entitled Maltese Melodies, ornational airs and dances.• 21 February 2006 Rural Affairs and the Environment Minister George Pullicinosaid Malta would back initiatives by the EU and its member states to helppoultry breeders face the current decline in sales resulting from consumers'wrong perception that bird flu in wild birds affects farm animals. Mr Pullicinomade this point during a meeting of EU agriculture ministers in Brussels whichdiscussed the spread of bird flu and further measures to control the virus.• 21 February 2006 In an annual report evaluating the EU telecoms market, theEuropean Commission has referred repeatedly to Maltacom's dominantposition which it says seems to be stifling market growth. The main criticismrelates to fixed line telephony. On a more positive note the Commissionreports a substantial increase in the broadband market, placing Malta as oneof the most advanced countries in this sector, even when compared to theother new EU member states.• 21 February 2006 Siegfried Generics, the pharmaceutical company, is toinvest Lm5.7 million in Malta and generate some 50 jobs, Investment, Industryand Information Technology Minister Austin Gatt said when he visited the siteof the new factory at Hal-Far industrial estate. The Siegfried Group wasfounded in 1873 and is a global chemical supplier and service provider to thepharmaceutical and chemical industry alike.• 21 February 2006 Deposits with commercial banks in Gozo over the past fiveyears totalled Lm153,138,000 in 2001, Lm182,432,000 in 2002, Lm185,362,000 in2003, Lm172,209,000 in 2004 and Lm199,465,000 until last September.Answering a Parliamentary question, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said bankloans in Gozo for the respective periods amounted to Lm52,784,000,Lm51,553,000, Lm63,806,000, Lm81,829,000 and Lm101,903,000.• 21 February 2006 A total of 16 foreign companies benefitted from a total ofLm55,767.57 in VAT refunds last year. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi in hisreply to a Parliamentary question, said that the refunds were given forconferences, conventions, seminars, fora, meetings and sales events.• 21 February 2006 Talks are currently underway between the Armed Forces ofMalta and the Malta Transport Authority about soldiers who are alreadyqualified to drive vehicles of over 7,000 kilogrammes. Prime Minister LawrenceGonzi said that according to an EU transport directive, military drivers may be

exempted from taking the tests stipulated in the Motor Vehicle DrivingRegulations. He was replying to a Parliamentary question.• 21 February 2006 The distribution by registered mail of voting documents fornext month's local council elections cost Lm71,209.25, Prime Minister LawrenceGonzi said in reply to a Parliamentary question.• 21 February 2006 Enemalta Corporation's debts at the end of last year stoodat Lm118,057,000 in bank loans, Lm628,000 in bank overdrafts and Lm5,590,000in government loans. The information was given by Investment, Industry andInformation Technology Minister Austin Gatt in reply to a Parliamentaryquestion.• 21 February 2006 A total of 71,191 telephone calls were made to Supportline179 over the past three years, Family and Social Solidarity Minister DoloresCristina said in reply to a Parliamentary question. The number of calls were26,503 in 2003, of which 18,758 had been genuine; 22,438 in 2004 (16,816) and22,250 in 2005 (16,501).• 21 February 2006 The Employment and Training Corporation last year struck atotal of 2,267 persons off parts one and two of its register, Education, Youthand Employment Minister Louis Galea said in reply to a Parliamentaryquestion.• 21 February 2006 Asylum seekers who live in tents at the Hal Far detentioncentre staged an impromptu protest to complain about what they calledtheir dire situation. They claimed they were being treated like "animals", thatthey were being fed nothing but macaroni and that their sanitary conditionsleft a lot to be desired. Army sources said such protests had become a fairlycommon occurrence.• 21 February 2006 A large number of would-be migrants who arrived in Maltatwo weeks ago were deported to Egypt, their home country, in two groups.Saturday's group consisted of 72 while 60 flew home on the 19 th February.None claimed refugee status. A spokesman for the Justice and Home AffairsMinistry said practically all of them will eventually be deported.• 21February 2006 Malcolm J. Naudi was confirmed chairman of the Institute ofMaltese Journalists for 2006. Joe A. Vella and Mario Schiavone are secretarygeneraland treasurer, respectively. Charlot Zahra retains the post ofeducation and information secretary and Roderick Agius, Joe Cordina andJulia Farrugia continue to serve as council members.• 21 February 2006 Walter Balzan presented his credentials as Ambassador ofMalta to Hungary to President Laszlo Solyom at the Sandor Palace in Budapestlast week. President Solyom and Mr Balzan reaffirmed their countries' resolveto strengthen political, economic and cultural cooperation. AmbassadorBalzan also serves as Malta's Ambassador to Austria and is the residentpermanent representative of Malta to the Organisation of Security andCooperation in Europe.• 22 February 2006 There are about 55,000 people who have registered theirwillingness to donate human organs. Campaigns to encourage individuals tobecome human organ donors are held throughout the year by the TransplantSupport Group. The group has 190 registered members includingtransplantees and patients waiting to undergo transplant surgery.• 22 February 2006 Malta informed the EU it is ready to host a top level meetingbetween ministers of the interior and foreign affairs of southern European andNorthern Africa countries to discuss a mechanism to deal with illegalmigration. This was revealed during a meeting of the EU Justice and HomeAffairs Council in Brussels.

• 22 February 2006 Malta is performing well in the transposition of EU directivesinto national law but the European Commission has raised questions over howwell it is applying European legislation. According to the latest internal marketscoreboard, published by the European Commission, at the end of last yearMalta had only a backlog of 19 directives yet to transpose or just 1.2% of allthe pending directives. The Commission said that this level puts Malta amongthe best performing member states of the EU.• 22 February 2006 Air Malta and Lufthansa German Airlines signed amemorandum of understanding for bilateral cooperation that will see themjointly serving a worldwide network and allowing Malta to "move closer toEurope and the rest of the world". Both airlines are planning to adjust theirtimetables, increasing connectivity to worldwide destinations - considered tobe important for the national economy and the tourism industry, Air MaltaCEO Ernst Funk said.• 22 February 2006 Over 67 % of persons who have childcare responsibilities donot work, according to the National Statistics Office. A total of 5,923 personstake regular care of other children apart from those residing in their house.The NSO said a total of 31,636 persons or 53.3% of those with child caringresponsibilities, leave their children with the husband, wife or partner while oneof the parents is at work. A further 18,753 or 31.6% do not use any childcare atall despite the fact that they work.• 22 February 2006 The Central Bank has issued a new decimal coin set dated2006. The set consists of the seven current Maltese coins of the Second Series(Lm1, 50c, 25c, 10c, 5c, 2c and 1c) together with a three mils coin of the FirstSeries. The coins were struck at the Royal Mint, UK and are being sold in anattractive wallet.• 22 February 2006 Over 250 Maltese and Gozitans have declared their interestin planting over 13,700 indigenous Maltese olive trees on their land with theaim of producing Maltese olive oil and related products. The Project for theRevival of the Indigenous Maltese Olive, Primo, is an environmental andafforestation initiative undertaken by Sam Cremona with the support of thebank and the Ministry for Rural Affairs and the Environment.• 23 February 2006 The unsustainable development of Sliema, often to thedetriment of buildings of architectural worth, was one of the bones ofcontention raised during a dialogue meeting with Prime Minister LawrenceGonzi at St Patrick's, Sliema. Dr Gonzi invited suggestions on how to use the€805 million from the EU between 2007 and 2013, with a focus on theenvironment, but many present took the opportunity to voice othercomplaints, unrelated to the funding aspect.• 23 February 2006 Illegal immigrants at the three detention centres in Hal Far,Safi and the police headquarters in Floriana staged what appeared to be acoordinated protest. Immigrants at Hal Far and Safi detention centres toredown the wire fence at their compound but rather than to escape, theirintention seemed to be to hold a demonstration to highlight their situation.• 23 February 2006 The policies and reforms being adopted by the Maltesegovernment are delivering results and are consistent with EU policies. That isthe opinion of the European Commission following an analysis of the updatestability and convergence programme submitted by Malta at the end of lastyear.• 23 February 2006 Malta Shipyards logged 500,000 accident-free man hours,Investment, Industry and Information Technology Minister Austin Gatt saidduring a visit to the 'yards. Dr Gatt said that in 2002 Malta Shipyards Ltd

launched a three-year safety improvement scheme together with DupontSafety Resources.• 23 February 2006 A new edition of the Ecclesiastical Directory, a guide inMaltese and English to the organisation and structures of the Archdiocese ofMalta, has just been published. The directory can be bought from theArchbishop's Curia, in Floriana, the Media Centre Bookshops, and the CatholicInstitute in Floriana at the price of Lm6.50.• 23 February 2006 The Veterinary Division has rounded up another 80 wildducks as it continues its vigilant efforts to minimise their risk of being exposedto migrant birds infected with the bird flu virus. There are an estimated 200wild ducks along Malta's shores and the division's 10 teams are working hard,mostly at night, to round them up, test them and keep them cooped at FortDelimara as a precaution.• 23 February 2006 The National Euro Changeover Committee has submittedthe image of the Baptism of Christ - as depicted in the sculpture by GiuseppeMazzuoli at St John's Co-Cathedral, in Valletta - as the final design of thenational side of the euro coins, its chairman, Joseph F.X. Zahra, said.• 23 February 2006 There were 7,699 persons registering for work with theEmployment and Training Corporation (ETC) at the end of January, theNational Statistics Office said. The figure represents a drop of 481 personswhen compared to January 2005. However, the number of registeredunemployed last month rose by 320 over the preceding month. In September2005, the unemployment rate stood at 4.9% of the labour supply.• 23 February 2006 The regulatory authorities responsible for civil aviation andmaritime affairs are to be merged to form one authority, Communicationsand Competitiveness Minister Censu Galea said. He told Parliament thatmuch work remained to be done before this merger took place, but this waslikely to be the last year in which Parliament considered the financialestimates of the Maritime Authority in their current form.• 23 February 2006 The number of cruise passengers arriving here last monthrose by 2,407 over the corresponding month last year, to a total of 5,551, theNational Statistics Office said. Cruise passengers arriving from Italy went up by1,197 to 1,202 from five cruise passengers in January last year. Other increaseswere recorded from, among other, the UK (+904), the German (+203) and theFrench (+141) markets.• 24 February 2006 President Edward Fenech-Adami received the letters ofcredence from Andrej Capuder, Ambassador of Slovenia, Samir Al-Kassir,Ambassador of Syria, Emil Karimov, Ambassador of Azerbaijan and TomislavVidosevic, Ambassador of Croatia. The ceremonies took place in theAmbassadors' Room at The Palace, Valletta. All the ambassadors are nonresident.• 24 February 2006 The government is close to reaching an agreement with aDubai-based company that will build an IT village at Ricasoli industrial estateemploying 5,600 people in the biggest private foreign investment projectMalta has ever seen. Investment, Industry and Information TechnologyMinister Austin Gatt announced that Tecom Investments will invest aboutLm110 million in the project, which will be known as SmartCity@Malta.http://www.doi.gov.mt/EN/News/newsitems/audiorecording%20-%2023.02.06smartcity.asp• 24 February 2006 The proposed engineered landfill at Ghallis ta' Gewwareceived the green light from the Malta Environment and Planning Authorityboard. The landfill - consisting of a facility for non-hazardous waste with a

seven-year lifetime and a smaller, hazardous waste facility that will serve for 20years - is to start operating in the coming months.• 24 February 2006 The number of births to single mothers has been risingconstantly since the year 2000. Provisional information shows that there were783 births to single, separated, divorced or widowed mothers last year, PrimeMinister Lawrence Gonzi said. Replying to a Parliamentary question Dr Gonzisaid the number of such births in 2004 reached 727; in 2003, 658; in 2002, 554;in 2001, 521; and in 2000, 470.• 24 February 2006 Fines given for speeding beneath the Regional Road tunnelsin St Julian's totalled Lm133,916 between December 2004 and December lastyear thanks to the speed cameras, Justice and Home Affairs Minister TonioBorg said. Replying to a Parliamentary question, Dr Borg said Lm26,172 wereforwarded to the local council.• 24 February 2006 There were 3,402 traffic accidents in the fourth quarter oflast year, a drop of 515 over the same quarter in the previous year, theNational Statistics Office said. In Gozo and Comino the number of accidentsdeclined by 12 to 152 from 164. A total of 131 drivers sustained injuries. Ofthese, 104 suffered slight injuries while there were two fatalities.• 24 February 2006 The number of youths and children under 16 who wereadmitted to hospital as a result of domestic violence more than doubledbetween 2001 and last year. According to statistics given in Parliament byMinister for Health, the Elderly and Community Care Louis Deguara, 172youngsters were admitted to St Luke's Hospital or local health centres afterhaving suffered domestic violence in 2001. The figure increased to 208 casesin 2003 and to 393 cases reported last year.• 24 February 2006 The Malta Environment and Planning Authority haslaunched a public consultation over the Air Quality Directive proposed by theEU Commission. The directive consolidates and streamlines existing air qualitylegislation with respect to current values of air quality standards, introducesflexibility and a new standard for fine particles. A copy of the proposeddirective and a consultation brief may be obtained from Mepa's website onwww.mepa.org.mt.• 24 February 2006 A preliminary analysis of a report submitted by thegovernment indicated a possible infringement of Malta's derogation allowingspring hunting, according to European Commission officials. However, theystopped short of stating whether Malta would be facing an infringementprocedure over the issue and said only that a final decision will be made atthe end of next month.• 24 February 2006 The process to draft a National Policy for Architecture waslaunched at the Fine Arts Museum in Valletta, with a view to bringing Malta'sbuilt environment in line with EU practices. Tourism and Culture Minister FrancisZammit Dimech said architecture was part of the country's cultural and artisticdimension. It was important to take into consideration what people would besaying about today's architecture in a hundred years' time.• 25 February 2006 A report probing Malta's use of EU structural funds hascalled for a thorough review of the Department of Contracts amid claims thatdelays in procedures were leading to tardy payments. Though the authoritieswere applauded for securing approval of EU funding, the report indicates thatthe level of spending has been particularly poor.• 25 February 2006 Strong winds and bad luck conspired against Gozo Channelleaving it to operate with just one ferry as hundreds attempted to cross overfor carnival weekend. As Gozo businesses prepared for one of its busiestweekends, that would financially make up for the past two slow months, many

Maltese were calling to cancel their booking when they learnt they had towait at least eight hours to cross over.• 25 February 2006 Malta confirmed it was in line with EU health guidelines onpandemic flu. Minister for Health, the Elderly and Community Care LouisDeguara attended an extraordinary informal meeting of EU health ministers inVienna and informed them that Malta was fully prepared to face a possiblepandemic. The country had already stocked the amount of anti-viral Tamiflurecommended by the World Health Organisation and the EU, he said.• 25 February 2006 The Employment Services Division of the Employment andTraining Corporation has just held the second seminar dealing with thechallenges faced by job-seekers aged 40 and over. Statistics show that out of7,193 job seekers registering under Part 1 and Part 2 of the unemploymentregister, 2,622 were over 40. About 3,400 job seekers aged over 40 wereinterviewed as part of the corporation's Training Employment ExposureScheme and over 450 job-seekers found employment.• 25 February 2006 The concept of a Central Mediterranean Economic Forum(C-MEF) was launched by Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo during apublic lecture at Tunisia's Institute of Diplomatic Studies. The concept was alsodiscussed during official talks with Tunisian Foreign Minister AbdelwahabAbdallah. Dr Frendo explained that the business and economic forum couldbuild on the competitive advantages of each country and see how theseadvantages - including Malta's leading role in financial services - could beused as catalysts for economic growth in all the countries of the C-MEF.• 25 February 2006 Malta is facing a big obstacle in its efforts to better itseconomy as women continue to stay out of the labour market. According toa new report on equality between women and men in the EU, Malta ranks atthe bottom of the table when it comes to women's employment rate. In 2004,the most recent statistics presented in the report, only 30 % of womenbetween 15 and 64 years had some kind of employment. The average in theEU stood at 55.7 %.• 25 February 2006 The use of pesticides on crops grown in Malta is low whencompared to other southern European countries and the United Kingdom,data published by the National Statistics Office show. Analysing the use ofplant protection products by Maltese farmers between September 2004 andlast August, the NSO gave a breakdown of the main crops grown and whatamounts of fungicides, herbicides and insecticides are used on specificvegetables and fruits.• 25 February 2006 The total number of nights spent by tourists inaccommodation establishments fell by 5.7 % to 355,934 last December whencompared to the corresponding month in 2004, the National Statistics Officesaid. However, the average length of stay increased from 5.3 to 6.1 nights.• 25 February 2006 Sailors from the five Nato ships which visited Malta over thepast days donned civilian clothes to do volunteer work at eight Maltesephilanthropic institutes earlier this week. The 100 or so sailors from Canada,Germany, Poland, Portugal, and the US carried out a variety of projectsincluding painting buildings, gardening and maintenance.• 25 February 2006 The Retail Prices Index went down by 1.80% to 107.06 inJanuary as compared to 109.02 in December. The inflation rate in Januarystood at 2.99%.• 25 February 2006 Recurrent revenue during last month totalled Lm49.6 millionand made up 5.2 % of this year's budget forecast. Compared to the sameperiod last year, this represents an increase of Lm3.7 million, or 8.1%, theNational Statistics Office said. Revenue for the comparative period last year

amounted to Lm45.9 million. At the same time, total expenditure, excludingsinking funds contributions and direct loan repayments, amounted to Lm73.9million, a decrease of Lm10.8 million, or 12.8%, from the Lm84.7 millionexpended in the first month of last year.• 26 February 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi underlined the importanceof the SmartCity investment which was unveiled on Friday, saying this was theresult of government policies, particularly investment in informationtechnology. Speaking during a political conference in Sliema, he said thatwhile the government welcomed this achievement, the country still had otherachievements in the pipeline.• 26 February 2006 The President and Mrs Edward Fenech-Adami left for the UKfor a private visit. Dr George Hyzler will be Acting President in his absence.• 26 February 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo had an intensive 80-minute meeting with Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali at thePresidential Palace in Carthage on Friday. Discussions focused on bilateralrelations and current issues, including international affairs. After the meeting,Dr Frendo told the Tunisian media that "Malta is committed to theimplementation of new projects in conjunction with Tunisia, both at publicand private sector level".• 27 February 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said during a political activitythat "more good news is in the pipeline". Speaking in Birkirkara, Dr Gonzi saidthat in 2005 a total of Lm200 million in foreign investment had come to Maltawhich by far surpassed the Lm18 million that Dr Sant's government hadattracted in a year.• 27 February 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi has joined 10 other EuropeanUnion leaders in urging Britain's new Conservative Party leader DavidCameron to reconsider his promise to withdraw his party from the EuropeanPeople's Party in the European Parliament. Their letter to Mr Cameron wasrevealed by the French newspaper Le Monde.• 27 February 2006 The government's plan to beef up human resources atdetention centres with retired police and army officers has failed to meetexpectations, with only 16 personnel so far taking up the offer. ParliamentarySecretary within the Ministry of Finance Tony Abela said in an interview thatanother call for applications would be issued soon, adding that thegovernment was hoping for a better response.• 28 February 2006 Busdrivers locked in disagreement with the Transport Ministryover subsidy and reform issues, went on strike. The Public Transport Association(PTA) said the general strike was indefinite. "On Friday we had given theministry and the Malta Transport Authority (ADT) a 48-hour ultimatum," it said.• 28 February 2006 Malta and Tunisia signed an agreement for joint oilexploitation and exploration in zones of the continental shelf locatedbetween the two countries. The agreement was signed in Tunis following an80-minute meeting between Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo andPresident Zine El Abidine Ben Ali on Friday and after a meeting between DrFrendo and his Tunisian counterpart Abdelwaheb Abdallah.• 28 February 2006 The European Commission has granted approval for a drugtargeting a virus that causes digestive problems and diarrhoea in youngchildren to be marketed in the European Union, pharmaceutical companyGlaxoSmithKline said. The company said the Commission will be allowingactive vaccination of infants from the age of six weeks. A local representativeof the company said the drug should be available in Malta this year. Statisticsshow that almost 100 positive cases of rotavirus were registered in Malta in2004.

• 28 February 2006 The number of syringes distributed free from health centresto drug abusers decreased significantly in January compared to January2005. Figures given in Parliament show that a total of 19,954 syringes werehanded out from seven health centres in January last year and 15,672 duringJanuary this year.• 28 February 2006 The Communications Appeals Board has decided that theCommunications Authority should continue its consideration of an applicationfor the granting of a third 3G mobile telephony licence. Competitiveness andCommunications Minister Censu Galea said in reply to a parliamentaryquestion that the authority had rejected the application but the appealsboard last Friday decided that the authority should continue to process theapplication, submitted by 3G Communications Ltd, by resuming the duediligence process.• 28 February 2006 Over 500 people succumbed to colorectal cancerbetween 1998 and 2003 and almost 900 were diagnosed with the disease.Speaking during the launch of an awareness campaign, jointly organised bythe private hospital and the Health Promotion Department, St James Hospital'smanaging director, Josie Muscat said a study by the London-based CancerResearch Campaign showed that 98,500 men and women die every yearfrom the disease in the European Union.• 28 February 2006 The government is determined to make use of every euro itis entitled to from the EU's structural funds as contracts emerge from abureaucratic bottleneck. Statistics provided by the Office of the PrimeMinister show that the worst is over, as the government stepped up its EUfunding (for the period 2004-2006) spend to a large extent in the last twomonths.MARCH• 1 March 2006 The electricity surcharge between today and April 30 willincrease to 67.5%, the government said. The prices of unleaded petrol andlead replacement petrol (LRP), will go down from 47c6 to 45c5 per litre and50c6 to 48c5 per litre respectively. The price of diesel will go down by 0c4 from41c9 per litre and the price of light heating oil and kerosene will remain thesame at 23c9 and 41c5.• 1 March 2006 Following the joint oil exploration and exploitation agreementsigned between Malta and Tunisia on Monday, Foreign Affairs MinisterMichael Frendo said the government did not exclude the possibility of signinga similar agreement with Libya, adding that discussions with Tripoli had startedon a technical level in January and would continue in the coming months.• 1 March 2006 Works costing Lm3 million on a new secondary school, the boys'lyceum M.A. Vassalli in Tal-Handaq, Qormi have started and are expected tobe completed in three years' time, the Education, Youth and EmploymentMinistry said. The school is being built from scratch in that part of the formerschool that was unbuilt, on a footprint of about 3,000 square metres.• 1 March 2006 This year the Housing Authority launched an extensivedevelopment programme of apartments and maisonettes to be eventuallymade available through the system of shared ownership or rented toapplicants eligible for social housing. The building programme includes urban

•regeneration projects in Cospicua, Floriana and Valletta and the constructionof new apartment blocks in various localities like Pembroke, Mriehel, Mtarfa,Qawra, Kalkara, Mgarr, Naxxar and others.1 March 2006 Tony Abela, Parliamentary Secretary in the Office of the PrimeMinister, presented CHOGM number plates to AFM soldiers who served asdrivers for Commonwealth leaders during last November's CommonwealthHeads of Government Meeting in Malta. The presentation took place at thearmy's Luqa barracks canteen and was attended by army commander Brig.Carmel Vassallo.• 1 March 2006 The works of art recently installed at junctions of newly rebuiltroads cost Lm1,200 each except for the one at the Mtarfa junction,which costLm1,700, Urban Development and Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett said inreply to a parliamentary question. The artists were Agius Marble Works, PaulVella Critien, Charles Sammut, Mario Galea, Angelo Agius and GabrielCaruana.• 1 March 2006 The number of tourists departing from Malta in January,dropped by 5.2% reaching 50,520, when compared to the correspondingmonth a year before, the National Statistics Office said. Departures by airwere estimated at 50,092, a drop of 4.2%. Departures by sea are at 428, adrop of 427. Air tourists from the UK market increased by 5.1%, 46.6% of thetotal. Other increases in tourist departures by air were recorded from France,Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway.• 1 March 2006 Standard & Poor's ratings services affirmed their A long-termand A-1 short-term sovereign credit ratings on Malta, saying the outlook isstable. Standard & Poor's also affirmed its A senior unsecured debt rating onthe outstanding $250 million bond maturing in 2028 and $205 million bondmaturing in 2009, originally issued by Freeport Terminal (Malta) plc andsubsequently transferred to the Freeport Corporation. The governmentguarantees timely debt service on these bonds.• 1 March 2006 The National Euro Changeover Committee published a set ofguidelines on the rounding and smoothing of Maltese lira amounts convertedinto euro. The aim of the guidelines is to ensure fairness where conversion ofmonetary amounts from the lira (Lm) into euro necessitates the applicability ofrounding and smoothing. The committee said that rounding rules inconnection with conversions of national currencies into euro have alreadybeen established in EU law. Such rules are an integral part of the monetarylaw of the euro area which Malta shall form part of upon euro adoption.• 1 March 2006 The European Union and Switzerland have signed a nonbindingprotocol of agreement under which Switzerland undertakes toprovide one billion Swiss francs over five years to finance socio-economicprojects in the 10 new EU member states, including Malta. Out of anallocation of one billion Swiss francs, Malta will be allocated three millionfrancs (€2 million).• 2 March 2006 The retirement age will be raised gradually to 65 under pensionreform plans while private pension schemes will remain a voluntary option.Addressing a press conference at his office in Valletta, Prime MinisterLawrence Gonzi said the Bill on pensions will be presented to Parliament byJune.

http://www.doi.gov.mt/EN/News/newsitems/audiorecording%20-%2001.03.06pensions.asp• 2 March 2006 Talks between the Transport Ministry and the Public TransportAssociation ended in deadlock. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said thegovernment considered the strike action unacceptable. "This means we willhave to make the decisions and take the measures that are required," he saidwhen addressing a press conference on pension reforms at Castille. Dr Gonzisaid the government disagreed with the proposals by the bus drivers'association and cannot in any way justify the stand taken by the association.• 2 March 2006 Malta has officially denied any involvement in the allegedillegal detention and rendition flights in Europe conducted by the CIA andsaid it has no knowledge of such operations. Malta's position became publicfollowing the release by the Council of Europe (CoE) of replies received by its46 member governments following a request for information by the secretarygeneral, Terry Davis, last November.• 2 March 2006 Projected seat capacity on airlines flying to Malta betweenApril and October is expected to drop by 1% compared to the same periodlast year, Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said whenreplying to a parliamentary question. The Minister said that the decrease hadto be see in the context of excessive capacity last year, notably on the UKmarket.• 2 March 2006 The consortia interested in the port cargo tender at GrandHarbour must ensure efficient work practices, a reliable service and lowercharges in the interest of national competitiveness, Victor Galea, president ofthe Malta Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise, said during a meeting withthe Prime Minister. Mr Galea was heading a Chamber delegation, whichcalled on Dr Gonzi at his office in Valletta.• 2 March 2006 Malta registered a substantial increase in its unemploymentlevels last January according to new estimates released by Eurostat, the EU'sstatistical arm. In the first month of this year, the unemployment rate went upto 7.8%, the highest level registered over the past 12 months and up from 7.5%last December. A year before, in January 2005, Malta had an unemploymentrate of 7.1%.• 2 March 2006 Competitiveness and Communications Minister Censu Galeapresented the ISO 9001 certificate to Playmobil Malta Ltd. Mr Galea said thefact that more than 300 organisations on the island have achieved ISO 9001certification proves the definite correlation between such certification andcompetitiveness.• 2 March 2006 Flughafen Wien AG said that VIE Malta Ltd, a 100% subsidiary,has acquired over 10% of the shares in Malta International Airport. Through its57.1% stake in the Malta Mediterranean Consortium, Flughafen Wien AG holdsan investment of 40% in MIA. This latest transaction has now increased theshareholding to over 50%, which will allow for joint control of the airport by theconsortium and the Flughafen Wien subsidiary.• 3 March 2006 The Prime Minister inaugurated an extension to St Anne'sprimary school in Marsascala which has doubled the teaching area. TheLm150,000 project involved two phases and included the building of a newstorey. Speaking during the inauguration, Dr Gonzi said the government had

placed education as a main priority together with the environment and theeconomy.• 3 March 2006 The Prime Minister said he was prepared to meet the GeneralWorkers' Union again, once the union had requested another meeting todiscuss the electricity surcharge. "I told the GWU their latest proposals werenot reasonable and, furthermore, could not be implemented. The unionwanted the cost of living to be paid out each month, instead of taking anaverage over a 12-month period," Lawrence Gonzi said.• 3 March 2006 Public transport returned to normal this morning after bus driversdecided to lift their strike action and accept the Transport Ministry's proposalsalmost in their entirety.• 3 March 2006 Air Malta carried almost 10,250 more passengers on its intra-European operations between October and December when compared tothe same period the previous year. However, traffic on its scheduled networkto and from Malta dipped by almost 8,000 (-2.53%) passengers, while charterpassengers fell by 20,000, the national airline said when publishing its results forthe fourth quarter of last year.• 3 March 2006 EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini rejected allegations byan Italian MEP that Malta is being used as a fuel depot for boats ferrying illegalimmigrants. Mr Frattini said that "the tragedy of boat people who are illegallysmuggled from the North African coasts and promised the shores of theSouthern European mainland against the exorbitant payment of a lifetime'ssavings is a phenomenon severely affecting Malta.”• 3 March 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo and Italian deputyForeign Minister Giuseppe Drago discussed the concept of setting up aCentral Mediterranean Economic Forum between Italy, Malta, Libya andTunisia. The talks were held during a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs inValletta. Dr Frendo had launched the concept during visits to Tunisia andLibya.• 3 March 2006 The paving works in the silent city are nearing their final stages.The Lm600,000 project came across various hitches including the supply oflower quality stone slabs which had to be replaced, the Minister for Resourcesand Infrastructure, Ninu Zammit, said when he visited the works in progress. Hesaid 17% of the stone slabs bought from a foreign supplier were rejected. Theproject involved the laying of 10,500 square metres of paving in 28 streets,three alleys and seven squares including Cathedral Square.• 3 March 2006 Labour market data for last October provided by theEmployment and Training Corporation indicate a drop of 231 persons in thelabour supply over the same month in 2004. The National Statistics Office saidthis dip came about after an increase of 820 persons in the gainfully occupiedpopulation and a decrease of 1,051 persons on the unemployment register.• 4 March 2006 Speaking at a public dialogue meeting, Prime MinisterLawrence Gonzi praised Gozitan local councils saying they had managed toparticipate in EU projects before other larger localities in Malta despite theirlimited resources.• 4 March 2006 The government is expected to take a 5 to 10% share in the ITvillage that will be built and operated by the Dubai-based Tecom Investments

on the Ricasoli industrial estate. Investment, Industry and InformationTechnology Minister Austin Gatt said that the heads of agreement that willmake the Lm110 million SmartCity@Malta a reality should be signed next week.• 4 March 2006 The Royal British Legion (Malta) said that the annual pensionand related allowances of ex-British servicemen will be increased by 2.71%from April this year. This is in line with the retail price index in the UK, RBLsecretary and welfare officer Lino Camilleri said.• 4 March 2006 The Malta Maritime Authority has decided to entrust theDelimara lighthouse, currently an unoccupied landmark, to Din l-Art Helwa.Communications and Competitiveness Minister Censu Galea said the MaltaMaritime Authority was allocating the sum of Lm13,000 to Din l-Art Helwa toassist it in carrying out the necessary infrastructural works on the building.• 5 March 2006 The Prime Minister said that the wise, responsible administrationof the government was reaping fruit at all levels - in the employment,investment, financial, European and international sectors.Due to this success,Government was bringing forward certain works earlier than planned. DrGonzi was speaking during a visit to San Gwann as part of the local electionscampaign.• 5 March 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo has ended an official visitin Tunisia that led to a joint agreement on oil exploration and exploitation inzones between the two countries. Dr Frendo described the agreement as "amajor breakthrough in an issue that has been in deadlock for the past 35years", saying he was confident that "taken forward, it will open uptremendous opportunities for oil exploration and exploitation between Maltaand Tunisia."• 5 March 2006 One illegal immigrant drowned and a number of others whoattempted to escape from the Maltese islands are still unaccounted for aftertheir boat took in water and capsized three miles off l-Ahrax Point on Fridaynight. Out of 14 men, nine are still missing, three swam ashore, one wasrescued by the Armed Forces of Malta and the corpse of another wasrecovered.• 5 March 2006 Gozo Channel carried more vehicles and passengers betweenMalta and Gozo last month compared with the same period last year. Thetotal number of passengers and vehicles carried last month was 198,084passengers and 59,998 vehicles, compared with 180,879 passengers and55,367 vehicles in February last year. This translates to an increase of 17,205passengers (9.5%) and 4,631 vehicles (8.4%) over the corresponding periodlast year.• 5 March 2006 A survey conducted recently by the European Commissionshowed that the Maltese prefer to learn Italian over French - most probablybecause of our geographic proximity to Italy. This contrasts with the norm inEurope where the most important language following English is French. Thesurvey in all the 25 member states of the EU was carried as part of theEurobarometer series.• 5 March 2006 The European Commission said that Malta was the only countryfrom the 25 member states which has not responded to its request forinformation on the correct implementation of important anti-moneylaundering legislation. In a report about the transposition of a Council

Framework Decision on money laundering, the identification, tracing, freezing,seizing and confiscation of instrumentalities and the proceeds of crime, theCommission said that despite various letters of reminder, there was noresponse from Malta.• 5 March 2006 A new project to bring together young people and the elderlywas launched. Through the 'Building a Bridge' project, Girl Guides will visit theelderly at St Vincent de Paul Residence every Friday and will camp in theresidence grounds. Parliamentary Secretary for the Elderly and CommunityCare Helen D'Amato said the project should enable young people and theelderly to forge a relationship and to stimulate dialogue between thegenerations.• 6 March 2006 The pensions reform proposed by the government was drawnup following advice by experts from the World Bank and other top advisersand was designed to avoid giving the economy any shocks, Prime MinisterLawrence Gonzi said during a visit to Rabat.• 6 March 2006 Croatian Foreign Minister Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic arrived for atwo-day official visit amid expressions of gratitude for Malta's support of hercountry's EU bid. Although Croatia fulfilled its EU obligations, without theassistance of "friends" like Malta it would have been very difficult to startnegotiations and proceed at the current speed, Ms Grabar-Kitarovic toldjournalists upon her arrival.• 6 March 2006 Edwin Vassallo, the Parliamentary Secretary for Small Businessand the Self Employed, has urged Maltese entrepreneurs to explore theopportunities available in other markets, particularly those in Europe, in view ofthe competition they face in the local market. Mr Vassallo was speaking atthe launch of the BOSS (Business Opportunities and Services for Small-MicroCompanies) project, which is being undertaken in collaboration with theFoundation for Women Entrepreneurs (Malta).• 7 March 2006 Malta may soon have to change its employment laws followingindications that an EU directive regulating fixed-term work contracts has notbeen transposed correctly into national law. The issue was raised recently inthe European Parliament by MEP Simon Busuttil who asked the Commission toexplain why the Maltese legislation discriminates against public sector workersin that they cannot enjoy the same rights as workers in the private sector vis-àvisfixed-term contracts.• 7 March 2006 Croatia and Malta have agreed to work more closely on areassuch as tourism and human trafficking, as the two countries stepped up theirbilateral relationship. Speaking during a news conference with his Croatiancounterpart Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendosaid the relationship between the two Mediterranean countries was betterthan ever.• 7 March 2006 Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Joachim Almuniahas rejected the suggestion that the European single currency should be spelt"ewro" in Maltese. Mr Almunia was answering a question in the EuropeanParliament by MEP Joseph Muscat, who argued that the Commission shouldsupport the "logical and simple stand" of the National Council of the MalteseLanguage in favour of spelling the currency "ewro" in Maltese.

Central Office of Statistics and later on Permanent Secretary in the Ministry forEconomic Affairs. He is also chairman of the Retail Price Index AdvisoryCommittee.• 7 March 2006 A large group of illegal immigrants managed to take theirprotest to the airport after escaping from the Hal Safi detention centre abouttwo miles away. Once at the airport, however, Malta International Airportsecurity, back-up police and army personnel joined forces in taking themback.• 8 March 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi has sent a letter to all those whosigned a petition against the proposed Qui-Si-Sana car park in an effort toallay concerns about the development. Dr Gonzi said the petition was basedon incorrect information because it was not true that the development wouldbe higher than the current road level. On the contrary, the car park would beunderground and the only structure above ground would be a small kiosk.• 8 March 2006 The Foreign Ministry has requested information from the Britishgovernment following fresh claims that a CIA flight transporting detainees tosecret interrogation had landed in Malta. The flight (N313P) allegedly landedhere from a base in the UK, via Tripoli, on December 3, 2003, according to areport in The Guardian. The news comes shortly after the Maltese governmentsaid it had no knowledge of such illegal activity in Malta or in its territory.• 8 March 2006 Malta has one of the best records among EU member states inreducing the number of deaths caused by traffic accidents in recent years,according to the European Commission. The Commission has just issued amid-term review of its action programme on road safety, aimed at halving thenumber of road deaths by 2010.• 8 March 2006 Women in executive posts were given the opportunity to meetat an informal networking event held on International Women's Day. Familyand Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina urged participants to spare athought for women who do not have a voice, and remember those whocannot make simple decisions for themselves and their families because oftheir countries' political, social or cultural situation.• 8 March 2006 The Malta Confederation of Women's Organisations has urgedpolitical parties to walk the extra mile to scout for talented women to contestlocal and national elections. As the world marks International Women's Daytoday, the confederation has drawn up a "shopping list" of essential changesand improvements which it deems necessary to improve the situation ofwomen here.• 8 March 2006 On the occasion of Woman's Day, “Agenzija Appogg” hascalled for more awareness of domestic violence. It said many women arevictims of domestic violence and their children are suffering in silence.Domestic violence has a major impact upon the health and welfare ofwomen and children worldwide.• 8 March 2006 The National Council of Women is presently tackling the mindshift and culture changes necessary to move on from the promotion ofequality to the level of "women are equal and are contributing to society",council president Helga Ellul said in her message marking Woman's Day. TheNational Council of Women has, throughout its existence, lobbied for equalstatus of women in every aspect.

• 8 March 2006 The number of blood donors in Malta declined from 9,600 in2003 to 7,800 last year, Minister for Health, the Elderly and Community CareLouis Deguara said. The Minister was speaking at the opening of the debateon a Bill to regulate the safety of blood products.• 8 March 2006 Minister for Investment, Industry and Information TechnologyAustin Gatt said that the management of Malta Shipyards had held ameeting with the GWU to deny various rumours currently making the rounds. Inreply to a parliamentary question the Minister denied the following rumours:that the shipyards would shed 500 workers; that some workers were to betransferred to IPSL; that a new early or voluntary retirement scheme wasplanned and that a subsidiary repair and maintenance company was beingset up and that shipyard workers would be transferred to it.• 8 March 2006 Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture and the Fisheries FrancisAgius said that the monitoring of birds had been strengthened in view of thethreat of birdflu but the disease has not been detected in Malta. Closerinspection was being made of imports and precautions were being taken infarms, Dr Agius said in reply to a parliamentary question.• 8 March 2006 The Maltese government has decided not to pledge any troopsto join an EU-led peacekeeping mission in the Congo later this year that willpreside over the country's election. The issue was discussed in Innsbruck,Austria, during an informal meeting of the EU's ministers of defence. Malta wasrepresented by Parliamentary Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister,Tony Abela.• 8 March 2006 A cooperation agreement has been signed by the rector of theUniversity of Malta, Roger Ellul-Micallef, with Akita International University innorthern Japan to promote the exchange of students, faculty staff,collaborative research, the development and offering of training programmes,workshops and conferences between the two universities. Further informationon Akita International University can be obtained from www.aiu.ac.jp• 8 March 2006 Tribute band Coldplace, renowned for recreating the soundand passion of superband Coldplay, will perform live in Malta in aid of theYMCA. Speaking during a news conference at Bay Street, Tourism andCulture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said that organisations like YMCAdeserved full support.• 8 March 2006 Nine people, all resident in Malta, were cleared of allegedinvolvement in the death of four immigrants - who drowned in the channelbetween Malta and Sicily - when a Sicilian court ruled that the summons andcitations sent to them were in English and not Maltese.• 9 March 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said the people were alreadyreaping the fruits of the decision in favour of EU membership. Such a decisionhad given credibility to Malta and this helped the country to be moreattractive for investment and for the creation of work opportunities andwealth. He said reports coming from the EU Commission saying that Maltawas doing well in the economic and financial sector and from rating agencyStandard and Poor's were being translated into more investment. Dr Gonziwas addressing a press conference in Sliema.

• 9 March 2006 Farmers were urged to apply for the €20 million worth of funds(Lm8.7 million) available to them as long as their farming practice complieswith EU rules. However, Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture and FisheriesFrancis Agius warned that farmers who have not registered their land wouldnot be eligible for any EU funds until 2013, when a revision of the landregistration system is due.• 9 March 2006 Following the gas-crisis between Russia and Ukraine which leftmany EU states short of supplies, the European Commission took the first stepstowards a more integrated energy policy among the 25 member states.• 9 March 2006 After an absence of 10 years, Malta will soon be able to startimporting British beef products again as the European Commission took thefirst steps to lift the ban imposed in 1996 following the outbreak of the madcow disease. The long-awaited decision was made by the EU's Committee onthe Food Chain and Animal Health which unanimously adopted a favourableopinion on a European Commission proposal to lift the embargo on UK exports.• 9 March 2006 WasteServ Malta Ltd has started receiving technical assistancefrom Germany aimed at further improving expertise in waste management.This EU funded project, which amounts to €400,000, will help the island applythe EU's Producer Responsibility Directives. Rural Affairs and the EnvironmentMinister George Pullicino told a news conference the aim of the twinningproject was to provide the technical assistance required by Malta to improveits national waste management competence to implement the NationalWaste Management Strategy (2001) in conformity with stipulated EUrequirements.• 9 March 2006 The Water Services Corporation is owed Lm2.2 million frompending bills, Government Investments, Industry and Information TechnologyMinister Austin Gatt said in reply to a Parliamentary question.• 9 March 2006 One hundred children were taken abroad for medicaltreatment last year, six fewer than in 2004, Minister for Health, Elderly andCommunity Care Louis Deguara said reply to a parliamentary question.• 9 March 2006 The Environmental Landscaping Consortium (ELC) has so far thisyear planted 1,148 trees, 5,446 bushes and 22,631 seasonal plants, despite thepersistent bad weather, Rural Affairs and the Environment Minister GeorgePullicino said. A further 4,472 trees and 1,161 bushes were planted by the Park,Afforestation and Country section.• 9 March 2006 The Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, TonioFenech presented Lm20,000 from the National Lotteries Good Causes Fund tothe Malta Olympic Committee to assist in the participation of the Malteseathletes in the Melbourne Commonwealth Games 2006.• 9 March 2006 PBS is doing its best to win a tender for re-transmission of theWorld Cup, Investments, Industry and Information Technology Minister AustinGatt said in reply to parliamentary question. He said that contrary to the past,in view of a Fifa decision, the World Cup was no longer free to air, subject torights from Fifa.• 9 March 2006 The Appogg agency received 431 reports of domestic violencelast year. Family and Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina said 79 casesinvolved emotional abuse, there was one case of neglect, 50 cases of

physical abuse and one case of prostitution. There were 235 cases involvingdifferent aspects while the remaining cases were unclassified.• 9 March 2006 Over Lm4,700 were collected in aid of the Community ChestFund from this year's annual Island Hotels Group President's Ball held at thenew Radisson SAS Golden Sands Resort, Ghajn Tuffieha. Over 200 peopleattended the Charity Ball, the proceeds from which were presented to ActingPresident George Hyzler.• 9 March 2006 Junior Chamber International Malta has just held its firstmembers' meeting for this year in order to give an overview of its wide rangeof projects and events for 2006, both locally and internationally. JCI promotesthe advancement of the global community and the creation of positivechange.• 10 March 2006 President Edward Fenech-Adami attended the swearing inceremony of Portugal's President Anibal Cavaco Silva in Lisbon. Dr FenechAdami was guest of President Cavaco Silva.• 10 March 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi vowed the government wouldclamp down on any form of cartel which inflated prices. The liberalisation ofcertain imports should have driven prices down and not up, Dr Gonzi said,promising to do the utmost to control inflation. He did not specify anyproducts. The Prime Minister was speaking to journalists shortly after beingpresented with the euro master plan by the National Euro ChangeoverCommittee.• 10 March 2006 The Foreign Ministry Affairs Ministry has requested informationfrom the United States regarding claims that CIA flights carrying detainees tosecret interrogation centres had landed in Malta. On Monday, the Britishgovernment admitted that aircraft suspected of being used in CIA operationshad landed at British military airfields.• 10 March 2006 Moody's Investors Service said it had changed Malta's foreigncurrency ceiling and government bond rating to positive from stable butwarned that the rating could go down if there was a derailment of Malta'splans for euro adoption. The agency issued positive rating revisions for sevenof the countries poised to join the European Monetary Union and underlinedthe benefits of ERMII membership from a credit rating perspective.• 10 March 2006 Malta kept up its opposition to the introduction of geneticallymodified seeds (GMOs) in Europe, arguing there is not enough evidenceabout whether they are safe. Malta's position was similar to a number of otherEU member states during a debate over the authorisation mechanismadopted by the European Union with regard to GMOs during the EnvironmentMinisterial Council held in Brussels.• 10 March 2006 Gozo Channel cancelled 14 round trips (28 crossings) betweenMgarr and Cirkewwa on February 24, Carnival Friday, Minister for Investment,Industry and Information Technology Austin Gatt said in reply to aparliamentary question. The Minister said that the company organised tworound trips between Mgarr and Sa Maison.• 10 March 2006 The government launched the student placement programme,giving students temporary work in IT. The project, which was also provided lastyear, is available to university and MCAST students between July and

September and a minimum of Lm55.63 a week will be paid. Speaking at thelaunch, Minister for Investment, Industry and Information Technology AustinGatt said the programme was serving to bring students closer to the IT industry.• 10 March 2006 Enemalta has called for an audit into the way the water andelectricity surcharge is calculated. Investment, Industry and InformationTechnology Austin Gatt told the corporation to ask the Malta ResourcesAuthority (MRA) to commission an audit into the mechanism of the surcharge.• 10 March 2006 Malta International Airport (MIA) was voted one of the topthree airports worldwide within the category of airports handling under fivemillion passengers, according to the AETRA passenger survey for 2005. Thesurvey is a joint research study by ACI and IATA, based on over 100,000completed questionnaires among 66 airports worldwide.• 10 March 2006 Adrian Bajada was unanimously re-elected president of theFederation of Industry at a council meeting on Wednesday.• 11 March 2006 The National Statistics Office released figures confirming thatthe economy last year grew by 2.5% in real terms over the previous year. Thegovernment welcomed the figure as one of the highest in recent years and1% above the EU average. The Prime Minister had referred to positive GDPgrowth for 2005 in recent political speeches. The rate for the first nine monthsof the year stood at 1.7%.• 11 March 2006 A report commissioned by the EU and covering 2004 hasdrawn attention to what it says are underlying traits of xenophobia in Malta,even if there is little publicly available evidence of it. The 2004 National RaxenReport for Malta, drawn up by the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice for theEU Monitoring Centre for Racism and Xenophobia, looks at the areas ofemployment, education, legislation, housing and racist violence.• 11 March 2006 As fresh claims emerge that the CIA used European airports tofly detainees to secret interrogation prisons, the United States is adamant innot confirming or denying intelligence activities. According to informationgathered by Peter Pilz, a member of the Austrian Green Party, at least 71flights made use of European airports during "extraordinary rendition" missionsbetween August 2001 and October 2005.• 11 March 2006 The issue over how much tax host families who accommodateforeign students should cough up has been resolved after an agreement wasreached between the Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises - GRTU andthe Finance Ministry. The GRTU and Parliamentary Secretary within the sameMinistry, Tonio Fenech agreed, among others, that there should be a tax-freethreshold to set off home-sharing expenses.• 11 March 2006 Local personalities, including two ministers, ate chicken toprove that local poultry products are safe to eat. The event was aimed atreducing concerns about the safety of poultry products triggered by thespread of bird flu. A spokesman for the Rural Affairs and Environment Ministrysaid people ought to look for the health mark on packaged poultry products.• 11 March 2006 Pierre Fava has been elected president of the Malta EmployersAssociation. Mr Fava, who served on the MEA council for the past 16 years,was deputy president and treasurer before being elected to the post.

• 12 March 2006 Results of the local council elections were made availableonline by the Department of Information. The link to be accessed is thefollowing:http://www.doi.gov.mt/EN/elections/2006/03/default.asp• 12 March 2006 Around 18,000 vehicles without a valid road licence risk beingclamped from Wednesday onwards as the authorities embark on a majordrive to collect long-overdue arrears. Defaulters will have to fork out Lm35 tounclamp their vehicle, as well as an administration fee of Lm15 and settle theirbacklog of unpaid road licences to get their vehicle back.• 13 March 2006 The Opposition won Saturday's local elections with 53.9% of thevote. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said the result still needed to beanalysed properly but the low turnout had played a significant part in theparty's poor showing. “These elections showed that either the people are notunderstanding what we are doing or else our message is not getting across,"Dr Gonzi said.• 13 March 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi issued a message to markCommonwealth Day, saying Malta had renewed its commitment to theshared values of tolerance, respect, and equality and to uphold thefundamental principles of democracy, human rights, the rule of law andsustainable socio-economic development.• 13 March 2006 Two fire engines and a posse of police officers rushed to the StAloysius college grounds in Birkirkara early this morning, after getting a reportthat seven vehicles belonging to the Jesuit community there were set on fireand badly burnt. No one was hurt in this incident which sources said was mostprobably the result of an arson. In fact, the seven vehicles - four vans andthree saloon cars were extensively damaged. The incident happened atabout midnight.• 14 March 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Mrs Gonzi left for London totake part in Commonwealth Day celebrations. From London, Dr Gonzitraveled to Brussels to take part in the European Union's Council of Ministers ofEconomic Affairs and Finance.• 14 March 2006 Malta and 52 other Commonwealth countries commemoratedCommonwealth Day. The theme chosen for this year's celebrations wasHealth And Vitality - The Commonwealth Challenge, to serve as a reminderthat people all over the year should have access to good food, fresh waterand a decent environment to live in, free of disease.• 14 March 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo and MohammedKhirbash, Minister of State for Finance and Industry of the United Arab Emirates,signed an Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation. The signing tookplace at the Ministry of Finance and Industry in Abu Dhabi after bilateral talks.• 14 March 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo reiterated thegovernment's plans to open a High Commission in India this year. He wasreplying to a parliamentary question. Asked who the government haddesignated as ambassador to China, the minister said the government wasawaiting the agrement of the Chinese authorities and it was not prudent togive details at this stage.

• 14 March 2006 Road construction works were recently completed in severalresidential areas in Victoria and Ghajnsielem while similar works are also inprogress at Xaghra. Minister for Gozo Giovanna Debono, visiting the works inGhajnsielem, said many infrastructural projects, including roads, will becompleted over the coming months now that all the preparatory work wasbeing concluded.• 14 March 2006 A new detention centre in Safi is due to be completed at theend of next week, making possible the transfer of migrants currently livingunder canvas at Lyster Barracks, Parliamentary Secretary within the Office ofthe Prime Minister, Tony Abela said. He told Parliament that the centre wouldtake 224 migrants. Although there were plans to set up sub-divisions so thatmigrants could be accommodated according to their countries, no decisionhad been taken yet because costs would reach some Lm55,000. One alsoneeded to keep an eye on capacity.• 15 March 2006 EU Finance Ministers congratulated Malta for achieving rigideconomic and financial targets on last year's performance. According to theEcofin Council, if the Maltese government keeps up its efforts this year, theisland will be able to reduce its structural deficit to under the 3% mark set bythe EU. Following the meeting, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi who attendedas Finance Minister, expressed his satisfaction at the positive results, saying thatwhile doing its utmost to keep on the right track even during the current year,the government will be making sure that the benefits resulting from thisdevelopment are enjoyed by everyone.• 15 March 2006 The arson attack which led to the destruction of seven carsbelonging to the Jesuits on Sunday night received outright condemnationfrom the authorities. President Edward Fenech Adami paid a visit to StAloysius' College, expressing his solidarity with the Jesuit community.• 15 March 2006 The government has nominated former Attorney GeneralAnthony Borg Barthet, its member on the European Court of Justice (ECJ), fora further six-year term. Dr Borg Barthet took up the post when Malta joinedthe EU in 2004. His term will come to an end in October - the judges appointedby the new member states started their job mid-way through the term.• 15 March 2006 The Mistra Bay, a 2000gt tanker, is being converted into aMediterranean oil pollution prevention vessel for the European Maritime SafetyAgency (EMSA). The vessel is operated by the Maltese company TankshipManagement which last November won the EMSA contract to have an oncallvessel in case of a pollution accident in the Mediterranean. Censu Galea,the Minister for Competitiveness and Communications, visited the Cassar ShipRepair Yard in Marsa to witness the conversion work.• 15 March 2006 Between 2000 and 2004 there were 44 people who died from adrugs overdose, Minister for Health, the Elderly and Community Care LouisDeguara told Parliament. Answering questions he gave out statistics for theperiod which show that there were seven, 13, nine, eight and seven deathsrespectively in 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2004.• 16 March 2006 The government will be analysing the submissions made duringits dialogue meetings with the public prior to drafting a plan on how the over€800 million in EU funds would be spent, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said. DrGonzi was speaking at the Cottonera Sports Complex during the last of aseries of public dialogues.

• 16 March 2006 Enemalta clients whose electricity meters were tampered withhave until June 9 to regularise their position before the corporation takesaction against them, Minister for Investment, Industry and InformationTechnology Austin Gatt warned. Dr Gatt said electricity theft was intolerableand costing the corporation millions of liri. Electricity losses, including theft,cost the corporation from Lm7 million to Lm9 million each year.• 16 March 2006 The fire that destroyed seven vehicles belonging to the Jesuitson Sunday night was no accident, preliminary police investigations haveshown. Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said that although amagisterial inquiry still has to explain the dynamics of the incident, policeinvestigations have confirmed suspicions that the cars parked at St AloysiusCollege in Birkirkara were torched.• 16 March 2006 The quality of children's and sports programmes on TV stationsneeds to be improved, according to an audience survey, which also foundthat 66% of respondents would rather watch foreign programmes dubbed inMaltese and 67% would like more foreign programmes. The independentsurvey, commissioned by the Tourism and Culture Ministry, under whoseumbrella the audio-visual sector falls, was carried out by Ernst & Young.• 16 March 2006 Libya had remained non-committal following diplomaticrepresentations by the European Commission on the North African country'sunilateral decision to declare a fisheries conservation zone, Joe Borg, EUMaritime Affairs and Fisheries Commissioner, said. Addressing the MalteseParliament's foreign affairs committee on his first official visit to Malta sincereceiving his appointment, Dr Borg said the Commission had made littleprogress in its talks with Libya on this particular issue.• 16 March 2006 The MFSA is preparing a report which will include suggestions tohelp the government decide whether, and how, it could take measuresregarding bank loans for property purchase, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzisaid in reply to a parliamentary question.• 16 March 2006 The prison population as of March 14 was 331, made up of 174convicted Maltese and another 48 under arrest, along with 57 convicted and52 arrested foreigners, Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said inreply to a parliamentary question.• 16 March 2006 Jobs in the private sector between 2000 and 2004 increasedby 2,243, or 2.7%, the National Statistics Office said. The main increases inemployment were registered in auxiliary transport activities and travelagencies (+445) and in computer and related activities (+135). Employment inpublic administration and in post and telecommunications decreased by 140and 42 persons respectively.• 16 March 2006 A €1 million twinning project between Malta and the EU,focusing on veterinary services, was launched by Parliamentary Secretary forAgriculture and Fisheries Francis Agius. British veterinary experts will show theirlocal counterparts how to adopt standard procedures related to treatment ofanimals, control of veterinary medicine, milk production, monitoring of animalfeeds and how to supervise poultry slaughterhouses.• 16 March 2006 Young Enterprise company Eco-Lite has launched a userfriendlybin aimed at making consumers' life easier and encouraging them to

separate waste at source. Eco-Lite's waste separation bin is made out ofplastic and is slightly larger than an average household bin. The Minister forRural Affairs and the Environment, George Pullicino, noted during a visit toEco-Lite that young entrepreneurs are proposing eco-friendly and innovativeproducts to meet the demands of the Maltese market.• 17 March 2006 Malta has once again put its foot down against EU funding forembryonic stem cell research. It has called on the EU Presidency to worktowards a compromise on this delicate issue which is also opposed by othermember states. Competitiveness and Communications Minister Censu Galeasaid "Malta does not approve of any form of experimentation or extraction ofhuman embryonic stem cell lines, including frozen embryos."• 17 March 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo on Wednesday askedthe Australian government to consider resettling a number of refugees fromMalta. Dr Frendo made this request - which the Australian government isconsidering - during bilateral talks in Canberra with his Australian counterpartAlexander Downer. Dr Frendo thanked Mr Downer, on behalf of the Australiangovernment, for its continuous and long lasting support to the various Maltesecommunities situated in various cities around the Australian territory.• 17 March 2006 As from next week, a number of international airlines will not beable to land or even pass through Malta's airspace. European aviationexperts, including from Malta, agreed on a list of airlines to be included in thefirst-ever EU aviation blacklist. The list will become enforceable across the EUtoday week following its formal adoption by the European Commission.• 17 March 2006 The Malta Environment and Planning Authority has joinedforces with environmental and planning agencies, universities and researchinstitutes from a number of countries, together with the European Topic Centreon Terrestrial Environment, to work on the implementation of coastal zonemanagement. The project, entitled Deduce, is part-funded by the EU throughits Interreg 3C programme. It has a total budget of €1.6 million, of which Mepawas allocated €219,255 for its input over two- and-a-half years.• 17 March 2006 The number of Maltese university students choosing to takepart in EU educational exchange programmes is still low when consideringthat thousands of students are currently studying at Tal-Qroqq. New figuresreleased by the European Commission show that overall, the number ofstudents taking part in Erasmus exchanges rose by 6% on the previous yearwhile the number of university teachers exchanged under this scheme grewby almost 13%.• 18 March 2006 After years of losses, Gozo Channel announced a net profit ofLm273,000, which Minister for Investment, Industry and Information TechnologyAustin Gatt attributed to the "tough decisions" that were made a couple ofyears ago. The company's operating profit for the year which ended lastSeptember was Lm293,000. Although its operational costs increased by23.1%since 2002, it reduced its administrative costs by 17.8%, chairman JoeBorg told a news conference.• 18 March 2006 Malta Shipyards has secured a Lm7 million contract for theconversion of a heavy lift barge for a Dutch client, the government said in astatement. "This very significant contract will include lengthening, fitting ofpropulsion equipment and of the accommodation facilities," the statementadded.

• 18 March 2006 Last November's Commonwealth Head of GovernmentsMeeting (CHOGM) cost nearly Lm2.6 million, according to the finalisedaudited accounts, details of which were published by the government. Thesefigures were released after CHOGM task force chairman Salv Stellini presenteda report, prepared by Grant Thornton, on the money spent to organise themeeting to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi.• 18 March 2006 Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of Finance TonioFenech faced the frustrations of estate agents who are still not satisfied withthe final withholding tax regime, despite the amendments made recently. MrFenech, along with Charles Mangion, the Labour Party's main economicaffairs spokesman, were guest speakers at the Vodafone Economic Forum,sponsored by Radisson, The Malta Economic Update and Progress Press.• 18 March 2006 There were 22 internet subscriptions per 100 persons at the endof January 2006, the National Statistics Office said. The number of broadbandsubscriptions has almost reached the number of narrowband, with 42,339 and46,760 respectively. The number of cable television subscriptions reached 25.4per 100 persons while the number of mobile telephones reached 326,446 -81.6% of the population.• 18 March 2006 Research by the Training and Employment Corporation (ETC)shows that out of 1,118 employers only 43 (3.8%) practice some form of"telework", the ETC said. Telework is a method of organising and performingwork in which a considerable proportion of an employee's working time isspent away from the firm's premises or from where the output is delivered. Theresearch was conducted by Marie Avellino on behalf of the Gender EqualityUnit at ETC.• 18 March 2006 Four philanthropic organisations have benefited from fundsderived from the National Lotteries Good Causes Fund. They are Dar il-Kaptan,Dar Qalb ta' Gesù, Razzett tal-Hbiberija and the Victim Support Malta. Themoney comes from a percentage of the amount of tax payable from lotteriesand games and unclaimed prizes. Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry ofFinance Tonio Fenech presented the money.• 18 March 2006 The University Library has published a digitised facsimile on CD-ROM of the five-volume manuscript registers of the Acta AcademiaeMelitensis covering the administration of the University for the period 1800-1945.The historical registers cover the re-foundation of the university of Malta by SirAlexander Ball and its development under British rule up till the end of WorldWar II. They are the only extant source for a roll of 19th century graduates.• 19 March 2006 The Maltese should be more appreciative of the government'swork and, most of all, its lobby for Malta's EU accession instead of taking thingsfor granted, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said. "It is not at all for granted thatI, as prime minister of this small country, sit around the same table with leadersof huge European countries," Dr Gonzi said. The Prime Minister was closing ahalf-day seminar at Le Meridien Phoenicia called "We are making a success ofaccession".• 19 March 2006 Work on the rebuilding of the road linking Victoria to SanLawrenz in Gozo is gaining momentum with the the new road taking its finalshape. Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono and Urban Development and RoadsMinister Jesmond Mugliett visited the work in progress on the project, the first

of three to be co-financed with the European Union, which are set to leave abig impact on the driving experience in Gozo.• 19 March 2006 One of the first things that Maltese people should do if bird flureaches our shores is inform local vets of any sick or dead birds and cats,Tanya Melillo, who chairs the National Influenza Pandemic StandingCommittee, said. Domestic cats should be kept indoors and away from wildbirds or poultry, and people should also keep away from stray cats. Sheadvised people to clean the litter tray and dishes regularly, and always washhands with soap and water. Dogs should be kept on a leash at all times whileoutside.• 19 March 2006 The European Commission and Europa Nostra - the pan-European Federation for Heritage - recently announced the top prizes of theannual European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage Europa Nostra Awards.Among the awards is a medal for the Valletta Waterfront project byArchitecture Project partner David Drago in the category of Conservation ofArchitectural Heritage. This is only the second such medal ever to be awardedto Malta. Architecture Project were also awarded the top prize for the VallettaWaterfront project in the Din l-Art Helwa Architectural Heritage Awards for2005.• 20 March 2006 In a letter addressed to the local newpaper The Times, PrimeMinister Lawrence Gonzi assured the Maltese people of his “gratitude for theircommitment and hard endeavour towards the success of our country." Theletter was with reference to a report which appeared on The Sunday Timeswhich included comments he made at a seminar on EU accession onSaturday.• 20 March 2006 Works are in progress to transform a grove known as Il-Mixtla ta'Bormla in Cospicua into a recreational pedestrian zone. Minister of Resourcesand Infrastructure Ninu Zammit, said during a visit, the works were one of theprojects in a series for the south of Malta. The project, which is expected tocost over Lm250,000, is being carried out by workers from the Works andServices Section of the Ministry.• 20 March 2006 A bronze commemorative plaque of Malta's foremost tenorOreste Kirkop was unveiled in the Manoel Theatre's courtyard to celebrate hislife and achievements. Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, which was partof the BoV Opera Festival 2006, the chairman of the Manoel Theatremanagement committee, Wilfred Kenely expressed the committee's intentionto pay tribute to Maltese personalities who have made a name for themselves,and for Malta, on the international scene.• 20 March 2006 Sixteen teams participated in this year's Young Enterprise HSBCCompany Programme as the organisation embarked on what it describes as"an exciting period of new opportunities". The "new era", the organisation said,will see the launch of several new enterprise education programmes, and wasmade possible through the joint efforts of Young Enterprise, the Ministry ofEducation, Youth and Employment, the Parliamentary Secretariat for SmallEnterprises, and with strong financial support of HSBC Bank Malta plc.• 20 March 2006 The Housing Authority's disability grant scheme has beenamended to make more people eligible for assistance. "The authority's boardcontinually adjusts its policies to reflect the demands and needs of ourcustomers," authority chairman Marisa Micallef said. "The element of means

testing that has been introduced is extremely sensitive and humane becauseno two families' circumstances, particularly where disabled children areconcerned, are exactly the same."• 21 March 2006 The government has decided not to ban hunting for thecoming season, a decision met with loud approval by hunters gathered at apress conference by the Federation for Hunting and Conservation. TheMinistries for Health, the Elderly and Community Care and Rural Affairs and theenvironment said in a joint statement that they had agreed there was noneed for them to suspend the hunting season.• 21 March 2006 Malta had the second highest number of asylum seekerapplications per capita in 2005, a report drawn up by the UN refugeesagency has shown. A total of 1,170 irregular immigrants applied for asylum inMalta last year, the highest on record, in stark contrast to the vast majority ofother industrialised countries which experienced a steep decline.• 22 March 2006 The chances of bird flu occurring in Malta was, according tothe government, very small as "Malta is considered to be a lower risk countrysince waterfowl, particularly ducks, bypass land and are usually seen offshore".• 22 March 2006 The total number of unemployed persons in the last quarter of2005 was estimated to be 11,757, the labour force survey of the Employmentand Training Corporation shows. The National Statistics Office said theunemployment rate during that period stood at 7.3%. The unemployment ratefor males was 6.5% and that for females reached 9.2%, the NSO said.• 22 March 2006 The Malta Maritime Authority and the Port Authority of Cataniahave embarked on a project aimed at stepping up traffic between Maltaand Sicily. The project, financed by the EU and approved by the RegioneSicilia, is called Calvago 2006. There will be a joint effort to increase the trafficflow of passengers and to cooperate in enhancing port facilities andmarketing the development of maritime links between Valletta, Catania andMgarr.• 22 March 2006 A total of 717,569 passengers used the Malta-Gozo ferries tocross from one island to the other in the fourth quarter last year, the NationalStatistics Office said. The total represents a drop of 3,703 passengers or 1%over the same period the year before.• 22 March 2006 The assistance that the Dutch government has pledged togive Malta in the area of irregular immigration and asylum is expected to beconsolidated this year, the government said. During meetings that a fourstrongdelegation from the Dutch Organisation for the Reception Of AsylumSeekers (COA) had with senior officials from the Ministry of Justice and HomeAffairs, the Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity, and NGOs, it wasannounced that the joint project proposal for funding from the EuropeanUnion is expected to be approved shortly.• 22 March 2006 A USA-Malta Group (UMG) has been set up to coordinateefforts of those USA-born Maltese who have had to renounce their UnitedStates citizenship and would like to "come back home". This was before Maltaand the USA had signed an agreement allowing dual citizenship in the 1990s.The group said that when this agreement was signed those who had alreadyrenounced their US citizenship were not included in the agreement. The UMGfeels that these people should be offered their citizenship back. Those who

would like more information should visit www.MaltaTalk.com Any US-bornpeople who had to renounce their citizenship are invited to register with theUMG on USAMalta@gmail.com• 22 March 2006 The European Commission said that member states should beable to make the availability of broadband to their citizens one of theirpriorities over the coming years. In a new communication, the Commissionsaid that it considers wide broadband coverage in Europe as crucial forfostering growth and jobs.• 22 March 2006 The National Youth Council presented Education, Youth andEmployment Minister Louis Galea with its working plan for this year and 2007.The council said it wanted its offices to become a national centre for youths.The council and the Malta College for Art, Science and Technology (MCAST)were among the groups that marked National Youth Day.• 23 March 2006 Malta came in for praise during a press conference at theEuropean Parliament in Brussels. British MEP Liz Lynne (Liberal Democrat) andCypriot MEP Adamos Adamou (European United Left - Nordic Green Left),who are supporting a new initiative against passive smoking, commendedMalta in this regard. During the conference a report was launched by theSmoke Free Partnership - a new partnership between the EuropeanRespiratory Society and Cancer Research of the UK and the Institut Nationaldu Cancer, in France.• 23 March 2006 The new rector of the University of Malta, Juanito Camilleri,thinks his first challenge is to "listen and understand" the current state-of-playat Tal-Qroqq. Prof. Camilleri starts his five-year term on July 1 after theuniversity council approved his nomination on Tuesday night. Aims in his visionstatement include seeking to ensure that the seat of learning is responsive tothe needs of industry and striving to create an environment that rewardsexcellence irrespective of political creed, and being approachable andaccessible.• 23 March 2006 Air Malta will save about €5 million (Lm2.15 million) over thenext seven years through outsourcing of its information and communicationtechnology network, Investment, Industry and Information Technology MinisterAustin Gatt said. Dr Gatt pointed out that the new ICT strategy shouldeventually lead to a call centre, e-ticketing possibilities and the opportunity tobuy tickets online, a revamp of the website and online check-in.• 23 March 2006 Maltese passengers in January this year totaled 12,162, theNational Statistics Office said. Of these, 11,895 passengers departed by air - adecrease of 15.7% over the same month a year ago. The overseas stayabroad of the majority of Maltese air passengers - 96.6% - did not exceed sixmonths. In the month under review, the most popular destinations amongMaltese air passengers were the UK (31.9%), Italy (17.9%) and Germany (6.9%).When compared to the same month last year, Maltese air departures to theUnited Kingdom and Germany dropped by 7.2 and 15.3% respectively whilethose to Italy went up by 7.5%.• 23 March 2006 Malta has submitted various claims for assistance from theEuropean Union under programmes related to illegal immigration. Justice andHome Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said in reply to a parliamentary question thatunder the Return programme, Malta was seeking assistance of up to 80% of

the costs incurred for the repatriation of 185 migrants who arrived from NorthAfrica.• 24 March 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, took part in the first session ofan EU summit discussing the Lisbon Strategy and a new energy policy forEurope. Dr Gonzi said jobs and growth in the context of the Lisbon Strategywere discussed, giving the green light for a new range of economic andsocial targets to boost the Union's economy.• 24 March 2006 Tug Malta has posted a pre-tax profit of Lm671,217 for thefinancial year ending September 2005, overturning a pre-tax loss in thepreceding year of Lm21,467. During a press conference yesterday to discussTug Malta's performance, Investments, Industry and Information TechnologyMinister Austin Gatt said that a call for international tenders will be issued inthe coming months to attract a strategic investor for Tug Malta.• 24 March 2006 The European Commission formally asked Malta - under ECTreaty state aid rules - to abolish the tax regime for Maltese companies withforeign income (CFI) and the international trading companies' (ITC) regime bythe end of 2010 at the latest. Under these regimes, revenues from foreignsources paid to shareholders of an ITC or a CFI are subject to minimal or notaxation.• 24 March 2006 Malta produced more than 31 million cubic metres of waterlast year, of which an estimated 6.7 million were lost in leakages. According toNational Statistics Office figures released, the monthly output varied from 2.2million in February to three million in July and August. The NSO issued thestatistics to mark World Water Day which is celebrated by the UN each yearon March 22. The theme chosen this year was Water And Culture.• 24 March 2006 The National Euro Changeover Committee (NECC) published aset of guidelines on the usage of the term "euro" in the Maltese language. Theguidelines apply to the spelling of the term "euro" in the Maltese language forlegislation and legal instruments in any form whatsoever. The aim is to ensureconsistency in spelling and pronunciation.The guidelines can be downloadedfrom the NECC website www.euro.gov.mt and a hard copy can also beobtained from the NECC offices in Valletta.• 24 March 2006 The European Commission on Wednesday issued the first EUwideaviation blacklist which banned 92 airlines from using EU airports or fromflying into EU airspace. Most of the airlines belong to African countriesincluding Congo, Swaziland, Rwanda and Equatorial Guinea. A Libyan airline,Buraq Air is also included. The list will be updated every three months.• 24 March 2006 Klaus Toepfer, executive director of the United NationsEnvironment Programme, was bestowed a degree honoris causa by theUniversity of Malta in recognition of his long-standing contribution towards theenvironment and sustainable development. The honour was presented to DrToepfer during a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonziamong other personalities.• 24 March 2006 Malta and Singapore have signed an agreement on theavoidance of double taxation. The treaty was signed by Foreign AffairsMinister Michael Frendo and the Deputy Foreign Minister of SingaporeRaymond Lim at the Ministry of Finance, in Singapore, on Tuesday. Theagreement with Singapore follows a similar accord signed last week with the

United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi during a nine-day trip by Dr Frendocovering the UAE, Singapore, Malaysia and five cities in Australia.• 24 March 2006 Noel Buttigieg Scicluna presented his credentials to King CarlXVI Gustaf as Malta's Ambassador to Sweden. The audience with the king, onMarch 16, lasted 40 minutes. During his visit to Stockholm, Dr Buttigieg Sciclunahad meetings with a number of officials in government ministries. Dr ButtigiegScicluna is also Malta's Ambassador to Finland and Denmark. He is resident inCopenhagen.• 24 March 2006 The European Commission imposed a progressive new tax onleather shoes imported from China and Vietnam, a move likely to push up theprice for consumers. The measure follows a preliminary Commissioninvestigation that identified clear evidence of disguised subsidies and unfairstate intervention in favour of the leather footwear sector in both countries.• 25 March 2006 By the end of June, the government should be able tocomplete an internal exercise consisting of the scrutiny of hundreds of laws,legal notices and regulations related to businesses and will then start aprocess of amending and/or repealing unnecessary rules in order to make lifeeasier for the evolution of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). "We aredetermined to offer business in Malta a red carpet treatment instead of redtape as we realise that growth in our economy depends on SMEs," PrimeMinister Lawrence Gonzi told a press conference following the conclusion ofan EU summit in Brussels focusing on growth and jobs.• 25 March 2006 Scores of irregular immigrants broke out of the Florianadetention centre in protest against their lengthy incarceration. The vastmajority of the 90 odd escapees were rounded up within a couple of hours asthe police mounted an intensive search in the surroundings of Floriana. Byevening, just four immigrants were still on the run.• 25 March 2006 Members of the European Parliament Committee on CivilLiberties, Justice and Home Affairs left Malta preoccupied with the state ofimmigrants' detention centres, but convinced that the island cannot resolvethe problem alone. The MEPs held a meeting with Family and Social SolidarityMinister Dolores Cristina and Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg. MsCristina said that one of the main difficulties faced by those who have beengranted asylum is that they do not move on from open centres.• 25 March 2006 The changeover from the Maltese lira to the euro will not resultin the need for cash registers to be changed, the National Euro ChangeoverCommittee said. Although all businesses can keep their existent cash registers,some of them may need minimum adjustments, the committee said. Talks arebeing held between the committee, the VAT Department, the MaltaStandards Authority and local importers of cash registers.• 25 March 2006 The number of cruise passengers who came to Malta in the firsttwo months of the year went up by 49%, to 11,439, over the same period lastyear, the National Statistics Office said. The major markets were the German(6,000 passengers), Italian (2,117), British (1,629) and French (842). The largestproportion of cruise passengers - 45.6% - were aged 60 to 79, followed bypassengers aged 40 to 59 and 20 to 39, at 28.4 and 11.2 % respectively.• 25 March 2006 The National Euro Changeover Committee (NECC), incollaboration with the Ministry for Education, Youth and Employment has

embarked on a widespread long-term educational campaign to informstudents of the changeover process from the lira to the euro. Minister LouisGalea and NECC chairman Joe F.X. Zahra launched this campaign at St.Sebastian primary A school, in Qormi, where students were presented with a36-page colourful booklet specially designed for children.• 25 March 2006 John Vella presented his credentials to President Vaclav Klausas Malta's Ambassador to the Czech Republic. The ceremony took place onTuesday at Prague Castle. During his visit to Prague, Dr Vella had meetingswith a number of senior officials in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The talksfocused on how ties between Malta and the Czech Republic could befostered in the tourism, cultural and investment sectors. The issue ofimmigration was also brought to the fore and ways to cooperate in the areawere discussed. Dr Vella is non-resident Ambassador to the Czech Republic.• 25 March 2006 The inflation rate last month stood at 2.92% and the retail pricesindex rose by 0.6% to 107.7 from 107.06 in January, the National StatisticsOffice reported. It said that the food items index increased by 0.09% to 105.19from 105.1 in January as a result of average price increases on cereals, beef,pork and frozen meat, unprocessed potatoes, processed vegetables, coffeeand served meals.• 26 March 2006 President of Malta Edward Fenech Adami unveiled a pro-lifemonument, which reflects Gift of Life's mission to celebrate life as it continuesits campaign to entrench anti-abortion laws in the Constitution. Among thosepresent were Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, Family and Social SolidarityMinister Dolores Cristina, Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg andAlternattiva Demokratika chairman Harry Vassallo.• 26 March 2006 An Italian MEP intends to propose that Malta is considered atransit state for immigration purposes after witnessing the state of illegalimmigrants' detention centres on the island. Stefano Zappalà visited Maltawith other Members of the European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties,Justice and Home Affairs.• 26 March 2006 The road network and small and medium enterprises areamong the areas set to benefit as the government launched acomprehensive document mapping out its EU budget plans. While launchingthe National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) document covering theyears 2007 to 2013, Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of Finance TonioFenech made it clear Government intended to start using its EU funding asearly as January.• 26 March 2006 "This summer will be an exciting season for Air Malta and itscustomers," Joe Cappello, the airline's chief operating officer, told a pressconference launching the new summer 2006 schedule which runs from todaytill October 28. Two new destinations are Naples and Porto, and the servicesto Munich, Düsseldorf, Toulouse, Nantes, Paris, Reggio Calabria, Moscow andSt Petersburg all have an increased service compared to last summer.• 27 March 2006 Malta Shipyards have been awarded a Lm3m contract toupgrade the Ikdam, a former tanker which the 'yard had converted into afloating production, storage and offloading facility in 2001. Theannouncement comes hot on the heels of the news last week that the 'yardhad landed a Lm7m contract to convert a Dutch heavy lift barge. Malta

Shipyards is responsible for design engineering works, procurement,construction and commissioning. The work is due for completion in August.• 28 March 2006 A number of global IT companies have already expressed aninterest in SmartCity, Tecom Investments chief executive officer Ahmad BinByat said. Mr Bin Byat was speaking after the signing of the heads ofagreement between Tecom and the government for the Lm110 million ITvillage that the Dubai company plans to build at Ricasoli, a project in whichthe government is to have a 9% share. Investment, Industry and InformationTechnology Minister Austin Gatt, who signed the agreement on behalf of thegovernment, said Smart City will create a new concept that lends a style oflife to those working within it. He said the project will create around 5,600 jobswithin the next 12 to 15 years.http://www.doi.gov.mt/EN/News/newsitems/audiorecording%20%2027.03.06smartcityagreement.asp• 28 March 2006 The European Commission launched an internet discussion onthe future of Europe in all its 20 languages, including Maltese, in a bid toencourage its citizens to take part in the debate. Maltese citizens can submittheir opinions, in Maltese, about what they think of the EU and what they thinkshould be the main functions of the Union in the future.• 28 March 2006 Malta and Bulgaria are to sign a cooperation agreementsimilar to the one signed between Malta and Croatia earlier this month, inorder to strengthen ties in tourism, trade and in combating human trafficking.Ivailo Georgiev Kalfin, the Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister,was in Malta for talks with Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo, after whichthey addressed the press.• 28 March 2006 The total expenditure on social security benefits during 2005increased by Lm13.4 million or 6.5%over 2004, the National Statistics Office said.Last year's expenditure amounted to Lm220.8 million which is equivalent to11.5%of the Gross Domestic Product. In 2004 expenditure on social securitybenefits was equivalent to 11.3%of GDP. Retirement pension payments, themain component of contributory benefits, increased by Lm8.4 million, mainlydue to an increase of Lm6.7 million in the two-thirds pension scheme.• 28 March 2006 EU transport ministers signalled the green light to theintroduction of a common driving licence and common standards for theissue of licences throughout the EU member states. The decision taken at atransport council meeting in Brussels is supported by Malta, which wasrepresented by Urban Development and the Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett.• 28 March 2006 There were 7,669 persons registering for work with theEmployment and Training Corporation (ETC) at the end of last month,representing an increase of 28 over January, the National Statistics Office said.But when compared to the figures for February 2005, the number of registeredunemployed dropped by 425.• 29 March 2006 The problem of overcrowding at St Luke's Hospital was amongthe issues raised by the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses during a meetingwith President Edward Fenech Adami. Union president Rudolph Cini said DrFenech Adami agreed with the MUMN that primary care needed to beimproved.

• 29 March 2006 The Central Bank of Malta left the central intervention rateunchanged at 3.25% but indicated that a reassessment of the existingmonetary policy stance may be possible. The decision was taken by theGovernor at the end of the monetary policy advisory council meeting, theCentral Bank said.• 29 March 2006 The Euro-Med Parliamentary Assembly, which consists of MEPsand MPs from EU member states and their Mediterranean partners,unanimously approved a resolution condemning any offence against religiousvalues and urged governments to ensure respect for religious beliefs and topromote the values of tolerance, freedom and multiculturalism.• 29 March 2006 Students must realise that science and technology will be themain subjects needed at the workplace in a few years' time, Minister forEducation Youth and Employment Louis Galea said. "The European Union isworking towards building an economy based on knowledge and is puttingmore emphasis on the production of goods and services which are based onscience and technology." The Minister was speaking during a visit to the NSTFScience Week exhibition at St James Cavalier, in Valletta.• 29 March 2006 Resources and Infrastructure Minister Ninu Zammit presentedwarrants to 10 new architects. Mr Zammit said the role of an architect was notjust to plan, design and supervise construction works but also to ensure thatwhat they designed was compatible with the environment, climate and thecountry's architectural style.• 29 March 2006 Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of Finance TonyAbela said that the purpose of a Bill amending the Employment and TrainingServices Act was to ensure that workers in the public service who were madereduntant because of restructuring would still have a job elsewhere in thepublic service. He was speaking on the second day of debate on the Bill.• 29 March 2006 Minister for Health, Elderly and Community Care Louis Deguarasaid that new wards were being set up at St Vincent de Paul and MountCarmel Hospitals to take social cases and ease the load from St Luke'sHospital. The minister said in reply to a parliamentary question that these werestopgap measures which were being taken until a new rehabilitation facilityfor 280 patients was built at St Vincent de Paul Residence. The new facility,although within the residence's grounds, would have its own entrance.• 30 March 2006 The government adopted the European Union's Birds Directive,which places a broad requirement on member states to take the necessarymeasures to maintain the populations of all wild birds at levels determined byecological, scientific and cultural needs.• 30 March 2006 A large crowd of people made it to Hagar Qim to view the lastpartial solar eclipse visible from Malta for the next five years. Members of theMalta Astronomical Society set up telescopes with solar filters for the public towatch this natural phenomenon. The next total solar eclipse will be visible fromMalta in 2088. But the next partial one will take place on January 4, 2011.• 30 March 2006 Malta Shipyards only managed to reduce its projected loss byLm100,000 despite a Lm3 million increase in turnover, Investments, Industry andInformation Technology Minister Austin Gatt said. Dr Gatt said the company'sturnover hit Lm19.8 million from a projected Lm16.8 million but the projected

net loss of Lm8.8 million only dropped by Lm100,000 to Lm8.7 million. Heblamed the shortfall on productivity problems.• 30 March 2006 The General Workers' Union presented a set of proposals to thegovernment over the water and electricity surcharge to make up for the hikein international oil prices. Following an hour-long meeting with Prime MinisterLawrence Gonzi GWU secretary general Tony Zarb described the proceedingsas positive adding that they would be followed up in the coming weeks.• 30 March 2006 Local wardens issued 290,415 citations in 2004 and 259,042 inthe first 11 months of last year, Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borgsaid in reply to a parliamentary question. The Minister said the highest numberof fines - 65,058 were the result of vehicle licences not properly displayed.• 30 March 2006 The Casualty Department handled 17,628 patients in Januaryand February this year, Minister for Health, Elderly and Community CareMinister Louis Deguara said in reply to a parliamentary question. The total forlast year was 111,236.• 30 March 2006 The number of births in Malta in January and February this yearwas the lowest since 2003. Figures given in Parliament show there were 577births in the first two months of this year compared to 631 in the same period in2003; 605 in 2004, and 609 in 2005. The number of births in Gozo during Januaryand February has remained relatively stable, with 49 in 2003 and 51 this year.• 30 March 2006 An analysis by the Malta Tourism Authority based on the ratioof hotel beds to jobs shows that an increase of 943 hotel beds this year willtranslate into 264 new jobs, of which 196 will be full-time, Tourism and CultureMinister Francis Zammit Dimech said in Parliament.• 30 March 2006 The Housing Authority is planning to invest Lm3 million in buyingvacant property as part of its urban regeneration scheme to boost the supplyof affordable housing. The scheme, launched by authority chairman MarisaMicallef and Family and Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina, aims to tapinto the estimated 35,723 vacant properties. This figure, which emerged fromthe 1995 census, includes 13,000 properties that are used as summerresidences, with the bulk, 22,756, permanently vacant.• 31 March 2006 The Maltese authorities have registered progress with regard tothe detention of irregular immigrants, according to a Council of Europe reporton human rights which, however, raises serious concerns about the insufficientattention being paid to detainees' mental health. The follow-up report by theCouncil of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights, assesses the progressmade by Malta between 2003 and last year. The report will be forwarded tothe Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly.• 31 March 2006 Nick Archer, the new British High Commissioner, presented hisletters of commission to President Edward Fenech Adami, a day before the27th anniversary of the closure of Britain's military base in Malta. The Presidentalso received letters of credence from the new Ambassador of Columbia, LuisCamilo Osorio-Isaza.• 31 March 2006 Mr. Karl Xuereb is Malta's new Ambassador to the People'sRepublic of China and Mr Salv. Stellini has been appointed Ambassador toPortugal.

• 31 March 2006 Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of Finance TonioFenech has expressed confidence that Malta can maintain its rate ofeconomic growth. He told Parliament on Wednesday that exports in Januarywere up by Lm13 million, or 22%, from January last year, confirming that thepick-up in economic activity witnessed in the second half of last year wascontinuing. Mr Fenech was speaking during the debate on a Bill to amend theEmployment and Training Services Act. His comments on the purpose of theBill were reported.• 31 March 2006 Family and Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina launchedthe Commission on Domestic Violence, which will advise the minister anddraw up strategies to fight the problem and offer better protection to victims.The commission is seen by the government as a crucial player in the fightagainst domestic violence, particularly in the field of awareness raising.• 31 March 2006 The shortfall between recurrent revenue and total expenditurein the first two months of the year amounted to Lm40 million compared toLm46.5 million for the same period last year, the National Statistics Office said.There was an increase of Lm6.4 million in recurrent revenue when comparedto the same period last year, mainly under customs and excise (+Lm3.5 million),licences, taxes and fines (+Lm3.3 million), income tax (+Lm1.6 million), socialsecurity contributions (+Lm1.2 million) and value added tax (+Lm1.8 million).• 31 March 2006 Tourist expenditure for the first two months of the year wasdown by 0.5% compared to the same period last year, despite a 0.3%increase in arrivals, according to figures released by the National StatisticsOffice. The government is due to take a decision on whether to allow low costairlines to operate to Malta, which many in the industry see as a lifeline for anailing sector.APRIL• 1 April 2006 Malta marked the 27th anniversary since the last British forces lefttheir garrison with the traditional fanfare in Vittoriosa. President EdwardFenech Adami, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and AFM commanderBrigadier Carmel Vassallo received a salute by the army as they arrived nearthe monument. Freedom Day was also celebrated in Gozo where MinisterGiovanna Debono placed flowers beneath a commemorative plaque atIndependence Square, in Victoria.• 1 April 2006 Voluntary organisations create an identity within the locality andreflect that of society, President Edward Fenech-Adami said when he met 27such groups in Mosta. Dr Fenech Adami, who had the opportunity to listen tothe representatives explain their work within the community, said he felt it washis duty as President to be close to the people.• 1 April 2006 The conference of presidents of the European Parliament (EP)accepted a request by the Civil Liberties Committee to discuss an urgentresolution on illegal immigration in Malta on Monday in Strasbourg. Theresolution will be formally presented by the committee's vice-president, ItalianMEP Stefano Zappala.• 1 April 2006 The European People's Party Congress meeting in Romeapproved a resolution submitted by the Nationalist Party calling on EUmember states to support the European Commission in its initiatives to assistsmall member states on the periphery of Europe, like Malta, to deal with illegal

immigration. Following the vote, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Justiceand Home Affairs Tonio Borg, who led the Maltese delegation at the congress,expressed his satisfaction that the congress accepted to support Malta on thisissue.• 1 April 2006 Marsamxett won the open category of the Freedom Day regattaand Marsa won the reserves category. Taking part in the regatta wereVittoriosa, Cospicua, Kalkara, Marsamxett, Marsa, Senglea and Birzebbuga.Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech presented trophies to thewinners.• 2 April 2006 BirdLife Malta has welcomed what it said were "significant"changes to bird protection laws made through a legal notice last week. It saidthe legal notice marked " a major improvement towards compliance with theEU Birds Directive in Malta".• 2 April 2006 Sir Roger Moore, the legendary James Bond and Simon Templar,was in Malta for four days last week to shoot two documentaries - an untitledBiblical documentary on the shipwreck of St Paul, and Laura MacKenzie'sTraveller, to be screened on 170 channels across the US later this year. It will bereleased on DVD around February 2007.2 April 2006 A new Urban Regeneration scheme intended to boost the supplyof affordable housing was launched on Wednesday by the Housing Authoritytogether with the Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity. The authority,which is allocating Lm3 million under this scheme, aims to buy existing andolder housing, preferably in urban core areas, which can then beredeveloped and eventually allocated under shared ownership, shelteringhousing, or social housing for rent.• 3 April 2006 President Edward Fenech-Adami concluded a series of visits toMosta after calling on several of the town's band clubs, NGOs and voluntaryorganisations. Speaking at the end of his visit, spread over three days, DrFenech Adami described Mosta as a lively locality where residents weredetermined to contribute to the town's well being,• 3 April 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi appealed to the Maltese to"awaken their sense of adventure" in the two-year run-up to the generalelection so the country could provide and take advantage of the goldenopportunities ahead. Dr Gonzi was delivering the closing address of a generalcouncil, with the theme “Inkomplu niggeddu flimkien... biex int tghixahjar”(Let's continue renewing together ... so you may lead a better life), heldat the San Lawrenz Hotel, in Gozo. Over the next two years, the governmentwould be focusing on pension, port and education reforms and will alsoensure that the €800 million from the EU would be put to good use.• 3 April 2006 African men played table soccer and cooked traditional food asMaltese students washed cars while hundreds of people mingled at St AloysiusCollege in a show of solidarity with the Jesuit Community. Past and presentstudents, together with parents felt compelled to organise a "solidarity andtolerance fest" three weeks after seven vehicles belonging to the Jesuits weretorched inside the school grounds.• 4 April 2006 The government is to embark on negotiations over the sale of its60% stake in Maltacom with Tecom Investments, the Dubai-based companybehind the SmartCity@Malta project. The Cabinet approved Tecom as thepreferred bidder after it was awarded a "significantly higher score" overallthan the competing company, Ararco from Saudi Arabia, by the adjudicationcommittee appointed by the government. Investment, Industry andInformation Technology Minister Austin Gatt said in Parliament that thegovernment hoped to conclude the negotiations by the end of this month.

• 4 April 2006 Malta is shouldering a heavier burden than it can carry, theEuropean Parliament was told, although the country's detention centrescame in for some harsh criticism. The Parliament held an urgent debate onillegal immigration in Malta at the request of its Civil Liberties Committee,whose members visited the island to view the situation for themselves lastmonth. EU Energy Commissioner Andris Pielbags, reading a statement by theEuropean Commission dealing with refugee camps in Malta, said theCommission would continue to assist Malta.• 4 April 2006 Ombudsman Joseph Said Pullicino criticised an internationalreport for failing to underline Malta's limitations in handling the problem ofirregular immigration on its own. The Ombudsman defended thegovernment's policy of detention in his reaction to the follow-up report onMalta drawn up by the Council of Commissioner for Human Rights of theCouncil of Europe. Furthermore he insisted that the brunt of this humanitarianproblem should be shared in proportion to the size of the territories and theireconomic strength.• 4 April 2006 The government announced a slight increase in the price ofpetrol, diesel and kerosene. Unleaded petrol costs 9m per litre more, havingincreased from 45c5 to 46c4; lead replacement petrol increased by the sameamount per litre, from 48c5 to 49c4; and diesel went up by 6m per litre from41c5 to 42c1. Kerosene increased by 5m per litre from 41c5 to 42c while theprice of a litre of light heating oil remained the same, 23c9. The governmentadjusts the price of fuel products according to the price paid by Enemalta tobuy these products, a statement by the Investment, Industry and InformationTechnology Ministry said.• 4 April 2006 The Junior Lyceum's exam system will be dissected as part of thegovernment's aim to establish national benchmarks at primary and secondarylevels, according to Education, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galea.Dr Galea was speaking during an Open Day at the Luqa primary school onSunday. Speaking about the Matsec exam, Dr Galea said that after receivingthe report called Strengthening A National Examination System, it was time forthe Junior Lyceum exam system to undergo a critical analysis.• 4 April 2006 The number of cable and digital television subscriptions rose by3.5% in February compared to January, to reach a total of 123,632 or 30.9subscriptions per 100 persons. According to National Statistics Office figures,the number of analogue subscriptions fell by 4.2% while digital subscriptionsincreased by 28.5%. There was a slight rise in both narrowband andbroadband internet subscriptions, to reach 46,857 and 42,509 respectively, or22.3 per 100 persons in all.• 5 April 2006 The Luqa primary school - newly refurbished through aninvestment of more than Lm1 million - was inaugurated by Prime MinisterLawrence Gonzi. Two floors of the school, opened in 1931, were completelyrebuilt so that the original surface area has doubled with bigger classrooms, ahall and recreational spaces that include a pitch with synthetic turf. Theoriginal outer wall of the school's lower floor was retained, the governmentsaid.• 5 April 2006 The government was determined to retain its detention policy forillegal immigrants but would adopt a compassionate approach for genuinerefugees, Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said. Dr Borg, who wasspeaking at a social activity, said that in the meantime the government wasseeking to persuade the governments of a number of countries to acceptgroups of illegal immigrants.• 5 April 2006 European Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Franco Frattiniproposed making available €2.7 million (Lm1.1 million) to member states such

as Malta needing urgent help to deal with the problem of illegal immigration.Mr Frattini was reacting to Monday's debate in the European Parliament onillegal immigration in Malta. He described the issues raised by MEPs in thedebate as serious and as requiring a response in a spirit of solidarity.• 5 April 2006 The travel tax landed the government Lm579,654 in the first twomonths of this year, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi told Parliament. Answeringa parliamentary question he said that nobody had been exempted from thetax.• 5 April 2006 Just under 500 people were caught littering or dumping this yearup to March 21, Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said in reply to aparliamentary question. He said the police caught 10 people violating theLittering Act, while wardens booked 460 in the same period.• 5 April 2006 Italy's main low-fare airline, Meridiana, will start operating to Maltaon June 1 at fares starting from €29 for a one-way flight, excluding taxes.Meridiana will run two direct flights a week from and to Bologna using a 165-seater MD 82 aircraft. Malta International Airport said the new service is thedirect result of its marketing efforts to attract new airlines to the island.• 5 April 2006 Joyce Pullicino has been appointed president general of theMalta Catholic Action for a period of three years. Her appointment wasannounced through a decree signed by Archbishop Mgr Joseph Mercieca onbehalf of the Episcopal Conference of Malta. She succeeds Ninette BorgGrech who headed the Catholic Action for two consecutive terms, themaximum allowed according to the Catholic Action statute.• 5 April 2006 The Alan Parsons Project, whose roots lie in pop and progressivemusic, is among the headlining bands at this year's Malta Jazz Festival, as theannual musical extravaganza undergoes an overhaul. The festival, to be heldbetween July 21 and 23, will still be dominated by jazz musicians and that themainstream bands will solely be the icing on the cake. Names alreadysecured for this year's edition include jazz greats Bill Bruford's Earthworksfeaturing Tim Garland and Tunnels with Percy Jones.• 5 April 2006 Central Bank Governor Michael C. Bonello has insisted thatcontaining local costs should be a priority policy objective, complaining thatprice levels appear not to have benefited sufficiently from the liberalisedtrading environment following EU membership. Mr Bonello said in the bank'sannual report, published, that smooth participation in ERM II needed to beaccompanied by similar progress in satisfying the other conditions foradopting the euro.• 5 April 2006 The government is planning to set the ball rolling for theprivatisation of Enemalta's petroleum and gas divisions by July, Investment,Industry and Information Technology Minister Austin Gatt said during thedebate on the Enemalta report and financial estimates. The Minister furthersaid that the government wanted Enemalta to withdraw from the petroleumand gas business before the liberalisation of the market to focus exclusively onthe efficient generation and distribution of electricity.• 6 April 2006 President Edward Fenech-Adami proposed three scenarios on theway forward for the EU constitutional treaty when he addressed a specialsitting of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The President, whose speechwas met with resounding applause and a standing ovation, also spoke onhow the European Union and its institutions could regain public confidence.• 6 April 2006 The president of the European Parliament pledged to personallyput pressure on the European Commission and European Council to resolveMalta's acute illegal immigrant problem. Josep Borell Fontelles was speaking

during a press conference which followed President Edward Fenech-Adami'saddress to a special sitting of the European Parliament.• 6 April 2006 The amount due by the Inland Revenue Department in incometax refunds is Lm16.7 million, the Prime Minister said in reply to a parliamentaryquestion. He said Lm3 million were expected to be refunded this year alongwith the refunds due under the self-assessment system. Dr Gonzi said that as ofMarch 26 the VAT Department had to pay back Lm16.2 million in excessivecredit. That amount included refunds for persons and companies that wereexempt with credit, such as the freeport.• 6 April 2006 Retailers and the service industry must display prices in both euroand lira from January 1, according to Parliamentary Secretary within theMinistry of Finance Tonio Fenech. The government was consideringintroducing compulsory dual pricing in the middle of next year, but theCabinet took the decision earlier this week to speed up the process.• 6 April 2006 Consumers can now switch their mobile phone network withoutchanging any part of their number, the Malta Communications Authority(MCA) said. Full number portability forms part of a European Union directive.From now on, consumers will no longer need to contact their telephoneprovider but go directly to a new network. It will be up to the recipientcompany to make the necessary arrangements, MCA market operationsanalyst Claude Azzopardi said at a press conference.• 6 April 2006 Malta's unemployment rate, based on statistics compiled byEurostat, the EU's statistical office, is rapidly closing in on the EU average. Newfigures released show that in February, Malta's unemployment rate reached8%, an increase of almost one percentage point over the past 12 months. Onthe contrary, unemployment levels in the EU seem to be dropping, with the EU25 average in the same month ranking at 8.5 %, down from 8.9 in February2005.• 6 April 2006 Air Malta's chief operating officer, Joe Cappello, has beenpromoted to CEO. Mr Cappello succeeds Ernst Funk, who leaves thecompany after three-and-a-half years as the airline's top executive officer. MrCappello, who has held a number of top level positions within the airline, "willhave the task to continue leading the company through the difficult path ofrestructuring and return to profitability," the company said.• 6 April 2006 The House of Representatives rose for its Easter recess. Sittingsresume on April 24.• 7 April 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi was in Vienna for an informalmeeting of EU Ministers of Finance which is taking place today and tomorrow.The Prime Minister was accompanied by Parliamentary Secretary within theMinistry of Finance Tonio Fenech, the Governor of the Central Bank of MaltaMichael Bonello, Policy Coordinator Leonard Callus and Permanent SecretaryAlfred Camilleri.• 7 April 2006 The chances of Malta obtaining tangible help to deal with theproblem of illegal immigration were given a boost following the approval of aresolution in the European Parliament. The resolution, backed by all thepolitical groups, was overwhelmingly approved by a show of hands andfollowed a recent visit to Malta by MEPs from the Civil Liberties Committee• 7 April 2006 The UN's refugee agency underlined the need to support Malta'sefforts in the management of mixed flows of persons across theMediterranean. The UNHCR said it hoped that Malta will obtain Europeanfinancial assistance and will benefit from support in implementing durablesolutions, as has recently been the case when a number of refugees fromMalta were settled in the Netherlands. The statement was released shortly

after a resolution on the situation of refugees in Malta was overwhelminglyapproved by the European Parliament in Strasbourg.• 7 April 2006 Minister for Gozo Giovanna Debono said the projects undertakenwithin Gozo General Hospital is a clear evidence of the government'sdetermination to provide the best possible health service in Gozo. She said itwas thanks to the continuous cooperation extended by the hospital medicaland general staff that the modernisation projects could materialise.• 7 April 2006 The registered unemployed last November amounted to 7,193,the National Statistics Office said. There was a drop of 368 persons in thelabour supply over the same month in the previous year, the result of anincrease of 564 persons in the gainfully occupied population and a decreaseof 932 persons on the unemployment register.• 7 April 2006 The newly built motor tug Pawlina, the latest addition to the TugMalta fleet, was christened by Carmen Psaila, director of Tug Malta, at aceremony at Pinto Wharf in Valletta. The company said that the Pawlina wasone of the most powerful tugboats employed in Mediterranean andEuropean ports and terminals will definitely improve its services.• 9 April 2006 Malta poured cold water over a proposal submitted by TaxationCommissioner Laszlo Kodak's earlier during the week, proposing an EU-widecorporate common tax base. Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry ofFinance Tonio Fenech, who accompanied Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi to atwo-day informal meeting for the EU finance ministers said that Malta opposesthe Commission's proposal together with other countries.• 9 April 2006 The bureaucratic maze to secure funding from the EuropeanUnion was among the loudest complaints of Maltese society at a week ofconsultation meetings held by the European Commission's Representation inMalta. The consultation meetings were part of a communications offensive bythe Commission designed to bring the EU closer to its people. The meetingswill enable Commission Representation head Joanna Drake to take a clearsnapshot of Maltese society after two years of EU membership.• 9 April 2006 Spanish Airline Hispania Inter-national inaugurated a weekly flightto Malta from Helsinki. Hispania is planning to operate the service untilOctober but the service may be extended into the winter. The service cancarry up to 150 passengers every week. Tourism and Culture Minister FrancisZammit Dimech and some of the airline's directors were at the airport towelcome the first flight.• 9 April 2006 The Minister of Rural Affairs and the Environment, George Pullicino,maintained Malta's opposition to production and cultivation of GeneticallyModified Organisms (GMOs) in the country at an Austrian EU Presidency'sconference in Vienna last week.• 10 April 2006 The value of total imports in February reached Lm114.4 million,representing an increase of Lm25.5 million when compared to total imports forthe same month last year. The importation of industrial supplies increased byLm5.2 million in value to Lm47 million from Lm41.8 million. At the same timethere was an increase of Lm11.4 million in the value of imports of capitalgoods while the value of consumer goods imports went up by Lm1.2 million toLm25.8 million. An increase of Lm7.7 million was also registered in the value offuel and lubricants imports.• 10 April 2006 A grim picture of the future of the Mediterranean region hasbeen painted by a 400-page United Nations-commissioned report whichwarns of water shortages and unsustainable practices. The report,commissioned by the 21 nations bordering the Mediterranean Sea, estimatesthat 63 million people in the Mediterranean will be short of water by 2025. "The

percentage of unsustainable water supplies derived from fossil sources or fromover-exploitation will grow (up to 30% in Malta or Libya)", the report says.• 10 April 2006 Children, adults and senior citizens took part in the annualPembroke Athleta road races. Speaking during the presentation of prizes,Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said both his ministry andthe Education Ministry supported such activities because they believed thatsport helped young people grow into healthier adults and kept them awayfrom things that could harm them.• 10 April 2006 The Eures Office of the Employment and Training Corporationheld a job fair on employment opportunities in continental Europe. TheEuropean Employment Services (Eures) is a cooperation network designed tofacilitate the free movement of workers in Europe. The ETC is a partner in thisnetwork. The fair was part of the activities organised by the ETC in 2006, beingthe European Year for Workers' Mobility.• 11 April 2006 The government will give "established" low-cost airlines anincentive to start operating to Malta while cushioning the impact on Air Maltain a series of initiatives designed to boost tourism. Support schemes to thetune of Lm1 million will be offered to airlines if they operate to specificdestinations during the winter months. "I think these initiatives are abreakthrough for the industry," Tourism and Culture Minister Francis ZammitDimech said after the incentives were announced by the government.• 11 April 2006 Microsoft's Windows XP software has been made available inMaltese and plans are in hand to introduce a spellchecker to make it easierfor people to use their native language correctly. The Maltese version waslaunched by Investment, Industry and Information Technology Minister AustinGatt and Andy Abbar, Microsoft's director for international strategic initiatives,at the Le Meridien Phoenicia Hotel in Floriana. The new software is free andcan be downloaded from the Ministry's website: www.miti.gov.mt.• 11 April 2006 The EU decided to temporarily halt its financial aid to thePalestinian government and to cut all official contacts with the Hamas-basedexecutive. The decision was taken by the EU Foreign Ministers during theirmonthly meeting in Luxembourg. "We cannot say it is business as usual withthe Palestinian government. We insisted with the other member states,however, that the door should be kept open. Our aim, after all, is peace in theMiddle East," Malta's Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo said following themeeting.• 11 April 2006 Malta ranks highest in terms of improvements in the rule of lawworldwide, the World Bank's index of governance shows. World Bank Institutedirector of global programmes and governance, Daniel Kaufmann,announced this achievement during an international workshop onReconstructing an Index of Economic Resilience, organised by the Universityof Malta and the Commonwealth Secretariat.• 12 April 2006 The restoration of the chapel of Italy, situated at St John's Co-Cathedral, in Valletta, has been completed with the presentation of detailedreports on the work done. The 13 reports, recording the various phases of theproject were presented by Giuseppe Mantella, who compiled them on behalfof Sante Guido Restauri to Ray Bondin, the executive coordinator of theValletta Rehabilitation Project within the Ministry for Resources andInfrastructure.• 12 April 2006 Michael Refalo, Malta's High Commissioner to the UK, called onTim Joiner, the Lord Mayor of London. During their 45-minute meeting DrRefalo and Councillor Joiner, a frequent visitor to Malta, discussed a broad

spectrum of subjects that ranged from investment potential, tourism andculture to local government procedures, the government said.• 12 April 2006 The car and front door of a residence were torched in whatappears to be the second arson attack on the Jesuit Refugee Service in thespace of a month. Policemen and firemen rushed to Pope Pius Street, inSliema, at about 12.45 a.m. after a car belonging to Katrine Camilleri, alawyer with the JRS, and the door to her residence, metres across the street,were set ablaze.• 12 April 2006 Arnold Cassola, who failed to be elected to the EuropeanParliament on behalf of Alternattiva Demokratika, has won a seat in the ItalianLower House on the ticket of Romano Prodi's L'Unione, netting about 19,000votes. His candidacy forms part of the European list for expatriates.• 12 April 2006 A call for tenders in relation to the vertical connection fromGrand Harbour to Valletta will be issued in June, Urban Development andRoads Minister Jesmond Mugliett said. Mr Mugliett said lifts were expected tobe in place in around 18 months' time to provide cruise liner passengers withconvenient access to the capital city. The entire project will be funded byprivate enterprise.• 13 April 2006 The cost of holding Good Friday processions may be going downand income rising but the organisers still face losses, data released by theNational Statistics Office shows. In fact, last year, Good Friday processionsregistered a global loss of Lm6,592. Expenditure amounted to Lm25,976,which corresponds to a drop of 11.8% when compared to the previous year.Expenditure on outdoor activities has been on the increase over the past fewyears - up from 16.9% of total expenditure in 2003 to 27.5% last year.• 15 April 2006 The Prime Minister has written to congratulate Arnold Cassola onhis election to the Italian House of Representatives on the ticket of the Verdiwithin the Unione list. Dr Gonzi said he hoped that the excellent bilateralbonds between Malta and Italy will be further strengthened thanks to Prof.Cassola's special contribution as a Maltese national in the Italian Parliament."I am also confident that this unique connection will contribute to reinforcethe solidarity and friendship that exist between Malta and Italy," Dr Gonzi said.• 15 April 2006 Thirty-five international graduate students from the AnhaltUniversity of Applied Sciences in Germany have taken on Valletta as theirchallenge for urban and landscape design. The studio work is being guidedand supported by Paul Borg Olivier, mayor of Valletta, and Roads and UrbanDevelopment Minister Jesmond Mugliett, together with the Valletta and theFloriana Rehabilitation Committee.• 15 April 2006 Malta and the Kingdom of Lesotho have formally establisheddiplomatic relations. The High Commissioner for Malta in London, MichaelRefalo, and the High Commissioner for the Kingdom of Lesotho, Prince SeeisoBereng Seeiso, signed a Joint Declaration to that effect on April 11. Thesigning ceremony was held at the Malta High Commission, in London.• 15 April 2006 The Commission for the Administration of Justice has agreed withcalls made by the Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights toincrease the number of judges and magistrates in Malta. The commission saidit agreed with the observations and recommendations made in thecommissioner's recent report on Malta.• 16 April 2006 The operator of the cruise liner terminal at the VallettaWaterfront, VISET, has been given the go-ahead by the government to extendthe berthing area beyond Customs House. Urban Development and RoadsMinister Jesmond Mugliett said that VISET made the request so that it would

e possible to host large 400-metre-long vessels, which it sees as key to thesuccess of cruise liner business in Malta.• 16 April 2006 Members of the Gozo branch of the Malta Red Cross receivedpraise for the voluntary work they carry out all year round. The 50-oddvolunteers were given certificates for attending a variety of courses during aceremony attended by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Gozo MinisterGiovanna Debono.• 16 April 2006 Today, ENTs, speech-language pathologists, head and necksurgeons and other voice health professionals worldwide join together torecognise World Voice Day. This day (April 16) was established in Brazil in 1999to encourage everyone to assess their vocal health and take action toimprove or maintain good voice habits. In Malta a considerable number ofpeople suffer from problems related to the voice. Such problems can resultfrom malfunction of the vocal cords or simply as a result of vocal misuse overa long time.• 16 April 2006 A recently founded association bringing together all the Malteseliving in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, last week launched a newWebsite intended to serve as a primary network tool to be used by theMaltese community in these three countries. The Maltese in Beneluxassociation, known as MIBA, has already organised a first get-together inBrussels attended by more than 60 Maltese residents, particularly fromBelgium. The Website - www.miba.be - was designed by Dragan Avramovic,who is married to a Maltese and is currently living in Brussels.• 17 April 2006 The authorities are planning to introduce medical audits withinthe health system, Health, the Elderly and Community Care Minister LouisDeguara said. Every doctor would be audited on his or her results. TheMinister said that, for example, there could be a case of two surgeonscarrying out the same type of intervention, with the patients of one sufferingmore complications than the other's. This would indicate a problem thatneeded to be looked into.• 17 April 2006 Youngsters can learn about the beauty of sailing thanks to a newfully equipped centre in Ghadira, which hopes to start enticing internationalsailing events to Malta. The Adira Sailing Centre, the first of its kind here, wasinaugurated by Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech. Sailingmay well be another tourist attraction, Dr Zammit Dimech told those presentduring the inauguration. Malta's strategic position meant it could provide anytype of water sports, from boarding to waterpolo. Sea sports attracts 85,000people to Malta every year, 54,000 of whom specifically for diving.• 17 April 2006 The importance of reading among schoolchildren and adults ledthe Gozo Public Library to organise two events to mark World Book Day that isto be celebrated on the 23 rd April. Teachers, educators and students cametogether recently to discuss the importance of reading and the experiencesof readers of different ages. Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono inaugurated anexhibition of 1,000 new books that the ministry bought for the libraries on theisland.• 18 April 2006 The need for more effective enforcement in the fight againstsmoking in public places has been underlined by Minister for Health, theElderly and Community Care Louis Deguara. Speaking during the launch ofthe seventh Quit And Win competition, Dr Deguara said the rise in the numberof female smokers will lead to the rates of lung cancer among women gettingclose to those of men in between 15 and 20 years' time. Statistics issued bythe Malta Cancer Registry show that new cases of lung cancer amongfemales rose from 14 in 1994 to 22 in 2003. There were 110 registered casesamong men in 2003.

• 18 April 2006 The European Commission recently transferred about €151,000 tothe Ministry of Justice for two Maltese projects selected under last year's Argoprogramme of the EU. The two projects, out of a total of 21 selected, were acooperation seminar held last year between Euro-Med immigration expertsand a joint project with The Netherlands involving the accommodation ofrefugees in Malta and Holland, which is currently underway.• 18 April 2006 An administrative arrangement has been put in place to allowparents to bury miscarried foetuses that are less than 24 weeks old, aspokesman for the Health Division said. Previously, parents had no say as tothe burial of their foetuses, which were interred during an annual collectiveceremony in a special grave at Santa Maria Addolorata Cemetery.• 18 April 2006 Malta is among the countries listed by the US government as apossible tax haven where American taxpayers could be hiding incomeoffshore. The US federal court in California gave the Inland Revenue Servicepermission to ask PayPal - a company that enables online money transfers - toturn over information about people who have bank accounts, credit cards ordebit cards issued by financial institutions in 35 countries reputed to be taxhavens.• 18 April 2006 Malta was represented at a meeting of national archivists fromthe 25 EU countries in Vienna earlier this month to discuss challenges facingthe sector. The Maltese authorities were praised for the achievements in thearchives sector during 2005, in particular the new archives legislation and theintroduction of archives and records management studies at the University ofMalta.• 18 April 2006 Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech launchedthe 17th edition of the marathon. All proceeds from the week-long 156-hourevent, held at BJ’s, go towards Wishing Others Well (WOW), the social arm ofthe Millennium Chapel in Paceville run by Fr Hilary Tagliaferro.• 18 April 2006 A total of 83,325 kgs of fish were landed during the first quarter ofthis year, the National Statistics Office said. The volume increased by 18,297kilogrammes, or 28.1%, when compared to the 65,028 kilogrammes landed inthe same quarter last year.• 18 April 2006 The Malta Federation of Industry has published its Annual Reviewfor the year 2005. This edition, which has been revamped into a concise andissue-based document, has a section that presents a snap shot of whathappened in the local economy during the review period, with an insertfocused on the trends registered in the FOI Industry Surveys conductedthroughout 2005. The federation also dedicates two separate sections to itsviews on the importance of an industrial policy and social dialogue.• 19 April 2006 The European Commission has published new guidelines forquality assurance of breast cancer screening and diagnosis in order toimprove survival rates from the disease across Europe. The Commission saidthe new guidelines are a benchmark for best practice and have beendeveloped with input from over 200 professionals from across the EU memberstates.• 19 April 2006 A total of 25,097 Maltese passengers travelled abroad by air orsea during January and February, a decline of 7.6% over the same period lastyear, the National Statistics Office said. About 97 % of the travellers spent lessthan six months away. The most frequent destination was the UnitedKingdom, accounting for 31.6%, followed by Italy, Belgium and Germany.• 20 April 2006 Members of the European Parliament's Civil Liberties Committeewho visited detention centres in Malta openly disagreed with the contents ofthe report submitted by the delegation's rapporteur Giusto Catania. Following

a debate, committee chairman Jean Marie Cavada decided to postponethe vote at committee level on the report so that MEPs "can find some kind ofconsensus".• 20 April 2006 The Customs Department seized over three million undeclaredcigarettes at the Freeport over the past two days. The cigarettes weredetected after strong indications that the content of a few containers beingtransported from the Far East to North Africa did not match what had beendeclared in the bills of lading.• 20 April 2006 Air Malta has reached a ground handling operationsagreement with ground services provider Swissport International which isexpected to save the airline millions of liri. Air Malta's new chief executiveofficer Joe Cappello told a news conference that under the five-yearagreement Swissport would be taking over all Air Malta's ground handlingservices in foreign airports. These services include check-in, aircraft cleaningand refuelling and catering top-up.• 20 April 2006 Sales in manufacturing industry registered a drop of Lm16.6million, or 1.6%, between 2003 and 2004 and a decrease of Lm58.2 million, or5.8%, between 2004 and 2005, the National Statistics Office said Wages andsalaries decreased by 2% between 2003 and 2004 and by 1.2% between 2004and 2005. Overall investment rose by 9.1% between 2003 and 2004, fromnearly Lm49 million to Lm53.4 million, and decreased by 6.7%, from Lm53.4 to49.9 million, between 2004 and 2005.• 20 April 2006 The pig stock last year dropped by 5% over 2004, data releasedby the National Statistics office showed. There were 73,025 heads lastDecember, that is 3,828 pigs fewer than the 76,853 pigs recorded in theannual pig survey of 2004, the NSO said.• 21 April 2006 Heritage Malta has started archaeological investigations at theTarxien Temples in preparation for the construction of a visitors' centre, that willprovide a number of facilities including a museum shop, a children's area anda cafeteria. The centre, which is expected to be completed in 2008, will belocated in the field north of the temples to avoid disturbing archaeologicaldeposits.• 21 April 2006 Firemen were once again called out in the early hours of themorning to put out a fire which engulfed another vehicle. The police wereinformed at 5.10 a.m. that a car parked in Triq Iz-Zafran, Marsascala was inflames. Fire fighters from the Civil Protection Department rushed to the scene.At least 13 cars were engulfed by fire in the last five weeks with investigationsshowing that at least nine were deliberately set alight.• 21 April 2006 The European Commission launched a public consultation inwhich it is inviting citizens, businesses, representative organisations, publicadministrations and all other interested parties in the EU to give their views onfuture policy in the internal market. The Commission provides an initialassessment of the Internal Market as it is today, discusses possible ideas forfuture policy direction and puts a series of open questions on these ideas towhich everyone is invited to reply.• 22 April 2006 Two more cars went up in flames early in the morning, one ofthem at least being an arson attack, police sources said. As the policecombed the area and interviewed people for clues, a senior officer admittedthe situation was "alarming" after a spate of car fires destroyed over 15vehicles over the last six weeks.• 22 April 2006 Five members of the US House of Representatives paid a briefvisit to Malta on Wednesday. They met parliamentary secretaries TonioFenech and Tony Abela and Brigadier Carmel Vassallo, Commander of the

Armed Forces of Malta. The delegation consisted of Bill Young (Republican,Florida), Neil Abercrombie (Democrat, Hawaii), Henry Bonilla (Republican,Texas), Rodney Frelinghuysen (Republican, New Jersey) and Kay Granger(Republican, Texas).• 22 April 2006 The Blue Flag environment programme for beaches and marinasin Malta was launched by Nature Trust in collaboration with the Malta TourismAuthority. Making it onto the Blue Flag beach map would also help promoteMalta and its tourism industry as a country that meets international standards,said Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech. The Blue Flag is oneof the environmental education programmes of the Foundation forEnvironmental Education in Europe (FEEE), which aims to promote sustainabledevelopment.• 22 April 2006 At the end of 2005, the general government nominal grossconsolidated debt amounted to Lm1,439.8 million, or 74.7% of the GDP,compared with Lm1,394.6 million, or 76.2% of GDP at the end of 2004."• 22 April 2006 The leasing of land in Ricasoli for SmartCity@Malta should receivethe go-head before Parliament rises for its summer recess, Industry, Investmentand Information Technology Minister Austin Gatt said. Land clearance andexcavation works could start as early as October, as the government isdetermined to "short-circuit" bureaucracy to get the project going, Dr Gattsaid using a technological analogy appropriate to the subject matter. TheMinister was speaking during a Business Today breakfast.• 22 April 2006 The Ministry of Health, the Elderly and Community Care has setup a steering committee to coordinate consultation on a Joint NationalStrategy Report (2006-2008) for Social Inclusion, Pensions and Health and LongTerm Care, as part of the EU's Lisbon strategy. The consultation process willinvolve the widest array of stakeholders in the field, the Ministry said.• 23 April 2006 Malta marked the 64th anniversary of the award of the GeorgeCross with a ceremony at the Siege Bell monument in Valletta. PresidentEdward Fenech Adami laid a wreath at the foot of the monument after MajorStanley Clews, chairman of the Malta George Cross Island Association, madea welcome address.• 23 April 2006 A sustainable development strategy, which ensures futuregenerations may live, means that we need to change our way of life, PrimeMinister Lawrence Gonzi said. Dr Gonzi was addressing members of the public,experts, politicians and representatives of NGOs and civil society at theMediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta, most of whom called forpolicies to be translated into action.• 23 April 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi inaugurated the Mdinaembellishment project, amid a government commitment in favour of historicconservation. "This project should make the people proud," Dr Gonzi told thosepresent, adding that the government is committed to continue carrying outprojects similar to the Mdina one.• 23 April 2006 A cruise liner berthed for the first time ever in Gozo in a drive topromote the island as a tourist destination in its own right. Tourism and CultureMinister Francis Zammit Dimech welcomed the Seabourn Pride's maiden call inGozo, saying the visit links perfectly with his ministry's policy of widening anddiversifying the tourism product.• 23 April 2006 Malta called for an amendment in the allocation of funds underthe next research framework programme of the EU, known as FP7, andsuggested that a further €275 million should be devoted to actions connectedwith research for the benefit of SMEs. This call was made by Competitiveness

and Communications Minister Censu Galea during an informalCompetitiveness Council meeting in Graz, Austria.• 23 April 2006 The 37th British Islands and Mediterranean Region AnnualConference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) was heldin Malta at the invitation of the Maltese House of Representatives. The Maltaconference tackled a variety of themes ranging from peace and security inEurope and the Mediterranean, to ocean management and sustainabledevelopment, illegal migration, the role of national parliaments ininternational relations and the Commonwealth-EU relationship.• 24 April 2006 Salwa Ayachi Labben, Minister for Women, the Family, Childrenand the Elderly of Tunisia, arrived on Sunday night for a four-day official visit.Mrs Labben was accompanied by her official delegation as well as by twoTunisian members of the Tunisian-Maltese Mixed Committee on thecollaboration agreement signed by Tunisia and Malta in June 2005. Thisagreement, ratified by Malta in November 2005 and by Tunisia in December2005, strengthens collaboration in the fields of the advancement of women,children, and the family.• 24 April 2006 A bronze monument to former President and veteran politicianAgatha Barbara was inaugurated at her hometown Zabbar. Ms Barbara, whodied in February four years ago aged 78, was Malta's only woman to serve asPresident after decades as a Labour MP. She also held several ministerialportfolios, notably education, social policy and labour. The ceremony waspresided over by President Edward Fenech Adami who described Ms Barbaraas a woman who left her mark in Malta's recent history.• 24 April 2006 Malta's share of cohesion funds from the next EU budget is higherthan the per capita average allocated to the other nine new member states,European Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hubner said in an interviewprior to her two-day visit to Malta. Ms Hubner said that according toCommission calculations, during the next seven years Malta will be receiving6% more than the average of funds being pumped to the other nine new EUmember states.• 24 April 2006 Ms Hubner started her visit in Malta to discuss the overall impactof cohesion policy on the economy, the progress of the implementation of the2004-2006 programming period and the preparations for the new period 2007-2013. The visit was spread over two days.• 24 April 2006 More than half of Europeans suffering from depression or anxietyare not aware of the problem and therefore not receiving treatment,according to the director of policy and planning within the Health Ministry.Speaking during a seminar to discuss the European Commission's Green Paperon mental health, Ray Xerri said 18% of eight to 18-year-olds suffered frommental health problems. The Green Paper, which is currently being discussedacross Europe, highlights that by 2020 depression is expected to become thehighest ranking cause of disease in the developed world.• 24 April 2006 Book lovers had a field day on Sunday as World Book Day wascelebrated in a novel way at St James Cavalier. Also in conjunction with thePhoenicia Hotel, Agenda Bookshop held the last day of its week-long bookfair in aid of the Eden Foundation. St James' day-long programme waspacked with different activities to entice people of all ages to fall in love withreading, some for the first time, others all over again.• 25 April 2006 While pointing out that Malta's share of cohesion funds percapita were higher than the other new EU states, European Regional PolicyCommissioner Danuta Hubner applauded the local authorities for the waythey were tapping EU funding so far. Ms Hubner also urged Malta's social

●●partners to help the government invest EU funds wisely "to build the island'sfuture". The Commissioner met representatives of the Malta Council forEconomic and Social Development during a meeting at the Stock Exchange.25 April 2006 European Commissioner for Regional Policy Danuta Hubner leftMalta convinced that the island had specific requirements which need EUassistance. "Europe is composed of different states and regions with differentlevels of development, challenges and opportunities. Malta has its ownspecificities," Ms Hubner said following a meeting with Prime Minister LawrenceGonzi at Auberge de Castille, in Valletta. Comments made to the pressfollowing the meeting can be accessed on the following link:http://www.doi.gov.mt/EN/News/newsitems/audiorecording%20-%2025.04.06spm-danuta.asp25 April 2006 On Monday Salwa Ayachi Labben, Minister for Women, theFamily, Children and the Elderly of Tunisia met Minister Dolores Cristina, paid acourtesy call on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Anton Tabone,and visited Access Community Resource Centre in Vittoriosa. She also onPresident Fenech Adami, Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono, Foreign MinisterMichael Frendo, Helen D'Amato, Parliamentary Secretary for the Elderly andCommunity Care, and Sonia Camilleri, Commissioner for Children.● 25 April 2006 Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry ofFinance Tonio Fenech said that EU membership and adoption ofpassport rights for financial products had led to "interestinggrowth" in the number of insurance companies registered inMalta. Mr Fenech was speaking in Parliament when the Housestarted to debate the Insurance Intermediaries Bill. The Bill willsubstitute the Insurance Brokers and Other Intermediaries Actand fully implement the EU directive on insurance mediation.• 25 April 2006 For the second year in a row, Malta has registered the highestnumber of complaints to the EU Ombudsman Office, on a per capita basis,when compared to the other member states. According to the EUOmbudsman, Nikiforos Diamandouros, who presented his annual report inBrussels, complaints from Malta reached 40. Although this may not seem high,it translates into a rate of 11.6 when compared to the size of its populationand puts Malta at the top of the complainants table.• 25 April 2006 A commission has been set up to investigate the allegedphysical and psychological abuse of minors in a home run by the Church inGozo. Gozo Bishop Mario Grech decided to forge ahead even though areport drawn up by a similar commission following an initiative by hispredecessor Mgr Nikol Cauchi had concluded that the 1999 accusationswere unfounded.• 25 April 2006 The number of cruise passengers in the first quarter went up by24.4%, to 19,499, over the same period last year, the National Statistics Officesaid. The major markets were the German (8,879), Italian (3,927), British (1,752)and Spanish (1,375). In March the increase was a marginal 63, taking thefigure for that month alone to 8,060.• 25 April 2006 The World Harmony Run, a global torch relay that seeks topromote friendship, understanding and harmonious living together of peopleof all cultures and nations, arrived in Malta. 6 international athletes ran from StPaul's Bay via Mosta, Naxxar and Birkirkara to the university at Tal-Qroqq. TheWorld Harmony Run began in Lisbon, in Portugal on March 2. The team ofrunners will carry a torch through all 48 European countries.

• 25 April 2006 During 2005 and the first three months of this year Enemaltafound 897 electricity meters whose seals had been tampered with or broken,Minister for Investment, Industry and Information Technology Austin Gatt saidin reply to a parliamentary question. He said 438 seals had been tamperedwith and 439 seals were broken but there was no tampering.• 25 April 2006 No contacts have been made between Malta and thePalestinian Authority since the election of the Hamas government, ForeignAffairs Minister Michael Frendo said in reply to a parliamentary question.• 25 April 2006 Malta continues to support a two-state solution in the MiddleEast and condemns calls for the elimination of Israel, Foreign Affairs MinisterMichael Frendo said during talks in Cairo with his Egyptian counterpart AhmedAbul Gheit on Saturday. He emphasised the importance of strengthening thestature and effective role of President Mahmoud Abbas as a legitimatelyelected representative of the Palestinian people and an interlocutor in thepeace process. Mr Aboul Gheit thanked Malta for its continuous supportwithin the EU and the Mediterranean.• 26 April 2006 First results from the population census held last November showa slowing down in population growth since the last census in 1995, but Maltaremains by far the most densely populated country in the EU. Since the firstcensus in 1842, the population has increased by three-and-a-half times, from114,499 to 404,039 in 2005, the preliminary census report, tabled in Parliament,shows. While the population grew by over 60% between 1842 and the turn ofthe 20th century, it more than doubled between 1901 and 2005.• 26 April 2006 The Armed Forces of Malta rescued 20 illegal male migrants froma boat which developed an engine failure. The boat was about 55 miles southeast of Grand Harbour. The army said it was informed of the migrants by thePanama registered bulk carrier Maya B which relayed the information to theRescue Coordination Centre Malta.• 26 April 2006 New statistics published by the EU show that Malta ended theyear in a healthier financial position than expected. According to Eurostat,Malta's structural deficit at the end of 2005 went down to 3.3% of its GrossDomestic Product (GDP), or Lm64 million. Not only is it the lowest structuraldeficit in the last decade but it is even better than both the EU and thegovernment had projected a year earlier.• 26 April 2006 The government launched eVERA, the largest e-governmentsystem yet, through which motorists can renew their driving licences. Thesystem involves wardens, insurance companies and vehicle roadworthinesstest (VRT) stations. It can be used, for example, to check when one's VRT isdue. VRT test results will be keyed into the system by the stations within 24hours while insurance payments will be inputted within seven days. Licenceswill be sent by post within three working days so online applicants should allowenough time for the procedure.• 27 April 2006 The Central Bank of Malta left the central intervention rateunchanged at 3.25%. The decision was taken by the Governor at the end ofthe Monetary Policy Advisory Council meeting.• 27 April 2006 There were 7,693 persons registering for work with theEmployment and Training Corporation (ETC) at the end of March, an increaseof 24 over the preceding month, the National Statistics Office said.Compared to the figures for March 2005, the number of registeredunemployed dropped by 325 persons. Unemployment in Malta reached7,000 while in Gozo it stood at 693. Of these 2,409 (31.3%) were under the ageof 25 and 2,041 (26.5%) were aged 45 and over.

• 27 April 2006 Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Self EmployedEdwin Vassallo said in Parliament that the government was determined toensure that inflation did not get out of hand. However it was a firm believer inthe free market, and the possible introduction of price orders would thereforebe the exception, not the rule. Speaking during the debate on a Billamending the Excise Duties Act Mr Vassallo said amendments to the Suppliesand Services Act made some five years ago had contemplated a situationwhere, if inflation was too high, price orders could be imposed.• 27 April 2006 There are 6,660 pending operations a the OrthopaedicsDepartment of St Luke's Hospital, with the waiting list stretching back fouryears, information given by Parliament shows. Minister for Health, the Elderlyand Community Care, Louis Deguara said emergency cases were tackledimmediately and urgent cases within a short time. Minor and non urgentoperations were performed when there was time for them• 27 April 2006 The European Commission has approved a new e-governmentaction plan underlining the EU's commitment to deliver tangible benefits to allits citizens, in cooperation with all its member states. The plan sets cleartargets which have to be reached by the 25 members by 2010. Launchingthe action plan in Brussels, Information Society Commissioner Viviane Redingsaid the EU is already starting to see benefits from Europe's investments in e-government over the last few years.• 28 April 2006 HSBC UK has approved a capital investment of €7 million for thesetting up of a global call centre at the former Price Club, in Swatar, HSBCBank Malta chief executive officer Shaun Wallis said. Prime Minister LawrenceGonzi welcomed the investment and said he interpreted the decision byHSBC to choose Malta as a vote of confidence. They found in Malta the idealingredients for them to make a success of this operation, he said.• 28 April 2006 Minister for Investment, Industry and Information TechnologyInvestments Minister Austin Gatt said that Air Malta's focus over the next twoyears must be to achieve the revenue growth levels targeted within its plansand this was the principal target that the government had given Air Malta'snew chief executive Joe Cappello, Dr Gatt said. The Minister was speakingduring his opening speech at the Amitex fair at the Trade Fair grounds, inNaxxar.• 28 April 2006 A number of changes introduced to the original report pennedby Italian MEP Giusto Catania on the visit by MEPs to Malta's detention centreshave resulted in a unanimous vote in favour of the report. The decision wastaken during another session of the Civil Liberties Committee of the EuropeanParliament in Brussels. Mr Catania said that following intense meetings overthe past days between the members of the delegation visiting Malta, anagreement was struck on the wording to be used in the final report.• 28 April 2006 Though Malta is prepared to shoulder its responsibilities withregard to irregular migration, it cannot do so alone, speakers at aCommonwealth conference agreed. "While the problem of irregularmigration is not unique to Malta, it is uniquely serious here," Martin Scicluna,the government's adviser on migration, said. He was speaking during theCommonwealth Parliamentary Association British Islands and MediterraneanRegion's annual conference being held in Malta.• 28 April 2006 A total of 162,166 tourists visited Malta in the first quarter of thisyear, 3.9% fewer than in the same period last year, the National StatisticsOffice said. The number of nights spent in Malta by tourists departing by airwas estimated at 1,551,596, a fall of 9.6%. Expenditure on package traveldecreased by Lm4.1 million to an estimated Lm23.4 million, a decline of 15%.Overall, total tourist expenditure decreased by Lm3.3 million or 5.9%.

• 28 April 2006 A total of 9.33 million kilos of fresh fruit and vegetables passedthrough the markets in the first quarter of this year, 1.61 million kilos more thanin the same period last year, according to the National Statistics Office. Theincrease in volume brought about a drop of Lm0.8 million in the wholesalevalue of the produce.• 29 April 2006 The voice of children with very challenging behaviour appearsto have been heard, with Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi announcing that aworking group will be set up to determine the best way forward in helping thisvulnerable part of society. Dr Gonzi said he had just appointed SocialSolidarity Minister Dolores Cristina to coordinate the working group, which willbe made up of representatives from the ministries of education, justice andhealth.• 29 April 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Mrs Gonzi visited St Luke'sHospital on Thursday night in connection with Workers' Day. Dr Gonzi metworkers in several wards, including Wonderland, the Emergency Departmentand the ITU. Accompanied by St Luke's superintendent Frank Bartolo, amongothers, the Prime Minister commended the staff for their total dedication andprofessionalism.• 29 April 2006 Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg called on his EUcounterparts to put into practice the recent resolution adopted by theEuropean Parliament on illegal immigration in Malta. Dr Borg intervenedforcefully during a Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council meeting inLuxembourg which discussed various issues related to migration.• 29 April 2006 Recurrent revenue in 2005 totalled Lm896.4 million and made up99.6% of the year's budget forecast, according to the National StatisticsOffice. Compared to 2004, this represents an increase of Lm83.4 million, or10.3%. At the same time, total expenditure amounted to Lm971.7 million, anincrease of Lm64.7 million, or 7.1%, from the Lm907 million expended in 2004.• 29 April 2006 A set of recommendations on how the government couldalleviate the burden of the surcharge on utility bills for SMEs was presented toInvestment, Industry and Information Technology Minister Austin Gatt, who inturn said that he will study the matter in detail. In a statement issued after themeeting, the Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprises - GRTU, whichpresented the proposals, said that if measures were not taken fast many smallbusinesses would have no choice but to lay off people.• 29 April 2006 Children's programmes are being allocated Lm100,000 of theLm500,000 budget for programmes on state television that fall under theExtended Public Service Obligation, because a recent survey showed theywere considered to be of poor quality by TV audiences, the Ministry forTourism and Culture Ministry announced. These directives are aimed atincreasing programme quality and offering the public a better service,Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said• 29 April 2006 Malta and Saudi Arabia have signed a cooperation agreementcovering the economy, trade, investment, science, culture, youth and sports.The agreement was signed on Sunday in Riyadh by Foreign Affairs MinisterMichael Frendo and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Saud al-Faisal. Theagreement facilitates the setting up of joint ventures and investments by thenationals of the two countries in all areas and guarantees the freedom of thetransfer of funds between the two countries.• 30 April 2006 A master plan for Mdina which is to serve as a blueprint for futurerestoration, conservation and rehabilitation projects in Malta's Old City waspresented to President Edward Fenech Adami at Palazzo Vilhena. The plan,based on studies carried out by the University of Malta under the direction of

Denis De Lucca (now chairman of the Mdina Rehabilitation Committee), isalso expected to help Mdina become a UNESCO World Heritage site. ThePresident defined Mdina as "the best expression of Maltese identity".• 30 April 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi visited Kalafrana Road to seeprogress on its reconstruction, which is being made through EU funds. The roadlinks the Freeport to the Hal Far area, including the industrial zone. It is almostthree km long and will cost €5 million. The project includes 3,200 m of cyclinglanes. Dr Gonzi said this was an important project for the country as it wouldfacilitate access to the Freeport and the industrial zone.• 30 April 2006 The first applications for government scholarships at Master's andPh.D. levels in sectors which are important for the country's development willbe issued in June, Education, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galeasaid. Addressing a round table conference on "Youths and Employment", DrGalea recalled that the scheme was announced in the Budget andLm200,000 have been voted for the purpose. The activity was held at theFloriana headquarters of the Union Haddiema Maghqudin to mark May Dayand the UHM's 40th anniversary.• 30 April 2006 The Ministry for Industry, Investment and Information Technologysaid that that the low fares scheme on Gozo ferries is being extended to theend of June. The scheme, introduced in January to encourage more peopleto visit the sister island, has been judged a success. The ferries saw an increaseof 3,248 passengers and 1,259 cars on cheaper trips. Two schemes areoperated. The first, called Gozo Weekday Nights offers discounts of 75% onpassenger fares and 50% for vehicles on trips between 7 p.m. and midnightMondays to Thursday. Tickets are valid on the date of purchase but there is noreturn date restriction.• 30 April 2006 Anti-poverty campaigner and rock star Bob Geldof is to performin concert in Malta to raise funds for YMCA, a spokesman for the charity told alocal newspaper last week. The concert will be held on June 28, at a venueyet to be announced. Bob Geldof, the creator of the Live Aid and Live 8concerts, has pledged his support to YMCA, and the Malta event aims to raiseawareness of the plight of the homeless in Malta.• 30 April 2006 A 'walk for peace' was held from St George's Square to FreedomSquare in Valletta. It was organised by a group of individuals in the belief that,by uniting persons and representatives of various organisations, they couldsend their message of peace to the world. In Freedom Square, participantsformed the symbol of peace on the ground with candles and a visualpresentation on the disastrous effects of war was screened.• 30 April 2006 The Maltese are the largest consumers of rabbit meat in theworld, with an average per capita consumption of 10 kg of rabbit every year.The Italians follow, with a consumption rate of 5 kg per head. Inauguratingthe national rabbit show at the Old Railway Station in Birkirkara, Rural Affairsand the Environment Minister George Pullicino congratulated the MaltaRabbit Club, which had put up the exhibition almost every year since it wasestablished in 1963.• 30 April 2006 Celano and Ovindoli, two mountain towns in the Abruzzo regionof Italy, which have twinning projects with Zejtun and Tarxien respectively, areparticipating in the Amitex fair. Hotel owners from these areas, locatedbetween Rome and L'Aquila, and a councillor from Celano are in Malta topromote tourism exchanges between Maltese and Italians. The twinningprojects had been in the pipeline since 1999 and were sealed in August lastyear, Zejtun mayor Joe Attard said.

• 30 April 2006 On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on May 3, Maltesejournalists from various media announced the formation of a new organisation- the Journalists' Committee - to fight for journalists' rights and defend pressfreedoms. The Journalists' Committee is made up of working journalists, editors,freelance writers, cartoonists and opinion-makers who share the democraticideals of the free press. The Committee will be campaigning for a Freedom ofInformation Act, a Whistleblower Act, an overhaul of the Press Act and libellaws, and plans to organise a national seminar on Freedom of Information thisyear.MAY• 1 May 2006 The country is not going through the bad patch that some criticsare trying to portray, according to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi. Speaking ata political activity at the site in Ricasoli that will house the SmartCity complex,Dr Gonzi said he was disappointed that while foreigners realised the country'spotential, certain local critics seemed intent on painting a dark picture. DrGonzi said that Malta was proving to be an afifaction for major investmentsuch as Smart-City and HSBC's recently announced call centre.• 1 May 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi inaugurated the new Fortina fivestartower. "We are welcoming the world's first all-inclusive, innovativetherapeutic spa bedrooms, a first within the spa service industry. This showcasewill add up to our destination inventory," Dr Gonzi said. The Prime Minister wasconfident that this hotel would also cater for the market segments thatnormally performed well in the off peak and shoulder months, rendering it lessdependent on the traditional peak business.• 1 May 2006 The first edition of the Malta International Fireworks Festival, tocommemorate the second anniversary of Malta's accession to the EuropeanUnion carne to a close on Sunday. The event was presented by the Ministry forTourism and Culture and the Malta Tourism Authority in collaboration with theMalta Pyrotechnics Association.• 1 May 2006 Recurrent revenue during the first quarter of the year totalledLml72.1 million and made up 18.1% of this year's budget forecast, the NationalStatistics Office said. Compared to the same period last year, this representedan increase of Lm8 million, or 4.9%. Revenue for the comparative period in2005 amounted to Lml64.1 million.• 2 May 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi laid stress on the importance ofeducation in his address at a political activity held on the occasion of Workers'Day at Le Meridien Phoenicia Hotel in Floriana. Dr. Gonzi said that "Malta hasenormous potential", backing up his statement with concrete examples ofcompanies' success stories. Other speakers at the conference from varioussectors, including unions and employers, offered the facts on how wellcompanies were doing.• 2 May 2006 The government announced new fuel prices as from today. Theprice per litre of unleaded petrol and for LRP has gone up by 3c in each casewhile diesel has gone up by lc6 per litre. Kerosene now costs lc6 more whilelight heating oil costs 0c6 more. The price of thin fuel oil (200 degrees) pertonne has been cut by Lm2; thin fuel oil (450 degrees) per tonne has been cutby Lm3; and thin fuel oil (950 degrees) is now cheaper by Lm4.5 Thegovernment said the fluctuation in price depended on the price of oil on theinternational market as well as the exchange rate of the American dollar and

the Maltese lira.• 2 May 2006 The cost of a visa for visitors to the EU from non-member states willalmost double, the EU has announced. EU Justice Ministers decided to raisethe price of a Schengen visa from €35 to €60 from the beginning of next yearfor a stay of up to 90 days. Malta backed the proposal but will not beaffected immediately since the island does not yet form part of the Schengenzone. The 1985 Schengen Agreement is an agreement among Europeanstates which allows for common immigration policies and a border system.• 2 May 2006 Josef Bonnici, Malta's member of the European Court of Auditors(ECA), recently gave a presentation on the changes to be implemented bythe Court in the corning weeks, to the 25 members of the EuropeanCommission. Prof. Bonnici was recently given responsibility for the "statementof assurance", known technically as the DAS, issued every year by the Court.This represents the formal opinion of the ECA on the ED's accounts and on thelegality and regularity of the underlying transactions.• 2 May 2006 Last month was one of the driest Aprils in the past 84 years,according to the Meteorological Office of Malta International Airport. Sincerecords started being kept in 1922, only nine other Aprils have had less rainfallthan the 2.8 mm measured last month, which was 20 mm below average. Theheaviest downpour occurred on April 29 with just 1.6 mm of rain falling. Thewettest April since 1922 was that of 1994 when 118.4 mm of rain drenched theislands.• 2 May 2006 The Health Promotion Department has set up 130 mini billboardsabout smoking in public waiting areas. The billboards form part of the QuitAnd Win campaign being carried out by the Health Promotion Departmentwith the cooperation of Rhino Media. The campaign targets smokers, givingthem incentives to stop smoking including five prizes, among them a cruise.• 2 May 2006 The St Mary Fireworks Factory of Mqabba was declared overallwinner of the Malta International Fireworks Festival which was held over theweekend in Grand Harbour to commemorate the second anniversary ofMalta's accession to the European Union. Apart from netting the overalltrophy, the St Mary factory was also awarded the 'best original', 'bestchoreography', and 'best synchronisation to music' trophies.• 3 May 2006 A new organisation, the Journalists' Committee, which pledges tofight for journalists' rights and defend press freedoms, has just been formedwith 36 members hailing from the majority of Maltese media organisations. Thecommittee is made up of working journalists, editors, freelance writers andopinion makers who share the democratic ideals of the free press. They arepledging to campaign for a Freedom of Infonnation Act, a Whistleblower Act,an overhaul of the Press Act and libel laws. They also plan to hold a nationalseminar on Freedom of Information this year.• 3 May 2006 A total of 983 persons were reported to the Department of SocialSecurity as having had an accident at work between January and March thisyear, the National Statistics Office reported. Three accidents at work werefatal, according to the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA). Thenumber of workplace accidents increased by 59 (6.4%) over the same quarterlast year. Manufacturing accounted for 32.9% of the accidents, while otheraccident-prone sectors were construction (17.6%), the wholesale and retailtrade (8.4%) and transport, storage, and communications (8.2%).• 3 May 2006 The police Drug Squad between January and March this yearinvestigated 106 persons of whom 13 were aged under 18, Justice and HomeAffairs Minister Tonio Borg said in reply to a Parliamentary question. He said 23

persons were investigated with regard to drug trafficking and that during thesame period the police seized 993.7 grams of cocaine, 1.6kg of heroin, 30kgof cannabis resin, 132.5 tablets of ecstasy, two valium tablets, 68 DHC tabletsand 70.5 BZP tablets.• 3 May 2006 Fonner British Conservative Cabinet Minister Michael Portillo wasthe guest speaker at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' monthly staff informalexchange of views. This month's discussion focused on the importance of thetransatlantic relationship from a European Union perspective. The monthlyinformal exchange of views was chaired by Foreign Affairs Minister MichaelFrendo.• 3 May 2006 Malta has called on Israel to resume transfers of withheldPalestinian tax and customs revenues and for assistance by the internationalcommunity to provide practical assistance to meet the basic human needs ofthe Palestinian people. During a United Nations Seminar on Assistance to thePalestinian People held in Cairo last Wednesday, Richard Vella Laurenti,Malta's Ambassador to Egypt, said that impediments to movement ofPalestinian people need to be removed and access to facilities and to tradeneeds to be improved.• 3 May 2006 Five companies are currently conducting oil exploration studies inMaltese waters, Minister for Resources and Infrastructure Ninu Zammit said inParliament. No drilling is currently being made. The Minister was replying to aParliamentary question.• 3 May 2006 The Mediterranean Film Studios, in Kalkara, hosted one of theworld's top commercial directors, Antoine Bardou-Jacquet for the filming of acommercial for France's mobile phone network Orange.• 3 May 2006 Air Malta has doubled its scheduled services to Rome for summerwith two daily flights. Starting from only Lm58 return (excluding taxes andcharges), Air Malta clients have the opportunity to visit Rome with a directafternoon flight on weekdays departing at 4 p.rn. and arriving in Rome at 5.30p.m. The return flight to Malta departs Rome at 6.30 p.m. passes via ReggioCalabria and arrives in Malta at 9.05 p.rn.• 3 May 2006 The Malta Transport Authority has issued a call for tenders for theprovision of a Valletta electric minicab service with a maximum capacity offour persons. A spokesman for Urban Development and Roads MinisterJesmond Mugliett said the idea was to increase accessibility around Vallettafor shoppers and visitors and at the same time reduce emissions.• 3 May 2006 The Building Industry Consultative Council (BICC) launched anImpressions Aesthetics Design Handbook. The Minister for Resources andInfrastructure, Ninu Zammit, said the book is a clear message that the BICCwas interested in the aesthetic product as it was trying to stimulate both thesensitivity and imagination of those who were responsible for what we seearound us in the built environment, mainly architects and students ofarchitecture as well as developers.• 4 May 2006 The front door of MaltaToday editor Saviour Balzan's house wastorched by arsonists. Nobody was injured in the incident There has been aspate of arson attacks over the past weeks. On Tuesday, a boathouse inQawra and a car in Valletta were destroyed by fire. On Sunday, firemen werecalled in to put out a fire that engulfed a car in Cospicua and, last week,arsonists set a house ablaze after breaking in.• 4 May 2006 Malta has been given full marks for the way it upholds freedom ofexpression, according to the annual report of the international journalists'NGO, Reporters Without Borders. The NGO compiles an annual worldwide list

showing which powerful people are attacking journalists and media outlets. Inits section on Europe, the NGO said there appears to be no problems in Malta.The report specifically mentions some of the new EU member states, praisingthem for the progress achieved over the past year.• 4 May 2006 Malta has registered an increase in its unemployment figures forthe 12th consecutive month, according to new data published by theEuropean Union. Malta's unemployment levels last March stood at 8.1%,slightly up from February, but almost one percentage point higher than 12months earlier. According to Eurostat, the rise in the number of jobless in Maltaover the past 12 months was the highest, in relative terms, among the 25 EUmember states, rising from 7.2% in March 2005 to 8.1% in March this year.• 4 May 2006 The country's heightened commercial activity was causingbusinessmen to face logistical challenges and the need of more consumers -in terms of head count, rather than spending - to sustain the level of businessbeing generated, Edwin Vassallo, the Parliamentary Secretary for SmallBusiness and the Self-Employed, within the Competitiveness Ministry, said. MrVassallo was speaking on the findings of a report, entitled Il-Gvern vicin is-selfemployedu n-negozji zghar (The government close to the self-employed andsmall business), which lists the complaints made by small businesses and theself-employed, as well as the action that is being taken.• 4 May 2006 An agreement has been signed for the setting up of the Ta' QaliProducers Group, a new producers' organisation. George Pullicino, Minister forRural Affairs and the Environment, and Francis Agius, Parliamentary Secretaryfor Agriculture and Fisheries, presided over the signing of the agreementbetween the ministry and the newly-formed organisation. Producerorganisations are assisted by EU funds and given priority according to the EUCommon Agricultural Policy.• 4 May 2006 The European Commission unveiled proposals for the 2007 budget,which will now be submitted for the approval of the Council and theEuropean Parliament Budget Commissioner Dalia Grynbauskaite said theCommission is proposing an 11.5% increase in EU funding for competitivenessand a nearly 15% rise for growth and employment over last year. It isproposing a total expenditure of €126.8 billion for 2007, that is, an increase of4.6% increase in commitment appropriations when compared to 2006.• 4 May 2006 Heritage Malta has acquired a vast entomological collection forits Museum of Natural History at Vilhena Palace, in Mdina. The collection wasput together and presented to Heritage Malta by naturalist Guido Lanfranco.The collection of over 1,000 insect-species includes lepidoptera (butterfliesand moths), orthoptera (grasshoppers), odonata (dragonflies), hymenoptera(bees and wasps) and diptera (flies) - all collected on the Maltese Islands.• 5 May 2006 A partnership agreement was signed between the Maltesegovernment and the European Commission for the granting of funds forMalta's information campaign before the introduction of the euro in Malta in2008. The agreement was signed in Brussels between Prime Minister LawrenceGonzi and European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary AffairsJoachim Almunia. Dr Gonzi called the introduction of the euro the nextimportant step in Malta's economic development and said that thegovernment will be boosting its efforts to make sure it reaches the demandingeconomic criteria needed to be able to join the euro in 2008.• 5 May 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi inaugurated a new boys'secondary school in Kirkop that forms part of St Benedict's College. Thecollege incorporates a number of feeder primary schools in nearby towns and

villages. The project was part of the Education Ministry's programme to buildnew schools and to modernise all state schools, being implemented throughthe Foundation for Tomorrow's Schools.• 5 May 2006 The government has accepted an appeal by the UnionHaddiema Maghqudin to set up what will be known as the ConsultativeMeeting on EU Affairs (Comeu), which will fall under the responsibility ofForeign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo. The UHM said that Comeu will replacewhat was known as the Malta-EU Steering Action Committee (Meusac).• 5 May 2006 Dolores Cristina, Minister for the Family and Social Solidarity,officially inaugurated an exhibition marking the 50th anniversary of theenactment of the National Insurance Act and the National Assistance Act, atthe Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity, in Vanetta. Among other items,the exhibition shows newspaper headlines that appeared back in 1956.Various objects related to the field of social security, such as ledger books andstamps, are also on show as well as information regarding the history of socialsecurity.• 5 May 2006 The hike in international oil prices is making it difficult for the newEuropean Union member states to control inflation, hampering their efforts toconverge with the Maastricht criteria required to adopt the euro, CentralBank Governor Michael C. Bonello said. Addressing a seminar on theadoption of the euro organised jointly by the Central Bank of Malta and SUERF,the European Money and Finance Forum, Mr Bonello said the EU benchmarkwhich the 10 new members have to meet is influenced by countries that useless oil for their energy needs and which, therefore, have low inflation.• 6 May 2006 Almost 300 new cases of melanoma were reported over the 12-year period between 1993 and 2004, statistics compiled by the MalteseNational Cancer Registry show. In the same period, 59 people succumbed tomelanoma, which is the deadliest form of skin cancer. Lawrence Scerri, thehead of dermatology at Sir Paul Boffa Hospital, pointed out that the five-yearsurvival rate has increased, going up from 74% between 1993 and 1997 to 92%between 1998 and 2002.• 6 May 2006 The Foundation for Information Technology Accessibility (FIT A)and the Physically Handicapped Rehabilitation Fund (PHRF) entered into acollaboration agreement intended to support disabled persons in overcomingand removing barriers to education and employment through ICT.• 6 May 2006 Rural Affairs and the Environment Minister George Pullicino hasurged the Libyan government to agree to allow Maltese fishermen to useLibya's recently announced conservation zone. During a meeting in Libya withhis coumerpan Abu-Bakr Mabrouk al-Mansouri, Mr Pullicino explained that theconservation zone established by Libya was one traditionally used by Maltesefishermen.• 6 May 2006 A memorandum of understanding has been signed between theCroatian Chamber of Crafts and Trades (HOK) and the Maltese Chamber ofSmall and Medium Sized Enterprises - GRTU. The GRTU has been earmarked byHOK to assist it and its members in the pre- and post-accession process inconnection with EC accession. The agreement is for the two organisations toassist each other's members in making the best of EU membership. They willdecipher the best opportunities that exist and that can be availed of to themaximum benefit of the members of both organisations in Malta and Croatia.• 6 May 2006 Creating garden walks through Valletta and Floriana and turningthe city's ditch into a marine waterway are few of the interesting proposalsthat emerged from an academic project. International students reading fortheir Masters degree on landscape architecture at the Anhalt University of

Applied Science, in Bernburg, Gennany, chose to study Valletta. Theirproposals, consisting of 45 panels detailing landscapes and sketching, arebeing exhibited at the Museum of Archaeology, in Valletta.• 6 May 2006 Maltese public opinion is almost split in half as to whether thecountry is moving in the right direction. A scientific survey commissioned bythe European Union as part of its Eurobarometer series between February andMarch, shows that 37% of Maltese respondents think the country is moving inthe right direction and another 36% think the opposite. On the other hand,25% of respondents said they believed the situation in the country is neithergood nor bad and 2% did not have an opinion.• 6 May 2006 The Federation of Industry and the Tunisian Union of Industry,Commerce and Handicraft have signed an agreement to establish aMaltese-Tunisian Joint Business Council. The agreement was signed at theMinistry of Foreign Affairs, in Valletta, in the presence of Foreign Affairs MinisterMichael Frendo and Tunisian Ambassador Mohamed Mezgheani. The JointBusiness Council shall consist of six Maltese and six Tunisian members and willhave two branches, one in Malta and another in Tunis.• 7 May 2006 The European Union should explore the possibilities of forgingalliances with international networks, like the Commonwealth, as part of theapproach to address the illegal immigration problem, Prime Minister LawrenceGonzi said. Dr Gonzi was addressing a conference, 'Basic social values inEurope', organised by the European Centre for Workers' Questions and AZAD.Many of the illegal migrants who were trying to cross the Mediterranean intoEurope hailed from subSaharan countries, many of which were members ofthe Commonwealth.• 7 May 2006 Malta is deeply concerned at the planned exclusion of the Hornof Africa countries from the forthcoming EU-African conference (being held inRabat, Morocco, from July 10-11) on illegal immigration, the Minister of ForeignAffairs, Dr Michael Frendo, stated on Friday. The Minister was addressing theopening session in St Julian's of the 20th Anniversary Information and TrainingSeminar for Euro-Med Diplomats, co-organised by the University of Malta'sMediterranean Academy for Diplomatic Studies and the EuropeanCommission.• 7 May 2006 Confidence is running high among government officials and thepeople responsible for the Mater Dei Hospital as the project enters the"delicate" phase of installing the hospital's 24 operating theatres.Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Finance Tonio Fenech toured thecomplex along with Foundation for Medical Services officials and a group ofMEPs, EU Commission officials and union representatives from 15 EU memberstates.• 8 May 2006 Mellieha was described by President Edward Fenech-Adami as avibrant community that gives value to what makes us Maltese. During a visitthere, Dr Fenech Adami said the locality, through its voluntary work, hadcharacteristics that reflected the identity of the Maltese.• 8 May 2006 The World Conservation Union (IUCN) red list of threatenedspecies, published this month, includes the common dolphins and turtles ofthe Mediterranean among endangered species. Bicref, the Malta-basedBiological Conservation Research Foundation, said that besides the wellknown and studied species there were many others whose condition wasunknown. The foundation has been working towards promoting local

conservation research and action.• 9 May 2006 Malta's economy is expected to continue to show signs ofrecovery in the next two years, according to the European Commission, whichdescribed last year as a "rebound" year. In its detailed report issued twiceannually anaIysing the performance of the Maltese economy, theCommission said there are mixed signs of a recovery and it expects growth tocontinue in the forecast period up to 2007.• 9 May 2006 Over 8.5 million cigarettes have been seized at the Freeport byCustoms officials, from a container that was declared to be carrying householdgoods. A spokesman for the Customs Department said the cigarettes were in acontainer that was on its way from the Far East to North Africa. On the localmarket they would be worth some Lm 1.3 million to the government in exciseand VAT.• 9 May 2006 The 13th edition of Amitex, Air Malta's International TravelExhibition held at the end of last month at the Trade Fair grounds in Naxxar,attracted around 25,000 visitors. Thirty-seven local and 32 foreign exhibitorspresented travel opportunities for next summer to the public over four days.• 9 May 2006 Malta Enterprise is evaluating 13 proposed foreign investmentprojects with a potential employment capacity of 1,000 people andinvestment ofLm20 million, the outgoing chief executive of Malta Enterprise,Philip Micallef said in the agency's annual report. Eight of the projects will becompletely new and five are expansions.• 9 May 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said that the government wasconsidering ways how to help organisations which put up cultural activities,but not necessarily through VAT exemptions since this could open a loopholein the system. Dr Gonzi was replying to a question in Parliament.• 9 May 2006 There are 488 pending separation cases at the Family Court inMalta, including 44 presented since the beginning of this year, Justice andHome Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said. He said that in Gozo, there are 27pending cases of separation including three filed this year. The Minister wasreplying to a Parliamentary question.• 9 May 2006 Eighteen people died in traffic accidents last year and anotherthree in the first four months of this year, Justice and Home Affairs MinisterTonio Borg said. Replying to a Parliamentary question the Minister said that1,140 people were injured in traffic accidents throughout last year and 323between January and April this year.• 9 May 2006 A total of 34 hotels have closed down since 2001 and 16 wereopened, Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said. In reply toa Parliamentary question, Dr Zammit Dimech said that two of the hotels whichbad closed down were five-star, seven were four-star, 14 three-star, nine twostarand two were guest houses. Four of the newly opened hotels are five-star,seven four-star and five were three-star. The Minister also said that while thenumber of tourist beds in December 2001 was of 38,701, in May this year it was39,919.• 9 May 2006 Emissions' tests will ftom now on also be carried out by localwardens. If a vehicle is stopped, the local warden will run a test using a"smoke meter". The test result will be printed out and the owner of the vehiclewould either pay the fine at the local council office or wait to be summonedbefore a tribunal, in which case the printed test result would be submitted asproof.• 10 May 2006 Addressing the Malta Cafe d'Europe, hosted by Austrian

Ambassador Elisabeth Kehrer, Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo said itwas a "celebration of the diversity that makes up the EU, which was not amelting pot, where cultures had to fuse together". The cultural event Cafed'Europe, organised on the occasion of Europe Day was held at CaffeCordina.• 10 May 2006 The Environment Committee of the European Parliament hassupported an amendment to a proposed EU directive which will make Maltaeligible for assistance in case of flooding. The initial document proposing aidfor flood-hit regions had only referred to flooding caused by overflowing rivers- something very common on the continent but not relevant to Malta. A newdefinition proposed by Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil, stating that heavyrainfall must also be considered as a cause of flooding, got the green lightfrom the committee to make Malta eligible for funds.• 10 May 2006 A total of 804 thefts were reported in February, 777 in March and749 last month, information given in Parliament shows. As in previous months,the highest amount of thefts - 250 in February, 231 in March and 261 lastmonth - were thefts from cars. There were 73 house burglaries in February, 78in March and 85 last month. The information was given by Justice and HomeAffairs Minister Tonio Borg in reply to a Parliamentary question.• 10 May 2006 Savings by the Maltese increased in real tenns last year but theydeclined as a proportion to the Gross Domestic Product. Central Bankgovernor Michael C Bonello told the House Public Accounts Committee. MrBonello, who was expounding on the bank's monetary policy, said that therewas a new savings culture in Malta with a shift ftom bank deposits to otherforms of wealth management, like pension funds.• 10 May 2006 Airmalta, the national airline once again placed first among 25airlines for putting luggage on the same aircraft as their owners, a survey bythe Association of European Airlines has shown. The survey, which covers theperiod January to March, shows that just 4.1 bags go missing per 1,000 of AirMalta's passengers, in stark contrast to some of the established airlines. This isan improvement over the figure of 4.8 mislaid in the previous quarter.• 10 May 2006 Over the past two weeks Fort Campbell, the last fort to be builtby the British in Malta in the late 1930s, has again been occupied by Britishsoldiers who joined a Maltese platoon for intensive training for peacekeepingduties. "It was a fantastic opportunity for my soldiers to be in Malta to train withMaltese soldiers," Lt Colonel Wood said when Parliamentary Secretary withinthe Office of the Prime Minister Tony Abela visited the troops.• 11 May 2006 The European Union lacks a mechanism offering solidarity toalleviate irregular migration burdens placed on peripheral countries, FinnishPrime Minister Matti Vanhanen said, promising Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzito tackle the issue during his term as EU president. Dr Gonzi, accompanied byMinister for Foreign Affairs, Michael Frendo was in Finland for a visit. During ajoint press conference, Dr Gonzi said "Malta strongly believes Europe needs tohave a constructive and positive policy on how to address the challenge ofimmigration, especially the influx from North Africa".• 11 May 2006 A delegation from the European Parliament's PetitionsCommittee started a three-day visit in Malta during which it will take stock ofthe hunting situation. Led by committee chairman Marcin Libicki, thedelegation met with senior officials from the Environment Ministry, MPs, theOmbudsman and NGO representatives.

• 11 May 2006 The value of total imports in March reached Lm110.4 million,which represents an increase of Lm8.8 million when compared to March 2005,the National Statistics Office said. The importation of industrial suppliesincreased by Lm2.6 million in value to Lm52.1 million while the value of importsof capital goods went up by Lm5.1 million to Lm23.2 million. A rise of Lm2million was registered in the value of imports of consumer goods while fuelimports dropped by Lm0.9 million to Lm4.8 million.• 11 May 2006 The police last year spent Lm319,082 on duties with illegalimmigrants, apart from salaries, Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borgsaid. He said the police spent Lm75,307 on repatriation costs, Lm199,302 onfood, Lm7,582 on maintenance, Lm13,008 on cleaning materials and Lm23,883on other items such as phone cards. The Minister was replying to questions inParliament. Dr Borg also said that damage to the detention centres cost thepolice Lm2,753.• 11 May 2006 Marc Muscat has been appointed CEO of the Water ServicesCorporation. Mr Muscat graduated in mechanical engineering from theUniversity of Malta in 1980 and has worked as a project engineer in variousMiddle East countries on projects varying from conference centres to airportsand hospitals. He settled in Malta in 1987 and since then has occupied varioussenior management posts. He has served as a council member of the MaltaEmployers' Association• 11 May 2006 The Malta Tourism Authority launched the European Social Fund'sTourism and Support Services Training Programme. The main aim of theprogramme is to provide high-level training to workers in the tourism sector.The cost of the project is 400,000 euros, three fourths of which will be providedby the European Union. The programme is to be administered for the TourismMinistry and the Malta Tourism Authority by a consortium made up of MISCOInternational, Optimum Results Ireland and JP Advertising.• 12 May 2006 Plans are in hand for De La Rue to open its second factory here,this time to manufacture electronic passports. The £3.5 million (Lm2.2 million)investment is expected to take place in the Bulebel industrial estate, and willstart operating in the beginning of next year, the government said last night.Minister for Investment, Industry and Information Technology Austin Gatt saidthe investment confirmed that the government was right in pursuing itsstrategy of focusing on specialised sectors.• 12 May 2006 An embellished St Leonard Square and church parvis at Kirkopwere inaugurated by Resources and Infrastructure Minister Ninu Zammit. Theworks, carried out by government workers, cost a total of Lm35,000. Part ofmoney was paid by the Kirkop local council. Mr Zammit said similar projectswere carried out at Mellieha and Safi while other projects are in hand at Lijaand Birzebbuga.• 12 May 2006 Mermaid Media Entertainment Ltd launched the first edition ofthe Malta Television Awards, created to honour outstanding Maltese creativity,talent and achievement in the field of television. Tourism and Culture MinisterFrancis Zammit Dimech, under whose auspices the awards are being held,said that as Minister responsible for broadcasting policy and the funding givento programmes under the extended public service obligation, he supportedinitiatives which recognised the abilities of the Maltese in the television sector.• 12 May 2006 A rehabilitated recreational area at the National Park in Ta' Qaliwas inaugurated by Environment and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino.

The area, about 14,000 square metres of previously neglected land, is split ontwo levels. At least 1.2 kilometres of low rubble walls were constructed for thelandscaping of the area, which also includes a platform featuring theEuropean Union flag on which a timber gazebo has been mounted withinterpretation panels illustrating the national tree of each member state.• 12 May 2006 As from Tuesday all the European institutions' sites startedoperating under the ".eu" top level domain and all the institutions' intemetaddresses changed to the "eu" suffix. The main EU source of information on thenet. EUROPA.eu has now become the single intemet "brand" and the singleonline entry point to all the EU institutions and agencies. The institutions' current".eu.int" addresses will continue to be accessible for a transitional period of atleast one year. The change will also effect European Commission e-mailaddresses.• 12 May 2006 Members of a newly formed pressure group, Flimkien ghatAmbjent Ahjar (together for a better environment), have presented a numberof MPs, including the Prime Minister, with their proposals on reform of the MaltaEnvironment and Planning Authority. The proposals have also been submittedto the European Commission. FAA describes itself as a non-political pressuregroup made up of citizens concerned about the threat to Malta's heritageand environment being caused by business speculators.• 12 May 2006 A number of illegal immigrants in Malta whose asylumapplications have already been turned down will soon be flown back to theircountries through joint EU flights financed by the European Commission. Threeprojects involving Malta have just been selected by the European Commissionto qualify for EU funds under the Financial Instrument for Return Managementin the area of migration.• 12 May 2006 The new Slovak Ambassador to Malta, Stanislav Vallo, presentedhis credentials and pledged to try and inject new life into the almost donnanteconomic relationship between the two countries. Business and tradebetween Malta and Slovakia is poor. Just 0.01% of Slovakia's trade volume isdone with Malta. The island doesn't fIgure in the list of 53 countries which haveinvested more than €1 million each in Slovakia. Just 100 to 150 Maltese visitSlovakia every year, statistics the ambassador deems "alarming".• 12 May 2006 The internet, cable, digital as well as fixed telephone subscriptionindex increased at the end of March this year over the previous month but theindex for mobile subscription dropped. The National Statistics Office saidinternet subscription rose from 89,336 to 89,498. The rate of internetsubscriptions per 100 persons reached 22.1. Narrowband and broadbandsubscriptions were recorded at 46,961 and 42,537 respectively.• 13 May 2006 The government is planning to set up offshore wind farms in a bidto reduce Malta's dependency on oil for electricity generation, Prime MinisterLawrence Gonzi announced. Addressing a press conference towards the endof a European Union-Latin America summit in Vienna, which wasovershadowed by problems related to world energy resources, Dr Gonzi said ithad clearly emerged that energy has become "the headache of the world"as countries across continents expressed concern at unprecedented oil pricehikes.• 13 May 2006 Malta will be receiving €6 million from the EU's European RegionalDevelopment Fund to install equipment at Malta's reverse osmosis plantsdesigned to improve the quality of water. Investment, Industry andInformation Technology Minister Austin Gatt said the new equipment willincrease water production from 70,000 to 97,000 cubic metres daily whileenergy consumption will be reduced by 20%. The quality of desalinated waterwill be enhanced by 40% he said

• 13 May 2006 Europe Direct Info Relay, a free service co-funded by theEuropean Commission, has signed collaboration agreements with a numberof local entities, including local councils. The aim of the agreements is toenable citizens to obtain information, advice, assistance and answers toquestions on the Union's legislation, policies, programmes and fundingopportunities; to give them an opportunity to provide feedback for theinstitutions; and to allow the European Commission to improve thedissemination of accurate information tailored to local needs.• 13 May 2006 The government published a Bill to amend the Constitution sothat Gozo may not be divided when electoral districts are drawn up.Ghajnsielem was hived off the island last year and placed with the 12th districtafter the sister island's population exceeded the electoral quota by more than5%. The new Bill provides, however, that Gozo and the islands of the Maltesearchipelago other than Malta itself shall together be treated as one electoraldivision and may not be divided between two or more electoral divisions.• 13 May 2006 The Housing Authority has reviewed its grant for the constructionand/or completion of a first home to also include property that was builtbefore 1990. Authority chairman Marisa Micallef said that before thisamendment was introduced, the scheme basically assisted first-time buyerswho had either bought brand new property or one built prior to 1960.• 13 May 2006 The Minister for the Family and Social Solidarity Dolores Cristinahas firmly supported the government's commitment to exempt families indifficult financial situations from the electricity surcharge. The Finance Ministryand the Social Solidarity Ministry carried out an extensive impact assessmenton various sectors of society who may be negatively hit by the electricitysurcharge.• 13 May 2006 The AX Foundation, an AX Holdings-supported autonomous, nonprofitorganisation that will operate in the voluntary sector, was recentlylaunched at Palazzo Capua in Sliema. The foundation will work to ease theeffects of poverty and social, mental and physical hardship.• 13 May 2006 Malta Enterprise Corporation has appointed former PlanningAuthority chairman and Viset chief executive officer Chris Falzon as its newCEO, starting on July 17. Mr Falzon will be replacing Philip Micallef who will beleaving at the end of June to take up his new position as CEO of Melita Cable.Mr Micallef has been leading the organisation for over two years and wasinstrumental in fusing together into Malta Enterprise three previousorganisations, Malta Development Corp, Malta External Trade Corp and theInstitute for the Promotion of Small Enterprises.• 13 May 2006 Tenderers who feel that a public contract may have beenawarded unfairly, whether at government or local council level, may soonhave a new tool to defend their rights as a result of a new proposal tabled bythe European Commission. The new directive, amending the currentRemedies Directive, would require public authorities to wait for a certainnumber of days, being called a "standstill period", before concluding a publiccontract following the announcement of its award.• 13 May 2006 Malta, with six marriages per 1,000 inhabitants, has one of thehighest marriage rates in the EU, according to figures published on theoccasion of the United Nation's International Day of Families, which takesplace every year on May IS. Only Cyprus (7.2 marriages per 1,000) andDenmark (seven) have higher rates while Greece (4.2), Belgium (4.1) andSlovenia (3.3) have the lowest.• 14 May 2006 Arsonists struck at the home of newspaper columnist DaphneCaruana Galizia early morning, as they set ablaze tyres piled up against a

ack door in an attack she described as "part of a systematic attempt atcreating a reign of terror" by a fascist group. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonziwas quick to condemn "these acts of intimidation", in the name of thegovernment and the people, especially, he said, if they were instigated byracist attitudes.• 14 May 2006 Malta has been accepted as a full member of the ParisMemorandum of Understanding on port state control, which means the Maltaflag has been included in the MoU's white list. Competitiveness andCommunications Minister Censu Galea made the announcement describingthe news as a "significant achievement for maritime Malta" and a means toenhance its reputation.• 14 May 2006 Education, promotion and innovation are the new MaltaPsychiatric Association's goals, which aim to establish the role of psychiatricnurses and assert their professional identity within society. Launched duringMental Health Week - last week - the organisation said it will not concern itselfwith financial or political issues unless they affect the profession of psychiatricnursing. It added that psychiatric nurses have many roles within their careers,including assessment, education, care planning, health promotion, therapyand community care.• 15 May 2006 The Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity said technologycan be both supportive but also disruptive, as can be seen from the use, forexample, of mobile phones. The mobile phone has proven to be a toolthrough which many parents keep regular contact with their children,therefore, for example, feeling more at ease as to their whereabouts, theMinistry said in a statement to mark International Family Day.• 15 May 2006 Journalists and media people reaffirmed their fundamental rightto freedom of expression in the face of the recent arson attacks whilepresenting the Prime Minister with a petition calling on the authorities to givepriority to the matter before it precipitates further. The petition, signed byabout 60 people from the local press, comes in the wake of the latest arsonattacks on the residence of columnist Daphne Caruana Galizia and MaltaToday editor Saviour Balzan.• 15 May 2006 Students of Malta's philatelic history will find it easier to carry outresearch following the presentation by Maltapost of two Malta stampcollections to the National Library, in Valletta. The second album is earmarkedfor the Gozo Public Library.• 15 May 2006 The European Commission suggested that the time is not yet ripeto re-launch the debate on the EU Constitution and suggested that anotheryear at least should pass before any bold action is taken. EuropeanCommission President Jose Manuel Barroso said in a press conference inBrussels the Commission is proposing that the June European Council shouldendorse a step-by-step approach, with the eventual adoption - as a first step -of a new political declaration in next year by all EU leaders on the occasion ofthe 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome.•15 May 2006 Business and citizens in Malta seem to be satisfied with the wayEU laws are being applied by the authorities. According to the latest annnalSolvit performance report, last year only four cases were submitted to theMaltese branch of the EU problem-solving network. Malta has a very low caseload wben compared to its size and to the other member slates of the EU.Solvit is an online problem-solving network in wbich EU member states worktogether to solve - without legal proceedings - problems caused by themisapplication of EU Internal Market law by public authorities.

• 16 May 2006 The Cabinet gave the go-ahead for the government to sell its60% stake in Maltacom to Tecom Investments of Dubai, the company behindthe SmartCity@Malta project, in a €220 million (Lm94.4 million or Lm1.55 pershare) deal. Minister for Industry, Investment and Information TechnotogyAustin Gatt during a press conference that Tecom has agreed to investaround Lm30 million in new state-of-the-art technology for Maltacom in thefirst three years.• 16 May 2006 The Journalists Committe has welcomed declarations by PrimeMinister Lawrence Gonzi and Leader of the Opposition, Alfred Sant,condemning the recent attacks on a journalist, an editor, Jesuits and otherswho work for the welfare of irregnlar immigrants. Dr Gonzi had pledged thecommitment of the forces of law and order to find the culprits while Dr Santcondemned the attacks without reservation.• 16 May 2006 Malta is one of only four EU member states that are still not fullycompliant with the Emissions Trading Scheme that promotes the reduclion ofgreenhouse gas emissions at the least cost to the economy. For the first timeBrussels released the 2005 carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions data andcompliance status of more than 9,400 installations in the 25 member statescovered by the scheme. Data related to Malta, however, was not includedbecause its emission allowance register is not yet operational, according tothe Commission.• 16 May 2006 Malta’s Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo urged the EU notto lose focus on the constitutional treaty. Intervening during a meeting of EUForeign Ministers in Brussels, Dr Frendo called on EU leaders to be "sharp andcrisp" when they discuss the next steps to be taken on the issue at their summitnext month "The upcoming debate and consequent declaration should beseen as part of the process of the debate on the Constitutional Treaty and nota substitute for it. It is not a standalone," the Minister stressed.• 16 May 2006 The European Commissioo welcomed a recent notification bythe Maltese government that it has accepted to gradually abolish the currentaid schemes providing selective fiscal advantages to International TradingCompanies (ITC) and Companies with foreign income (CFI). In a statementissued in Brussels, the Commission said Malta’s acceptance renders theabolition of the schemes legally binding and will put an end to these longlastingpreferential regimes.• 16 May 2006The Malta Enviromnent and Planning Authority has issued forpublic consultation the document that deals with rationalising developmentzone boundaries. This exercise follows a Cabinet decision to addressanomalies while channelling urban development around existingdevelopment areas and minimising the take-up of additional land.• 16 May 2006 Prospective surgeons and other medical professionals andstudents are being given the chance to further their training online. Ascheme launched by the Association ofSurgeons will enable doctors to study three modules of their basic surgicaltraining through the internet. Medical School dean Godfrey Laferla explainedthat normally, it takes doctors six years to specialise in surgery, usuallyspending this time in a UK hospital. Through the various programmes beinglaunched, the time doctors need to spend abroad will be cut to one or twoyears, depending on the area specialisation.• 16 May 2006 Minister for Health, the Elderly and Commnnity Care LouisDegnara told Parliament that the government was commilled to remedyproblems of rising medicine costs and shortages. He insisted that Malta hadhad no choice but to introduce the registration of medicines as part of tbe EUmembership process, but this he said, was clearly not the cause of shortages

•and rising costs. Dr Deguara was replying to remarks during the debate on aBill to amend consumer protection laws.17 May 2006 Three French firms in the aviation, pharmaceutical andimport/export sectors are to set up shop in Malta in the coming months, PrimeMinister Lawrence Gonzi said. Addressing the media at the Maltese embassyin Paris where he is on a two-day visit, Dr Gonzi said Malta stood at thecrossroads between Europe and North Africa apart from the otheradvantages, among them the efficiency and flexibility of Maltese workers.• 17 May 2006 A new report for London-based Mediterranean Oil & Gas hasconfirmed oil exploration prospects in three areas within block 7 south ofMalta and identified more potential in other acreage held by the company,raising the estimated standard stock tank oil initially in place (STOIIP) to 3.29billion barrels.• 17 May 2006 The government would not like to see a delisting of Maltacom oroffers by Tecom to buy the shares held by the minority shareholders, Ministerfor Investment, Industry and Information Technology Austin Gatt said. Replyingto a Parliamentary question, Dr Gatt said the agreement for Tecom to buy thegovernment's 60% stake in Maltacom, provided that no delisting could takeplace in the coming three years. He said Tecom had immediately agreed tothis condition, even though it put it at a disadvantage in the context of theEU's takeover code, due to come into force in the near future.• 17 May 2006 No foreign government has made formal representations to theMaltese government over the use of Malta Freeport by the Iranian ShippingLine (IRISL), but the matter was mentioned in meetings with officials fromforeign countries, Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo said in reply to aParliamentary question. He added that Malta's position was that the use ofthe freeport by IRISL was a commercial activity like any other similar shippinglines. The Maltese authorities were committed to countering any abuse incargo shipping, irrespective of the shipping line which would have carried thecargo.• 17 May 2006 The police Drug Squad last year arraigned 333 persons to facedrug possession charges while 93 were accused of drug trafficking, Justiceand Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said. Their age ranged from 15 to 59.Thirty-eight were foreigners. The Minister said in reply to a Parliamentaryquestion that between January and April this year 144 persons were arraignedon drug-related cases.• 18 May 2006 Malta and France have agreed to step up efforts to collaboratefurther in maritime security with emphasis on combating oil pollution, the PrimeMinister said. Dr Gonzi said this while addressing the media after a 45-minutemeeting with French President Jacques Chirac at the Elysee Palace in Paris.The maritime sector was one of the main topics discussed at the meetingwhich climaxed a two-day working visit to the French capital by Dr Gonzi.Discussions also centred on the European Constitution and illegal migration.• 18 May 2006 With reference to a statement in The Times by Tecom's deputyCEO that he did not think the Dubai-based company would have done onedeal without the other since they brought a number of synergies to oneanother, Minister for Investment, Industry and Information Technology, MinisterAustin Gatt said: "They probably tied both things (together); we didn't tie them.And I made a clear statement at the start, with the negotiators that there is noway we would tie these things together. We can't help it if that's what theyhad in mind".• 18 May 2006 Solutions that would address the immigration phenomenonshould be drawn up through sincere dialogue built on respect for the truth,

Archbishop Joseph Mercieca, Gozo Bishop Mario Grech, Bishop Emeritus NikolCauchi and Auxiliary Bishop Annetto Depasquale said in a statement. Suchsolutions had to embrace the acceptance of basic human rights, humanequality, freedom and dignity and also a commitment toward thesafeguarding of human values for those who are victims of persecution,injustice, oppression and exploitation, they said.• 18 May 2006 Twelve soldiers were injured last year during incidents involvingirregular immigrants, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said in a written reply to aParliamentary question. In a supplementary question, it was asked what stepshad been taken against the people who caused the incidents. ParliamentarySecretary within the Office of the Prime Minister, Tony Abela said as far as heknew disciplinary measures, such as solitary confinement for some days, weretaken, but one had to understand that this was not an easy situation foranyone.• 18 May 2006 Air Malta launched a voluntary redundancy scheme for itsemployees. The scheme follows extensive consultations and negotiations withthe four unions representing Air Malta's employees: the Airline Pilots'Association (Malta), the Association of Airline Engineers, the General Workers'Union and the Union of Cabin Crew. The redundancy scheme will run for fourmonths and is open to employees having a minimum of seven yearspermanent employment with the airline. Eligible employees can choosebetween two schemes.• 18 May 2006 The European Parliament gave its final approval to theEuropean Union's budget for the period 2007-2013. During a vote in Strasbourg,the ED's financial perspectives were approved by 440 votes in favour, 110against and 35 abstentions. All Maltese MEPs voted in favour. A deal wasoriginally reached between member states on the financial perspectives atlast December's summit under the UK presidency. However, MEPs were not infavour of the deal and asked for additional funds. Tough negotiationsbetween the European Council and Parliament resulted in an additionalallocation of €4 billion spread over the seven-year period.• 18 May 2006 European Union membership has placed Malta's resourcesunder great pressure in the past two years, even though the country islearning how to lobby for its interests and influence decisions in Brussels,Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo said. Addressing a seminar held by theGeneral Workers' Union's Reggie Miller Foundation, Dr Frendo said Malta wasnot simply sitting and listening but actively influencing decisions whichaffected it.• 18 May 2006 The future of health care and long-term care was put under thespotlight when various stakeholders got together at a national conference.Policy makers, health professionals and nongovernmental organisations wereamong those pooling their resources to formulate a national action plan. Thenational action plan, a first for Malta's health sector, aims to build a strategycovering the period 2006 to 2008, focusing on quality, accessibility andsustainability. The initiative is part of the ED's effort to try and attain the LisbonStrategy goals of a more dynamic and competitive European economy withgreater social cohesion.• 18 May 2006 The number of Maltese going abroad in the first three months ofthis year fell by more than 10% from the same period last year, statistics issuedby the National Statistics Office show. Between January and March 2005 atotal of 47,030 passengers left Malta by air or sea, with the figure going downby just under 5,000 to 42,213 in the first quarter of this year. The vast majority ofpassengers - 77.3% - travelled to EU destinations, with almost 30% of thosegoing to the UK followed by Italy with 24%.

• 19 May 2006 A draft Bill proposing amendments to the Criminal Code aims tomake crimes of a racial nature subject to harsher penalties. The Bill defines theterm racial as including not just colour or creed but also crimes committedagainst a person assisting others of different beliefs. Speaking at a pressconference, Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg explained that if, forexample, a case of arson is committed against someone assisting immigrantsand it is proved that the attack was motivated by racism, the punishmentwould be harsher than a mere case of arson.• 19 May 2006 Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg and US AmbassadorMolly Bordonaro signed a treaty for reciprocal legal assistance in criminalmatters as well as an extradition treaty. Dr Borg said the two countries alreadyhad an extradition treaty but this had been signed over 70 years ago and itwas time to revise it, even in view of developments in organised crime.• 19 May 2006 Although the Maltese are not the most taxed citizens in theEuropean Union they have experienced substantial tax increases over thepast decade. According to a study published by Eurostat, the EU's statisticalarm, Malta registered the highest increase in the overall tax burden amongthe 25 EU member states between 1995 and 2004 - 7.6% of GDP. This stemsfrom an increase in the VAT receipts resulting from a decrease in the range ofgoods exempted or taxed at lower rates, increases in personal income taxand consumption taxes arising from the broadening of the base, efforts toimprove efficiency in collection and the tax on the capital gains generatedthrough the privatisation of Malta International Airport, " Eurostat said.• 19 May 2006 Malta has achieved substantial progress in boosting the numberof young people in education over the last five years, according to aEuropean Commission report. The country has managed to cut its number ofearly schoolleavers by almost 10%, from 54.2% in 2000 to 44.5% last year. It hasalso registered one of the highest increases in the EU in the number of 22-yearoldswho continue studying after compulsory education, from 40.9% in 2000 to45% last year.• 19 May 2006A group of Maltese girls ftom St Dorothy's School, in Zebbug,placed third among over 2,000 teams in a competition organised by theEuropean Commission on The EU And The Rights Of The Child. The girls werepresented with their award in Brussels at a ceremony attended by EuropeanCommission Vice President Franco Frattini. Malta's Pennanent Representativeto the ED, Richard Cachia Caruana, was among the guests.• 20 May 2006 A group of illegal immigrants were rescued by the Armed Forcesof Malta. An Islander spotter plane was dispatched to the area to monitor thesituation. Patrol boat P51 was ordered to proceed to 80 nautical miles south ofMalta to rescue the migrants. It arrived on the scene at 5.50 p.m. when themigrants were transferred aboard from the dinghy. The patrol boat thenstarted its trip back to Malta.• 20 May 2006 Tecom Investments made sweeping changes to the Maltacomboard of directors retaining chairman Sonny Portelli - as the island's telecomscompany announced that pre-tax profits have risen by a third. In a statementissued after Maltacom's annual general meeting, the Dubai-based majorityshareholder appointed two US nationals, a Frenchman and an Indian to theboard. The four government-appointed directors on the eight-man board -the other three are elected by the shareholders - officially tendered theirresignation at the conclusion of Maltacom's AGM.• 20 May 2006 The inflation rate last month stood at 3%, the National StatisticsOffice said. The Retail Prices Index went up by 1.16% last month to 110.32 from109.05 in March. The food items index increased by 0.49% to 107.42 from

106.90 in March as a result of average price increases in respect of beef/porkmeat, frozen meat, prepared and processed meat, cheese, refined oils,unprocessed potatoes and vegetables. Price reductions were registered forfresh fish and fresh fruits.• 20 May 2006The Malta Tourism Authority is embarking on its first ever MysteryGuest Exercise - a market research project aimed at evaluating tourists'experiences to identify the gaps and the needs in the industry and improvequality. The authority is spending Lrn20,000 to contract a professional mysteryguest company that can provide 20 "professional tourists" to take a two-daytrip to Malta in the summer to assess not just the hotels, but also their overallexperience here, starting from their departure flight until they board theaircraft to leave the island.• 20 May 2006 Total expenditure on social security benefits during the firstquarter of this year increased by Lm3.7 million or 6.7% over the first quarter oflast year, amounting to Lm59.1 million, the National Statistics Office said. Thisrise was made up of an increase of Lm3.4 million in the contributory benefitscategory and an increase of Lm300,000 in the non-contributory benefitscategory. The contributory benefits during the first quarter increased by 8.4%over the same period last year, to amount to Lm44.2 million.• 20 May 2006 The Central Bank made it clear that the lira remained the onlylegal tender currency in Malta and would remain so until the euro wasadopted. "Until that time the euro is to be treated as a foreign currency likeany other," the Bank said. "It should also be kept in mind that the introductionof dual display of prices in euro and Maltese liri does not, in any way, implythat the euro has thereby obtained legal tender status in Malta. "Neither doesit mean that the public is being encouraged to effect transactions in eurosrather than in Maltese liri, or to convert Maltese liri into euros ahead of theeuro adoption.• 21 May 2006 Malta has the right and effective structures to fight the threatsassociated with the far right, according to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi.Clearly disconcerted by the recent spate of arson attacks. Dr Gonzi said hehad full confidence in the police to bring to justice those responsible for theattacks. which many believe are related to issues of racism and illegalmigration. During a news conference at the Auberge de Castille, the PrimeMinister made a detailed, optimistic review of the government’s third year inoffice.• 21 May 2006 The government is prepared to take decisive steps to bring downthe cost of medicines in one of a series of measures to curb inflation,Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of Finance Tonio Fenech said. MrFenech said the price of medicine was unacceptably high because importerswere only bringing in the more expensive branded medicine to increase profitmargins.• 21 May 2006 The Ministry for Industry, Investment and Information Technologyreiterated that the government had received a fair price for its shareholding inMaltacom. It released a letter by international consultants Lehman Brothers toback its claims. The Lehman Brothers' advice was that the offer by Tecominvestments, which at the time was for €213 million, was "the best one couldget". In the final round of talks, the offer was raised by €7 million to €220 million.• 21 May 2006 During a ceremony held in the House of Representatives at thePalace, to mark the centenary of the first sitting of the Russian Parliament, theDuma, the Russian charge d'affaires, Sergei Koslov, read a message from thepresent chairman of the Russian State Duma, Boris Gryslov. The Speaker, MrAnton Tabone, in a short address referred to the diplomatic, cultural andhistorical relations between Malta and the Russian Federation over many

years, and to the several agreements reached and signed between the twocountries.• 22 May 2006 The Prime Minister argued that the adoption of the euro wouldbe a positive certificate for the government. Dr Gonzi, during an interview ona local radio station said that adopting the euro would mean Malta hadbecome more competitive. It would also mean Malta was part of a regionthat observed rules that ensured currency stability. The Prime Minister alsounderlined economic performance, saying GDP growth last year was 2.5%and 4,000 new jobs were created. He said government policies would yieldgreater job opportunities in Gozo. At meetings in Paris last week, Frenchinvestors had shown real interest in Malta owing to its stability and EUmembership, Dr Gonzi said.• 22 May 2006 The Maltese government said it welcomed the formation of aconstitutionally-elected government of national unity in Iraq and conveyed itsbest wishes for success. "This important milestone represents a new opportunityin the process of the political and economic reconstruction of Iraq, to thestabilisation of the country, and to the promotion of reconciliation throughinclusive policies, to the benefit of all Iraqi citizens" the Foreign Affairs Ministrysaid• 22 May 2006 A group of 23 illegal immigrants, including one woman, wasbrought to Malta on an army patrol boat, the second group to be landed inless than 48 hours. The group, thought to consist mostly of Eritreans, wasspotted in a boat 59 miles south of Malta in the morning. A group of 45immigrants, mostly Ethiopians, were brought in on Friday night after theRescue Coordinating Centre in Rome informed the Armed Forces of Maltathey had been spotted on a rubber dinghy some 80 nautical miles south ofMalta.• 22 May 2006 The number of foreigners residing in Malta has almost doubled inthe past 15 years according to statistics issued by Eurostat, the ED's statisticalarm. In 2004, the number of foreigners residing in Malta amounted to almost3% of the population (2.8%). The statistics show that this is almost twice theamount of foreign residents in 1990 when the percentage was only 1.6. Thebiggest group of non-Maltese living on the island in 2004 was composed ofBritons. The percentage of foreigners living in Malta is still lower than theaverage in the EU which currently stands at 5.5%.• 22 May 2006 The police are investigating another case of arson after anunknown person or persons threw flammable liquid at the door of a privateresidence in Triq San Tumas, Fgura, on Saturday night. The fire wasextinguished by the house owner himself and no one was hurt. The incident isthe latest in a series. The police have arraigned two suspects in the case of anattack on the Qormi mayor's residence in January and another last week on agarage in Birkirkara.•22 May 2006 Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna (FWA) held an open day at Fort Rinelladuring which the fortress's l00-ton gun was fired. Guided tours and historical reenactmentsgave the many people who turned up an insight into the daily lifeof the Victorian garrison. The activities included the firing of period artillery,musketry drill, bayonet practice, military signalling and defence displays.• 23 May 2006 Dolores Cristina, Minister for the Family and Social Solidarity, plansto take effective action to ensure convicted paedophiles do not come intocontact with children. Stopping short of specifying what measures she had inmind, she said convicted paedophiles should not be given a second chanceto come in contact with children. "From a humane point of view I would sayeveryone deserves a second chance but in such cases I would not wantchildren to be at risk," she said.

• 23 May 2006 A national drugs policy is being prepared by the NationalCommission on the Abuse of Drugs, Alcohol and other Dependencies andshould be ftnalised in the coming months, Family and Social Solidarity MinisterDolores Cristina said. This will be followed by a policy on alcohol, which is likelyto be in hand next year.• 23 May 2006 As from the 22 nd May Malta started featuring on CNNInternational, the world's number one news station, in three 30-second advertsas part of the Malta Tourism Authority's international publicity campaign. Thetheme chosen for the campaign, I Am Malta, emphasises what is consideredto be the most important aspect of the tourism industry - the people, saidTourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech.• 23 May 2006 The European Commission believes Malta is not yet in a positionto impose the negotiated "safeguard clause" to block imported agriculturalproducts from entering the local market. This was declared by AgricultureCommissioner Mariann Fisher Boel in reply to questions by Labour MEP JosephMuscat in the European Parliament. Farmers and the agricultural lobby inMalta have long been pressing the government to intervene with the ED infavour of implementing the safeguard clause to protect local produce. Thegovernment's stand to resist such claims has now been justifted by theEuropean Commission.• 23 May 2006 The Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) is making a bidto find jobs for the long-term unemployed as soon as possible. It said it wasinterviewing clients who have been registering continuously for a year or moreand would then offer them relevant and useful training courses with a view toreintegrating them in the labour market. The interviews are compulsory - thosewho fail to attend without a justifted reason will be struck off theunemployment register, the ETC said.• 23 May 2006 There are nine persons who have Aids, according to informationheld by the Health Department. The disease has caused the death of 53people since 1986, Minister for Health, Elderly and Community Care LouisDeguarn said in reply to a Parliamentary question. He said that up to January27,2004,39 HIV cases had been reported.• 23 May 2006 The amount of waste dumped in sites managed by WasteServdeclined by just over one million tons last year when compared to 2004,ftgures given in Parliament show. WasteServ manages Maghtab, Qortin, Sant'Antnin and a number of sites for building debris. Dumping in those sitesreached 2.52 million tonnes in 2004 and 1.49 million tonnes last year. Thebiggest difference was in the dumping of building debris in the approved sites,with 2. I million tonnes of debris having been dumped in 2004 and 1.1 milliontonnes last year.• 23 May 2006 EU Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg inaugurated the newheadquarters in Brussels of Europeche, an association that brings togethernational organisations representing the owners of fishing vessels in theEuropean Union's coastal states.• 23 May 2006 Malta and Cyprus are the only two EU member states that aretotally dependent on fossil fuels to generate their energy. New statisticspublished by Eurostat, the EU's statistical arm, show that all other EU memberstates have some kind of alternative energy production facility such asnuclear, hydroelectric or wind. Conventional thermal power stations - thosethat bum fossil fuels – still dominate the EU electricity generation market andaccounted for 58% of the total installed capacity in 2004.• 23 May 2006 The number of cruise passengers to Malta in the fIrst four monthsof the year has increased sharply over the same period last year. The figure

eached 56,681 up from 38,333, according to the National Statistics Office.Last month alone, 37,182 cruise passengers set foot here, compared to 22,658in April 2005. Major increases were registered in the German, Spanish andAmerican markets while passengers coming from Italy increased almost byhalf• 24 May 2006 The water and electricity surcharge has been correctly workedout to reflect the spike in oil prices and does not incorporate Enemalta's lossesor inefficiencies, a report presented to the Malta Council for Economic andSocial Development on Monday concludes. The 20-page report, compiled byDeloitte & Touche for the Malta Resources Authority, states that increased fuelcosts are being absorbed by all consumers except those who classify as socialcases, and by restaurants and hotels that pay a capped surcharge ofLm5,000.• 24 May 2006 Anybody breaching the euro regulations may be fined up toLml,500 plus an additional Lm200 for every subsequent day of infringementunder a proposed Euro Adoption Act. Drafted by the National EuroChangeover Committee and scrutinised by the Central Bank, the Bill proposesmeasures connected with the adoption of the European currency as legaltender in Malta. It empowers the Finance Minister to prescribe a period whenit shall be mandatory to display prices both in euro and in Maltese lira.• 24 May 2006 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Embassy of Malta inBerlin, issued travel advice for all those going to Germany for the World Cupbetween June 9 and July 9.• 24 May 2006 There are 33 pending trials by jury including 11 relating to drugtrafficking, nine homicides and six attempted homicides, Justice and HomeAffairs Minister Tonio Borg said in reply to a Parliamentary question.• 24 May 2006 Fuel stations are currently licensed to only sell petrol and dieselbut once the liberalisation of fuel imports is concluded, license conditionscould be extended to the sale of biofuels, Resources and InfrastructureMinister Ninu Zammit said in reply to a Parliamentary question. He explainedthat once the liberalisation process was completed the Resources Authoritywould be able to issue new licences allowing the sale of two types of diesel:ordinary diesel and biodiesel (diesel with biofuel).• 24 May 2006 Health inspectors last year issued 828 charges of which 194involved violation of the Code of Police Laws and 114 involved Food SafetyLaws. There were 33 charges related to labelling and 33 on smoking inprohibited areas. The information was given by Health, the Elderly andCommunity Care Minister Louis Deguara in reply to a question in Parliament.• 24 May 2006 The total number of unemployed for the three months toFebruary 2006 totalled 12,561 persons, the National Statistics Office said,quoting the Labour Force Survey. The unemployment rate was estimated tobe 7.8%. The criteria used for this survey are on the same lines as theinternational methodologies used by International Labour Organisation.• 24 May 2006 At the end of March, the stock of licensed motor vehicles of alltype stood at 272,848, the National Statistics Office said Of these, 207,451 or76% were private vehicles, while commercial vehicles made up 44,693 or16.4%. The stock of self-drive cars decreased by 143 vehicles over the previousquarter and also showed a decrease of 421 vehicles when compared to thesame period last year.• 24 May 2006 In the coming two weeks, the ED will dispatch naval vessels andreconnaissance planes to the Mediterranean to assist Malta and other ED

member states to shore up against the influx of illegal immigrants. The planwas announced by EU's Justice, Freedom and Security Commissioner FrancoFrattini during a press conference in Brussels following discussions with Spain'sHome Affairs Minister on the illegal immigration problem being faced by theCanary Islands.• 25 May 2006 The lack of a formal repatriation agreement between Malta andLibya - which would substantially ease the island's illegal immigration problems- was raised in talks the EU's Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini had withLibyan President Muammar Gaddafi in Tripoli this week. A repatriationagreement, whether on behalf of the EU or on a bilateral basis betweenMalta and Libya, would allow the island to send back to Tripoli all illegalimmigrants arriving from Libya. The only similar agreement currently in force isa bilateral agreement between Libya and Italy.• 25 May 2006 The European Commission adopted an amended proposal forthe European Refugee Fund moved by Justice, Freedom and SecurityCommissioner Franco Frattini to ensure strong ftnancial support to EU memberstates to address pressures arising from illegal immigration. This includesresettling persons in need of international protection, enhancing cooperationand putting into practice burden-sharing operations. A total of €628 million -equivalent to Lm260 million - will be made available during 2008-2013.• 25 May 2006 A total of 61,607 foreign students attended English languagecourses in one of Malta's 39 English language schools last year. The NationalStatistics Office said the number signified an increase of 6,029 students, or10.8%, over the previous year. Once again, the highest number of studentscame from Germany, accounting for 25.8 % of all students. Italy followed with17.1%, France with 13 % and Russia with 8.7 %. Austrian students accounted for7.6 % of all the students.• 25 May 2006 Agenzija Appogg is collaborating with Child Focus to mark theInternational Missing Children's Day, which is celebrated today. For the fifthconsecutive year, Child Focus is marking the event aiming to generate moreawareness on missing and sexually exploited children. Child Focus is a BelgianFoundation considered as the European Centre for Missing and SexuallyExploited Children.• 25 May 2006 Jobs are expected to increase by 1.8%, or by 1,070 workers, bythe end of July, according to the Employment and Training Corporation'swinter 2005/spring 2006 employment barometer. According to the barometer,43.2% of the addition will be the filling of new positions; 39.1% to fill vacatedposts; 2.4% to replace temporary absentees and the remaining 15.3 % forother reasons. The barometer is an instrument that is used to determine shortrunlabour market shortages and recruitment problems.• 25 May 2006 The number of reported traffic accidents reached 3,618 in thefirst quarter of this year, representing a drop of 294, or 7.50/0, over the samequarter last year, the National Statistics Office said. The number of accidentsin the southern eastern district registered a marginal increase of 1.1 %. TheSouthern harbour, northern harbour, western and northern districts registered27,94, 72 and 83 fewer cases. In Gozo the number of accidents slipped by 22to 168.• 25 May 2006 25 irregular immigrants, all men, were rescued and broughtashore by the army, the third group to land in less than a week. Some of themigrants were suffering from severe dehydration and were given immediatemedical attention.• 25 May 2006 Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said that thegovernment is planning to take further measures to eliminate injustices in the

operation of local wardens. Replying to questions in Parliament, Dr Borgrecalled that at the beginning of this year the government set up boards toreceive petitions from people who felt that fines imposed by the wardenswere unfair.• 25 May 2006 The Minister for Family and Social Solidarity, Dolores Cristina, saidthat in her personal opinion, second pillar pensions should be introduced"sooner rather than later", adding that the government's position was that thesecond pillar introduction was a matter of "when and not if'. Speaking duringa business breakfast organised by Business Today and sponsored by Bank ofValletta, she said that a draft of the legislation on the ftrst pillar - whichincludes the raising of the retirement age to 65 - would soon be presented tothe Cabinet.•26 May 2006 President Edward Fenech Adami was presented with letters ofcredence by Marta Vilardell Coma. Ambassador of Spain, and GeorgiiChemyavskyi, Ambassador of Ukraine. The ceremonies took place in theAmbassadors' Room at The Palace, Valletta. In the afternoon, President andMrs Fenech Adami hosted the newly accredited ambassadors to an officialluncheon at San Anton Palace.• 26 May 2006 The Central Bank raised the central intervention rate by 25 basispoints to 3.5% in reaction to rising interest rates abroad and inflation. This wasthe first change since April last year when the rate was raised by a similarmargin. The decision was taken by the Governor at the end of the monthlyMonetary Policy Advisory Council meeting.• 26 May 2006 The tourism sector will not be sustainable unless Malta ispromoted to tourists with a greater value added, Tourism and Culture MinisterFrancis Zammit Dimech said. During the past 10 years the number of five-starhotels increased from five to 15 with the number of beds in this categorygoing up more than fivefold, from 1,274 in 1995 to 6,324 today. The Minister,who was opening the International Conference on Sustainable Tourismorganised by the Islands and Small States Institute, in Valletta, said sustainabletourism development required the informal participation of all relevantstakeholders.• 26 May 2006 The smoking ban in public places has helped Malta climb up tofifth place for its active stance on tobacco control, a study carried out by aprominent research journal has shown. Ireland leads the table of 30 Europeancountries while Luxembourg comes bottom of the league in the journalTobacco Control Scale drawn up with the help of an international panel ofexperts. In the first study of its kind, a newly devised points scale was appliedto rank countries' efforts to curb smoking and improve the health of theirpopulations.• 26 May 2006 Kalcidon Agius, who served as Speaker of the House ofRepresentatives between 1978 and 1982, passed away aged 88 years old.• 26 May 2006 The government is looking into the possibility of having adistribution park at the Malta Freeport where products can come in, be givensome added value and then be re-exported, Industry, Investment andInformation Technology Minister Austin Gatt said. He was speaking during avisit to the Lml0 million expansion project being undertaken by OiltankingMalta Ltd (OTM).• 26 May 2006 There were a total of 7,537 persons registering for work with theEmployment and Training Corporation at the end of last month, 44 fewer thanin the preceding month. The ETC's register also shows that when onecompares the figures for April last year with the same month this year, thenumber of registered unemployed dropped by 179 persons.

• 26 May 2006 The Department of Local Government and the Local Councils'Association are trying to overcome problems being faced by several localcouncils which have been unable to obtain insurance cover for damagescaused to third parties. Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said thatsome form of block policy covering interested councils was being considered.The association has also requested proposals from its broker. The Minister wasreplying to a Parliamentary question.• 27 May 2006 The Forni Sea Passenger Tenninal, which forms part of theValletta Waterfront project operated by Viset, was officially opened byPresident Edward Fenech Adami. Viset chairman Joe Grioli said the projectwas completed on time and within the planned budget. Malta was now ableto handle home porting passenger operations - when cruises start and end inMalta - in premises that allowed it to compete on quality with any other portin the world.• 27 May 2006 Recurrent revenue until the end of last month amounted toLm247.9 million, and made up 26% of this year's budget forecast, the NationalStatistics Office said. Compared to the first four months of last year, thisrevenue represented an increase of Lm 14.3 million, or 6.1 %. The recurrentrevenue for the comparative period last year amounted to Lm233.6 million,which accounted for 26.1 % of the actual final outturn.• 28 May 2006 Over 1,100 young people participated in the Skolasportprogramme this year and it is hoped that more students would take part nextyear, Education, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galea said. Dr Galeawas presiding over the closure of the 2006 programme. Skolasport offersprogrammes based on physical activity, games, sport education, fun, fair play,fitness and talent development.• 29 May 2006 A group of 24 illegal immigrants, said to be from Ivory Coast andBurkina Faso, were landed at Hay Wharf by the Armed Forces of Malta. Theywere brought in by a patrol boat at about 4 a.m. after their drifting boat wasspotted by Italian fishermen south east of Malta. It had apparently run out offuel. This was the fourth group of immigrants to be rescued since the warmerweather set in.• 29 May 2006 The Department of Technology in Education was awarded theNational ICT Educational Award during the National ICT AchievementsAwards organised by the Computer Society of Malta. The award was for theautomated testing system that was developed by the secondary support staff.The system, developed to supplement the written ICT exam, is an educationaltool implemented in all state secondary schools. It presents questions to thecandidates who then answer them via computer. It tracks the students'response, corrects the answers, collects the results and collates them.• 29 May 2006 A new species of shark, Centroscymnus coelolepis (portuguesedogfish) was recorded for the first time in Maltese fisheries and waters in alocal study on the existence of sharks and rays around the Maltese islands. Theshark is found at depths of 200 to 3,500 metres, according to the study, whichwas recently presented at a marine biodiversity conference held in Leece,Italy.• 30 May 2006 A consortium that includes a Singapore-based company will beawarded the prestigious cargo handling contract and is expected to takeover operations in just over a month's time, the government announced lastnight. The consortium, TF Shipping Agencies Ltd, is made up of Tumas GroupCompany Ltd, Portek Ports (Mauritius) Ltd and Portek International Ltd. It willinvest over Lm5.2 million in port infrastructure in Grand Harbour and pay a rentof Lm350,000 a year and a throughput charge of 2% of merchandise incometo the Malta Maritime Authority.

• 30 May 2006 Tecom Investments has bound itself to follow the government'sstrategic policy on the development of information technology andcommunications, Industry, Investment and Information Technology MinisterAustin Gatt said. Replying to a Parliamentary question the Minister said thatTecom Investments bound itself to make a capital investment of €68 million infixed and mobile networks by 2009.• 30 May 2006 The AFM spent Lm1.5 million on illegal immigrants last year, PrimeMinister Lawrence Gonzi said in Parliament. The outlay included the salaries ofsoldiers assigned to the migrants, food, clothing, water and electricity,maintenance of detention centres, transport, medical care, telephone cardsand training. The AFM also spent a further Lm128,705 on the purchase ofminibuses and vans, a new power generator and the setting up of tents onthe grounds of Lyster Barracks.• 30 May 2006 Malta holds that the debate on the draft EU constitutional treatyshould be directed towards winning approval of the whole package. Malta'sstand was made by Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo during an informaltwo-day meeting of EU foreign Ministers that took place in a Roman Catholicconvent in Austria over the weekend.• 30 May 2006 Sedqa, the agency against drug and alcohol abuse, has issueda set of guidelines mainly aimed at protecting children and young peoplefrom alcohol during festivals where beer, wine or other alcoholic beveragesare served. The guidelines are timely, with the summer months seeingnumerous open-air festivals being held, often used to promote particularbrands of alcoholic drinks and very popular with families. According to theguidelines, children should be informed at all times that alcohol beveragesare intended for adults and that they may cause harm to young people.• 30 May 2006 The Manoel Theatre has reached an agreement with the PragueNational Theatre to exchange productions, artists and practices between thetwo countries with immediate effect. The agreement was signed in Prague byWilfred Kenely, chairman of the Manoel Theatre management committeeand Daniel Dvocik. chairman of the Narodni Divadlo, the Prague NationalTheatre. The agreement paves the way for a number of Czech productions inMalta and also of Maltese productions in Prague.• 30 May 2006 Yet another scheme enabling residents to apply for grants torestore wooden balconies was launched by the Malta Environment andPlanning Authority. The scheme applies to residents in Siggiewi, Zejtun andVictoria as well as those residing in listed properties. Speaking in front of CasaBuonamici, a house in Old Bakery Street, Valletta, Mepa chairman AndrewCalleja said the authority was making available Lm40,000 for this purpose. Theauthority will subsidise up to 60% of expenses, capped at Lm600 for anyonecase. It will, however, consider a higher sum for balconies that are moreexpensive to repair.• 30 May 2006 The second group of persons aged 40 and over have receivedtheir certificates after successfully completing the TEES (Training andEmployment Exposure Scheme) programme. TEES is a project for peopleregistering for work who are aged 40 and over set up by the Employment andTraining Corporation (ETC). It is partially funded by the European Social Fundof the European Union. 75% of the total expenditure of TEES was funded bythe European Union, under the Structural Funds Programme for Malta 2004-2006, while the remaining 25% was paid for by the Maltese government.• 30 May 2006 A total of 526 persons were found to have committed benefitfraud totalling Lm526,105 last year, Family and Social Solidarity Minister DoloresCristina said in reply to a question in Parliament. She said the abuses includedincorrect information by beneficiaries on their financial means and the

composition of their families as well as failure to report employment.• 30 May 2006 The Maritime Authority has announced a twinning agreementwith the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (Bundesamt furSeeschifffahrt und Hydrographie BSH), the central agency responsible forshipping and maritime affairs in Germany. The twinning is financed by the EU'sTransition Fund. The agreement follows the recent awarding of the VesselTraffic Management and Information System (VTMIS) contracts and thetraining contract through which VTS personnel will be trained in the UK.• 31 May 2006 EU competitiveness Ministers have sealed a deal over a newServices Directive aimed at opening up the sector over the coming years. Sofar, the provision of services in the EU, particularly across borders, is stillrestricted through different national legislation. The new proposals aim toliberalise the market making it easier for companies and individuals to offertheir services in other EU member states. This, it is hoped, will open up thesector to more competition.• 31 May 2006 The Malta Environment and Planning Authority has proposed ascheme under which producers can get a refund of their eco contribution ifthey recover waste generated from the goods they place on the market.Minister for Rural Affairs and the Environment George Pullicino said the ideawas to provide producers with an economic incentive for the recovery ofwaste. The proposed scheme was made public during a visit Mr Pullicino andInvestment, Industry and Information Technology Minister Austin Gatt made totwo companies that are contributing to a better environment. The event washeld in the run-up to World Environment Day on Monday.• 31 May 2006 In the light of World Environment Day on Monday, Minister forRural Affairs and the Environment George Pullicino said it was important toram home the message of reducing, reusing and recycling the wasteproduced to create a sustainable future. Mr Pullicino stressed this messagewhile he was accompanying a number of WasteServ Malta Ltd trainees onvisits to households, as part of a project co-financed by the EU's EuropeanSocial Fund. During these visits, the trainees explained to the families how toproduce compost from the waste they produce in turn reducing the amountof waste produced on a national level.• 31 May 2006 The Maltese are among the biggest supporters in the EU oflegislation banning smoking from public places and other indoorenvironments. This was revealed in a Eurobarometer survey issued by theEuropean Commission on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day. Accordingto the survey, 93% of Maltese respondents said they were in favour of banningsmoking from restaurants and bars. The percentage also remains high when itcomes to other indoor places such as offices and public places, with 84% ofMaltese respondents backing a no-smoking policy.• 31 May 2006 The National Archives Council has been launched in terms of theArchives Act which came into effect last September. The Act separates thearchives sector from the Libraries Department and sets up the office of thenational archivist. The national archivist is Charles J. Farrugia and Mgr JosephBezzina is assistant national archivist for Gozo. The council is headed by JoeIzzo as chairman together with eight other board members.• 31 May 2006 Labour market data for last December indicates a drop of 379persons in the labour supply over the same month in the preceding year. Dataprovided by the Employment and Training Corporation show that this dropwas the result of an increase of 345 persons in the gainfully occupiedpopulation and a decrease of 724 persons on the unemployment register. Inthis way, the labour supply stood at 145,316 in December 2005; the gainfullyoccupied population amounted to 137,937, whereas the registered

unemployed amounted to 7,379.• 31 May 2006 There were 11,054 agricultural holdings on the agriculturalregister, the Farm Structure Survey (FSS) shows. The survey, carried out by theNational Statistics Office last September and October, was designed tomonitor changes in the structure of agricultural farming. The survey establishedthat 98% of all holdings are "sole holder", 1.6% are group holdings orpartnerships and a mere 0.3% are held by companies.• 31 May 2006 US Ambassador Molly Bordonaro distributed Lm26,000 raised bythe New-York based Foundation for Maltese Charities Inc. to Maltesecharitable institutions at her residence in Attard. Irene Piscopo Rogers, whosefather was a founder member of the foundation, attended the ceremony. Thefoundation raises money in the US and Canada for Maltese charities.JUNE• 1 June 2006 Minister for Education Youth and Employment Louis Galealaunched a review of the examination system at the end of primary school,commonly known as the Junior Lyceum exam for state secondary schools andthe common entrance exam in the case of Church schools. Dr Galea saidthe reform was another crucial link in the "chain of reform" the Ministry iscarrying out in a bid to maintain and even raise quality in schools.• 1 June 2006 Five teachers were convicted of child abuse in the past threeyears, Minister for Education Youth and Employment Louis Galea said inParliament. None of them has continued to teach and their warrant has beenwithdrawn, the Minister said in reply to a parliamentary question.• 1 June 2006 The price of unleaded and lead replacement petrol goes up by3 mils a litre and the price of kerosene by 1c1 a litre as from today. The MaltaResources Authority said the revision was based on the price of theconsignments of fuels made to Enemalta.• 1 June 2006 Participants in this year's Quit And Win campaign have risen by athird over 2005, with a total of 1,560 people taking part. Five of theparticipants won a prize for their efforts. A total of 859 men and 684 women,out of the 1,543 valid entries, took part in the local competition, which wasalso held in 89 different countries. Malta has been taking part in the globalcompetition since 1994.• 1 June 2006 Waste production is predicted to double by 2025, according to aresolution presented to the 13th plenary session of the Congress of Local andRegional Authorities of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. The resolution,presented by Malta Local Councils Association vice-president Joseph Borg,notes that local and regional authorities are being confronted with majorproblems regarding landfilling and the management of municipal waste.• 1 June 2006 The Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, met MEPs during aspecial session of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament.The Dalai Lama, who heads Tibet's government-in-exile in India, was in Brusselsto take part in an exchange of views between the EU and religious leaders.• 1 June 2006 The tender for the operation of the Valletta park and ridescheme is still in the process of arbitration following two objections presentedto the transport authority, Minister for Roads and Urban DevelopmentJesmond Mugliett said in Parliament.• 1 June 2006 The police, last year, arraigned 2,396 persons for allegedlycommitting criminal offences punishable by a prison term of more than sixmonths and another 10,449 were accused of offences punishable by less than

six months, Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said in reply to aparliamentary question.• 1 June 2006 William Portelli was re-elected president of the Malta Union ofBank Employees for a fourth successive term at the union's annual generalmeeting. The post was contested by Arthur Cilia. Mr Portelli was recentlyelected president of the Confederation of Malta Trade Unions.• 1 June 2006 Inbound tourism between January and April amounted to259,950, an increase of 1.1% over the comparable period last year, theNational Statistics Office said. Increases were recorded in the Italian, Germanand British markets, at 15%, 3.9% and 2.8% respectively. Other increases werefrom the Swedish, Danish and Belgian markets.• 1 June 2006 A joint Malta-Libya working group has been appointed to followupproposals for cooperation in higher education following an agreementsigned last Sunday in Tripoli by the Ministers responsible for education. Theagreement was signed by Louis Galea, Minister of Education, Youth andEmployment, and by Ibrahim al-Zarruq al-Sharif, the Secretary of the GeneralPeople's Committee for Higher Education of Libya.• 1 June 2006 Pembroke local council and St David's Welsh Society (Malta)have signed an agreement setting up a joint coordinating committee. Theaim is to encourage, develop and strengthen links between the residents ofPembroke Malta, Pembroke Dock and the town of Pembroke in Wales.Another aim of the committee involves holding activities to raise funds withthe intention to support Maltese charitable institutions.• 1 June 2006 All five members representing Malta's civil society on theEuropean Economic and Social Committee, known as the EESC, have beenconfirmed for another four-year period starting from next October.• 2 June 2006 The Maltese Falcon, the vessel formerly owned by Sea Malta, wasauctioned to Grimaldi, the same company signed up to take over thenational shipping line. The vessel was auctioned in court at Lm1.75 million, orjust over €4 million, which means some €1.5 million shy of the much contended€5.5 million price valuation, which turned the company's losses into profits forthe previous year.• 2 June 2006 Moody's investors service has confirmed Malta's investor graderating for long-term foreign currency bonds at A3, but it warned that anyderailment of Malta's plans to adopt the euro could force the rating down.• 2 June 2006 US Ambassador Molly Bordonaro reaffirmed her country's latestoffer to Iran to stop nuclear activities and engage in diplomatic talks or facethe consequences. "The choice for Iran cannot be more clear. They caneither sit down at the negotiating table with Europe and the US to find apeaceful resolution or choose the path to isolation and probable economicsanctions," Ms Bordonaro told a news conference. Her statement wasdelivered as Iran's Foreign Minister rebuffed the proposals, saying his countrywas ready to talk to the US but that it would continue with uraniumenrichment.• 2 June 2006 The government launched the Green Office Label, a certificationscheme for government ministries, departments and agencies which run theiroffices according to environmental best practices. The scheme wasannounced by Rural Affairs and the Environment Minister George Pullicinoduring a visit to ST Micro Electronics. This event forms part of the EnvironmentWeek activities to mark World Environment Day.• 2 June 2006 Joe Gerada has been appointed chairman of the MaltaTransport Authority. He succeeds Mark Portelli. The other members of the

oard are Philip Incorvaja, deputy chairman, and Paul Cardona, OliverDegiorgio and Caroline Galea. The board secretary is Duncan Borg Myatt.• 2 June 2006 Malta's unemployment rate in April surpassed the EU average.Figures published by Eurostat, the European Union's statistical arm, show thatthe rate increased over March reaching 8.5% while the EU 25 averageremained stable at 8.3%. Malta has the fifth largest unemployment rate in theEU. Poland tops the list with 16.5% unemployment.• 2 June 2006 May was sunnier, warmer and drier than average, theMeteorological Office said. With a mean temperature of 20.8°C, the monthwas 1.7°C warmer than the average May. Indeed, May 23, with the highesttemperature reaching 35.3°C, was the warmest May day on record. At just2.2mm, last month's rainfall reached only slightly more than one fifth of theaverage.• 2 June 2006 Ian Micallef, who has just been elected president of theChamber of Local Authorities of the Council of Europe's Congress of Localand Regional Authorities, said that during his two-year term of office he will belooking at the standards of services, such as waste management, provided byEuropean local authorities in order to improve them.• 2 June 2006 The Malta Maritime Authority presented Heritage Malta with 13historic cannon and an antique buoy. The presentation was made by MarcBonello, chairman of Malta Maritime Authority, to Heritage Malta chairmanMario Tabone at the Deep Water Quay in Valletta.• 2 June 2006 Part of the harbour at Marsaxlokk, which has a strong connectionwith the multi-period site at Tas-Silg, has been mapped for the first time. Fourstudents from the MA Maritime Archaeology and History programme at BristolUniversity in the UK, under the direction of maritime archaeologist TimmyGambin, have spent three weeks carrying out this task. The harbour was wellknown in Phoenician, Punic and Roman times.• 3 June 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi gave a speech at The RoyalInstitute of International Affairs, also known as Chatham House, in London,where he spoke mainly about how Malta was preparing for the adoption ofthe euro. After his speech Dr Gonzi answered a number of questions fromthose present on subjects such as illegal immigration, Malta's relations with itsneighbours in the Mediterranean and the European Constitution. Dr Gonzi,whose visit to London was in connection with Malta's chairmanship of theCommonwealth for the next two years, had a meeting with Commonwealthsecretary general Don McKinnon.• 3 June 2006 The Central Bank's latest business perceptions survey, carried outbetween January and February, showed an improvement in firms'expectations about the general economic situation and their own short-termprospects. The majority of participants reported unchanged investment plans,though on balance they were more likely to increase their investmentspending, the bank reported in the Quarterly Review - First Issue 2006.• 3 June 2006 Total sales by manufacturing enterprises in the first quarter of thisyear increased by Lm19.5 million, or 9%, to Lm237.7 million over the first quarterof last year, the National Statistics Office said. Employment in the sampledenterprises declined by a net of 1,337 employees to 18,370 when comparedto 19,707.• 3 June 2006 The price of alcohol in Malta might be among the highest inEurope, but a new report confirms the alarming level of drinking amongMaltese teenagers. Studies also show that on average people in Luxembourgdrink two-and-a-half times more than the Maltese. The 500-page EU report is

ased on published reviews as well as data made available by the EuropeanCommission and the World Health Organisation.• 3 June 2006 The government is making use of biodiesel produced by EdibleOil of Marsa for some of its vehicles. Around 20 vehicles and other heavyequipment of the Ministry for Resources and Infrastructure are using anaverage of 150 litres of biodiesel a week. The measure is part of thegovernment's strategy to make better use of resources and cause less harm tothe environment.• 3 June 2006 Malta International Airport saw its profits go down last year inwhat it described as a "particularly difficult year". Annual results for the yearup to March 31, show the company made a profit of Lm4.89 million fromLm5.13 million the year before. The directors noted, however, that profit aftertax was only marginally less (Lm3.07 million from Lm3.22 million the yearbefore).• 3 June 2006 Heritage Malta and Valencia's cultural heritage foundation,Fundacion Jaume II El Just, have signed a collaboration agreement aimed atpromoting Maltese and Spanish cultural heritage. The agreement will pavethe way for exhibitions to be held in Malta and in Spain. The institutions will alsodiscuss ways to encourage the exchange of artists, conservators, curators andcultural heritage managers in an effort to share knowledge and experience.• 3 June 2006 Total meat production in the first quarter of this year amountedto 3,290 tonnes, a drop of 271 tonnes (-7.61%) when compared to productionin the same period last year. The National Statistics Office said that whereasbeef and pig meat production decreased by 3.45 and 1.01% respectively,broiler meat production declined by 21.66%.• 4 June 2006 Over 60 species of trees were the centre of attraction at theannual Bonsai Exhibition held at St Publius Hall, Floriana. Quite a few of thisyear's exhibits include local trees endemic to Malta such as the tamarisk, fig,carob, olive, almond, and pomegranate, grown in the bonsai fashion. Theexhibition, organised by the Bonsai Culture Group, was opened by Education,Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galea.• 4 June 2006 With a long tradition of marine biological research, theDepartment of Biology at the University of Malta hosted the first weeklongMediterranean Seagrass Workshop (MSW 2006). The workshop broughttogether 110 seagrass biologists and experts from the Mediterranean region todiscuss their current knowledge about the state of Mediterranean seagrasses,and to present aspects of their latest research, results, and technologies.• 5 June 2006 President Edward Fenech-Adami paid an official visit to Xaghraon the invitation of mayor Joe Spiteri and the town's councillors.Accompanied by Mrs Fenech Adami, he heard Mass together with thecommunity and met residents on the church parvis where he also saw Gozolace at an exhibition. The President was taken to visit the youth centre, theKola Windmill and the Victory Band Club.• 5 June 2006 The rehabilitation programme for the Maghtab dump should getunderway towards the end of the summer, after a German-Malteseconsortium, Hasse/Vassallo Builders, won the €7.5 million contract forextraction and monitoring of toxic gases. The contract forms part of a largerEU-funded project for the rehabilitation of the dumps at Maghtab, Qortin andWied Fulija.• 5 June 2006 The introduction of cardiac surgery and magnetic resonanceimaging (MRI) at St Luke's Hospital has more than halved the number ofpatients needing to be sent abroad for treatment. The number of patientssent to the United Kingdom had reached an average of around 550 between

1992 and 1994 but went down to around 320 in 1995 when the Cardiac Unitwas opened at St Luke's Hospital.• 5 June 2006 The Minister of Health, the Elderly and Community Care, LouisDeguara, stressed the importance of promoting healthy lifestyles as a basis forsustainable development. Dr Deguara was speaking at the Health Council ofMinisters meeting in Luxembourg at which a policy debate was held on theEuropean Commission's communication about the EU strategy for sustainabledevelopment.• 5 June 2006 Worldfest '06 was held at the Upper Barakka Gardens in Valletta.The main reason why it was held was to raise awareness about fair-trade,which tries to give people in underdeveloped regions the dignity they deserveby paying them a fair price for what they produce. This year's festivalcelebrated the Global Journey to Fair Trade, a movement initiated by theInternational Federation for Alternative Trade.• 6 June 2006 Four vehicles, a motorbike and a door of a house went up inflames in three separate arson attacks in Zebbug and St Paul's Bay. Nobodywas injured in the worst night of arson since seven cars belonging to theJesuits were set alight last March. Duty magistrate Joe Cassar appointedseveral experts to help him draw up an inquiry into the three cases. The policeare investigating.• 6 June 2006 The public was urged by NGOs gathered outside Parliament inValletta not to succumb to the scare mongering campaign being steered bythe populist right-wing movement. In one voice, 15 organisations underlinedthe need for education as they insisted that anti-immigration protests weresymptomatic of politically immature organisations.• 6 June 2006 Germany has accepted to take 20 refugees from Malta, makingit the second country after the Netherlands to lighten somewhat the island'simmigration burden. The refugees, who are living in open centres, will leavethis morning to an undisclosed location in Germany. The transfer is the resultof several months of negotiations between former German Home AffairsMinister Otto Schilli and his Maltese counterpart Justice and Home AffairsMinister, Tonio Borg.• 6 June 2006 The government has set up a working group to identify how thelocal employment regulations need to be changed with regard to fixed-termcontracts. The working group was established following a declaration madeby the European Union that local rules governing definite contract workerswithin the public service are not in conformity with an EU directive on fixedtermcontracts of service. According to the directive, all employees in the EUwho have been working on a fixed-term contract for a number of years, fourin Malta's case, are entitled to be given an indefinite contract of employment.• 6 June 2006 The European Union has just launched a revamped EuropeanHealth Insurance Card website, which provides clear explanations and detailson the availability and use of the card. Launched two years ago, the card,available to all EU citizens, makes it easier to obtain medical treatment whilestaying temporarily in another member state. Treatment is provided inaccordance with the rules of the member state being visited, and costs, ifany, are reimbursed in line with the tariffs applied in that member state.• 6 June 2006 Borg is the most common surname in Malta, according to datagathered during the last census carried out in November. It is followed byCamilleri, Vella and Farrugia in that order. A total of 11,440 surnames wererecorded in the census, representing an average of 35 persons for everysurname, the National Statistics Office said.

• 6 June 2006 The economy in the first quarter of this year grew faster thanexpected and exceeded last year's growth rate of 2.5%, ParliamentarySecretary within the Ministry of Finance Tonio Fenech said in Parliament. Hesaid he could not give figures yet because he was basing himself onindications, but added that growth was being export driven, with export saleshaving grown by 9% over the same period last year. Mr Fenech was speakingat the end of the second reading debate on the Euro Adoption Bill.• 6 June 2006 The Environment Ministry announced that it had issued fourtenders in line with the government's commitment to lead by example incutting the use of electricity and using alternative sources of energy. One ofthe tenders is for an energy audit to see what can be done to make moreefficient use of electricity in government ministries. Another tender in factrefers to the purchase of equipment that uses electricity more efficiently.• 6 June 2006 The EU is beefing up the established Reduce, Reuse And Recyclemessage with another slogan - Turn Down. Switch Off. Recycle. Walk - whichwas launched as part of a €4.7 million EU-wide campaign to raise awarenesson the practical steps people can take to control climate change. YouControl Climate Change is the title of the campaign which was launchedthrough an activity for schoolchildren at the Valletta Waterfront on WorldEnvironment Day, simultaneously with the other European countries.• 7 June 2006 A Lm400,000 embellishment project underway at the Vittoriosawaterfront is envisaged to start drawing crowds in the same way as theValletta Waterfront across Grand Harbour. Inspecting paving works betweenthe Admiralty Gate and Fort St Angelo, in Vittoriosa, Urban Development andRoads Ministry Jesmond Mugliett said the project would complement therestoration of historical buildings undertaken by private consortia in the pastyears.• 7 June 2006 Stripped down and raw with two guitars, a bass and drums, Stinglived up to the hype last night, blasting through a 90-minute set list of classicsat the Luxol grounds. A tireless and receptive crowd, the largest ever for arock concert in Malta, sang along to practically every one of the 20 songs hesang.• 7 June 2006 Environment and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino launcheda new scheme, worth 8 million, through which dairy farmers will benefit fromfunds as an incentive to further invest in the sector. Mr Pullicino said the funds,coming from the EU, fell under the Special Marketing Policy Programme forMaltese Agriculture and the Meeting Standards Scheme• 7 June 2006 Over speeding on the Regional Road has cost motorists a total ofLm259,990 so far this year, along with Lm114,730 for over speeding at Mrieheland Lm33,910 for over speeding at Xemxija. The figures were given by Justiceand Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg, who was replying to a Parliamentaryquestion.• 7 June 2006 The reserve assets fell by Lm55.8 million in the first quarter of thisyear and this against a drop of Lm35.4 million in the same period last year, theNational Statistics Office said. This drop was a result of shifts in the current andcapital and financial accounts, the NSO added.• 7 June 2006 Cruise liners are expected to bring 400,000 passengers to VallettaWaterfront this year, Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said.This is up from last year's 320,000 tourists who visited Malta on cruise liners, anincrease of almost 10% over 2004. The cruise industry has taken a huge stepforward in the past decade. In 1996, only 69,240 passengers visited Malta oncruise liners.

• 8 June 2006 The Green Paper on the future of the EU's maritime policy,unveiled by Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Commissioner Joe Borg, was hailedby Commission President Josè Manuel Barroso as an opportunity to boost jobswhile protecting the marine environment. Mr Barroso accompanied Dr Borgduring the launching press conference at the EU headquarters, in Brussels.• 8 June 2006 Malta joined a network, originally set up in 2004 by the EU aimedat fighting cigarette smuggling. The European Commission said on Tuesdaythat another 13 member states, including Malta, have now signed the anticontrabandand anti-counterfeit agreement with Philip Morris InternationalInc, bringing the total number of signatory EU members to 24.• 8 June 2006 A total of Lm52,014 was paid in overtime at the governmentprinting press last year, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said in reply to aparliamentary question. Furthermore 625 days of sick leave were taken by the58 employees.• 9 June 2006 New equipment installed at St Luke's Hospital will enable healthauthorities to know whether the influenza virus causing the dreadedpandemic has arrived. Within three hours of taking a sample from a sickperson, the health authorities would know if the virus is the same as thatidentified by the World Health Organisation as causing a world-widepandemic. Speaking during a media briefing Ray Busuttil, the directorgeneral of health, said this is only one of several measures the authorities havebeen taking to ensure the country is fully prepared to deal with a possiblepandemic outbreak.• 9 June 2006 A proposed strategy for good quality children's programmingwas presented to a national conference by the chief executive of theBroadcasting Authority, Kevin Aquilina. Dr Aquilina suggested that thestrategy should ideally be adopted by Parliament as the Children'sBroadcasting Act. The strategy proposes the setting up of a Quality Children'sProgramming Commission consisting of experts in the field, with a three-foldfunction, each of which would be carried out by a panel. There would be theconsultancy, programme selection and programme monitoring panels.• 9 June 2006 Malta will have strong indications early next year on whether itwill be adopting the euro on January 1, 2008, according to National EuroChangeover Committee chairman Joe F. X. Zahra. Launching the NECC'sinformation campaign at a press conference, Mr Zahra announced theopening of Linja Ewro 154 - a phone line where the public may seekinformation on the euro and the changeover process.• 10 June 2006 French investment in Malta featured among the topicsdiscussed between Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo and French Ministerfor Foreign Trade Christine Lagarde in a meeting on Thursday, on the marginsof the 4th World Investment Conference in La Baule, France. The two Ministersdiscussed issues relating to the World Trade Organisation and in particular thepossibility of providing a privileged position for SMEs within the EU. Dr Frendoand Ms Lagarde co-chaired a working group on promoting Mediterraneancountries.• 10 June 2006 Eleven illegal immigrants drowned after their crowded boatcapsized in relatively calm waters 40 miles east of Malta. The alarm wastriggered just before 6 a.m. when an Italian fishing boat spotted a number ofimmigrants in the water crying out for help. The boat rescued 16 of them but itwas soon learnt that there had been around 27 men on board. Three of thevictims were found but eight others could not be spotted. They had all beenhoping to reach the Italian coast.

• 10 June 2006 The visible trade gap in the first four months of 2006 widened byLm12.7 million over the same period last year to Lm157 million, the NationalStatistics Office said. Total imports increased by 12.4% to Lm447.4 million whileexports increased by 14.4% to Lm290.4 million.• 10 June 2006 Gross Domestic Product in real terms rose by 3.1% in the firstquarter of the year, the National Statistics Office said. GDP at market pricesreached Lm465.1 million, an increase of 6.5% over the corresponding periodlast year. Gross value added was higher in all industries except agriculture,electricity, gas and water supply, and hotels and restaurants. Markedincreases were registered in the fishing and financial intermediation industries.• 10 June 2006 A report issued in Brussels shows that the majority of Malta'sbathing sites last summer did not reach cleanliness standards as envisaged bythe European Union. The only country with worse results was Poland. On theother hand, Greece, Cyprus, the Netherlands and Lithuania achieved topmarks for their bathing water quality. The Commission said that although theMaltese results are generally lower than the EU average, the expectation isthat they will improve appreciably in the bathing seasons ahead.• 10 June 2006 Following Thursday's launch of the euro changeover informationcampaign, the Malta Stock Exchange and the Malta Financial ServicesAuthority have issued guidelines on the redenomination of shares and theconversion of company share capital respectively. The guidelines can bedownloaded from the NECC website www.euro.gov.mt while a hard copycan be obtained from the NECC offices in Birkirkara. For further information oncan call Linja ewro 154.• 10 June 2006 The third EuroMediterranean University Forum, which takes anacademic approach to the discussion of Euro-Mediterranean issues, came toan end. The forum gathered over 200 rectors and experts from universities allover the Mediterranean. They debated the construction of Europe's image inthe Mediterranean, Euro-Mediterranean relationships and the building of theMediterranean's image in the world. Minister for Education, Youth andEmployment Louis Galea inaugurated "Project Souk" - a number of informationstands on various projects, sponsors and partners of the forum.• 10 June 2006 Agenzija Appogg launched a new training project for 200 staffmembers within the Foundation for Social Welfare Services as part of theEuropean Social Fund Project ESF20. The social workers are being trained tosupport individuals at risk of social exclusion: by preparing them for interviews,providing them with assistance, carrying out advocacy with employers andhelping clients and employers access ETC schemes that facilitateemployment.• 11 June 2006 Valletta Gateway Terminals Ltd was formally awarded the 30-year cargo handling contract for the ports during a signing ceremony at theMalta Maritime Authority (MMA) offices. During the ceremonyCompetitiveness and Communication Minister Censu Galea said the contractwas an important link in a chain of port reforms that would ultimately see costsdecline by up to 25%.• 11 June 2006 Speaking at the end of the third Mediterranean University Forumorganised by the International Office of the University of Malta, Foreign AffairsMinister Michael Frendo referred to the recent cartoon controversy and saidthat the incident showed the need to develop a concept of an ongoing"preventive dialogue" applied to everyday life. "Sensitivities must be taken intoaccount when exercising freedoms and universities are better poised to makea difference in realising this concept," he said.

• 11 June 2006 The Lithuanian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee haspromised to urge the incoming Lithuanian government to consider takingsome refugees from Malta. The assurance was given after the situation inMalta was explained by members of the Maltese Parliament's Foreign AffairsCommittee in Vilnius. The Maltese delegation was on a tour which includedLithuania, Estonia, Latvia and Finland. Finland will take over the presidency ofthe EU next month.• 11 June 2006 A group of 28 illegal immigrants landed at Hay Wharf with theassistance of an AFM patrol boat. Their wooden boat was spotted by aprivate aircraft 39 nautical miles southwest of Gozo on Friday afternoon and itwas intercepted by a Maltese patrol boat in the evening. The migrants - 19men, five women and four children - were taken on board the patrol boatafter their boat changed course for Gozo.• 12 June 2006 Malta will be forced to liberalise its public transport in a fewyears' time following the approval of a new EU directive that will also bangovernment subsidies. Minister for Urban Development and the RoadsJesmond Mugliett opposed the proposal by suggesting a number ofamendments, but Malta was outvoted at the EU's Transport Ministers Councilin spite of abstentions in support by the Czech Republic, Greece, Luxembourgand Slovenia.• 13 June 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi promised a solution to theproblem concerning the registration of certain medicines, saying, however,that the problem is more complex than some suggest. "The matter cannot bedealt with superficially," he said. Dr Gonzi was closing a seminar entitled Is TheEU Listening To Enterprise? organised by the Malta Business Bureau and theEuropean Commission Representation to Malta.• 13 June 2006 EU member states agreed to work on a set of targets for thenext four years to narrow the digital divide. Meeting during a ministerialconference on ICT, organised by the EU in Latvia's capital Riga, the 25 EUmember states agreed to take measures to try and significantly boost internetuse by groups at risk of exclusion. The aim is also to expand broadbandcoverage to at least 90% and make public websites available by the end of2010.• 13 June 2006 The status of a single mother will no longer be shown on the birthcertificate of a child born out of wedlock for privacy reasons, according to aBill amending the Civil Code. Another amendment proposes that the fatherof a child born before December 2003 - the date on which the Family Lawreforms came into effect - shall be entitled to start an action for denial ofpaternity to prove that the child is not his natural offspring.• 13 June 2006 Malta will be forming part of a larger aviation regulatoryframework following the signing of an agreement establishing a EuropeanCommon Aviation Area between the EU and other European states.Competitiveness and Communications Minister Censu Galea representedMalta during the signing in Luxembourg.• 13 June 2006 The number of permits issued to foreigners to buy property inMalta slowed down to 400 last year from 695 in 2004 and 670 in 2003, figuresgiven in Parliament show. The value of the property involved rose to Lm50.4million last year from Lm43.5 million in 2004 and Lm46.7 million in 2003, PrimeMinister Lawrence Gonzi said in reply to a parliamentary question.• 14 June 2006 The Prime Minister is being given the authority to delete fromlegislation any sections found in final judgement to be inconsistent with theConstitution or the European Convention of Human Rights. The new authorityis being given under amendments to the European Convention Act which

started being debated in Parliament. Justice and Home Affairs Minister TonioBorg explained that the power of the Prime Minister, exercisable within sixmonths of the relative judgment by the Constitutional Court or the EuropeanCourt of Human Rights, was restricted only to removing, and not substituting,the relative inconsistencies.14 June 2006 A report issued by the European Commission praises Malta for itsefforts to come into line with EU rules on public finances and forecasts that theisland's deficit will be less than 3% of GDP by this year. In its report on the stateof public finances in the EU, the Commission also gives a positive assessmentof Malta's privatisation process and of the announced changes to the pensionsystem.• 14 June 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo signed, on behalf ofMalta, the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the EuropeanUnion and Albania during the European Union Foreign Ministers' Councilmeeting held in Luxembourg. The agreement is intended to strengthen andextend the already established relationship of Albania with the EU.• 14 June 2006 Malta's ambition to become a regional ICT centre of excellencehas never been so close to realisation and it will soon be able to growindependently of government intervention, according to Investment Industryand Information Technology Minister Austin Gatt. Dr Gatt, who was addressinga banking technology conference of FIM Business Solutions at Le Meridien, StJulians, said tourism was a priority area.• 14 June 2006 The use of electronic commerce by Maltese small businesses isstill limited despite a drive towards information technology in recent years,according to a document published by the Investment Industry andInformation Technology Ministry. The document on the use of IT in businesstransactions in Malta, called e-Commerce Gap Analysis, was prepared byPricewaterhouse Coopers (PWC).• 14 June 2006 Tonio Fenech, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Finance,presented Lm20,000 to the Birkirkara Tennis Club from the National LotteriesGood Causes Fund. Mr Fenech said the fund supports various sportsorganisations on a regular basis, and has already issued more than Lm200,000over a period of 12 months. The fund generates its income through apercentage from the amount of tax payable from lotteries and games andunclaimed prizes.• 14 June 2006 Twenty-eight of 54 illegal immigrants who escaped policecustody last year and this year remain at large, Justice and Home AffairsMinister Tonio Borg said in reply to a parliamentary question.• 14 June 2006 Malta spent Lm21,277 on its participation at the Eurovision SongContest and in promotion of its song, Tourism and Culture Minister FrancisZammit Dimech said in reply to a parliamentary question. A profit of Lm19,382was made from the Song for Europe festival.• 14 June 2006 In a message on World Blood Donors Day, Philip Chircop, seniorvice president of the International Federation of Blood Donors Organisations,to which the local association is affiliated, said that with each second thatpasses someone in the world needed a blood transfusion to survive. WorldBlood Donor Day is celebrated annually in 70 countries on June 14 tocelebrate the gift of blood given by donors to save the lives of those in need.• 14 June 2006 Smoking claimed the lives of 133 people in Malta and Gozobetween January and April this year, Minister for Health, the Elderly andCommunity Care Louis Deguara said in Parliament. 89 were men and 44women. In the same period last year smoking killed 165.

• 14 June 2006 Almost 1,000 people lost their battle with colorectal cancerbetween 1995 and 2005, according to figures issued by the Malta NationalCancer Registry. These included 481 men and 436 women. The youngestvictims were two men aged between 20 and 24, who died in 1999. Thestatistics show that 1,493 new cases of colorectal cancer - which begins in thecolon or rectum - were registered in Malta between 1995 and 2004. Thenumber of men affected, 755, is slightly higher than women at 738.• 14 June 2006 A five-year programme to ensure vaccines against cervicalcancer reach women in developing countries has been launched by theglobal non-profit organisation Path. A staggering 85% of the 270,000 globalannual deaths from cervical cancer afflict women in developing countries.Every year an estimated 490,000 women are affected by this preventabledisease.• 15 June 2006 Eight-year-old Riona Attard, from Xaghra, was the first Gozitanto win the Pope John XXIII Prize for Kindness organised annually by the PeaceLaboratory of Hal Far. Riona, who attends the Patri Mattew Sultana PrimarySchool, in Xaghra, earned the prize for the way she has supported a fellowstudent who needs the assistance of a facilitator. The winner was presentedwith her prize at the Palace, in Valletta, by President Edward Fenech-Adami inthe presence of Peace Lab Director Fr Dionysius Mintoff.• 15 June 2006 Malta is expected to benefit from exposure in China throughparticipation in festivities in Guangdong this July, which should be followed by400 million viewers. "China has enormous potential for Maltese investors," saidReno Calleja, president of the Malta-China Friendship Society, a voluntaryorganisation set up 30 years ago. He augured that the Maltese authoritieswould follow suit and travel with business delegations in order to tap theopportunities available.• 15 June 2006 The implementation of the Malta Hotel-Heritage Scheme, whichencourages guests to add a small contribution to their bill for every nightspent here in order to help Heritage Malta manage and maintain a numberof leading historic sites, was launched by the HSBC Cares for Malta's HeritageFund at Hagar Qim temples.• 15 June 2006 Almost €900 million in notes and coins will be required to ensurethat the public, businesses and the banking system are adequately suppliedwhen the country converts to euro, a spokesman for the National EuroChangeover Committee said. A total of 43 million euro notes, worth about€875 million, and about 108 million euro coins, worth almost €21 million, areexpected to be brought to Malta before the euro is officially introduced here.The projected date for entry is January 1, 2008.• 15 June 2006 An ICT application, being jointly developed by the concurrentengineering research unit (CERU) of the Department of ManufacturingEngineering and the Department of Electronic Systems Engineering at theUniversity of Malta, has been awarded the best project in the R&D category inthe Computer Society of Malta's second edition of the National ICTAchievement Awards (NICTAA).• 15 June 2006 The number of persons employed in the euro area rose by 0.3% -427,000 persons - in the first quarter of this year according to Eurostat, thestatistical office of the European Communities. The number of personsemployed in the EU25 also grew by 0.3% - 612,000 persons. In the fourthquarter of last year, growth rates were +0.3% in the euro area and +0.2% in theEU25.• 16 June 2006 President Edward Fenech-Adami was presented with the Lettersof Credence by Pauli Antero Makela, Ambassador of Finland (picture), Midhat

Haracic, Ambassador of Bosnia Herzegovina and Hussein Ali Hassan,Ambassador of Yemen. The ceremonies took place in the Ambassadors'Room at The Palace, Valletta. All three diplomats are non-resident. In theafternoon, the President and Mrs. Fenech-Adami hosted the newly accreditedambassadors to an official luncheon at San Anton Palace.• 16 June 2006 The Gross Domestic Product per inhabitant in Malta last yearwas around 30% below the average of the 25 European Union countries,Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Communities, reported. Thataverage was similar to that in the Czech Republic and Portugal. Cyprus,Greece and Slovenia were about 20% below average while Hungary andEstonia about 40% below• 16 June 2006 The combined balance sheet total of the member banks of theMalta Bankers' Association exceeds Lm11 billion and the number of full- timeemployees is close to 3,500. The direct contribution of the banking sector tothe economy remains significant, with the payroll last year exceeding Lm35million, taxation on profit on ordinary activities reaching Lm30 million anddividends paid to resident shareholders amounting to Lm15.5 million, theassociation said. The association's new chairman is Victor Rizzo Giusti and theother board members are Edward Cachia, Marcel Cassar, Noel Curmi, TonioDepasquale, Andrew Mifsud, Joseph Said, Anthony Schembri and ShaunWallis.• 16 June 2006 Education, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galealaunched the Malta College of Arts Science and Technology (MCAST)prospectus for the next academic year. MCAST, which now offers 89 differentfull time courses in Malta and 13 in Gozo besides a wide range of short coursesand European Social Fund courses specifically targeted at mature students,will start receiving applications on July 24.• 16 June 2006 The Malta Tourism Authority has signed a three-year agreementwith the Malta Olympic Committee whereby the MTA will be supporting theMOC both financially and through other forms of assistance.• 16 June 2006 Health, the Elderly and Community Care Minister Louis Deguaraand the Parliamentary Secretary for the Elderly and Community Care HelenD'Amato, together with newspaper editors distributed presents to residents atSt Vincent De Paul Residence for the Elderly on the occasion of Father's Daywhich is celebrated on Sunday.• 16 June 2006 Libya will not be joining the EuroMed process but is disposed tocooperate with the EU in the fight against illegal immigration and humantrafficking in the Mediterranean. This position was made clear during ameeting held in Tripoli between EU Justice, Freedom and SecurityCommissioner Franco Frattini and Libya's President Muammar Gaddafi.• 16 June 2006 No Maltese official has been involved "by action or omission" inthe alleged CIA flights and secret detention centres, the government said,quoting a Council of Europe report issued on Wednesday. The Ministry ofForeign Affairs said the government had been "precise and consistent in all itscommunications and actions" in connection with the alleged extraordinaryrendition flights and secret detention centres.• 17 June 2006 European Union leaders gave the go-ahead for Slovenia tobecome the first of the new member states to introduce the euro in 2007.Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said he was cautiously optimistic that Maltawould follow suit at the beginning of 2008.• 17 June 2006 A staggering 450 tonnes of waste are collected from villagestreets each year in the aftermath of the patron saint's feast, more than aquarter of the rubbish collected in Malta overall. Glass made up the bulk of

the waste (48%), followed by plastic (37%), especially fast food containers,paper and food leftovers (10%) and metal (5%) in the shape of beer cans,according to a report just published by the Archdiocese's EnvironmentCommission.• 17 June 2006 A survey among consumers has shown that 95% of the Malteseare satisfied with the quality of locally grown fruit and vegetables, claimingthat it is fresher, more genuine and tastier than imported produce. Since theagricultural sector started benefiting from European Union funds, most peoplehave raised their expectations saying they expected local products to bewell-presented and of a higher quality. The findings, which were based oninterviews with 300 respondents from 30 localities chosen randomly, come outfrom a survey by Misco International• 17 June 2006 The Retail Prices Index in May went up by 0.52% to 110.89 from110.32 in April. In May the inflation rate stood at 3.05%.• 17 June 2006 The caseload of Agenzija Appogg, the government's socialwork agency, has increased by 19% from 11,583 in 2002 and 2003 to 14,517 in2004 and 2005. Just under 2,500 cases of child abuse were dealt with by theagency in the past two years, down from 3,120 in the previous two years. Thenumber of care orders issued increased by 70% between 2003 and 2004, upfrom 17 to 29. Another 29 care orders were issued in 2005. The number ofdomestic violence cases dealt with by the agency's domestic violence unitincreased slightly from 1,878 in 2002 and 2003 to just over 2,000 in the past twoyears.• 17 June 2006 The Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture and Fisheries, FrancisAgius, hopes that fields in Manikata are not lost due to the Xaghra l-Hamragolf course proposed by the Tourism Ministry and the multi-lane bypassplanned by the Roads Ministry. "Land and sea are limited resources and wemust do everything possible so that they are not lost. I hope no fields are lost,"Dr Agius said at the close of a press conference. He had just presented areport which revealed that 95% of the Maltese were satisfied with locallyproducedfruit and vegetables.• 17 June 2006 The Investment, Industry and Information Technology Ministryand the Malta Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise have signed amemorandum of understanding to set up a scheme aimed at giving onlineconsumers security and peace of mind. The Trustmark scheme will be basedon the Euro-Label, which is awarded to online businesses that meet Europeanstandards of quality and security. The Euro-Label has been adopted in sixmember states - Austria, France, Poland, Germany, Italy and Spain.• 17 June 2006 The names Matthew and Maria and their variants were the mostpopular names for boys and girls respectively in both 2004 and 2005, as in2003, although Maltese names gained in popularity, according to theNational Statistics Office. A total of 3,887 babies were born in 2004 while totallive births declined by 0.7% the following year. Of all the boys born in 2004,4.7% were named Matthew. The figure increased to 5.9% in 2005.• 17 June 2006 The Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture and Fisheries, FrancisAgius attended the biannual FAO Regional Conference for Europe in Riga,Latvia. The main theme was the key role of rural development, driven byagriculture, in achieving food security and combating poverty, especially inEurope's transition countries. The conference was attended by agricultureMinisters and delegates of 51 countries and observers.• 17 June 2006 David Kay was appointed chief executive officer of theMaltacom Group of Companies. Over the last 20 years, Mr Kay has served insenior management positions with the Cable and Wireless Group of

Companies in the United Kingdom, in Hong Kong, and in Latvia. His mostrecent appointment has been CEO and director of Macau Telecom where hemanaged the company's transition from an incumbent monopoly to a robustplayer in a fully-liberalised and competitive environment.• 18 June 2006 The national policy on Early Childhood Education and Care hasbeen launched. The document follows other similar policy papers in the lightof the reform in the sector that should come into force with the newEducation Act, which will start being discussed in Parliament this week.Education, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galea said the law will makeimportant provisions to set in motion a process of quality assurance in thesector.• 18 June 2006 The annual general conference of the Journalists of theMediterranean, held in Porec, Croatia, between June 7 and 11, unanimouslyadopted a resolution expressing "solidarity with the Maltese colleagues in theface of the cowardly acts that took place in Malta, sadly on World PressFreedom Day". The resolution also condemned the arson attacks against thefundamental liberties and freedom of the press, and at the same timesupported the Maltese journalists' "right and determination to continuereporting without fear or favour."• 18 June 2006 Another 28 illegal immigrants were brought ashore by theArmed Forces. The AFM said that it was just after 2 p.m. when the PalaceTower Signal Station was informed by a local pleasure boat that a small greyboat was sighted half a mile east of Grand Harbour. The AFM OperationsCentre immediately dispatched the Melita II to assist the immigrants in distress.The boat with the immigrants on board was escorted to the AFM MaritimeBase in Haywharf. They were handed over to the police.• 18 June 2006 The Labour Party's main spokesman on Foreign Affairs, LeoBrincat, has just returned from a week of discussions with top Lebanesegovernment officials as rapporteur of the Council of Europe on relations withLebanon. During his visit, co-ordinated by Lebanon's Parliamentary Assembly,Mr Brincat had meetings with Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi SalloukhArhrafieh and other members of the Lebanese Cabinet, including AhmedFatfat, the Acting Interior Minister, and Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel.• 19 June 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo chaired the secondmeeting of the Steering Committee of the Commonwealth ActionProgramme on the Digital Divide (CAPDD) at Marlborough House, in London.Mozambique and Trinidad and Tobago joined Malta and India with financialcontributions to the CAPDD Fund which was set up at the MaltaCommonwealth Heads of Government Meeting last November. Trinidad andTobago and Mozambique have added contributions of $100,000 and $30,000respectively to the contributions of €110,000 and €1,000,000 by Malta andIndia.• 19 June 2006 In the event of an influenza pandemic breaking out, the KarinGrech wing at St Luke's Hospital will be used to isolate patients, according tothe chairman of the National Influenza Pandemic Standing Committee DenisVella Baldacchino. Karin Grech, currently being upgraded, would be able tocope with people falling ill even if the attack rate goes up to an improbable35%, Dr Vella Baldacchino said. This forms part of a contingency plan that willcome into force as soon as the World Health Organisation (WHO) declares theonset of a global pandemic.• 19 June 2006 European Commission experts expect Malta's deficit to creepabove the 3% reference level next year, while the Maltese government isinsisting it will maintain its downward trend. According to the Spring Economic

Forecasts issued by the Commission, the deficit will this year decline to 2.9% ofGDP, the lowest in the past 10 years, but in 2007 it is set to rebound to 3.2%.• 19 June 2006 Siggiewi, a village renowned for its farming tradition, held anagriculture exhibition. This activity used to be a regular one in Siggiewi but ithad not been held for around three decades before the local councildecided to revive it. The fair, opened by Parliamentary Secretary FrancisAguis for Agriculture and Fisheries, kicked off a week of activities which willculminate in the village festa this weekend.• 19 June 2006 LifeCycle presented the Renal Unit with a motorised movementtherapy system, known as a MOTOmed letto, that can be used by patientswhile undergoing dialysis at St Luke's Hospital. LifeCycle is a non-profitorganisation founded in 1999 with the aim of creating awareness andgenerating support for patients suffering from end stage renal failure. Everyyear, a number of LifeCyclists pedal an average of 2,000 kilometres to collectfunds for the Renal Unit. Health, the Elderly and Community Care MinisterLouis Deguara thanked LifeCycle for its continuous support to renal patients.• 20 June 2006 The business sectors in Malta and Latvia should seek to increasethe level of trade between the two countries, President Edward Fenech-Adami said when he addressed a business promotion seminar at the GrandPalace Hotel in Riga. Dr Fenech Adami, who was on a state visit heading adelegation that includes officials from government entities, constituted bodiesand private companies, said it was time for the two EU member states toincrease the level of economic exchange.• 20 June 2006 The social partners forming part of the Malta Council forEconomic and Social Development held a one-off marathon session seekingways to make the council more effective. Joseph F.X. Zahra, who chairs theNational Euro Changeover Committee, was appointed external rapporteurand will draw up a report after hearing the constituted bodies' views andcomplaints.• 20 June 2006 Last year 48 boats carried 1,822 irregular immigrants to Malta,an increase of 434 over the previous year, the National Statistics Office said onthe occasion of World Refugee Day being marked today. Up to June 14 thisyear, the number of boats reaching Malta was nine, bringing in 378immigrants. The NSO said the increase in arrivals was reflected in an increasein the number of applications for asylum.• 20 June 2006 The total expenditure on feasts during 2005 amounted toLm668,144, 28.1% of which was spent on outdoor activities. Another 13.2 and11.2% were spent on street decorations and on orchestras and choirsrespectively, while 12.2% of the total expenditure was spent on administration,the National Statistics Office said.• 20 June 2006 The Government has no plans to privatise Air Malta, or wind itdown, Investment, Industry and Information Technology Minister Austin Gattsaid in reply to a parliamentary question. He said the airline was goingthrough a restructuring process aimed at making it more competitive. It wasidentifying sectors where it could reduce its spending. In this context a tenderhad been issued for aircraft cleaning. This tender would result in savingLm278,000. The workers who used to do this work had been redeployed, inagreement with the GWU.• 20 June 2006 There are currently 3,812 pending eye operations at St Luke'sHospital, information given in Parliament shows. Minister for Health, the Elderlyand Community Care Louis Deguara said urgent cases are treated within sixmonths, less urgent cases within a year and routine cases in between two-

and-a-half and three years. Replying to a question the Minister said thewaiting time for catarect operations varied according to the consultant.• 20 June 2006 A top EU delegation left Malta "encouraged" by governmentinitiatives and incentives to boost female employment. One of the visitingofficials said Malta was one of the best performing EU countries in theimplementation of the National Reform Programme (NRP) which aims to meetthe Lisbon Agenda objectives. "It's a really good NRP, in absolute terms, andnot just EU. On the whole, I'm rather encouraged by what I've seen," JanKoopman, the European Commission's director for enterprise and industry saidin an interview with a local newspaper.• 21 June 2006 Another 25 illegal immigrants came ashore, bringing the numberso far this year to over 430. The police said they were informed at about 11a.m. that a boat with people on board had been sighted just off the southcoast. When they went to check they saw a boat heading to the area knownas Il-Qajjenza, near Birzebbuga. There were 25 illegal immigrants aboard, allmen, who were taken in by the police on landing.• 21 June 2006 Malta Shipyards Ltd announced it had secured a contractvalued in excess of Lm5 million for the conversion of a second heavy lift bargefor a repeat client, Fairmount Heavy Transport. This contract will include fittingof propulsion equipment and on-deck accommodation facilities.• 21 June 2006 The government has decided to link Malta's electricity grid toSicily's together with a gas pipeline. A detailed report outlining the country'spower generation plan until 2015, shows that Enemalta will have to investsome Lm195 million in infrastructure projects. With the existing generatingplant, Enemalta will only just meet the expected demand by 2010 and will beleft with no reserve capacity. Industry, Investment and Information TechnologyMinister Austin Gatt said the advantages of connecting Malta to Sicily by faroutweighed the disadvantages.• 21 June 2006 President Edward Fenech Adami visited the Baltic ContainerTerminal in Latvia, which is operated by Hili Company Ltd within the FreeportArea of Riga Commercial Port. The President unveiled a commemorativeplaque on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the formation of BalticContainer Terminal Limited. The President was on his second and last day of astate visit to Latvia.• 21 June 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo met his Latviancounterpart Artis Pabriks for bilateral talks in Riga, Latvia. Dr Frendo, whoaccompanied President Edward Fenech Adami on a state visit, spoke of thesuccess of the business round table and meetings that had taken place onMonday. He noted the ease with which business entrepreneurs from the twocomparatively small economies could relate to each other and the mutualbenefits that could potentially be derived if the two countries worked as agateway for business in their respective regions.• 21 June 2006 Malta's fisheries sector is set to receive €8 million (Lm3.4 million)in EU funds between next year and 2013 following the approval of a newbudget by European Ministers. The decision was taken late on Monday duringa Fisheries Council meeting in Luxembourg. Malta was represented byEnvironment and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino.• 21 June 2006 Illiteracy has dropped to 7.3% of the total population from 11.2%in 1995, Education, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galea toldParliament, quoting census figures. He said the number of students followingpost-secondary education was rising fast. Whereas in 1999 only 43% of 17-year-olds were in schooling, in 2004 there were 66%. The Minister wasspeaking at the opening of the debate on a Bill amending the Education Act.

• 21 June 2006 Malta will benefit from €122,000 of EU funds for undertaking aTwinning "Light" Project between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Agencyfor European Integration and Economic Development of Austria under theEuropean Commission's Transitional Facility programme. The Austrian agencywill provide assistance to strengthen Malta's capacity to issue visas.• 21 June 2006 New hotels opening in the next two years will create 901 newjobs - 718 full-time and 183 part-time, Tourism and Culture Minister FrancisZammit Dimech said. He added, however, that over the same period 67 jobswere expected to be lost in the tourism sector as three-star hotels reduce theirbed stock by 400. Speaking during the annual general meeting of the Hoteland Catering International Management Association, Dr Zammit Dimech saidthe most crucial players in the tourism sector were the employees and it wastherefore important for them to get good training.• 22 June 2006 The bishops of Malta and Gozo have joined the members of theCommission of the Bishops Conferences of the European Community inexpressing dismay at the decision of the European Parliament promoting "theinstrumentalisation and destruction of human embryos". The EuropeanParliament last week approved the first reading of the Seventh ResearchFramework Programme and called for EU funding of research with humanembryos and human embryonic stem cells.• 22 June 2006 Scores of illegal immigrants were persuaded to return to the Safidetention centre half an hour after they broke out and assembled outside theairport runway perimeter fence. No one was injured during the earlyafternoon short-lived drama, which was resolved following the personalintervention of Police Commissioner John Rizzo• 22 June 2006 Eight women, two of whom are pregnant, were among a groupof 26 illegal immigrants intercepted on board a boat by the army. Theimmigrants claim they are Somalis.• 22 June 2006 Former Labour MP and Speaker of the House of RepresentativesJoseph M. Baldacchino died aged 84. Labour leader Alfred Sant said MrBaldacchino had served the country in an excellent manner, and impressedothers with his gentle yet steady attitude.• 22 June 2006 A total of 7,147 people were registering for work with theEmployment and Training Corporation at the end of May. Comparing thefigure with that of May last year shows that the number of registeredunemployed dropped by 98, the National Statistics Office said. The joblessrate for last month is not available because data on the labour supply for themonth have not yet been published, the NSO said. The unemployment rate inJanuary, which is the latest figure supplied by the NSO, stood at 5.3%.• 22 June 2006 More than 60% of the students who sat for the Junior Lyceumexam this year have passed, the Education, Youth and Employment Ministrysaid. The results showed an overall improvement over past years, specificallya 10% increase over 1999. Out of 3,968 students who sat for the exam, 2,389,consisting of 1,296 boys and 1,093 girls, gained a pass mark in five subjects.• 22 June 2006 A total of 294 persons were arraigned in court last year for failingto issue fiscal receipts, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said. Replying to aparliamentary question, he said that 1,392 were arraigned for failing to submittheir tax returns on time.• 22 June 2006 The police last year arraigned four persons for serving alcohol topeople aged under 16 years of age, Justice and Home Affairs Minister Toniosaid in reply to a parliamentary question. The alcohol had been served inMarsascala, Zurrieq and St Julian's. One was found guilty and fined Lm500,two were acquitted and the other case was time barred. The Minister also

said that in the first five months of this year, the police arraigned 16 personswho were in charge of places of entertainment after 46 persons aged under16 were found in their establishments.• 22 June 2006 A total of 3,811 girls and 1,275 boys opted for biology insecondary school between 1995 and 2005, Education, Youth andEmployment Minister Louis Galea said. In the same period, chemistry waschosen by 1,712 boys and 1,929 girls, the Minister said in reply to aparliamentary question.• 22 June 2006 Malta is contributing two case studies to the Empafish Project.These are on the 25 nautical miles fisheries management zone around Maltaand the candidate marine protected area extending from Rdum Majjiesa toRas ir-Raheb, which is a special area of conservation and a candidate Natura2000 site. Empafish - European Marine Protected Areas As Tools For FisheriesManagement And Conservation - is supported by the European Communityunder its Sixth Framework Programme with a budget of 2.4 million. It started inMarch last year and will run until February 2008.• 22 June 2006 Only four out of 17 recently-scheduled properties are in a verygood condition, the Malta Environment and Planning Authority said. The restare suffering either from unauthorised intervention, deterioration or neglect.The scheduling was considered urgent due to neglect, pillaging andvandalism and applications for redevelopment of the sites.• 22 June 2006 US Ambassador Molly Bordonaro paid a courtesy visit toTechnoline's home care centre, in Gzira, which produce the AMIL castingframe that is essential in the early treatment of infantile scoliosis. The frame hasbeen developed and constructed by Protex, an associate company ofTechnoline, and is now marketed in the US.• 22 June 2006 Gemma Mifsud Bonnici, chairman of the Vodafone MaltaFoundation, and Daniel Abela, who successfully crossed the 1.2 kilometre-longGhadira Bay underwater and back, presented the bulk of the Lm13,895collected during the Vodafone Malta Foundation Family Day to the EdenFoundation and Caritas Malta. Some of the funds were also donated topaediatric cardiologist Victor Grech towards the setting up of Malta's firstelectronic medical journal.• 22 June 2006 The ruins of the old opera theatre and Freedom Square, inValletta, will provide a backdrop for a mélange of culture and arts as theannual summer arts festival kicks off in just over a month. A total of 26 events,including theatre, music, dance, recitals, concerts and entertainment alongValletta's streets, will be organised during the month-long festival, organisedby the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts. Tourism and Culture MinisterFrancis Zammit Dimech expressed enthusiasm saying the festival would getcloser to the people with more activities organised outside and at Valletta'sentrance, from where a great number of people pass everyday.• 22 June 2006 Eighteen Maltese projects have been approved this year, withover €488,000 awarded, under the EU's Leonardo da Vinci Programme, whichaims to promote vocational training. The Education, Youth and EmploymentMinistry said this was the most successful year in terms of funding for theLeonardo da Vinci National Agency, which falls within the European UnionProgrammes Unit (EUPU).• 22 June 2006 Men who work long hours don't worry about the effect this hason their children, as they feel the pay packet validates neglecting the family,according to a new study. The study also reveals that fathers are notburdened with the guilt most women shoulder because they feel they areconforming to cultural expectations. Josann Cutajar from the university's

Sociology Department, highlighted the fact that as a result of the conflictwomen face between social obligations and self-actualisation, they are eitherchoosing to have children late, or not at all, and postponing marriage. DrCutajar, who made an argument for shared parenting, quoted from a studyconducted by Saviour Rizzo this year to back her point.• 22 June 2006 The 2006 European Week for Safety and Health at Work hasbeen launched in Malta as part of a campaign to raise awareness of the risksyoung workers face at work. The pan-European campaign, on the themeSafe Start, will run until the end of the year but will culminate in the holding ofthe European Week between October 23 and 27.• 23 June 2006 The world of Maltese folk singing lost one of its cult heroes onWednesday night when Frans Baldacchino, known as il-Budaj, died of heartcomplications aged 63. Having raised Maltese għana through the socialechelons and promoted this musical genre among those who had shunned itin the past, Mr Baldacchino leaves an irreplaceable void. Those who knewhim describe Mr Baldacchino as a genius in his own right, who without properschooling mastered the art of rhyme and perfected folk singing.• 23 June 2006 A newly formed International Coalition on the Detention ofRefugees, Asylum Seekers and Migrants is urging the government to set up anindependent mechanism to monitor conditions inside detention centres. Setup in Rome last week, the international detention coalition is made up ofmore than 100 organisations and individuals in 36 countries who have cometogether to share information on detention in their countries and promotebetter respect for the rights of detainees• 23 June 2006 Projects related to road, air and sea links will get the biggestportion of EU funds - €136 million - that target public infrastructure and aid toindustry over the next seven years, according to a draft document forconsultation launched by the government. In line with the conditions toreceive the funding, an additional €24 million (Lm10.3 million) from Malta willbe added to this figure under the plan, which will be submitted to the EU forapproval. The aim will be to upgrade roads and invest in sea and air portsthat form part of the Trans-European Network for Transport (TEN-T), in a bid tomeet the requirements of this network and Malta's economic development.• 23 June 2006 The European Parliament appointed Maltese diplomat JulianVassallo as head of its information office in Valletta. Dr Vassallo is currently anadvisor to Javier Solana, the EU's foreign policy chief. As member of MrSolana's Policy Planning Unit, Dr Vassallo was responsible for various aspects ofEU Middle East and Mediterranean policy including responding to the recentProphet Mohammed cartoons crisis.• 23 June 2006 The police are investigating what they suspect to have been anarson attack on a mechanical trailer in Main Street, Qormi at about 12.45 a.m.The fire spread to a truck and was put out by personnel from the CivilProtection Department.• 23 June 2006 There has been a slight decline in the number of passengersusing the Gozo ferries in the first quarter of this year. National Statistics Officefigures show that the ferries carried a total of 618,760 passengers, which is7,238, or 1.2%, less than in the same quarter of the previous year.• 23 June 2006 As government departments start half-days, a number of themare operating longer hours through the summer months in a pilot projectaimed at bringing about some flexibility across the civil service. Anthony Vella,the permanent secretary for strategy and operations within the Office of thePrime Minister, explained that the pilot project would identify the ideal summerworking hours for each department involved.

• 23 June 2006 The Institute of Tourism Studies has launched its prospectus forfull-time courses for 2006/2007. The institute offers a wide spectrum of coursesranging from foundation level to a higher diploma level which is recognisedby the University of Malta as a stepping stone to the first degree course intourism studies. At the launch, Education, Youth and Employment MinisterLouis Galea said ITS is a major contributor to the economy by providingprofessionally trained people who are the driving force behind the tourismand hospitality sectors.• 23 June 2006 Malta and Libya ratified an agreement on the encouragement,guarantee and protection of investment. Cecilia Attard Pirotta, PermanentSecretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Libya's Ambassador to MaltaSaad Elshlmani, signed and exchanged the instruments of ratification in thepresence of Foreign Minister Michael Frendo.• 24 June 2006 An illegal immigrant was reported missing after a boat carrying28 migrants capsized as the migrants rushed to one side on seeing an armypatrol craft approaching them. The boat was about 27 miles south east ofMalta and was being shadowed by the army who went to the rescue whenthe engine stalled, the Armed Forces of Malta said. The patrol craft crewsuccessfully rescued 27 of the immigrants, including a woman.• 24 June 2006 Air Malta reported a 2.4% drop in the number of passengers itcarried during the financial year ending in March, compared to the previousyear. The airline carried 1.86 million passengers throughout its network, 46,000fewer than in the financial year ending March 2005. The biggest dropoccurred in the last quarter of the financial year, January to March 2006,when 30,000 fewer passengers were carried compared to the same period inthe 2004/5 year.• 24 June 2006 Over a million Cadbury chocolate bars were taken off theshelves in the UK over fears they were contaminated with salmonella but theMaltese importer said no advice was received to recall any products. TheBritish company said it had agreed to recall seven of its most popularproducts in the UK after consultation with the Food Standards Agency. PaoloBonnici Ltd, the local importers of Cadbury chocolate, said it has not receivedany advice from the company in the UK to recall any of the products.• 24 June 2006 British Airways have no intention of withdrawing any of itsservices to Malta from London, its franchise partner GB Airways said. GBAirways' new managing director Keith Hatton said: "We have been flying toand from Malta for 10 years and have no plans to withdraw our service toLondon. Our winter schedule remains unchanged, with daily flights to LondonGatwick." Mr Hatton reacted after a reader of The Times said in a letter hehad just had confirmation that British Airways would be withdrawing its directflights to Malta from April.• 25 June 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi defended the decision to extenddevelopment boundaries, saying the process was based on a logical exerciseto eliminate injustices and anomalies. The issue dominated a press briefing atthe Auberge de Castille, held a day after the close of a six-week period ofconsultation on the proposed adjustments, Dr Gonzi said a fundamentalconsideration underpinning the government's decision was that the extensionswould put more new dwellings on the market. An audio recording of themedia briefing can be accessed on:http://www.doi.gov.mt/EN/News/newsitems/audiorecording%20-%2024.06.06pmbriefing.asp• 25 June 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi told the General Workers Unionthat the government is prepared to reduce the number of public holidays ifthe union continues to obstruct its initiatives to make Malta more competitive.

Responding to a letter by GWU general secretary Tony Zarb, the Prime Ministersaid that the government had taken the most beneficial route for workers lastyear when it decided that public holidays falling on a weekend should not beadded to the leave entitlement.• 25 June 2006 A small crowd of people gathered at the ballroom of LeMeridien Phoenicia in Floriana to pay tribute to Giovanni Bonello, or Vanniwho celebrated his 70th birthday with the publication of a 420-page bookwritten in his honour by no fewer than 36 people. Speaking at the launch,President Emeritus Guido de Marco recalled the difficult times when Vanni'sfather Vincenzo (curator of the national art collection) was interned anddeported during the war, and the impact this must have had on Vanni, whosesense of rebellion against injustice prevailed. Indeed, one of the essays in thebook deals with 'Page 13', a page The Sunday Times used to dedicate tohuman rights issues in Malta in the 1980s and authored mostly by VanniBonello.• 25 June 2006 Another group of illegal immigrants - 14 men and one woman -were brought to Malta early morning after their boat got into difficulties. Thepolice were informed that the group of illegal immigrants were on a boat inthe Birzebbuga area at around 6 a.m. Members of the Armed Forces went toassist the immigrants, who were taken aboard the AFM patrol boat andtransported to Hay Wharf.• 25 June 2006 A core group of members representing the European People'sParty (EPP) at the Committee of the Regions (CoR) discussed variousimportant issues related to the new maritime policy green paper during ameeting held in Brussels with Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Commissioner JoeBorg.• 26 June 2006 The Prime Minister was briefed about the challenges the localbook industry is facing during a visit to Midsea Books at Santa Venera. DrGonzi's visit, last week, coincided with the 35th anniversary of Klabb KotbaMaltin. KKM was set up by Paul Mizzi in 1971.• 26 June 2006 The Portuguese Secretary of State for European Affairs,Fernando D'Oliveira Neves, inaugurated the offices of the Embassy of Portugalin Malta, situated at Whitehall Mansions in Ta' Xbiex, as part of thecommemoration of Portugal's National Day. Both Ambassador D'OliveiraNeves and Acting President of the Republic, George Hyzler, mentioned theenhanced ties between Portugal and Malta as a result of their membership ofthe European Union.• 26 June 2006 The Malta School of Art, in Valletta, held an open day todemonstrate the work of its students over the last academic year and topromote itself among prospective students in view of the next intake.Education, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galea said the governmentwanted to see more being done by schools to nurture creativity, skill andtalent in arts, drama, dance, and music.• 27 June 2006 Every day last year, around 800 people made use of Sedqa'sDetox Centre, while more than 500 clients made use of the agency'scommunity services, Sedqa operations director Jean-Claude Cardona said.Last year 166 clients started the residential detoxification programme at DarImpenn, 69 of whom moved on to residential treatment at Komunità SantaMarija. President Edward Fenech-Adami visited the Komunità Santa Marijawhere he attended a discussion about Sedqa's operations and the latesttrends in substance abuse on the occasion of International Day Against DrugAbuse and Illicit Trafficking and Sedqa's 12th anniversary.

• 27 June 2006 A draft law aimed to protect the embryo has been prepared,Health, the Elderly and Community Care Minister Louis Deguara said. Both DrDeguara and Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg are in favour ofsuch a law being put in place. The draft law has still to be discussed byCabinet but Dr Borg said he understood the government wanted a lawprotecting the human embryo.• 27 June 2006 Seven irregular immigrants are still at large after a boat withsome 27 Africans slipped into Xghajra in the night. At about 2.15 a.m., apolice patrol noticed four men, two women and a child wandering about inthe area of Triq Orlando, Xghajra. When they were questioned the foreignersinformed the police that they had formed part of a group of 27 irregularimmigrants who had just berthed nearby. The police searched the area andapprehended 20 irregular immigrants who had been aboard the boat.• 27 June 2006 The European Commission reiterated its commitment to its fightagainst drug taking and drug trafficking by launching a Green Paper withnew proposals to formalise on a permanent basis the dialogue between theEU and civil society organisations active in this field. The launch in Brusselscoincided with the commemoration of International Day Against Drug Abuseand Illicit Trafficking.• 27 June 2006 The number of reported incidents at sea is minimal despite theincreasing number of registered boats, thanks also to the Malta MaritimeAuthority's Safety at Sea Campaign - the 11th edition of which was launchedby the MMA. Over 500 new boats were registered in the past year, taking thenumber up to 15,000 from around 5,000 10 years ago. But despite theincrease, an average of less than one accident a week were reported lastyear - down by half over the past five years, MMA chairman Marc Bonellosaid.• 27 June 2006 The House of Representatives expressed its condolences to thefamily of Joe Baldacchino, a Labour MP for 21 years, Deputy Speaker andbriefly, Speaker, who passed away last week. Justice Minister and HomeAffairs Tonio Borg said Mr Baldacchino was a true gentleman who loved hispolitical party but was fair with his political adversaries. Mr Speaker AntonTabone said the Chair agreed with the views expressed by both sides andexpressed his condolences to the Baldacchino family.• 27 June 2006 The Housing Authority is assisting homeless families by giving out20% of its housing units for rent to the applicants on the Department of SocialHousing's waiting list. The authority has amended its allocation policy toensure those most in need of alternative accommodation, especially thehomeless, are given priority. It also takes into consideration persons withdisabilities and mental health problems and those living in substandardhousing conditions.• 27 June 2006 Total nights spent in hotels and other "collectiveaccommodation establishments" in April this year were recorded at 592,271,an increase of 6% over the same month last year, the National Statistics Officesaid. Year-on-year, the average length of stay in hotels diminished by 0.3nights to six nights.• 28 June 2006 Marking its official opening, the Prime Minister visited Le MéridienSt Julian's Hotel in Balluta Bay, which he described as an "additional asset" toMalta's tourism package that would help to "win" the stiff competition. Duringhis tour of the five-star property, accompanied by his wife, Dr Gonzi insisted onthe importance of tourism for the economy and of continuous investment inthe product to overcome the "tremendous" competition the island was facingin the Mediterranean.

• 28 June 2006 A new arrivals lounge at the airport built to meet the SchengenTreaty requirements was inaugurated by the Prime Minister. The 2,500 squaremetre building, which cost Lm1.2 million, is part of a larger investment. Thenew arrivals lounge will reach its full potential during next year's first quarter,when Malta will by then adhere fully to the Schengen Treaty. The treaty allowsfor common immigration policies and a border system among 26 Europeancountries - the EU countries with the exception of the UK and the Republic ofIreland, as well as Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.• 28 June 2006 The security forces faced the worst immigrant situation since theSafi riots last year when a mass break-out from the same detention centre atone time threatened to overwhelm the police and army, who were out in fullforce. Close to 400 illegal immigrants escaped from the detention centre inthe morning and several of them got as far as the roundabout leading toGaribaldi Road in Marsa before the scores of escapees were finally herdedback into the centre more than two hours later.• 28 June 2006 A group of 266 immigrants, who at first refused assistance by thearmy because they wanted to proceed to Italy, were persuaded to board anarmy patrol boat after the boat's engine had stalled. The new arrivals consistof 263 men and the rest women who hail from Morocco and Egypt and whoall are in good health, the army said. The immigrants were carrying shoppingbags and mobile phones.• 28 June 2006 Malta's public health system ranks very high for generosity butvery low for consumer rights and for the risk of MRSA, a type of bacterialinfection, according to the results of an EU-wide survey. The island was ranked13th overall in the European Health Consumer Index for this year, published inBrussels. The index, drawn up by Health Consumer Powerhouse, a Europeanprovider of consumer information on health care, compares all of the EU's 25national health care systems plus Switzerland from a consumer point of view.• 28 June 2006 A dumping site adjacent to the Addolorata Cemetery is to beturned into an extension of the country's main cemetery, following theapproval by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority of an applicationsubmitted by the Public Health Department. The application was approvedon Monday.• 28 June 2006 Malta has asked Libya to make a number of licenses availablefor Maltese fishermen to fish in its recently designated fishing zone, but therequest was not upheld, Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo said inParliament. He said talks were now being held on cooperation betweenMaltese and Libyan fishermen and this process needed to be given time tomature.• 28 June 2006 The ninth edition of the Victoria International Arts Festivalopened with the Italian choral ensemble Stirps Jesse at St George's cloisterand the adjoining concert hall, Aula Mgr Giuseppe Farrugia, in Victoria. Thefestival, which offers more than 30 events and concerts, ranges from soloperformances, chamber ensembles, choirs, wind bands, brass bands andorchestras to literary evenings and the inauguration of a baroque organdonated to the Basilica by Oxford scholar Richard Vendome.• 28 June 2006 A government scholarship scheme, allocating Lm200,000 forstudents wishing to do Masters and doctoral research in Malta or abroad, waslaunched by the Education, Youth and Employment Minister. The schemewould increase research and development activity in Malta, develop a morehighly skilled workforce and develop new fields of study, Minister Louis Galeasaid.

• 29 June 2006 Europe must get serious about the problem of illegalimmigration that is hitting Malta, insisted Bob Geldof, one of the world'sleading anti-poverty campaigners, claiming that the €2 million budgeted bythe EU Border Agency to combat the problem was not enough. "It is not forMalta to solve the issue, but it will certainly be Malta's problem unless we alldeal with it together. No problem in the world today can be handledunilaterally - and certainly not if you are a small country."• 29 June 2006 Romwald Lungaro Mifsud said he will be stepping down asMalta Tourism Authority chairman at the end of August. During a pressconference held soon after the National Statistics Office announced a dropof over eight percentage points in tourist arrivals in May, Mr Lungaro Mifsudsaid his decision to resign was not motivated by the rough patch the industrywas going through.• 29 June 2006 Twenty-five illegal immigrants arrived, bringing the total numberto 291 in under 16 hours after another 266 were landed at about 1.30 a.m.Close to 900 illegal immigrants have arrived on 21 boats over the past sixmonths.• 29 June 2006 In spite of its size and lack of resources, Malta was leaving itsmark as an EU member, speakers at a seminar in Brussels said. Themed MaltaIn The European Union - Two Years On, the seminar was organised by Malta'sPermanent Representation at the EU and the Malta Business Bureau in Brussels.• 29 June 2006 The European Union was full of praise for Malta's e-governmentstrategy with a survey showing that over the past year the island achieved themost outstanding performance ever recorded in this sector within the EU.From the 16th position last year in a similar survey, Malta moved up to secondplace last April. The only other EU member state deemed to be in a betterposition than Malta is Austria, although its progression was much slower thanMalta's.• 29 June 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo said that visa regulationsfor travel between Malta and Libya have been simplified to further facilitatethe movement of persons between the two countries. Dr Frendo said in anadjournment speech in Parliament that the visa requirement for travelbetween the two countries was introduced mainly because of EU regulations.• 29 June 2006 Caritas has so far collected Lm11,258 for people who lostrelatives or their homes in the earthquake that hit Indonesia in May. About5,500 people had died and more than 20,000 were injured. Some 200,000persons lost their homes. Caritas is planning to send the money to CaritasInternationalis shortly and is inviting those who would like to make theirdonations to do so as soon as possible.• 29 June 2006 The European Commission has launched a public consultationdocument on organ donation and transplantation. The main aim of the paperis to identify the main problems being faced in this area and to determinewhat measures can be taken by the EU. In 2004, Malta had the seventhlargest number of live kidney donors per capita in the EU25 (10 donors permillion population) following Cyprus (41.4 donors), Slovenia (27.5), Luxembourg(20), Sweden (15.8), The Netherlands (15.3) and Iceland (10.2).• 29 June 2006 Inbound tourism in May was estimated at 102,740, a decreaseof 8.7% over the corresponding month last year, the National Statistics Officesaid. The German, British and French markets, altogether making up a shareof 58% of the total, registered drops. In total, these markets went down by15.7% when compared to the same month last year. Other decreasesincluded those recorded from the American, Belgian and Danish as well as agroup of "other" markets.

• 29 June 2006 Maltese and tourists alike last visited Buskett Gardens, in thelimits of Rabat, to celebrate in the traditional feast of Mnarja, religiously knownas the feast of St Peter and St Paul. Francis Agius, Parliamentary Secretary forAgriculture and Fishers at the Ministry of Rural Affairs and the Environment,opened the traditional agricultural show.• 30 June 2006 The government has no intention of changing its position thatallows spring hunting despite the European Commission's decision onWednesday to initiate legal proceedings against Malta over the matter. In abrief statement by the Ministry for the Environment and Rural Affairs, thegovernment said it did not agree with the Commission's position andreiterated its commitment to defend its case "in all legal fora".• 30 June 2006 Another 28 illegal immigrants arrived in Malta at about 4.30 a.m.the police said. The immigrants including three women landed in a boat inBenghisa close to Birzebbuga. Arrangements are in hand for the repatriationof most of the 266 immigrants who were brought ashore on Tuesday night.• 30 June 2006 There will be no further public consultation on the controversialextension of development boundaries, even if the Malta Environment andPlanning Authority, in this final stage before the matter goes to Parliament,includes new land within the zones. The consultation period ended on June23. Besides submissions by people objecting to lands included in the schemeaccording to the Cabinet's criteria, there were also a number of applicationsfor inclusion filed by land owners who felt that their property was unjustly leftout during this selection.• 30 June 2006 The government has launched a new educational schemedubbed myPotential for people wanting to take on a career in informationtechnology. Launching the scheme, Investment, Industry and InformationTechnology Minister Austin Gatt said SmartCity@Malta will create a demandfor some 3,000 jobs in the ICT sector, adding that at a rate of 400 graduates ayear between MCAST and the university, the country will still not meet thesector's needs.• 30 June 2006 The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) said it condemned all acts ofviolence committed during Tuesday's demonstration by the Safi centredetainees. It also expressed its solidarity with all the members of the armedforces and the police who sustained injuries during the disturbance. At thesame time JRS said it would like to invite the authorities to look seriously intothe reasons for these repeated protests, which it said were a sign of deepfrustration within the detention centres.July• 1 July 2006 Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of Finance, TonioFenech, emphasised that the Government has no intention of makingpatients pay for the services offered at the hospital. He said the new hospitalwill be affordable to the Country. During a press conference Mr Fenech saidthe hospital's running costs were not expected to be much higher than therunning costs at St Luke's Hospital, however it is to be expected that althoughevery attempt has been made to save energy, a number of aspects, like airconditioningwould lead to higher running costs.• 1 July 2006 In a meeting with his counterpart in Hungary, Foreign AffairsMinister Michael Frendo requested the Country's support on the matter ofillegal immigration. "The European Union is dealing with Malta with thementality of small countries, small problems and this is unacceptable", Dr

Frendo said. In a meeting with Kinga Goncz, Dr Frendo said all attention wason Spain, which was getting assistance while Malta was being left in the lurch.• 1 July 2006 Another group of 48 illegal immigrants arrived in Malta, taking thetotal of arrivals since last January, close to 1,000. The new group, made up of48 men, were brought in by the army to Haywharf at about 4.30 a.m.• 1 July 2006 The Government announced a 2% cut in the fuel surcharge onelectricity. The 64% fuel surcharge in May/June was reduced to 62% forJuly/August. The fuel surcharge on electricity consumption is calculated onthe basis of the price Enemalta pays for fuel.• 1 July 2006 A publication by Miranda Publishers entitled Malta's WorldHeritage Sites 360°, showcasing all of Malta's Unesco World Heritage Sitestogether, was launched at the National Museum of Archaeology, in Valletta.An exhibition featuring enlarged images that appear in the publication wasalso opened at the museum to coincide with the launch. Prime MinisterLawrence Gonzi, together with HSBC Bank plc chief executive MichaelGeoghegan and Miranda Publishers' Eddie Aquilina, opened the exhibition.• 1 July 2006 EU presidency passed from the hands of Austria's ChancellorWolfgang Schussel to Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen. Launching theprogramme of the six-month Finnish-EU Presidency during a press conferencein Helsinki, Mr Vanhanen said Finland wants to address what currently seemsto be the EU's biggest problem - its diminished legitimacy in its citizens' eyes.• 1 July 2006 Recurrent revenue till the end of May amounted to Lm322.7million and made up 33.9% of this year's budget forecast. Compared to thefirst five months of last year, this revenue represented an increase of Lm18.4million, or 6%, the National Statistics Office said. The recurrent revenue for thesame period in 2005 amounted to Lm304.3 million.• 1 July 2006 Notifications from EU member states of risks to food safety rose by22% last year compared to the previous year, according to the annual reporton the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) published by theEuropean Commission. The increase could be due to more pro-activereporting by member states, improved controls in the new member states andan increase in food imports due to enlargement, the report says.• 1 July 2006 Air Malta have issued subsidised tickets to 94 students from theInstitute of Tourism Studies (ITS) who are due to undertake their internationalinternship in the coming weeks in countries that include England, Scotland,Ireland, Italy, Germany, Spain and Holland. ITS students who complete theircertificate level studies in any programme of studies at ITS have to undertakea compulsory 12-month international internship to become eligible for thediploma or higher diploma programmes of study.• 2 July 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi inaugurated an extension of TheLimestone Heritage, the attraction sited in a disused quarry near Siggiewiwhere visitors can experience how generations of Maltese made use of stone.The extension includes an auditorium and a multi-function hall which cancater for 200 visitors every 15 minutes.• 2 July 2006 The government has insisted that it is not true that under new ruleswhich came into force , all persons rescued within Malta's search and rescuezone have to be brought to Malta. Malta's SAR zone covers the centralMediterranean and stretches east almost to Greece. "The position of theMaltese authorities is that while Malta is responsible for the co-ordination ofrescue missions within its search and rescue zone, it is obliged to land in Maltaonly those persons who are in irremediable distress when the closest harbour isMalta," the government said.

• 2 July 2006 The weather last month was characterised by longer than usualheat waves, the Met Office said. A high temperature episode lasted for fivedays between the 20th and the 24th, with daily maximum temperaturesaveraging 37°C. Another one lasting four days with even higher temperaturesfollowed soon after.• 2 July 2006 Arnold Cassola, the Maltese national who was elected to theItalian Parliament last April, has been elected to the parliament's EuropeanAffairs Committee. The committee will be examining all the legislationproposed by the European Commission and which will be in force in the 25 EUstates.• 2 July 2006 The proposal for a Euro-Mediterranean investment bankadvocated by Malta for some time is attracting increasing support, accordingto Tonio Fenech, Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Finance. MrFenech was speaking to a local newspaper on last week's sixth meeting inTunis of the Ministerial Committee of the European Investment Bank's Facilityfor Euro-Mediterranean Investment and Partnership (FEMIP) held inconjunction with the second meeting of the Euro-Med ECOFIN Council.• 2 July 2006 Eight Maltese lace-makers have just returned from the 12thInternational Lace Congress organised by OIDFA (Organisation Internationalde Dentelle a Feseau et l'Anguille) in Athens. Each participant attended aworkshop with a different theme: Chios Mosaic lace, Cretan Bobbin lace,Finger lace and Asia Minor stitch (embroidery).• 3 July 2006 Malta is experiencing economic growth and increasedinvestment from the private sector which is creating new jobs, according toPrime Minister Lawrence Gonzi. Speaking at a social activity in Mellieha, DrGonzi said local and foreign investors believed in Malta's potential thanks tothe government's policies. This year, Malta Enterprise had approved moreprojects than in the whole of 2005. He mentioned as an example HSBC, whichhad chosen Malta to set up a call centre that would employ 350 people.• 3 July 2006 Gunther Verheugen, European Commissioner for Enterprise andIndustry, launched a number of measures aimed at helping small companiesget easier access to external financing in order to aid their start-up orexpansion. Addressing a news conference, Mr Verheugen said: "With today'sinitiative we want to tackle a persistent problem which puts a brake on smallenterprises, not allowing them to grow. People with smart business ideas,companies which would like to expand have persistent difficulties to get loansfrom their banks or equity capital from the market."• 4 July 2006 The park and ride scheme will be free of charge and the numberof zones in Valletta that will be barred to traffic have been reduced under thegovernment's final traffic management plan for the city. However, the hourlyrate for driving into Valletta has been marginally increased. No charge will belevied for the first half hour but a 35c fee will be imposed for every hour afterthat, reaching a maximum of Lm2.80 a day. "We haven't found a solution toplease everybody but I believe we've struck the right balance," saidInvestment, Industry and Information Technology Minister Austin Gatt, whenaddressing a news conference for which several organisations were present.• 4 July 2006 The incoming Finnish EU presidency promised to work hard atfinding a common EU solution to the problem of illegal immigration beingfaced by Malta. "This is an essential topic for the Finnish presidency. I stronglyfavour the need to grant as soon as possible EU solidarity to the Maltesepeople. We must definitely share the burden and not leave Malta alone. Wemust act on this and that is why we want to develop a strategy on migrationduring our six months in office."

• 4 July 2006 Close to half of those who applied for refugee status have beengranted some form of protection, Charles Buttigieg, the RefugeeCommissioner, said in a statement. In the first six months of this year, theRefugee Commissioner's Office interviewed 660 people and concluded 645cases involving 683 people. Of these, only 15 were granted refugee statusaccording to law but 293 were given temporary protection. A total of 360 hadtheir application turned down while 15 abandoned their application, MrButtigieg said.• 4 July 2006 Innovation, competitiveness, cooperation on justice, freedom andsecurity and further EU enlargement will be the main themes that Finland willbe working on during its second six-month presidency term since its accessionin 1995. Speaking to visiting EU affairs correspondents, Finnish Prime MinisterMatti Vanhanen said that he would explain the "Finnish model" of combiningeconomic flexibility with social security to EU leaders, trade unions andemployers during an informal summit to be held next October in Lahti, 100kmnorth of Helsinki.• 4 July 2006 While most airports in the Mediterranean have inevitably beenaffected by adverse realities on global levels, Malta International Airport hassolidly held its position, said its chairman Michael Hoeferer. Writing in the MIABusiness Report and Financial Statements 2005/2006, Holding Ground, he saidthe company's profit levels have remained unchanged.• 4 July 2006 Malta was the EU country with the highest relative increase inunemployment over a year up to last May, according to Eurostat, theStatistical Office of the European Communities. Malta topped the list with anunemployment rate growth from 7.2 to 8.3%. Seven other member states alsoregistered an increase in unemployment figures.• 4 July 2006 As a precautionary measure, Cadbury in the UK and Ireland hasrecalled a number of product lines sold in those two countries after they werefound to contain traces of salmonella. The traces were below any level thathas been shown to lead to illness, the company said. Cadbury said it hasidentified the source of the problem and rectified it, and stressed that none ofthe affected batches from these products have been exported to othercountries.• 4 July 2006 Communications and Competitiveness Minister Censu Galea hasreaffirmed the government's commitment for the ongoing port reform to bringdown tariffs. Speaking in Parliament, Mr Galea said in reply to questions that inawarding the cargo handling contract to Valletta Gateway Terminals Ltd inJune, the government had bound the new company to reduce tariffs initiallyby five%, but the reform would produce even deeper cuts.• 4 July 2006 A survey carried out within "old and new" member states showedthat over the past year, Malta achieved the most outstanding performanceever recorded in this sector in the EU. From its 16th ranking last year, Maltashot up to second place with Austria topping the list in a survey conducted inApril. The survey was carried out for the European Commission by CapgeminiConsultants. Minister for Industry, Investment and Information Technology DrGatt said his and the government's satisfaction stemmed from the fact thatMalta ranked second in the number of services offered and third in the qualityof the services.• 4 July 2006 Juanito Camilleri, the newly appointed rector of the University ofMalta, called on President Edward Fenech-Adami at the Palace in Valletta.This was one of a series of visits he intends to make to the country's leaders,authorities and civil society, the university being an integral part of Malta'ssocio-economic development. The university's strategy could not beformulated outside the local context, the new rector said.

• 5 July 2006 The introduction of the euro on January 1, 2008 will have apositive effect on the economy, yet the country had to be prepared to adaptto change, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said. Dr Gonzi was speaking at theopening of the 49th edition of the International Trade Fair of Malta in Naxxar,which will run until July 16.• 5 July 2006 Malta has called on Frontex, the EU border agency, to"immediately" launch joint sea patrols in the central Mediterranean, warningthat the flow of illegal migrants could soon become unsustainable. ForeignMinister Michael Frendo underlined the urgency of the problem saying thelarge numbers of illegal immigrants arriving here are not only stretching theisland's humanitarian responsibilities beyond limits but are having serioussecurity implications, as illustrated by the recent revolts.• 5 July 2006 An estimated Lm8 million were injected into the economy by thefilm industry over the past 12 months, Investment, Industry and InformationTechnology Minister Austin Gatt said. With 12 productions filmed locally -including Steven Spielberg's Munich and the controversial The Da Vinci Code -the past year registered the greatest number of shooting days yet, totalling164. Moreover, Malta showed it can handle more than one production at atime, something that had posed problems in the past.• 5 July 2006 An EU-funded initiative offering workers in the manufacturingsector the opportunity to learn basic information technology skills waslaunched by Investment, Industry and Information Technology Minister AustinGatt. The Minister told a press conference that while the country was gearingup to attract investment in the Information and Communication Technology(ICT) sector, other traditional manufacturing industries were losing ground andcould possibly close down in the near future.• 5 July 2006 Education, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galea moved anamendment to the Education Act (amendment) Bill, changing thecomposition of the Teaching Profession Council.6 July 2006 Malta would like to record but also revive the memory of itsnationals who lived and died in Tunisia, President Edward Fenech-Adami saidduring his visit to the Tunis city hall on the second and final day of a state visitto the North African country. Dr Fenech Adami also met Prime MinisterMohamed Ghannouci and laid a wreath on the monument of the martyrs inCarthage.• 6 July 2006 The process for the repatriation of 266 illegal immigrants wholanded in Malta last week started on Tuesday when 70 were returned to Cairoon a chartered flight, Parliamentary Secretary within the Office of the PrimeMinister Tony Abela told Parliament. Dr Abela thanked the EgyptianGovernment and the Egyptian Embassy in Malta for their cooperation, sayingEgypt was showing it was a true friend of Malta.• 6 July 2006 The Government signed an agreement with IBM to support thegrowth of the information society and the IT industry in Malta. Through the newvertical strategic alliance, the "cornerstone of the government's policy", Maltawas partnering the biggest global provider of IT services to attain furthersupport to reach the objectives of the National ICT Strategy and of the LisbonStrategy, Investment, Industry and Information Technology Ministry Austin Gattsaid.• 7 July 2006 The final revision of development boundaries, submitted to theGovernment by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, has marginallyreduced the development zone increase from 2.4% to 2.3%. During a pressconference, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino supportedthe government's decision to go ahead with the boundary rationalisation

exercise and announced that he had filed a resolution in Parliament for thediscussion to begin.• 7 July 2006 Fourteen immigrants who were involved in the mass breakout atthe Safi detention centre last week are still unaccounted for, according to theJustice and Home Affairs Ministry. About 400 immigrants took to the streets onJune 27 in protest against their lengthy detention in one of the most dramaticevents this year related to the problems of illegal immigration.• 7 July 2006 Four vehicles went up in flames on Wednesday night in yet moresuspected arson attacks. Three of the cars were ablaze in the Hamrun area.The police were first informed at 11 p.m. that a Lada was on fire in Triq JosephAbela Scolaro, Hamrun. Just 15 minutes later, a Peugeot was set on fire inHigh Street, Sta Venera, while a truck caught fire on the Mtarfa bypass• 7 July 2006 The European Parliament has given the green light to five reportsclearing the way for the 25 member states, particularly the 10 new ones, tostart using billions of euros in structural funds as of the beginning of next year.Originally, the deal on the allocation of structural funds was part of the overallfinancial perspectives agreed upon during a summit of EU leaders lastDecember in Brussels and later approved by the European Parliament. Thelatest decision by the European Parliament, on Tuesday, brings into force therules governing the allocation and implementation of such funds.• 8 July 2006 The Civil Protection Department dispatched aid to the survivors ofMay's earthquake on Indonesia's Java Island. The Indonesian earthquakekilled more than 5,700 people and left 100,000 homeless.• 8 July 2006 The European Commission has called upon member states andthe sunbed industry to ensure that ultraviolet-radiation devices, tanning lampsand sun beds carry appropriate warnings and instructions to prevent misuse. Italso called on standards authorities to introduce UV limits in product standardsand guidance for industry and consumers. It called on member states toensure that solariums applied these recommendations.• 8 July 2006 The European Commission has adopted its communicationTowards An EU Strategy On The Rights Of The Child and highlighted a series ofmeasures to be taken this year and the next with the aim of strengtheningchildren's rights. European Commission President José Manuel Barroso told anews conference on Thursday that the rights and values bestowed on futuregenerations were the true demonstration of the Commission's commitment tofundamental rights.• 8 July 2006 The European Commission has adopted a communication onImplementing Sustainability In EU Fisheries Through Maximum Sustainable Yield.Following consultation on this communication, the Commission will propose aseries of long-term plans to bring major fish stocks in EU waters to maximumsustainable yields. For stocks managed with third countries, the EU will seek todevelop joint management arrangements.• 9 July 2006 Meeting with Pope Benedict XVI personally last Wednesday forthe first time since his appointment, the Bishop of Gozo, Mgr Mario Grechthanked the Holy Father for trusting him with this new ministry. He asked thePope to bless the Church in Malta and Gozo and, particularly, to bless hisfellow priests and the families. The Pope agreed and sent his apostolicblessings. Bishop Grech was one of the Pope's first episcopal appointees.• 10 July 2006 The Maltese internationally acclaimed tenor Joseph Calleja,performed for a 3,500-strong audience that filled the former parade groundon Manoel Island, on Saturday. He was in the company of his Moldovan, wifeand equally acclaimed soprano Tatiana Lisnic, Russian mezzo-soprano ElenaZaremba and Italian baritone Vittorio Vitelli.

• 11 July 2006 Police and customs officials made the largest find of ecstasy pillsin Malta, with a market value running into many thousands of liri, the policesaid. As many as 28 packets, each containing a large number of pills, werebeing imported into Malta by sea when they were seized by the police andthe Customs Enforcement Section. The find was the result of intensiveinvestigations by the police over the last few weeks which revealed that anattempt was to be made to smuggle in a large consignment of ecstasy in thefollowing days.• 11 July 2006 Spectacular light effects lit up the stage as Roger Waters sang hisway through one of the most impressive rock concerts Malta has ever seenaccompanied by his 11-piece band and backing vocalists.• 11 July 2006 "We need urgent action. For us this is an issue of vital importance.The message to the international criminal organisations must be that no routeis easy anymore", Minister for Foreign Affairs Michael Frendo told the MinisterialConference on Migration and Development in Rabat, Morocco. Dr Frendoremarked that for Malta illegal immigration is not just another problem like anyother problem on which conferences are held, "This for us is an issue of vitalimportance and we ask our African brothers to understand this".• 11 July 2006 648 theft reports were filed to the police in June, Justice andHome Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said. As in previous months, the highestnumber of thefts, 183, occurred from cars. Other thefts included four hold-ups,33 pick-pocketing cases, six cases of snatch and grab, seven thefts fromboats, six thefts of boats and 40 thefts of cars, 48 house burglaries and 36thefts from hotels and bars. There were 26 thefts from beaches, six fromfactories and 7 from shops.• 11 July 2006 The police received 66 reports of arson in the first six months ofthis year compared to 58 in the same period last year, Justice and HomeAffairs Minister Tonio Borg said in reply to a parliamentary question.• 11 July 2006 Infant mortality has more than halved since 1996, statistics issuedby the National Statistics Office show. Deaths among under one-year-oldswent down from 53 in 1996 to 23 last year, the statistics, issued on the occasionof World Population Day show. The NSO said provisional figures from last year'scensus showed that Malta's population in November stood at 404,039.• 11 July 2006 Exports increased by Lm10.9 million to Lm82.9 million in Maycompared to Lm72 million in May 2005, while total imports reached Lm112.5million, Lm8.3 million less when compared to May 2005, the National StatisticsOffice said. In the period January-May 2006, total exports increased byLm49.9 million, or 15.3%, to Lm375.8 million from Lm325.9 million in the sameperiod in 2005.• 12 July 2006 European Union Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini haspromised Foreign Minister Michael Frendo that EU joint sea patrols off Maltawould start this summer. Attending a conference on migration anddevelopment in Rabat, Morocco, Dr Frendo made it a point to raise an issuehe had confronted resident EU ambassadors with last week: That aid shouldextend to the central Mediterranean route and should not focus exclusivelyon blocking African migrants into Spain• 12 July 2006 Tourist arrivals in southern and Mediterranean Europe increasedby 5% in the first four months of this year, according to the latest UnitedNations World Tourism Organisation report, whereas Malta saw a drop of 1.4%between January and May. Israel increased its figures on the previous year by30%, Croatia by 12%, Serbia and Montenegro by 10%, Spain by 6% and Italy by5%.

• 12 July 2006 Costa Crociere has boosted its presence in Grand Harbour withthe launch of its new flagship Costa Concordia, a 112,000-tonne liner that willstart using Malta as one of its home ports later this month. Tourism and CultureMinister Francis Zammit Dimech said Malta's participation in the itinerary ofcruise liners provided a unique window of opportunity to day visitors.• 12 July 2006 The simplification of regulatory environments, addressingmonopolies which present a barrier to new market entries, reduction ofpatenting costs and a mechanism for establishing standards in emergingtechnologies will all go a long way towards developing a market moreconducive to technological innovation, Competitiveness andCommunications Minister Censu Galea told an informal EU CompetitivenessCouncil in Finland.• 12 July 2006 The University of Malta must continue to forge links with otherstakeholders in the education sector, with industry and with civil society atlarge, rector Juanito Camilleri said during a meeting with a Labour Partydelegation led by Alfred Sant.• 12 July 2006 A group of Maltese and Tunisian experts have completed areport identifying areas where oil exploration may possibly be carried outjointly by the two countries, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said in Parliament.He said its conclusions were sensitive and this was not the right time to revealthem.• 12 July 2006 A total of 1,084 marriages were registered at the Public Registriesin Malta and Gozo up to June 30 this year, Justice and Home Affairs MinisterTonio Borg said. Replying to a parliamentary question Dr Borg said there were1,016 marriages in Malta and 68 in Gozo. Those in Malta included 314 civilweddings, 37 of which were between Maltese, 76 between Maltese andforeigners and 199 between foreigners.• 12 July 2006 There were 57 drug finds in schools in the last scholastic year,including four cases where the drugs might not have been for personal use,Youth, Education and Employment Minister Louis Galea said. Replying to aparliamentary question, the minister said that three of the finds which mightnot have been for personal use were made in state schools, the other in achurch school.• 13 July 2006 An agreement aimed at safeguarding the early Christiancatacombs at Ta' Bistra in Mosta, was signed between the Mosta local counciland Heritage Malta. The three-year agreement will ensure the long-termconservation, upkeep and operation of the site through the establishment ofthe necessary management and conservation plans.• 13 July 2006 Guidelines on noise pollution have been issued by theOccupational Health and Safety Authority to raise awareness on the impactof noise on health. Noise-induced hearing loss has been recognised by theWorld Health Organisation as the most prevalent irreversible industrial disease• 13 July 2006 A mass by the Archbishop, a parade in Valletta and a medalceremony at the police headquarters, in Floriana, were the highlights of aprogramme of activities marking the 192nd anniversary of the police force.Almost 200 medals were presented by Justice and Home Affairs Minister TonioBorg and Police Commissioner John Rizzo to corps members for "long andefficient service" on Malta Police Day. Medals were presented to memberswho have served for 18, 25 and 30 years.• 13 July 2006 The parliamentary debate on the extension of the buildingdevelopment zones opened within the House Development PlanningCommittee, with ministers explaining the purpose of the extension andopposition MPs asking several questions on the criteria used.

• 13 July 2006 The ETC struck 989 people off the employment register betweenJanuary and May this year, Education, Youth and Employment Minister LouisGalea told Parliament. They included 177 people who were working illegallywhile registering for work and 619 who refused job opportunities. A further 193refused training opportunities.• 13 July 2006 There are currently 1,031 immigrants residing at open centres,Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said in reply to a parliamentary question. Costshave totalled Lm 320,423.81 so far this year.• 13 July 2006 Judge Carmel Agius will preside over the biggest trial to be heldso far at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. The trialof seven senior Bosnian Serb military and police officers facing genocide andother charges for crimes committed in Srebrenica is expected to starttomorrow morning.• 14 July 2006 Hastings Garden was vandalised - just a week after thecompletion of a Lm300,000 restoration project. Red paint was daubed on thenewly installed benches and the 19th century Hastings monument while someof the uplighters were smashed. The perpetrators carried out the attack aweek before CCTV is due to be installed. A spokesman for the Ministry ofResources and Infrastructure, which was responsible for the garden'sembellishment, described the incident as shameful.• 14 July 2006 The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) said there has been"excellent" cooperation from the Maltese police, customs and tax officialsaimed at protecting EU taxpayers' money against fraud and corruption. Theremark was made by OLAF Director General Franz-Hermann Brüner in theoffice's Annual Activity Report which illustrates its work inside and outside theEU in 28 case studies and statistical tables.• 14 July 2006 Job creation, training and education are among the priorities ofa document published aimed at making the most of EU monies earmarkedfor Malta under the European Social Fund. Malta is on track to start makinguse of funds from the new EU budget by January 1, 2007, ParliamentarySecretary within the Ministry of Finance Tonio Fenech told a news conference.• 14 July 2006 The new internal branding campaign for Malta, revolving aroundthe islands "natural advantages" of heritage, diversity and hospitality, has justbeen presented to members of the tourism industry by the Malta TourismAuthority. The campaign is scheduled to run in leading local media during thesecond half of this year up to the beginning of next year, the MTA said.• 14 July 2006 Around 300 girl guides camped at the St Vincent de Paulresidence for the elderly grounds as part of the Nibnu Pont campaign. Thecampaign, launched in February, is aimed at bridging the gap between theelderly and children. Weekly visits to St Vincent de Paul and other residentialhomes for the elderly by different girl guide groups from around the islandhave been organised. Helen D'Amato, Parliamentary Secretary for the Elderlyand Community Care, took part in the opening ceremony of the campaign.• 15 July 2006 Malta had the second highest yearly increase in electricity pricesin the European Union, though the overall cost remains among the cheapest,statistics released by Eurostat show. Electricity prices in Malta increased by23.3% between January 2005 and January 2006, second only to Cyprus whichfaced a 31.4% increase.• 15 July 2006 Robert Abela has been re-appointed chairman of the MaltaSong Board by the Minister for Tourism and Culture. The board falls under theumbrella of the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts.

• 15 July 2006 The Time Out Group, a leading international publishing housebased in London renowned for its guides and magazines for visitors across theworld, has just published its first Malta and Gozo edition. The first issue of theannual magazine is available at newsagents in Malta and Europeancountries, including the UK.• 15 July 2006 The Gozo Ministry has embarked on a project entitled NicheTourism For The Island Of Gozo, which focuses on diving as the mainattraction. The 1.2 million project, largely funded through the EU's StructuralFunds Programme for Malta 2004/6, will provide a decompression chamber atthe Gozo General Hospital as well as two scuttled vessels. Gozo MinisterGiovanna Debono said during a news conference that a master plan fordiving should be ready by the end of summer while the decompressionchamber should be functional by the end of the year.• 15 July 2006 British High Commissioner Nick Archer presented certificates toMaltese students who have followed Chevening-funded post-graduatestudies in the United Kingdom. A recital of modern poetry by British poet ZenaEdwards featuring a multicultural outlook on various issues was followed by thepresentation.• 16 July 2006 Maltese authorities denied permission to a Spanish trawler tobring 50 illegal immigrants to Malta. The Armed Forces dispatched provisionsaccompanied by a Spanish diplomat, to the illegal immigrants, who wererescued by the vessel. Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo told a localnewspaper that : "We are absolutely adamant, in the current circumstanceswhen the vessel in not in any imminent danger, that it is unacceptable that itshould bring these illegal immigrants to Malta. The immigrants were picked upat a point where Malta was not the closest land territory and fully outside oursearch and rescue zone."• 16 July 2006 Occupational fatalities have dropped from 10 to seven in every100,000 workers since the Occupational Health and Safety Authority was setup five years ago. The number of incidents has also been slashed to 4,002 lastyear from 5,286 in 2000 - encouraging figures considering that many accidentsare often preventable. The new premises in Edgar Ferro Street, Pietà, wereofficially opened by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi in the presence ofEducation, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galea, employers and unionrepresentatives.• 16 July 2006 Finland's EU presidency will seek to bring a 'New Europe' out ofthe present division between old and new members, Finnish ambassador toItaly and Malta, Pauli Makela, stated in St Julian's on Friday. Mr Makela wasaddressing a public dialogue on the Finnish Presidency programme organisedby the Forum for Europe. Seven leading priorities have been identified for thenext six months: the future of the EU; competitiveness; energy; climatechange; external relations; citizens' access to justice; transparent and efficientprocedures; and the Western Balkans.• 16 July 2006 About Lm20,000 were raised for the Missionary Society of St Paul(MSSP) missions in the Third World by 7 p.m. at the 60-hour Ohloq Tbissima livebroadcasting marathon on Melita Cable's Channel 30. The marathon, wasinaugurated by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Labour Leader Alfred Santlast Friday at noon.• 17 July 2006 Despite intensive diplomatic contacts between Malta and theSpanish and Libyan authorities, the Spanish trawler that was denied permissionto bring 50 illegal immigrants to Malta on Saturday was, late last night, stillsome 20 nautical miles south of the island. According to Tony Abela,Parliamentary Secretary within the Office of the Prime Minister, diplomatic

contacts are going on between the government and the Spanish and Libyanauthorities to try to resolve this issue.• 18 July 2006 On the occasion of the opening of the new Forni Complex, atthe Valletta Waterfront, Salvo Grima Group - operators of the newly openedbeauty store Singular - together with their suppliers, donated a generous sumtowards the Community Chest Fund. The donation was presented toPresident Edward Fenech-Adami by Michael Aquilina Clews, Salvo GrimaGroup director on behalf of Singular and its suppliers, Ta' Xbiex Perfumery Ltd,Vivian Corporation, V. J. Salomone (Marketing) Ltd and Von Brockdorff(Imports) Ltd.• 18 July 2006 President Edward Fenech-Adami and Mrs Fenech Adami werethe guests of honour on Sunday night for MADC's production of The MerryWives Of Windsor, at San Anton Gardens, in Attard. William Shakespeare'sclassic comedy was given a complete makeover, complete with rock band afunctional bar on set in a production staged in the 1960s. During the intervalDr Fenech Adami and his wife met backstage with the cast, which includesMarylu Coppini, Mikhail Basmadjan and the former Australian Ambassador toMalta Colin Willis.• 18 July 2006 As Malta received over 140 illegal immigrants in under 24 hours,the 50 irregular migrants on board a Spanish trawler remain in political andlegal limbo 14 nautical miles off Malta, despite intensive diplomatic talks withSpain to break the status quo.• 18 July 2006 A €155 million syndicated term loan facility arranged for Bank ofValletta by ING Bank NV and Sanpaolo IMI Bank Ireland plc was signed. TonioFenech, Parliamentary Secretary at the Finance Ministry, who attended theluncheon, said that having such a number of prominent international financialinstitutions participating in the syndicated loan facility clearly demonstratesthe positive reputation the Bank of Valletta Group enjoys within internationalfinancial markets.• 18 July 2006 Family and Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina insisted thatthe government needed to act now to ensure the sustainability andadequacy of pensions well into the future. Introducing the debate on a Bill toreform the pensions system, Mrs Cristina said this bill represented courageousdecision-making by the present government.• 18 July 2006 The harmonised index of consumer prices last month went up by3.3% over last year to 104.57. A year earlier, the index had dropped by 2.1%over the previous 12 months. The index decreased by 0.2% last month ascompared to May. A year earlier, no change was registered. Up till last month,the 12-month average rate of inflation of the HICP stood at 2.9%.• 19 July 2006 Both the EU Finnish Presidency and the Maltese Government lefta General Affairs meeting in Brussels saying they were "satisfied" even if there isstill no tangible commitment on border patrols other than a promise thataction is "underway". Migration was put on the agenda by the Presidency atMalta's specific request.• 19 July 2006 A total of 502 migrants enjoy the status of Temporary ProtectionCitizens and have a work permit, Education, Youth and Employment MinisterLouis Galea said in reply to a parliamentary question.• 19 July 2006 A total of 1,927 Maltese changed their ID cards to an address inGozo between April 2001 and March 2006, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi saidin reply to a parliamentary question.• 19 July 2006 A closer look at the distribution of languages studied during2004/2005 showed that Italian maintained its popularity among students' first

choice for the studying of a foreign language at the lower secondary level.The National Statistics Office said those who took Italian as a first foreignlanguage accounted for 14,645 or 51% of the total number of students atsecondary level, the same as in 2003/04.• 19 July 2006 Maltese poet, playwright and novelist Guzè Chetcuti passedaway at the age of 91. A man who held the Maltese language in highesteem, Mr Chetcuti was awarded the Città di Valletta award in 1986 andwas appointed member of the National Order of Merit in 1996.• 20 July 2006 Spain agreed to send a military plane to Malta to take most ofthe 51 illegal immigrants on board a Spanish trawler off Malta, Foreign AffairsMinister Michael Frendo said. A pregnant woman and another woman andher infant, who were transported to Malta to receive medical attention onTuesday afternoon, will remain here for the time being. Five Moroccans in thegroup will be repatriated at the expense of the European Commission. Thedeal was struck with the cooperation of the European Union.• 20 July 2006 The European Commission has decided to go ahead with itsplanned sea patrols although Libya has yet to say whether it is willing tocooperate with the EU's border control agency's joint missions off Malta in abid to curb illegal immigration. Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini said theCommission will announce the start of the missions next week.• 20 July 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo has signed the InternalAgreement On The 10th European Development Fund, an intergovernmentalfinancial instrument that allocates aid to African, Caribbean and PacificStates (ACP) for the period 2008-2015. The signing took place during the EUForeign Ministers' Council meeting in Brussels on Monday.• 20 July 2006 Parliament approved a motion to transfer by absolute purchasethe area currently occupied by the counting hall at Ta' Qali to the USgovernment for the building of an embassy. Justice and Home Affairs MinisterTonio Borg explained that this 40 tumolo (10 acre) site was being sold for $18.5million (approx Lm6 million). The US government had considered various sites,some of which were privately owned. There had been some haggling overthe price, with the original US offer being lower price while the Governmenthad requested more.• 20 July 2006 A billboard advertising campaign is urging people to wash theirhands regularly as part of a national drive to ward off a potential influenzapandemic. The billboard messages form of the second phase of a nationalcampaign by the Pandemic Preparedness Committee to promote goodpractices that will be crucial in warding off or, at least, reducing the negativeeffects of influenza, a Health Division spokesman said.• 20 July 2006 The National Book Council, on behalf of all writers "and thosewho love Maltese books", has paid homage to Guzè Chetcuti, who died onTuesday. "Guzè Chetcuti was an important player in the history of our country.He worked for the Maltese language and literature in very difficult times, notonly at a time when to love the Maltese language was considered adishonour but also during World War II.," the Council said.• 21 July 2006 Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg invited his Italianand Libyan counterparts for talks on the immigration crisis, accentuated bythe drama involving 51 illegal immigrants on a Spanish trawler off Malta.• 21 July 2006 A final decision on dual pricing has been made: retailers and theservice industry must start displaying prices in both euro and lira as of July 1,2007 - six months before the official changeover date. Though the EU requiresdual pricing to start once the final and irrevocable exchange rate betweenthe lira and the euro has been established, the Cabinet decided earlier this

year to introduce dual display six months before that, so that the public couldget used to the value of the new currency.• 21 July 2006 An inter-ministerial permanent focus group was launched byFamily and Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina to implement a nationalinformation campaign on the harm of underage drinking in view of theproposed new law. "We must teach youths they do not need to binge onalcohol to be an adult and have fun," said Ms Dolores Cristina, pointing outthat the trends of alcohol consumption in Malta were "nothing to boast about"and had serious repercussions throughout life.• 21 July 2006 The Global Environment Facility of the United Nations EnvironmentProgramme has granted $116,000 to the Malta Environmental and PlanningAuthority to set up a framework for the management of genetically modifiedorganisms at national level. GMOs, that can be bacteria, fungi, animals,plants and viruses with the exception of human beings, are organisms in whichthe genetic material has been altered in a way that does not occur naturallyby mating and/or natural recombination.• 21 July 2006 The fourth edition of the 60-hour broadcasting marathon OhloqTbissima in aid of the work being undertaken by the Missionary Society of StPaul in Malta, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines and for evangelisation raisedLm57,747. The marathon, which ended at midnight on Sunday, was full ofactivities, including Mass, discussions, features and interviews with variousmissionaries, Karaoke, abseiling, a kids' corner and lots more, as well asevening variety shows with the participation of the best of local talent.• 21 July 2006 The protocol establishing formal diplomatic relations betweenMalta and Montenegro was signed in Vienna on Wednesday by MalteseAmbassador Walter Balzan and Ambassador Veska Garcevic, on behalf ofMontenegro. Malta was among the first European countries to extend itsrecognition of Montenegro as a sovereign independent state following itsdeclaration of independence from Serbia last month.• 21 July 2006 The Malta Tourism Authority's new chairman is Sam Mifsud who isthe managing director of the shipping and travel agency S. Mifsud and Sons.Mr Mifsud will take over from Romwald Lungaro Mifsud as of September 1,according to the Ministry for Tourism and Culture. Mr Lungaro Mifsudannounced last month he will be stepping down as MTA chairman at the endof next month, saying he had accomplished his mission.• 21 July 2006 The most popular destination among Maltese travellers betweenJanuary and May this year was Italy, accounting for 28.3% of the total numberof those who went abroad by air and sea, the National Statistics Office said.This was followed by the UK, Belgium and Germany. In the January-Mayperiod, the number of Maltese passengers departing by air and seaamounted to 83,203, an increase of seven% over the same period a year ago.Of these, about 97.3% spent less than six months away from Malta.• 21 July 2006 The Government issued a call to airlines to bring down the coston specific and underserved routes. The call, made via the Department ofInformation's website, opens up the possibility for low-cost airlines to operateto Malta from Luton, Dublin, Pisa and Mulhouse-Basel. The governmentannounced last April it would be offering support schemes to the tune of Lm1million to airlines if they operate to specific destinations during the wintermonths. The support schemes will be offered to airlines for the periodNovember to March in a bid to attract visitors to Malta during the traditionallytourism-dry months. More info can be accessed on the following link:http://www.doi.gov.mt/EN/archive/proposalslowcost/proposal.asp

• 22 July 2006 The African illegal immigrants who spent one week on board aSpanish trawler off Malta embarked on the last leg of their journey. TwoSpanish military planes taxied on the apron of the old airport, taking 46 of the51 illegal immigrants to Crotone in Italy, Madrid and Barcelona. They will beshared between the two countries, while tiny Andorra is reportedly taking five.Malta kept five - four Moroccans and one Pakistani - who will be repatriatedwith the help of the Spanish Government at the cost of the EuropeanCommission, Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo said. "This is a perfectexample of burden-sharing on a European scale," Dr Frendo.• 22 July 2006 As the siege on Beirut entered its 10th day, the first Maltesenationals caught in the Lebanese capital arrived home after a two-dayjourney.• 22 July 2006 The Sense Group, which is supported by companies thatproduce and sell alcoholic beverages in Malta, has welcomed the proposedlaw that would make it illegal for those aged under 16 to procure, possess, orconsume alcohol. TSG said that, ever since it was set up in October 1997, ithas never missed an opportunity to educate and remind youths over 16 torefrain from binge drinking and to drink responsibly if they choose to drink. Thegroup took a number of initiatives to promote the principle of moderateconsumption of alcohol among adults.• 22 July 2006 At the end of last month, 7,061 persons were registering for workwith the Employment and Training Corporation, 86 fewer than the numberregistered in May. The National Statistics Office said, however, that in June2005, there were an additional 131 persons registering for employment. Theunemployment rates for last month are not available because the data havenot been published yet.• 23 July 2006 The Maltese are among the least suicidal in Europe according torecently released figures by the EU's statistical office. The news reinforces thenotion, suggested by previous surveys, that the Maltese are fundamentallyhappy. The same cannot be said of some of their counterparts, where suicideis almost on a par with deaths resulting from traffic accidents, especially in themale 20-44 category. The main killers in the EU25 are heart attacks, strokes andother diseases of the circulatory system, accounting for 41% of all deaths, and52% of deaths among the over-85s.• 23 July 2006 The UNHCR expressed appreciation to the Europeangovernments which had helped the African immigrants who spent one weekin political limbo on board a Spanish trawler. Mr Artini, who is based in Rome,expressed satisfaction that the week-long impasse was solved through the cooperationof different governments.• 24 July 2006 As the temperatures are set to soar this week, the Department ofHealth has issued a warning to the public to keep well hydrated. Hightemperatures cause water to be lost from the body at fast rates, resulting indehydration, and possibly heat exhaustion or heatstroke. To avoid the effectsof a heat wave the department is urging everyone to: Keep out of the heatby avoiding unnecessary exposure to the sun between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m,Stay cool by keeping to the coolest parts of the home and workplace, Drinkregularly and eat more cold food. Finally to seek advice if you have anyconcerns.• 24 July 2006 The Retail Price Index went down by 0.33% to 110.52 last monthfrom 110.89 in May, the National Statistics Office said. The inflation rate stoodat 3.11%.• 24 July 2006 Officials from Customs, the American Embassy, the US ArmyCorps of Engineers and the Freeport took part in a ceremony to mark the

commencement of works on a warehouse that will become the new officesof Customs at the Freeport. When completed in about a year, the warehousewill provide a controlled area for the Customs division's cargo inspections atthe Freeport. The project, costing Lm560,000 is being funded by the Americangovernment as part of its ongoing programme of assistance to MaltaCustoms.• 25 July 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi opened an exhibition themed 25Years Of Maltese Art, mounted by Middlesea Insurance plc as part of its 25thanniversary celebrations. The exhibition pays tribute to Maltese art over thepast 25 years and includes the works of 25 Maltese artists.• 25 July 2006 EU Justice Ministers were briefed about two border patrolmissions to be launched in the Mediterranean in a bid to curb the influx ofillegal immigrants crossing over to Europe from the North African coast. Detailscommunicated to the ministers show clearly that the patrols off the SpanishCanary Islands are in a much more advanced stage than those planned forthe area close to Malta.• 25 July 2006 The EU Council of Ministers approved funding for embryonic stemcell research under the seventh framework programme. On ethical grounds,Malta, along with a minority of other EU member states, are against thecontroversial research. During the open debating session, Competitivenessand Communication Minister Censu Galea argued that Malta had noproblem with research making use of stem cells from naturally abortedembryos or cells deriving from blood chords, but it objected to researchcarried out on clone lines available on the market.• 25 July 2006 More than 132,000 cruise passengers arrived in Malta in the firstsix months of the year, a 24.4% increase over the first half of 2005. Figuresreleased by the National Statistics Office show an increase was also registeredlast month over June 2005. In fact, 32,617 cruise passengers arrived in Maltalast month compared to 31,956 in June 2005. The greatest number ofpassengers of the same nationality - almost 7,000 - who arrived in Malta lastmonth came from Spain, followed by Italy (6,282) and the United States(4,464).• 26 July 2006 Air Malta estimates it will earn about Lm1.1 million over the nextfive years through the outsourcing of in-flight entertainment that will beoffered as from next month. Blue Media Marketing, which won the tender, willbe paying the national airline Lm75,000 annually. Addressing a pressconference, Investments, Industry and Information Technology Minister AustinGatt said three measures the airline took recently - the outsourcing of thetechnological sector and cabin cleaning apart from the in-flightentertainment package - will lead to cost reduction and additional revenueof about Lm750,000 annually.• 26 July 2006 Italy has given its full commitment to carry out joint patrols in theMediterranean, as Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi and Prime MinisterLawrence Gonzi tried to map out a solution to the problem of illegalimmigration. The main thrust of a one-hour discussion at Palazzo Chigi, inRome, is that both Malta and Italy are facing a huge problem with the flow ofmigrants, a problem that needs to be addressed at different levels. Dr Gonziwas accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo.• 26 July 2006 The European Commission allowed the Maltese government tolower the VAT rate on several family-friendly services until the end of 2010. Thedecision follows a request by Malta last March for the current VAT rate of 18%on home help services to the elderly, the sick or disabled, baby sitting, childmindingactivities and maid services to be cut to five%.

• 26 July 2006 Sedqa and the Royal British Legion have launched an awarenesscampaign on the problems and dangers arising from alcoholism, smoking anddrug abuse and the consequences to people's lives and to society. Thecampaign is being held among primary and secondary school studentsattending the English language summer courses organised by the BritishLegion in both Malta and Gozo. Students have been invited to take part in acreative writing competition about the issues in question after being givensuggestive drawings.• 26 July 2006 Illegal immigrants caused damages of Lm10,272 to detentioncentres in the first half of this year, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said in replyto a parliamentary question. The damage included doors, windows, tiles,toilets, showers, furniture, power and water fixtures, the sewage system,bedding, a table tennis table and a clinic.• 26 July 2006 Fish landings totalled 350,434 kilos during the June quarter thisyear, a 15.8% drop over the previous year. A total of 415,975 kilos of fish werelanded at the fish market between April and June last year, while in the sameperiod this year, there was a drop of 65,541 kilos. Landings of blue fin tuna, anincreasingly important produce for the local sector representing 33% of thetotal landings in the quarter, decreased by just over 26%. Swordfish registereda marginal drop of 1.3%. The volume of landings by Maltese fishermendecreased by 17%, mostly through significant drops in blue fin tuna (-24.5%)and swordfish (-1.7%).• 26 July 2006 One of the oldest and most important organs dating back to1597 has been restored. The organ, of Italian origin, is found at the Oratory, StJohn's Co-cathedral, in Valletta. It is one of the few existing organs of its time,the executive coordinator of the Valletta Rehabilitation Committee, RayBondin, said. Speaking during a visit to St John's Co-cathedral by Resourcesand Infrastructure Minister Ninu Zammit, Dr Bondin said the importance of theorgan did not only stem from its age but also from the fact that its builder hadutilised an older type of mechanism as if he was unaware of the progressregistered in organ building in Europe at the time.• 27 July 2006 The House of Representatives voted 33-28 in favour of agovernment motion that will extend the building development zones.• 27 July 2006 SOS Malta appealed to the Maltese to help people caught up inthe escalating violence in Lebanon, Gaza and Israel. SOS Malta will focus onproviding humanitarian relief particularly to women and children. Donationscan be sent to SOS Malta, Dar l-Emigrant, Castille Place, Valletta, or depositedin the following accounts: APS 20000245111; HSBC 006070932050; BOV40013974950. info@sosmalta.org• 28 July 2006 Fifty-six illegal immigrants managed to land here on their ownsteam in two groups of 28 each in less than 12 hours. The first group of illegalimmigrants landed in Gozo, the police said. The Police, who were informed ofthe boatload in Xwejni, close to Marsalforn, at about 8.30 a.m., went on siteand found several of the immigrants already wading ashore. The secondgroup of illegal immigrants, this time consisting of 17 men, nine women andtwo children landed at about 7.30 p.m. in Marsascala at the area popularlyknown as Is-Siberja, the police said.• 28 July 2006 The extensions to the development building zones were in noway inconsistent with the efforts to boost tourism, according to Tourism andCulture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech. The minister was fielding questions byjournalists as the Malta Tourism Authority launched its third strategic plan(2006-2009) for consultation. The plan sets a long-term target beyond 2009 fortourism to reach a peak of 1.5 million tourists per annum.

• 28 July 2006 The number of employed persons in April totalled 150,786 or46.2% of all those aged over 15 while 11,955, or 3.6%, were unemployed, theLabour Force Survey carried out by the National Statistics Office shows. For thethree months to April, the unemployment rate was estimated to be 7.3%. Theunemployment rate for males was 6.4%; that for females 9.5%.• 28 July 2006 Without a concerted policy and fiscal reforms, the aging Maltesepopulation will lead to intense pressure on public finances and ratings,Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said in a report. The report, titled GlobalGraying Country Report: Republic of Malta, provides country-specific analysison Malta (A/Stable/A-1) designed to complement the overall report covering32 sovereigns, published earlier.• 28 July 2006 A painting which some experts attribute to Caravaggio is amonga number of works of art by such masters as Ribera, Murillo and Preti that willbe on display at Palazzo Falson, in Mdina, when the landmark mediaevalmonument is opened to the public in March. The imposing building is beingrestored by the Malta heritage foundation Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti. Workhas been going on for well over four years and is scheduled for completion inthe first quarter of next year.• 28 July 2006 A total of 13.8 million kilogrammes of fruit and vegetables passedthrough the markets in the June quarter, up 1.37 million kilogrammes (+11%),from the 12.5 million kilogrammes handled in the corresponding period lastyear, the National Statistics Office said. The rise in volume brought about anincrease of Lm0.2 million (+8.9%) in the wholesale value, which rose from Lm2.2million in the second quarter of last year to Lm2.4 million this year.• 29 July 2006 The Central Bank of Malta left the central intervention rateunchanged at 3.5%. Central Bank Governor Michael Bonello considered thatthe central intervention rate remained appropriate at its current level. Henoted that earlier indications on the first reactions to the increase in thecentral intervention rate in May had been confirmed as the enhancedattractiveness of domestic financial assets was reflected in the growth of bankdeposits and in the favourable response to the latest issue of governmentbonds on the primary market.• 29 July 2006 Businessmen, travel agents, members of the media and thepublic in China helped themselves to a number of Maltese dishes at theopening of celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the GuandongFriendship Association. The food was prepared by the three top chefs of theWestin Hotel Dragonara. The Maltese gastronomic festival was opened by onWednesday Reno Calleja, president of the Malta-China Friendship Society,and Lihua Li, General Manager of the Dong Fang Hotel, a five-star hotel inGuandong.• 29 July 2006 The Malta Transport Authority has introduced the first cycle lanesalong the Coast Road, from the Swieqi traffic light junction to the St Paul's Baytraffic light junction. Over the coming months, a model shift to publictransport use, cycling and walking will be promoted. The traffic lights junctionat St Paul's Bay will be redesigned to ensure cyclists' safety. The section at thejunction designated for cyclists will be marked in green.• 29 July 2006 Recurrent revenue till the end of last month amounted toLm389.9 million and made up 41% of this year's budget forecast, the NationalStatistics Office said. Compared to the first six months of last year, this revenuerepresented an increase of Lm13.8 million, or 3.7%. The recurrent revenue forthe same period last year amounted to Lm376.1 million, which accounted for42% of the actual final outturn.

• 29 July 2006 Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said thattourist arrivals in June and July were expected to continue to show a declineafter having dipped by 1.4%, or 5,400 tourists in the first five months of the year.Speaking in Parliament during a debate on an opposition motion on tourism,Dr Zammit Dimech said there were various reasons for this performance. Therewas stiff competition from new destinations and Malta was still heavilydependant on tour operator business, when tour operators were increasinglytaking their business to long haul or mass volume destinations. Furthermore,although Malta's per capita spending on marketing was high, it could notcompare with the huge budgets of destinations such as Cyprus, Greece,Turkey and Croatia.• 29 July 2006 Breastfeeding rates have nearly doubled in 10 years but whilethis is encouraging, Malta still scores second lowest in Europe. The rate,however, falls significantly in the first weeks when new mothers return home,Parent Craft Services coordinator Louise Bugeja said. With about 60% ofmothers breastfeeding newborns on discharge from hospital, Malta is wedgedbetween Ireland, which has the lowest breastfeeding rate of 39%, and the UKwith 69%.• 29 July 2006 Investment in vocational education is leaving its mark,Education, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galea said, pointing out thatthe number of 20- to 24-year-old students furthering their studies leapt from45% in 2002 to 56% last year. Dr Galea was speaking during a visit to MCAST,when he announced that about Lm1 million would be spent on the building ofa new institute for community services as well as a canteen and otherfacilities.• 30 July 2006 More dams, desalination plants and boreholes in theMediterranean will not solve future water shortages caused by increasingdroughts due to global climate change. A total rethink of present supplydrivenwater policies is now urgent, according to a report just issued by theWorld Wildlife Fund, which covers most Mediterranean countries, although notMalta.• 30 July 2006 Sixty illegal immigrants entered Malta as another 12 wererescued out at sea and several others reported missing. At 7.20 p.m., theArmed Forces of Malta were informed that a boat carrying 30 illegalimmigrants had moored in the area known as Il-Hofriet at Marsascala. TheAFM dispatched the Melita II to the area. At around 7.30 p.m., the police wereinformed of another boat carrying 30 illegal immigrants, all male, which hadmade its way into Xrobb l-Ghagin, Delimara. Immigration police wereinvestigating. Meanwhile, the AFM were informed by the authorities in Romethat an Italian fishing vessel 40 nautical miles off the coast of Delimara hadrescued 12 illegal immigrants and reported several others missing.• 30 July 2006 Thirteen new notaries were sworn in before the Court of Appealon Friday after being granted their warrant a few days earlier. Chief JusticeVincent De Gaetano, flanked by Mr Justice Joseph Camilleri to his left and MrJustice Joseph Filletti, spoke about the significance of the oaths being takenbefore the Court of Appeal - the highest court of the land.• 30 July 2006 The Malta Libya Friendship Society has just issued a newspaper toserve as a medium of information on Maltese/Libyan affairs. TheMediterranean Review is a 12-page full-colour newspaper. Besides news, thepublication also features Libyan institutions in Malta, and carries features onLibyan-oriented companies in Malta with pictures illustrating the itemspublished.• 31 July 2006 Nine children, including a newborn, are believed to have diedwhen a voyage by illegal immigrants went wrong in the central

Mediterranean, the Italian press has reported. A group of 13 illegal immigrantsrescued by an Italian fishing boat about 40 miles south east of Malta andbrought ashore here on Saturday said there were 30 of them when they lefton a small boat from the Libyan coast six days ago.• 31 July 2006 Up to 60,000 people from around the globe die annually due toexcessive sun exposure, a World Health Organisation report shows. The report,published last week, states that an estimated 48,000 of the annual deaths arecaused by malignant melanomas and the other 12,000 by skin carcinomas.• 31 July 2006 A group of Chinese students from the Affiliated High School ofNanjing Normal University and the Nanjing Foreign Language School areattending a dual destination course at EC schools in Malta and London. Thishappens to be one of the first Chinese groups allowed back to Malta after theprocessing of visa applications from Chinese English-language students cameunder more rigorous guidelines. In his welcome speech, Chinese embassycounsellor Youjing Tang said the excellence of Malta as a destination forEnglish language courses was not well known in China.• 31 July 2006 Over half a million days were lost to absenteeism in schoolsbetween September 2004 and March last year, a drop of 1% over the previousyear, according to the National Statistics Office. The NSO, which calculatedthe first 120 days of this scholastic year, said this figure - 534,292 - accountedto an overall absence rate of 9.2 days per pupil - 10 days per male pupil (1.2less than the previous year) and 8.4 days per female pupil (0.7 days less).• 31 July 2006 The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice)has approved a drug for treatment in early breast cancer. A draft version ofthe institute's guidance recommends that Taxotere be used as post-surgerytreatment for those who are in the early stages of disease. Nice is the UKGovernment's drugs watchdog• 31 July 2006 A number of substances found in hair dyes will be banned asfrom December 1, the Consumer and Competition Division said. Scientificstudies have proved that regular and long-term use of the 22 substances inquestion could lead to bladder cancer. As a result of this, the EuropeanCommission felt the need to eliminate them from the market following anevaluation by the EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Products.• 31 July 2006 The number of mobile telephone subscriptions in the April/Junequarter reached 331,855; this translates into 81.8% of the population, theNational Statistics Office said. The NSO said the national post registered anincrease of 16.5% on locally-posted items in the quarter under review whencompared to the previous quarter.• 31 July 2006 ISSEI, the International Society for the Study of European Ideas,held its 10th world congress at the University of Malta last week. The congress,on the theme The European Mind: Narrative And Identity, was convened onbehalf of the society by Prof. Henry Frendo. University rector Juanito Camilleristressed the values of research and Malta's special identity interest inEuropeanity, including its Mediterranean dimension. He said that with the aidof technology, Malta was now equipped to attract to its shores large-scaleconferences of the ISSEI caliber.August• 1 August 2006 An immediate end to hostilities in the Middle East and theresumption of dialogue must be the paramount objectives, Foreign AffairsMinister Michael Frendo said in a statement on the unfolding crisis. The Ministercalled for the "immediate and unconditional" release of the abducted Israeli

soldiers by Hizbollah and condemned the firing of rockets from Lebaneseterritory into Israeli cities. He said Malta condemned Israel's "disproportionate"reaction, which resulted in several civilian casualties, massive displacement ofLebanese citizens and great damage to the country's infrastructure.• 1 August 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi visited construction worksunderway on two major projects that are being co-financed by the EuropeanUnion in Gozo. These are the training facility for tourism studies in Qala and thenew Crafts Incubation Centre in Ghajnsielem.• 1 August 2006 The number of tourists visiting Malta in the first six months of theyear has hit a 10-year low for this term. A total of 471,000 visitors arrivedbetween January and June, a drop of 2.4% from the more than 483,000 whocame in the first six months of last year, data by the National Statistics Officeshow. A look at NSO figures going back a decade shows that the drop is ofalmost 64,000 since 1999, when more than 535,570 arrived in the January-Juneperiod, the best such period in the past 10 years.• 1 August 2006 Preliminary emission readings taken in the past three years atthe Maghtab dump indicate a significant drop in the level of chemicals.Speaking during a press conference, WasteServ CEO Vince Magri, said thedata was still being verified, which was why it was not yet available forpublication. At the press conference Rural Affairs and the EnvironmentMinister George Pullicino announced an international competition for thelandscaping of Maghtab.• 1 August 2006 Dolores Cristina, Minister for the Family and Social Solidarity,presented the National Implementing Body for the European Year Of EqualOpportunities For All (2007) - Towards A Just Society at the Ministry in PalazzoFerreria, Valletta. The EU decision establishing this year of equal opportunities isbased on the fundamental principle of equal treatment irrespective ofgender, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age and sexualorientation.• 1 August 2006 As from today, the price of unleaded petrol and LRP will beslightly cheaper while diesel and fuel oils imported by Enemalta will be moreexpensive. A litre of unleaded petrol will now sell for 49c5 while LRP will sell for52c5 per litre meaning both will be cheaper by 0c1 per litre. A litre of diesel willsell for 44c, a rise of 0c4 while kerosene will sell for 43c6 per litre meaning anincrease of 0c3.• 2 August 2006 EU Foreign Ministers made a concerted call for an immediatecessation of hostilities between Israel and the Hizbollah followed by asustainable ceasefire. The unanimous appeal followed a three-and-a-halfhourdiscussion between the 25 EU foreign ministers who initially had variousviews about the wording of the final declaration. At the end of the meeting,Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo expressed satisfaction that the EU hadmanaged to come out with one voice on such an important issue.• 2 August 2006 Howard Garden, which spans 18 tumoli between Rabat andMdina, has been re-opened following a Lm312,000 embellishment project.Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said the Government was doing its utmost toimprove the country but added that it was everyone's duty to contribute toimprove the local product. The garden was embellished using EU regionaldevelopment funds which covered three-quarters of the cost.• 2 August 2006 Breastfeeding rates in Malta have doubled over a span of 15years, the Health Promotion Department said. However, there was still roomfor improvement - if the target outlined in the national policy of 2000 was tobe realised, 90% of babies would be breastfed on discharge from hospital, it

added. "Malta has been successful in increasing breastfeeding over the past15 years when breastfeeding rates in 1992-1993 were around 35%."• 2 August 2006 An information roadshow called EU4U was launched in Qawrawith the aim of raising public awareness and providing information about EUstructural funds and the various fund projects currently underway. Sincebecoming a member of the EU, Malta has been allocated €86 million on thebasis of priorities agreed with the European Commission. A total of 78 projectswere benefiting from that money, Francis Borg, the permanent secretary inthe Education Ministry, told a news conference at the launch.• 2 August 2006 Recommendations by the Auditor General on administrativediscrepancies committed by the Education, Youth and Employment Ministryhad been accepted and action taken, the Ministry said. The Ministry saidsteps already been taken to recoup extra overtime paid to an official andconsultants who had been paid extra had refunded the difference.• 3 August 2006 The fact that the value of consumer product imports rose byLm6.6 million between January and April this year compared to the sameperiod last year confirmed that commercial activity was expanding, theParliamentary Secretary for Small Enterprise and the Self-Employed, EdwinVassallo, said. Mr Vassallo was speaking during a meeting with 20 participantsin a project called Marketing And Packaging To Gain A CompetitiveAdvantage, which forms part of the Leonardo da Vinci Programme.• 3 August 2006 The process whereby state schools will be incorporated intocolleges in line with the new Education Act will kick off in September, theEducation, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galea said. In preparationfor this change, a call for the selection of college coordinators has beenissued, while another will be issued for the appointment of administrator andprecincts officer. Dr Galea was speaking during a visit to Sannat school• 3 August 2006 The Government said investors reacted very positively to theLm10 million stock issue applications for which were received by the Treasurybetween July 24 and 27. The Treasury said it received 1,589 applications for atotal value exceeding Lm43 million.• 3 August 2006 The National Commission Persons with Disability has justpublished the fifth edition of its information booklet on services and benefitsavailable. The booklet, which is available in both Maltese and English as wellas in audio format, is divided into 16 sections according to the type of serviceranging from health, special education, employment to transport. Family andSocial Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina, in the presence of commissionchairman Joe Camilleri, presented the booklet to Agenzija Sapport, whichcan in turn distribute it to social workers. An online version is also available atwww.knpd.org• 4 August 2006 The Government is looking at ways and means of facilitatingcivil society's access to the EU's Structural Funds within the limitations of theregulations, Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of Finance TonioFenech said. Opening a round table conference on how Maltese non-Governmental organisations can manage EU Structural Fund projects, he saidthe Government's intention was to ensure that the funds are spent and "spentwell."• 4 August 2006 A group of 24 people who have been stuck at Mount CarmelHospital due to lack of sufficient community services will soon be moving totwo hostels in Marsa and Floriana. Health, the Elderly and community CareMinister Louis Deguara said this was the first project of its kind, complementingthe care offered in the community and aimed at reducing the number ofpatients at Mount Carmel. The move, to be made later this month, is the result

of an agreement signed between the Health Division, the RichmondFoundation and Suret il-Bniedem.• 4 August 2006 Both trade unions and employers' associations reporteddeclining membership levels over the 12-month period to June last year, theNational Statistics Office said. In June 2005, there were 85,679 members intrade unions, down from 86,248 in 2004, reflecting a 0.7% drop. There were8,789 members in employers' associations, down from 8,846 in 2004, a drop of0.6%.• 4 August 2006 Maltapost has introduced a "proof of delivery service" whichwill provide clients with written proof that registered items have beendelivered. Customers requesting the service, which comes at a charge, canfill in the details on a form that can be obtained from all Maltapost retailoutlets and sub-post offices, forwarding it to Maltapost customer caretogether with a copy of the registration receipt. An official confirmation ofdelivery will then be forwarded to the client.• 5 August 2006 The Housing Authority has reviewed the eligibility conditions forits rent subsidy by increasing the maximum annual income of beneficiaries toallow more people to make use of the scheme. "The rent subsidy scheme isour fastest growing scheme and we wanted these changes to reflect the factthat average take-home pays and commercial rents can create anaffordability gap," authority chairman Marisa Micallef said.• 5 August 2006 July nights, at an average of 22.5°C, were much warmer thanthe 30-year mean, by 1.1°C, the Malta International Airport MeteorologicalOffice said. Only in 10 other years in the Met. Office's 84-year history were Julynights warmer than last month, three of them in the past 20 years. However,daytime temperatures, at an average of 31.5°C, were only slightly warmerthan the average. The warmest day last month was on the third when thethermometer climbed to 34.1°C.• 5 August 2006 Frontex, the EU border agency set up a year ago to coordinatecontrol of illegal immigration in the Mediterranean, has been helping theMaltese immigration police in the fight against illegal migration for some time,Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said. Frontex officials had visitedMalta three times over the past three months to draw up an assistance planfor Malta. In fact, it was only after they had come to Malta on three occasionsthat they went to Lampedusa for the first time, Dr Borg added.• 5 August 2006 The Ministry for Competitiveness and Communications, throughthe Consumer and Industrial Goods Directorate of the Malta StandardsAuthority, has drafted a set of regulations concerning the safety of disposablecigarette lighters. These lighters are deemed inherently dangerous especially ifmisused by children, since they produce a flame and contain a flammablefluid.• 6 August 2006 The Government proposed cutting taxes by Lm8 million in itspre Budget document 2007. The document, launched by Prime MinisterLawrence Gonzi and Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of Finance,Tonio Fenech, at the Auberge de Castille, gave a general positive snap shotof the economy, taking into account figures for the past six months as well asprojections for the coming year.• 6 August 2006 The long-awaited EU joint border patrols off Malta will start inabout four weeks and will oversee an area reaching just outside Libya'sterritorial waters. This was agreed during a high level meeting at the InteriorMinistry in Rome last week by officials from the European Commission, itsborder agency Frontex and representatives from Italy, Malta and Greece, thecountries taking part in the operation named 'Jason 1'.

• 6 August 2006 As part of the Interreg IIIA MedPot project, a project cofinancedby EU structural funds, a 46-strong group of Maltese hoteliers, travelagents, ceramists and students from MCAST travelled to Sciacca in Sicily toparticipate in interactive and positive workshops. Representatives from theMalta Tourism Authority (MTA) as well as from the Maltese partnerorganisations were also present for the workshops.• 7 August 2006 An EU-funded report praised the Civil Service and the MaltaEnvironment and Planning Authority for their efficiency and regulatorycapacities. The report, however, concludes that Malta should introduce anational policy on consultation, consider putting in place a policy onregulatory impact assessment and speed up administrative simplification. TheSigma report, called Regulatory Management Capacities of Malta is a jointinitiative of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD) and the EU, which is examining each of the 10 states that joined thebloc in 2004.• 7 August 2006 Commonwealth Secretary General Don McKinnon and ForeignAffairs Minister Michael Frendo have just launched three pilot projectsinvolving the use of information and communications technology as part ofthe Commonwealth Connects programme. The programme originates fromthe mandate given by the Commonwealth Heads of Government during theMalta CHOGM last November in their Malta Declaration on Networking theCommonwealth for Development.• 7 August 2006 The Malta Financial Services Authority has published a set ofcomparative tables about local banks' fees and charges related to bankaccounts. Available in both English and Maltese, the tables have beendesigned to help consumers compare and select products and servicesrelated to debit and credit cards, savings and current bank accounts, payingand receiving money by cheque and local bank account transfers.• 7 August 2006 The number of those who attended the University of the ThirdAge during the last academic year increased after three years of decline.Figures released by the National Statistics Office show that 709 elderly personsattended in 2005/6, 22 more than in the previous academic year. The majorityof participants, 531, were women.• 7 August 2006 Seventy Moroccans who had entered the island illegally inJune were flown back to their homeland late on Saturday night,Parliamentary Secretary within the Office of the Prime Minister Tony Abelasaid. This is the first time such a large number of irregular immigrants wererepatriated at one go. "Morocco had wanted to take 15 at a time. However,thanks to the diplomacy of Foreign Minister Michael Frendo all 70 wererepatriated," Mr Abela said when contacted.• 7 August 2006 The target set by the Government to plant 10,000 trees by theend of this year is set to be exceeded. Over 8,300 trees have been plantedsince January and another 6,500 trees are booked and will be planted laterthis year, the Minister for Rural Affairs and the Environment, George Pullicino,said. He was speaking while accompanying 500 Skolasajf children, agedbetween seven and 13, on an educational visit to the Ta' Qali national park.• 7 August 2006 Karl Xuereb recently presented his credentials as Ambassadorof Malta to the People's Republic of China to President Hu Jintao in Beijing.Richard Vella Laurenti presented his credentials as Malta's non-residentAmbassador to the Republic of Sudan to President Omar Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir. Dr Vella Laurenti is also Malta's resident Ambassador to Egypt as well asbeing accredited to the African Union.

• 8 August 2006 The Malta Employers' Association has given the thumbs up tothe pre-budget document, saying its recommendations would providepeople with incentives to work. Among the document's proposals are therelaxation of income tax bands and the adjustment of social securitypayments for part-timers to reflect the pro rata hours of work. The latter shouldhelp to encourage a higher female participation rate, which is essential forstronger economic growth, the MEA said.• 8 August 2006 Five million used batteries were exported to Dieuze, in France,for treatment after spending years in storage. WasteServ, the Government'swaste management agency, finally got the green light following a lengthypermit process that started in April last year. It had to obtain documents fromthe Malta Environment and Planning Authority, transit countries and Francesince batteries are classified as hazardous waste. The batteries will now betreated and disposed of safely.• 8 August 2006 Those Maltese who also consider themselves Australian,whether or not they have Australian citizenship, are being invited to take partin a worldwide census of Australians outside Australia. The census, called OneMillion More, is being run until the end of September to coincide with theAustralian Population Census, being launched today. One Million More isbeing organised by the Southern Cross Group (SCG), an internationaladvocacy and support organisation for the Australian diaspora, andAdvance, an Australian networking organisation for Australian professionalsabroad.• 8 August 2006 The President and Mrs Fenech Adami were in the UK on aprivate visit until August 18. Dr George Hyzler was Acting President.• 9 August 2006 The measures proposed in the Government's pre-budgetdocument are conducive to higher economic activity, according to theChamber of Commerce and Enterprise, which however reiterated its standagainst windfall taxes. It appeared that a number of objectives set forth in theofficial document are in line with the proposals submitted by the Chamber inJuly, the Chamber's director general Kevin Borg said. It is the second show ofsupport for the document unveiled by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi lastSaturday, following the stand taken by the Malta Employers' Association.• 9 August 2006 Malta and Austria have signed an agreement through whichapplications for the issue of transit and short stay visas for Malta from countrieswhere Malta does not have an embassy or a consular office would behandled by the Austrian Consular Office in that country. The agreementcame into force on August 1.• 9 August 2006 A total of 497 persons have been removed from theunemployment register by the Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) inthe first six months of this year. The ETC has been investigating a number ofpersons registering for work. It found that 106 persons were working whileregistering for work. Another 295 were removed after refusing workopportunities offered to them by the corporation and 96 were struck offbecause they refused the training programmes provided to them free ofcharge.• 9 August 2006 A 40-foot trailer, containing food, water and blankets left Maltafor Lebanon on Monday. The goods, which were collected following anappeal made by the Civil Protection Department, will be first transported toMarseilles from where they will be dispatched to Lebanon and distributedamong victims of the ongoing conflict. Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendoannounced that transportation costs will be covered by the Government. "

• 9 August 2006 The Malta Resource Centre, a non-Government organisationthat supports other NGOs in the social and environment spheres, haswelcomed some of the options presented by Parliamentary Secretary withinthe Ministry of Finance Tonio Fenech during the recent round table itorganised with Forum Malta fl-Ewropa. The round table was held to discussways and means by which Maltese NGOs can manage Structural Fundprojects under the EU Budget 2007-2013. The centre said the NGOs showedgreat interest in taking part in such projects• 9 August 2006 The National Council of Women has welcomed the Euro DualDisplay of Prices Guidelines just published. The NCW said it hopes that thevoluntary dual pricing period from January is availed of widely by thecommercial sector to familiarise people with the concept of euros as thepaying currency even before the mandatory dual pricing period starts in July.The council believes that this dual display practice will greatly assist a smoothtransition process as well as curb the temptation to increase prices during thechangeover period.• 9 August 2006 Maltapost has just introduced a new parcel labelling system atits postal retail counters that eliminates the need to affix stamps to parcels.The service is available for airmail parcels to foreign destinations. It does awaywith the use of stamps for mailing of parcels. The A6-size label will carry detailsof the country of destination, zone, weight, barcode, date and postal costs.Both the barcode and parcel details will also be printed on the client'sreceipt.• 10 August 2006 The Gozo Ministry has commissioned a geologicalinvestigation into the structural stability of the Azure Window at Dwejra and apreliminary report with recommendations is expected to be submitted in thecoming weeks. Bureau Veritas Consulting Limited from the UK, which has wideexperience on similar projects, has been appointed to carry out the study.• 10 August 2006 The National Council of Women considers a number ofproposals made by the Government in the pre-budget document unveiled byPrime Minister Lawrence Gonzi as positive. The council said it is studying thedocument in particular where it deals with areas of concern. It said thatadopting strategies promoting economic growth through social developmentwill lead to more competitiveness as has been the case in northern Europeancountries.• 11 August 2006 Lombard Bank has bought Transend Worldwide's 35%shareholding in Maltapost, paving the way for the postal company to expandits financial service products. Welcoming the news, Maltapost chairmanDavid Stellini said: "Whereas before we had a partner in the postal sector, wenow have a strategic partner in the banking sector who will be our partner toenter that sector in the future. Our retail network is our biggest asset and weplan to exploit this". Maltapost has over 30 branches, all of which are welllocated in village and town cores.• 11 August 2006 Passengers on Malta-bound flights from the London werefortunate to avoid major delays after the security alert at all Britain's airportswas raised to critical due to an attempted terrorist attack designed to causewhat the British authorities described as "mass murder on an unimaginablescale". Flights from Heathrow to Malta were delayed by less than two hours.Security was stepped up at Malta International Airport shortly after news brokeof the foiled terrorist attempt.• 11 August 2006 A container packed with petards on a floating barge insidethe Grand Harbour exploded sending pieces of metal flying in the air withoutcausing fatalities or serious injuries. The fireworks were being let off as part ofthe external celebrations of the feast of St Lawrence, Vittoriosa's patron saint.

• 11 August 2006 About 3,800 children from state, Church and independentschools throughout Malta took part in this year's Skolasajf Animal AwarenessDay organised by the Education Department. Education, Youth andEmployment Minister Louis Galea paid a visit to the Dr Frans Chetcuti SkolasajfCentre, in Zabbar, where the special programme themed Together for theEnvironment was underway.• 11 August 2006 The process leading to the privatisation of Enemalta's gassection starts today, the Government said. The Investment, Industry andInformation Technology Ministry said the move is consistent with theGovernment's philosophy that Enemalta should be concentrating on its corebusiness, that is the generation and distribution of energy.• 11 August 2006 There has been a dramatic drop in the number of complaintsabout timeshare touts a month after the publication of new regulations, theGovernment said. The regulations are aimed at minimising the harassment oftourists by timeshare promoters, better known as OPCs. They include strictguidelines on the sellers' behaviour with the aim of filtering out those whocause damage to the reputation of the business.• 11 August 2006 The internet subscription index rose by 1.1% from May to Junethis year, the National Statistics Office said. Narrowband and broadbandsubscriptions numbered 43,414 and 44,449 respectively. Digital televisionsubscriptions rose by 2.2% and an increase of 1.5% was recorded in the mobilesubscription index, with the number reaching 331,855 in absolute terms.• 12 August 2006 The European Union officially launched its first joint borderpatrol mission aimed at curbing the influx of illegal immigrants from Africa toEuropean shores. This mission, known as Hera-II, started off the coast of theSpanish Canary Islands with an EU budget of €3.2 million to be spent in thenine weeks of the operation. It will shortly be followed by thecommencement of a similar mission, Jason 1, off the coast of Malta.• 12 August 2006 The 17th century Isopu Tower, looking out onto a view ofDahlet Qorrot and San Blas bays, has been restored and now forms part of atrail offering tourists an alternative view of Gozo. During a press conferenceRural Affairs and the Environment Minister George Pullicino explained that therestoration of the tower, built in the 1650s by the Order of St John, took threeyears and was possible thanks to the local council, Mepa and Din l-Art Helwa.• 12 August 2006 Air Malta has sold another BAe Avroliner RJ85 to Amiri Flight,an Abu Dhabi company, which had already purchased one RJ70 from AirMalta a year ago. The agreement for the sale was conducted last May.However the aircraft was delivered to the new owner on August 2, afterundergoing maintenance and modifications. The aircraft is joining the fleet ofAbu Dhabi-based Royal Jet, to whom it has been leased by Amiri, for use oncommercial flights.• 12 August 2006 Urban Development and Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliettunveiled a list of 450 residential roads that will done up by 2008 at a cost ofLm8 million. Addressing mayors and contractors, Mr Mugliett said Ministry andADT officials recently visited all towns and villages in Malta to catalogue andtake photos of each street.• 12 August 2006 A total of 1,079 persons were involved in occupationalaccidents between April and June this year, an increase of 3.9% over thesame quarter last year, the National Statistics Office said. The number ofworkers injured amounted to 0.7% of the employed population. The bulk ofaccidents occurred in manufacturing and construction, followed by thewholesale and retail trade, transport, storage, communications and hotelsand restaurants.

• 12 August 2006 The Chamber of Architects congratulated the Minister forRural Affairs and the Environment, George Pullicino, and the MaltaEnvironment and Planning Authority for the approval and publication of thelast four Local Plans for Malta and Gozo. The plans aim at regulatingdevelopment on both regional and local levels. .• 12 August 2006 Births to mothers aged between 20 and 24 years decreasedfrom 1,100 to 661 between 1997 and 2005 while births to fathers in the sameage bracket fell by 227 to 246, the National Statistics Office said. The averagetotal deaths per year of persons aged 15 to 24 between 1997 and 2005 was25, of which 72% were males. On the occasion of the UN's International YouthDay, today, the NSO said that in 2005 there were 21 deaths of persons agedbetween 15 to 24 of which 38.1% were caused by transport accidents.• 12 August 2006 The university and the Malta College of Arts, Science andTechnology are collaborating in the engineering sector to avoid theduplication of resources. At the moment 100 first-year university studentspursuing an engineering degree are following a six-week training programmeat MCAST because of its advanced equipment. Education, Youth andEmployment Minister Louis Galea welcomed the collaboration. He visited thecollege together with new university rector Juanito Camilleri, the president ofthe MCAST board of governors Paul Attard and college principal FrankEdwards• 12 August 2006 The Ornis Committee, which has various responsibilities relatedto hunting, trapping and bird protection, will be chaired by lawyer TonioAzzopardi with Mario Vassallo, Sharon Cassar and Dione Mifsud as members.Among its responsibilities, the committee has the tasks of recommendingwhen the open and close seasons should be enforced as well as determiningwhat species should be protected.• 12 August 2006 The problem of lack of Maltese translators within EuropeanUnion institutions will be significantly eased after a number of Malteseapplicants passed an open competition organised by the EU recruitmentagency, EPSO. They will now qualify for a permanent job as Maltese translatorsand in the coming months will be recruited with various EU institutions, such asthe European Commission, the European Council and the EuropeanParliament.• 13 August 2006 Karwela and Comino Land took over seven hours to sink tothe bottom of the seabed at Ix-Xatt l-Ahmar, Gozo, to start a new life as anartificial reef for divers. The rusty carcasses, which have been out of operationfor about four years, will provide an alternative attraction for divers in thesouth of the island when the sea is too rough on the north and west coast.Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono watchedthe operation, which attracted numerous spectators on land and at sea, onboard another vessel.• 13 August 2006 Maltese psychologists were recently represented at thePresidents' Council Meeting of the European Federation of PsychologyAssociations (EFPA). Bernard Caruana, president of the Malta Union ofProfessional Psychologists (MUPP), attended the meeting in Athens, withpresidents of national psychology associations from all the EU member statesand from other non-EU countries.• 13 August 2006 Josephine Vassallo has been appointed Communicationsand Press Secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister. Over the past fouryears, Ms Vassallo ran the Malta Enterprise office in Paris. Before that time sheheaded the sales and marketing department of Standard Publications Ltd forfive years. She started her media career with Associated News Ltd.

• 13 August 2006 The Institute of Maltese Journalists (IGM) signed an agreementwith the Libyan Journalists Association (LJA), aimed at strengthening bilateraland international links between the two bodies. LJA general secretary AshourTellisi, who was on a three-day visit to Malta, signed the agreement with IGMchairman Malcolm J. Naudi at Le Méridien St Julian's just prior to his departureto Libya.• 13 August 2006 At the annual meeting of ICOMOS Malta held in Zejtun, a newMaltese National Committee for the International Council of Monuments andSites (ICOMOS Malta) was elected. The new president is Dr Ray Bondin whilethe vice president is Prof. Anthony Bonanno. Shirley Cefai is secretary and DrDavid Mallia is treasurer, while the other members are Ruben Abela, Dr JoannCassar and Dr Nicholas Vella.• 13 August 2006 Fr Joseph Borg was elected head of the Media EducationResearch Section of the International Association for Media CommunicationResearch (IAMCR). The election took place during the annual conference ofIAMCR at the American University of Cairo.• 13 August 2006 The Housing Authority has reviewed its conditions for eligibilityfor its rent subsidy. The changes regard the maximum annual income ofbeneficiaries that have been increased to allow more people to receive rentsubsidies. Whereas single persons who previously earned more than Lm4,429per annum could not apply under this scheme, the maximum permissibleannual income has now been increased to Lm5,000.• 14 August 2006 Climate change is likely to rob Mediterranean touristdestinations such as Malta of their summer lure, as temperatures become toohot for continental holidaymakers, according to a report that studied theeffect of global warming on tourism. The study is a British and Dutch reportproject, published in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism.• 14 August 2006 Maltese tomato processors will have bought 10.5 million kilosof tomatoes from local farmers by the end of the year, increasing productionby three million kilos over 2005. During a visit to Magro Brothers (Foods) Limitedin Xewkija, Rural Affairs and the Environment Minister George Pullicino said thiswas a significant increase which had come about thanks to a concertedeffort by the Government and the private sector to promote and improve thetomato production industry.• 15 August 2006 Wreaths were cast into the sea at Grand Harbour evening tomark the arrival, 64 years ago, of the Santa Marija convoy, which had broughtfuel and food needed for the survival of the Maltese during World War II. Aminute of silence was observed, broken only by the tolling of the Great SiegeBell and with a gun salute, as the wreaths were being cast into the water.• 15 August 2006 WasteServ has presented a full development application tothe Malta Environment and Planning Authority for work to start on theupgrading of the Sant'Antnin waste recycling plant. Received by theauthority on July 24, the application was published last Saturday. Stakeholdershave up to August 27 to submit their representations. The project is beingfinanced mainly through EU cohesion funds. The plant will process a third ofwaste produced in Malta and Gozo.• 15 August 2006The new Arms Act came into force today. Under the new law,a collector or shooter must first be a member of a licensed club. The club musthold a course and set a test after which it can recommend that theapplication to keep a firearm be sent to the Weapons Board for vettingApplications have then to be approved by the Commissioner of Police.• 15 August 2006 Just under Lm2.8 million was spent by museums and historicalsites last year, an increase of 9.1% over 2004, the National Statistics Office said.

The largest amount of money was spent on staff, which took up 69.5% of thetotal expenditure. Museums and historical sites registered a total income ofjust over Lm3.2 million, generating a financial surplus of nearly Lm0.4 million.• 15 August 2006 A Roman catacomb, described as one of Malta's mostintriguing, has been rediscovered within a roundabout near the airport afterhaving long been buried under debris and asphalt. Officers of theSuperintendence of Cultural Heritage confirmed that this is the samecatacomb that was first excavated and sketched by Temi Zammit in 1912. Thecatacomb is in a good state of conservation considering its longabandonment, the superintendence said. Its important decorations andfigurative scenes are also well preserved and very legible.• 15 August 2006 The Minister for Gozo, Giovanna Debono and the mayor ofSan Lawrenz Noel Formosa have officially opened the UEFA Jubilee Mini Pitchat San Lawrenz. The turf ground was wholly financed by the local council.• 16 August 2006 A group of illegal immigrants landed in Birzebbuga. The policesaid 20 men, six women and two children who arrived on a boat were spottedat about 6.30 a.m. just after they had landed in St George's Bay. Theimmigrants were taken into custody by the police. Investigations areunderway.• 17 August 2006 A mild earthquake was recorded at around three on theRichter scale, seismologist Pauline Galea said. The epicentre was relativelyclose to the island, just 20 kilometres to the southeast. The quake, which tookplace at around 4.45 a.m., was mostly felt in the south but people living closerto the centre of the island also felt the earth move.• 18 August 2006 Culture and Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech will besubmitting a proposal to the Prime Minister to turn the ruins of the Royal OperaHouse in Valletta into a permanent open-air performing space. Conceptualplans, detailing the different uses of one of the most under-utilised areas ofpotential in Malta, have already been drawn up and are expected to bediscussed at Government level.• 18 August 2006 David Mifsud, a former managing director of an electronicscompany, has been named as the new chief executive officer of the MaltaTourism Authority. He takes over on September 1, the second majorappointment at the authority following the selection of Sam Mifsud aschairman.• 18 August 2006 The Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices increased lastmonth mainly due to seasonal increases in hotel service prices, with the rateof inflation edging up to 3.1%, the National Statistics Office said. The indexwent up by 0.4%. This primarily reflected an increase of 4% in the Restaurantsand Hotels Index. Higher prices were registered for accommodation services.• 18 August 2006 Following Maltapost's issue of the Commemorative MiniatureSheet of Sting's concert in Malta, the Rainforest Foundation recently received£2,500 from Maltapost. The donation is a percentage of the income from thesale of the miniature sheet. It was handed over to Rainforest Foundationmanager Emily Strike by Maltapost business development and chief marketingofficer John Agius.• 18 August 2006 The Maltese Muslim community has condemned the recentattempts by Islamic extremists to explode aeroplanes flying from London tothe US. "The Maltese Muslim Community, completely and without reservations,condemns such barbaric acts of terrorism which, God forbid, had theysucceeded, would have killed thousands of innocent people. We reiteratethat Islam is a religion of peace, which prohibits aggression and the murderingof innocent people. This can be proved from various verses in the Holy Qur'an.

• 19 August 2006 The Government insists that Malta is still on course to join theeuro in 2008 despite rising inflation figures, but is "very concerned" about theeffect it is having on people's standard of living. The National Statistics Officeannounced on Thursday that the Harmonised Index of Consumer Pricesincreased last month to 3.1% - which is 0.3 of a percentage point above thecurrent limit set by the EU to join the euro.• 19 August 2006 Pension payments have risen by a steep 10% in the space of ayear, statistics released by the National Statistics Office show. Expenditure onpensions rose to Lm89 million in the first half of this year, up from Lm82.9 millionin the same period last year - it also marks an increase of Lm12 millioncompared to the first six months of 2004.• 19 August 2006 The Malta Tourism Authority's cleaning service will costLm47,000 this year, Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said.The figure does not include the services by local councils. Speaking during theOil Pollution Awareness Campaign at the Independence Gardens, Sliema, DrZammit Dimech said that since last year, the MTA has been offering a specialcleaning and rubbish collecting service during the summer months in touristzones.• 19 August 2006 Gabriella Pace has been appointed chief executive officer ofForum Malta fl-Ewropa with effect from September 1. Forum Malta fl-Ewropawas set up as a focal point for EU-related information following Malta'saccession to the European Union. Its main objectives include providing EUinformation, consultation with civil society and support for private sector toaccess EU funding schemes.• 19 August 2006 Intensive work for the prevention of floods is underway invarious valleys across the island, Resources and Infrastructure Minister NinuZammit said. While visiting Wied l-Isqof, in the limits of Rabat, where work wasin progress, Mr Zammit said that apart from the watercourses building project,valleys have been cleaned, dams repaired and maintenance carried out, toensure water passages are clear of any obstruction. Intensive work is alsobeing carried out at Chadwick Lakes.• 20 August 2006 Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech isappointing a high profile Consultative Board to assist and advise Government,as well as the Malta Tourism Authority, on all issues relating to the tourismindustry. The Consultative Group will consist of Winston J. Zahra, KevinDecesare, Michael Zammit Tabona, Tony Chircop, Pierre Luca Demajo, andLouis Tabone. Dr Zammit Dimech said that the appointment of theConsultative Group is for two years and takes effect on September 1,coinciding with the date when the new chairman and CEO of MTA takeoffice.• 21 August 2006 Fifty-nine illegal immigrants landed in Malta as more corpsesof African migrants in search of a better life were recovered from theMediterranean. A boat believed to be carrying over 30 Africans overturnedoff the island of Lampedusa as rescuers were still trying to find victims of ashipwreck on Saturday when up to 50 migrants are believed to have perished.• 21 August 2006 The number of people referred to hospital for dehydration,sunstroke, or other conditions directly related to the hot weather was nohigher than usual despite the high temperatures that led the HealthDepartment to issue an advisory, John Cachia, director institutional health,said. However, an increase in the number of ill people who suddenly gotworse, was noticed, Dr Cachia said. This mainly concerned those with cardiacand respiratory problems, who went to casualty and were then admitted tohospital.

• 21 August 2006 From today, drug sharing will not necessarily carry a jailsentence while racial hatred will carry tougher sentences as certain sectionsof the much-debated Criminal Code amendments come into force. TheGovernment has proposed a series of measures in the Criminal Code to sortout a number of anomalies in the law and in a bid make the law courts moreefficient. Among other proposals, the law now lays down that people whoshare a small amount of drugs will not be considered as trafficking drugs, acrime that previously carried an automatic prison term on conviction.• 21 August 2006 Firemen from the Civil Protection Department in both Maltaand Gozo were called out no fewer than 14 times to extinguish grass fires. "It'snormal to have so many grass fires in the beginning of summer, but not sonormal at this time of the year," a CPD spokesman said. Gozo seems to havehad a much larger incidence of grass fires than usual, he added.• 22 August 2006 Libya has agreed to take part in a tri-partite meeting with Italyand Malta in the coming days as the Mediterranean grapples with aseemingly endless flow of illegal immigration from Africa. With Libya having sofar appeared reluctant to engage in discussion over the crisis, Justice andHome Affairs Minister Tonio Borg is viewing the encounter as "the beginning ofsomething positive".• 22 August 2006 The George Cross Island Association marked the 44thanniversary of the arrival of the Santa Marija Convoy with a service ofremembrance and re-dedication in London, at the National Malta Memorialin Tower Place near the Church of All Hallows. There was a strong turnout ofveterans who had seen service in Malta as well as of Maltese who live inLondon. The monument was inaugurated in 2005 by President EdwardFenech-Adami and the Duke of Edinburgh.• 22 August 2006 Air Malta gave its assurance that its two Boeing 737s are safe,following an exclusive report by Sky news claiming that some of these aircraftwere manufactured in the knowledge that certain parts were defective. AnAir Malta spokesman said neither of its B737s fall within the generation ofaircraft identified in the Sky report. Sky news quoted two former auditors ofBoeing claiming that parts used in assembling the Boeing 737NG (NextGeneration) aircraft between 1994 and 2002 had incorrectly drilled holes andother physical defects that made them more likely to fall. These parts werecrucial to the plane's safety, they said.• 23 August 2006 Air Malta appointed seven executives to manage itsoutstations. Alex Savona will be taking over the Paris office, having beenappointed country manager while Edwin Caruana will be heading Air Malta'sRome office, also as country manager. Ronald Cassar Giacomotto will beposted to Catania as outstation manger and Ray Borg will be heading theairline's London office as country manager. Angelo Sciberras has beenappointed area manager in Belgium and Holland while Carmen Pace hasbeen appointed country manager in Austria. Anthony Dalli has beenconfirmed country manager in Libya for another year.• 23 August 2006 The Maltese made 105,414 trips abroad by air and sea in thefirst six months of this year, an increase of 7.6% over the same period last year,according to National Statistics Office figures released. The most frequentdestination was Italy, accounting for 30.9% of trips. At 62.2%, there were manymore male passengers than female.• 23 August 2006 Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg officially openeda new complex housing the Marine Unit and the Humanitarian Assistance Unitwithin the Civil Protection Department. The complex is situated at Coal Wharf,Paola.

• 23 August 2006 No beef or any live ruminants from Spain, Portugal, theNetherlands and Belgium will be imported into Malta following the discoveryof an outbreak of bluetongue disease in those countries. Bluetongue affectsruminants and is fatal in up to 40% of cases affecting sheep whereas cattleand goats tend not to show symptoms. The disease causes a fever, increasedmucous and frothing from the mouth but does not affect humans.• 23 August 2006 Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono said the first layer of tarmacon the stretch of the Victoria-San Lawrenz main road reconstruction projectwill have been laid by the end of September. The remaining finishing works willbe carried out in October. During a visit to the reconstruction works inprogress at the main arterial road, Mrs Debono said the base course will belaid starting from the Pope John Paul II monument at the Victoria side up toTa' Pinu junction.• 24 August 2006 Sunday Mass attendance in Malta and Gozo dropped byalmost 11% in 10 years, but the Archbishop, though worried, is not alarmedgiven the radical influences penetrating the islands. Just over half thepopulation, 52.6%, hear Mass on Sunday with the lowest attendanceswitnessed in the age groups 15 to 24 (37.3%) and 25 to 49 (41.3%). Turnout inMalta stands at 51%, while in Gozo it is 72.7%.• 24 August 2006 A constitutional amendment aimed at entrenching the Officeof the Ombudsman in the Constitution was published by Acting Prime Ministerand Minister for Justice and Home Affairs Tonio Borg. The opposition still has todeclare its stand on the matter. Another proposal being made is for theretirement age of the Attorney General and magistrates to go up to 65. DrBorg told a news conference the Government felt the time had come for theinstitution of the Ombudsman to be enshrined in the Constitution.• 24 August 2006 The influx of illegal immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa to theEU shores of the Mediterranean, including Malta, generates about $300 million(Lm100 million) annually in black money and is a trade that establishedclosely-knit networks all over the African continent. This results from athorough investigation by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime(UNODC) held earlier this year.• 24 August 2006 Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi praised Malta's initiative tohost a high-level meeting with Libya and Italy next month on illegal migrationand applauded both countries on their acceptance to collaborate over theissue. Prof. Prodi said Libya needs to be involved in the process if the problemof illegal migration affecting Italy and Malta is to be solved.• 24 August 2006 Applications for blue stickers - which permit holders to parktheir vehicles in spaces reserved for people with a disability - are now beingvetted by a doctor appointed by the National Commission Persons withDisability (KNPD) in a bid to clamp down on abuse. The commission launcheda two-month trial in June, and decided to make it permanent after 39% ofapplications were turned down under the new system.• 25 August 2006 The restoration of the Manoel Theatre in Valletta, whichstarted off as a maintenance project, has developed into a research processunveiling its history. Touring the theatre with the restorers were Tourism andCulture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech, Manoel Theatre chairman WilfredKenely, and Malta International Airport chief executive officer Peter Bolech,MIA being the sponsors of the restoration.• 25 August 2006 The number of reported road accidents in the second quarterof this year reached 3,755, a decrease of 397 over the same period last year,the National Statistics Office reported. There was one fatality among the 314

eported casualties, of which 71.3% involved passenger cars and 15.9%motorcycles.• 25 August 2006 Local councils, the Inland Revenue Department, the MaltaTransport Authority (ADT), the health authorities and the Malta Environmentand Planning Authority (Mepa) were the biggest sources of complaints lastyear, the Ombudsman's report shows. The Ombudsman, Chief Justice EmeritusJoseph Said Pullicino, who took office in December, met the press afterpresenting Anton Tabone, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, with acopy of his report.• 25 August 2006 Total cruise passenger traffic in Malta during last month rosemarginally, with a drop in passengers in transit being offset by increases inembarkations and landings, the National Statistics Office said. The total cruisepassenger traffic increased by 0.4% compared to the same month last year.• 26 August 2006 Children will be able to give recorded video evidence incourt from Thursday as a result of new amendments to the Civil Code.Speaking at a news conference, Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borgsaid that after giving evidence children could not be called again unless inexceptional circumstances. The amendments also make it easier to enforcemaintenance payments, by increasing the period within which claims can bemade for late payment from three to six months.• 26 August 2006 The Ministry for Rural Affairs and the Environment said that theEuropean Commission had decided that the movement of animals of speciessusceptible to Bluetongue disease and their semen, ova and embryos is beingrestricted from affected areas, namely Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, theNetherlands, Portugal and Spain.• 26 August 2006 The shortfall between the Government's recurrent revenueand expenditure narrowed in the first seven months of this year, according tothe National Statistics Office. The shortfall between recurrent revenue andtotal expenditure amounted to Lm85.3 million during the January-July period,a drop of 14.1% over the same period last year, mainly due to higher revenuesand lower capital expenditure.• 26 August 2006 A group of 19 illegal immigrants were escorted to Haywharf inPieta' by the army at 6.45, the police said. The group consisted of 18 men anda woman• 27 August 2006 Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg is not concernedby Libya's resistance to sea patrols in the Mediterranean ahead of a crucialmeeting on September 6, since the EU is determined to press ahead with jointpatrols. Dr Borg said: "Even if Libya isn't keen on participating in patrols I stillthink we should forge ahead with them. Ultimately, I think it's in Libya's interestthat we start them as soon as possible."• 27 August 2006 A woman's corpse was among 55 illegal immigrants broughtto Maltese shores by the Armed Forces of Malta in the space of 12 hours. Theillegal immigrants, believed to be of African origin, arrived in two separatelandings after a night of heavy human trafficking in the centre of theMediterranean.The AFM accompanied a group of 36 illegal immigrants - 28men and eight women, including the dead woman - into Haywharf. Thepolice were not in a position to say what caused the woman's death or whereshe came from.• 27 August 2006 A total of 2,256 students registered to enter the Junior Collegeby the time applications closed on Friday. Prospective Junior College studentsregistered, in alphabetical order, over three days ending on Friday,irrespective of whether they were already fully qualified, awaiting results. Outof the 2,256 who registered up to Friday, 1,666 qualified, 447 were provisional,

65 were repeating the first year and 74 were repeating the second year. Ninewere entered by the Admissions Board. These figures more or less tally withthose of August last year. In October 2005, the college's student populationstood at 3,200.• 28 August 2006 The National Euro Changeover Committee has published twomore sets of guidelines for public consultation following its publication of thefinal Dual Display of Prices Guidelines and the Fair Pricing Agreements inRetailing (Fair) initiative. The new consultation documents consist of guidelinesfor the filing of financial statements and for the usage and validity of Malteselira-denominated stored value documents, such as pre-paid debit cards orgift vouchers.• 28 August 2006 A total of 718,037 bed nights were spent in hotels and otheraccommodation establishments last June, a fall of 4.7% over the same monthlast year, according to the National Statistics Office. The average length ofstay declined by 0.1 nights to 6.7 nights• 29 August 2006 Maltese, Italian and EU experts put their heads together forthe first session of a two-day technical meeting in Valletta of Frontex, the EU'sborder agency. The meeting is intended to finalise the details of the plannedpatrols in the Mediterranean aimed at controlling illegal immigration.• 29 August 2006 Although the Government prefers to find a strategic partnerfor Bank of Valletta, it would be prepared to consider other options fordivestment of its shareholding, Industry, Investment and InformationTechnology Minister Austin Gatt said. Dr Gatt revealed last Thursday that theGovernment and Banco di Sicilia had extended by six months theiragreement to sell the shares jointly, an agreement originally signed two yearsago. A company announcement confirming the extension of the agreementwas issued three hours after trading closed on the Stock Exchange lastThursday• 30 August 2006 Illegal immigrants intercepted trying to cross to Europe will bestopped and forced back to their point of departure as Frontex finally agreedon a detailed plan of action. At least five countries have agreed to chip in tothe EU border agency's mission in the Mediterranean, which hopes to controlthe deluge of illegal immigration from Africa.• 30 August 2006 The National Statistics Office registered a marginal drop inproducer prices for agricultural output and an increase in input prices duringthe second quarter of 2006. The producer price index of agricultural outputdeclined marginally by 0.17% compared to the same period of last year.Underpinning this development were lower prices for fresh vegetables, amongwhich tomatoes, dry onions and marrows.• 30 August 2006 The Malta Statistics Authority has appointed Gordon Cordinaas director general of the National Statistics Office. Dr Cordina is a graduateof the University of Cambridge and University of Malta. Between 1992 and2001, he was an economist at the Central Bank of Malta. Subsequently helectured at the Department of Economics at the University of Malta.• 31 August 2006 The European Commission announced the formation of anew high level task force with a specific brief to draw up a fresh strategytowards fighting illegal immigration by the end of this year. Theannouncement on the task force was made during a press conference inBrussels following talks between Mr Frattini and Spanish Deputy Prime MinisterMaria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega on the influx of illegal immigrants to theCanary Islands.• 31 August 2006 A foundation for the protection of animals is expected to beset up "as soon as possible" and a centre for animal welfare built in Ta' Qali,

Rural Affairs and the Environment Minister George Pullicino said whenpresented with a petition signed by 40,000 people. The petition - which will benow presented to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi - called for an around-theclockanimal ambulance service, an animal hospital and better enforcementof the Animal Welfare Act.• 31 August 2006 Within the short space of nine weeks, leading low-fares airlineRyanair could be offering a daily service to Malta from London Luton andflying three times weekly from Pisa, with a three times weekly service fromDublin scheduled for February. The launch of the three routes on a year-roundbasis would mean passenger targets amounting to just over 200,000 (100,000inbound and 100,000 outbound), with 85% of these - 86,700 - calculated to beincoming tourists, whose expenditure in the local economy would amount to€36.4 million this year, Ryanair's deputy chief executive Michael Cawley said.Mr Cawley was speaking about the proposals the airline has made to theGovernment in response to its call to low-cost airlines for offers to fly routes toMalta.• 31 August 2006 Veteran journalist and politician Paul Carachi died at St Luke'sHospital , aged 80. Mr Carachi, who last March resigned as a Balzan localcouncilor due to health reasons, was last year awarded the prestigious GoldAward by the Institute of Maltese Journalists for life achievements.• 31 August 2006 An Air Malta aircraft was delayed for three hours atAmsterdam's Schipol airport after it was hit and slightly damaged by aircraftequipment moments before its scheduled take-off on Tuesday night.Passengers on their way to Malta had already boarded the plane when theincident occurred. They were served with dinner while the necessary checkingby airport technicians was taking place.• 31 August 2006 The Government launched new application forms for businesslicences designed to be more user friendly. The Parliamentary Secretary forSmall Business and the Self-Employed, Edwin Vassallo, said at a pressconference the Government was conscious of the headache business ownersfaced when it came to applying for licences and therefore it was trying to cutbureaucracy.SEPTEMBER• 1 September 2006 Barclays PLC, Britain's third-biggest bank, has namedveteran investment banker of Maltese descent Marcus Agius as its newchairman, replacing Matthew Barrett who retires at the end of Decemberafter seven years at the helm. Mr Agius is the son of the Maltese tradecommissioner to London in the pre-war Strickland government years.• 1 September 2006 The price of unleaded petrol and lead replacement petrolhas gone down by 0c4 as diesel increases by 0c3 per litre, as from today, thegovernment said. It also announced an increase in the fuel surcharge onelectricity, up from 62% in July/August to 63.5% for September/October. Theprice of unleaded petrol dropped from 49c5 to 49c1 per litre and that for LRPfrom 52c5 to 52c1 per litre.• 1 September 2006 The Central Bank of Malta left the central intervention rateunchanged at 3.5%, with the Monetary Policy Advisory Council expressingconcern about recent inflation trends, particularly rising food prices. TheGovernor of the Central Bank stressed the importance of ensuring - includingthrough the application of existing consumer protection safeguards - thatprice setting mechanisms were transparent and that prices reflected the

wider choice available after the complete liberalisation of trade on EUaccession.• 1 September 2006 The European People's Party, the largest political groupingin the European Parliament, has placed the EU's fight against illegalimmigration on top of its agenda for the rest of the year. Addressing a briefingin Brussels at the end of the summer recess, EPP president Hans Gert Potteringsaid the southern Mediterranean member states have just witnessed anothersummer of immense problems and the EPP will be exerting pressure on theother EU institutions to ensure the issue is addressed with urgency.• 1 September 2006 The Journalists Committee expressed its sympathy over thedeath of veteran journalist and politician Paul Carachi. The committee saidMr Carachi's contribution to journalism was an inspiration to all journalists. Itexpressed its condolences to Mr Carachi's family.• 1 September 2006 Tourism declined by 2.9% in July compared to July lastyear, with the drop for the first seven months amounting to 2.5%, the NationalStatistics Office said. However, total tourist expenditure in the first sevenmonths is estimated at Lm221.3 million, almost unchanged from last year, theNSO said. The survey of tourists departing by air indicates a 1.2% decrease inthe number of total nights spent in the same period.• 2 September 2006 Last month was the windiest August in the past 27 years,with an average speed of 8.5 knots and moderate to rather strong categorywinds recorded 30% of the time, according to the Met. Office of the MaltaInternational Airport. The strongest gust was 38 knots on August 5, although onAugust 26, 1964, a 59-knot gust was recorded.• 2 September 2006 Sales and investment in manufacturing industry increasedduring the second quarter of 2006, driven mainly by the TV, radio andcommunication equipment sub-sector, while employment declined, theNational Statistics Office said. Total sales by manufacturing enterprisesincreased by 7.5% to Lm259.3 million compared to the same period last year.• 3 September 2006 Over 4,300 new jobs have been created in the past year,Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said, thanks to a number of new investmentopportunities in Malta. Speaking during a social activity in Mosta, the PrimeMinister said this figure did not include posts that had been vacated byworkers who had reached pensionable age. Dr Gonzi said the governmentwould continue to create the best economic environment to create wealthfor as many people as possible.• 3 September 2006 The fuel surcharge is 5% lower than it should be, accordingto Enemalta, due to the success of its oil-buying policies. The corporation saidit was in a position to contain the surcharge at 63.5% since policies, suggestedby the Fuel Procurement Advisory Committee, were having their desiredeffect.• 3 September 2006 Education, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galeapresented a Journeyman's Certificate to over 200 Employment and TrainingCorporation apprentices who have successfully completed theirapprenticeship. The corporation currently has over 800 apprentices (up from300 in 1995) placed with over 300 employers.• 4 September 2006 The inter-ministerial meeting on illegal migration betweenItaly, Malta and Libya in Valletta on Wednesday has been postponed due todevelopments that could see Libya joining the EU sea patrols in return forcooperation on patrols in the desert. Justice and Home Affairs Minister TonioBorg said that EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini had informed him theinter-ministerial meeting would be postponed by some weeks so that atechnical meeting between Italy, Malta and Libya could take place first.

• 4 September 2006 The government has invested Lm23 million in the MaltaCollege for Arts, Science and Technology since it was set up in 2000, training4,500 students in 100 different courses. Speaking at a dialogue meeting inHamrun in the build-up to the Independence Day celebrations on September21, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said that despite 900 jobs being lost whenthe company Denim closed down, the unemployment figure had not beenaffected.• 4 September 2006 The total government expenditure on research anddevelopment in 2005 amounted to Lm3.7 million, generating 937 jobs, theNational Statistics Office said. This represents a 6.2% increase over 2004. Mostof the jobs in R & D were in the medical sciences, accounting for 290employees in 2005, followed by the social sciences with 278 employees.• 4 September 2006 A 16-page booklet entitled Gejjieni fis-sod (A SoundFuture), a synopsis of the government's recently-published pre-budgetdocument, which outlines the country's economic and social priorities hasbeen published. The Parliamentary Secretary in the Finance Ministry, TonioFenech, says the booklet dispels any myths that the budget has already beendrawn up. The booklet is being distributed to all households.• 4 September 2006 Five volunteers, three from the Malta Red Cross and twofrom the Civil Protection Department, left for a three-week placement in Italyto advance their training. The Red Cross applied for an EU Leonardo mobilityproject earlier this year to enable a group of volunteers to go to Italy to furtherenhance their experience. K9 is a highly specialised area of disaster responseand involves the use of trained dogs to search for missing people trappedunder rubble or lost in the countryside.• 4 September 2006 The unemployment rate in Malta is marginally lower - by0.7% - than the average in the 25 EU member states, data released by the EUstatistical arm, Eurostat, show. According to Eurostat, unemployment on theisland last July stood at 7.3% - just over 7,000 people - which is 0.2% down onthe figure for June.• 4 September 2006 The Valletta local council and 10 European partners,members of the Walled Towns Friendship Circle, have embarked on a projectrelated to overcoming problems of mobility within and around walled towns,managing cultural heritage, developing spatial planning and managementsystems and dealing with conservation and tourism. The EU funded project,called Archway, is spread over three years and involves the publication of fivegood-practice guides relating to conservation, transport, spatial planning,tourism and cultural heritage management.• 4 September 2006 Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture and Fisheries FrancisAgius said that the Maltese Olive Register had 750 registered farmers covering140 hectares, equivalent to 1,250 tumoli of land. "This increase in production isalso due to the parliamentary secretariat's efforts to promote and increasethe production of this traditional product, which is part of the country'sMediterranean roots," he said. Dr Agius was inaugurating Maltese Day, anevent held in Zabbar as part of the summer universities' European StudentsForum hosting 50 students.• 5 September 2006 Magistrate Abigail Lofaro and lawyer Anna Felice are tobe Malta's first women judges. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi made theannouncement following a Cabinet decision in which he also said thatanother female lawyer, Audrey Demicoli, has been nominated magistrate. DrGonzi said the Cabinet had decided to consolidate under one roof what hecalled the myriad tribunals that had sprouted up over the years.

• 5 September 2006 The number of bring-in sites is expected to go up to 400from the present 80 in the coming weeks, a move that should encouragemore people to recycle waste. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi announcedthat the tender for the bring-in sites had been awarded, adding that 10% willbe situated underground. Dr Gonzi, together with Rural Affairs and theEnvironment Minister George Pullicino and MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, wasspeaking during a visit to C&V Polymers, a company that recycles plasticwaste.• 5 September 2006 A government-appointed committee has accepted theproposals of Ryanair and EasyJet. Europe's biggest budget airline Ryanair isprepared to start operations to Malta by the end of October. Ryanairsubmitted proposals to start daily flights to Luton and three weekly flights toPisa and Dublin. It wants to increase the frequencies of the Pisa flight asdemand picks up.• 5 September 2006 The government formally opened its budget consultationprocess with a meeting with the constituted bodies. Parliamentary Secretary inthe Finance Ministry Tonio Fenech met the employers and the trade unions fora briefing on the pre-budget document at the Auberge de Castille, Valletta."We want to give a clear indication where we want to go and we want tolisten," Mr Fenech said, during a five-minute briefing attended by the press.• 5 September 2006 There was a small drop in subscriptions to cable and digitaltelevision in July from the previous month, according to National StatisticsOffice figures, which showed the subscription index falling by 0.5%.Subscriptions to all other forms of communication technology increased. Theinternet subscription index rose by 1.1% and the mobile telephone subscriptionindex by 2.8%. The number of mobile telephone subscriptions reached341,417.• 5 September 2006 Victim Support Malta (VSM), which offers support andinformation to victims of crime, has become a foundation. The voluntaryorganisation started operating in 2003 on the initiative of Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl, which is part of the foundation Daritama, an NGO started by prisonersand which strives to bolster justice in Malta. VSM works in close collaborationwith the government and other service institutions, especially the police. LastApril it signed a protocol with the police by which victims of crime are referredto VSM.• 5 September 20006 The European theme for next year will emphasise equalopportunities for all as one of the main mottos of the EU. The year is part of theEuropean Union's determined effort to promote equality and nondiscrimination.The aim of the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All is toraise awareness and highlight the advantages of a just and solidarity-basedsociety where discrimination is effectively tackled, diversity celebrated andequal opportunities for all are promoted.• 5 September 2006 Almost 10% of year six pupils attending 25 primary schoolsneed additional help in basic skills acquisition in English, an assessment shows.Just under 7% of the 1,053 children attending those 25 schools need specialtraining in Mathematics while 4.46% need training in Maltese. The assessment,which was carried out by 68 teachers and 14 staff members from theFoundation for Education Services, was designed to identify year six studentswho would need a special education programme once they startedsecondary school.• 6 September 2006 Magistrate Abigail Lofaro and lawyer Anna Felice weresworn in as Malta's first women judges by President Edward Fenech-Adami atthe Palace Valletta. Both new judges said they were honoured to have beenentrusted with such responsibility. President Fenech Adami said both women

have a reputation for being hard-working and honest. He was sure bothwould fulfil their responsibilities in an honourable manner as was befitting theMaltese judiciary which, he added was always held in high esteem, a factreflecting the vibrancy of the Maltese democracy.• 6 September 2006 President Edward Fenech-Adami formally received JurekJuszczyk, Australia's new High Commissioner to Malta, and Gunnar Ortmann,Ambassador of Denmark, in separate ceremonies at the Palace, in Valletta.• 6 September 2006 Demolition of the Guzeppi Despott Verdala Junior Lyceum,in Cottonera, started , making way for a new school, work on which should becompleted in about two years' time. Besides the new building, four colonialblocks that form part of the school are being restored. Education, Youth andEmployment Minister Louis Galea, who visited the works, said this was a happyday for him and for the teachers and students of the school. "It is a dreambecoming reality."• 6 September 2006 As MEPs returned to their political activity in Strasbourgfollowing a six-week summer recess, the issue of illegal immigration and theneed for the EU to intervene was again highlighted at the beginning of thesitting, after being high on the agenda last spring. Malta's own concerns wereraised by Maltese MEP Simon Busuttil during the traditional one-minutespeeches used at the beginning of the European Parliament's plenary sessionsfor urgent matters.• 6 September 2006 Journalists' Committee chairman Karl Schembri raisedissues dealing with press freedom and other pressing problems faced byjournalists at a meeting with the newly appointed press secretary at the Officeof the Prime Minister, Josephine Vassallo. The committee said that among thepoints discussed were its suggestion for a press council that would groupjournalists' representatives, associations and media owners in discussion andthe government's press secretary.• 6 September 2006 Civil Protection director Peter Cordina urged mobile phoneowners to store a "next of kin" number in their phones, an idea first launched inthe UK by the East Anglican Ambulance Service. The ambulance service isrunning a campaign called "In case of Emergency (Ice)" after the terroristattack on the London buses last year.• 6 September 2006 European Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Commissioner JoeBorg opened the academic year of the Wageningen University and ResearchCentre, in the Netherlands. He spoke on a holistic maritime policy,emphasising the importance of marine research and knowledge in themanagement and the seas and oceans.• 7 September 2006 Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said heunderstood that illegal immigration posed "overwhelming stress" on Malta andits institutions, saying European Union members should tackle the issuetogether to assist border countries. "We consider this issue as a European issueand we should address this challenge through a common immigration policy,"Mr Rasmussen also said during a joint press conference at Auberge deCastille, in Valletta, alongside Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi. An audiorecording of the press conference can be accessed on the following link:http://www.doi.gov.mt/EN/News/newsitems/audiorecording%20-%2006.09.06pmdenmarkjc.asp• 7 September 2006 Germanwings, Germany's major low-cost airline, will startoperations to Malta next March, Malta International Airport said. The Germanairline will operate two weekly flights from Cologne and another two flights aweek from Stuttgart, on Tuesday and on Saturday. MIA said that through the

new German link, Maltese travellers will have more options, at considerablylow fares.• 7 September 2006 The European Commission launched an environmentalstrategy to have the Mediterranean decontaminated by 2020. The initiativefollows an agreement by the leaders of the Euro-Med area during a summit inBarcelona last year. The strategy, called Horizon 2020, aims to curb pollutionlevels across the region, promote sustainable use of the sea and its coastline,encourage neighbouring countries to cooperate on environmental issues andinvolve NGOs and the public in environmental decisions.• 7 September 2006 Senior officials from Malta, Libya, Italy, the EuropeanCommission and Frontex met in Malta in preparation of the home affairsministers' meeting on cooperation in border control that is due to be held inMalta later this year, the Justice and Home Affairs Ministry said. Thespokesman said the frank and open discussion that characterised themeeting was extremely fruitful and treated areas where the EU, memberstates and Libya can cooperate effectively in the fight against the illegalsmuggling of humans and in other efforts to save lives at sea.• 8 September 2006 The reports and analysis by the European Union on Maltaregarding the country's economy and finances are positive, Prime MinisterLawrence Gonzi said during a political activity in Qormi. Dr Gonzi said theeconomy was growing and this was because investment and as aconsequence employment, are on the rise. In its latest report, the EU praisedthe government's policy, particularly the privatisation drive which, it said, wastranslating itself into added investment and growth, he said.• 8 September 2006 The real Gross Domestic Product grew by 2.2% in thesecond quarter this year when compared with figures for last year, provisionalstatistics issued by the National Statistics Office show. GDP at current marketprices is estimated at Lm581.1 million, up by 6.4% over the same period of lastyear.• 8 September 2006 Veteran sports journalist, broadcaster, author, formerDirector of Information and all-rounder Lewis Portelli has died, aged 76. TheMinistry for Education, Youth and Employment, the Labour Party, the NationalSports Council and the Institute of Malta Journalists paid tribute to Mr Portelliwhile the Nationalist Party recalled his sterling work with Dar tal-Providenza,the residential home for people with a disability in Siggiewi.• 8 September 2006 Leading budget airline Ryanair announced its first routes toMalta - selling flights for the price of one euro cent, excluding taxes. Ryanairdecided to immediately include the three routes it will be operating to Malta -Luton, Dublin and Pisa - in its existing free seat sale in which over four millionseats have been made available from October to March. With this offer aRyanair flight from Malta starts from about Lm40 in taxes and charges, minusthe fuel surcharge which the airline also absorbs.• 8 September 2006 The National Statistics Office is planning to take ahousehold budgetary survey next year, a basic statistical tool that couldchange the inflation indices. The NSO's new director general, GordonCordina, made the announcement during a press conference. The survey,which was last conducted in 2000, is carried out among families for thepurpose of gathering information about day-to-day household expenditureand consumer patterns.• 8 September 2006 The European Parliament has cleared a stabilisation andassociation agreement between the EU and Albania marking the beginningof relations between the two sides. The agreement opens the prospect of aclose and far-reaching contractual relationship, deemed as instrumental for

achieving political, economic and institutional stability in the country and thewhole region.• 8 September 2006 Sandro Spiteri is the new chairman of the National FamilyCommission for the period 2006-2007, the Minister for the Family and SocialSolidarity, Dolores Cristina, said. The majority of members, having alreadyserved on the commission, have been re-appointed.8 September 2006 European Commission President José Manuel Barrosourged EU member states to provide concrete help to Malta, Spain and Italy tocope with the influx of illegal immigrants crossing over from North Africancoasts. In a letter addressed to all the 25 leaders of the EU, Mr Barroso calledon member states to show "active solidarity in the form of financial supportand the deployment of people and equipment to our most relevant borders".• 8 September 2006 Malta and Croatia have submitted their candidature tohost the Executive Secretariat of the Parliamentary Assembly of theMediterranean, a spokesman for the Office of the Speaker of the House ofRepresentatives said. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean willgive more stature to parliamentary diplomacy in the Mediterranean region.8 September 2006 Just over a fifth of students at the Malta College of Arts,Science and Technology have used cannabis in their lifetime and 7% haveused heroin, with the same proportion having used cocaine, according to aSedqa survey. Sedqa's primary prevention team manager Paul Pace saidthese preliminary results showed that drug use among students at the collegecorresponded to the national figures. He was speaking during an MCAST staffdevelopment seminar on substance misuse awareness.• 9 September 2006 The government is aiming to present the budget late inOctober, Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of Finance Tonio Fenechsaid. In a break with tradition, last year's budget was also presented inOctober rather than November. Mr Fenech was speaking to journalistsfollowing a meeting of EU Finance Ministers in Helsinki.• 9 September 2006 Malta celebrated one of its national holidays, September8, known as Il-Vitorja. The feast has a triple significance for the island: Itcommemorates the birth of Our Lady, the historic defeat of the Turks duringthe Great Siege of 1565 and the collapse of fascism in Italy in 1943 whichended the onslaught on Malta in World War II. President of Malta, Dr EdwardFenech-Adami laid a wreath at the Great Siege Monument in Republic Street,Valletta.• 9 September 2006 A group of 27 illegal immigrants, including a woman,arrived in a small boat, disembarking at Wied il-Buni in Birzebbuga at about7.30 the police said. The police had been informed of their imminent arrivaland went on site, taking them to police headquarters to carry out theirinvestigations. A police spokesman said the nationality of the immigrants hadnot yet been established. There are currently over 1,300 illegal immigrants atthe detention centres.• 9 September 2006 The long-awaited EU border patrols off the Maltese coasthad been scheduled to start last Thursday but last-minute opposition from theLibyan government forced the European Commission to change its plans,according to Libya's Foreign Minister Abdulati Alobeidi. Mr Alobeidi wasgiving an interview to the Italian press on Wednesday.• 10 September 2006 Malta is expected to reach the financial targets requiredto enable the country to adopt the euro in 2008 as projected, Prime MinisterLawrence Gonzi said. Speaking to journalists in Helsinki, where he wasattending the informal meeting of EU finance ministers, Dr Gonzi said

independent projections by the government as well as those being made bythe European Union showed that Malta was on the right track to keep thedeficit under control and introduce the euro in 2008.• 10 September 2006 A boatload of illegal immigrants, including a pregnantwoman, landed in Malta. An Armed Forces of Malta's Maritime Squadronvessel P24 rescued the immigrants and proceeded to Wied il-Buni where theywere then handed over to the Police for investigations into their identities andnationalities.• 11 September 2006 A Swedish aerobatics champion was killed when twostunt planes taking part in the Aero Grand Prix of Malta collided and crashedinto the sea at the entrance of Marsamxett harbour. The other pilotparachuted safely. This was the first time that the Aero GP had been held inMalta.• 11 September 2006 Around 3,000 bicycles and motorbikes made their way toZabbar for the annual pilgrimage organised on the occasion of the villagefeast. The traditional pilgrimage, which was first organised in 1951, attractedmore than 2,000 bicycles and around 800 motorbikes, Tarcisio Magri, thesecretary of the organising committee, said.• 11 September 2006 French President Jacques Chirac and Prime MinistersRomano Prodi of Italy and Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero of Spain have writtento EU President Jose Manuel Barroso asking him to put the issue of illegalmigration on the informal agenda of the EU heads of government meetingnext month and to put it formally on their December agenda.• 11 September 2006 A total of 57 illegal migrants arrived in Malta in twogroups, one of which was rescued from a sinking boat by a passing tug. TheAFM Operations Centre was informed by the local agent of the tug boat RubyDeliverer that the tug had picked up 23 men, three women and two childrenfrom a sinking boat while towing an oil rig about 26 nautical miles northwest ofGozo.• 11 September 2006 The visible trade gap narrowed by Lm2.2 million in Julyimplying an increase of Lm29.4 million for the first seven months of the year,according to the National Statistics Office. Provisional data for internationaltrade shows that the visible trade gap in July stood at Lm44 million, down byLm2.2 million from the same month last year. Both exports and importsincreased in July when compared to July last year.• 12 September 2006 The secretariat of the Euro-Mediterranean ParliamentaryAssembly is to be based in Malta, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi announcedwhilst speaking to journalists in Helsinki. The assembly, set up in 2003 in Naples,is the parliamentary dimension of the Euromed partnership, which covers the25 EU countries and 10 countries of the Mediterranean rim.• 12 September 2006 Aero GP pilot Gábor Varga was still alive moments afterhis plane crashed into the sea on Sunday. The 45-year-old Swedish aerobaticschampion died of drowning, an autopsy has revealed. A police spokesmansaid the autopsy report states he drowned and ruptured a lung with thepressure. He sustained various other injuries.• 12 September 2006 Statistics issued by Eurostat show that Malta's employmentrate has deteriorated over the past five years. The EU statistical arm said thataccording to an analysis of the latest labour force survey for 2005, Malta'semployment rate stood at 53.9% of all those within the age range of 15 to 64.In 2000, Malta's performance was slightly better with a 54.2% occupation rate.• 13 September 2006 Agreement was reached between the government andmedicine agents to import hundreds of products that have not been

available in pharmacies for the past two years. Importers have pledged thatmedicine prices, which soared in recent months, will now be cut "within twomonths" as the new system will ensure that a variety of products will beavailable for consumers.• 13 September 2006 All 25 European Commissioners will next month travel toAfrica to conduct talks on illegal immigration with their African counterparts.This unprecedented initiative was announced by the President of theEuropean Commission José Manuel Barroso in a speech during a debateorganised in Brussels by the Financial Times on the theme Does Europe ReallyMean Business?• 13 September 2006 Former Nationalist Cabinet Minister Emanuel Bonnici died,aged 79. The Nationalist Party and other organisations expressed theirsympathy at his death.• 13 September 2006 The environment and agriculture in Malta will receive a€76 million from the EU over the coming seven years. Details of the annualallocation for Malta were released by the European Commission following adecision on the EU's annual rural development budget for the upcomingfinancial period.• 13 September 2006 The financial burden created by the water and electricitysurcharge has prominently featured among comments people have postedto the Finance Ministry in the run-up to the budget, Parliamentary Secretarywithin the Ministry of Finance Tonio Fenech said. As part of its pre-budgetconsultation exercise, the government this year sent leaflets to all householdswith forms which citizens can fill in with their feedback and send back to theministry.• 13 September 2006 Restoration works at the Teatru Astra in Victoria havebeen completed after it was damaged by fire almost three years ago. Boththe stage and the auditorium were extensively damaged and neededstructural and decorative work. Instead of repairing the damage, however,the whole theatre was renovated. It has also been equipped with a cinemascreen.• 14 September 2006 Italy and Libya have struck a deal for bilateralcollaboration in the fight against illegal immigration and human trafficking,which will include joint patrols in Libyan waters. Italy's Interior Minister GiulianoAmato announced that Italian police will soon be sent to Tripoli to go aboardLibyan vessels and a Libyan officer will be sent to Rome to help the Italianauthorities coordinate the operation.• 14 September 2006 The former Rector of the University of Malta and Malta'srepresentative to the European Convention, Rev. Prof. Peter SerrachinoInglott, has been appointed by the Commission of the Bishops of theEuropean Community (Comece) to form part of the "Committee of the Wise",which will prepare a report on the values upon which the EU is based. Theappointment of this committee was approved earlier this week by the EUBishops conference.• 14 September 2006 Minister for Competition and Communications, CensuGalea officially opened the 20th annual Marques conference at the HiltonMalta. The conference brings together 600 specialists in trademarks andbranding from 65 countries. The delegates will discuss the latest trends intrademark protection and enforcement as well as focusing on sponsorshipand advertising issues.• 14 September 2006 The postage rate for letters/postcards up to 50g willincrease by one cent to eight cents as from Tuesday, Maltapost announced.

The same rate will apply to printed papers up to 50g. Other rates from 50gupwards will remain unchanged.• 15 September 2006 The European Commission has decided to forge aheadwith joint patrols in the Mediterranean in an attempt to stem illegalimmigration despite Libya's opposition. A spokesman for the Commission saidthat although the EU still wished to have Libya on board, Justice CommissionerFranco Frattini had instructed the EU's border agency, Frontex, to put in placethe last technical requirements to start the operation.• 15 September 2006 The Housing Authority is offering to share ownership of 260housing units with people who cannot afford to buy property on the openmarket. Authority chairman Marisa Micallef announced at a press conferencethat 177 apartments, 82 maisonettes and one house would be madeavailable in various towns and villages around Malta and Gozo.15 September 2006 Malta's labour costs are the lowest in the EU, according tofigures published by Eurostat. Malta recorded the lowest increase in its costsrelated to wages and salaries, with only a slight increase of 0.7% - the same asGermany which has the biggest economy in the EU. Meanwhile, Maltalowered its non-wage costs related to labour by 4.8% between June 2005 tolast June.• 15 September 2006 The government aims to increase its national spending onresearch and development from Lm500,000 to around Lm4.5 million in 2010,Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of Finance Tonio Fenech said. MrFenech was speaking at a public meeting held at the Gzira local council aspart of a series of pre-budget consultations. "The money will come both fromthe government and the EU," he said.• 15 September 2006 Parliamentary Secretary for the Elderly and CommunityCare Helen D'Amato recently paid an official visit to China where she visitedBeijing, Hangzhou and Shanghi. During her stay, Ms D'Amato stopped at theBeijing Civil Affairs Bureau, the China National Committee on Ageing and theZheijiang Provincial Committee on Ageing. She also visited various facilities forthe elderly and exchanged views with officials of all the organisations on thesituation of elderly persons in Malta and in China.• 16 September 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said of the upcominggovernment budget that he was confident the deficit would dip below the 3%mark enabling Malta to join the euro in 2008. Dr Gonzi was speaking during apublic discussion in conjunction with the Independence celebrations at theGranaries, Floriana. The Prime Minister promised that since the economy wasgrowing, the government could afford to lighten the tax burdens and act asincentives for economic growth.• 16 September 2006 The government expects the inflation rate to be at parwith the eurozone reference rate by around February or March next year. Thismeans that it should be within the convergence criteria at the time of theEuropean Commission assessment in June 2007. The assessment would takeinto account the latest published figures, probably those for May 2007. Thiswas explained by the Parliamentary Secretary in the Finance Ministry, TonioFenech, during a media briefing organised by the National Euro ChangeoverCommittee.• 16 September 2006 Malta International Airport held a full-scale AircraftEmergency Exercise aimed at assessing the level of preparedness of all entitiesinvolved. An MIA spokesman described the exercise result as "satisfactory".While the exercise forms part of the MIA's commitment to safety and security,it meets strict International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards that

equire all commercial airports to conduct similar full-scale exercises at leastonce every two years.• 17 September 2006 There would be no peace in the Middle East unless thePalestinian people's right to their land was recognised, President EmeritusGuido de Marco said. Speaking at a conference organised by theChevening Alumni Association of Malta on "Understanding the Middle Eastcrisis", Professor de Marco said turmoil in the region would persist until theinternational community recognised there should be a state of Palestine.• 17 September 2006 Around Lm3 million is being invested by the Foundation forTomorrow's Schools to redevelop the only state boys' junior lyceum andsecondary school in Gozo, the Gozo examinations centre and Ninu CremonaLyceum hall. Speaking during a press conference , Gozo Minister GiovannaDebono said the school is expected to cater for up to 1,000 students andincludes environment-friendly initiatives such as the use of solar energy.• 17 September 2006 Air Malta announced it is offering flights to 33 destinationsfor Lm15 each way, excluding taxes and charges, for the winter. The offer,called Spread Your Arms and Fly, will enable people to fly at a lower cost tocountries in Europe, North Africa and the eastern Mediterranean.• 17 September 2006 The Government's proposal for Malta to host a SmallStates Network for Economic Development has won the strong endorsementof the Commonwealth Finance Ministers' Meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka lastweek. The meeting's final communiqué issued on Thursday affirmed that"Ministers welcomed and supported the generous proposal of theGovernment of Malta to host a Small States Network for EconomicDevelopment (SSNED). They looked forward to the proposal receiving theendorsement of the World Bank's Small States Forum. In this regard, they notedthat the network should complement and reinforce ongoing work on smallstates."• 18 September 2006 Italy and Libya's collaboration in the fight against illegalimmigration will be on a technical level and will not involve joint sea patrols,Italian Ambassador to Malta Paolo Andrea Trabalza has said. Mr Trabalzadenied Italian media reports claiming that Italy and Libya have agreed tojointly patrol the coastline of the North African country in an effort to stopthousands of illegal immigrants from reaching Europe.• 18 September 2006 The opening of the Malta College of Arts, Science andTechnology is resulting in new opportunities for hundreds of youths who arestudying there, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said. Speaking during a visit tothe MCAST stand on the granaries, Dr Gonzi said MCAST has also beeninstrumental in attracting new investment as investors seek countries wherethey know they can find trained people.• 18 September 2006 The Malta Communications Authority has given itsassurance that a new interception system currently being installed to assist theMalta Security Services is not intended to eavesdrop on the entire population.The Malta Security Services is the competent authority responsible for legalinterception of electronic communications, be it via phone, e-mail or textmessage. It is the only entity that can carry out such interception, against awarrant issued by the Justice and Home Affairs Minister.• 18 September 2006 Malta's gender pay gap of 3.6% is the lowest among EUmember states, a report has found. The report, entitled GenderMainstreaming: The Way Forward, says that according to data published in2005, the gender pay gap in the EU15 was widest in Austria (26%) andnarrowest in Luxembourg (11%). Among the new EU member states, it was

widest in the Czech Republic (25.1% in 2002) and narrowest in Malta. Theaverage gap across all states was estimated at 17.5%.• 18 September 2006 The Central Bank has issued a silver proof coincommemorating scientist, archaeologist and prolific writer Sir Temi Zammit.The obverse of the coin shows the emblem of Malta with the year of issuewhile the reverse depicts the likeness of Sir Temi with the dates of his birth anddeath. The coin is being issued under the Europa Programme 2006 -Personalities.• 18 September 2006 The AFM Rescue Coordination Centre coordinated asearch and rescue mission for illegal immigrants in distress, 115 nautical milessouth west of Malta. The AFM said in a statement that the Tunisian RescueCoordination Centre informed it at 11.30 a.m. that it had rescued 12 illegalimmigrants and recovered a dead body from a capsized boat in the area,which falls within Malta's search and rescue region. The Tunisian centre alsosaid that other immigrants were still missing. A Tunisian Coast Guard boat tookthe illegal immigrants to Tunis for further medical assistance and investigations.• 19 September 2006 It would be a "mistake" for the country to switch intoelection mode, even if the Nationalist Party has just announced its first batchof election candidates, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said. "We intend togovern for the full legislature and see this country flourish through the nextyear, which I believe is an important one." The Prime Minister had justaddressed a crowd at the Granaries in Floriana in connection with thecelebrations of Independence Day.• 19 September 2006 A new IT company that has set up shop in Malta andplans to employ around 600 people within the next five years, wants to be oneof the first ICT corporations in SmartCity. Robert Altinger, chief executive ofAtlas Technology Group, said that although still in its initial stages, thecompany had already clinched its first international clients and was inadvanced negotiations with major international firms.• 19 September 2006 Amnesty International has asked the EU to place antiimmigrationborder patrols under the scrutiny of officials from the UnitedNations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in order to guarantee therights of illegal immigrants and asylum seekers. The human rights organisationexpressed concerns over the sea patrols currently being run by Frontex, theEU's border control agency, off the Canary Islands. Similar patrols are due tostart soon in the Italy-Malta-Libya strait.• 19 September 2006 A delegation from the European Parliament's Committeeon Regional Development has just completed a two-day visit to Malta. MEPsGerardo Galeote and Constanze Krehl led a 13-man delegation whichincluded Maltese MEPs Simon Busuttil and Louis Grech who are both substitutemembers of the committee. The visit was arranged to enable the members tosee for themselves how Malta is making use of Cohesion and EuropeanRegional Development Funds.• 19 September 2006 Malta's representative at the EU's Court of Auditors, JosefBonnici, has recommended that the European Commission dedicates moreresources to making sure that structural funds, worth billions of euros, are usedin an appropriate manner by member states. Prof. Bonnici was addressingthe European Parliament's Budget Control Committee in Brussels20 September 2006 Malta was allocated an additional €1.3 million (Lm0.6m)in EU funds to compensate for the costs associated with illegal immigration. AEuropean Commission spokesman said that the allocation is further proof thatthe EU is doing its utmost in the circumstances to help Malta deal with thecrisis. The funds were allocated as part of the EU ARGO programme and will

e utilised in two projects coordinated by the Ministry of Justice and HomeAffairs and by the army during the last four months of this year.• 20 September 2006 The dedication of hospital emergency staff was praised byPrime Minister, Dr Lawrence Gonzi, during a visit to the stand dedicated tohealth and to the Mater Dei Hospital at the Granaries in Floriana. Dr Gonzisaid the emergency department was one of the most sensitive departmentsat St Luke's Hospital.• 20 September 2006 The lifetime of the Zwejra engineered landfill has run out,after just over two years of use, and within a few weeks domestic waste willstart being dumped in the new facility at Ghallis. Environment and Rural AffairsMinister George Pullicino, who toured the area, said Zwejra's existence hadbeen stretched as much as possible, pointing out that an average of 240,000tonnes of domestic waste was generated each year.• 20 September 2006 Luciano Mule Stagno is the new chief executive officer ofHeritage Malta, succeeding Antoinette Caruana who led the organisation forthe past three years. Dr Mule Stagno, who is currently the director of a siliconwafer manufacturing company in the US, holds a doctorate in physics fromthe University of Missouri. He will assume full-time duties at the agency's headoffice in Valletta later this year.• 20 September 2006 A sword and dagger manufactured by the Valenciacommunity in Spain and inspired by the actual sword and dagger presentedto Grand Master La Valette during the Great Siege of 1565, has beendonated to Heritage Malta. The donation came about after the SpanishAssociation of Friends of Malta commissioned these works in gold, silver andglass.• 20 September 2006 The first multi-lingual audio tour guide of Valletta waslaunched in a public-private partnership between Exalta Ltd and HeritageMalta. Available in nine languages, including Maltese, My Guide offersinformation, both audio and visual, on 33 sites around the capital city, saidRyan Mallia from Exalta Ltd. The equipment, available from the NationalMuseum of Archaeology in Republic Street for €10, comes with a route map,with numbered sites, which correspond to explanations.• 20 September 2006 The Park and Ride Scheme in Blata l-Bajda, offering 950parking spaces and a shuttle service to Valletta, will be inaugurated onNovember 1. Urban Roads and Development Minister Jesmond Mugliett saidthat both the parking and the shuttle service, which will run very frequentlyfrom 6 to 1 a.m., will be free of charge. One will be able to park in the area 24hours a day. During peak hours waiting time will be four to five minutes, at allother times it will be up to 10 minutes.• 20 September 2006 During the first seven months of the year, the number ofMaltese passengers departing by air and sea amounted to 136,723, anincrease of 7.9% over the same period a year ago, the National StatisticsOffice said. In the period under review, the most frequent destination wasItaly, accounting for 31.6% of the total number of Maltese travelling abroad byair and sea.• 20 September 2006 Tug Malta launched its new tug boat, Wenzina, namedafter St Lawrence, the patron saint of Vittoriosa. The privatisation process ofTug Malta has now been embarked upon and a call for expressions of interest,published earlier this month, closes next Monday. Investment, Industry andInformation Technology Minister Austin Gatt said that for the company tocontinue expanding, investment was needed with substantial risk initially.• 21 September 2006 Despite its high density of cars, Malta has the lowest rateof fatal road accidents in the European Union. New figures released in Brussels

show that in 2004, the islands had a rate of only 33 road deaths per millioninhabitants compared to second-placed Netherlands with 49 and Swedenwith 53. Malta's figure is also a major improvement over the 45 deaths permillion it had recorded in 1991.• 21 September 2006 The newly appointed EU task force on migration decidedto come up with new proposals by the end of the year on how to combat thewave of illegal immigrants crossing to Europe from North Africa. The task force,which held its first meeting, will prepare a communication in time to bediscussed by the European summit scheduled for next December.• 21 September 2006 In accordance with the provisions of the OmbudsmanAct, 1995, the Office of the Ombudsman recently presented the Ombudsplanfor 2007 to the Speaker of the House of Representatives. This documentoutlines the main objectives and medium-term work streams of the office andgives an indication of the funding requirements of the institution for 2007.• 21 September 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said the public had nothingto fear because the the Maltese people as a whole, always overcame thechallenges that lay before them. Addressing a crowd at the Granaries inFloriana, on the eve of Independence Day, Lawrence Gonzi said: "When thetime comes for us to ask for people's trust, the people will again entrust us withthe government".• 21 September 2006 There was an increase in traffic between Malta and Gozoin the second quarter of this year, the National Statistics Office said. A total of947,237 passengers used the Malta-Gozo ferries, an increase of 47,314 or 5.3%over the same quarter last year. The total number of passenger vehiclescarried by the ferries shot up by 15,529 to 236,439, a climb of 7%.• 21 September 2006 Investment, Industry and Information Technology MinisterAustin Gatt attended the signing of the handover agreement of six aircompressors which were financed through the third cooperation agreementbetween Malta and China and installed at Malta Shipyards. The compressorscost three million Chinese RMB Yuan which is about Lm130,000. The firstcooperation agreement between the two governments was signed in 1999and the equipment was received in early 2002.• 22 September 2006 EU justice and home affairs ministers asked EU JusticeCommissioner Franco Frattini to come up with concrete proposals on helpingLibya deal with illegal immigration, particularly on its southern borders. Thedevelopment was welcomed by Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borgwho described the initiative as crucial for Malta. Most of the hundreds ofillegal immigrants who land here depart from Libya.• 22 September 2006 MS Otopan, a toxic ship currently roaming theMediterranean in search of a port, has been refused harbour by the Maltesegovernment. The Malta Environment and Planning Authority has advised theDutch government - which had made a request on the ship's behalf - thatMalta will not provide harbour to the Otopan, a Mepa spokesman said.• 22 September 2006 Around 59 Maltese residents are estimated to die as aresult of passive smoking every year, according to a report by the Smoke-freePartnership and the European Heart Network. Seventeen of them are nonsmokerswho have been exposed to tobacco smoke. The report says thatsome 79,000 people living in the 25 EU member states, out of a totalpopulation of 462 million, die annually due to passive smoking. The report useddata from Eurostat and the World Health Organisation and was compiledusing a mathematical formula.• 22 September 2006 Peter Gauci has been appointed director of mobileoperations at Maltacom and will be leading the group's mobile telephony

arm. Before returning to Malta after an absence of some 30 years, Mr Gauciheld several senior management posts with international companies in the UKand other European countries.• 23 September 2006 EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini announced thatthe European Commission will grant Libya €3million to help it tackle illegalimmigration. The news was welcomed by Justice Home Affairs Minister TonioBorg who said: "This announcement is another concrete commitment by theEU to help Malta and Italy".• 23 September 2006 The inflation rate in August increased to 3.38% from 3.30%in the previous month, the National Statistics Office said. In August 2005, therate was 2.74%. The Retail Prices Index went down by 0.41%. The NSO said theinflation rate remained conditioned by increases in the Retail Price Indexregistered in the later months of 2005.• 23 September 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo and Arab Leaguesecretary general Amr Moussa on Thursday signed a Memorandum ofUnderstanding between the Maltese Foreign Ministry and the GeneralSecretariat of the League of Arab States. The signing took place at the UnitedNations headquarters in New York. The Memorandum of Understanding setsout a framework for structured political dialogue and cooperation betweenMalta and the Arab League.• 23 September 2006 Parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Finance TonioFenech told an audience attending the second public consultation meetingfor the 2007 budget, that during the next three years the government will beinvesting Lm 30 million for the building of new schools. Mr Fenech emphasisedthe importance of matching education to the needs of the economy.• 24 September 2006 Only 20% of the area due to be taken up by SmartCity inRicasoli has been earmarked for residential purposes, the Ministry forInvestment, Industry and Information Technology said. In a statement, theministry said that in a draft project description statement (PDS) submitted toMEPA it was proposed that 20% of the project area's footprint would be usedfor villas and apartments, 33% for open public areas, and 47% for activities togenerate jobs.• 24 September 2006 The Malta Dementia Society organised a Memory Walk inValletta to raise awareness about dementia - a disease which affects thefunctions of the brain, causing loss of memory, and behaviour and speechproblems. This year marks the centenary since Alzheimer's Disease was firstdescribed by the German neurologist Alois Alzheimer. Helen D'Amato,Parliamentary Secretary for the Care of the Elderly, joined some 50 membersof the society in the walk down Republic Street.• 24 September 2006 The president of the European Parliament (EP), JosepBorell, regretted not making any reference to Malta during a recent addressto the EP on the illegal immigration crisis facing the southern Europeanmember states. Following a complaint made last week by the Maltese MEPsSimon Busuttil and David Casa, Mr Borell excused himself for this omission.• 25 September 2006 Malta contributed €25,000 towards the appeal for urgentfunds made by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to EU member states.The financial assistance from the European Union and its member states willenable one month's salaries to be paid to workers in the Palestinian Territories.Mr Abbas made his appeal during a meeting with EU Foreign Ministers in NewYork. Foreign Minister Frendo met Mr Abbas at the UN General Assembly inNew York last week.• 25 September 2006 Parliament resumed its sittings after the summer recess,continuing the second reading debate on a Bill to introduce pensions reform.

The other items on the agenda are the second reading debate on a Bill toamend the Code of Police Laws and committee debate on a Bill to amendthe Constitution.• 25 September 2006 "A strong synergy" is how Reggio Calabria's mayorGiuseppe Scopelliti described relations between Air Malta and thesouthernmost region of Italy during a press conference in Reggio. This summer,Air Malta has seen a rapid expansion to and from the Italian region and is nowoperating five weekly flights to Reggio up from the weekly flight introducedlast year.• 25 September 2006 Maltese students attending the European school inLuxembourg sat through a lesson in their mother tongue for the first time. Thiswas possible after the secondment of a Maltese language teacher to theLuxembourg school by the Ministry of Education. The same should nowhappen in Brussels, the other major European school attended by Maltesestudents• 25 September 2006 The Valletta Alive Foundation has presented the PrimeMinister with a memorandum containing proposals on projects that need tobe realised in the capital. During a meeting with the Prime Minister at Aubergede Castille, the foundation laid stress on improvements to Valletta'sinfrastructure, capital projects, surroundings as well as the social andcommercial aspects.• 26 September 2006 Eight leaders of southern European states, including PrimeMinister Lawrence Gonzi, sent a letter to the European Commission Presidentand the EU presidency underlining the need to reinforce operationalcooperation in the EU's southern maritime borders in a bid to stem illegalmigration. In their letter, the leaders call for a common solution to thechallenge of illegal migration, "a problem which concerns the entirety of theunion and not only the countries on its external borders".• 26 September 2006 Binge drinking among Maltese children, particularly 13-year-olds, has risen sharply over the last four years, according to thepreliminary results of a new survey carried out by the Health PromotionDepartment. The Health Behaviour of School-Aged Children Study 2006 showsa substantial increase in the number of 11-, 13- and 15-year-olds who indulgein alcohol compared to the same survey in 2002, said Health PromotionDepartment director Mario Spiteri.• 26 September 2006 Education, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galea,together with Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono, permanent secretary FransBorg and director general Cecilia Borg, visited numerous schools. Dr Galeasaid that the reform of amalgamating 104 schools into 10 colleges had startedand in the coming weeks four new colleges would be set up, with anotherthree in the coming year.• 26 September 2006 The number of cruise passengers visiting Malta rose by98.4% in August over the same month last year, mainly due to an increase inthe number of those in transit, the National Statistics Office said. There was a97.2% increase in transit passengers, many of which came from Italy andAmerica. Embarkations from Malta almost doubled when compared to thesame month a year ago.• 26 September 2006 Africa's lack of development, security and goodgovernance has a direct effect on Malta, Foreign Affairs Minister MichaelFrendo told world leaders, in a reference to the problem the country is facingwith illegal immigrants. Addressing the United Nations General assembly inNew York Dr Frendo said: "The burden of such underdevelopment and lack ofsecurity in Africa, sub-Saharan Africa in particular, is being over-intensely

orne by my country which is suffering real hardship as thousands of illegalmigrants reach our shores”• 26 September 2006 The Bical controller is working to make another paymentto depositors of the bank in the coming months, Prime Minister LawrenceGonzi said in reply to a parliamentary question. He pointed out thatdepositors have so far received 80% of their money.• 26 September 2006 The number of births has been declining constantly since2001 but it is still well above the number of deaths, figures given in Parliamentby the Justice and Home Affairs Minister show. There were 4,976 births in Maltain 2001 and 4,152 last year. The number of deaths has fluctuated, from 2,746 in2001 to 3,009 in 2003 and 2,968 last year. The number of marriages has beenconstant between 2,119 in 2001 and 2,304 last year.• 26 September 2006 The government is reviewing the situation with regard toemployment under fixed term contracts by the public service in the context ofEU directives and the requirements of the Maltese constitution, the PrimeMinister said in reply to a parliamentary question. Dr Gonzi said that althoughthe directive was already applicable for the private sector it did not, in termsof the new Employment Act apply to the public sector, the reason being thatthe Constitution laid down particular requirements for recruitment in the publicservice.• 26 September 2006 The number of people who started registering for workwas last year the lowest in five years, figures given in Parliament show. Therewere 3,778 new registrations in 2001 rising to 4,180 a year later. Last year therewere 3,380 new registrations, Education, Youth and Employment Minister LouisGalea said in reply to a question.• 26 September 2006 Government revenue from income tax charged on thebanks rose from Lm13.1 million in 2002 to Lm22.3 million last year, whilerevenue from other companies was practically unchanged, at Lm49.9 millionin 2002 and Lm50.2 million last year, information given in Parliament shows.Revenue from provisional tax on capital gains from the banks rose fromLm29,005 in 2002 to Lm79,389 last year while revenue from other companiesdeclined from Lm11.3 million in 2002 to Lm10.2 million last year. The informationwas given by the Prime Minister in reply to a parliamentary question.• 26 September 2006 Parliament expressed its condolences following thepassing away of former Nationalist minister Emanuel Bonnici and formerLabour MP Paul Carachi during the summer.• 26 September 2006 Competitiveness and Communications Minister CensuGalea appealed to the EU to curb bureaucracy and red tape to stimulateinnovation. Mr Galea was addressing his counterparts during aCompetitiveness Council meeting in Brussels discussing Europe's innovationpolicy.• 26 September 2006 Although Malta has so far spent only 26.2% of the EU fundsallocated for structural and cohesion projects, a Commission reportevaluating the progress by the new member states in absorbing these fundsranks the island in a satisfactory position. The report shows that until the end oflast year, Malta had a favourable balance of €130 million after calculating theamount of funds received and its contribution towards the EU budget.• 26 September 2006 Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Finance TonioFenech said that while last year, 380 applied for a refund for the installation ofenergy saving equipment, totalling Lm18,000 , up to last July, the number ofapplicants shot up to 1,000 meaning a refund of Lm86,000. Mr Fenech wasaddressing the third public consultation meeting for the budget 2007 themed'Sustainable Environment And Development', in Siggiewi.

• 26 September 2006 The number of unemployed in August - 7,172 persons -was unchanged from the same month last year, the National Statistics Officesaid. The NSO added that the unemployment rate in April eased marginally to5.2% compared to 5.3% last year. The majority of those registering for work inAugust were males aged between 30 and 44.• 27 September 2006 Airport security in Malta was heightened in 2002 after theauthorities learnt that terrorists were planning to take over an aircraft flyingfrom Malta to London and crash it into a location near Heathrow. PakistaniPresident Pervez Musharraf claims the terrorist "planned to use flights leavingEuropean airports belonging to the national airlines of the Czech Republic,Croatia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Malta because of their lax security".These details were revealed in the Pakistani President's memoirs In The Line OfFire, serialised in the British daily The Times.• 27 September 2006 The president of the European Commission, José ManuelBarroso, said that the EU should not take in any new member states beforeagreeing on a new Constitution. Mr Barroso was addressing the EuropeanParliament following the green light adopted by the Commission earlier in theday to allow Bulgaria and Romania to join the EU block by the beginning ofnext year.• 27 September 2006 A proposal to create a section within the civil courtsdedicated to property disputes and succession has been made in one ofseveral amendments to the Code of Organisation and Civil Procedure.Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of Justice and Home AffairsCarmelo Mifsud Bonnici said that about 1,400 of the 6,235 pending cases wererelated to property and succession. These cases also lasted the longest andwere the most complicated, often resulting in family feuds and long-termvacant property.• 28 September 2006 European Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini criticisedEU countries for not doing enough to help fellow member states fight illegalimmigration. Speaking at the European Parliament, Mr Frattini accusedmember states of not making any concrete contribution to help Malta, Italyand Spain. He stressed the need for the EU border control agency's budget tobe boosted.• 28 September 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo was electedchairman of the Commonwealth Ministers' Action Group on the HarareDeclaration (CMAG) during the 27th CMAG meeting in New York. The sharedvalues and traditions of the Commonwealth are reflected in the HarareDeclaration of 1991, in which member governments agreed to work togetherto promote democracy, good governance and fundamental human values,individually and collectively, throughout the Commonwealth.• 28 September 2006 The chairman of the National Euro ChangeoverCommittee (NECC), Joseph F.X. Zahra, warned against the displaying ofprices in euro and lira using the wrong exchange rate. Though retailers andthe service industry must start displaying prices in both euro and lira as of July1, 2007 - six months before the planned euro changeover date - some shopshave already started displaying both currencies on receipts, menus andproducts, especially in outlets servicing tourists.• 28 September 2006 Some 420 married women last year returned to work afteran absence of five years or less and benefited from the scheme whereby theyenjoyed tax exemption, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of FinanceTonio Fenech said. Addressing another public consultation meeting, this timeon The Taxation System As An Incentive Towards Economic And EmploymentGrowth, Mr Fenech said that such a response encourages the government to

further strengthen the scheme to attract more married women to rejoin theworkforce.• 28 September 2006 The council of the Physically Handicapped RehabilitationFund (PHRF) has this year decided to launch a website that will help itcommunicate with members and with all those interested in the welfare of thephysically handicapped, fund chairman Georgia Tabone said. The websitedomain is www.phrfmalta.com and contains information about the PHRF, itsadministration, its history, services, news and activities. Mrs Tabone highlightedthe efforts being made by the council to continue to self finance the dailyrunning of the PHRF through fund raising.• 28 September 2006 Total nights spent in accommodation establishments lastJuly amounted to 967,149, an increase of 1.5% over the corresponding monthlast year, the National Statistics Office said. The average length of stay was at4.6 nights, down by 0.3 nights.• 29 September 2006 The Governor of the Central Bank left the centralintervention rate unchanged at 3.5% but warned he anticipated the need fora reappraisal of the bank's monetary policy stance in the near term becauseof expected further increases in official euro interest rates.• 29 September 2006 Sean O'h Uiginn and Rodney Lopez Clemente presentedtheir diplomatic credentials to President Edward Fenech-Adami as the newambassadors of Ireland and Cuba to Malta. The ceremonies took place inthe Ambassadors' Room at the Palace, Valletta• 29 September 2006 The European Parliament adopted a formal resolutioncalling upon the European Commission to propose, as soon as possible, thecreation of an emergency fund to finance expert support teams at bordersand tackle humanitarian crises in EU member states.• 30 September 2006 The entire Malta Tourism Authority board of directors -save for the chairman, Sam Mifsud - resigned en bloc over the press leakprobe which escalated over the past days. Having agreed to step down if theinvestigation into the leak of confidential information proved inconclusive, or ifthey were unhappy with its outcome, the board members informed Tourismand Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech they were stepping down onThursday. Replying to the board members' letter, Dr Zammit Dimech said hewas "reluctantly" accepting their resignation.• 30 September 2006 Air Malta announced an operational loss of Lm6.3 millionfor the year ending March 2006, as the national airline grappled with a 71%increase in the price of fuel. Escalating fuel costs, in fact, wiped out AirMalta's operational profits, even if the air carrier managed to slash costsacross the board, statistics released have shown. Had the airline notembarked on a rescue plan, operating loss would have shot up to some Lm19million, driving Air Malta out of business, according to Investment, Industry andInformation Technology Minister Austin Gatt.• 30 September 2006 The rector of the University of Malta, Juanito Camilleri, hascalled on academics and students to face the challenges ahead, warningthat the university must work hard to survive and be of service to society.Addressing students at the start of the new academic year, Prof. Camilleri,who succeeds Roger Ellul Micallef as rector, spoke of a "new chapter" in his lifeand that of the university, expressing his belief that "a university experienceought to be driven by the persistent pursuit for excellence".• 30 September 2006 Finland's Prime Minister and current head of the EUpresidency, Matti Vanhanen, replied to a letter sent by eight leaders ofsouthern Mediterranean EU member states earlier this week highlighting theimportance the EU should give to the problem of illegal immigration. Prime

Minister Lawrence Gonzi was one of the signatories to the letter, which alsoincluded the backing of Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, Spanish PrimeMinister José Luis Zapatero and French President Jacques Chirac.• 30 September 2006 Walter Balzan has been appointed as Malta's Ambassadorto Italy, resident in Rome.• 30 September 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo proposed theintroduction by the EU of a European travel document to be accepted bythird countries, particularly those adhering to the Cotonou Agreement, whenrepatriating illegal immigrants. Speaking during a ministerial meeting on illegalmigration hosted in Madrid by the Spanish government, Dr Frendo said illegalimmigrants were trained to throw away all documentation they had to makeit more difficult for the receiving state to carry out identification that couldlead to repatriation.• 30 September 2006 The shortfall in government recurrent revenue to totalexpenditure in the first eight months of this year dropped by Lm22 million overthe same period last year, the National Statistics Office said. The shortfall inthe period under review amounted to Lm69.2 million. The NSO said thedecrease was mainly attributable to higher revenues and lower capitalexpenditure.OCTOBER• 1 October 2006 Thirty-five students are taking up Master's and doctoralresearch, most of them abroad, in a variety of fields deemed to be necessaryfor Malta's development, thanks to the government scholarship schemelaunched earlier this year. Before presenting the grants to the students duringa ceremony held at the Auberge de Castille in Valletta, Prime MinisterLawrence Gonzi said the scholarship scheme was an important milestone forthe country.• 1 October 2006 Maghtab open day was heavily attended by the generalpublic. Rural Affairs and the Environment Minister George Pullicino who alsoattended the open day, announced that WasteServ will soon be opening thefirst two civic amenity sites - which will allow the public to bring and discardbulky waste - another step in its wider waste management strategy.• 1 October 2006 Where's Everybody and Ideas Alive Ltd joined resources toform the Where's Everybody Broadcast Academy with the aim of providingtraining in the field of broadcasting. Tourism and Culture Minister, FrancisZammit Dimech, said at the launch of the Academy at the Vivaldi Hotel inPaceville, that as the ministry responsible for broadcasting policy, it wouldwelcome any initiative that was aimed at enhancing the level ofbroadcasting.• 1 October 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo proposed that theEuropean Union introduce a European travel document to be accepted bythird countries, particularly those adhering to the Cotonou Agreement, in theprocess of repatriating illegal immigrants to their countries of origin. Theproposal was made by Dr Frendo during his intervention at the ministerialmeeting on illegal immigration hosted by the Spanish government for Ministersof Foreign Affairs and Ministers of the Interior in Madrid.• 2 October 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said the upcoming budget,would seek to ease some burdens without compromising the country's

financial situation. Although the government had not raised income tax, VATand national insurance contributions, revenue from such taxes had increased,which showed that people were earning more. The government wasregistering more revenue because 4,300 new jobs had been generated.• 2 October 2006 Over 45,000 tickets were snapped up in 12 days in Air Malta'swinter "sale" offer - no fewer than 2.6 bookings a minute. Coupled with amedia campaign, the sale proved to be an overwhelming success acrossEurope. With ticket prices at just Lm15 one-way, excluding taxes, the SpreadYour Arms And Fly offer was made to 33 destinations. The offer, which appliedto Air Malta flights between November and March (excluding some holidays),ended on October 16.• 2 October 2006 The price of fuels as from today will be cheaper following aslide in the price that Enemalta, the fuel importer, paid on the internationalmarket. Unleaded petrol will sell for 46c3 per litre, a saving of 2c8; leadreplacement petrol will sell for 49c3, also a saving of 2c8. Diesel consumers willsave 2c per litre with a litre selling at 42c3; kerosene will sell at 42c4.• 2 October 2006 Caritas has a new website - www.caritasmalta.org. "The newwebsite will help us reach more persons in need, as well as communicate thework we are doing to the public," Caritas director Mgr Victor Grech said.• 2 October 2006 A delegation from the House Standing Committee on Foreignand European Affairs held talks in Moscow with G. G. Petrov, vice president ofthe Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, and in StPetersburg with Vladimir Prokopiev, vice president of the Regional Chamberof Commerce, with the aim of strengthening economic and politicalcooperation between the two countries.• 2 October 2006 Several hundred people filled the Armed Forces of Malta'sLuqa barracks to have a closer look at what the army does and view theequipment at its disposal. Visitors had the opportunity to try their hand out atthe assault course, abseiling and firing blank rifle rounds. Activities heldthroughout the day included drills and unarmed combat sessions, mockrescue operations using helicopters and band marches.• 3 October 2006 Chief Justice Vincent De Gaetano insisted there was still aneed for more judges and magistrates. Speaking during the ceremony tomark the beginning of the forensic year, Mr Justice De Gaetano said thatwhat he had said in his speech a year ago was still valid today because therewas still a need for more members of the judiciary, especially magistrates.• 3 October 2006 A delegation from Eurostat, the statistical branch of the EU,held talks with the National Statistics Office to discuss a number of issuesconnected to the compilation of the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices(HICP) in Malta. The mission, headed by Inna Steinbuka, director of economicand regional statistics at Eurostat, also discussed improvements inmethodologies that are being contemplated at an EU level.• 3 October 2006 Urban Development and Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliettpublished a list of some 450 streets in residential areas which have to be builtor rebuilt by 2008. He said in a leaflet tabled in Parliament that by the end ofthe legislature the government wanted to complete the streets where at least60 of buildings were ready. This will cost some Lm8 million.• 3 October 2006 There are 334,221 mobile phone subscribers in Malta andGozo, Competitiveness and Communications Minister Censu Galea said inreply to a parliamentary question.

• 3 October 2006 John Camilleri has been appointed chairman ofthe editorial board at Public Broadcasting Services, the statebroadcaster.• 3 October 2006 Fr Mark Said OP, who for many years was the Postulator in theCause for the Beatification and Canonisation of Dun George Preca, died at StCatherine of Siena nursing home, Attard, aged 88.• 3 October 2006 Friends of the Earth Malta have been given a Golden StarsAward by the Directorate General Education and Culture of the EuropeanCommission for the production and dissemination of a documentary calledNew European Citizens. The documentary covered an international workshopthat took place in Malta in 2004 during which civil society organisations fromthe 10 new European member states took part in a debate entitled NewEuropean Citizens!• 4 October 2006 The government will give added weight to environmentalconsiderations when it purchases goods and services, in line with its newGreen Procurement Policy launched by the Minister for Rural Affairs and theEnvironment, George Pullicino. As the largest buyer in the country, thegovernment will review its procurement procedure so that sustainabilitybecomes part and parcel of tender assessment.• 4 October 2006 Contractors involved in works on residential roads who do notorganise the work sites well or do not complete the work on time could bedenied other work, Minister for Urban Development and Roads JesmondMugliett said in Parliament. He said this was one of the conditions of thetenders currently being awarded for road works.• 4 October 2006 A total of 1,847 firearms were imported between January andSeptember 12 this year. A list given in Parliament by Justice and Home AffairsMinister Tonio Borg shows that the weapons included three machine-guns,one sub machine-gun, 446 shotguns, 403 rifles, 379 pistols, 366 air rifles, 95 airpistols and 89 revolvers.• 4 October 2006 Minister for Education, Youth and Employment Minister LouisGalea visited the construction work at the Qormi state secondary school.More than half the work is complete and the mechanical and electrical worksare expected to start by next month, the government said.• 4 October 2006 Martin Seychell is the new Director of Environment at theMalta Environment and Planning Authority. Mr Seychell will be responsible forfunctions arising from the Environment Protection Act.• 4 October 2006 The hourly labour costs have gone up by an average 3.33%per annum between 2000 and last year, the National Statistics Office said.• 4 October 2006 Three Maltese ceramists have returned from Bornholm, inDenmark, where they exhibited works at the European Ceramic Context 2006.Paul Haber and George Muscat participated in the category for establishedartists while Matthew Micallef took part in the category for young artists, whichwas open for artists under the age of 30. The exhibition offered the ceramiststhe opportunity to meet and exchange ideas with other artists from all overEurope.• 4 October 2006 Last August, subscriptions to all forms of communicationtechnology increased with the exception of cable and digital television, theNational Statistics Office said. The internet subscription index rose by 0.2%, sothat narrowband and broadband subscriptions stood at 49,704 and 42,340respectively by the end of the month. The cable and digital televisionsubscription index dropped by 0.2%, reflecting a drop in cable analogue and

an increase in digital technology use. In absolute terms, these subscriptionstotaled 110,481.• 4 October 2006 Important restoration works have been carried out at StMichael's Chapel, a 17th century edifice situated within walking distance ofKennedy Grove in the limits of Naxxar. The restoration project was financiallysupported by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (Mepa), throughthe Environment Initiative Partnership Programme (EIPP) fund but would nothave been realised without the personal and financial intervention ofbusinessman Mark Vassallo, Mepa said.• 5 October 2006 Pension reform should not become a political football but asubject both parties should talk about to plot a way forward, Prime MinisterLawrence Gonzi said. Dr Gonzi was speaking during a debate as part ofuniversity's Freshers' Week, when new students are introduced to tertiaryeducation.• 5 October 2006 The government has taken its Bank of Valletta shareholdingoff the market as "none of the interest expressed satisfied all the strategic andother requirements established. "Consequently, the government has decidedto take its BOV shareholdings off the market for the time being, and to ceaseany further proactive marketing efforts at this time," the government said in astatement.• 5 October 2006 A delegation from the Italian Ministry for Agriculture andForestry paid a visit to Malta to discuss the status of bilateral cooperation onafforestation programmes with the Ministry for Rural Affairs and theEnvironment. The Italian government has been donating indigenous treesraised in Italy to be planted as part of the Foresta 2000 afforestation projectaround Mellieha.• 5 October 2006 A total of 171 overdose cases were reported to the policebetween January and August this year, Justice and Home Affairs MinisterTonio Borg said. He said 50 of these could be considered as having beenaccidental, since they involved substance abuse, including five cases ofecstasy. The minister was replying to a parliamentary question.• 5 October 2006 The police in the first nine months of this year instituted courtproceedings against 91 drivers who were found to be drunk after breathalysertests, Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said in reply to aparliamentary question.• 5 October 2006 No speed or any traffic camera can be installed without theauthorisation of a committee set up purposely, according to a measureannounced by the government. The committee is empowered to give anyorder to those involved with local enforcement, including operators andcontractors. The committee members, except for the President of the LocalCouncil Association and the Director of Local Councils, will be appointed bythe government.• 5 October 2006 The University of Malta and the Arab League Educational,Cultural and Scientific Organisation (Alecso) have signed a cooperationagreement in the areas of culture, education and science. The agreementwas signed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Valletta in the presence ofForeign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo and Malta's Ambassador to TunisiaTanya Vella, by Prof. Juanito Camilleri, Rector of the University of Malta andMongi Bousnina, director general of Alecso.• 5 October 2006 When dealing with immigration, racism and cultural diversity,the media should seek to challenge commonplace prejudice with facts,according to Aidan White, secretary general of the International Federationof Journalists. During the first morning of a three-day conference on

Immigration, Racism, Cultural Diversity And The Media, being organised by theInstitute of Maltese Journalists (IGM) at the Hilton, Mr White spoke of howmedia coverage of immigration in Europe operates in a context of racistpolitical parties and xenophobic movements which feed into a prevalentpublic anxiety.• 5 October 2006 Nine international consortia have submitted expressions ofinterest in the installation of an offshore wind farm capable of supplying up to10% of the national energy requirements. The bids will now be evaluated andthe successful bidders asked to submit tenders, Charles D'Alfonso, the head ofthe Resources and Infrastructure Ministry's secretariat, said.• 6 October 2006 Irish President Mary McAleese started a two-day state visit atthe invitation of President Edward Fenech-Adami. The President of Irelandcalled on the President of Malta at the Palace and later laid a wreath at theCenotaph in Floriana. In the evening Mrs McAleese attended a state concertand dinner in her honour at the Palace hosted by Dr Fenech Adami. Anaudio recording of statements to the press by both Presidents can beaccessed on the following link:http://www.doi.gov.mt/EN/archive/PMaudio/audiorecording%20-%2005.10.06pres-irelandps.asp• 6 October 2006 The Budgets Committee of the European Parliament hasbacked a proposal put forward by Labour MEP Louis Grech to establish an EUagency for migration and asylum in Malta. The proposal initially met withresistance during the committee's deliberations but was approved when putto the final vote. All the political groups in the committee voted in favourexcept for the European People's Party. However, Nationalist MEP SimonBusuttil decided to go against his group's position and back Mr Grech'sproposal.• 6 October 2006 It was government policy to improve services for smallbusinesses and also to change the way society looked upon this sector,Parliamentary Secretary for Small Businesses and the Self-Employed EdwinVassallo said in Parliament on Wednesday. He was opening a three-daydebate on the policies and plans of his ministry for the coming year.• 6 October 2006 The stock of motor vehicles rose by 1,445 between June 2005and last June to reach 275,800, according to the National Statistics Office. Ofthe total, 75.9% were private. New licences issued during the second quarterof this year amounted to 3,558, the NSO said.• 6 October 2006 The Maltese Cross Award for the promotion of human rightshas been launched in Ireland by Ambassador of Malta Richard Muscat at theembassy in Dublin. By promoting human rights through education, theembassy hopes to multiply the number of students who will be committed torespecting the dignity of the human being.• 6 October 2006 The third edition of the Malta Historic Cities Festival organisedby the Ministry for Tourism and Culture started with a display of sword fightingfrom the UK mediaeval re-enactment group Swords of Dumnonia featuringauthentic weapons and armour, in Bastion Square, Mdina. Addressing thelaunch, Francis Zammit Dimech, Minister for Tourism and Culture, said: "Malta'swalled cities represent our country's history because it was through these citiesthat our country was administered and it was in these walled cities thatMalta's civil and religious leaders lived.”• 7 October 2006 The government is confident that the economy can sustain agrowth rate of 2.5 to 3%, based on data over the past five years,Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of Finance Tonio Fenech said. MrFenech was addressing a press conference announcing the launch of the

Economic Bulletin, an analytic report drawn up by the economic policy unit.The report will be published quarterly and complement the quarterly reviewissued by the Central Bank.• 7 October 2006 Colonel Giovanni Ormetti is the new Commander of theItalian Military Mission in Malta, succeeding Colonel Salvatore Fadda. Thehanding over ceremony was held in the presence of Brigadier CarmelVassallo, Commander of the Armed Forces of Malta on Wednesday.• 7 October 2006 Malta's close links with North Africa and the Middle East are avaluable asset to the European Union and its member states, Irish PresidentMary McAleese said. "You are in a good position to foster a spirit of opendialogue, understanding and communication with the European Union'ssouthern neighbours," she said, adding that dialogue was never more urgentlyneeded than at this time, when more bridges between cultures, and not morebarricades, were needed. Mrs McAleese made the remarks in a pre-dinnerspeech at the Palace in Valletta on Thursday evening. President EdwardFenech-Adami said Malta considered itself, and was perceived to be, abridge between north and south.• 7 October 2006 The social pact experience in Ireland has been cemented byits own success, Irish President Mary McAleese said, arguing that the stability itbrought to the economy helped reduce unemployment from 20 to four percent in a couple of decades. The President was addressing the members ofthe Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise at its headquarters in Valletta.• 7 October 2006 There were 17,000 self-employed persons in Malta at the endof 2005, about 17% of all the gainfully occupied, which is one per cent higherthan the EU average, according to new statistics released by Eurostat, the EU'sstatistical arm. Of these, only 2,000 were female, representing seven of allwomen currently in employment. The number of male self-employed reached20.2% of the entire male workforce with 15,000 men in self-employed activities.• 7 October 2006 The government has published a Bill to entrench theOmbudsman in the Constitution after the opposition pronounced itself infavour of the amendment. The entrenching, which has been suggested byboth the Ombudsman, Chief Justice Emeritus Joseph Said Pullicino, and hispredecessor, Joseph Sammut, needs the approval of two-thirds of the Houseof Representatives.• 7 October 2006 A new control system created by Enemalta Corporationworkers at the Marsa power station has helped the company save Lm70,000,Investment, Industry and Information Technology Minister Austin Gatt saidduring a press conference, adding that the workers should be compensatedfor their achievements. The workers have developed control systems for twoof the power station's boilers.• 8 October 2006 Irish President Mary McAleese left Malta after a packed twodaystate visit. Ms McAleese, had meetings with Prime Minister LawrenceGonzi and Opposition Leader Alfred Sant. During the Irish President's stay,Foreign Minister Michael Frendo and his Irish counterpart Dermot Ahern signeda Memorandum of Understanding on Co-operation between the Ministry ofForeign Affairs of Malta and the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ireland.• 8 October 2006 George and Doris Gafà were presented with the SeniorCitizen of the Year Award for their untiring dedication to society. In aceremony held at St Vincent De Paul theatre, the couple were recognised fortheir unstinting determination to create structures for people with specialneeds, first within their parish, and then within a wider sphere, at a time whenthese services were few and far between.

• 8 October 2006 Over 180 staff members from the Foundation for SocialWelfare Services, individuals from day centres for people with a disability andprofessionals from NGOs were awarded a certificate for successfullycompleting their training in labour market integration of socially excludedpersons. The training formed part of the European Social Fund Project ESF20.• 8 October 2006 Air Malta has announced two new routes, to Liverpool andVenice. Air Malta will start operating to the two destinations in May and isoffering "full service treatment" at a low-cost price - starting from Lm20 oneway(excluding taxes) as an introductory offer.• 8 October 2006 The Malta Academy of Performing Arts has sealed anagreement with two British academies to provide professional training in Maltato upcoming and established singers. JC Academy and Greyology Inc.provide top British coaches to the stars as well as other music industry expertsfrom the UK and the US.• 8 October 2006 Forty-six teachers of basic adult literacy have receivedspecialised training through a project organised by the Department of HigherStudies and Education and co-funded by the EU. The project started last yearand should have ended in May, but it proved so popular that it was extendedby a year. Minister for Education, Youth and Employment Louis Galea said 22courses in basic Maltese were held and attended by 220 adults. This had ledto co-operation in the field of adult education between departments, localcouncils and parish priests.• 8 October 2006 The programme of activities commemorating the 60thanniversary celebrations of the Physically Handicapped Rehabilitation Fundcame to an end with an Awareness Day held at City Gate, Valletta. Ministerfor Education, Youth and Employment Louis Galea and the MLP's SocialSolidarity spokeswoman Mary Louise Coleiro Preca attended the activity andtook the opportunity to meet with members of the PHRF and their guests.• 8 October 2006 As from the end of this month, all 25 EU member states willhave to notify the European Commission and all the other member states onany initiatives they will be taking in the areas of migration and asylum. Theintroduction of these obligations is intended to avoid, as far as possible,unilateral decisions taken by member states, which can have a bearing onthe other member states of the EU.• 9 October 2006 Zurrieq paid tribute to the late lawyer and politician CarmeloCaruana with the unveiling of a monument in Dun Guzepp Zammit Street. Themonument, put up by the Monument Carmelo Caruana OrganisingCommittee, was unveiled by President Eward Fenech-Adami and blessed byarchpriest Charles Attard.• 9 October 2006 An extensive report on the strategic use of culture in Europewas presented to official representatives of the European Commission inBrussels on Wednesday. Entitled "Culture: the heart of a knowledge-basedeconomy", the report is the result of a research project undertaken by theLisbon Agenda Research Group made up of members of the EuropeanCultural Parliament (ECP).• 9 October 2006 Members of the Kilimanjaro Challenge 3 team who weretraining for this year's event, were rescued from Mount Etna, Sicily, after theygot lost due to dense fog. According to www.LaSicilia.it, that first broke thenews, a group of 17 Maltese tourists got lost in the area of Piano Vetore, at analtitude of 2,050 metres. The group managed to alert the guardia di finanzaabout their ordeal through a mobile phone.• 10 October 2006 Nine in 10 tourists questioned in a Malta Tourism Authoritysurvey last winter were satisfied with their experience and would recommend

the island to their family and friends. The survey is part of an ongoing marketprofile the authority has been conducting for the past few years. The latestresults are for the winter 2005 period.• 10 October 2006 Malta has formally put forward its name to host one of themost technologically advanced EU agencies, to be known as the GalileoSupervisory Authority. This new agency, already functioning temporarily fromBrussels, will control the new EU satellite system known as Galileo, which isscheduled to come on stream in 2008. Although defined differently, Galileo isthe EU's response to the US Global Positioning System (GPS) which currentlyholds a worldwide monopoly.• 10 October 2006 Arnold Cassola, Green MP in the Italian parliament, hasbeen nominated rapporteur for the Italian Parliamentary Committee for EUAffairs on the trading of materials which could be used to implement thedeath penalty, torture or other cruel, inhuman and degrading practices. Prof.Cassola said the draft law being proposed will outlaw these articles andexemptions will only be granted to pieces of historical value destined formuseums.• 11 October 2006 An oil-bunkering vessel, the Golden Bay, was salvaged andtowed away for repairs after it ran aground at St Thomas Point, Marsascala,the very same spot where an oil tanker, the Angel Gabriel, was shipwrecked37 years earlier. None of the five-member crew, a few of whom are Georgiannationals, were injured. Furthermore no spillage took place.• 11 October 2006 Legal history was made when Madam Justice Abigail Lofarobecame the first woman judge to take her place on the bench in Malta's lawcourts. "Being appointed a judge meant a lot to me personally but it was alsoan achievement made on behalf of women who, for the first time, are nowrepresented on the judges' bench," Madam Justice Lofaro said during aceremony held to mark her first sitting as a judge. The event was witnessed byPresident Edward Fenech-Adami, Chief Justice Vincent de Gaetano, formerPresidents Ugo Mifsud Bonnici and Censu Tabone (Prime Minister LawrenceGonzi was abroad) and Parliamentary Secretary Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici.• 11 October 2006 The European Business Test Panel, used by the EU to consultbusinesses, was launched in Malta by the Forum Malta fl-Ewropa. Forum headGabriella Pace said the panel gave individual businesses the opportunity tohave a direct input in the development of important initiatives that are still ata planning stage. Competitiveness and Communication Minister Censu Galeasaid good regulations should help and not hinder businesses, creatingincentives for trade, avoiding unnecessary expenses and encouraginginnovation.• 11 October 2006 Students who came to Malta to study English as a foreignlanguage in the past five years amounted to 277,081. Education, Youth andEmployment Minister Louis Galea said in reply to a parliamentary question that61,607 visited last year, 55,578 in 2004, 53,241 in 2003, 53,975 in 2002 and 52,680in 2001. The top five countries for such visitors during this period wereGermany, Italy, France, Russia and Austria.• 11 October 2006 Former Portuguese President Mario Soares called onPresident Edward Fenech-Adami at the Palace, in Valletta. Dr Soares was inMalta in connection with the International Ocean Institute, based at theUniversity of Malta, of which he is patron.• 11 October 2006 Worldwide, suicide is the third major cause of death inyoung people aged between 15 and 34, with those suffering from severedepression and alcoholism being most at risk. Malta has a low, stable rate ofsuicide with an average of 4.8 cases per 100,000 people taking their lives over

the past 10 years. Between January and August this year 18 suicides werereported. This sensitive topic came under the spotlight during a half-dayseminar organised by the Richmond Foundation to mark World Mental HealthDay.• 11 October 2006 Over 180 members of staff of the Foundation for SocialWelfare Services, a number of individuals from the day centres for people witha disability and professionals from NGOs were awarded a certificate forsuccessfully finishing training in the labour market integration of sociallyexcludedpersons, as part of the European Social Fund Project ESF20. Theproject is part of the Structural Funds programme for Malta for 2004-2006.• 11 October 2006 The visible trade gap widened by Lm21.6 million in August,implying an increase of Lm64.2 million for the first eight months of the year, theNational Statistics Office said. Provisional data for international trade showsthat the visible trade gap in August stood at Lm56.4 million, up by Lm21.6million from the same month of last year.• 12 October 2006 Following a proposal by Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil, theBudgets Committee of the European Parliament agreed to back a majorincrease in next year's financial allocation for the EU's border control agencyFrontex from €19 million to €35 million.• 12 October 2006 EU statistics published in Brussels show Malta has registeredone of the best economic growth performances in the second quarter of thisyear, when compared to the rest of the EU member states.• 12 October 2006 The Malta Emergency Nurses Association joined theEmergency Nurses Association (US) and other fellow associations around theworld in celebrating Emergency Nurses Day. Since 1989, the EmergencyNurses Association (US) has been celebrating the second Wednesday ofOctober as Emergency Nurses Day, a day set aside to honour emergencynurses for their commitment to patient care.• 12 October 2006 Work on a new block at Giovanni Curmi Higher SecondarySchool, in Naxxar, has been completed and was inaugurated by the PrimeMinister Lawrence Gonzi. The school now has an additional 3,500 squaremetres of space consisting of a four-storey block, 16 classrooms, sixlaboratories, two multi-purpose rooms, three offices, a lending library andanother library occupying nearly a whole storey.• 12 October 2006 The local enforcement system is undergoing a thoroughreview, and the government is committed to ensuring that education wouldprevail over revenue raising, Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg saidin Parliament. The minister said the first action taken as part of the review wasthe setting up of the Petitions Board (which reviews fines imposed by wardens)and changes in the composition of the management committee.• 12 October 2006 The number of licences issued to host families has droppedto 1,311 this year from 2,013 for the whole of last year and 1,691 in 2004,Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said in reply to aparliamentary question.• 12 October 2006 Malta became a member of the International Network ofElectronic Communities (INEC). INEC promotes, facilitates and institutionalisescooperation by means of exchange, best practice programmes, businessdevelopment, benchmarking tools, and joint project implementation.Speaking during a signing ceremony at the Mediterranean ConferenceCentre, in Valletta, Minister for Investment, Industry and InformationTechnology Austin Gatt said INEC membership was an important landmark inMalta's progress to achieve deserved recognition as a world-class locus of ICTexcellence.

• 12 October 2006 The government deficit in the second quarter of this yearreached Lm16 million, compared to Lm38.7 million for the same period lastyear, the National Statistics Office said. The cut was brought about by anincrease of Lm14.7 million in the total revenue, mainly due to a higher intakefrom VAT, together with a drop of Lm8 million in total expenditure, the NSOadded.• 13 October 2006 Ta' Cenc cliffs, an important breeding ground for protectedbirds, has been proposed to the EU for conservation under the EU's Natura2000 framework, along with most of Malta and Gozo's cliff areas. The areasearmarked for protection include marine and land areas accounting forabout 12.6% of the Maltese islands.• 13 October 2006 The Malta Tourism Authority's website has just registered itsbiggest increase in hits. In the first nine months of the year, visits to the site,www.visitmalta.com, increased by 65% over last year, to reach 2.92 million.The daily visit rate from January to September 2005 was 6,496 but rose to10,741 visits a day this year. The MTA has invested heavily in the website, whichhas been developed via search engines.• 13 October 2006 Almost half of the unemployed have been seeking a job forover a year, according to the National Statistics Office. However, theunemployment rate between April and June is estimated to have averaged7.7%, implying no significant change over the same period last year. Thenumber of unemployed for the second quarter of this year was 12,726, theLabour Force Survey shows. Among the total number of unemployed in thesecond quarter of this year, 43.9% had been looking for a job for over a year,while a further 36.5% had been looking for a job for less than five months.• 13 October 2006 Industrial turnover, total gross wages, salaries and thenumber of working hours in the sector were all higher last July than in thesame month last year, the National Statistics Office said.• 13 October 2006 More than Lm90,000 have been collected in this year'sTravelex Life Cycle Challenge, which saw a 58-strong team cycle 2,018kilometres from Honefoss, in Norway, through Sweden and on to Rovaniemi, inFinland. To bring this year's event to an end, Life Cycle presented Health, theElderly and Community Care Minister Louis Deguara with four kidneymachines worth Lm10,000 each, two patient couches worth Lm1,500 eachand one patient hoist. There was also more than Lm46,000 in cash to be usedfor the procurement of more equipment for St Luke's Hospital's Renal Unit.• 14 October 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi gave an overview of thegovernment's work over the past two years while referring to the motionsbefore the conference, dealing with Gozo, industrial innovation, theenvironment and the participation of women during a political activity inBugibba. Dr Gonzi said the €850 million Malta had been allocated under thenew financial budget of the EU may increase.• 14 October 2006 Technical preparations for the minting of about 200 millionMaltese euro coins have started at the French state-owned mint Monnaie deParis, which has won an international call for tenders for the job. This followsthe approval of the final designs of the Maltese coins by the EuropeanCommission.• 14 October 2006 Sport organisations recorded a financial deficit of Lm1.1million last year, the National Statistics Office said. There were 436 active sportorganisations in Malta and Gozo, the largest proportion comprising footballclubs. They had a total income of nearly Lm4.5 million and incurred a totalrecurrent expenditure of over Lm5.5 million.

• 14 October 2006 Biodiesel, produced from vegetable oils and fats by theEORC Group, is now available at petrol stations in Ghaxaq, Kappara, Luqa,Marsa, Mellieha, Rabat and Sta Venera. EORC's director Pippo Psaila saidthat in line with its marketing strategy, the EORC Group will over the next fewmonths be enhancing its strategy to make biodiesel available in all petrolstations in Malta and Gozo.• 14 October 2006 Twenty seven youth organisations have been chosen toreceive support from the Youth Support Programme sponsored by the YouthSection within the Ministry of Education, Youth and Employment. Theprogramme is designed to aid organisations and individuals whose activitiesand initiatives benefit the community. It forms one of the Common Objectivesof the European Commission on Voluntary Activities - that member statessupport civil society organisations active in voluntary engagement of youngpeople.• 14 October 2006 Francis Tabone has been appointed High Commissioner ofMalta to Australia. He succeeds Ivan Fsadni who ended his four-year term inCanberra and was recently appointed Malta's Ambassador to TheNetherlands. Mr Tabone has wide experience in industry and trade havingheld the post of general manager in several private companies both in Maltaand abroad.• 14 October 2006 The National Statistics Office said that last year theconsumption of food in Malta amounted to Lm213.8 million, absorbing 14.4%of total private final expenditure. This was equivalent to an expenditure ofabout Lm1.35 per person per day. This consumption was in part met throughimports of food, which in 2005 amounted to Lm131.7 million. In the same year,food exports from Malta amounted to Lm30.7 million.• 14 October 2006 The Foreign Ministers of European Union Mediterraneancountries will meet in Malta in February for one of two informal ministerialmeetings held twice a year. The decision was announced at the end of thetwo-day Informal Ministerial Meeting of European Union MediterraneanCountries in Lagonissi, Athens. Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo, whotook part in the meeting, said Malta had expressed its willingness to host themeeting in view of the common elements that bring together the eightparticipating EU Mediterranean states.• 15 October 2006 The government is to introduce further incentives in theBudget to raise female participation in the labour market, Prime MinisterLawrence Gonzi said. Speaking at a political activity in Hamrun, just four daysbefore Budget Day, Dr Gonzi stressed the importance of women's involvementin the economy and said that the government would build on the incentivesintroduced in previous years.• 15 October 2006 Thousands filled the streets of Valletta for its first Notte Bianca.Shops, theatres, restaurants, museums, churches, even the Prime Minister'sOffice at the Auberge de Castille, kept their doors open till early morning.Music, dance, drama, film and art shows were to be found in different parts ofthe city.• 15 October 2006 CNN has given the Malta Tourism Authority a $200,000discount on its $1 million "I am Malta" promotional campaign, launched by theauthority just four months ago. The discount came after talks in Londonbetween new MTA chairman Sam Mifsud and CNN officials.• 15 October 2006 Dr Francis Cachia, Malta's non-resident Ambassador toSlovakia, together with his wife Lilian, recently attended a reception inBratislava, the Slovak capital, hosted by President Gasparovic and Mrs

Gasparovicova, the Speaker of the Slovak Parliament and Mrs Paskova andPrime Minister and Mrs Ficova, on the occasion of Slovakia's National Day.• 15 October 2006 Greece and Malta signed an agreement for the avoidanceof double taxation, during a meeting between Foreign Ministers DoraBakoyannis and Michael Frendo. The ministers were in the coastal town ofLagonissi, near Athens, for an informal meeting of the foreign ministers of theEU's eight Mediterranean member states.• 15 October 2006 This year's series of cultural tours, organised by the Ministry forTourism and Culture in collaboration with different entities within the sameministry, has been given a new concept from the previous series, as now thetours will be based on a theme. Tourism and Culture Minister Francis ZammitDimech said at the launch of the 2006/2007 cultural tours programme thatthese tours are increasing in popularity, as they promote Maltese heritage,traditions and skills.• 15 October 2006 Alfred Conti Borda, an aviation enthusiast since 1946,recently presented to Ray Polidano, director of the Malta Aviation Museum atTa' Qali, a collection of various calibre cannon shells to be exhibited togetherwith other old aircraft memorabilia.• 16 October 2006 The budget is the product of a government that hassucceeded in boosting the country's finances, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzisaid during a political activity in Bugibba. The Prime Minister said “We intendto ease some of the burdens, but we will do so wisely and won't be goingoverboard." Dr Gonzi also said the country can now start reaping the fruit ofits sacrifices.• 16 October 2006 Five university students who undertook the first postgraduatediploma in interpreting have passed their accreditation tests for jobs inBrussels. Ten students took part in a three-week intensive course in Brusselshosted by SCIC, the official body of interpreters for the Commission.• 16 October 2006 There was no option but to engage in meaningful dialoguewhich over time would bring Europe and the Mediterranean partners closertogether, Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo said. Speaking at a seminaron the Barcelona Process, organised by the European Law StudentsAssociation, Dr Frendo said the main objectives of the process, launched in1995, were to define a common area of peace and stability through thereinforcement of political and security dialogue.• 16 October 2006 A Franciscan nuns' convent, a 4,000-year-oldarchaeological site and a thriving committee were on President EdwardFenech-Adami's agenda as he toured Sta Lucija. Accompanied by MrsFenech Adami, the President met with local council officials, volunteers andchildren as well as the Angelic Voices choir. Dr Fenech Adami said thelocality kept itself active through its local council and voluntary organisations.• 17 October 2006 Heavy bursts of rain kept the Civil Protection Departmentbusy as teams helped people who called seeking assistance till early morning.CPD director Peter Cordina said the strong winds uprooted a number of treesin Marsascala and a few boats berthed in the area went missing after theirmoorings snapped.• 17 October 2006 The process of selling the government's shareholding in TugMalta Ltd has got underway, the Investment, Industry and InformationTechnology Ministry said. The government's shareholding amounts to 73.72%.Eleven highly reputable companies in towage and salvage operations havesigned a confidentiality agreement with the Privatisation Unit and collectedthe Request for Proposals (RFP) document, the ministry said.

• 17 October 2006 The number of registered unemployed in June increased by131 when compared to the same month last year. Labour market data of theEmployment and Training Corporation supplied by the National StatisticsOffice show that the labour supply increased by 752 persons and the gainfullyoccupied population rose by 621 persons.• 17 October 2006 Richmond Foundation has launched a new service in thecommunity - a leisure centre for persons with mental health problems andother youths coming from socially deprived backgrounds. The inaugurationwas held to coincide with activities on the occasion of World Mental HealthDay 2006 on October 10.• 17 October 2006 A total of 1.2 million passengers used the Malta-Gozo ferriesduring the third quarter of this year, a marginal decrease of 0.2% over thesame quarter last year, the National Statistics Office said. The total number ofpassenger vehicles carried by the ferries increased by 2.9% to 298,066.• 17 October 2006 Construction works on Dar Malta in Brussels will becompleted by the end of next January, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said.Replying to a parliamentary question, Dr Gonzi said the governmentexpected to start using the premises in the first three months of next year oncefurniture, ICT, security and other works were concluded.• 17 October 2006 David Spiteri Gingell chairman and CEO of MITTS, thegovernment IT company has resigned, Investment, Industry and InformationTechnology Minister Austin Gatt confirmed in reply to a parliamentaryquestion. Dr Gatt said the departure would be greatly missed because MrSpiteri Gingell's contribution to the country was enormous. Mr Spiteri Gingellhad been one of the main architects of the IT strategy and had worked onmany other government projects under different administrations.• 17 October 2006 The perched beach in Bugibba has cost Lm456,516, Tourismand Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said in reply to a parliamentaryquestion. The minister said that Lm118,000 were spent for the procurementand spreading of sand, Lm196,000 for marine and civil engineering and roadworks, Lm24,000 on finishing, Lm32,1000 on electrical, mechanical, plumbingand lighting, Lm6,000 on landscaping, and Lm11,000 on metal railings, the lifeguard post and the timber boardwalk.• 17 October 2006 22 illegal immigrants were rescued from rough sea withstrong winds blowing from the north east. by the army. In a statement thearmy said it had earlier in the day received information of a boat in distresswith about 25 illegal immigrants on board some 65 miles south of Malta. In theoperation, the cargo ship managed to take 22 immigrants on board. A searchfor survivors was carried out but none were found.• 18 October 2006 Low- and middle-income earners are among thebeneficiaries of the budget presented by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi whoannounced that the government was nudging income tax bands in January2007. An audio and visual recording of the budget speech as well as of thepress conference can be accessed on the following link:http://www.doi.gov.mt/EN/archive/Budget2007/budgetindex.asp• 18 October 2006 All shops will be allowed to open every day till late betweenNovember 1 and January 7, 2007, the Parliamentary Secretary for SmallBusiness and the Self-Employed, Edwin Vassallo, said. With the latestamendments to the Trade Licensing Regulations (Legal Notice 1/2006),commercial outlets wishing to remain open till late, including on Sundays andpublic holidays, will be able to do so, he said during a series of visits to anumber of small businesses.

• 18 October 2006 The Lotteries and Gaming Authority warned that a lottery bythe name of Lotteria Del Rosario, being promoted in Malta by a foreigncompany, was a scam. It said no prizes are being awarded to the claimedwinner.• 18 October 2006 Illegal immigrants reached Malta's shores just a few hoursafter the EU-coordinated sea and air patrols in the central Mediterraneancame to an end. During the 15-day mission, coordinated by Frontex andinvolving military vessels and aircraft from Malta, Italy, Greece, France andGermany, no illegal immigrants were reported to have arrived in Malta.• 18 October 2006 The Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices increased by 0.2%in September while the rate of inflation stood at 3.2%, the National StatisticsOffice said. The rise in the index primarily reflected an increase of 2.2% in thefood and non-alcoholic beverage index, due to price increases invegetables, fruit and fish. Other marginal price increases were also registeredin bread and cereals, meat and mineral water.• 18 October 2006 A multi-coloured logo with the words Together Since 1957was chosen from more than 1,700 submissions received by the EuropeanCommission in response to a competition launched last July to design a logofor the 50th anniversary of the EU next year. The winning logo, designed bySzymon Skrypczak, a Polish art student, was announced during a ceremonyheld at the Commission's headquarters in Brussels.• 19 October 2006 The government has doubled the tax relief for parents whosend their children to private schools. The government had first introduced thetax relief some years ago and since then, parents were able to deduct Lm200from their taxable income for each child in primary school and Lm300 foreach child in secondary school. These amounts have now been raised toLm400 for a child in primary school and Lm600 for a child in secondary school.• 19 October 2006 The good parts delivered in the 2007 Budget were the resultof an economy that had finally overcome the worst, according to PrimeMinister Lawrence Gonzi. Dr Gonzi said during a news conference that thegovernment had effectively put money into people's pockets and given theman incentive to work. A video recording of the press conference can beaccessed on the following link:http://www.doi.gov.mt/EN/News/newsitems/audiorecording%20-%2026.10.06postbudget.asp• 19 October 2006 The budget will ease some of the big burdens the peoplehad been shouldering, the General Workers' Union's general secretary, TonyZarb, said. Among the positive measures contained in the budget, hementioned initiatives for part-time workers.• 19 October 2006 The 2007 Budget is a "realistic" one that will alleviate some ofthe workers' tax burdens without unravelling the country's efforts to control thedeficit, Union Haddiema Maghqudin general secretary Gejtu Vella said.• 19 October 2006 The Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises - GRTUdeemed the budget an important step towards stimulating enterprises andcreating work opportunities. The budget sent a clear signal that the worst wasover and GRTU director general Vince Farrugia described it as "positive overall- a budget that will encourage growth".• 19 October 2006 Economist Karm Farrugia said the budget is not an electoralbudget but one aimed at both the Maltese as well as the EU. "Thegovernment is showing the European Central Bank and the Council ofMinisters it is confident it can reach the Maastricht criteria.

• 19 October 2006 Overall, the 2007 Budget was considered to be "positive" -given the context and the limitations the government had to work in - by theChamber of Commerce and Enterprise, the Federation of Industry, the MaltaEmployers Association and the Malta Hotels & Restaurants Association.Speaking on their behalf after the budget speech Chamber of Commerceand Enterprise president Victor Galea expressed overall satisfaction,considering the government was working within the context of its goal toensure the adoption of the euro in January 2008.• 19 October 2006 Flash estimates indicate that the GDP growth rate for the firstnine months of this year stood at 2.6% in real terms and at 6.1% at currentprices, the National Statistics Office said. This was, in the main, underpinnedby growth in gross fixed capital formation, particularly in the transport sector,and household final consumption expenditure, the NSO noted.• 19 October 2006 The Retail Prices Index in September increasedby 0.63% to 110.19. The 12-month moving average rate ofinflation stood at 3.42% last month, compared to 3.38% in August.• 19 October 2006 Economist Joseph F.X. Zahra has been reappointedpresident of the Higher Education Commission, which formulatesrecommendations on the vision and strategy of higher education. Membersalready on the board have been reconfirmed by Prime Minister LawrenceGonzi who had to appoint a new board since the Education Act wasamended by Parliament last July.• 19 October 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo has urged theEuropean Union to take up the Commonwealth's offer to engage in theimplementation of the EU's strategy for Africa particularly with regard to theissue of governance. Dr Frendo was attending various European Councilmeetings in Luxembourg for ministers of external trade, of development andof foreign affairs.• 19 October 2006 The National Festivities Committee commemorated the birthof national poet Dun Karm Psaila with a cortege and a wreath-layingceremony at the monument dedicated to him in Floriana. Dun Karm, who wasborn on October 18, 1871 and was ordained aged 23, wrote the lyrics for thenational anthem. He died at the Blue Sisters Hospital on October 13, 1961.• 19 October 2006 Forty-one accountancy and law graduates received adiploma in taxation after following the first structured, year-long course intaxation organised by the Malta Institute of Taxation. The diplomas weredistributed during a ceremony held at the International Maritime Law Institute,at the University of Malta. It was presided over by the Parliamentary Secretaryat the Ministry of Finance Tonio Fenech.• 20 October 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo distributed Lm140,000to 58 NGOs and unions benefiting from the Civil Society Fund administered bythe Forum Malta fl-Ewropa for activities related to EU affairs. Dr Frendo saidone of the aims of Forum Malta fl-Ewropa is to enhance the engagement withcivil society, including consultation where it really matters, which is animportant factor in the development of the country.• 20 October 2006 Air Malta launched Centrecom, its own call centre, which itset up in partnership with Maltese-Australian businessman Leslie Cassar. Thecentre, situated at the old air terminal in Luqa, represents an investment ofsome €1 million and is a subsidiary of World Aviation Systems Ltd, a companyco-owned by the airline and Mr Cassar. Through this investment, Air Malta hasconsolidated its call centre needs, a move that is likely to translate itself into asaving of some Lm250,000, the airline's chairman, Lawrence Zammit,explained at the launch.

• 20 October 2006 Investment, Industry and information Technology MinisterAustin Gatt instructed Air Malta's board of directors to immediately start talkswith unions over a renewal of the carrier's rescue plan. The agreementbetween the airline and the unions, negotiated with the government's help,was secured three years ago with the aim of making the company moreprofitable in the wake of crippling losses.• 20 October 2006 The Biological Conservation Research Foundation, Bicref,has received a sponsorship from the Aware Foundation to continue with andexpand its regular surveys and observations of marine life. The foundation saidthat conserving local marine life depended on regular surveys andobservations, as well as careful identification and quantification of the speciesfound around the coast and in the sea.• 21 October 2006 Southern EU member states called for more "concretesolidarity" from the other members in order to tackle the influx of illegalmigrants from North Africa. They also called upon the EU to come up with"new methods" as to how to tackle this growing problem. Intervening duringthe discussion, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi called on the EU to tackle thisproblem seriously. "This is not a problem of Malta or the other member stateson the southern borders of the EU. This is a problem that affects the entire EUand so all member states should be involved in combating this phenomenon."• 21 October 2006 Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech hasappointed a new board of directors at the Malta Tourism Authority, followingthe former board's mass resignation in September. The Tourism Ministry said thenew board members representing the government are Austin Calleja, AlbertCaruana, Mario Loporto, Joe Preca and Angela Saliba. The appointment ofthe new board is valid till the end of 2007.• 21 October 2006 Malta has made considerable progress in maritime safety,making it possible for the Maltese flag to move from the black list to the whitelist of the Paris Memorandum of Understanding, the French Minister forEuropean Affairs, Catherine Colonna, said. She was addressing a joint pressconference with Foreign Minister Michael Frendo. Another issue discussed bythe two ministers was illegal migration. Ms Colonna said France was aware ofthe scale of Malta's migration problems pledging greater EU solidarity.• 21 October 2006 The general government deficit for 2005 amounted to Lm61.8million, equivalent to 3.2% of GDP, the National Statistics Office said. In 2004,the general government deficit stood at Lm93.7 million, or five% of GDP. At theend of 2005, the general government nominal gross consolidated debtamounted to Lm1,440.1 million, or 74.2% of GDP.• 21 October 2006 A copy of The Baptism Of Christ, a painting believed to havebeen commissioned by Don Giuseppe Manduca, Vicar General, in 1551, hasbeen donated to St Agatha's church, in Mdina. The original, on loan from theowner, Notary Joseph Vella Zarb, is at the cathedral museum. It was once inthe Manduca family chapel in the old Mdina cathedral.• 21 October 2006 About Lm1 million is being made available to local councilsand the government for urban improvement works in various localities. Thefunds were collected in about 10 months through the Urban ImprovementFund scheme, which caters for improvements in urban areas, suchlandscaping, traffic management and embellishments. Funds are collectedfrom developers who pay a fine when they do not provide parking spaceswith new development.• 22 October 2006 Water in the south east of the island will be fit for swimmingand fishing by 2008, as Government announced the construction of awastewater treatment plant off Xghajra. The €63 million (Lm27 million) plant

was originally earmarked to be located at Ricasoli but Investment, Industryand Information Technology Minister Austin Gatt told a news conference thatthe project was shifted because of the ideal location of the Xghajra site andalso because the original plans would have located it right next door to themulti-million SmartCity project.• 22 October 2006 The National Council of Women (NCW) has expressedsatisfaction that last Wednesday's Budget addresses issues concerning theneeds of the family, in particular women of different ages, single or married.Many of the measures proposed by the NCW, some of them dating years,have been included in this Budget.• 22 October 2006 The 50th anniversary of the Hungarian uprising against theCommunist regime was commemorated in Malta on Friday with a ceremonyat Lower Barracca Gardens in Valletta, and an evening reception in Attard,hosted by Hungary's ambassador to Italy and Malta, Istvan Kovacs. PresidentEdward Fenech-Adami, was presented by Mr Kovacs with a commemorativeHero of Freedom Medal honouring those supporting the 1956 revolution andits goals, during the reception at the Villa Corinthia, Attard.• 22 October 2006 In 2000, the Equal Opportunities Act (EOA) rendereddiscrimination against disabled people illegal. Five years after the EOA'senactment, the National Commission Persons with Disability (KNPD) felt theneed to organise an awareness-raising campaign so that disabled peopleand their families can learn more about how this law can be used to bringdiscriminatory behaviour to an end. In addition, KNPD published a booklet,which explains how to understand whether one is being discriminated againston the grounds on disability and what to do to put forward a claim to KNPD.This publication, entitled Equal Opportunities (Persons with Disability) Act canbe found on the Commission's Website: www. knpd.org and a copy in Maltesecan be obtained from the Commission's offices at Centru Hidma Socjali, StVenera.• 23 October 2006 The Prime Minister said that he would not call an earlyelection. Speaking at a social activity in Gzira, Dr Gonzi said the peopletrusted the government with their future and the government was currentlyexamining how to best spend the more than €800 million it would be receivingfrom the EU in the coming years.• 23 October 2006 All EU laws enacted by the European Council and theEuropean Parliament will start being published in Maltese as from next May.Because of a dearth of translators when Malta joined the EU two-and-a-halfyears ago, not all legal texts are being produced in Maltese, unlike theobligation that exists for the other official languages of the Union.• 23 October 2006 A Palestinian national unity government seeking a two-statesolution with Israel is possible, even with Hamas, the radical Islamic movement,on board, Mustafa Barghouti, the leader of the National Palestinian Initiativebelieves. Dr Barghouti was in Malta in conjunction with a Euro-Med seminarcalled, Transforming Conflict In The Euro-Mediterranean Region.• 23 October 2006 The European Commission has approved a new partnershipwith the countries in the Horn of Africa region, aimed at providing muchneeded help in the fight against illegal immigration. The new strategy,officially called a Partnership For Peace, Security And Stability In The Horn OfAfrica, sets out a comprehensive approach to conflict prevention in theregion by tackling the root causes of instability, and provides a politicalframework for concrete regional initiatives and for structured dialoguebetween partners.

• 23 October 2006 The Civil Protection Department launched a televisioncampaign aimed at educating viewers on avoiding and dealing withaccidents. CPD director Peter Cordina said people are mostly worried aboutfloods, fires and accidents, all of which are being tackled in the programmeX'Gara on TVM.• 23 October 2006 The Armed Forces of Malta, following a report that a boatwas sighted in Maltese waters, dispatched an aircraft and a launch.However, the migrants refused assistance from the Maltese authorities andproceeded north towards Italy, an AFM spokesman said.• 24 October 2006 The European Union will be introducing more than 75measures over the coming years aimed at reducing energy consumption bysome 20% by 2020. European Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs said whenlaunching a new EU action plan on energy efficiency that currently, Europewastes at least 20% of the energy it uses.• 24 October 2006 The number of Maltese passengers leaving by air and sea inthe first eight months of this year amounted to 167,851, an increase of 7.1%over the same period a year ago, the National Statistics Office said. The mostfrequent destination was Italy, accounting for 30.6% of the total number ofMaltese travelling abroad. Outbound Maltese passengers in August aloneincreased by 3.7% to 31,129. Of these, 26,295 travelled by air.• 24 October 2006 The number of passengers on route buses dropped to29,817,385 in the year up to last September 30 from 30,175,749 the yearbefore, figures given in Parliament show. Minister for Urban Development andthe Roads Jesmond Mugliett explained however that the past year included athree-day bus strike- between February 28 and March 2 when the number ofpassengers would have been around 196,868. Furthermore, usage of thedirect bus service to the University had risen to 261,648 from 122,851 in2004/2005, meaning that many students did not need to take two buses toreach the university.• 24 October 2006 Forty-eight prisoners took home leave this year, Justice andHome Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said in reply to a parliamentary question. Asof August 31 the prison population stood at 345 of whom 212 were Maltesemen and nine Maltese women. There were also 119 foreign men and fivewomen.• 24 October 2006 Payments due to Enemalta as of July had dropped to Lm24million from Lm27.9 million in September 2005 but the Water ServicesCorporation was owed Lm4.3 million, up from Lm3.7 million in July 2005, figurestabled in Parliament show. Investment, Industry and Information TechnologyMinister Austin Gatt said that up to September the WSC had instituted courtaction against four clients who defaulted. There were 34 arraignments lastyear.• 24 October 2006 There are 1,899 single unmarried mothers who are receivingsocial benefits, including two who are 14 years old, four who are 15 years oldand 12 who are 16 years old, Family and Social Solidarity Minister DoloresCristina said in reply to a parliamentary question. Beneficiaries also include asingle unmarried mother aged 62 and another aged 60.• 24 October 2006 President Edward Fenech-Adami on Sunday and Mondayattended the activities in Budapest marking the 50th anniversary of theHungarian Revolution. Dr Fenech Adami and other heads of state wereinvited to the Hungarian capital by the President of Hungary, László Sólyom.• 24 October 2006 Malta's problems with illegal immigration was on the agendaduring a meeting between Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo and DidierDonfut, the Belgian Secretary of State for European Affairs. During a short

press conference, Dr Frendo said it was important that a way forward wasfound through collaboration with other EU countries.• 24 October 2006 Malta declined to support a common EU position on shipdismantling to be discussed at an upcoming conference of the parties of theBasel convention next month. Instead it insisted that the most appropriateway of addressing these issues is through the new instrument of theInternational Maritime Organisation (IMO) which will be binding even to non-EU members.• 25 October 2006 A pregnant woman and a man died on their way to StLuke's Hospital moments after being rescued from the sea when a boatpacked with illegal immigrants capsized. A search for the missing immigrantsyielded three badly decomposed corpses, probably those of illegalimmigrants from another unfortunate trip. Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herreraordered an inquiry and autopsies are being carried out. Another boat of 25illegal immigrants - 22 from Somalia (19 men and three women) and threeothers from Eritrea - entered Zurrieq at about 8 a.m.• 25 October 2006 The expenditure of film productions in Malta between June2005 and September 2006 was over Lm5 million - an increase of 500% over theprevious 12 months, Investment, Industry and Information Technology MinisterAustin Gatt said. The minister was speaking at Villa Bologna in Attard - one ofthe locations for the filming of the CBBC (Children's BBC) series RomanMysteries, which is currently shooting in Malta over what is considered to be along period of nine weeks.• 25 October 2006 Maltese vine growers are to receive €107,500 (Lm46,739)from the European Commission to turn 16 hectares of land into vineyards. Lastyear (2005/2006) Malta was granted €109,815 (Lm47,745) to cover an area of20 hectares. The EU is currently discussing proposals for a total revamp in thissector included the way subsidies are allocated. More emphasis is to bemade on quality rather than quantity.• 25 October 2006 New vehicles registered this year up to September 30,amounted to 6,506 Urban Development and Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliettsaid. Replying to a parliamentary question he said 7,530 were registered inthe whole of last year; 6,680 in 2004; 9,125 in 2003; 8,596 in 2002; 9,183 in 2001and 13,056 in 2000.• 25 October 2006 There are currently 18,646 foreign nationals holding a Malteseidentity card as residents, including 9,937 hailing from EU countries, Justiceand Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said. Replying to a parliamentaryquestion by Labour MP Chris Cardona the minister said the number includedpartners and children of Maltese citizens, permanent residents, foreigners whohad a permit to work in Malta, those given a visa extension and foreignstudents.• 25 October 2006 Environment and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicinoappealed to the EU to simplify its agricultural rules and to take intoconsideration the specific circumstances of EU member states like Malta. MrPullicino was speaking at a meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council inLuxembourg.• 25 October 2006 A total of 1,238 persons had an accident at work betweenJuly and last month, which is an 11.4% increase over the same period lastyear, the National Statistics Office said. These accidents occurred inmanufacturing (35.4%), construction (15.1%), transport, storage, andcommunications (9.2%) and the wholesale and retail trade (7.5%).• 26 October 2006 Through SmarTV, new to the local media market, passengerson various bus routes are entertained by a variety of content on flat screens.

The SmarTV content will include news, sports, entertainment and lifestylefeatures including Guinness world records, candid camera, fashion, musicand culture. Urban Development and Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett saidthat between October 1 last year and the end of last month, scheduledpublic transport was used by almost 29 million passengers. Moreover, therewas an increase of 138,797 passengers on the direct university route, whichreduced the students' need to take two buses.• 26 October 2006 Speaking shortly after Dr Sant's reaction to the budget inParliament, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said he was surprised that in a twohourspeech, there was very little about the budget while the solution to thesurcharge was based on a false premise.• 26 October 2006 The armed forces called off their search for missing illegalimmigrants from Sudan, presumed to be four, after a day scouring the calmseas yielded no results.• 26 October 2006 Anti-abortion foundation Gift of Life handed a life-size modelof a nine-week-old foetus, to MPs on their way in to Parliament as thefoundation continues to lobby in favour of entrenching the illegality ofabortion in the Constitution. Foundation members also presented theparliamentarians with flyers promoting the granting of constitutional rights tounborn children and showed a graphic film featuring aborted foetuses.• 26 October 2006 Four Israelis who died shortly after taking the influenzavaccine probably died from natural causes, the European Centre for DiseasePrevention and Control has concluded. The vaccine in question - producedby French company Sanofi Pasteur - is imported into Malta under the name ofVaxigrip. The Health Division said there was no reason to discontinuevaccination with it.• 26 October 2006 The President and Mrs Fenech Adami started a two-day statevisit to Croatia, the first such visit by a head of state of Malta to that country.Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo accompanied the President. Abusiness delegation composed of high officials of officially appointed bodies,constituted bodies and private enterprises met their Croatian counterparts.The Croatian government and people may rest assured of Malta's continuedsupport for Croatia's bid to join the European Union and of Malta's willingnessto share its experience from the accession process, the President of Malta saidwhile in Zagreb.• 26 October 2006 The Malta Association of Private Training Providers (MAPTP)has welcomed the investment in the education sector announced in thebudget. It welcomed the Lm200,000 investment in scholarships in Masters andDoctorate degrees, saying the private training sector can benefit from thisinitiative.• 26 October 2006 Cruise passenger traffic last month went up by 45.7%, or18,885 persons, over the same month last year, mainly due to an increase ofpassengers in transit, the National Statistics Office said. There was a 41.2%increase in passengers travelling in transit, with major increases in passengersof Italian and Spanish residency.• 27 October 2006 The number of registered unemployed in September stood at7,184, according to figures issued by the Employment and TrainingCorporation and released by the National Statistics Office. This was a drop of26 persons over the same month last year. The latest available unemploymentrate is that for May which stood at 4.9.• 27 October 2006 A number of government organisations dealing with marketsurveillance for product safety have been granted €749,000 to use for trainingin twinning projects with older EU states. The EU is taking care of 85 of the

funds, Competitiveness and Communications Minister Censu Galea said. Themain beneficiaries are the Consumer and Competition Division and thetechnical directorates within the Malta Standards Authority and the MarketSurveillance Directorate.• 27 October 2006 In its approval of the budget estimates for 2007, theEuropean Parliament has backed proposals to substantially raise the fundingdedicated to the EU's border control agency Frontex, and to specificprogrammes dealing with illegal immigration. Frontex will be allocated €35million instead of the initial proposal by the Council of €17 million. Another€170 million have been voted for the External Borders Fund from which Malta iseligible to receive support to guard its borders.• 27 October 2006 Rural Affairs and the Environment Minister George Pullicinobelieves a solution could soon be found to the management of wastebeverage containers. A recently formed company, Malta Deposit ReturnSystem MDRS, backed by beverage producers and importers, has puttogether a proposal on how to deal with the collection of empty beveragecontainers.• 28 October 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said that the surcharge onpower and water consumption would be reduced to 59.5% in the comingdays from the current 63.5% because of a drop in international oil prices. Fuelcosts would also go down. Dr Gonzi was speaking in Parliament during thebudget debate.• 28 October 2006 A group of 23 illegal immigrants arrived on a boat at Wied iz-Zurrieq. The police said the group consisted of 21 men and two women. Theywere taken to police headquarters, in Floriana, for investigations.• 28 October 2006 Industrial turnover increased by 9% in August over the samemonth last year, the National Statistics Office said. This was common to allmain industrial groupings except for the energy group, which was conditionedby the timing of the issue of bills, the NSO said. Employment in industry isestimated to have increased by 0.2% in August on an annual basis.• 28 October 2006 The European Commission's Joint Research Centre will behelping Malta in several priority areas including waste management followinga round table conference. The JRC called the conference to discuss andidentify areas of opportunities for collaboration with Malta where it could helpin policy development.• 28 October 2006 The government's shortfall between recurrent revenue andtotal expenditure amounted to Lm72.9 million during the January-Septemberperiod, the National Statistics Office said. This corresponds to a decrease of14.7% over the same period last year, and is the result of higher revenues andcomparatively lower expenditures on capital projects.• 28 October 2006 Acting President George Hyzler visited Mary Bonnici, a 100-year-old woman who also happens to be his mother-in-law. The PrimeMinister's wife, Kate Gonzi, as well as Parliamentary Secretary for the Elderlyand Community Care Helen D'Amato, attended Mass and a birthday partyheld at Mrs Bonnici's residence in Sliema.• 28 October 2006 The government is planning to launch a call for tenders foranother car park in Cottonera in the area known as Santa Margerita, UrbanDevelopment and Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett said. Speaking on urbantransport management when he addressed the annual conference of theChartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Valletta, Mr Mugliett said thatonce the government had all the components in place - car parks, ferries, thevertical connection systems on the Valletta side and the possibility of further

car parks on the Sliema side of the harbour - travel within the greater harbourarea by car will be relegated to secondary importance.• 28 October 2006 The official opening of the Mother Teresa wards at St Vincentde Paul Residence (SVPR) is the latest milestone along the path being pursuedto align the residents with the highest standards of a modern nursing home,the Parliamentary Secretariat for the Care of the Elderly said. The secretariatsaid the increase in the bed complement within SVPR is aimed at counteringthe ever-growing waiting lists.• 28 October 2006 A workshop for Maltese participants in the Interreg IIIAprogramme was held at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Vallettalast week. The Interreg IIIA Italia-Malta Cross-Border Programme is an EUfundedprogramme launched in 2004 that aims to increase territorialcooperation between local authorities and public equivalent bodies fromsoutheast Sicily and the Maltese islands.• 29 October 2006 A bill to regulate voluntary organisations and grant themlegal recognition will ensure there is more transparency in their operations,Family and Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina said. Addressing aconference celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Down SyndromeAssociation (ADS), Ms Cristina said that the bill has just been published andwould soon be debated in Parliament.• 29 October 2006 The five Maltese representatives at the European Economicand Social Committee (EESC) last week were given new responsibilities invarious sections of the committee for the next two years.• 29 October 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo called for arevitalisation of the Euro-Med Partnership, saying it was greatly needed in thecontext of the challenges of the international situation. Dr Frendo presenteda paper on the reform of the working methods of the Barcelona Processduring the 13th 10-nation Mediterranean Forum in Spain.• 29 October 2006 The occupational therapy profession celebrates its fifthNational Day today, along with other countries. Occupational therapy isconcerned with promoting health and well-being through occupations. Theprimary goal is to enable people to participate in everyday activities.Occupational therapists achieve this by enabling people to do things that willenhance their ability to participate, by modifying the environment to bettersupport participation.• 30 October 2006 The Grand Harbour Marina is the first marina in theMediterranean to have acquired an IACS international certification for itssuper-yacht berths and the international ship and port facility security code(ISPS) certification for port security. The ISPS code is a set of measures tobetter the security of port facilities, including marinas for large yachts.• 30 October 2006 A group of 29 illegal immigrants, 20 males, five females andfour children landed in Malta. The Armed Forces of Malta said its patrol craftassisted a boat carrying the illegal immigrants to reach shore at Wied Buni,Birzebbuga. The illegal immigrants were handed over to police forinvestigations.• 30 October 2006 The Fgura Scout Group participated in an internationalscouting event during which scouts from all over the world made contactusing internet chat and amateur radio. The Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) andJamboree on the Internet (JOTI), held in Malta at the south district scoutscentre at Rinella, allowed the scouts to exchange their scouting experiencesand ideas.

• 31 October 2006 Fiscal incentives have been announced for airlines thatchoose to operate new routes from four countries amid forecasts that lowcostcarriers will fly 230,000 passengers to Malta next year. Malta InternationalAirport said it will give up to 50% discount on its passenger service fees andlanding charges on flights from airports in Spain, Sweden, Norway and Poland.The government will also provide market support. Addressing a newsconference, MIA chief executive Peter Bolech said the incentives weredirected at any airline that wished to operate a minimum of three weeklyflights all year round from any airport in the four countries.• 31 October 2006 Archaeological investigations have unearthed traces of aBronze Age settlement and Roman remains at the historic Santa MargeritaCemetery, in Rabat, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage has disclosed.Having completed the scientific investigation, the Superintendence is studyingthe best means to preserve the remains on site with the Health Department,the Acting Superintendent of Cultural Heritage, Nathaniel Cutajar, said.• 31 October 2006 A youth exchange visit for young people with a disability,coordinated by Agenzija SAPPORT and called Looking At European Culture InMalta, came to an end. The visit provided the young people with anopportunity to widen their horizons, help them develop and reach higherlevels of independence. The countries taking part in this youth exchange wereMalta, the UK, Germany and Greece. The visit was part of Youth For Europe, aproject falling under the EU Youth Programme.• 31 October 2006 The Little Sisters of the Poor of Hamrun saw their dream cometrue on Wednesday when President Edward Fenech-Adami officiallyinaugurated their new home in Hamrun. The project consisted of thedemolition of the old home and the building of a more modern complex toprovide greater comfort for the elderly people who are taken care of by theLittle Sisters.• 31 October 2006 Some 55.6 million minutes of calls were made over mobilephones in the third quarter of this year, a 12.4% increase over the previousquarter. Of this, 90% was consumed in local networks, the National StatisticsOffice said.• 31 October 2006 The volume and wholesale value of fish landings during thethird quarter of this year declined by 11.8 and 1.8% respectively compared tothe same period last year. The National Statistics Office said 500,191kilogrammes of fresh fish were landed at the local fish market and thewholesale value declined to Lm779,911.NOVEMBER• 1 November 2006 The Central Bank raised the central intervention rate by 25basis points to 3.75%. The Bank said that to the extent that higher interest ratesdampen the relatively strong demand for credit by the personal sector andencourage savings, they should limit the demand for imports and help tocontain inflationary pressures. The decision was taken by the Bank's Governorat the end of the Monetary Policy Advisory Council meeting.• 1 November 2006 Two Ryanair aircraft touched down at Malta InternationalAirport within 20 minutes from each other marking the beginning of the lowcostairline's association with the island. The 373 passengers were given anunusual welcome as the Arrivals Lounge hosted the nearest one can get to asmall village festa, complete with a band and red-clad dancers. On the

initiative of the Malta Tourism Authority, female passengers were handed acarnation and the males received small honey rings.• 1 November 2006 At least one airline each from Spain, Sweden, Norway andPoland have indicated an interest in a government and Malta InternationalAirport fiscal incentive to start operating to Malta. Tourism and Culture MinisterFrancis Zammit Dimech said he was optimistic that low-cost operations tosome of the four new routes would start by April 2007.• 1 November 2006 Europe is to be told to help Malta in its struggle to deal withthe influx of illegal immigrants by a delegation of the ACP-EU JointParliamentary Assembly. "We have to make the case crystal clear: Europepull up your socks and do what has to be done. You cannot have a memberof your Union exposed in this way," said Sharon Hay Webster, who representedthe ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific) part of the three-memberdelegation, in Malta on a two-day visit.• 1 November 2006 The government issued new fuel prices and utility surchargeas a result of a reduction in the price of oil on the international markets.Unleaded petrol has been reduced to 42c6 per litre from 46c3; leadreplacement petrol to 45c6 from 49c3; diesel to 38c9 from 42c3; kerosene to39c per litre from 42c4; light heating oil to 24c from 27c1; thin fuel oil 200degrees now costs Lm143 per ton, down from Lm156; thin fuel oil 450 degreescosts Lm137 instead of Lm150; and thin fuel oil 950 degrees costs Lm128 downfrom Lm141.• 1 November 2006 Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono said that Spanishcompany Helisureste had made a proposal to the government on how thehelicopter service between Malta and Gozo could be resumed. She toldParliament that although the helicopter was no longer in Malta the companyhad told the government that it did not wish to permanently pull out and hadleft ground handling equipment in Gozo so that the service could beresumed. Mrs Debono was replying to questions during the budget debateafter the service was discontinued last week and the helicopter left Malta.• 1 November 2006 A trade delegation to Croatia last week consisting ofbusinessmen and officials from constituted bodies and organised by theForeign Affairs Ministry established 45 contacts. This year increase over lastyear in officials and business people participating in trade delegationsorganised by the ministry, Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo said. So farthis year, 77 officials and businessmen took part in trade visits to Tunisia,Croatia and Latvia. Last year the ministry organised trade delegations toFinland, Ireland, India, Egypt, the Czech Republic and Spain.• 1 November 2006 The University Students' Council has signed a three-yearcorporate sponsorship contract with Deloitte, adding another partner to itscorporate package. Targeting upcoming graduates, KSU and Deloitte aim tooffer employment opportunities, career awareness and guidance, andseminars mainly addressing aspects of financial services.• 1 November 2006 Physical exercise alone is unlikely to reduce obesity inyoung children, a study carried out in Glasgow has shown. The study,published in the British Medical Journal, however, showed that physicalactivity could lay the foundations for a healthier future.• 1 November 2006 The Malta Transport Authority (ADT) has launched a pilotproject to examine the efficiency and effectiveness of energy efficientlighting systems. The standard light fittings of the pelican crossing in St Andrewshave been replaced by light efficient diode traffic signal modules.• 1 November 2006 Labour Force Survey results indicate there were nostatistically significant differences in the number of unemployed in the period

etween May and July this year, the National Statistics Office said. Theunemployment rate for that period was 6.8%. The survey also showed that theaverage employed population between May and July this year stood at153,809 persons.• 1 November 2006 The transformation of Cospicua Gardens into a recreationzone was intended at striking a balance between a natural afforestation areaand a leisure park for families, Ninu Zammit, Minister for Resources andInfrastructure, said when he inspected the final phase of the works on theproject.• 1 November 2006 Departures of inbound tourists in September wereestimated at 121,954, a drop of 8.7% compared to the same period last year.The National Statistics Office said this was underpinned by fewer tourists mainlyfrom the UK, France and Germany contrasted by relatively smaller increasesfrom Italy, Russia and Denmark. The NSO said that departures of inboundtourists during the first nine months of 2006 are estimated at 889,790, a drop of4.5% over the same period of last year.• 2 November 2006 The army's maritime squadron caught four men allegedlyhunting illegally at sea. The men, from Gharghur and Hamrun, wereintercepted by the squadron's rapid deployment team out on patrol on thego-fast boat P-01, the army said.• 2 November 2006 The Department of Public Health has urged consumers notto consume Parboiled Long Grain Enriched Rice of the Blue Ribbon Goldenbrand or Enriched Parboiled Long Grain Rice of the Uncle Ben's brand. This isin terms of the Food Safety Act and the EC Regulation 178 of 2002, as aprecaution due to the presence of genetically modified organisms (GMORICE LL601) which are not authorised in the European Union. The riceoriginates in the US.• 2 November 2006 The last 10 days of October were the sunniest for 60 years,with the sun shining for an average of nine hours and 54 minutes every day.The dullest last 10 days of any October were those in 1993 with barely fourhours of sunshine a day. October nights, with a mean minimum temperatureof 18.8°C, were almost 1°C warmer than the average of the past 30 years.• 2 November 2006 Tourism journalist and media presenter Julian Zarb has beenelected vice president and PR and communications official of the EuropeanUnion of Tourism Officers (EUTO) which held its annual board meeting andgeneral assembly in Gozo. Mr Zarb has been involved with the hospitality andtourism sectors for over 25 years. Liz Buchanan was elected president of EUTO.• 2 November 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo has asked theUnited Nations High Commission for Refugees to appreciate Malta's specialcircumstances as a small state with the highest density of population in Europeand to help the island especially in the resettlement of refugees and personswith humanitarian status. The minister made his appeal during talks in Genevawith UNHCR High Commissioner Antonio Guterres, the former PortuguesePrime Minister.• 2 November 2006 Experience has taught the US Coast Guard to approach aboatful of illegal immigrants with two vessels from different sides in an effort toprevent it from capsizing as the migrants rush to one side of the boat,according to Rear Admiral Bill Baumgartner, a Judge Advocate General fromthe US Coast Guard. Addressing students and army officers at theInternational Maritime Law Institute, Admiral Baumgartner said illegalimmigration by sea was a long-standing issue that would remain a majorchallenge and one of the most important factors affecting maritime securitythrough the next 10 years.

• 3 November 2006 Investment, Industry and Information Technology MinisterAustin Gatt said he had told Tecom's chief negotiator that Malta wouldwithdraw from the SmartCity project if talks continued to drag on withoutagreement. "Although the government really wants this project, it does notwant it at any cost. Should it come about, the advantages will be huge butwe cannot submit to all of the investor's conditions.• 3 November 2006 No fewer than 30,000 seats have been snapped up forRyanair's Malta route, as Europe's largest low-cost airline unveiled plans toapply for at least four other routes. And to celebrate Ryanair's new routes, theairline has announced it will be giving away 20,000 free flights from Malta."Considering we're starting the routes to Malta in November, this is anoverwhelming success," Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said.• 3 November 2006 Contractors started drilling at the Maghtab landfill inpreparation for the installation of steel wells through which gases within therubbish mound will be extracted. The wells will collect the gas generatedthrough waste degradation and combustion within the landfill. Besidesextracting viable methane gas, the process also serves to rid the landfill of thecombustible that keeps fuelling the fires within the mound.• 3 November 2006 The European Union has granted almost €500,000 to BirdLifeMalta to be used for a specific project dealing with the protection of thePuffinus Yelkouan bird. The project submitted by Birdlife was one of 61 chosenby the EU under the Life Natura programme, which will come to an end thisyear and be replaced by a new programme called Life +. A total of 228projects were submitted for funding from across the 25 member states and theaccession countries.• 3 November 2006 Josef Formosa Gauci was elected president of the MaltaHotels and Restaurants Association, succeeding Justin Zammit Tabona. Thenew president thanked Mr Zammit Tabona and the outgoing council for theirwork and commitment in what he described as "without doubt one of themost difficult years for our tourism industry".• 3 November 2006 Malta is the European Union member state with the highestdependency on the burning of oil for its energy production. Statistics tabled inthe European Parliament by the European Commissioner for Energy, AndrisPiebalgs, shows that Malta's energy consumption is totally dependent on oil.The study also records the fact that up to 2004, the year on which the statisticsare based, the island had no renewable energy sources.• 3 November 2006 The embellishment project in Birzebbuga being carried outby the government is in its final stages and should be completed by the endof the year, Resources and Infrastructure Minister Ninu Zammit said when heinspected works on site. The work started early this year and had thencovered the garden and parking area behind the church. However, theminister said, work on the church Parvis could not be carried out during thesummer because of the feast.• 3 November 2006 The public consultation process over schemes providing forexemptions from payment of eco-contributions or refunds of money paid onsuch contributions, has been completed, the Rural Affairs and EnvironmentMinistry said. The mechanisms for such schemes will be explained in a LegalNotice to be published in the near future after all the suggestions made duringthe public consultation are evaluated.• 3 November 2006 The Inquisitor's Palace, in Girgenti, which from time to timehosts Cabinet meetings and meetings between the Prime Minister and visitingheads of state, was open to the public on Saturday and Sunday. The eventwas organised in aid of the Mental Health Association and the Richmond

Foundation, two non-governmental organisations working in the sphere ofmental health. Speaking to the press on site, the Prime Minister's wife,Catherine Gonzi, one of the founder members of both organisations andunder whose patronage the open days will be held, said there was a need toraise awareness about mental health and to erase the stigma that mentalhealth problems carried with them.• 3 November 2006 The restoration of the 16th century frescos on the vaults ofthe main hall of the Verdala Palace, in Buskett, is "well underway", PresidentEdward Fenech-Adami said during a visit to the palace. Since the project waslaunched in last December, large parts of the frescos have been uncoveredto reveal characters from Greek mythology including Hercules, Neptune,Bacchus and Mars by the restoration team led by Roberta DeAngelis ofHeritage Malta.• 4 November 2006 Citizens should be reassured that it made no differencewhether their court case was presided by a man or a woman, Madam JusticeAnna Felice said in her first speech delivered from the judge's bench. "Justicewas and will continue to be carried out irrespective of the fact that we nowhave women judges," she said during a ceremony to mark her first sitting as ajudge.• 4 November 2006 The government will be proposing to the European Unionan expenditure of €30 million to transform the Maghtab rubbish dump into afamily park, Rural Affairs and the Environment Minister George Pullicino toldParliament. Speaking during the budget debate, Mr Pullicino also spoke aboutthe proposed golf course at Xaghra l-Hamra, saying studies had been heldand were being examined but the government would not be taking a hastydecision.• 4 November 2006 A call for proposals for a lift from Lascaris Ditch providingvertical access to Valletta is to be issued this month, Roads and UrbanDevelopment Minister Jesmond Mugliett said. This project would also connectthe ditch to the cruise liner passenger terminal with a funicular railway.• 4 November 2006 The selection process to choose the beneficiaries for thisyear's annual TV charity marathon L-Istrina from among 77 applicants hasbeen launched by a PBS-appointed committee. This year's 12-hour marathonfund-raiser - starting at midday - will be held at the Malta Fairs andConvention Centre in Ta' Qali on December 30. This will be the 10th edition.• 4 November 2006 No significant change was recorded in September in fixedtelephonesubscriptions over August, mobile telephone subscriptionsregistered a small increase, and internet subscriptions went up by three%, theNational Statistics Office said. The number of mobile phone subscriptionsreached 344,839.• 4 November 2006 The Malta Transport Authority (ADT) launched a biddingprocess for trackless trains, a form of passenger transport made up of a seriesof connected road vehicles, shaped like a railway train, to be used on certainroutes in tourist areas. Urban Roads and Development Minister JesmondMugliett said the idea behind the introduction of this form of travel was not tosolve some transport issue but rather to provide something new that caters fora demand there seems to be for this mode of transport.• 5 November 2006 Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of Finance, TonioFenech presented Lm25,000 to the Mellieha Sports Complex from the NationalLotteries Good Causes Fund. The complex will house a gym and syntheticfootball pitches, along with changing rooms, administration offices andparking facilities.

• 5 November 2006 The Ministry for Rural Affairs and the Environment haspraised BirdLife for successfully tapping EU funds under the Life + programmefor the protection of the Puffinus Yelkouan bird. Birdlife will benefit fromfunding of €500,000 under the programme.• 5 November 2006 Urban Development and Roads Minister Jesmond Muglietttold Parliament that several measures have been included in the 2007 Budgetto favour owners of classic vehicles. The cut-off date that makes vehicleseligible to a 50% reduction in the Road Licence has been brought forward fiveyears from January 1, 1971, to January 1, 1976. The cut-off date for reductionsin the registration tax has also been brought forward five years from January 1,1951, to January 1, 1956.• 6 November 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi described Saddam Hussein'strial as "a process that has brought justice to a person responsible for anegative chapter of human history", but added that he was against capitalpunishment. "The death sentence reflects the sentiment of the Iraqi people,even if it could create more problems rather than solve them at this point intime", Dr Gonzi said.• 6 November 2006 During his earlier address during a political activity in Mosta,Prime Minister Dr Gonzi said Malta was at an important stage of itsdevelopment. Dr Gonzi said he appreciated that people had madesacrifices when it was required of them when the country was not growingenough economically. As the recent budget had shown, the sacrifices madeearlier were bearing fruit as the economy was growing again and Malta wasattracting Lm1 million a day in foreign direct investment.• 6 November 2006 Tonnage under the Maltese merchant flag grew by 1.6million tonnes this year and the number of ship detentions fell significantly,Competitiveness and Communications Minister Censu Galea said inParliament on Thursday. The Minister was winding up the budget debate onhis ministry.• 6 November 2006 The Malta-based Regional Marine Pollution EmergencyResponse Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (Rempec), will move from itspresent offices in Manoel Island to Lascaris Wharf, in a building occupied bythe Malta Maritime Authority's (MMA) Merchant Shipping Directorate, in thefirst half of next year. A regional activity centre established within theframework of the Mediterranean Action Plan of the United NationsEnvironment Programme (UNEP) and administered by the InternationalMaritime Organisation (IMO), Rempec is a specialised agency assistingMediterranean states prevent and combat sea pollution.• 6 November 2006 Although the number of surveillance cameras and mobilephones has increased dramatically over the past years, the Maltese still enjoya good degree of privacy, certainly when compared to the citizens of otherEU countries. This is the conclusion of a study conducted by PrivacyInternational, a leading British human rights group, which, following athorough review of the current legislation and its practice in all the 25 memberstates of the EU, ranked Malta as being a country providing "weakenedprotection" to its citizens despite having "some safeguards". The study ranksMalta 11th among the EU 25 together with Estonia, Latvia, Italy andLuxembourg.• 6 November 2006 Dozens of Maltese families made their way to Wied IncitaNursery in Attard for the second open day of the Environmental LandscapesConsortium, a public-private partnership responsible for the embellishment ofpublic places. Environment and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino urgedpeople to cooperate and take care of plants and trees. He said that recently

220 small trees planted by children in Mellieha were destroyed within a weekof being planted.• 7 November 2006 Italy and Malta have agreed to intensify the exchange oftechnical personnel in the fight against organised crime and to collaboratemore on the judicial front during a meeting held by Justice and Home AffairsMinister Tonio Borg and his Italian counterpart Clemente Mastella. Italy hasalways been a great supporter of Malta, well before EU membership, Dr Borgpointed out. It was, therefore, important to continue working hand in hand onissues of common interest, like illegal immigration.• 7 November 2006 Malta is likely to be in a position to adopt the euro by itstarget date of the start of 2008, European Economic and Monetary AffairsCommissioner Joaquin Almunia said following the release of a positiveEuropean Commission report on Malta's economic and fiscal performance.Mr Almunia told a press conference in Brussels that on the basis of the report'sforecasts, Malta, along with Cyprus, will meet the criteria for inflation, debtand deficit.• 7 November 2006 Transport authority deputy CEO David Sutton hailed the firstday of the Park and Ride scheme as a success. The majority of users wereshoppers, he said. Park and Ride gives motorists the option of parking in thepark and being ferried to Valletta by a shuttle service. Both parking and theshuttle are free of charge.• 7 November 2006 Flames engulfed a storeroom within the university'sbiochemistry department after two mobile homes situated outside, right underits window, caught fire at about 4.45 p.m. Nobody was hurt and any studentsand people in the building were immediately evacuated, as firemen from theCivil Protection Department battled for nearly an hour to control the blaze.• 7 November 2006 There were few disruptions at Malta International Airport asEU restrictions on liquids that can be carried into the departures lounge bypassengers came into effect. MIA's head of security and administrationservices, Mario Cuomo, said most passengers were collaborating andfollowed the regulations, though a number of bottles were confiscated. Fromnow on passengers may only carry in their hand luggage liquids in individualcontainers with a maximum volume of 100ml and these must all be able to fit"comfortably" into a transparent, resealable plastic bag that is no larger than18 by 20 centimetres.• 7 November 2006 Malta and Tunisia have identified one clear option on howthey can work together on oil exploration, Foreign Affairs Minister MichaelFrendo announced. Speaking in Parliament during the budget debate, hesaid that although political discussions were still underway, he had justreceived a message from Tunisia identifying one clear option of how toprogress at foreign ministerial level. He cautioned, however, that agreementwith Tunisia would not be tantamount to discovering oil.• 7 November 2006 Malta's tough stance at the EU over ship breaking has paidoff after the Finnish Presidency accepted the island's proposal designed toensure a level playing field between countries inside and outside the EU. Twoweeks ago at an Environment Council meeting, Environment and Rural AffairsMinister George Pullicino had blocked agreement on Council conclusionswhich will constitute the EU's common position at a conference of the partiesof the Basel Convention to be held in Kenya later this month.• 8 November 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi held a meeting in Brusselswith European Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner JaochimAlmunia, with Malta's preparations to join the eurozone and its economicperformance topping the agenda. Commissioner Almunia noted the EU's

latest positive assessment of the development of the Maltese economy andreiterated that Malta was on course to meet the Maastricht entry criteria bythe middle of next year.• 8 November 2006 An attempt to revise the EU's working time directive hasbeen blocked again following lengthy talks in Brussels between employmentministers. The opt-out clause, which permits member states not to abide by amaximum 48-hour working week, was once again the main sticking point. Thelack of agreement, however, means that Maltese workers can continue towork as much overtime as they wish.• 8 November 2006 The escape by two illegal immigrants from the Safidetention centre led to the temporary closure of the main airport runway asthe search for the immigrants was underway. A Malta International Airportspokesman said that at about 5.45 p.m. the control tower informed captainspiloting three flights which were about to land to use the old runway becauseof the escape.• 8 November 2006 The building industry and real estate sector account foralmost a third of the GDP and employ up to 15% of the full-time labour force,a report released by the Building Industry Consultative Committee (BICC)shows. The report, entitled the State Of The Construction Industry Report, andwhich was made public by BICC chairman Robert Musumeci, was drawn upby Kevin Gatt and Helga Pizzuto.• 8 November 2006 The Inland Revenue Department owes Lm16,898,206 inincome tax refunds backdated to year of assessment 1998, the Prime Ministersaid in reply to a parliamentary question. The taxpayers concerned will nextyear be told the amounts due, the method of payment and the settlementdate. Dr Gonzi said that the Income Tax Act did not specify when this moneyshould be refunded.• 8 November 2006 The liquidators and legal consultants involved in the Bicalcase were paid Lm14,956 in 2005 and Lm220 this year, Prime MinisterLawrence Gonzi said in reply to a parliamentary question.• 8 November 2006 Water production per cubic metre costs between 21c and24c5 cents in reverse osmosis plants and 5c5 by boreholes, Investment,Industry and Information Technology Minister Austin said in reply to aparliamentary question. He said that the workings included employees,maintenance, chemicals and electricity but not capital expenses,depreciation and distribution costs.• 8 November 2006 In its second day since its soft launch on Monday, the Parkand Ride site outside Floriana saw double the number of cars that wereparked on Monday, an outcome Urban Development and Roads MinisterJesmond Mugliett hailed as a success.• 8 November 2006 The Malta Tourism Authority recently re-launched the StarScheme (Special Thanks and Recognition) on a wider scale to include thevarious people who may come in contact with tourists. Initially, the schemewas promoted only in hotels, restaurants and transport, but it now covers 18categories, from airline workers to the man in the street.• 8 November 2006 A group of 11 graduates and lecturers from the Institute ofTourism Studies visited the Italian region of Umbria as part of an exchangesponsored by the EU's Leonardo Da Vinci Programme. The project, entitledExploring The Umbria Region From An Oenological And GastronomicalPerspective, included a lecture on Il Francescanesimo and its link to oenologyand gastronomy. After the lecture, the group delivered a presentation onwinemaking in Malta. A tasting session of typical Maltese wines was also held.

• 8 November 2006 The Maltese Association of Science Educators (MASE), setup by 15 science teachers reading for a Masters Degree in Science Educationat the University of Malta, was recently launched at the Coastline Hotel. Awebsite - www.masemalta.com - was launched to act as a link betweenscience teachers in the primary, secondary and post-secondary sectors.Resources and concurrent events related to science teaching can be foundat this address.• 9 November 2006 The Malta Communications Authority (MCA) has publisheda consultative paper on the management of the radio spectrum. The paperdeals with the radio spectrum management environment in Malta and itseffectiveness, the factors that influence that environment and the existingand emerging policy issues warranting consideration over the coming years.The paper sets out the MCA's proposed strategy for maximising the radiospectrum resource over the next three to five years.• 9 November 2006 Commissioner for Children Sonia Camilleri has highlightedthe need for the collection of data on injuries that lead to death amongchildren, saying that due to the lack of them, it would appear Malta had theideal situation according to EU studies. In her presentation on Children's RightTo A Safe Environment, at an education conference on health and safety atthe Le Meridien Phoenicia, Ms Camilleri pointed out that among childrenaged up to 14, injury was the leading killer in every EU member state.• 9 November 2006 Work on the new law on fostering is complete and now hasto go to Cabinet, said Family and Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina. Inline with the aim to better protect children - the theme chosen by the ministryto celebrate World Children's Day this year - the ministry has an AddedSupport Scheme for foster carers of children with difficult behaviour, disabilityor under a care order.• 9 November 2006 World-famous conductor Riccardo Muti has been madean Honorary Citizen of Valletta by Mayor Paul Borg Olivier. The conductor,who was recently on the island to explore the possibility of holding artistic andmusical activities in the coming months, received the honour for his "enduringrole to foster peace and cultural understanding through the commonlanguage of music".• 9 November 2006 The AFM is going through a reorganisation of its set-up inorder to better address it to the challenges it faces, Parliamentary Secretarywithin the Office of the Prime Minister Tony Abela told Parliament. He said thatthe main feature of the review was that the air and maritime squadrons(formerly part of the 2nd Regiment) were now operating independently underthe command of more senior officers.• 9 November 2006 The EU's Code of Conduct Group for Business Taxation hasapproved the recommendations of the Maltese government for changesindicated in the pre-budget document, which will mean that Malta willremain an attractive destination for financial services, Parliamentary Secretarywithin the Ministry of Finance Tonio Fenech announced in Parliament.• 9 November 2006 The House of Representatives approved the budget for2007 through all stages with 32 votes in favour and 25 against. Concluding thedebate, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said that Malta was moving forward,facing challenges with a government policy that gave solutions and that thisbudget provided for ongoing investment in education.• 9 November 2006 Speaking during a ceremony for seven inspectorspromoted to superintendents, Police Commissioner Mr John Rizzo said therewas a drop in reported crime and this was to the credit of members of thepolice force who worked hard and did their job. Justice and Home Affairs

Minister Tonio Borg said moments such as these, when policemen werepromoted, were "moments of rejoicing".• 10 November 2006 An EU-wide survey conducted last month shows thatMaltese consumers are overwhelmingly in favour of the EU intervening toforce mobile operators to lower their charges for using a mobile phoneabroad. 85% of Maltese respondents think the current tariffs are too high and82% said that the EU should make sure that prices for making and receivingcalls on mobile phones when travelling in other EU countries are not a lothigher than those at home. The survey in Malta was conducted by Misco and500 respondents took part. Results published in Brussels show generalagreement on the need of EU intervention to control international roamingcharges.• 10 November 2006 The Malta Environment and Planning Authority approvedan application for a civic amenity site - a bulky refuse depot - approximatelyone kilometre from both Xewkija and Ghajnsielem in Gozo. Mepa said the siteis situated in a low-lying area located in an existing disused quarry. Theapproved site, run by Wasteserv, provides for professional supervised facilitieswhere members of the public can bring and discard a variety of householdbulky waste. It will provide a waste collection service in Gozo, prior to thediscarded items being sent to Malta for recycling.• 10 November 2006 Workers from the Parks, Afforestation and CountrysideRestoration Department (Park) within the Environment Ministry have collectedmore than 46 tonnes of scrap metal from the countryside since January. Themetal is mainly in the form of empty drums, rusty white goods and vehicleparts collected from Dwejra (limits of Rabat), Bingemma (limits of Mgarr),Attard, Chadwick Lakes, Salina, Pembroke and Ta' Qali. It has been sold to aprivate contractor and exported for recycling.• 10 November 2006 An unusually large number of students wanting to enrol inIT courses at the Malta College for Arts, Science and Technology this year hasprompted the college to farm out courses to private training companies. At apress conference Education, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galea andInvestment, Industry and Information Technology Minister Austin Gatt said that350 more students than expected had applied to join Mcast's IT courses thisyear but the college could not take them even though they had thenecessary qualifications. For this reason, the ministries and the collegeteamed up with four IT training companies - Key Training Services, STC Training,Computer Domain and St Martin's Institute of IT - which had agreed to takethe students.• 10 November 2006 One of the illegal immigrants who escaped from the Safidetention centre on Tuesday is back at the centre after he was caught bysoldiers, an army spokesman said. The search for other escapees - it is notclear whether two or three escaped - is still on.• 10 November 2006 A three-day EU fair was launched in Valletta amidchanging perceptions of the bloc. The political barriers once associated withthe EU are being brought down as people realise they too can benefit fromMalta's membership, according to the European Commission's head ofrepresentation in Malta, Joanna Drake and European Parliament Malta head,Julian Vassallo. "Europe starts in Malta, not in Brussels. And Europe is here toserve you," Dr Drake said at the inauguration of the Europe Close to You Fair2006. Hosted in Valletta's Freedom Square, representatives from no fewerthan 17 agencies have set up a stand to give passers-by any EU-relatedinformation they request.• 10 November 2006 The University of Malta Academic Staff Association(Umasa) has welcomed the increased funding made available to the

university, as well as the proposed increased funding for research andinnovation announced in the budget. The Lm4.3 million allocated to theuniversity from the EU Social (Structural) Fund to initiate a programme ofconstruction, infrastructure and purchase of equipment should ensure that theproposed increase in university student numbers will be comfortablyaccommodated in modern, well-equipped lecture rooms and state-of-the-artlaboratories, Umasa said.• 11 November 2006 A new report by the European Commission shows Malta isdoing a good job in preparing for its possible currency switch from the lira tothe euro in less than 13 months' time. At the same time, an opinion surveyissued with the report shows that the Maltese have increased their support ofthe euro by six percentage points over the last six months.• 11 November 2006 Herman Farrugia, a former Nationalist MP and a familydoctor for 48 years, died aged 72. The Nationalist Party paid tribute to DrFarrugia, describing him as a politician who was always close to hisconstituents and sensitive to their needs.• 11 November 2006 About 36,000 patients with cardiac problems are nowentitled to cholesterol-lowering drugs for free through the National HealthService, even if they do not have high levels of cholesterol. This followsrecommendations by the World Health Organisation which deems thatpatients with cardiac problems would benefit from the drugs, irrespective oftheir cholesterol levels according to Minister for Health, the Elderly andCommunity Care, Louis Deguara.• 11 November 2006 The release of 11 turtles at sea was greeted withsatisfaction by the Biological Conservation Research Foundation (Bicref). Theturtles were cared for at the San Lucjan turtle rescue section under the care ofCharles Sammut, from the Fisheries Department, and veterinarian AnthonyGruppetta.• 11 November 2006 The first open weekend at Girgenti Palace, in Siggiewi alsoknown as the Inquisitor's Palace, held last Saturday and Sunday generatedLm7,616 in aid of the Richmond Foundation and the Mental HealthAssociation. Catherine Gonzi, who set up the two organisations in 1993 and1998 respectively and under whose patronage the event was held, presentedthe money to the two NGOs.• 11 November 2006 Malta was singled out as having one of the mostsuccessful Customs Departments in the European Union. Statistics published inBrussels show that last year 2,180,635 counterfeit and pirate items had beenconfiscated by Customs at Maltese ports. These items, which includedcigarettes, clothing and alcohol, were mainly destined to other EU memberstates and originated from Asian countries, mainly China.• 11 November 2006 The time is right for the EU to engage in an ongoing preemptivedialogue with the Arab world and, with this aim in mind, Malta hasproposed a meeting between the EU and the Arab League, according toForeign Minister Michael Frendo. Dr Frendo said he recently wrote to FinnishForeign Minister Erkki Tuomoija to introduce the idea to the current EUpresidency and offered that, if necessary, Malta would be ready to host sucha meeting next year. Dr Frendo was speaking at a Parliamentary Foreign andEuropean Affairs Committee meeting where he briefed the members on hismost recent meetings overseas, in particular meetings related toMediterranean affairs.• 11 November 2006 The embellishment works being carried out in variouslocalities are meant to highlight the characteristics of Maltese towns, Ninu

Zammit, Minister for Resources and Infrastructure, said during a visit to suchworks in Qrendi.• 11 November 2006 The European Day of Languages was celebrated at GuzèBonnici Primary School, in Sliema. The school has 24 pupils coming fromcountries such as China, the Philippines and India on one side of the world toUkraine, Bulgaria and Tunisia on the other. Others hail from Russia, Germany,Serbia, Bosnia and England. The language event held at the school yard andwitnessed by parents started with Year 1 students singing in English andBulgarian and reciting poems in Arabic and German.• 12 November 2006 The Government is awaiting the go-ahead from Brussels toissue tenders for a number of EU-funded projects which will start in 2007, PrimeMinister Lawrence Gonzi said. During a discussion in Valletta, which saw DrGonzi and Opposition Leader Alfred Sant discuss how the country could makethe best use of the €855 million - €50 million more than originally announced -which will be made available to Malta between 2007 and 2013, the PrimeMinister said tenders for most projects that had been identified by thegovernment were being finalised by the different ministries, indicating thatapproval from the European Commission is expected in the coming weeks.• 12 November 2006 TECOM Investments said that talks about the SmartCityproject in Malta are still under way with the Maltese government and, itadded, it is keen to reach an agreement. In a statement TECOM, a subsidiaryof Dubai Holding, said that this is a major strategic project entailing substantiallong-term investments and obligations and the remaining issues needed to beresolved to the satisfaction of both parties.• 12 November 2006 The Malta Transport Authority (ADT) has informed theKumitat ghall-Harsien Rurali ta' Ghajn Tuffieha - a committee lobbying tosafeguard the livelihoods of Manikata farmers - that it has abandoned plansto build a bypass through the village. The farmers expressed satisfaction thattheir objections had not fallen on deaf ears. The committee said that a freshconsultation process should take place so that farmers and residents of l-Imbordin may express their views on the new plans.• 12 November 2006 The Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology(MCAST) is planning to start offering a vocationally related first degree by nextyear. The areas being actively considered are Information andCommunication Technology, business and commerce, art and design, andthe electrical and electronics engineering. MCAST principal and chiefexecutive officer Frank Edwards explained that the college already offers anumber of programmes leading to a Higher National Diploma (HND), which isgenerally considered as equivalent to the first two years of a related firstdegree.• 13 November 2006 The victims of the two world wars were remembered withthe laying of poppy wreaths during a poignant ceremony held under brightsunshine at the foot of the War Memorial, in Floriana. The event, heldthroughout the Commonwealth in what has become known asRemembrance Sunday, started when President Edward Fenech-Adami,escorted by Brigadier Carmel Vassallo, commander of the armed forces,inspected an army Guard of Honour on St John Square.• 13 November 2006 Malta will be receiving a minimum of €300,000 annuallyfrom January 2008 to be used for the repatriation of illegal immigrants to theircountry of origin. The money will be sourced from the European Return Fund(ERF) in terms of a decision taken last week by the Civil Liberties Committee ofthe European Parliament. Parliament officials explained that repatriation wasa difficult and expensive process because most migrants arrived withoutidentification and travel documents and often hid their nationality.

• 13 November 2006 The Prime Minister said the government considered theenvironment as one of its top priorities and was translating words into action.Speaking at a social activity at Ta' Qali, Lawrence Gonzi said next year thegovernment will be spending Lm47 million on the environment.• 13 November 2006 Over 6,000 trees have been planted at the Salina nationalpark since the Tree for You (34U) campaign was launched by the EnvironmentMinistry last year. Minister for Rural Affairs and the Environment GeorgePullicino said the park will not open to the public until next year in order toallow the trees to take root and flourish.• 13 November 2006 The 19th century Garden Battery in Tigné Point is beingmeticulously restored, just a few years after it was doomed to destruction tomake way for a traffic tunnel. Ben Muscat, Midi Consortium chief executive,said that in the late 1990s the project's outline development permit gave thedevelopers the green light to excavate and dismantle the battery as it wasnot worth preserving. Things changed in 2000/1 when the heritage sectionwithin the Malta Environment and Planning Authority appealed for thepreservation of the place.• 14 November 2006 The Maltese are the least inclined EU citizens to go for amere 10-minute walk, though over a third claim to have been on a diet in thepast year, a Eurobarometer survey has found. Despite their sedentarylifestyles, no less than 78% of Maltese respondents claim they are in a goodstate of health, and 23% say they do not have any long-standing illness orhealth problems.• 14 November 2006 The Istrina team in association with Bank of Valletta starteddistributing piggy banks to schools for this year's TV fund raising campaign forcharity to be broadcast live from noon until midnight on all stations onDecember 30.• 14 November 2006 Parliament started debating a Bill to regulate theenforcement of intellectual property rights. Communications andCommunications Minister Censu Galea said the purpose of this Bill wastwofold: "To ensure that those people who invest time, energy and money onsome creation can enjoy protection for their investment, and to ensure thatconsumers enjoy quality products rather than poor quality and illegal copies."Mr Galea said most Maltese laws were up to date, having been revised in theyear 2000. This Bill transposed into Maltese law EU Directive 2004/48/EC,approved in April 2004.• 14 November 2006 The House of Representatives expressed its condolencesfollowing the passing away last week of Herman Farrugia, a Nationalist MP for21 years up to 1992. Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said DrFarrugia would always be remembered for being a correct, honest politician.Opposition whip Joe Mizzi said Dr Farrugia was an honest politician whosemanner of conducting debate should be emulated. He was also a doctorwho was always ready to be of service.• 15 November 2006 Commercial flights operated by European airlines will startbeing included in the EU's emissions trading scheme, at least from 2013onwards. A new communication highlighting changes the EuropeanCommission would like to introduce in the next phase of the scheme clearlystates that aviation will form part of this pro-climate change scheme, meaningthat European airlines will have to start paying for their flight carbon emissions.This can push upwards the cost of travel as most of the airlines are expectedto pass this extra cost onto the consumer.• 15 November 2006 A Microsoft package consisting of Windows Vista Upgradeand Office 2007 Professional is being offered at a reduced rate to students,

teachers and persons with a disability. Industry, Investmend and InformationTechnology Minister Austin Gatt said during a visit to the Tereza Nuzzo School,in Marsa, that this was the third Microsoft package being offered at a greatlydiscounted price. The package, which retails at Lm350, is being offered forLm46.• 15 November 2006 Maltacom has invested €6.7 million to upgrade its fixedline telephony switching network, which will serve as a platform for newservices in the future. Within three weeks all its subscribers, 200,000 and over,will have migrated to the new exchange, an exercise that is being done in theearly morning hours to avoid disrupting the service. So far, 80% of thecompany's customer base has migrated.• 15 November 2006 Heritage Malta has developed an innovative way inwhich to turn a child's visit to Tarxien Temples into an exciting, enjoyable andeducational experience, in an initiative funded by The Maltese NationalCommission for Unesco and Bank of Valletta. Yosanne Vella, a pedagogistspecialised in the teaching of history and a lecturer at the University of Malta,has developed a children's workbook and onsite activities aimed atencouraging pre-teenage children to adopt a critical and creative approachto the megalithic temples.• 16 November 2006 Biodiesel, the clean alternative to diesel, is now being soldfrom 15 petrol stations in Malta and three in Gozo. Biodiesel, which needs tobe mixed with normal diesel, is a clean fuel produced from vegetable andanimal fats and oils. Environment and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicinosaid during a visit to Manoel Island Service Station that from an environmentalperspective, biodiesel had two advantages - it was produced from fats andoils and emissions were lower than from normal fossil fuels.• 16 November 2006 Elderly women worldwide are potentially at risk due to alack of education, employment and insurance, and they should not beforgotten, Helen D'Amato, Parliamentary Secretary for the Elderly said. Shewas addressing a Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference onStrengthening The Role Of Women In Society, in Istanbul.• 16 November 2006 MPs from both sides of Parliament agreed that theOccupational Health and Safety Authority is being constrained by a shortageof manpower. They also agreed that the focus of the authority needs to be onaccident prevention through education and awareness. Education, Youthand Employment Minister Louis Galea, speaking at the opening of a debateon the authority's budget praised the authority for its performance, despitehaving limited resources.• 16 November 2006 Malta's proposal for a Small States Network for EconomicDevelopment has been accepted by the World Bank and the island will hostits permanent secretariat, Tonio Fenech, Parliamentary Secretary in theFinance Ministry, said. The run-up to the setting up of the network, which aimsto aid the economic development of small countries that share commonproblems, dates back to the Small States Forum held at the World Bank inWashington DC in September 2005.• 16 November 2006 Expenditure on social security benefits increased by 6.6%in the first nine months of this year over the same period last year due tohigher outlays on retirement pensions, according to the National StatisticsOffice. The NSO said that total expenditure on social security benefitsamounted to Lm174.4 million, up by Lm10.8 million. This reflected an increaseof Lm9.5 million on the contributory benefits category and Lm1.3 million on thenon-contributory benefits category.

• 16 November 2006 External assets held by Maltese residents abroad at theend of 2005 amounted to Lm10.3 billion while liabilities stood at Lm9.4 billion,implying an international investment position (IIP) of Lm877 million. TheNational Statistics Office said that at just over Lm8 billion, claims in the form ofportfolio investments, financial derivatives and other investments held byresident banks over non-resident entities constituted 79% of external assets.• 16 November 2006 Maltese citizens who have a connection with Australia arebeing urged to contact the Australian government to insist on the adoption ofa Labour proposed amendment allowing Maltese children to take upAustralian citizenship once their parents have regained theirs. The AustralianLabour Party is urging anyone interested to write to Andrew Robb, theParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and MulticulturalAffairs, listing any concerns about the Citizenship Bill and insisting that theHoward government adopt the Labour Party's amendment.• 16 November 2006 Malta does not agree with the European Commission thatenlargement should be halted until institutional reform is completed within theEU - at least not in the case of Croatia. This was made clear during Monday'sBrussels meeting of EU Foreign Ministers who discussed the recent strategyreport issued by the Commission on enlargement. Foreign Affairs MinisterMichael Frendo said Malta believes that both the institutional reforms througha ratified Constitution and accession negotiations with Croatia and Turkey areessential for the future of the EU.• 16 November 2006 Restoration works on the St Michael and St Basil chapels,in Mqabba, were visited by Resources and Infrastructure Minister Ninu Zammit.The works include the restoration of the façades, the sacristy and the wallsurrounding the complex. The statue of St Michael and its niche are to beincluded in the restoration. The mediaeval chapel of St Basil started being builtin 1486 and its structure clearly shows that it was enlarged three times.• 16 November 2006 Malta's High Commissioner to Australia, Francis Tabone,presented his Letters of Commission to Major General Philip Michael Jeffery,Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia, in a ceremony atGovernment House in Canberra. After the presentation, Mr Tabone held ameeting with the Governor General where further cooperation betweenMalta and Australia and Malta's economic and cultural relationship withAustralia were discussed.• 16 November 2006 MEPs approved one of the most significant pieces ofEuropean Union legislation in the last decade, opening the way for theliberalisation and open competition in the provision of various services in theEU. The new Services Directive, containing only limited technical amendmentsto the original draft legislation endorsed by EU governments earlier this year,was approved by an overwhelming majority in a second reading vote takenduring the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.• 16 November 2006 As part of this year's celebrations of Universal Children'sDay, a leaflet with a kite that can be cut out has been distributed to allhouseholds in Malta and Gozo. The leaflet, which has just been launched byMinister for Family and Solidarity, Dolores Cristina, contains instructions on howto make the kite and invites children to design it.• 16 November 2006 Over 200 Form II students are taking part in the secondphase of the nationwide campaign on climate change, launched in schoolsthis month. The campaign, entitled You Control Climate Change, seeks toraise awareness of climate change and about individual and collectiveresponsibilities towards the environment.

• 17 November 2006 There has been a notable shift this year away from the useof cable TV to satellite and digital TV, a National Statistics Office survey shows.The use of mobile phones has increased significantly, being found in 87.2% ofhouseholds. There was also an increased use of internet enabled mobilephones, although the use of this device was comparatively low at 6.5%.• 17 November 2006 Maltese women are still generally lumped with all thehousehold chores, according to a survey which confirms that gender equalityat home remains a far cry. Women still do, almost exclusively, all the cooking,ironing, laundry and buy clothes, as men generally take responsibility of repairand maintenance. The study, Gender Stereotypes And Education carried outby Suzanne Gatt and Kevin Gatt on behalf of the National Commission for thePromotion of Equality, probed 500 primary and secondary students. Thefindings were unveiled during a conference.• 17 November 2006 Outbound tourists in September reached 29,738, bringingthe total for the first nine months of the year to 197,589. This represents a 10%increase over the same period a year ago, the National Statistics Office said.In September, 25,430 travelled by air, and 4,308 travelled by sea. Over 24,500outbound tourists left for EU destinations, predominantly Italy and the UK.• 17 November 2006 The European Union must regain its self-confidence,Foreign Minister Michael Frendo said when addressing the Parish-basedFrench Institute for International Relations (IFRI) on the Future of Europe. DrFrendo said people in Malta were asking what Europe had they joined: AEurope which has not managed to ratify its constitutional treaty and onewhich was unable to reach agreement on its financial perspectives and, fromthe new states point of view, unable to assist them with cohesion funding.• 17 November 2006 A new downloadable application which will help makesavings on electricity bills and reduce the amount of greenhouse gasesemitted from powering a computer has been launched by Uniblue Systems.The application, which can be downloaded from www.localcooling.com,finds the computer's power settings and presents them in an easy-to-useinterface, which will in return aid the users into optimising the energy efficiencyof their computers.• 17 November 2006 The inflation rate in October stood at 3.1% compared with3.2% in the previous month, the National Statistics Office said.• 17 November 2006 Fingerscan technology is being introduced by the Britishbiometric visas and passports technology programme to increase the integrityof the immigration process by fixing the identity of visa applicants and make acontribution against international terrorism and organised crime. Its usesinclude access control to buildings, replacing access passwords on computersystems and fingerscan identification for deposit box holders and numberedaccounts for banks. It is also hoped that this technology will help to simplifypassenger travel.• 17 November 2006 This will be a record year for cruise passengers visitingMalta and about 400,000 passengers are expected to have disembarked inValletta by the end of this year, Tourism and Culture Minister Francis ZammitDimech said. Dr Zammit Dimech, who was speaking at the Fifth EuropeanTourism Forum on European Tourism: New Opportunities held in Limassol,Cyprus, said cruise passenger traffic in Malta increased by 35.5% in the firstnine months of this year.• 18 November 2006 The government intends to set up a national platform toaddress the problem of obesity, Health, the Elderly and Community CareMinister Louis Deguara said. The platform will develop, implement andmonitor action plans to tackle obesity and to create a favourable

environment where people can assume a greater degree of control over theirown health. Speaking during a ministerial conference on obesity and healthproblems caused by extra weight in Istanbul, Dr Deguara said two-thirds ofMaltese men and more than half of Maltese women are overweight or obese.• 18 November 2006 The National Book Awards, organised by the NationalBook Council, attracted 166 entries, compared to 80 the previous year, whichvied for the top prizes in six different categories. Council chairman GorgMallia said that the quality of books has reached its best-ever stage ofproduction, "so we need to weed out the ones that are not good, or at leasthelp them become better".• 18 November 2006 Total tax revenue during 2005 increased by 8.3% over theprevious year to stand at Lm691.1 million, the National Statistics Office said.Tax revenue may be broadly classified under three main headings: indirecttaxes, direct taxes and social security contributions. Indirect taxes, at Lm313.6million, made up 45.4% of total tax revenues in 2005.• 18 November 2006 The Central Bank raised the central intervention rate by 25basis points to 3.75%. The Bank said that to the extent that higher interest ratesdampen the relatively strong demand for credit by the personal sector andencourage savings, they should limit the demand for imports and help tocontain inflationary pressures. The decision was taken by the Bank's Governorat the end of the Monetary Policy Advisory Council meeting.• 18 November 2006 The Ta' Dbiegi artisan village in Gozo was inauguratedafter an embellishment programme costing Lm70,000, 75% of which wasprovided by the European Union. Whoever works from this village willspecialise in the manufacture of artisan objects and not be a souvenir shop,said Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and the Self Employed, EdwinVassallo, at the inauguration ceremony.• 18 November 2006 The secretary for foreign affairs of the Libyan People'sCongress said on Thursday that his country recognised the problems whichillegal migration was causing Malta but said this and other issues should not bea distraction from the development of closer relations between the twocountries. Suleiman Elshahumi was speaking during an hour-long meetingwith Parliament's Foreign and European Affairs Committee.• 18 November 2006 President Emeritus Guido de Marco urged caution in thepromotion of a multi-ethnic state in Europe. Delivering a keynote speechduring the autumn session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisationfor Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), being held in Malta, Prof. deMarco said European states still had to evolve into multi-ethnicity and theyshould not rush.• 18 November 2006 The Retail Price Index rose by 0.41% last month, bringingthe inflation rate to 3.27%, the National Statistics Office said. The indexincreased to 110.64. The 12-month moving average rate of inflation, at 3.27%in October, was down from 3.42% in September.• 18 November 2006 Dwindling parish collections have dented theArchdiocese of Malta's fiscal surplus in 2005, statistics released show. The netsurplus for the year ending 2005 was Lm109,395, down from the Lm187,110recorded the previous year. However, the Church's fixed assets value reachedLm63.7 million, up from Lm56.8 million in 2004.• 18 November 2006 Five students from San Anton School, in L-Imselliet, limits ofMgarr, were among the winners of the Youth And The Oceans - The ArtworksCompetition, a painting contest for Maltese students under the age of 16organised by the International Ocean Institute (IOI). Students from primaryand secondary schools prepared paintings and drawings under seven

different themes related to the sea. Hundreds of students participated in thecompetition and the 30 best entries were selected by a committee to beposted on the IOI children's website.• 19 November 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo is taking theinitiative to try to push for the start of a new relationship between theEuropean Union, its member states and the Arab world. In a meeting with EU-Brussels based journalists last week, Minister Frendo revealed that he haswritten to the current Finnish EU Presidency, proposing a summit at foreignminister level, if necessary in Malta, to discuss how the essential dialoguebetween the EU and the Arab world could evolve further and even deepen.• 19 November 2006 Public spending on welfare, higher education and healthmust be "critically reviewed" if the government is to make better use of itsresources, Central Bank governor Michael Bonello has warned. However,difficult decisions of this kind would be taken much faster and more effectivelyif a bi-partisan approach were adopted, the governor said. Addressing theannual dinner of the Malta Institute of Financial Services on Friday in thepresence of Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, Mr Bonello underlined theimportance of adopting the euro, but stressed that it was not enough in itself.• 19 November 2006 Malta has made an impassioned plea for assistance withthe illegal immigration problem, amid claims that 700 immigrants perished inthe Mediterranean last summer alone. Justice and Home Affairs Minister TonioBorg and his Labour counterpart Gavin Gulia spoke with one voice at theParliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation inEurope (OSCE), held at the Westin Dragonara. While the problem of illegalimmigration was not particular to Malta, it was uniquely serious in one of themost densely populated countries in the world, Dr Borg told representativesfrom 47 states.• 19 November 2006 The Maltese might have a reputation for unruly driving, buta new report claims there are countries with a worse track record. The fastest,most hot-tempered drivers are the Italians, the Spanish and the Greeks, whilethe rudest and most reckless drivers are the South Africans, according to the2006 World Driving Report, compiled by easycar.com.• 20 November 2006 The National Euro Changeover Committee (NECC) hasissued warning letters to more than 50 outlets that were displaying prices ineuro and lira based on an incorrect exchange rate. As the official voluntarydual display date - January 1, 2007 - approaches, an increasing number ofretailers have started displaying prices in both currencies on receipts, menusand shelves. Simultaneously, more customers have been watchful that theconversion is being made at the central parity rate of €1:Lm0.4293.• 20 November 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo said seriousconsideration should be given to the suggestion made by Spain, France andItaly to deploy an international peacekeeping force in the Gaza Strip.Addressing the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security andCooperation in Europe (OSCE) on the last day of its meeting in Malta, DrFrendo said: "The idea of an international mission to monitor a ceasefire inGaza makes sense and we should not throw out the baby with thebathwater".• 20 November 2006 Families flocked to Ta' Qali to enjoy the lovely weatherand take part in activities organised by the Family and Social Solidarity Ministryon the occasion of World Children's Day. The picnic area at Ta' Qali wastransformed into an activity area where children, young people and otherfamily members could enjoy an afternoon of entertainment.

• 20 November 2006 More than 14,000 book lovers visited the 22nd Malta BookFair at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, in Valletta, over the weekend.The fair returned to the MCC from the Naxxar Trade Fair Grounds - whichhosted it for almost a decade - after failing to attract crowds last year.National Book Council chairman Gorg Mallia said that participants werehappy with the attendance, adding that a good number of people hadturned up.• 21 November 2006 President Edward Fenech-Adami on Sunday visited Nadur,a village which he said distinguished itself from other localities by its number ofvoluntary organisations. After hearing Mass concelebrated by Gozo BishopMario Grech, the President was welcomed by the Mnarja folk group on thechurch parvis. The patron saints of Nadur are Saints Peter and Paul whosefeast is celebrated on June 29, when the agricultural festival of Mnarja ismarked.• 21 November 2006 The government has published the names of the membersof the Planning Appeal Boards A and B according to the DevelopmentPlanning Act. The members for the next three years are: Board A - Ian SpiteriBailey, chairman and Saviour Borg and Konrad Thake. Board B - DoreenClarke, chairman and Patrick Camilleri and Jacques Borg Barthet. The boardswere appointed by President Edward Fenech-Adami on the advice of theRural Affairs and Environment Minister George Pullicino.• 21 November 2006 Franco Frattini, Vice President of the EuropeanCommission, has confirmed the Commission's intention to offer help to Libya inits ongoing struggle to combat irregular migration, the government said. MrFrattini, who was addressing the 36th Conference of Community andEuropean Affairs Committees of Parliaments of the EU in Helsinki, Finland, alsoemphasised the importance of the fact that, for the first time, Libya was givingthe impression it was ready to cooperate with EU member states in tacklingthe serious issue of illegal immigration and the crime associated with it.• 21 November 2006 Tecom International will make a formal announcement onthe launch of SmartCity in Malta next month, according to a top official inDubai quoted in the Gulf News. Tecom International executive directorFareed Abdul Rahman told the newspaper that his company would investbillions in two smart cities in Kochi, India, and Malta in the coming months.SmartCity will invest Dh1.46 billion in Kochi (Lm133 million) and another Dh1.1billion (Lm100 million) in Malta, he said.• 21 November 2006 Simon Busuttil, member of the European Parliament,presented a parliamentary question signed by 50 MEPs calling on theEuropean Commission to press the US to waive its visa requirement for thecitizens of new EU member states. The signatories all hail from these states,Malta being one of them. Dr Busuttil also asked for a debate to be held inParliament over this issue.• 21 November 2006 Sales and investment in the manufacturing industryincreased during the third quarter of the year, driven mainly by the radio, TVand communication equipment sub-sector, while employment declined,according to the National Statistics Office. Total manufacturing sales went upby 7.3% to Lm261.3 million during the third quarter compared to the sameperiod last year, the NSO said. The broad trends in manufacturing sales reflectthose for the first nine months of the year, when manufacturing sales rose by7.8%, reaching Lm755.3 million.• 21 November 2006 Children's Commissioner Sonia Camilleri said there needsto be more awareness about the need to protect the unborn child in the firstmonths of gestation. On the occasion of World Children's Day Mrs Camillerireceived a visit from a pregnant mother, who was part of a delegation led by

the Movement for the Well-Being of the Unborn Child made up of 42 nationalorganisations, including the three political parties and trade unions.• 21 November 2006 Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said that adecision he took four years ago to authorise the interception of calls from amobile phone discovered at the prisons had led the police to 19 drugtraffickers and also alerted them to how some at the law courts could fall tocertain temptations. As a result two judges were arraigned.• 21 November 2006 A total of 124 adults and 49 children aged between oneand 12 were sent for treatment abroad in the first six months of this year. Allwere treated in the UK except for one adult who was treated in Israel, Health,the Elderly and Community Care Minister Louis Deguara said in reply toparliamentary questions.• 21 November 2006 Foreign Minister Michael Frendo was on a two-day officialvisit to Denmark where he held talks with Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs PerStig Moeller to discuss issues of bilateral interest and international affairs. Healso addressed the Danish Foreign Policy Association on "Illegal immigration: isthere a solution?".• 21 November 2006 Saint James Hospital has committed itself to planting atree for every child born at one of its hospitals, "to celebrate the miracle oflife". Over the weekend, Dr Muscat, in the presence of Rural Affairs and theEnvironment Minister George Pullicino, attended a tree-planting ceremony atKennedy Grove, Salina. The trees, sponsored by Saint James Hospital Group,were planted on behalf of the parents of children born at the group'shospitals.• 22 November 2006 The Vice-Chancellor of the University of London, SirGraeme Davies, paid a courtesy visit on Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi at hisoffice in Valletta. Sir Graeme, who was accompanied by a delegation ofprofessors from the prestigious Goldsmiths College, said the University ofLondon will continue to assist Malta's St Martin's Institute of IT to set itself up tothe standards of international tertiary education of the calibre and reputationof the University of London. Dr Gonzi said the government has made clear itsvision to develop Malta into a centre of excellence in educational servicesand that research and innovation will be supported.• 22 November 2006 Sample artworks of press advertisements promoting Maltain the UK were discussed by senior executives of the Malta Tourism Authoritywith Malta holiday specialists at meetings held during the World Travel Marketin London earlier this month. The delegation to the WTM was led by MTAchairman Sam Mifsud and included CEO David Mifsud.• 22 November 2006 Parents born on or after 1962 who temporarily leave theirjob to raise their children will have their national insurance contributionscredited by the government for up to two years per child aged under six,Family and Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina told Parliament. Speaking duringthe debate on pensions reform, Minister Cristina said NI would be credited forup to four years in the case of children aged up to 10 having a seriousdisability.• 22 November 2006 Education, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galeasaid that the fees charged for foreigners attending state schools were Lm67per term for primary schools, Lm80 per term for secondary schools and Lm94per term for post secondary schools. He said no fees were charged to EUcitizens, foreigners adopted by Maltese, foreigners who had one of theirparents married to a Maltese or an EU citizen and foreigners in Malta forhumanitarian reasons. The minister was replying to a parliamentary question.

• 22 November 2006 There are 134,557 households in Malta, according to the2005 Survey On Income and Living Conditions, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzisaid in reply to a parliamentary question.• 22 November 2006 Malta's IT sector has 6,000 employees, 75% of the tourismindustry, Investment, Industry and Information Technology Minister Austin Gattsaid, describing the sector as "the backbone of the economy" because itinfiltrated all aspects of life. In about five years' time, the IT sector would bebigger than the tourism industry itself, both in terms of value added and thenumber of employees, he told students at the university.• 22 November 2006 Although jobs in research and development are still veryscarce in the Maltese economy, the value of high-tech exports accounts formore than half of all the products exported from Malta, according to newstatistics published by Eurostat in Brussels. In 2004 Maltese high-tech productsaccounted for 56% of all the manufacturing sector's exports. This is the highestpercentage in all the EU25 member states.• 22 November 2006 The number of traffic accidents in the third quarter of thisyear declined by 494 compared to the same period last year, the NationalStatistics Office said, putting the total of 3,672. The number of personssustaining grievous or fatal injuries was 76, of whom 57 were male and 19 werefemale. There were three fatalities, who were all men - one pedestrian andtwo car drivers. The number of slightly injured persons amounted to 241, 157men and 84 women.• 22 November 2006 In the period between EU accession in 2004 and themiddle of this month the European Commission launched 186 infringementprocedures against Malta for non-compliance with EU rules. Forty-one casesremain pending on the list held by Brussels and Malta's PermanentRepresentative to the EU, Richard Cachia Caruana, considers this to be a signthat Malta is coping well with the new legislative regime.• 22 November 2006 US Ambassador Molly Bordonaro has officially opened thecomputer room at Centru Tbexbix in Cospicua. The centre, which opened itsdoors earlier this year, is a community educational and social service projectthat offers a number of programmes including English-language instruction forchildren and adults wishing to improve their English skills.• 22 November 2006 The latest initiative by Agenzija sedqa to support itsprevention programmes against substance abuse is a new interactive andeducational CD-ROM aimed at primary school children. The CD-ROM waslaunched this week by Louis Galea, Minister for Education, Youth andEmployment, and by Dolores Cristina, Minister for the Family and SocialSolidarity on the occasion of World Children's Day, which was marked onSunday.• 22 November 2006 There were increases in the volume and value of fresh fruitand vegetables sold through official markets in the third quarter of this year.The volume of marketed fresh fruit and vegetables increased by 5.4% to 15.8million kilogrammes when compared to the same period last year. Thewholesale value of this produce rose by 20.1% to Lm2.31 million. In the first ninemonths this year, a total of 38.8 million kilogrammes yielding Lm6.38 millionpassed through organised markets.• 23 November 2006 The European Union has promised African countries itwould offer their citizens jobs and training if they cooperate in curbing illegalmigration and implement effective mechanisms for the readmission ofmigrants from Europe. Addressing Foreign and Home Affairs Ministers at theEU-Africa meeting on migration and development being held in Tripoli, Libya,the EU Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security, Franco Frattini, said

the EU would make it easier for Africans to enter Europe legally, even if withinlimited quotas, provided they agreed to accept back migrants enteringEurope illegally.• 23 November 2006 The government has just finished drawing up a strategicplan for tourism and is now launching the consultation process, Prime MinisterLawrence Gonzi said. Dr Gonzi, who was speaking at Auberge de Castille inValletta at the start of a meeting with the newly-elected council of the MaltaHotels and Restaurants Association, said the proposed plan had absorbed themajority of suggestions made by the government-appointed consultativegroup.• 23 November 2006 The European Commission gave the green light to ascheme launched by the government last July subsidising a number of new airroutes to and from Malta. Ryanair, which started operating scheduled flightsfrom Luton and Pisa at the end of last month, was the first airline to benefitfrom the scheme.• 23 November 2006 44,694 vehicles have been reported to the MaltaTransport Authority (ADT) since August last year for excessive exhaust fumes.However, only 3,737 vehicles have been called in for testing. An ADTspokesman said the other vehicles had not received enough reports to becalled in. In order to put off pranksters, the ADT had decided to only testvehicles that get a minimum of three reports.• 23 November 2006 A slight increase in registered unemployed was recordedlast month compared to October 2005. Figures released by the NationalStatistics Office show that the number of registered unemployed increased by50 and reached 7,171 last month. The vast majority of them - 6,394 - wereregistered under Part One of the unemployment register, which means theyare either new job seekers who have left school, those going back into thelabour market or people who have been made redundant by their formeremployers.• 23 November 2006 The enhancement of bilateral cooperation andcommercial exchanges between Malta and Tunisia in the agricultural andenvironmental fields were discussed during a seminar organised incollaboration with the Malta Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise andattended by Tunisian Ambassador Mohammed Mezghani. Environment andRural Affairs Minister George Pullicino, told the seminar that the event was oneof the many activities, ranging from commercial exchanges to maritime andair transport, upon which Malta and Tunisia have agreed to exchangeinformation and cooperate.• 23 November 2006 The Bill on pensions reform was approved in committee bythe House of Representatives after the opposition voted against the clausesraising the retirement age to 65 and the contribution period of NationalInsurance to 40 years. During the sitting, Parliamentary within the Ministry ofFinance Secretary Tonio Fenech said that the government had consideredways how it could introduce second pillar pension schemes with immediateeffect before eventually deciding to put them off to a later date.• 23 November 2006 New hotels or extensions to existing hotels are expectedto increase the bed stock by more than 5,000 by 2009, Tourism and CultureMinister Francis Zammit Dimech said. Only this year the number of availablebeds increased by more than 600. He said the 37 projects currently underwaywill entail a cumulative investment of over Lm100 million.• 23 November 2006 Malta has presented the European Commission with itsplan on how to spend the €855 million in EU funds granted to the island for thebudgetary period 2007-2013. The plan spells out the needs of the Maltese

economy in order to close the gap, as far as possible, with the economy ofthe EU.• 24 November 2006 President Edward Fenech-Adami formally received thenew Ambassador of Israel Gideon Meir and the new Latvian AmbassadorAstra Kurme. During the ceremony, which took place at The Palace, Valletta,the envoys presented their letters of credence of the President, signifying theirassumption of diplomatic duties in the country.• 24 November 2006 The seats normally filled by MPs in the House ofRepresentatives were taken over by children in a sitting of Children'sParliament. This sitting has become an annual event during which childrenspeak on issues that concern them and expect adults to listen. This year'stheme, chosen by the Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity to markUniversal Children's Day 2006, was "towards a better welfare for children".• 24 November 2006 For just Lm2.95 a month, fixed phone line subscribers maynow get 100 minutes of free talk time and unlimited access to other "hello"subscribers, as Melita Cable unveiled its new telephone service. In an initiativedescribed by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi as "another milestone" for thelocal telecoms industry, Melita's new telephony system is designed togenerate considerable savings on bills. The new system enables households tocommunicate with every other local network plus more than 1,000international telephone operators at a fraction of the costs they are used topay on their current phone bills.• 24 November 2006 Cruise passenger traffic in October increased by 12.4%over the same month last year, mainly attributable to an increase in visitorswho come in for one day, the National Statistics Office said. Cruise passengertraffic rose by 6,602 persons, from 53,114 to 59,716, reflecting mainly passengerdepartures, including persons travelling in transit and those embarking fromMalta.• 24 November 2006 A premium on lira interest rates would still be required inthe near future, Central Bank of Malta Governor Michael Bonello told amonetary policy hearing of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee(PAC) on Wednesday. He said the lira needed to be protected until theadoption of the euro by making domestic assets attractive to investors, and toreduce the risk of locally-generated inflation emanating from excessive creditgrowth.• 24 November 2006 Parliament on Wednesday unanimously gave a secondreading to a Bill to regulate the enforcement of intellectual property rights bytransposing European Union directive 2004/48/EC. Competitiveness andCommunications Minister Censu Galea reiterated that having effectiveenforcement of intellectual property rights helped and encouraged all thoseinvolved in research and innovation and would help in Malta's economicdevelopment. He welcomed the fact that there was consensus in the Houseon the subject.• 24 November 2006 The stock of motor vehicles in the third quarter of this yearrose by 1,600 to stand at 277,400, the National Statistics Office said. Of these,75.9% were private vehicles while commercial vehicles made up 16.3%. Thenumber of new licences issued during the quarter amounted to 3,430, 75% ofthem being for private vehicles.• 24 November 2006 EU citizens cannot buy duty-free products from anothermember state unless they physically carry the merchandise themselves andthe purchase is for personal use. In a landmark judgment by the EuropeanCourt of Justice (EJC) in Luxembourg, it was made clear that excise duty hasto be paid in full if purchases, particularly of alcohol and stacks of cigarettes,

from another member state are made online, through telephone or viacatalogue.• 24 November 2006 Former ambassador and director of protocol and consularservices Leslie Agius has been appointed the Foreign Ministry's contact pointfor the Malta's honorary consular network. Mr Agius, who has vast experiencein diplomatic affairs, will assist the newly appointed Director of Protocol andConsular Services Olaph Terribile in maximising the potential of Malta'sworldwide consular network. Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendoannounced the appointment when he was opening the 2nd meeting ofHonorary Consuls of Malta.• 25 November 2006 Hundreds of people were jolted out of their sleep when asea tremor rattled the island, 15 hours after another minor earthquake.Nobody was injured and no damages were reported despite the tremormeasuring 4.7 on the Richter scale. The tremor's epicentre was 120 kilometreseast of the island. The shake, at about 5.40 a.m., was strong enough to forcepeople out into the streets, and the Civil Protection Department wasinundated with phone calls from people who feared the worst.• 25 November 2006 The incidence of new cancer cases has increased byabout 10% over the past decade with a staggering 1,400-odd cases beingregistered annually. As high as this figure might sound, the incidence ofcancer in Malta is not higher than in other Western countries, Stephen Brincat,the chairman of the Radiotherapy and Oncology Department at Sir Paul BoffaHospital, said.• 25 November 2006 The shortfall between government recurrent revenue andtotal expenditure as recorded in the Consolidated Fund for the first 10 monthsof the year narrowed by Lm8.8 million, the National Statistics Office said. Theshortfall amounted to Lm73.2 million.• 26 November 2006 Lufthansa Technik is set to invest up to 60 million euros inMalta on new aircraft maintenance facilities to handle large Airbus A330 andA340 aircraft. Subject to the finalisation of a new collective agreement withtrade unions, the facility should be up and running as early as 2008 and willeventually create 550 new jobs, the German company said. Investment,Industry and Information Technology Minister Austin Gatt welcomed thedecision and said the company would be building a 27,000 m2 hangar toperform regular C-checks on A330 and A340 long-haul aircraft as well asoverhauls, known as D-checks.• 26 November 2006 An air crash rescue exercise involving personnel from anumber of agencies was held close to Girgenti. The exercise was planned bythe Civil Protection Department to test response to the "crash" of an aircraftwith 40 people on board close to Buskett. The CPD said the idea behind thisexercise was to bring all early response units together in an exercise aimed atidentifying difficulties which may arise in a real-life crisis, and to enhance thecapabilities and early-response skills of all involved.• 26 November 2006 Dr Jimmy Farrugia, a former Speaker of the House ofRepresentatives and Acting President of the Republic, passed away. He was84. A respected physician in the Paola-Tarxien area, Dr Farrugia wasNationalist MP between 1976 and 1986 and served as Speaker between July1987 and October 1988. The Nationalist Party paid tribute to Dr Farrugia,saying that he had served his country loyally and describing him as a personof great values. The Labour Party also expressed its condolences.• 26 November 2006 A new residential service to help children who needspecialised, high support therapeutic assistance was launched in a jointventure between Government, the Jesus of Nazareth Institute of Zejtun, and

the Richmond Foundation. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Family andSocial Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina toured the premises.• 26 November 2006 A C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft of the Belgian Air Forceferried to Brussels airport two of a set of priceless 18th century Flemishtapestries from St John's Co-Cathedral. Their final destination is the De WitLaboratories in Mehelen, a world-renowned restoration centre of tapestries.The two tapestries, The Triumph of the Catholic Church and the portrait ofGrand Master Perellos, form part of a ten-year joint project between St John'sCo-Cathedral Foundation and the Belgian Government. All 29 tapestries, adonation of Grand Master Perellos on the occasion of his election in 1697, willbe restored over a ten-year period.• 26 November 2006 Malta is being used as a model of how communicationregulators around the EU should monitor the risks related to emissions ofelectro-magnetic fields (EMF) from communication transmitters like mobilebase stations, television repeaters and microwave links. Colin Camilleri, chieftechnology officer at the Malta Communications Authority, last weekpresented the MCA's experience on the issue to representatives ofcommunication regulators and international telecommunication providersgathered in Brussels for a seminar.• 26 November 2006 The Ministry of Tourism and Culture is to introduce anannual major celebration of the Epiphany, building on the success of NotteBianca, Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said. The event would serve toprolong Yuletide and wind up the celebrations. Dr Zammit Dimech wasspeaking during the launch of the fourth Malta International Folk Festivalwhich will be held by M & E Management Group on December 28 and 29 onValletta's Freedom Square.• 27 November 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said as international oilprices drop the government was in a position to reduce the surcharge further,which will be announced later. Speaking at a political activity in Gzira, thePrime Minister told those present to reflect on the government's string ofinvestment successes. "We're not begging anybody to come and invest herebut companies are recognising our sound economy, our good workforce," hesaid.• 27 November 2006 The head of the European Parliament office in Malta,Julian Vassallo, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi. DrVassallo spoke about what the office intended to do to make the Maltesefeel closer to the European Parliament's decision-making process. Dr Vassalloand the Prime Minister also discussed citizens' access to EU funds, finding thebest way to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome andstrengthening the cooperation that existed between the European Parliamentand Malta's Parliament.• 27 November 2006 The public had the opportunity to sample olive oils,including the Wardija Extra Virgin, and savour a variety of delicacies and freshproduce that mixes well with olive oil during a Festa taz-Zejt taz-Zebbuga atBurmarrd parish church square. Organised by the Rural Affairs and theEnvironment Ministry, the idea was to promote the olive oil industry, which hasexperienced slumps in the past but is being revived thanks to a number ofproducers of various sizes.• 27 November 2006 Medmission, a trans-national project partly funded by theStructural Funds programme for Malta 2004-2006 - Interreg IIIB Archimed, waspresented to the media by the Maltese partner Fondazzjoni Temi Zammit andthe Tourism and Culture Ministry. The project aims at exploiting the commoncultural heritage of Mediterranean cities through the creation of a sustainable

cultural network following the Apostle Paul's missionary path for the expansionof Christianity.• 28 November 2006 Malta's plans to adopt the euro by January 2008 receivedanother boost when a senior European Commission official expressedoptimism that the country would overcome the inflation rate hurdle.• 28 November 2006 Green wardens will start patrolling major developmentprojects in April to ensure dust control, adequate signage and properconstruction site management. Environment and Rural Affairs Minister GeorgePullicino said these wardens will also include on their beat smaller projects inseven localities - Sliema, St Julians, Swieqi, Marsascala, St Paul's Bay, Melliehaand Marsalforn - where there is the greatest concentration of constructionwork.• 28 November 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi made it clear that hisgovernment would come down hard on those businesses planning to takeadvantage of the euro changeover. Concerns over price rises aresymptomatic of any new currency, Dr Gonzi said. Yet, in a free marketeconomy, it would not be in the interest of any business or retailer to hikeprices.• 28 November 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi flew to Brussels to take partin a meeting of EU Finance and Economic Affairs Ministers - Ecofin. Dr Gonzi,was accompanied by Finance Ministry Parliamentary Secretary Tonio Fenech.• 28 November 2006 The positive outcome of Sunday's referendum inSwitzerland will mean that Malta will net an additional €2 million in funds overand above the already negotiated €855 million package granted under theEU cohesion policy for 2007-2013. On Sunday, 53.4% of the Swiss electoratevoted in favour of pouring one billion Swiss francs into the 10 new memberstates over the next five years in exchange for bilateral agreements betweenthe neutral European country and the EU which allows Switzerland to benefitfrom added trade and other commercial opportunities in an enlarged EU• 28 November 2006 High demand for the Park and Ride service has spurredthe authorities to reduce waiting time for the shuttle van to Valletta duringpeak times. The number of minivans operating the service, which is free ofcharge, was topped up by two as from. Eight vans are now ferryingpassengers from the car park to Valletta and back between 8.30 and 10.30a.m. bringing down waiting time to two minutes maximum. An average of1,600 people are using the shuttle service daily, with around six opting to cycleinto Valletta, a spokesman for the Roads and Urban Development Ministrysaid.• 28 November 2006 The number of positive HIV tests reached 20 this year up tothe end of October, figures given in Parliament show. The highest evernumber of positive tests was 26 in the whole of 2002. There have been 7,853tests so far this year, which is already a record. The next highest was 6,197 testslast year. The information was given by Health, the Elderly and CommunityCare Minister Louis Deguara in reply to a parliamentary question.• 28 November 2006 The courts finalised 61 adoptions this year up to October31, Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg said in reply to aparliamentary question. He said 19 of the children came from Russia, 18 fromEthiopia, 15 from Malta, two each from Bulgaria and Pakistan and one eachfrom Albania, India, Malawi, Thailand and Uzbekistan.• 28 November 2006 The House of Representatives expressed its condolencesfollowing the death of Jimmy Farrugia, a former Speaker, a Nationalist MP for10 years up to 1986 and an Acting President.

• 28 November 2006 It took hours of negotiation before a delicate situationinvolving a hijacked plane that landed in Malta was resolved. The stickysituation was a simulation exercise, and police and soldiers stopping drivers atroadblocks made this clear to them in order to avoid spreading alarm. Thehijack exercise is carried out every two years but was postponed last yearbecause of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.• 28 November 2006 The European Union and partner members of theInternational Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) haveagreed on a series of measures to try to avert a crisis in the fishing of bluefintuna, particularly in the Mediterranean. According to scientific reports, tunastocks are rapidly being depleted due to overfishing, with the possibility ofextinction in a few years' time.• 28 November 2006 Air Malta has became Lufthansa's 33rd cooperationpartner with a code-sharing agreement between the airlines. Flights of thetwo airlines will share numbers as passengers are promised comfortableconnections and seamless travel through coordinated timetables.• 28 November 2006 The total number of nights spent in hotels and other"collective accommodation establishments" in September was 760,623, a fallof 4.5% over the corresponding month last year, the National Statistics Officesaid. Year-on-year, the average length of stay remained unchanged at 6.3nights.• 29 November 2006 European Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Commissioner JoeBorg said the adoption of new fishing regulations for the Mediterranean by EUmember states is an excellent example of effective and responsible fisheriesmanagement, striking a good balance between the social dimension andconservation needs. The agreement was struck by EU fisheries ministers inBrussels last week.• 29 November 2006 Fifty officials recently took part in an in-service trainingcourse organised by the Ministry for Rural Affairs and the Environment at theInstitute of Agriculture at the University of Malta. The course was aboutEuropean issues, EU structures and legislation and the roles of key structures inthe government set-up.• 29 November 2006 Meat production dropped during the third quarter of thisyear, particularly in the broiler industry. The National Statistics Office said totalmeat production in that quarter amounted to 3,137 tonnes, representing adrop of 16.8% when compared to the same period last year.• 29 November 2006 The economy is expected to grow by 2 - 2.6% in realterms, an increase of 0.3 percentage points over the previous projection, theCentral Bank of Malta said in its revised projections for 2006. The Central Bankwas commenting in the third issue of its Quarterly Review for 2006, whichanalyses economic and financial developments both in Malta and abroadduring the second quarter of 2006.• 29 November 2006 Industry, Investment and Information Technology MinisterAustin Gatt told Parliament that all vacant factories, save for six, have beenallocated or were earmarked for allocation. Dr Gatt said the currently vacantfactories were: 15 at Bulebel, six at Hal Far, four at Corradino, eight at Marsa,one at Mosta, two at Mriehel and San Gwann and three at Xewkija. The sixunallocated factories are in Hal Far and Corradino (one each) and Mrieheland Xewkija (two each). Dr Gatt also said that the users of 18 factories atRicasoli have been given alternative sites.

• 29 November 2006 During the first nine months of the year, 966 persons werestruck off parts one and two of the unemployment register. Replying to aparliamentary question Education, Youth and Employment Minister LouisGalea said that 138 persons were caught working while registering for work,599 refused a job while 229 refused training.• 29 November 2006 EU Finance Ministers approved a deal reached betweenthe government and the European Commission a few weeks ago on changesto be implemented to the business taxation laws. Tonio Fenech, ParliamentarySecretary in the Finance Ministry, who was accompanying the Prime Ministerduring the Ecofin meeting in Brussels, expressed his satisfaction that the EUrecognised Malta's specific situation and said the arrangement will mean thatthe Maltese financial services centre will continue to grow to everyone'sbenefit.• 29 November 2006 Francis Zammit Dimech, Minister for Tourism and Culture,was presented with the first copy of the publication of music scores of Maltesecomposers inspired by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Peter Bolech, CEO ofMalta International Airport and composer Charles Camilleri presented thepublication, which was sponsored by MIA, to mark the end of the Mozart year.Dr Zammit Dimech said that the national orchestra is organising a number ofconcerts which contribute towards the dissemination of music in Malta.• 29 November 2006 The Palace chapel in Valletta, currently being restored atthe cost of Lm200,000, will be open to the public when the project iscompleted early next year. President Edward Fenech-Adami visited therestoration works accompanied by Ninu Zammit, Minister for Resources andInfrastructure, and Ray Bondin, executive chairman of the VallettaRehabilitation Project.• 30 November 2006 Malta is experiencing an unprecedented process; aradical shift from an industrial society based on the power of the industrialworker to a knowledge society based on the power of the knowledge worker,Joseph Azzopardi, from the university's Department of Management, said.Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Dr Azzopardi welcomed the new era"that embraces the potential of a polyvalent human resource, capable ofadapting swiftly to continuous, rapid changes and the challenges of a toughglobal market".• 30 November 2006 Work on the Mater Dei Hospital is progressing well andvarious parts of it are being handed over to the Foundation for MedicalServices, the Parliamentary Secretary at the Finance Ministry, Tonio Fenech,said during a visit to the hospital. Over €55 million in medical equipment hasbeen ordered, with about €30 million worth already on site.• 30 November 2006 Departures of inbound tourists in the first 10 months of thisyear have been estimated at 1,006,214, a drop of 5.1% over the comparableperiod last year, the National Statistics Office said. In line with developmentsduring last month, this decrease mainly reflected fewer tourists from the UK,Germany and France. Tourists from Italy, Russia and Denmark are estimated tohave increased during the period.DECEMBER• 1 December 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said pension reform was anarea his government tackled in a comprehensive and serious manner as it

had wide-reaching implications for the Maltese labour market, during theannual general meeting of the Malta Employers' Association on MaximisingThe Potential Of The Maltese Labour Market. Dr Gonzi said services were theeconomy's main growth area in recent years. Investment in information andcommunication technology offered great opportunities as Malta had thepotential to become the information technology capital of theMediterranean.• 1 December 2006 The European Commission unveiled the mostcomprehensive measures so far in its efforts to help member states fight illegalimmigration. The measures, which include new tools and more money, weredrafted by a group of EU commissioners led by Justice Commissioner FrancoFrattini and including Maltese Commissioner Joe Borg. Many of Malta'srequests have been taken on board by the Commission.• 1 December 2006 Nationalist MEPs Simon Busuttil and David Casa welcomedthe set of Commission proposals on fighting illegal immigration and urged EUheads of state and of government to support these initiatives when they meetat next month's summit in Brussels.• 1 December 2006 The EU's border control agency, Frontex, entered talks withTripoli in a bid to secure Libyan involvement in anti-illegal immigration patrolsdue to take place in the Mediterranean next year.• 1 December 2006 Sixty recruits of the Armed Forces of Malta marched pastPrime Minister Lawrence Gonzi in a passing out parade after successfullycompleting their basic military training course. The recruits underwent agruelling 18-week programme, which included physical fitness, training, footand weapons drill, skill-at-arms weapons training, basic battle skills, first aid,international humanitarian law, and instruction classes on the army's role,history and current organisation.• 1 December 2006 Malta International Airport posted an after-tax profit ofLm2.68 million in the six months up to the end of September, down by 1.8%from Lm2.73 million in the same period last year. The company said in anannouncement its turnover dropped slightly from Lm10.27 million to Lm10.22million despite a 5.3% reduction in the number of passengers handled and anincrease of 2.7% in operating costs, including utilities, insurance and stafftraining.• 1 December 2006 Malta's health services have joined the World HealthOrganisation's World Alliance for Patient Safety through the signing of acharter at the Health Ministry, in Valletta. Health Director General Ray Busuttilsigned the charter in the presence of the Chief Medical Office for Englandand chairman of the World Alliance, Sir Liam Donaldson.• 1 December 2006 A legal notice that will make donations to culturalorganisations tax exempt will come into effect next year. Tourism and CultureMinister Francis Zammit Dimech and the Parliamentary Secretary at theFinance Ministry, Tonio Fenech, said anyone making a donation of at leastLm1,000 in any form except for immovable property to the Superintendent ofCultural Heritage, Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti, or any other heritage nongovernmentalorganisations, could request that tax is not paid on thedonation.• 1 December 2006 There are clear economic benefits deriving from thechoice of focus in foreign policy objectives, Foreign Affairs Minister MichaelFrendo said. He was speaking during a business breakfast organised by TheMalta Business Weekly at Le Meridien Phoenicia on The Economic Aspect OfMalta's Foreign Policy.

• 1 December 2006 Uniblue Systems Ltd, a Swedish company which producessoftware utilities and which was set up in Malta in 2003, is expected to doubleits number of employees to 60 a year from now. This was announced during avisit by Industry, Investment and Information Technology Minister Austin Gatt toUniblue Systems' head office in Msida.• 1 December 2006 Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech saidthe government is encouraging the wellness tourism sector, which is increasingin popularity. Dr Zammit Dimech, who was speaking during the opening ofthe new showroom of Health Managers (Malta) Ltd, said the companyorganises the "Sleepwell tour", a free tourist excursion into therapeuticbedding products and bedding systems. Such tours, besides being interestingand entertaining, are creating a new type of tourism, which is bound to grow,he said.• 2 December 2006 The European Parliament has given its consent to a dealreached a few weeks ago, exempting Maltese firework producers fromstringent new measures to be used in the production of fireworks in the EU.• 2 December 2006 Last month was one of the sunniest Novembers in the past80 years, the Metereological Office at the Malta International Airport said.More information is available on the Met, office’s webpage atwww.maltairport.com/weather• 2 December 2006 Tourism within the business segment was thriving andaccounted for 73,407 arrivals in the first nine months of this year, a growth of12% over the same period last year. Tourism and Culture Minister FrancisZammit Dimech said figures for 2005 indicate that the conference andincentive travel segment alone had attracted 63,500 tourists to Malta (anincrease of 9.2% over 2004), staying for 222,251 guest nights and spendingover Lm32 million.• 2 December 2006 Government expenditure on social benefits for disabilityand health-related problems increased by 12% over the past three years,reaching Lm20 million last year. Figures released by the National StatisticsOffice on the occasion of the International Day of Disabled Persons, show thatthe number of persons with disabilities registering on part one of theUnemployment Register have increased slightly between 2003 and 2005, by 23to 328.• 2 December 2006 Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo said during theEighth Euro-Med Foregin Ministers Meeting in Tampere, Finland, that if themoderates in the Middle East are not supported “we (will) pay the price ofextremism”. The meeting was attended by foreign ministers from the EU, Israel,and the Arab States, and the secreteries general of the Arab league and ofthe Maghreb Union, among others.• 2 December 2006 Two low-cost airlines and a national airline have expressedan interest in operating the Madrid, Stockholm and Oslo routes, according toMalta International Airport. Tourism and Culture Minister Francis ZammitDimech, said, that Europe’s leading budget airline Ryanair, which has beenflying to Malta on other routes since the end of October, was not among theapplicants.• 3 December 2006 Fr Paul Cremona was introduced as Malta’s newArchbishop at 11:50am at the Curia’s main hall. 60 year old Dominican FrCremona will succeed Archbishop Mercieca, who has steered the Maltesechurch for 30 years. The appointment by Pope Benedict XVI was announcedby the Apostolic Nuncio, Mgr Felix del Blanco Prieto, during a meeting of theArchdiocese’s Presbyterial Council.

• 3 December 2006 President Edward Fenech Adami opened the annualChristmas Fair at Mount Carmel Hospital, Attard, where a large variety ofChristmas gifts, toys, preserves, confectionery, clothes and other items wereon sale.• 3 December 2006 The St. John’s Co-Cathedral Foundation, plans to build anunderground museum, with one of the aims being to house the collection of29, 18th century Flemish Tapestries woven according to cartoons by Peter PaulReubens from the Brussels atelier of Judecos de Vos. Work on the restorationof the tapestries began last week at the De Wit restoration laboratories ofMehelen.• 3 December 2006 President Edward Fenech Adami visited the Girls’ JuniorLyceum, Sta Lucija where he was welcomed by he schools’ head, JoanMicallef and other members of the school administration and of the Sta Lucijacouncil. Dr Fenech Adami addressed those present, commending thestudents’ excellent behaviour and praising their performance.• 3 December 2006 As part of the Vertical Strategic Alliance between theMinistry for Investment, Industry and Information Technology, and Microsoft,students and teachers can benefit from the third software initiative. Thepackage includes Windows Vista Ultimate Upgrade and Office 2007 Enterpriseat Lm46, VAT included.• 3 December 2006 The government unveiled its Vertical Connection project,which sees Valletta interlinked with funicular trains, lifts and escalators anddevoid of traffic by mid-2008. During a news conference, Minister for UrbanDevelopment and Roads Jesmond Mugliett said that business and trade is setto benefit from better connections as communters may move from one sideof the city to the other in no time.• 3 December 2006 Resources and Infrastructure Minister Ninu Zammitinaugurated the new promenade project at Wied Babu in the limits of Zurrieq.Work on the Lm400,000 project began in January and was completed lastmonth. It consisted of the building of a pedestrian belvedere which is fourmetres wide and 750 metres long.• 4 December 2006 The UN refugee agency has welcomed proposals made bythe European Commission that recognise that asylum must be a key part ofany measures to control migration, including along Europe’s southern borders.The EU proposals published on Thursday, respond to calls from member statesfor measures to strengthen their capacity to prevent and manage what theydescribe as ‘migration crisis situations’.• 4 December 2006 Sylvana Brannon, managing director of Smart Cells MaltaLtd, won the third edition of Junior Chamber International’s (JCI) Malta’sOutstanding Young Person of the Year Award (TOYP). The presentation washeld at the Radisson SAS Bay Point Resort, St. Julians in collaboration with HSBCBank Malta plc, KPMG Malta and the Malta Chamber of Commerce andEnterprise.• 4 December 2006 The government is doing its utmost to safeguard theinterests of Maltese fishermen, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said inMarsaxlokk. Dr Gonzi said the government was doing its best to make surethat fishermen were not negatively effected by the cuts in tuna quotasimposed by the EU to curb the rapid depletion of the species, due to overfishing.• 4 December 2006 The Commission for Persons with a Disability willrecommend changes to a 1969 law which makes it compulsory for employersof more than 20 people to have people with a disability making up at least 2%of their workforce. Education, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galea

said during the presentation of the commission’s annual report on the EqualOpportunities Act, that the Commission was currently examining the law torecommend changes.• 5 December 2006 President Edward Fenech Adami congratulatedArchbishop-elect Fr Paul Cremona on his appointment. In a letter, Dr FenechAdami said that he was sure that under Fr. Cremona’s pastoral leadership, theMaltese population will enrich the values that have formed their nationalidentity.• 5 December 2006 A scheme aimed at encouraging the Maltese to buyenergy-saving domestic applicances, in line with Budget 2007, was launchedby the Finance and Resources and Infrastructure Ministries. The governmenthas allocated Lm500,000 to the scheme. The idea is to bring about a changein the amount of energy-conserving appliances that are bought, accordingto Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of Finance, Tonio Fenech.• 5 December 2006 Lithuania will be taking 6 asylum seekers from Malta and willalso cover the cost of their transport.• 5 December 2006 Labour market data for July, provided by the Employmentand Training Corporation (ETC) indicated that the labour supply increased by413 persons over the same month last year, the National Statistics Office said.• 5 December 2006 Family and Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina said inParliament that a new law on underage drinking was just the start of acampaign to curb the growing problem of drink among children. Mrs Cristinawas speaking at the end of a five-sitting debate on a Bill which amends theCode of Police Laws.• 5 December 2006 Government and opposition shared the adjournment timein Parliament to mark the international day against domestic violence,marked on November 25. Family and Social Solidarity Minister Dolores Cristina,spoke on the various support structures, to help victims of such violence aswell as the recently enacted legislation.• 5 December 2006 There were four deaths resulting from AIDS this year, Health,the Elderly and Community Care Minister Louis Deguara said in parliament.There were a further three deaths from Hepatitis B and two from Legionnaire’sdisease.• 5 December 2006 The programme for Education in Prisons of the Faculty ofEducation, University of Malta is taking part in an EU-funded project calledSkills Validation for Persons under Penitentiary Measures.• 5 December 2006 The Chairman of the National Euro ChangeoverCommittee, Joe FX Zahra, and Education, Youth and Employment MinisterLouis Galea, paid a visit to Dun Guzepp Zammit Boys’ School in Hamrun. Abooklet dealing with questions usually raised by students on the Euro wasdistributed during their visit.• 6 December 2006 Alex Manche, chief consultant cardiothoracic surgeon atSt. Luke’s Hospital, was awarded the 2006 Frank Salt Investments Award forNational Pride.• 6 December 2006 Malta has requested the Finnish EU presidency to put thesituation in Fiji on the agenda of the next EU Foreign Affairs Ministers meeting.Dr Frendo said that the secretary general of the Commonwealth was inconstant contact with Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi on the issue as the chairin office of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG). Dr Frendosaid that as Malta’s foreign Minister, he supported the statement of theCommonwealth secretary general condemning the military takeover in Fiji.

• 6 December 2006 The Foreign Ministry and SOS Malta launched Children ofBetlehem, a Maltese development aid project which aims to build a numberof playing fields in the birthplace of Jesus and help the Holy Land’s universityobtain 20 employees.• 6 December 2006 Some 400 shop owners applied to join FAIR, thecommitment to fairly display prices in Maltese lira and the euro, ParliamentarySecretary within the Ministry of Finance, Tonio Fenech said. He was speakingin Parliament at the opening of a debate on a Bill to update the Central Bankof Malta Act in view of euro adoption.• 6 December 2006 Illegal immigration is an international problem whichdemands international solutions, the Libyan ambassador to Malta, SaadElshamlmani told the parliamentary European Foreign Affairs Committee. Theambassador said that Libya was cooperating and doing its utmost in orderthat the problem be eased.• 6 December 2006 The ministry of Rural Affairs and the Environment, issued acall for proposals to determine a master plan consisting of a medium to longtermvision of the rehabilitation process of what was the Maghtab dump. 8international submissions has been received and these will be publiclydisplayed next month.• 7 December 2006 The Registry of Companies at the Malta Financial ServicesAuthority launched its new advanced internet service providing practictionersand members of the public with a secure and simple way to register newcompanies and file company documents online. The new online serviceswere luanched by Finance Ministry Parliamentary Secretary Tonio Fenech.• 7 December 2006 The Malta College of Arts Science and Technology intendsto strengthen its resources and expand its premises to accomodate up to5,800 full-time students by the academic year 2008/2009, according to thecollege’s strategic plan launched during a presentation at the MediterraneanConference Centre in Valletta. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi promisedsupport to the college and the university.• 7 December 2006 The government intends to start talks with the secondshortlisted bidder for the Crowne Plaza Hotel after talks with the first placedbidder collapsed at the eleventh hour, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said inreply to a parliamentary question.• 7 December 2006 A total of 8,437 persons were working on a voluntary basisin social- welfare-oriented NGOs in 2005, the National Statistics Office said onTuesday, on the occasion of International Volunteer Day. Women made up62% of the total number of workers.• 7 December 2006 Gozo ferry tickets have been reduced on trips operateddaily after 5.15pm until the end of May, Investment, Industry and InformationTechnology Minister Austin Gatt announced at a press conference. Thereduction forms part of a scheme through which Gozo Channel will beinvesting Lm100,000 from its profits to help the Gozitan economy.• 7 December 2006 A six member delegation from the People’s Republic ofChina was in Malta for a three-day visit to discuss issues related to NGO’s. Thedelegation, headed by Liu Guanghe, Vice-Minister for Civil Affairs, met withseveral officials within the Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity.• 7 December 2006 The producer price index of agricultural output registerd anincrease of 1.04% during the third quarter of 2006 compared to the sameperiod of last year, the National Statistics Office said. Underpinning thisdevelopment were higher prices for certain fresh vegetables which offsetprice drops for tomatoes and marrows.

• 7 December 2006 Research by the Malta Cruise Network (MCN) and theNational Statistics Office shows that in the year up to last September, cruisepassengers spent an average of Lm12.80 each whilst ashore, excluding thecost of pre-booked excursions. Viset, the cruise terminal operator also saidthat “if multiplied by the number of passengers ashore during the sameperiod, cruise passengers left an estimated average of Lm290,000 per monthin the Maltese economy, or Lm3.4 million for the 12 months ending September2006”.• 7 December 2006 Restoration works are in progress at Villa de Argote,situatied at the botanic sicde of the Argotti Gardens, in Floriana. Tourism andCulture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said during his visit to the villa, that theMalta Tourism Authority paid Lm8,000 to assist with the restoration.• 8 December 2006 Provisional estimates for the third quarter of 2006 indicate aGDP growth of 5.7% at current prices and 2.7% at constant prices over thesame period last year, the National Statistics Office said. GDP (Gross DomesticProduct) is an estimate of the value of goods and services produced in theeconomy over a period of time.• 8 December 2006 The Vat Department found up to 1,498 persons breakingthe law during the period up to October, compared to 1,686 for the whole oflast year and 8,539 during 2002. The information was given by Prime MinisterLawrence Gonzi in reply to a parliamentary question.• 8 December 2006 Education, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galeasaid in reply to a parliamentary question that 30 state school students and 6 inChurch schools had allegedly been found taking drugs. In all cases actionwas taken by the school authorities in association with the Substance AbusePolicy Team and the Guidance Team of the Education Department.• 8 December 2006 The manufacturing sector has shed a fifth of its workforceover the last 10 years due to automation. Wilfred Kenely, director general ofthe Federation of Industry added that the value of exports had declined since2002 but the volume had remained the same, during a conference on thefuture of manufacturing in Malta.• 8 December 2006 The European Commission has adopted new rules on thegranting of state aid in the agricultural sector. Under the rules, member statesneed not notify the Commission of state aid given to small and medium sizedundertakings provided certain requirements are met.• 8 December 2006 Malta Venture Capital plc was set up with an authorisedcapital of Lm10 million, the Ministry of Investment, Industry and InformationTechnology said. The company’s aim is to fill the gap in the economy’sfinancing systems as it was difficult for entrepreneurs to find the requiredfinance to embark on projects. The rest of the money would be generatedfrom private investment.,• 8 December 2006 The 16th century organ at the St. John’s Co-CathedralOratory in Valletta has been restored. The funding for the project came fromthe Italian Protocol (Lm103,000) and the Valletta Rehabilitation Project(Lm12,000). Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi inaugurated the restoration.• 8 December 2006 Dolores Cristina, Minister for Family and Social Solidarity,stressed on the need for a policy-makers and practicioners dealing with theworld of drugs to have access to valid and up-to-date material. The Ministerwas addressing a ministerial conference in Strasbourg of the Council ofEurope’s Pompidou Group, the inter-governmental organisation thatcontributes to the quality of European drug policies, practices and research.

• 8 December 2006 Maltese workers are more optimistic than their Europeancolleagues about the prospects of career advancements, even if half of themcomplain of work-related illnesses, according to the first findings of the fourthEuropean Working Conditions Survey.• 9 December 2006 Many Maltese still consider people suffering from mentalhealth problems as posing some kind of threat to society. A Eurobarometersurvey published this week in Brussels reveals that the stigma over mentalhealth problems is quite pronounced at least when compared to the trend inother EU member states.• 9 December 2006 Whoever charges tourists over the displayed prices will befined and the authorities are to work on ways to reduce seasonality, are someof the measures the government will be embarking upon in its comprehensivefive-year plan to boost tourism. About 275 actions, complete with setdeadlines and ministerial responsibilities are listed in Malta’s National TourismPlan 2007-2011 launched by Tourism and Culture Minister Francis ZammitDimech.• 9 December 2006 Archbishop-elect Paul Cremona was given a warmwelcome by Cospicua residents during a walkabout from St Helen’s Gate tothe collegiate church where he led a solemn high Mass marking the feast ofthe Immaculate Conception. This was Mgr Cremona’s first public functionsince his appointment was announced on December 2. Among thoseattending Mass were Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and his wife Mrs KateGonzi.• 10 December 2006 Representatives of civil society organisations, youthleaders and teachers signed a petition calling on Maltese public bodies tofollow the example of many institutions in Europe that use fair trade productsin their internal service and take ethical aspects into consideration whenbuying goods. The petition was signed at the end of a seminarCotton/Caught in a Dirty Business, organised by the Koperattive KummercGust in colloboration with Global Action Schools.• 10 December 2006 President Emeritus Guido de Marco was appointed to acommittee of senior experts who will review the rules governing membershipof the Commonwealth.• 10 December 2006 Professor John Cremona launched his latest book at anevent hosted and presided over by President Edward Fenech Adami. Thepublication is a new collection of almost 80 poems in Maltese entitledEkwinozju.• 11 December 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi announced that thegovernment was in a position to start using its multi-million liri EU budget withinthree weeks, during a political activity in Fgura. “Despite the constantobstacles, this is the result of the hard work and a confirmation of oursuccess”. Malta is the first EU member state to get the green light to utilise thebudget for 2007-2013.• 11 December 2006 Saint James Hospital Group has just opened arehabilitation centre in Gozo to help those abusing drugs and alchohol. Thecentre, called Saint James Anew, was officially inaugurated by Gozo MinisterGiovanna Debono together with group chairman Josie Muscat.• 12 December 2006 43% of teachers have admitted to suffering occasionalverbal abuse from students, according to a survey by the Malta Union ofteachers. In the survey, carried out among 992 teachers, another 13% said

that they had endured verbal abuse once and 10% said they have had to putup with it ‘often’.• 12 December 2006 The message of those who completed their course inschool counselling, B. Communications, sports and leisure, and youth andcommunity studies was one of hope, that what they got out of universitywould benefit Maltese society.• 12 December 2006 Economic growth was continuing to gain momentum andMalta could end the year with growth in real terms which was close to 3%,Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of Finance, Tonio Fenech, said inParliament. Growth in the third quarter was 2.7%. Mr Fenech was concludinga debate on a Bill to amend the Central Bank of Malta Act.• 12 December 2006 A total of 148 students received their diplomas andcertificates after successfully completing courses at the Institute for TourismStudies. During a graduation ceremony, ITS deputy director teddy Camillerisaid the institute was awarded the Erasmus University Charter. Education,Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galea congratulated the newgraduates.• 12 December 2006 The amount of government subsidies invested into theMaltese economy is still considered by the European Commission to be veryhigh. According to the latest state aid scoreboard, published in Brussels,Malta issues the largest amount of financial assistance among the 25 memberstates of the EU, at least when compared to its Gross Domestic Product.• 13 December 2006 Low-lying beaches like Ghadira could be entirely wipedout in under 50 years unless some form of remedial measures are taken,climate change experts have warned. Alfred Micallef and Adrian Mallia,members of Malta’s Climate Change said decisions should not be postponed.• 13 December 2006 National Festivities Committee chairman Nazju Abelaplaced a wreath at the foot of the monument of former Presidents AntonButtigieg in Blata l-Bajda and Agatha Barbara in Zabbar during Republic Dayactivities.• 13 December 2006 Military personnel from the Armed Forces of Maltaundertook several feats on Monday, 11 January, in a combat medicinecourse, carried out under the auspices of the Italian Military Mission.• 13 December 2006 The European Commission has reported a positiveassessment of the progress registered by Malta over the past year in theimplementation of the EU’s Lisbon strategy, a plan to put EU’s economy at theforefront. The Commission also made a number of recommendations toMalta on the way forward, high-lighting particularly the need to bolstercompetition.• 13 December 2006 Alex Attard has been appointed chief executive officer ofMalta Information Technology and Training Services (MITTS) Ltd. MatthewGatt is the new deputy CEO and chief operating officer of MITTS Ltd.• 13 December 2006 During a council meeting by EU telecommunicationsministers, Communications and Competitiveness Minister, Censu Galea, saidthat Malta agrees that there should be a maximum price on roaming tariffs,however this should only be done at the wholesale stage. Malta’s position isin agreement with that of the majority of member states that are backing acounter-proposal by the UK and France to insert a so-called ‘sunrise clause’that will introduce a cap on retail prices but only for operators that have notvoluntarily cut their rates to below an agreed average within six months of thelaw coming into force.

• 13 December 2006 Pupils of the Cospicua Primary School presented PrimeMinister Lawrence Gonzi with drawings based on a Christmas theme. Thechildren were responding to an invitation by the Prime Minister to come upwith a drawing that will be chosen as his official Christmas card. Dr Gonzi wasaccompanied by his wife Kate.• 13 December 2006 President Edward Fenech Adami made an appeal to thepublic to respect cultural diversity and to learn from the differences betweenpeoples rather than use them to build walls of division and misunderstanding.Speaking during the annual Republic Day ceremony, held at the PresidentialPalace, in Valletta, the President took time to thank those who were making a"unique contribution" to Malta's evolution before presenting national awards.• 14 December 2006 The government has issued a circular that in effectcompels all public service entities to implement the family-friendly measuresthat exist in the civil service. The circular, issued by Principal PermanentSecretary Godwin Grima to all permanent secretaries, says that the measuresare applicable to the public sector with immediate effect unless there arevery good reasons to opt for a temporary delay.• 14 December 2006 MEPs gave their final approval to a new EU chemicalsregime that will result in a completely new approach to the use of chemicals,particularly by industry. The final text adopted includes changes proposedjointly by Malta and Slovenia, intended to safeguard the interests of low-userindustries, such as those operating on the island. The Reach legislation, as it isknown, was approved with 529 votes in favour, 98 against and 24 abstentions.• 14 December 2006 Patronage of the bus service has gone up by 3% sinceJuly, Urban Development and Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett said inParliament. Speaking during the debate on the estimates of the TransportAuthority, the minister said that although much remained to be done in thissector, progress had been registered.• 14 December 2006 The removal of the US visa requirement for the new EUmember states was among the issues discussed during meetings betweenForeign Minister Michael Frendo and his Latvian counterpart Artis Pabriks.Speaking at a joint press conference at the Foreign Ministry, in Valletta, MrPabriks said: "The European Commission should lose no time to defend ourinterests and ensure that the United States, Brazil, Canada and Australia waivetheir requirement for our citizens to have a visa to go there".• 14 December 2006 The Students In Free Enterprise team from the University ofMalta took part in the SIFE European Symposium held in Paris. The Malteseteam won a Spirit Of SIFE Award in recognition of its achievement in its firstyear of operation. This award is presented to teams that manage to put in acertain amount of effort and apply the SIFE attitude throughout the year.• 14 December 2006 The use of wireless network technology for bringing digitalcitizenship and e-democracy to citizens in isolated areas is being explored bysix institutions from Malta, Greece, Italy and Egypt through an EU Interregproject called WDCNET. The project was officially launched in July, whenrepresentatives of the participating partners met in Puglia, Italy.• 14 December 2006 The conferences and incentives segment had yieldedpositive results for the tourism sector, Tourism and Culture Minister FrancisZammit Dimech said. Speaking during the official inauguration of the MaltaFairs and Convention Centre at Ta' Qali on Tuesday, the minister said Maltahad never before had a structure that was capable of accommodating up to10,000 people seated.• 14 December 2006 Positive tourism trends in November seem to bepersevering this month, Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said. He

pointed out that more than 87,500 passengers left Malta's airport last month, a5.2% increase over November last year. Although he said it was still early todetermine the real effect of Ryanair starting routes to Malta, the minister saidthe airline has brought to Malta 5,502 passengers on its Luton and Pisa routes.Speaking during the inauguration of Christmas lights in Paceville, the ministersaid such initiatives boosted the Christmas spirit.• 15 December 2006 EU leaders, meeting in Brussels for their end-of-year twodaysummit, did not agree on proposals put forward by the current Finnish EUpresidency and the Commission to scrap the need of unanimity and switch tomajority voting in judicial matters, particularly over cross-border policing andcounter-terrorism . Malta was one of the EU member states opposing theplan. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said that Malta stuck to its positionagainst the proposal which echoed that of many other member states, a totalof 14, including heavyweights such as the UK and Germany.• 15 December 2006 The President and Mrs Fenech Adami visited the MalteseCross Corps offices in Guardamangia where they were welcomed by CarmelPortelli, president, and officials of the executive committee. Mr Portelli saidthat since its beginning in 1991 MCC had always managed the meals onwheels service on behalf of the government. The service, which is fullysubsidised by the Ministry of Health, the Elderly and Community Care, providesabout 60,000 meals a year.• 15 December 2006 Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg and Tunisiancounterpart Bechir Tekkari signed an extradition agreement between the twocountries, the third such agreement between Malta and a north African state.Dr Borg told a news conference that the extradition agreement wouldaccelerate the legal process in both countries when crimes were committedby offenders who would have gone abroad.• 15 December 2006 Over 25,000 passengers were ferried between the Parkand Ride parking area in Blata l-Bajda and Freedom Square, Valletta sinceDecember 1, the Malta Transport Authority (ADT) said. Park and Ride minivanscarried over 4,234 passengers on Wednesday. The mini-vans wereleaving the car park more or less every two minutes, the ADT said.• 15 December 2006 An independent review of the 25 EU member statescarried out by the World Economic Forum (WEF) - an internationalorganisation based in Switzerland - puts Malta in the 19th position whenassessing the progress made by EU members in achieving the far-reachinggoals of the Lisbon Strategy for economic and structural reforms. The WEFreport is based on data going back to the end of 2005.• 15 December 2006 Over the next seven years, starting from next year, the EUwill be spending €4 billion on migration, including the fight against illegalimmigration. The funds, proposed by the European Commission, wereapproved by the European Parliament under four different programmes in thearea of justice, freedom and security. Welcoming this development,Freedom, Justice and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini said that memberstates currently exposed to illegal immigration, such as Malta, Italy and Spain,will be given increased help over the next seven years.• 15 December 2006 Microsoft has launched three new products, the MicrosoftOffice 2007, the Microsoft Operating System - Vista and the Exchange Server2007. During the launch, Investment, Industry and Information TechnologyMinister Austin Gatt said the relationship between Malta and Microsoft isbearing fruit and is translating into opportunities for students, businesses andthe economy.

• 15 December 2006 Microsoft donated €33,000 in aid of communitydevelopment programmes aimed at eradicating the digital divide, aninitiative that includes the provision of community training learning centres.The donation was presented to Investment, Industry and InformationTechnology Minister Austin Gatt during the inauguration of the fifth CTLC setup jointly with the Richmond Foundation.• 15 December 2006 Malta is the only EU member state that has reported aslide in its labour costs over the past 12 months. According to Eurostatstatistics published in Brussels, up to the end of September, Malta experienceda slight drop of 0.2% in its total labour costs when compared to the previous 12months. Cuts in total labour expenses, which cover wage and non-wagecosts, did not translate into lower salaries.• 15 December 2006 A total of €263.5 million of EU farm money unduly spent bymember states will be reclaimed following a decision by the EuropeanCommission, the European Commission Representation in Malta said. Themoney will be recovered because of inadequate control procedures or noncompliancewith EU rules on agricultural expenditure, the representationadded.• 15 December 2006 The seasonally adjusted number of persons employed inthe euro area rose by 0.4% (517,000 persons) in the third quarter of 2006,according to provisional national accounts estimates published by Eurostat,the statistical office of the European Communities. During the same period,the number of people employed in the EU25 grew by 0.3% (612,000 persons).In the second quarter this year, growth rates were also up 0.4% in the euroarea and up 0.3% in the EU25.• 5 December 2006 The European Parliament gave the green light to the EU'sfinancial estimates for 2007, the first under the new financial perspectivesapproved a year ago. The discussions between the various EU institutions overthe past 12 months leading to the final vote were headed by Maltese MEPLouis Grech and his UK counterpart in the Budgets Committee James Ellis. Thefinal estimates show total commitment appropriations for 2007 set at 126.5billion, payments at 115.5 billion, equalling 0.99% of the EU's Gross NationalIncome and representing an increase of 3.2% over the 2006 levels inpayments.• 15 December 2006 The number of Maltese passengers departing by air andsea in the first 10 months of this year amounted to 216,866, a 12.2% increaseover the same period a year ago, the National Statistics Office said. Of these,86.4% travelled by air. In the period under review, the most frequentdestination was Italy, accounting for 31.3% of the total number of Maltesetravelling abroad by both air and sea.• 16 December 2006 Malta made an important step forward to adopt the euroby January 2008 when, for the first time in seven months, it posted an annualinflation rate below the EU reference rate required from member stateswanting to join the eurozone. According to new data issued in Brussels byEurostat, the EU's statistical arm, Malta's 12-month average inflation rate inNovember stood at 2.8%, 0.3% below the euro entry reference rate.• 16 December 2006 Scouting has much to offer to society by giving itresponsible citizens and, in turn, civil society is expected to give its contributionto scouting, Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said.Speaking during a workshop on adult recruitment organised by the ScoutAssociation of Malta in conjunction with the European Scout Region Office,the minister referred to the 100th anniversary of scouting worldwide next yearand the 100th anniversary of scouting in Malta in 2008.

• 16 December 2006 A Cisco Academy was launched at St Michael'sFoundation, a move that will enhance the information communicationtechnology curriculum taught at this secondary school. The school willintegrate the IT Essentials curriculum in the full-time ICT curriculum taught inForms III, IV, and V. The academy, launched by Investment, Industry andInformation Technology Minister Austin Gatt, is the first in a series of five newCisco academies in Malta.• 16 December 2006 The Malta Transport Authority, the Ministry for Rural Affairsand Environment and the Association of Car Importers have launched the34CleanAir initiative, which aims to contribute to a cleaner environment. Themembers of the Association of Car Importers are donating 220 trees to beplanted at Kennedy Grove.• 16 December 2006 Over 800 new child cases were referred to Appogg lastyear, Marianne Gauci, acting operations director of Appogg said. She urgedchildren to call Appogg Supportline 179 if and when they need help andadvice. Ms Gauci, who was speaking during the presentation of booklets byAppogg to the Education Division, said that protecting children is hard andtough.• 16 December 2006 A 100-strong gathering of members of the Maltesecommunity in Libya attended a social evening held at the Embassy of Maltain Tripoli organised by the Core Group for Maltese Cultural Activities in Libyawith the support of the Ambassador of Malta, Joseph Cassar. Dr Cassarstressed the importance of this celebration as an essential element of Malteseculture which the Core Group for Maltese Cultural Activities in Libyaendeavours to promulgate throughout the year through various activities.• 17 December 2006 Green Gary, GreenPak's new mascot, was introduced tochildren during this year's Clean up the World Campaign activities organisedby the Ministry for Resources and Infrastructure and the Ministry for Rural Affairsand the Environment. The activities were held at Wied Babu, Wied iz-Zurrieqand Hagar Qim.• 17 December 2006 A new Council of Europe (CoE) campaign on domesticviolence against women was recently launched during a special meeting ofthe CoE held at the chamber of the Spanish Senate in Madrid. During theinauguration session, CoE members and Spanish senators were addressed byDr Ian Micallef in his capacity as president of the Chamber for LocalAuthorities of the Congress for Local and Regional Authorities of the Council ofEurope.• 17 December 2006 The second road project co-financed by the EuropeanUnion was finished as the final part of Hal Far Road leading from the Hal FarBarracks to the Malta Freeport was opened to traffic. The three-kilometreroadhad been undergoing major reconstruction for almost a year as part ofa project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund forwhich €4.7 million were allocated. The fund can finance up to 75% of theproject's expenses. This was the second road project co-financed by the EUto be completed after Civil Aviation Avenue in Luqa.• 17 December 2006 A hyperbaric unit to provide emergency treatment todivers suffering from decompression sickness was inaugurated by PrimeMinister Lawrence Gonzi at the Gozo General Hospital. The availability of thisfacility makes Gozo more attractive as a destination for divers, since thisspecialised emergency treatment is available in a matter of a few minutes,the government said.• 17 December 2006 The much-needed conservation work on the historicbronze bust representing Grand Master Cotoner, originally located high on

the front of Notre Dame Gate, Vittoriosa, is now complete. The long, laboriousinterventions were carried out by the Conservation Division of Heritage Malta,based at Bighi, on the initiative of Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna and funded througha sponsorship received by the Vodafone Foundation.• 19 December 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi met with members of theMedia, Constituted Bodies, Trade Unions, and other representatives atAuberge de Castille in conjunction with Christmas festivities. An audiorecording of the speech can be accessed on the following link:http://www.doi.gov.mt/EN/News/newsitems/audiorecording%20-%2019.12.06pm-korpi.asp• 19 December 2006 A new office to be run by the International Organisationfor Migration (IOM) is expected to lead to "enhanced stability" in Malta'sstruggle with illegal migration. Through the office, immigrants will be given theoption to return to their home country and be assisted to do so. Foreign AffairsMinister Michael Frendo and IOM director general Brunson McKinley signed acooperation agreement, which includes the opening of a new office here asearly as next month.• 19 December 2006 Public opinion in favour of the EU continued to rise overthe past 12 months, according to the results of a Eurobarometer survey issuedin Brussels. According to the findings, 58% of Maltese respondents think theisland benefited from membership, a rise of three percentage points over thesituation a year ago. At the same time, the number of people who disagreewent down by two percentage points to 28%, while 15% did not express anyopinion.• 19 December 2006 About 107 asylum seekers have completed a trainingcourse in skills aimed at improving their employability and integration insociety. The training programme is an Equal project funded by the EuropeanUnion and coordinated by Agenzija Appogg. It provides training to asylumseekers in English, life and job interview skills.• 20 December 2006 Over the last years, importance has been given to theimprovement of Malta's natural beauty, with new roads and the restoration ofold buildings, President Edward Fenech-Adami said in a recorded Christmasand New Year message to Maltese and Gozitans that live abroad. Malta hasnot only changed physically but also socially, with no more poverty andeveryone living a decent life, he said, adding that further advances wereregistered over the last year.• 20 December 2006 In his address to Maltese migrants, Prime MinisterLawrence Gonzi highlighted the fact that theirs was a success story. "Ourpeople showed, wherever they were, that they were skillful, talented,professional, creative, studious and hard-working," he said. This was no meanfeat, Dr Gonzi stressed, adding that the Maltese were very proud of their conationalsabroad.• 20 December 2006 Stress among youngsters, especially the type broughtabout by the education system, needs to be addressed or the number ofpeople requiring mental health treatment will skyrocket, Health, the Elderlyand Community Care Minister Louis Deguara warned. He said people stilllooked at school as a means of competing instead of a character-formingexperience. Dr Deguara stressed the importance of getting to the bottom ofwhat is pushing youngsters to drink, smoke and take drugs.• 20 December 2006 The Malta Cancer Foundation is keeping tabs on the newhuman papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine, which could protect women from fourstrains of this common sexually-transmitted disease. Although it is unlikely thatthe foundation would have enough funds to vaccinate Maltese girls in a bid

to eradicate the virus, it is strongly considering launching an awarenesscampaign, foundation secretary Stephen Brincat said.• 20 December 2006 Creative people from any generation often leave collegewith as little as 30% of the skills base they require to generate an income.Bearing this in mind, the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts, through itsArtSkills programme, will hold a number of training courses throughout theyear aimed at providing art and culture practitioners with further skills. TheBusiness of Art is aimed at offering artists the opportunity to approach thesubject of business development.• 20 December 2006 Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of FinanceTonio Fenech and US Ambassador Molly Bordonaro have finalised the Lm6million sale of property in Ta' Qali, which will house the new AmericanEmbassy, presently situated in Floriana. Mrs Bordonaro presented Mr Fenechwith a cheque for $18.5 million, the equivalent of Lm6 million.• 20 December 2006 The Maltese people are strongly opposed to legalisinggay marriages or to giving same-sex couples the right to adopt children. Thisemerges from the results of a new EU-wide Eurobarometer study published inBrussels on Monday. Apart from asking standard questions about the EU, thesurvey, conducted in Malta by Misco last October among a sample of 500respondents, also tried to find out what the Maltese think of certain socialissues, including the status of gay couples, the role of religion and the use ofcannabis.• 20 December 2006 A comparative study between late 20th century andcontemporary Maltese and Sicilian art is set to bring into greater focus theemerging generation of local artists and provide a detailed career databaseon Maltese post-war artists. This study, an EU-funded ISIDEM project, will alsolead to the creation of a cultural and creative exchange between an invitedforeign contemporary artists and local counterparts, with the main topicbeing the cultural reality in Malta today• 21 December 2006 EU member states agreed to support Malta's position on anew EU redundancies fund, known as the European Globalisation Fund (EGF),aimed at supporting workers who lose their jobs due to globalisation. Inadopting the rules setting the new fund, the EU Council accepted to removethe threshold of a minimum of 1,000 redundancies for small member states,thus making it possible for Malta to benefit, should the case arise.• 21 December 2006 Sales of bio diesel reached 1.7 million litres this year, a 10%rise over 2005, producers EORC said. They said that in the past two months"bio power reached another milestone in its success story" when it reached a30% penetration at retail level with the major stations stocking and selling biodiesel.• 22 December 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, preceded by PrincipalPermanent Secretary Godwin Grima, addressed heads of Departments andparastatal corporations in conjunction with Christmas festivities. An audiorecording of their speeches can be accessed on the following link:http://www.doi.gov.mt/EN/News/newsitems/audiorecording%20-%2022.12.06pm-kapijiet.asp• 22 December 2006 The number of registered unemployed last month stood at7,333, 140 more than in the same month last year, according to data from theEmployment and Training Corporation released by the National StatisticsOffice. The last unemployment rate available was that for July which stoodunchanged at 4.6%.• 22 December 2006 President Edward Fenech Adami formally received threenew ambassadors accredited to Malta. They were Vladimir Zavazal,

Ambassador of the Czech Republic, Saad Nasser Al-Homidi, Ambassador ofQatar and Ousmane Tandia, Ambassador of Mali. The ceremonies took placein the Ambassadors' Room, at The Palace, Valletta. In the afternoon, thePresident and Mrs Fenech Adami hosted the new ambassadors to an officialluncheon at San Anton Palace.• 23 December 2006 Maltacom has enhanced its Call Home service by addingon 18 new countries and dropping rates for calls from two countries on the list,namely Norway and Spain, to 7c5 and 5c, respectively. Through the CallHome service one can call Malta even without phone cards, mobile phonesor coins. This is possible by dialling a freephone number which gives the callerfree access to the international operator in Malta. The international operatorthen makes the contacts after the called party accepts the charges.• 23 December 2006 Frans Borg, permanent secretary at the Ministry ofEducation, Youth and Employment presented laptops to 15 trainee inclusioncoordinators in Floriana. The coordinators are following a two-year course atthe University leading to a post-graduate diploma in education (Inclusion andIndividual Needs in Primary Schools).• 23 December 2006 The European Commission has accepted thegovernment's proposed amendments for provisional tuna quotas, accordingto the Environment Ministry. The final document, including the proposals, wasunanimously agreed to at the end of a meeting of the Fisheries Ministers'Council in Brussels late on Wednesday night. Represented by Environmentand Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino, Malta insisted on the need tocontinue protecting its tuna fishing interests.• 23 December 2006 The total number of nights spent in collectiveaccommodation establishments in October amounted to 686,919, a drop of4.7% over the same month last year. Year-on-year, the average length of stayin collective accommodation establishments decreased by 0.1 nights to standat 6.4 nights, the National Statistics Office said. Accounting for 95.6% of thenational bed stock, the overall supply of bed places in the Malta region stoodat 38,009 beds, an increase of 1% when compared to a year earlier.• 24 December 2006 Malta's leaders called for people to show solidarity at theinauguration of the Milied Flimkien campaign on Freedom Square, Valletta.The ceremony had a special significance this year as outgoing ArchbishopJoseph Mercieca delivered his last message and Archbishop-elect PaulCremona his first. President Edward Fenech Adami, Prime Minister LawrenceGonzi and Labour leader Alfred Sant also thanked Mgr Mercieca andwelcomed Mgr Cremona.• 24 December 2006 Albert V. Rutter, chairman of UNESCO Club (Malta) andtwo members of the youth group - Gianfranco Abela and Christian Borg -participated at the European Youth Meeting of the UNESCO clubs movementheld in Athens from December 1 to 3. UNESCO clubs from 16 countries wererepresented at the meeting.• 27 December 2006 Judge Victor Borg Costanzi, who had a long successfulcareer in the legal profession, passed away on Saturday night, aged 83.Judge Borg Costanzi married the late Lina Dingli in 1950. They had fivechildren: Simone, Peter, Stephanie, Anne Marie and Veronique.• 27 December 2006 The Peace Boat, an NGO dedicated to promotingpeace, human rights, equal and sustainable development and respect forthe environment, recently called at Malta for the first time with over 800passengers. Apart from having special consultative status with the Economicand Social Council of the United Nations, the Peace Boat is an affiliatemember of Friends of the Earth International.

• 28 December 2006 President Edward Fenech-Adami, who, together with MrsFenech Adami, heads the Community Chest Fund (CCF) - the majorbeneficiary of the programme, said L-Istrina had gained momentum tobecome an annual event that was not easy to get away from. L-Istrina was aday of solidarity and contributions and Dr Fenech Adami said he hoped asubstantial sum would be collected yet again. He said that none of the giftsto be distributed to donors were bought. All were donated. The Presidentencouraged everyone to take part in this "competition of solidarity".• 28 December 2006 The President and Mrs Fenech Adami presented Lm19,500in cash and in kind to several philanthropic associations and institutes onbehalf of the Community Chest Fund.• 28 December 2006 No one was injured in two separate incidents when twoMaltese-registered ships - the bulk carrier Tzini and the general cargo vesselFlora - ran aground off Taiwan and Turkey respectively, the Malta MaritimeAuthority said.• 29 December 2006 Renovation works on the 13-storey Dar Malta in the heartof Brussels are at an advanced stage and officials of the Maltese PermanentRepresentation to the EU are expected to start moving to their new offices inthe first week of February.• 29 December 2006 Provisional estimates for 2005 indicate that Gozo'scontribution to national Gross Domestic Product at market prices stands at6.2%, or Lm120.9 million, the National Statistics Office said. Gross Value Added(GVA) for Malta grew by 3.8% in 2005, and that for Gozo went up by 3.7%.Employment in industry (including energy and construction) declined in bothregions.• 30 December 2006 Based on existing fuel prices and electricity consumptionin November and December, the fuel surcharge this year is estimated to netLm32.11 million, the government said. In the meantime, the governmentconfirmed the reduction in the water and electricity surcharge to 54%, downfrom 59.5%. The latest surcharge, the lowest in a year, will cover January andFebruary• 30 December 2006 The shortfall between recurrent revenue and the totalexpenditure of the central government as recorded in the Consolidated Fundfor the first 11 months of the year declined by Lm13.5 million, the NationalStatistics Office said. The shortfall between recurrent revenue and totalexpenditure amounted to Lm80 million for the January to November period.This corresponds to a reduction of Lm13.5 million compared to the sameperiod last year, and is the result of higher revenues and comparatively lowerexpenditures on capital projects.• 30 December 2006 A call for offers for an exhibition and convention centre atTa' Qali will be issued next week. The centre, covering an area of 93,000square metres, will be in operation by December 2010, Urban Developmentand Roads Minister Jesmond Mugliett and Environment and Rural AffairsMinister George Pullicino said. Mr Mugliett said that once the call is issued,there will be a 10-week submission period and adjudication will take eight• 30 December 2006 Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of FinanceFrancis Agius handed over Lm72,342 to the National Fisheries Cooperative aspart of the government's assistance to the sector. Speaking during a socialactivity, Dr Agius said fishermen had benefited from over Lm1.79 million toupgrade their boats.• 31 December 2006 Around Lm500,000 was collected during L-Istrina, the 12-hour national televised charity marathon that raised funds for 16 beneficiariesthis year. Last year, the amount raised was Lm1,292,849, including the

Lm590,000 netted from the auction sale of 59 BMWs that were used during theCommonwealth Heads of Government Meeting a month earlier. But this year'steam had not set a target.• 31 December 2006 Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi believes the execution ofIraqi dictator Saddam Hussein could create more problems than it solves atthis point in time. While maintaining his strong opposition to capitalpunishment, Dr Gonzi said that the death sentence reflects the sentiment ofthe Iraqi people. The Prime Minister said that Saddam's trial was a processthat had brought to justice a person responsible for a negative chapter ofhuman history and was a clear sign that such crimes cannot be committedwith impunity.DOI – 17.01.2007