Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1425206
16 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 3 NOVEMBER 2021 ACROSS 1) Muhammad or Laila 4) Tequila plant 9) Desert growths 14) Big racket 15) Plant root 16) Once more 17) Disappoints and then some 20) In ____ of (substituting for) 21) Cookie brand 22) Shuns 26) Hambletonian entrant 31) Match part 32) _____ and aahs 34) In one's abode 35) Historical records 37) Derriere 38) Serves as a reminder 42) Nat King or Natalie 43) It has its ups and downs 44) Boxer's fake-outs 47) Where a scene is seen? 48) San Diego tourist mec- ca 51) They make the man, it's said 53) Tuft of grass 55) Lamb mothers 57) Think tank nugget 58) Is inherited 65) Willow twig 66) Well-_ machine 67) It's more bitter than beer 68) Spanish snacks 69) Word with "truth" or "ambition" 70) El ___ (Spanish hero) DOWN 1) Confuses 2) Be a go-between 3) Six-legged crawler 4) Roses-red connector 5) What some cars guzzle 6) Word in a Shakespeare comedy title 7) Ristorante beverage 8) Put forth, as effort 9) Collusion 10) Years ___ (in the past) 11) Upper limit 12) Winnerless contest 13) Walk-___ (clients with- out appointments) 18) "Say what?" 19) Red Cross collection 23) Billion-year stretches 24) "___ you be my neigh- bor?" 25) Former leaders of Iran 27) Lose on purpose 28) Take the show on the road 29) Small-screen award 30) Bodybuilder's unit 33) What a new parent may lack 35) Mulder of "The X-Files" 36) Herring cousin 38) Billy the "Piano Man" 39) Spiced stew 40) Jacob's twin, in the Old Testament 41) "Say hey!" sayer 42) Ozone-depleting com- pound, for short 45) His and hers 46) Stitched together 48) Collec tion of signs 49) Peacock-feather spots 50) Gave the go-ahead to 52) Determined to carry out 54) Scrooge player Alastair 56) Actor LaBeouf 58) Become decayed 59) Home of about 300 million 60) Wee bite 61) Large body of water 62) Benevolent Order member 63) Finder's reward 64) Say a bit more Solution to last week's crossword The answers to today's crossword will be published in next week's Midweek edition Weather Partly cloudy becoming fine Visibility Good Wind South Southeast force 3 to 4 locally force 4 to 5 Sea Slight becoming slight to moderate TODAY TOMORROW Crossword WEATHER MAINLY SUNNY SUNNY 25 0 / 19 0 27 0 / 22 0 FEELS LIKE 25 0 FEELS LIKE 27 0 KARL AZZOPARDI ONLY two-thirds of fines imposed by the Planning Authority over the last decade have been paid, informa- tion tabled in parliament shows. Figures published in a reply to a parliamentary question by Na- tionalist MP Joseph Ellis showed the PA issued over €18.2 million in fines for development irregular- ities across Malta and Gozo over the last 10 years. But only €12.8 million of these fines were paid. 2018 saw the largest number of fines being issued at €3.3 million, up from €2.5 million in 2017. 2015 and 2016 saw the PA issuing €1.5 and €1.9 million in fines. In 2012, the Malta Environment and Planning Authority had over- hauled its penalty system for ille- gal development, introducing dai- ly fines starting from €2 going up to €50 per day. With 2012 being the year with the lowest number of fines, at only €306,680, 2013 and 2014 registered substantial increases at €363,470 and €672,449 respectively. Fines during the COVID-19 pan- demic went down when compared to the previous years, with 2020 and 2021 registering €2.1 million and €2.2 million in fines. The only year when the amount of fines paid (€316,140) was larger than the amount issued (€307,497) was in 2010. 2018 was the year with the high- est amount of paid fines at €2.5 million. A third of fines issued by the Planning Authority over the last decade still pending Since 2010 the Planning Authority issued €18.2 million in fines of which €12.8 million have been paid