Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1506631
Vacant Site at Triq is-Saghtar c/w Wesghat in-Narcis c/w Triq il-Migbha, Mellieha To Establish developable area, 30% public open space and alignments as per Northwest Local Plan Policy NWML 2 Perit Joseph Bondin No. 10, JB Architects, Triq in-Naqqax, Mosta 79490777 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Effective from Monday, August 28, the distribution of newspapers and mag- azines via mail will no longer benefit from reduced rates, marking a transi- tion to weight-based charges according to standard postage rates. Prior to the change, locally-registered newspapers paid 18c for every copy not exceeding 100g, and 15c for every addi- tional 50g or fraction thereof per copy. Now, locally-registered newspapers will pay between 38c to €2.21 for letters and newspapers weighing up to 200g. This decision is anticipated to have an impact on a media houses, NGOs and religious groups that rely on cost-effec- tive postage for the distribution of mag- azines, pamphlets, and newsletters. For the newspaper and magazine pub- lishers, this shift signifies an end to the budgetary advantage that the specially reduced rate of postage provided. The change will inevitably lead to increased operational costs, impacting the overall expenses related to the production and distribution of print media. Meanwhile, NGOs that publish news- letters or magazines in schools and door-to-door will also face a financial challenge. Religious groups that fre- quently distribute magazines, pam- phlets, and devotionals could similarly experience difficulties. In comments to MaltaToday, the Mal- ta Communications Authority said it had published a consultation document on 'sustainable universal postal servic- es' before affirming the changes, and that the public were invited to provide input on the proposed decisions. "This document listed the basis of the proposals being made by MaltaPost, which included the financial challeng- es currently being faced by universal postal services. By the conclusion of the consultation, no stakeholder responses were received." According to the MCA website, the consultation ran from August 14-24 throughout the Santa Marija festa and shutdown. However, the decision to ap- prove the changes was published by the authority on August 21. 5 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 30 AUGUST 2023 NEWS Newspapers and magazines via mail will no longer benefit from reduced rates MATTHEW AGIUS A man arraigned on charges of assaulting and threatening a cou- ple in Ħamrun had been "carrying out a citizen's arrest" to stop a drug deal, according to his lawyer. Antoine Monsigneur, 52, from Ħamrun appeared in the dock be- fore magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo on Tuesday, accused of slightly injuring a man and causing both him and a woman to fear they would suffer violence. Monsigneur, whose list of pri- or convictions is reportedly over 30 pages long, was also accused of attacking the pair and insulting them. Inspector Ian Vella, prosecuting, also pressed charges relating to sending threats and misuse of elec- tronic communications networks, together with a charge of failing to return an out-of-date ID card. The defendant was also accused of re- cidivism. Inspector Vella exhibited two ID cards found in Monsigneur's pos- session. A not guilty plea was entered. Defence lawyer Jose Herrera, representing Monsigneur together with lawyer Matthew Xuereb, re- quested bail. The prosecution objected to the request, pointing out that the vic- tims had not yet testified and the fact that the defendant had been out on three concurrent sets of po- lice bail conditions at the time of his latest arrest. Herrera told the court that the incident had come about when Monsigneur had noticed drug deals happening not far from the detox centre in Ħamrun, claim- ing that after several reports that he made were ignored by the po- lice, he had "felt the need to carry out a citizen's arrest" because "he couldn't bear to see it happening, right next to a police station." Monsigneur had struggled with drug addiction in the past, he said. "If true, his actions are lauda- ble," was the lawyer's improbable suggestion, made all the more au- dacious by the fact that a citizen's arrest can only be carried out in the scenarios expressly laid out in the Criminal Code - namely "sexual offences, any crime of wilful homi- cide or bodily harm, or any crime of theft or of wilful unlawful entry or damage to property" - and which do not include drug offences. Monsigneur is also understood to have uploaded a video on Tiktok showing him insulting the victims. The court rejected the bail re- quest, pointing to the man's character as reflected by his long criminal record and the risk of tampering with evidence. Man charged with assault claims he was carrying out citizen's arrest