Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1508472
16 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 27 SEPTEMBER 2023 NEWS ACROSS 1) Jazzman's lick 5) "Hamlet" quintet 9) Put back to zero, say 14) Plane measure 15) React to a bad pun, maybe 16) Island off Venezuela 17) December-letter opener 19) Humidor item 20) "Rabbit ears" on an old TV 21) Pal, slangily 23) Hi-__ graphics 24) Pal of Garfield 26) Brandy flavoring 27) Gnats, e.g. 29) Junkyard dog 32) Closing bars 35) Black mark 36) Letters on a forever stamp 37) Mary Kay competitor 38) Deck application 40) Assist in shady doings 41) Kilmer of "Batman Forev- er" 42) Silverstein who wrote "A Boy Named Sue" 43) Lock of hair 44) House add-on 45) Date source 48) Not easily solved 50) Storage area 51) ___ about (wander) 54) Candy, cookies, etc. 57) Slowly, on a score 59) Slip away from 60) President's initial days in office 62) Greets the day 63) Awkward boats 64) Luxury hotel chain 65) Like helium 66) Greeley's direction 67) Gets the gist of DOWN 1) JUGS gun technology 2) Papas of "Zorba the Greek" 3) Daring deeds 4) What you eat 5) Bynes of "Easy A" 6) 1997 Nicolas Cage thriller 7) Bit of body art, briefly 8) Lose one's cool 9) Most risque 10) IRA-establishing law 11) Diner "lump" 12) Abba oflsrael 13) Source of poi 18) Does a con job on 22) Grillmaster's wear 25) Preserves, in a way 27) __ Luis Obispo 28) "The Book of ___" (Washington movie) 30) Swiss Army knife's many 31) Charlie Brown's expletive 32) Give in, informally 33) Mirror shape, maybe 34) Miniature home 38) Parasol's offering 39) No. on a business card 40) "Odds __ ..." 42) Most nimble 43) Stuffed bear's nickname 46) "Much obliged!" 47) Build a new home, in a way 49) Snake that bears live young 51) Travelocity pitchman 52) Do penance 53) Leary of "Rescue Me" 54) ___ Halliwell, AKA Ginger Spice 55) Lena or Ken of Hollywood 56) "Begin the Beguine" bandleader Artie 58) "Famous" cookiemaker 61) "-ite" compound, often F Solution to last week's crossword The answers to today's crossword will be published in next week's Midweek edition Weather Cloudy and rainy with locally thundery showers Visibility Moderate to poor in showers Wind North Northeast force 5 to 6 locally force 6 to East of area veering Northeast in the afternoon (Gusty near storms) TOMORROW Crossword WEATHER WINDY WITH THUNDERY SHOWERS 29 0 / 23 0 TODAY WINDY WITH THUNDERY SHOWERS 28 0 / 23 0 FEELS LIKE 29 0 FEELS LIKE 30 0 MARIANNA CALLEJA MEP Cyrus Engerer has hit out against both the Nationalist and Labour party for leaving Paul Buttiġieġ alone in fighting against the development of Ħon- doq ir-Rummien. "The reality is that the Qala mayor, was left alone for the en- tire 23 years to wage this battle in the Maltese courts, and he emerged victorious alone," En- gerer said. Interviewed on TVM's XTRA, the Labour MEP said the envi- ronment is still not a priority for both government and the oppo- sition. "Well done to him, and to oth- er mayors like him," Engerer said. Following a protracted twen- ty-year old battle spearheaded by environmentalists and Qala mayor Paul Buttigieg, the Plan- ning Authority issued three main objectives of its local plan review to ensure the protection of Ħondoq ir-Rummien, last week. The amendments will only be drafted following the first round of public conclusion on the ob- jectives which will be subse- quently reissued for another round of public consultation. Engerer paid tribute to "oth- er dedicated mayors" who have taken a stand for the environ- ment. He mentioned Christian Zammit, the former Xagħra mayor who resigned in April, and PN mayor Noel Formosa among others. These mayors, according to Engerer, have been working tirelessly to protect the environ- ment from the actions of one government, after the other. Gozo Minister Clint Camill- eri and Nationalist spokesper- son for Gozo MP Alex Borg were also part of the panel, and criticised each other's parties for their lack of effort in the islands' environmental conser- vation. Engerer also spoke about the 2006 local plans, saying they led to the construction of "mon- strous buildings" in locations renowned for their natural beauty. "We are saying that we can change the local plans in Ħon- doq. Good. Well done. Will we be doing the same to localities that suffered the obscenities that George Pullicino intro- duced in 2006?" he said. He urged both parties to pri- oritise environmental preser- vation and reconsider local de- velopment plans to safeguard the nation's unique natural and traditional heritage. Engerer decries PL's and PN's lack of support for Qala mayor's fight against Hondoq development Labour MEP Cyrus Engerer