that the hack originated overseas, Dr Muscat added.

Bank of Valletta

MFSA keeping tabs

Malta's financial regulator, the MFSA, is closely monitoring the situation.

"The MFSA follows ECB guidelines with respect to cyber-security threats and attendant risk mitigating factors which need to be followed by licenced institutions," MFSA CEO Joseph Cuschieri told Times of Malta.

It was banks' responsibility to safeguard their cyber security, he added.

"We strongly encourage banks and other other licenced financial institutions continuously invest in their IT systems to prevent such occurrences," he said.

Shop owners in the dark

The shutdown has affected several local businesses which rely on BOV-operated point-of-sale equipment to process card payments. It also means POS systems run on rival banking networks cannot process payments on BOV-issued cards.

As of 3pm, shop owners remained in the dark.

Speaking to theNew streetcar line drawing riders

New streetcar line drawing riders

Advocate staff photo by ELIOT KAMENITZ --- The Loyola street car stops along its line to let passengers off at Julia Street near its teminus at the Union Passenger Station on Wednesday, March 13, 2013. Another street car is seen close behind.

Supporters of ‘line to nowhere’ hope it encourages development

NEW ORLEANS — It was a streetcar line some described as a line to nowhere.

But the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority’s director of planning and scheduling on Thursday said that the new Loyola Avenue line, in operation for a little more than a month, already has seen a healthy ridership. That interest is something he predicts will grow with the addition of a new spur down North Rampart Street and St.