Malta Independent
CCTV footage helped police retrace Marsa murder accused’s movements, court hears
Police retraced the movements of murder accused Isaac Asare through Marsa using CCTV footage after he was seen following Miriam Azzopardi into a field and later emerging alone. Azzopardi was found then lifeless in a field in Marsa on 23...
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Man dies, two others injured as boat crashes into rocks in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq
A 48-year-old man from Mellieħa died while a 44-year-old man from Cospicua and a 14year-old boy from Mellieħa were injured after a boat carrying the three crashed into a reef off Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq on Sunday evening, prompting a rescue operation involving...
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Remembrance Sunday
Paper poppies shower the War Memorial on the occasion of Remembrance Day. President Myriam Spiteri Debono, Acting Prime Minister Michael Falzon, Speaker Carmelo Abela,and Opposition Leader Alex Borg laid wreaths at the monument on Sunday Photo:
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Budget survey: Few fear for their own pocket, but a third fear for Malta
Maltese adults are far more worried about what Budget 2027 means for the country than for their own household, even as personal satisfaction edges ahead of dissatisfaction, the first Esprimi post-Budget Barometer has found. Only 15% expect the budget...
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Lorin Scicluna sentenced to eight years in prison
Lorin Scicluna was jailed for eight years after jurors found him guilty, by six votes to three, of grievously injuring May Malimi in a hit-and-run incident on 1 February 2019. He was also ordered to pay €6676.32 in court expert fees. Scicluna was seen...
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Democrat landslide
The Democratic Party registered a landslide victory in the mid-term elections between Tuesday and Wednesday, taking back control in the Senate and the House with significant majorities. Democrat candidate Abdul el-Sayed (left) was among the most...
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Gozo Channel to be free of charge for pedestrians as from next year, Prime Minister says
Maltese and Gozitan residents will be able to travel between Malta and Gozo free of charge as foot passengers from 1 January, Prime Minister Robert Abela announced during his replica speech on the Budget 2027 debate on Tuesday evening. The measure...
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Government delivered ‘knee-jerk reaction’ rather than long-term plan, Borg says in Budget reply
Nationalist Party leader Alex Borg said that the government had, with the Budget for 2027, delivered a “knee-jerk reaction” rather than a long-term economic vision for the country. Speaking in Parliament on Monday during his Budget reaction, Borg said...
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Jury finds Lorin Scicluna not guilty of Lassana Cisse murder
Former Armed Forces of Malta soldier Lorin Scicluna has been acquitted of the murder of Lassana Cisse by a jury on Sunday evening. The development came at around 8pm, hours after the jurors retired at 11:45am to consider nine charges against Scicluna,...
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Vaccination campaign
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health, Ian Borg, launched the Seasonal Vaccination Campaign 2026/2027, which will begin on Monday, 2 November 2026. The campaign will offer vaccination against seasonal influenza, COVID-19 and pneumococcal...
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Paola mayor's asset freeze by developer lifted after strong backlash
The freeze on Paola mayor Jason Silvio's personal bank accounts has been lifted after a developer took legal action against him following the local council's decision to appeal a proposed development, Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Thursday. In a...
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Abela on TCN fees: ‘Which country gives all services for free?’
Prime Minister Robert Abela has defended the government’s decision to introduce new fees and remove certain benefits for third-country nationals (TCNs), arguing that no country provides every service free of charge to people who have just...
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Yorgen Fenech granted 10-day extension to respond to Attorney General's appeal against acquittal
The Court of Criminal Appeal has upheld a request by Yorgen Fenech's defence team for more time to prepare its written submissions in response to an appeal filed by the Attorney General following his acquittal over the murder of journalist Daphne...
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BUDGET 2027 Government targets tourists and TCNs to raise revenue
Discussions are underway with several companies over a possible strategic partnership for KM Malta Airlines, with a number of non-disclosure agreements already signed, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana announced on Monday during the presentation of Budget...
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Abela promises further income tax cuts for parents and €10 weekly pension increase in Budget 2027
Prime Minister Robert Abela has pledged further income tax cuts for parents and an additional €10 a week for pensioners, as he outlined key measures expected in Monday’s Budget, saying the government would continue protecting families from the impact...
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54 per cent of schoolchildren receiving counselling face family troubles – Blossom report
More than half the schoolchildren supported by The Blossom Project during the last academic year were dealing with difficulties at home, according to new findings that reveal the pressures children as young as four are bringing into the classroom. Of...
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Muscat says prosecution missed ‘slam dunk’ in Yorgen Fenech murder trial
Former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has said prosecutors failed to make the most of their case against Yorgen Fenech, describing the murder trial as a “slam dunk” that was ultimately missed. Speaking to journalist Stephen Grey on the Audible podcast...
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Accused Lorin Scicluna cries during graphic evidence in Lassane Cisse murder trial
Jurors in the trial of Lorin Scicluna, who is accused of murdering Lassane Cisse in 2019, were shown graphic photographs of the victim's body and injuries on Wednesday as forensic officers described the evidence documented at the crime scene. The...
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Lassana Cisse murder trial: Emergency calls, witness accounts detail aftermath of fatal drive-by shooting
Distressing emergency calls, accounts of two men found shot along a road in Ħal Far and testimony about the fatal injuries sustained by Lassana Cisse Souleymane dominated Tuesday’s sitting in the murder trial of former Armed Forces of Malta soldier...
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Historic hospital restored
The Old Hospital in Mqabba has been restored at a cost of €192,000, giving the historic building a new lease of life for residents and visitors to enjoy. The project was funded through €112,000 from the Mqabba Local Council and €80,000 from the LESA
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Malta recorded second-highest tourism intensity among all EU countries in 2025 – Eurostat
A Eurostat study has shown that in 2025, Malta registered the second-highest tourism intensity in the European Union. Eurostat calculated these results by comparing EU countries’ ratios of total nights spent in tourist accommodation establishments, by...
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Pope Leo XIV diagnosed with lung cancer after surgery to remove part of right lung
Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery Tuesday that confirmed he has lung cancer and doctors removed the lower lobe of his right lung, the Vatican said. Tests confirmed a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, the Vatican said in a medical bulletin after the...
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Joseph Muscat wins appeal as court orders police action against Vitals forensic accountant
The Criminal Court has ordered the police take the necessary steps against Miroslava Milenovic, a forensic accountant appointed during the Vitals hospitals inquiry, after upholding an appeal filed by former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. In a judgment...
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Ground gives way
No one was injured after part of the ground collapsed during ongoing works in Tarxien Square, the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) and the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) said in a joint statement Monday. Officials from both...
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Pope Leo says he will undergo surgery in the coming days to remove a nodule on his lung
Pope Leo XIV announced Sunday he will undergo surgery in the coming days to remove a nodular lesion on his lung, in the first major health event of his 17month pontificate. The 71-year-old Leo said the nodule was found at an early stage and was...
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Navanethem 'Navi' Pillay wins the Nobel Peace Prize for her work in international justice
Former U.N. human rights chief Navanethem "Navi" Pillay, a judge on the International Court of Justice, won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday in Oslo, Norway. The South Africa-born Pillay, 85 years old, was recognized for her efforts to promote peace...
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Planning Authority approves Malta’s first crematorium in Siġġiewi amid strong objections
The Planning Authority has approved Malta's first crematorium in Siġġiewi by a 7-2 vote, despite fierce opposition from local residents, the local council, former minister John Dalli, and former Nationalist MP Karol Aquilina. Proposed by funeral...
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Three years on
People carrying Israeli flags walk through an installation marking the third anniversary of the 7 October, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, on the beachfront in Tel Aviv,
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Energy subsidies have cost Malta more than Covid, Clyde Caruana says; COLA to be 'around €5'
Energy subsidies have cost Malta significantly more than the COVID-19 pandemic, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana said on Tuesday, as he defended the government's decision to keep shielding households and businesses from soaring international energy...
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Spain’s prime minister calls early elections aiming to seize momentum over housing crisis
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced early general elections on Monday, aiming to seize momentum from housing protests that have roiled the country and frame the vote around affordability issues. The election is scheduled for November 29,...
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Human tower
Members of Castellers de Lleida form a "castell" human tower during the 30th Concurs de Castells, or Human Tower Competition, in Tarragona, Spain on Saturday.
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PA orders removal of unauthorised restaurant structure in Sliema
The Planning Authority on Friday issued an enforcement notice ordering the immediate removal of an unauthorised structure erected in front of a catering establishment at The Strand in Sliema, following complaints over the use of public space,...
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Chief Justice urges government, Opposition to find ‘mature’ solution for his successor
Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti has told the Government and the Opposition that he will remain in post until Parliament chooses his successor, urging them to find a "just path" and a solution that shows maturity, and saying the way the matter had been...
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Energy subsidies to continue, but Caruana refuses to confirm €1,000 Super Bonus for 2027 Budget
The government will continue subsidising fuel and electricity prices in next year's budget, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana said on Wednesday, arguing that maintaining the measures is necessary to protect households and the Maltese economy from...
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Talks on next Chief Justice should continue immediately, Justice Minister says
Talks on who should be Malta’s next Chief Justice should continue immediately, Justice Minister Clifton Grima has told The Malta Independent. Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti’s term was meant to have ended in February earlier this year as he reached...
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Swift sets VMA record
Taylor Swift, left, accepts the award for video of the year for "The Fate of Ophelia," from Snoop Dogg during the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The pop powerhouse also received the inaugural Artist Director...
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Man, 31, found dead after argument in St Julian’s; alleged aggressor arrested
A 31-year-old Moroccan man was found dead following an argument in Spinola Gardens on Sunday morning, with police later arresting a 27-year-old Polish man in St George's Bay. Police were informed at around 6.30am that a man who appeared to be lifeless...
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‘Dare to trust’ as suspicion threatens global cooperation, PM tells UN
Trust, or rather the erosion of it, was at the centre of Prime Minister Robert Abela’s address to the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, as he argued that growing suspicion between governments, institutions and citizens was undermining the...
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Activists storm conference to call for Planning Authority chief’s resignation
Moviment Graffitti and Friends of the Earth Malta have escalated their campaign against Planning Authority CEO Johann Buttigieg, following a high-profile direct action protest staged at the db Group hotel in St Julian's. The demonstration disrupted a...
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Wied Dalam rehabilitated
Following extensive restoration, Wied Dalam has been transformed into a new space for discovery, welcoming visitors for the first time as part of an enhanced experience at Għar Dalam and Museum in Birżebbuġa. Photo: Heritage Malta.
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Prosecution appeals Yorgen Fenech acquittal in Daphne Caruana Galizia murder case
The prosecution has filed an appeal against the acquittal of Yorgen Fenech in the trial over the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Lawyers from the Office of the Attorney General filed the appeal on Tuesday, a day before the deadline for...
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Tabone renews call for dedicated Gozo drug squad amid rising cocaine treatment figures
Gozo shadow minister Frank Anthony Tabone has renewed his call for a dedicated police unit to tackle drug-trafficking in Gozo, telling The Malta Independent that cocaine use is spreading “across all strata of society” on the island, at a time when...
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PN Leader’s office to move to Valletta to be closer to the people, Borg says
Nationalist Party leader Alex Borg announced that the office of the PN leader will move outside of its headquarters in Pieta to Valletta, to be closer to the people, in a move he described as the “next step to Castille.” Speaking on Sunday, on the eve...
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Reserve juror in Yorgen Fenech trial arrested as police widen investigations
A reserve juror who served in the trial of Yorgen Fenech was arrested on Friday morning and was expected to be questioned by police later in the day, Times of Malta reported. The arrest comes a day after other jurors in the case were arrested and...
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Jurors from Yorgen Fenech trial arrested, questioned by police
Several jurors who served in the trial of Yorgen Fenech have been arrested and questioned by police today in an investigation which is related to the trial, reports have revealed. In a statement Thursday evening, the police did not mention any arrests...
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107 months on: Thousands protest for justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia in Valletta
Valletta’s Republic Street was packed with thousands of demonstrators and hundreds of signs as citizens marched through the capital appealing for justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia, exactly a fortnight since Yorgen Fenech was acquitted from his charges...
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Wounded wings
A European Roller with multiple shotgun injuries on its wings is seen flying over Buskett on Monday afternoon. Hundreds of migratory species made landfall in Malta on Sunday to take shelter from bad weather in the Mediterranean, with BirdLife Malta...
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Vatican exhibition
Pope Leo XIV, left, looks at the installation "Diluvium" by French artist Jean Rene, known as JR, as he arrives at the Vatican Library on Monday, during a press preview of the exhibit "AQVA, Catastrophe and Wonder," which will be open to the public...
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Alex Borg proposes selfregulating media agency to oversee journalist warrants
Nationalist Party leader Alex Borg has proposed the establishment of a self-regulating media agency that could be responsible for issuing warrants to journalists, arguing that such powers should not be placed in the hands of a government...
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Fenech’s lawyers say jury verdict is under attack ‘on the basis of malicious lies and fabrications’
Yorgen Fenech's defence lawyers have issued a letter to the media in which they stated that it is "unacceptable that a practically unanimous verdict should be the subject of attack on the basis of malicious lies and fabrications." Fenech's lawyers...
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Robert Abela says Malta cannot support EU taxation as 2028-2034 budget talks begin
Prime Minister Robert Abela and European Council President António Costa discussed the EU’s long-term budget, competitiveness, migration, Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East during talks in Malta on Thursday. Costa met Abela at the Auberge de...
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Muscat ‘baffled’ by Fenech jury verdict, says he treated Daphne’s murder as a ‘terrorist attack’
Former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said on Wednesday that he is “baffled” by the verdict reached by jurors in the trial of Yorgen Fenech, as he addressed the media in a press conference a week after the businessman walked free of charges in connection...
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Bishop urges Malta to pursue ‘victories’ of life, truth and integrity on Victory Day
Auxiliary Bishop Joseph GaleaCurmi has called on the Maltese people to focus not only on the historic victories commemorated on Victory Day but also on the moral and social "victories" that Malta must strive to achieve today. Delivering his homily at...
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Matthew Caruana Galizia seeks Yorgen Fenech retrial and State accountability
Matthew Caruana Galizia has slammed the recent acquittal of Yorgen Fenech in the assassination of his mother, investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, declaring that Fenech "got away with murder" and demanding an immediate retrial. Fenech was...
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Abela says he has full faith in Attorney General, blasts PN remarks as undermining possible appeal
Prime Minister Robert Abela has said that he has full faith in Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg and simultaneously blasted the Nationalist Party for its “dangerous” remarks which he says may jeopardise any potential future appeal on the jury trial...
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Alex Borg attempt to discuss motion on Daphne inquiry rejected by government
The government on Friday rejected a discussion on a motion presented by the Opposition Leader, calling upon the government to implement the Daphne Caruana Galizia public inquiry recommendations by the end of October. The request for the discussion on...
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Parliament to convene urgently today to discuss Fenech verdict
Prime Minister Robert Abela said the government has agreed for Parliament to be convened urgently to discuss the aftermath of the Yorgen Fenech trial, but said he hoped the debate will be carried out within certain parameters that will not prejudice...
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Yorgen Fenech NOTGUILTY
A jury on Wednesday acquitted businessman Yorgen Fenech of masterminding the 2017 assassination of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, bringing the long-running murder case against him to an end. Fenech, a prominent businessman, had been...
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Judge continues evidence review as Fenech trial moves closer to jury deliberations
Madam Justice Edwina Grima on Tuesday continued taking jurors through the evidence heard during the Yorgen Fenech trial, revisiting testimony concerning the alleged murder plot, Melvin Theuma’s contacts with people around him and the subsequent police...
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‘You are sovereign judges of fact’: Fenech jury told to ignore emotion, follow the evidence
The trial of Yorgen Fenech has entered its decisive stage, with Judge Edwina Grima beginning her final address to the jury on Monday after two months of testimony and evidence in the case concerning the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana...
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Nepal’s flood aftermath
A drone view of the aftermath of flash flooding at the confluence of the Trishuli and Tadi rivers in the Devighat area of Nuwakot district, Nepal, Saturday. Photo: AP/Rajesh Kumar Singh
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Fenech’s actions prove he was behind Daphne’s murder, prosecution says as defence attacks Theuma’s version
Prosecutor Anthony Vella told the jury that the evidence against Yorgen Fenech forms a chain leading directly to him as the person who ordered Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination, arguing that his financial interests, his relationship with middleman...
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Defence rests case after three witnesses as prosecution says evidence proves Fenech’s guilt
The defence in Yorgen Fenech’s trial by jury closed its case in half a morning on Thursday, calling just three witnesses before resting, as the proceedings moved into the final stage with the prosecution beginning its closing submissions, telling...
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A daughter remembered NSO survey shows strong support for gender equality
An overwhelming majority of adults in Malta believe household responsibilities should be shared equally between partners and reject traditional gender stereotypes, according to the latest National Statistics Office (NSO) omnibus survey. However, the...
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‘There are your fingerprints all over this murder’: Prosecution ends Fenech cross-examination
Prosecutor Godwin Cini accused Yorgen Fenech of having his “fingerprints all over” the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia on Tuesday, bringing a heated three-day cross-examination to an end before the defence launched an attack on Melvin Theuma’s...
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Yorgen Fenech tells jury he felt betrayed by Keith Schembri
Yorgen Fenech told jurors on Monday that he felt betrayed by former OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri as he continued to deny any involvement in the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia. Fenech was being cross-examined by prosecutor Godwin Cini,...
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Floriana Council to close doors in symbolic protest over depopulation
The Floriana Local Council will close its doors on Tuesday 25 August as it stages a symbolic protest over what it describes as the locality’s worsening depopulation crisis. Speaking to The Malta Independent, Deputy Mayor James Aaron Ellul said the...
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I had no role in Daphne murder, Fenech tells jury
Yorgen Fenech told the jury on Friday that Keith Schembri was the person who drew him into dealings with Melvin Theuma after Daphne Caruana Galizia's assassination, including passing on warnings about police investigations. Taking the witness stand in...
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‘She died investigating’: Prosecution closes case with testimony from Daphne’s son
Daphne Caruana Galizia’s son Andrew told jurors about his mother’s investigative work, her fears in the weeks before her assassination and the devastating impact her death had on the family, as his testimony brought the prosecution’s case in Yorgen...
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Wildfire aftermath
A view of a burned area a day after a wildfire in Peristeria village on the island of Salamina, west of Athens, Greece.
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‘Very unusual’: Malta records no loggerhead turtle nests despite 11 nesting attempts - Nature Trust
Nature Trust – FEE Malta has described this year’s loggerhead turtle nesting season as “very unusual”, after Malta recorded 11 nesting attempts but not a single confirmed nest so far this summer. Nature Trust – FEE Malta, together with the Environment...
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Two education investigations resolved following commitments on consultation and forward planning
Two investigations which were being conducted by the Commissioner for Education, Chief Justice Emeritus Vincent A. De Gaetano, concerning matters affecting students with disabilities have been closed following developments during the investigations and...
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‘There’s no bigger liar than you’: George Degiorgio tells Theuma in furious courtroom clash
A furious confrontation erupted between convicted hitman George Degiorgio and self-confessed murder middleman Melvin Theuma during Yorgen Fenech’s trial by jury on Thursday, with Degiorgio branding Theuma “the biggest liar” before security officers...
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Driver dies in crash with trailer in Qormi
A 27-year-old Indian national living in Paola died in a traffic accident in Ħandaq Road, Qormi, on Tuesday morning, the police said. The collision occurred at approximately 11:45am and involved a Toyota Toyace truck driven by the victim and a trailer...
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