Malta Independent
Halland Hotel planning mess can be addressed by suspending works during appeal, NGOs say
The campaign Ġustizzja għal Artna is calling for the immediate amendment of the current laws regulating planning appeals so that works are suspended during the appeal process, “as logic dictates and as has been repeatedly promised, yet never delivered,...
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‘We need Gozo to have distinct planning policies,’ Gozo Regional Development Authority CEO says
The CEO of the Gozo Regional Development Authority (GRDA) believes that the island needs to have a distinct set of planning policies if it is to be properly protected. Speaking in an interview with The Malta Independent, GRDA CEO Ivan Falzon said that...
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37% of Maltese believe Malta is not investing enough in defence and security programmes
More than a third of Maltese respondents to a Eurobarometer survey believe that Malta does not invest enough in defence and security programmes. A new Eurobarometer survey released ahead of the Munich Security Conference showed Europeans’ growing...
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Over 4 million people visited Malta in 2025, record levels of tourist expenditure registered
4,022,310 tourists visited Malta in 2025, an increase of 12.9% over the same period in 2024, the National Statistics Office (NSO) said Thursday. Total tourist expenditure was estimated at €3,904.4 million, 18.6% higher than that recorded for the same...
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Family charged with usury hid €120,000 cash at home, owned luxury cars despite being unemployed
A family of six were charged in court with operating a usury and money laundering operation, following a police raid that uncovered €120,000 in cash at two residences. Keith Pace, 45, from Santa Venera, unemployed, was charged alongside his partner...
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Proper geological assessment of coastal areas needed before engineering interventions are made – geologist
A proper geological assessment of Malta's coastal areas needs to take place before engineering interventions are made in areas like Għar Lapsi, the President of the Chamber of Geologists, Peter Gatt, said following the damage caused by Storm...
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Court finds Abner Aquilina fit to stand trial over murder of Paulina Dembska
Abner Aquilina is fit to stand trial on charges of murdering Paulina Dembska, a court has ruled. The decision follows the presentation of a psychiatric report by experts Joe Cassar, Anton Grech and George Debono, who testified on Monday. The...
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Malta should invest in renewable energy to phase out energy subsidies – Central Bank Governor
The Governor of the Central Bank of Malta, Alexander Demarco, said that the government’s energy subsidies should not last forever and exit strategies for Malta are needed to phase itself out from them. Interviewed by The Malta Independent, Demarco...
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Cospicua’s sea was sold behind the people's back, Momentum says
Momentum on Friday expressed disappointment in the manner in which the Labour government has "effectively handed over part of Cospicua’s coastline and sea space to the American University of Malta, betraying the people who live at the heart of the...
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Grand Harbour Revival Plan launched with vision for long-term regeneration
The Grand Harbour Revival Plan was officially launched on Thursday, marking the beginning of a national regeneration project aimed at restoring life, economic activity and public access across Malta’s most historically important harbour. The plan has...
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PN votes down nomination for Consuelo Scerri Herrera to be next Chief Justice
The PN parliamentary group has blocked Judge Consuelo Scerri Herrera from being appointed as Malta’s next Chief Justice. The motion to appoint her as the head of Malta’s judiciary failed to reach the required two-thirds parliamentary majority of 53...
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Taking shelter during a drone attack
Russia carried out a major overnight attack on Ukraine in what President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday was a broken commitment to halt striking energy infrastructure as the countries prepared for more talks on ending Moscow’s 4-year-old fullscale...
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Government unveils overhaul of family court system in new reform
The Government has launched the first phase of its Family Court reform following a public consultation process held in late 2024, setting out a comprehensive package of legal, procedural and structural changes aimed at improving outcomes for children...
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Maltese energy subsidies should be imitated at EU level, not removed – PL MP Alex Muscat
Government MP and economist Alex Muscat said that not only should Malta ignore the European Commission’s calls to cut out its energy subsidies, but rather, “Europe should imitate us at EU level.” In an interview with this media house, the former...
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Standards Czar urges Parliament to allow him to publish decisions not to investigate complaints
Standards Commissioner Joseph Azzopardi has again urged Parliamentarians to allow him to publish decisions where he decides not to investigate a complaint. In a letter to Speaker Anglu Farrugia and to the President of the Standards Committee, he cited...
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PN wants more discussions on new Chief Justice, says Abela breached gentleman’s agreement
The Nationalist Party wants discussion on the new Chief Justice to continue, saying that Prime Minister Robert Abela breached a gentleman's agreement when it was announced that the government's choice for the role was Consuelo Scerri Herrera. Justice...
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13-year-old girl swept out to sea at Ċirkewwa found dead by divers
The girl who on Monday was swept out to sea at Ċirkewwa was found dead on Wednesday morning, Home Minister Byron Camilleri said. The girl was later named as Oliwia Wojnowska. Her body was found shortly before 11am on Wednesday at Paradise Bay, close...
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Jacket of missing 13-year-old girl found on the rocks in Ċirkewwa
The search for a 13-year-old Polish girl who was dragged into the sea in Ċirkewwa by a large wave on Monday afternoon continued on Tuesday. The Armed Forces of Malta, the Malta Police Force and the Civil Protection Department yesterday conducted...
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More snow hits US Northeast
The U.S. workweek opened with yet more snow dumping on the Northeast under the tail end of a colossal winter storm that brought ice and power outages, impassable roads, canceled flights and frigid cold to much of the southern and eastern United States....
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Puppy rescue
Two puppies were rescued by officers from the Malta Police Force on Sunday after being found running loose on a main road during a routine police roadcheck targeting excessive speeding in Ħaż-Żebbuġ. The puppies were not microchipped and have been...
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An inspirational gesture
President Myriam Spiteri Debono has met a nine-year-old British girl whose decision to donate her hair to help children who have lost theirs due to illness has inspired a charitable book in aid of the Malta Community Chest
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PN says ARMS knew about 50,000 eco reduction billing failures; ARMS denies and says figure is untrue
PN Shadow Ministers Mark Anthony Sammut and Graziella Galea have accused ARMS and the Labour Government of knowingly allowing serious billing failures to persist for more than a year, resulting in 50,000 consumers being denied the eco reduction they...
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STORM HARRY THE AFTERMATH
Malta is counting the cost after Storm Harry lashed the islands over an extended period between Monday and Tuesday, leaving behind widespread damage to farms, coastal businesses, construction sites and maritime infrastructure. While no fatalities or...
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Storm Harry lashes Malta
Maltese Islands hit by strong winds, rough seas • Trees uprooted, roads flooded, billboards upended No fatalities, Home Affairs Minister tells Parliament • CPD receives multiple calls for assistance • Ferry services to and from Gozo not operated Postal...
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‘Unless necessary, stay indoors,’ Minister warns as Storm Harry batters Malta
Minister for Home Affairs Byron Camilleri on Monday advised all members of the public to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary during Tuesday as Malta is expected to be battered by Storm Harry. Following Monday morning’s red alert, the Minister...
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Authority for Integrity in Maltese Sport to introduce licensing of sports facilities, new tribunal in 2026
2026 will be a year of reform in Maltese sports, as the Authority for Integrity in Maltese Sport embarks on a process to introduce the licensing of sports facilities, a new sports tribunal, and to reduce bureaucracy, the authority’s CEO told The Malta...
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Record number of flights used Malta’s airspace in 2025
The government said that a record number of flights flew through Malta’s airspace in 2025. The government said that in the wake of a number of conflicts, including in the Eastern Mediterranean area, Malta Air Traffic Services played a vital role in...
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President warns of a world drifting from law as Malta calls for diplomacy and restraint
In a world she described as increasingly unmoored from law, stability, and trust, President Myriam Spiteri Debono used her address to Malta’s diplomatic corps on Thursday to issue a calm but pointed appeal for diplomacy, multilateralism, and...
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Trial begins to determine accused’s mental state in fatal Rabat shooting
Proceedings began on Monday with a jury being told to determine whether 41-year-old Noel Azzopardi was legally responsible for his actions at the time of the fatal shooting that took place in Rabat on New Year’s Day 2024. The case centres on the...
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Icy swim
A swimmer swims in the icy water in a lake near Vilnius, Lithuania, on Sunday, with air temperatures at -15 degrees Celsius and water temperatures at 0.5 degrees Celsius.
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‘A setback for transparency’: Standards Czar on ministerial asset declarations not being published
The Commissioner for Standards in Public Life has described the Cabinet's decision regarding ministerial declarations of assets as "a setback for transparency in public life." The Commissioner for Standards in Public Life wrote to the Prime Minister...
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Freezing temperatures hit parts of Europe
Snow, ice and freezing temperatures hit parts of Europe on Tuesday, causing treacherous traffic conditions that left at least five people dead in France and forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights from one of the continent’s busiest airports....
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Maduro says 'I was captured' as he pleads not guilty to drug trafficking charges
A defiant Nicolás Maduro declared himself the “president of my country” as he protested his capture and pleaded not guilty on Monday to the federal drug trafficking charges that the Trump administration used to justify removing him from power. “I was...
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Government calls for ‘peaceful and democratic solution’ in Venezuela
The Government of Malta is calling for de-escalation and a peaceful and democratic solution in Venezuela, following the situation in the country. In a military strike, the U.S. captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores,...
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Festa ta’ Ġenerożità telethon raises over €1.5 million for Id-Dar tal-Providenza
The first day of the year was again a show of generosity towards Id-Dar tal-Providenza, with €1,556,543 collected during the “Festa ta’ Ġenerożità” (feast of generosity). At the end of the televised marathon, Mgr. Martin Micallef, director of the...
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Malta enters the rocket age with student organisation’s historic first launch
Malta witnessed a historic milestone with the successful launch of MERILL II, the first rocket ever launched from Maltese soil, by the University of Malta-based student organisation UM Rocketry. Timothy Schembri, committee member of UM Rocketry, told...
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US offers Ukraine 15-year security guarantee as part of peace plan, Zelenskyy says
The United States is offering Ukraine security guarantees for a period of 15 years as part of a proposed peace plan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday, though he said he would prefer an American commitment of up to 50 years to deter...
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Brigitte Bardot passes away
Brigitte Bardot, the French 1960s sex symbol who became one of the greatest screen sirens of the 20th century and later a militant animal rights activist and far-right supporter, has died. She was 91. She is here pictured posing with a huge sombrero...
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Disciplined forces collect and distribute food to those in need around Malta
For the sixth consecutive year, disciplined forces officers have collected and distributed food to various residential homes around Malta during this festive season. Joined by the Minister for the Interior, Byron Camilleri, disciplined forces officers...
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Abela issues ‘hands off’ warning on development in Fort Tigne, rules out hotel conversion
Prime Minister Robert Abela has declared that Fort Tigné is “hands off” for development, insisting that the historic structure must be preserved and ruling out any possibility of it being converted into a hotel. Speaking to journalists after a press...
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Car catches fire in Mellieha
No one was hurt when a car caught fire on the Mellieha by-pass on Monday morning. The car, however, was destroyed in the blaze, which occurred at around 11am, police said. Civil Protection Department officers were on site to handle the fire. Photo:...
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Coming together for Christmas
Political and religious leaders came together over the Christmas period to address the nation with a shared message of unity, solidarity, and social responsibility, during the annual Milied Flimkien activities held in Valletta on Saturday.
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Firefighter’s funeral
A relative of Ho Wai-ho, the firefighter who lost his life in the line of duty during the deadly fire at Wang Fuk Court on November 26, holds his picture during his funeral in Hong Kong on Friday.
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Rising cost of living the top concern for Maltese, new Eurobarometer finds
A new Eurobarometer has found that inflation and the rising cost of living is the top concern for the Maltese public, both on a national level and a personal level. The survey found that the public is only getting more concerned about the issue: the...
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Ready to be used
The flyover forming part of the €35 million Msida Creek infrastructure project was inaugurated on Wednesday and scheduled to open for traffic at midnight on Thursday. Commuters coming from Pieta' can now take the flyover to direction of the Msida...
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‘It beggars belief’, Archbishop says following ethics ruling on truthfulness of MPs, Repubblika raises alarm
Civil society organisation Repubblika has expressed serious concern over a recent decision by the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life, which concluded that, under the current rules, Members of Parliament are not under a formal obligation to tell...
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PM meets Pope Leo XIV as Malta marks 60 years of diplomatic relations with Vatican
Prime Minister Robert Abela met with Pope Leo XIV on Monday at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. The meeting marked the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Malta and the Holy See. “Diplomatic ties between Malta...
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Calls for investigation into Minister Galdes mount following news of another property deal
Calls for investigations into Housing Minister Roderick Galdes continue to mount as another property deal he was involved in was reported. Last month it was reported that Galdes purchased a penthouse and garage in Victoria, Gozo for a price of just...
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Armed Forces rescue 61 migrants in distress, one person dies
Some 60 migrants were rescued by the Armed Forces of Malta on Friday, and one person is believed to have died. The migrants in distress were spotted in the water by a fisherman outside of Malta’s territorial waters. In a statement to The Malta...
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‘Shape your space’: Government invites ideas for White Rocks, Manoel Island, Fort Campbell parks
Prime Minister Robert Abela and Environment Minister Miriam Dalli on Thursday launched a public consultation for three national parks, inviting the public to share its ideas on the website parksinmalta.mt. The three planned parks in question would be...
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Retired judge Toni Abela sworn in as Malta’s first Commissioner for Standards of the Judiciary
Retired judge Toni Abela on Wednesday was sworn in as Malta’s first Commissioner for Standards of the Judiciary, after his nomination received unanimous agreement. President Myriam Spiteri Debono appointed him for a three-year term in a ceremony at...
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Zelenskyy refuses to cede land to Russia as he rallies European support
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reaffimed his firm refusal to cede any territory, resisting U.S. pressure for a painful compromise with Russia as he continued to rally European support for Ukraine. “Undoubtedly, Russia insists for us to...
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Zabbar Local Council and residents protest against approved five-storey elderly home in square
The Zabbar Local Council and Zabbar’s residents gathered in the locality’s main square, Misraħ tal-Madonna Medjatriċi, to protest against the Planning Authority’s approval of a five-storey elderly care facility that will overlook the town’s designated...
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Rental e-scooters can be useful if reintroduced under clear rules, with proper infrastructure – Rota
Sustainable mobility advocacy group Rota told The Malta Independent that it is open to rental e-scooters returning to the country if they are brought back “under clear rules and with proper infrastructure.” Rota acknowledged that the ban on rental...
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Tents sheltering displaced Palestinians
Tents sheltering displaced Palestinians stand amid the destruction left by the Israeli air and ground offensive in Gaza City. Photo taken on Friday, 5 December, 2025.
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Madonna of Carafa restored
The Madonna of Carafa has emerged renewed after an intensive restoration and now takes pride of place at St John’s Co-Cathedral for a limited period of veneration, before being put back in the Chapel of Philermos on 10 December.
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‘I have nothing to hide,’ Minister Roderick Galdes says in response to calls for investigation
Affordable Housing Minister Roderick Galdes has said that he has “nothing to hide,” when asked about calls for investigations into an apartment he had purchased. The minister has come under scrutiny recently after news emerged that he had bought a...
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Student charged over Pembroke school stabbing, pleads not guilty
A 14-year-old student has been charged with stabbing a school peer at a Pembroke school. Brought before a court on Tuesday, the student pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, causing grievous injury, carrying a weapon and keeping an explosive...
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14-year-old boy stabbed at St Clare’s College, Pembroke; another student questioned
A 14-year-old boy was taken to hospital after he was stabbed, allegedly by a fellow student at St Clare’s College in Pembroke. The episode occurred just before school lessons started at 7.45am. Police were interviewing the student believed to be...
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Maltese see foreign disinformation, distrust in institutions, as top challenges to democracy in the EU – Eurobarometer
A new Eurobarometer survey shows that Maltese citizens view growing public distrust toward democratic institutions, foreign information manipulation, and AI-driven political content as the most serious challenge s facing democracy in the European...
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Rabat residents file judicial protest over farmhouse garden’s ‘destruction’
Rabat residents have filed a judicial protest against the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage (SCH), the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA), and against a developer, Michael Bugeja, for “destroying the mature garden of a farmhouse.“ The...
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Planning Authority approves height increase for db Group towers despite opposition
The Planning Authority on Thursday granted approval for significant height extensions to the two db Group towers, authorising the addition of seven and six floors, respectively. With this decision, the towers will reach 25 and 23 storeys. The permit...
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All five accused cleared in Melvin Theuma phantom job case after testimony ruled inadmissible
The court has acquitted Keith Schembri, Yorgen Fenech and three former government officials in the criminal proceedings tied to the phantom job allegedly given to state witness Melvin Theuma. The ruling was delivered on Wednesday morning, which found...
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Valletta Christmas tree lights switched on
This year’s Christmas in the Capital programme was officially launched during a ceremonial switching-on of the Christmas lights and Christmas tree yesterday.
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48% of Gozo tourism operators report improvement in business last summer, 18% see decline – survey
Some 48% of tourism operators in Gozo reported an improvement in business in summer 2025 when compared to 2024, while 18% saw a decline, a survey commissioned by the Gozo Tourism Association said. During the past weeks, the Gozo Tourism Association...
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Child protection remains ‘reactive,’ with abuse often reported after harm occurs – CPS Director
Director of Malta’s Child Protection Services (CPS) Antonella Mizzi said that despite national efforts in prevention, CPS will unfortunately always be a reactive service, as it receives reports of allegations of abuse that have already...
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Swieqi residents say armed police stormed wrong apartment in 'terrifying' mistaken raid
Four people living in Swieqi have come forward with claims that heavily armed police officers mistakenly raided their apartment, holding them at gunpoint and restraining them in a violent mix-up. The incident, which occurred last month on Triq...
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Hospitals ruling: Government claims vindication, Opposition says people were betrayed
A heated parliamentary debate unfolded Monday following the International Chamber of Commerce’s (ICC) ruling on the hospitals concession involving Steward Health Care. While the tribunal rejected both Steward’s claim for damages and Malta’s...
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‘Next year’s Budget will be even better,’ Robert Abela tells supporters
Prime Minister Robert Abela told supporters on Sunday morning that while the Budget announced a couple of weeks ago was the “best ever”, next year’s “will be even better.” Abela spoke at a short Labour Party activity in Ghaxaq on Sunday, with his...
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Government publishes 200-page Steward arbitration ruling
The 212-page ruling in the arbitration proceedings between Steward Healthcare and the Maltese government over the hospitals deal has been published by the government. Last Monday, the government said that the international arbitration tribunal had...
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Israeli jets strike southern Lebanon towns, escalating near-daily attacks
Israeli jets struck several towns in southern Lebanon on Thursday after urging residents to leave, marking an escalation in their neardaily strikes on the country. The airstrikes came hours after militant group Hezbollah urged the Lebanese government...
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Roderick Cassar pleads guilty to femicide of Bernice Cilia, gets 40 years in jail
Roderick Cassar has been jailed for 40 years after admitting to the murder of his estranged wife, Bernice Cilia. Cassar changed his plea to guilty on Wednesday morning, weeks before his trial by jury was due to begin. Cassar, 43, fatally shot his...
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White Rocks will be turned into a national park, Prime Minister says
Prime Minister Robert Abela has declared that the government will turn White Rocks into a national park. The White Rocks complex in Pembroke was once a military barracks built in the 1960s, but was later turned into a holiday complex. It has since...
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Borg presents 50 PN proposals, says Budget fails to address Malta’s everyday challenges
A week after Finance Minister Clyde Caruana presented the 2026 Budget, Opposition Leader Alex Borg presented a Budget replica with 50 proposals in Parliament on Monday, while lambasting the government for failing to offer concrete solutions to Malta’s...
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Removing tax on COLA would be ‘administrative nightmare’, and last year’s tax cut method was best way forward – Finance Minister
Removing tax on the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) would be an administrative nightmare, and last year’s tax cut method was the best way forward, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana told The Malta Independent. The Nationalist Party and others have been...
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