Malta's population has increased by 25% since 2011, amounting to an average rise of 10,000 people per year, according the preliminary report of the 2021 Census of Population and Housing.The country's headcount now stands at 519,562 after the highest ...

The Malta Film Commission has said that it is “not in a position” to identify specifically how much the Malta Film Awards event cost, as it refused a second Freedom of Information request on the topic filed by The Malta Independent.The Ma...

Robert Arrigo has hinted that he was victim to the “politics of exclusion” as his time as the Nationalist Party’s deputy leader came to an end last weekend.In his last speech as deputy leader on Saturday, a visibly emotional Arrigo ...

Nobody was injured after a boat burst into flames while it was moored near Comino last night.The 80-foot boat caught fire at around 12:15am last night, with the Civil Protection Department being called to extinguish it.Three people were onboard the b...

Complaints about President George Vella’s “alleged” delay in signing the IVF bill into law was in the nature of a “storm in a teacup,” Labour MEP and former Prime Minister Alfred Sant said.In an opinion article published...

The duo behind Kayak for Charity, Dorian Vassallo and Albert Gambina, are taking on a new challenge this year, with the aim to continue renewing their support towards Inspire Foundation Malta.This time, the pair will be paddling by canoes around the ...

Two people are running to be Britain’s next prime minister, but a third presence looms over the contest: Margaret Thatcher.The late former prime minister dominated Britain in the 1980s, and has left a large and contested legacy. Critics se...

Part of the President’s duties is to sign bills approved by Parliament, allowing them to become law.But things have not always run smoothly. There have been occasions in Malta’s recent history where a President had an issue with a particu...

Given the shortage of workers everywhere and not just in Malta, it is clear that the Hospitality industry must “offer a competitive package to have good staff,” MHRA president Tony Zahra told The Malta Independent during an interview."You...

The nation has a tendency to love politicians and treat them as deity and hate those who challenge them, including journalists, said former journalist and senior media lecturer Rosemarie Calleja, in an interview with The Malta Independent.There are t...

Cyclists who make use of road cycle lanes are of the opinion that these are being designed by people who never rode a bike and do not know what this entails.“It is clear that the people who are designing these bicycle lanes are not bicycle user...

The National Federation of the Past Pupils and Friends of Don Bosco has organised an 11-day trip in Malta for 10 orphaned children coming from Ukraine. The war between Ukraine and Russia has been going on for just over five months and it is having a ...

A fire broke out at an open storage area in Kordin on Sunday, covering the area under a thick, black plume of smoke.A number of boats, vehicles and tyres were destroyed in the blaze.Earlier reports that the fire had broken out at a paper product...

Just when it seemed England might again be weighed down by expectations and history, Chloe Kelly made the breakthrough.Kelly's goal in the second half of extra time — the first time she had ever scored in a competitive international game &mdash...

A motorcyclist was grievously injured in a traffic accident in Sliema on Sunday afternoon.The police said that the accident took place at 1.45pm in Tigne.The biker, a 31-year-old Hungarian woman who resides in St Julian’s, lost control of the Y...

Veteran journalist and wartime researcher Martin Debattista said that printed newspapers have been in decline for years and the future for the printed version looks bleak, while the importance of online news gathers ground. “I am a true believe...

TVM journalist and newscaster Antonio Micallef tells us that her favourite actor is Al Pacino, that she is fussy with food and would like to see major changes in how social media operates.But what is her favourite type of pizza? And who would she lik...

Formula One champion Max Verstappen overcame a spin and his worst starting spot of the season to win the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday. His eighth win of the season pushed Verstappen's lead to 80 points over Charles Leclerc as F1 heads into its mids...

Like every one of us, President George Vella has a right to his opinions and, as a newspaper that believes in freedom of expression, we will be the first to defend him if this right is challenged.But the President also has his constitutional duties t...

The Santa Venera tunnels will remain open to traffic after a planned fireworks display was suspended.Originally, the transport authority had announced that the tunnels – part of one of Malta’s busiest roads – would be closed between...

58 new cases of Covid-19 were found by the health authorities on Sunday, while one more patient has died.Meanwhile, the number of active cases has dwindled to 1,775 as 222 more people recovered.The total number of cases now stands at 112,828, while t...

The President and Mrs Vella visited Maltese patients residing in the apartments of the Puttinu Cares Foundation in Sutton and in the residence of the Franciscan Sisters.Commenting at the end of the visit, the President explained that the purpose of t...

An Italian couple were injured on Saturday in an accident involving a quadbike in Gozo.The accident took place in Triq San Anard, Victoria, at around 6:30pm, the police said.The vehicle was being driven by a 29-year-old man. The woman, also 29, was r...

A Dutchman was grievously injured on Saturday evening after he was hit by a car in Gzira.The accident took place in Rue d’Argens at around 7pm, the police said.The man, 21, was hit by a Toyota Corolla that was being driven by a 28-year-old Syri...

Officials in New York City declared a public health emergency due to the spread of the monkeypox virus Saturday, calling the city “the epicenter” of the outbreak.The announcement Saturday by Mayor Eric Adams and health Commissio...

President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 again Saturday, slightly more than three days after he was cleared to exit coronavirus isolation, the White House said, in a rare case of “rebound” following treatment with a...

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said there should no longer be any doubt that Russia intends to dismantle Ukraine “and dissolve it from the world map entirely.”Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the U.N. Security Council that the Unit...

The Nationalist Party has elected its new deputy leader today.Alex Perici Calascione was the sole contender for the post, and he obtained a 90 per cent endorsement by the councillors who voted.There were 1,571 eligible voters, of whom 1,102 cast thei...

Pope Francis acknowledged Saturday that he can no longer travel like he used to because of his strained knee ligaments, saying his weeklong Canadian pilgrimage was “a bit of a test” that showed he needs to slow down and one day ...

The Gozo Chamber of Advocates said Justice Minister Jonathan Attard has promised to address shortcomings being faced at the Gozo law courts.The pledge was made on Friday in a meeting the chamber had with the minister, a chamber statement said.In a pr...

Valletta: Collis Williams Pharmacy, 15, Republic Street; Ħamrun: Fra Diego Dispensary, 94, Villambrosa Street; Żebbuġ: Brown's Pharmacy, 47, Vjal il-Ħelsien; Birkirkara: The Local Dispensary, Kan. K. Pirotta Street; Ta' Xbiex: Rem...

Fifty-one new Covid-19 cases were registered Saturday, while one more death was recorded.Figures released by the health authorities show that the number of cases registered in Malta so far has reached 112,770, with 793 deaths.The number of active cas...

Home Minister Byron Camilleri got married today to Salome Catania.The celebration was held at the Fgura church.Byron and Salome met around seven years ago.The Malta Independent sends its  best wishes to the newly-weds. 

The Nationalist Party is demanding for more transparency on the agreements made with AUM following reports that the American University of Malta (AUM) is to waive tution fees for Maltese nationals, In a press statement signed by Justin Schembri,...

The American University of Malta is to give free admission to Maltese students in a bid to bolster its population.As it faces difficulties to reach contractual requirements - the AUM has only 200 students enrolled - it has now taken another step in a...

NEPTUNES VIDEOSLOTS....... 9SAN ĠILJAN JP PROJECTS.... 11(3-2), (2-1), (2-5), (2-3) San Ġiljan JP Projects defeated champions Neptunes Videoslots to take top spot in the league and take psychological advantage just days before they bat...

Darwin Nunez shaded Erling Haaland in their first matchup by scoring Liverpool's final goal as they beat Manchester City 3-1 in the Community Shield on Saturday.City, last season's English Premier League champion, and Liverpool, the FA and League Cup...

George Russell stole the show Saturday at the Hungarian Grand Prix by earning his first career pole and first of the season for Mercedes — on the same day F1 champion and current points leader Max Verstappen qualified a season-worst 10th.Russel...

An Israeli medical cannabis company, Panaxia, has announced a €6 million investment and is set to deepen its connection with Malta as it plans a further expansion to its local production plant – thus increasing its capital investment....

Air Malta workers are being used, yet again, as a political football, ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said Saturday. Whereas before the general election Air Malta workers were promised employment on the same terms and condit...

A man has been reported missing to the police.Jon Charles Seabrook, aged 38, of Senglea, was last seen wearing a brown pair of shorts, a white T-shirt and brown hat.Anyone with information is asked to contact the police on 21224001 or the nearest pol...

A €170,000 investment by the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) in a rigid-hull inflatable boat (RHIB) was launched to further strengthen enforcement in maritime activities. The RHIB was inaugurated in the presence of Minister for the Env...

Malta’s Public Service has been certified first in Europe in terms of eGovernment services. Malta obtained first place with an average score of 96%, followed by Estonia (90%) and Luxembourg (87%), as emerged from the ‘eGovernment Benchmar...

Moves by rich countries to buy large quantities of monkeypox vaccine, while declining to share doses with Africa, could leave millions of people unprotected against a more dangerous version of the disease and risk continued spillovers of the virus in...

A year has now passed since the public inquiry into Daphne Caruana Galizia’s death found that the state was responsible for creating an environment and culture of impunity which ultimately led to her murder.With that conclusion, the public inqu...

Pope Francis traveled to the edge of the Arctic on Friday to deliver an apology to the Inuit people for the “evil” of Canada’s residential schools, wrapping up his week-long “penitential pilgrimage” to Canada with a dram...

Russia and Ukraine accused each other Friday of shelling a prison in a separatist region of eastern Ukraine, an attack that reportedly killed dozens of Ukrainian prisoners of war captured after the fall of Mariupol, the city where troops famousl...

The Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture is again offering an opportunity for amateur fishermen to fish for lampuki.This was announced by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights Anton Refalo, together with the Parliamentary Secre...

The special edition of the Maltese International Food Festival is set to be held in Xewking square, Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri said.The festival is to take place between Friday 5 and Saturday 6 August. These will be two nights of culinary cele...

The work on the restoration project of the convent of St Augustine is nearing its end as the Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds Chris Bonett went on site.Fondazzjoni Soċjo-Kulturali Ambjentali Augustina (FSKAA) is managing the works on t...

The Siggiewi local council has cried foul at a raft of illegal works being carried out on the site of a quarry in the locality’s rural area.In a complaint filed with the Planning Authority, the local council produced images showing a list of br...

Alfred and George Degiorgio gave a rare insight into the conditions of the ‘punishment division’ at Corradino Correctional Facility in a human rights case over their repeated denial of bail.The two brothers testified on Friday in a human ...

Inflation in the European countries using the euro currency shot up to another record in July, pushed by higher energy prices driven partly by Russia's war in Ukraine, but the economy still managed some meager growth.Annual inflation i...

The health authorities reported 88 new Covid-19 cases on Friday.Figures released show that the total number of cases registered in Malta is now 112,719 of whom 109,363 recovered.The total number of deaths stands at 792 with no new deaths being report...

A man was critically injured on Thursday evening after he was hit by a car, the police said.The accident took place in Valley Road, Qormi, at 8.15pm.The man, aged 59, of Qormi, was hit by a Toyota Vitz driven by a 41-year-old woman resident in Birkir...

There is no political will to address the challenges identified by the Daphne Caruana Galizia public inquiry, Repubblika President Robert Aquilina said on Friday.Addressing a press conference in front of the Auberge de Castille in Valletta, Aquilina ...

Beyond a 'decent' facade, the Msida police station is a “disgrace of a workplace fit for no one,” the Malta Police Union said on Friday.The union, which had previously released photos of the St Julian’s and Valletta police stations,...

Russian forces launched a missile attack on the Kyiv area for the first time in weeks Thursday and pounded the northern Chernihiv region as well, in what Ukraine said was revenge for standing up to the Kremlin.Ukrainian officials, meanwhile, announce...

29 July 2022 marks the first anniversary since the publication of the report of the board of inquiry appointed disheartenedly by former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat to investigate into the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia.It also marks one who...

A couple of weeks ago, Prime Minister Robert Abela said he wants to see the courts of law work in a more efficient and friendly manner. This week, rule of law NGO Repubblika said that a case it has filed in the courts in a bid to try to force the pol...

An e-scooter rider was grievously injured in a hit-and-run accident in Msida early on Friday, the police said.The accident happened in Dun Karm Psaila Road, Msida, just after midnight.The rider, a Colombian man aged 32 of St Paul’s Bay was invo...

SLIEMA FRANK SALT........... 12SIRENS MECCA MARINE...... 3(1-0), (3-1), (3-0), (5-2) Following last week’s dramatic victory against Neptunes, Sliema Frank Salt registered their fourth consecutive win, this time cruising past Sirens Mecca M...

The National Statistics Office showed that the Government’s Consolidated Fund has reported a deficit of €462.6 million in June 2022, with the Recurrent Revenue amounting to €2,566.2 million in the first half of 2022. This was 17.2% hi...

The international media NGO Article 19 has expressed its concern that the government’s anti-SLAPP legislative proposals will not be “comprehensive enough” to address the challenges which journalists face when exercising their right ...

Couriers who work with Bolt Food will strike as from Friday as a stand-off develops between them and the company over poor earnings and working conditions.Around 300 couriers work for the company, and the action is expected to be taken by most of the...

The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation and the international NGO Article 19 have lamented the lack of “concrete action” in implementing the recommendations set out in the public inquiry looking into the journalist’s murder.However, t...

Bank of Valletta Group today announced the financial results for the first six months of 2022, which the bank said highlighted an encouraging commercial performance in the bank’s core banking activities. This was driven by volume growth, solid ...

The court of Criminal Appeal, presided by Mr. Justice Giovanni Grixti, has rejected two appeals filed by murderer Nizar el Gadi, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2015, having been convicted of the murder of his ex-wife, lawyer Margaret Mifsu...

It was a historic night for Maltese football as three Maltese clubs made it through to the next round of the Conference League.Commanding performance puts Hibernians in third roundLevadia         1Hibernians&nb...

The health authorities reported 98 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, with three patients having passed away while positive for the virus.Figures released show that the total number of cases registered in Malta is now 112,631 of whom 109,046 recovered.T...

The San Giljan Aquatic Sports Club has become the latest sports team on the island to be sponsored by Gozitan construction magnate Joseph Portelli, through his business J Portelli Projects.In a statement, the club said that J Portelli Projects will b...

The Office of the President has filed a police report regarding a fake article which has been spreading on the internet in recent days.The article is the same one which The Malta Independent filed a report about two days ago, on the basis that the ar...

The Criminal Court has changed the punishment meted out last year to the two architects found guilty of causing the death of Miriam Pace.Pace died in the rubble of her Santa Venera home, which collapsed in March 2020 as a result of construction works...

According to opposition leader Bernard Grech on Thursday, President George Vella's choice to allow his substitute, Frank Bezzina, to sign the IVF reform into law rendered the parliament impotent.The opposition leader was making reference to Vella's h...

2.34 million people passed through the Malta International Airport in the first half of this year, which was almost equal to a full year of passenger traffic in 2021, Airport CEO Alan Borg said during a press conference on Thursday.He added that alth...

Former Enemalta chairman Charles Mangion said he was not aware of the financial struggles that Gasol had when he ratified the decision to award the Electrogas consortium the power station contract.Mangion was testifying before the Public Accounts Com...

Moviment Graffitti has sent its second letter to five Ministers – those of tourism, of Gozo, of the environment, of lands, and of planning – regarding the situation in Comino, in particular the Blue Lagoon. In the letter, we noted that we...

An elderly man died in Żabbar this morning, after falling down some stairs, the police said in a statement.The accident occurred in the man's residence at 4am on Triq ix-Xgħajra. A medical team certified the 75-year-old as dead on site. Mag...

The number of electric and hybrid vehicles has increased, but the total number of such vehicles in Malta remains below 10,000, data published by the National Statistics Office shows. Electric and plug-in hybrid motor vehicles accounted for 2.3% of th...

A bill amending laws relating to IVF has been signed into law by Acting President Frank Bezzina after President George Vella went abroad on Wednesday.Vella and his wife travelled to the United Kingdom on a four-day visit on Wednesday where ...

Russian forces on Thursday launched massive missile strikes on Ukraine's Kyiv and Chernihiv regions, areas that haven't been targeted in weeks, while Ukrainian officials announced an operation to liberate an occupied region in the country's south.Kyi...

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warned he’s ready to use his nuclear weapons in potential military conflicts with the United States and South Korea, state media said Thursday, as he unleashed fiery rhetoric against rivals he says are pushing th...

It took them quite a while to react, but it’s better late than never.A number of lecturers at the University of Malta who teach Maltese, English and mathematics a few days ago expressed their concern that the entry requirements for the Junior C...

Four-time Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel will retire at the end of the season to spend more time with his family, the German driver said Thursday.Vettel won the F1 title from 2010-13 with the Red Bull team. His last race victory came with Ferr...

A biker and his pillion rider were injured after a crash in St Julian’s on Wednesday afternoon, the police said.The accident took place in Borg Olivier Street at 5.30pm.The police said the biker and rider, an Italian man and woman aged 56 and r...

A magistrate has rejected Repubblika’s request to move a legal challenge it has filed against the Police Commissioner to a closer date. The civil society NGO said Wednesday that Magistrate Nadine Lia has scheduled the first sitting in the legal...

Police officers have given a court their account of the arrest of a wanted man who led police on a dramatic car chase from Hamrun to Marsa last week, detailing how the suspect’s vehicle drove on after colliding with a motorcycle, stop...

Pope Francis arrived in Quebec on Wednesday at a time when many French Canadians in the province are not only moving away from religion but explicitly rejecting it, embracing secularization long after their forebears built their identity on the rock ...

A homeless man has been remanded in custody after he pleaded not guilty to charges relating to harassing two 15-year-old girls.Beyene Fessahatsion Weldeabzghi, 31, from Eritrea was arraigned before magistrate Nadine Lia on Wednesday afternoon, accuse...

The man who was stabbed to death in Marsa on Monday has been identified as a 21-year-old Egyptian national, the police said. No further details were given, as per police protocol. A Sudanese man has been charged over the murder. The murder happened a...

The Malta Union of Teachers have declared a trade dispute with the Dominican Order in Malta over the dismissal of headmaster of St Albert the Great College Mario Mallia.In a press conference in front of the school in Valletta on Wednesday morning, Pr...

Archbishop Charles Scicluna has offered to act as mediator between ex-headmaster of St Albert the Great College Mario Mallia and rector of the school Friar Aaron Zahra.Spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Malta told Newsbook, the Church’s media ...

The health authorities reported 97 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, with two patients having passed away while positive for the virus.Figures released show that the total number of cases registered in Malta is now 112,533 of whom 108,677 recovered.Th...

The traffic gridlock in the Pieta area has continued for the third day running as Infrastructure Malta continues its road works in one of the major links towards the capital city.Work started Monday on parts of the northbound carriageway of Independe...

Ġnien Victor Calvagna in Mosta, a space of 4,000 m2 that has been returned to the public, was officially inaugurated by Minister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli on Wednesday.This space has been transformed into a garden t...

SAN ĠILJAN JP PROJECTS.... 11SIRENS MECCA MARINE....... 7(3-2), (3-2), (1-1), (4-2) San Ġiljan JP Projects stayed in the hunt for their seventh Premier Division knock-out in the last eight years. They defeated Sirens Mecca Marine in an...

The St Albert the Great College board and rector on Wednesday categorically denied the “unfounded allegations that have been circulating publicly, and were also published by certain media outlets, regarding the termination of employment of Mr M...

An Albanian worker was grievously injured on Wednesday after he fell and hit his head while working on a scaffold. The accident took place at the Bulebel Industrial Estate at around 9am, the police said. The casualty, 36, lives in St Paul’s Bay...

The government is acting as a “bully” in the Air Malta situation, the Nationalist Party said on Wednesday. Speaking at a press conference, the PN’s spokesperson for maritime affairs and employment, Ivan Castillo, referred to the con...