Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne took immediate action after The Malta Independent on Sunday’s story regarding queue jumping in the vaccination drive.The Malta Independent on Sunday reported that as Malta's vaccination drive intensifies, peop...

A joint WHO-China study on the origins of COVID-19 says that transmission of the virus from bats to humans through another animal is the most likely scenario and that a lab leak is “extremely unlikely,” according to a draft copy obtained ...

MUMN today expressed its disappointment and disapproval that more wards at Mount Carmel Hospital are closing down at the detriment of the patients and the service.In these last eight years, eight wards were closed down due to non existent maintenance...

Friends of the Earth Malta has condemned the illegal roadworks at the iconic Blue Lagoon in Comino, works which were spotted in the past days.“This has become a worrying trend – from Dingli to the island of Comino and other places which h...

The government announced new, harsher restrictions yesterday as part of efforts to reduce the transmission of Covid-19. These measures came as a surprise to many, given that strict measures were already in place for the Easter period, however this sh...

Live casino is forecast to generate half of all global online gambling sales by 2023, tallying upwards of US$47.5bn in revenue every year. Those forecasts were made before the Covid-19 pandemic which has further accelerated growth due to the closure ...

Britain is taking another small step out of lockdown as it looks nervously at a new virus surge inundating its European neighbors.With U.K. coronavirus vaccination rates outstripping those of European Union nations, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is ea...

The government has announced more restrictive measures for the Easter period, as part of efforts to reduce the transmission of Covid-19.As from Wednesday 31 March, the number of people who can gather in a group in a public place will be reduced from ...

As Malta's vaccination drive intensifies, people jumping the queue and getting their jab before they should remains a reality, with The Malta Independent on Sunday receiving multiple reports from individuals - including members of its own staff - who...

Yes, I had Covid. But so have more than 28,000 people in Malta, and 125 million around the world, I hear you say.Yes, it bit me hard. But it hit others harder and killed nearly 400 in Malta and 2.7 million globally. So stop whining; you're still here...

67 new cases of Covid-19 were registered on Sunday, while 323 patients have recovered.This means that the number of active cases has fallen to 1,402.The authorities also said that two more people have died with the virus. The latest victims are two m...

While the government has received a draft of the Moneyval report, Prime Minister Robert Abela said that there is still work to be done over the next couple of months until the final report is issued.Abela was being interviewed by journalists on Sunda...

Not many people would have thought much about the countryside at the end of Triq is-Sienja, a quaint alley off Dingli's main road.However, a couple of fields at the end of this street have, in the last week, become Malta's latest environmental battle...

An elderly woman was seriously injured on Sunday afternoon when she fell one and a half storeys in the common parts of the block of apartments she lives in.The police said the accident took place in Agatha Barbara Road, Zabbar, at 3.45pm.The woman, a...

The police are authorised to enter and inspect areas and premises to enforce regulations and measures to mitigate the spread of Covid-19, a spokesperson has told this newsroom.Initially, at the start of March, Malta introduced measures to curb a stea...

The Government persisted with its mistakes as it kept defending Keith Schembri, even after allegations were made, Opposition and PN leader Bernard Grech said on Sunday.This comes after court findings on Daphne Caruana Galizia's revelations, where Kei...

Air Malta is currently finalising a second attempt with the European Commission to allow state aid from the government to keep the airline going, the Minister for Finance Clyde Caruana told The Malta Independent on Sunday. In November 2020, the gover...

World Cup qualifying in Europe took a quirky turn when the goalposts were removed before a match between Switzerland and Lithuania because they were deemed the incorrect size.It was one of the few things that didn’t go to script on Sunday.All o...

World champion Lewis Hamilton just managed to hold off Max Verstappen to win the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix and clinch the 96th Formula One win of his career on Sunday.The race was effectively decided when Verstappen overtook Hamilton on Lap 5...

In light of the plans presented by Infrastructure Malta for the proposed Msida Creek project, NGOs, residents and concerned members of the public have come together to demand that the plans for Msida Creek be sent back to the drawing board.A letter o...

Malta's Covid-19 reproduction number has gone down below 1 and currently stands at 0.67, statistician Vince Marmara told The Malta Independent on Sunday in his weekly video blog.The reproduction number of the virus is one of the key figures...

Critical care doctors in Paris say surging coronavirus infections could soon overwhelm their ability to care for the sick in the French capital's hospitals, possibly forcing them to choose which patients they have the resources to treat.The sobering ...

When Simon Busuttil had gone to court with a heap of documents related to allegations of corruption involving Keith Schembri and Adrian Hillman, the Labour Party had tried to make a fool out of the then Opposition Leader and claimed that the box file...

Malta earned its first point in the qualifiers of the 2022 World Cup, holding Slovakia to a 2-2 draw in Trnava after yet another brilliant performance by Devis Mangia’s boys. The Maltese had a dream start building a two-goal cushion inside the ...

A biker was injured on Saturday afternoon following an accident involving another car, the police said.The accident took place in Birzebbuga Road at 5pm.The biker, aged 38 of Qormim was riding a Yamaha GDP125 which was involved in a collision with a ...

“Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire,” writes Gustav Mahler. We are now entering into arguably one of the most traditional of religious Christian celebrations: Holy Week. However, with our movements restric...

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93 new cases of Covid-19 were found over the past 24 hours and three patients have died, the health authorities said.The number of active cases currently stands at 1,660 and the total number of cases so far is 28,808.The patients who died were; a 71-...

European Union vaccine politics reached a fever pitch Friday with charges of British blackmail and unfair practices among EU members flying about as the bloc frantically sought to ramp up production and impose export controls to stave off another dea...

Floriana: Chemimart Pharmacy, 14, St Anne Street; Hamrun: Darwin Pharmacy, 152, St Joseph High Road; Qormi: Brown's Pharmacy, 278, Victory Street; Birkirkara: Mint Care Pharmacy, 5B-71, Brared Street; Pieta: St Anthony Pharmacy, 56, St Joseph Street;...

Civil society group Repubblika has disassociated itself with a ‘mafia’ banner put up last night in front of the Times of Malta building in Mriehel.A photo of a banner with the words ‘Times of Mafia’ written on it started doing...

The Migrants Commission, JRS Malta and the Justice and Peace Commission have urged the authorities to drop the charges brought against three youths who are being prosecuted for terrorism.Then aged 15, 16, and 19, the three youths were part of a group...

A damaged wall at Mellieha’s Red Tower has been repaired after the intervention of PN MP Robert Cutajar on Saturday.A wall on the staircase leading up to the tower, which is run by Din l-Art Helwa and which was recently extensively restored, wa...

Portugal and Belgium were left frustrated by draws in their World Cup qualifying matches. Ireland was left in shock.Cristiano Ronaldo stormed off after he failed to score as Portugal was held 2-2 by Serbia — though TV replays indicated he did p...

Minister for Education Justyne Caruana presided over the signing of a concession agreement between the Government of Malta and Haileybury Malta. Through this agreement, a Haileybury school in Malta is becoming an immediate reality. The agreement will...

The 9-year-old twins didn’t flinch as each received test doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine -- and then a sparkly bandage to cover the spot.“Sparkles make everything better,” declared Marisol Gerardo as she hopped off an exam ...

Minister for the Economy and Industry Silvio Schembri presided over the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Federation for Hunting and Conservation (FKNK) and the Foundation for Responsible Gaming (RGF) for a project regarding ...

A giant container ship remained stuck sideways in Egypt’s Suez Canal for a fifth day Saturday, as authorities prepared to make new attempts to free the vessel and reopen a crucial east-west waterway for global shipping.The Ever Given, a Panama-...

The implication of a number of prominent political persons as well as senior officials at key industry regulators in crimes has resulted in a negative impact on the gaming industry, iGen – an association representing the leading iGaming compani...

We all need to do our part to build the country up on solid rock. If we build it on soft clay, it will collapse, Foreign Affairs Minister Evarist Bartolo said in a Facebook post.In an apparent reference to the unfolding political and court saga, Bart...

The Easter holidays act as a well-needed break for students of all ages to be at liberty with how to spend their time. The holidays this year, however, prove to be enigmatic. With Covid-19 restrictions instructing citizens to keep in-person socializi...

A recreational space in Rabat with an investment of almost €300,000 was inaugurated on Saturday by infrastructure minister Ian Borg.The landscaping works at this open space include three different levels which are reached by stairs and ramps mad...

Progress Press ended up paying $6.5 million extra for printing machines with the money shared between Keith Schembri, Malcolm Scerri and Allied Group directors Adrian Hillman and Vince Buhagiar.Court testimony given by Inspector Joseph Xerri from the...

In living memory, there was no other time in which there was so much attention on the law courts, particularly by the media.Big cases always attract attention, but there has never been a period in which so many compilations of evidence of great impor...

Progress Press suffered a loss of €5.5 million as a result of inflated prices agreed by two of its directors for new printing machines bought from Kasco Technical Services.Vince Buhagiar, who was chairman of Progress Press, and Adrian Hillman, m...

BirdLife Malta has filed a judicial protest in Court against the Minister for the Environment, the Minister for Gozo and the Head of the Wild Birds Regulation Unit (WBRU) for plans to open a spring hunting season “without meeting the targets an...

For another consecutive year, the Ministry for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning is commemorating Earth Hour, which falls on Saturday 27th March.This was announced by the Minister for the Environment, Climate Change, and Planning Aaro...

The MFSA has taken action against Zenith Finance, the company whose owner (Matthew Pace) and former director (Lorraine Falzon) are currently in court over money laundering charges.In a notice issued on Friday evening, the MFSA said that it "considers...

103 new cases of Covid-19 were found over the past 24 hours, and four patients have died, Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci annoubnced in her weekly Covid-19 briefing.The patients who died were four men, aged 68, 72, 73 and 80. All four died at M...

Superintendent of Public Health Professor Charmaine Gauci confirmed that six individuals who had received both jabs against Covid-19 have died of the virus. Public health chief Gauci made this announcement during her weekly Covid-19 health brief...

The Planning Authority has said that the Dingli road works that have been at the heart of controversy this past week do not require a planning permit, however NGO Moviment Graffitti has said that a statement issued by the same authority, says otherwi...

Zenith Finance’s Matthew Pace and Lorraine Falzon have been granted bail against several conditions by a court over money laundering charges which they are facing.The two, who are prominent members of Zenith Finance – formerly known as MF...

Prime Minister Robert Abela has emphasised the need for an accelerated vaccine production and distribution process in a European Council meeting.The European Council meeting happened virtually due to the pandemic. The first topic of discussion was th...

The Animal Welfare act will be amended to ensure that pet-owners who have abused their pets cannot own animals or live with animals, Minister of Justice Edward Zammit Lewis announced on Friday afternoon.The amendment will give power to magistrates to...

By the end of February 2021, the Government’s Consolidated Fund reported a deficit of €327.7 million.In the first two months of 2021, Government’s recurrent revenue amounted to €701 million, 1.6% than the €712.2 million rep...

European Union leaders failed to settle a fight about the distribution of COVID-19 shots among member states Thursday but pledged to strengthen vaccine export controls and production on EU soil amid a shortage of doses and spikes in new cases.Austria...

The Local Enforcement Agency said that four new speed cameras will be installed along the Coast Road.The agency said it plans to install two on each side of the road, which has been a traffic black spot and where several drivers have been injured or ...

Din l-Art Helwa has appealed to the public for any information about the extensive damage caused recently to the Red Tower in Mellieha. It also asked that those who are responsible come forward and cover the cost of the repairs.The damage to the towe...

British lawmakers agreed Thursday to prolong coronavirus emergency measures for six months, allowing the Conservative government to keep its unprecedented powers to restrict U.K. citizens’ everyday lives.The House of Commons voted to extend the...

Former Nexia BT partners Brian Tonna, Karl Cini, Manuel Castagna and their financial controller Katrin Bondin Carter were in court yesterday on charges of money laundering.The hearing saw over 50 documents worth of evidence exhibited to the court, re...

We've already written many times about the large Cabinet of Ministers that was appointed by Robert Abela when he became Prime Minister in January 2020, and how that became even larger when the reshuffle took place in November last year.What we have n...

Twelve abandoned vessels are being removed from the Grand Harbour as part of the regeneration plan for the areaMinister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects Ian Borg said that Transport Malta, together with Infrastructure Malta, has und...

The Malta Union of Bank Employees (MUBE) has urged the health authorities to accelerate vaccinations to front liners who are performing critical services.MUBE said that it will continue to support the Health Authority’s efforts and all those in...

An Eritrean man is expected to be arraigned on drugs charges later today after he was found to be in possession of 60 sachets of cannabis.The man, 30, who lives in Msida, was arrested by Drug Squad members in the same locality. He was found to be car...

102 new case of Covid-19 were reported on Thursday by health authorities, as the number of active cases continued to plummet.With 291 people declared as recovered, the number of active cases now stands at 2,086.  It has decreased by almost 1,000...

Malta has taken steps in the right direction in terms of reforming the rule of law and reducing political influence, but there are serious concerns which still remain, Vice president of the European Commission for Values and Transparency Věra Jo...

Moviment Graffitti have called for Infrastructure Malta CEO Frederick Azzopardi and Transport Minister Ian Borg to go to a site in Dingli where the roads agency is attempting to construct a road through agricultural land and to show them the official...

The middleman in the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder has reportedly tested positive for Covid-19 – the same day as when a sitting in the same case had to be cut short.The compilation of evidence against Yorgen Fenech, who stands accused of being ...

Zenith Finance owner Matthew Pace acted as a 'professional money launderer' for clients, police testified in court today. Today saw Matthew Pace and Zenith Finance director Lorraine Falzon in the dock over accusations of money launderi...

Following days of protests, Infrastructure Malta has met with Dingli residents and agreed to amend plans for a controversial road which will cut through agricultural land. In a statement, Infrastructure Malta said that it has accepted the reques...

Melvin Theuma was aware that he would be arrested over a money laundering investigation but was convinced he would not be held.This was the gist of recordings played in court on Thursday as the compilation of evidence against Yorgen Fenech continued....

Plans for a new national park at Ta’ Qali have been given the green light to go ahead by the Planning Authority, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg announced on Thursday.Sharing new visuals of how the project will eventually look, B...

European giants Germany, Italy and England all got off to a winning start in World Cup qualifying, while Zlatan Ibrahimović marked his return to international soccer with an assist to help Sweden to victory on Thursday.The 39-year-old Ibrahimovi...

Over-the-counter Covid-19 tests will not be sold in Malta, the Health Ministry has confirmed.The Malta Independent asked the ministry if the government is considering selling Covid rapid tests in pharmacies in Malta, so that clients can purchase a te...

Professor Alfred J. Vella has been re-elected by the Council as the Rector of the University of Malta, and will be leading the University for another five-year term.This announcement comes following the news that two names had been submitted by Counc...

Malta "deserves to have a better name internationally", Opposition Leader Bernard Grech said today while attending an online summit for the European People's Party (EPP).Grech attended the summit on Thursday afternoon, where, according to a press rel...

The mandatory Covid-19 period for essential Mater Dei staff who have been fully vaccinated has been reduced from 14 days to five days, a legal notice published in the Government Gazette announced.This legal notice amendment affects the mandatory quar...

Prime Minister Robert Abela has invited the President of the European Parliament David Maria Sassoli and the leaders of political groups within the EP to visit Malta to see first-hand reforms the country carried out in the field of the rule of law.Du...

A team of international and Chinese scientists is poised to report on its joint search for the origins of the coronavirus that sparked a pandemic after it was first detected in China over a year ago — with four theories being considered, and on...

A Memorandum of Understanding signed between Caritas Malta and the Energy and Water Agency seeks to help the most vulnerable families, with an initial investment of €400,000.At the initiative of the Minister for Energy, Enterprise, and Sustainab...

Various interventions are ongoing on the Għar Ħasan site in Birżebbuġa as part of efforts to conserve and restore Natura 2000 sites around the islands.  This was announced by Minister for the Environment, Climate Change ...

Bill no. 198 currently tabled in parliament is “seriously preoccupying” as Government may change the meaning and substance of words like ‘person’ or ‘life’ in Article 33 of the Constitution and may exclude “u...

Minister Carmelo Abela has ‘categorically’ denied any involvement in the failed 2010 bank heist of the HSBC headquarters. When asked about the heist by Times of Malta on Wednesday, Abela questioned who the source of all this speculation a...

The Parents Benefit scheme has been extended to include parents with disabled children over the ages of 16 years old, Minister for Social Justice and Solidarity, the Family and Children’s Rights Michael Falzon announced on Thursday morning.The ...

On Tuesday, brothers George and Alfred Degiorgio had written to Malta President George Vella requesting a pardon in return for naming a former government minister who was a "mastermind" in the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.The Degiorgio...

Full-timers worked an average of just under 42 hours per week in the fourth quarter of 2020, according to data from the Labour Force Survey.The data also shows that part-timers worked 21.8 hours per week.The average monthly basic salary of employees ...

101 new cases of Covid-19 were reported by health authorities as two more patients passed away while positive for the virus.During the last 24 hours, a 79-year-old man and an 84-year-old woman passed away at Mater Dei Hospital while positive for Covi...

Lydia Abela has been appointed president of Special Olympics Malta, the organisation said.The director of the Special Olympics Malta, Anna Calleja, said the PM’s wife will be joining the team which is “doing all it could to give every pos...

Malta was yesterday beaten 3-1 by Russia at Ta’ Qali in the opening qualifier of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, but the locals held their heads high after an impressive display against highly ranked opposition.Malta confirmed that the positive displ...

The European Union moved Wednesday toward stricter export controls for coronavirus vaccines, seeking to make sure its 27 nations have more COVID-19 shots to boost the bloc's flagging vaccine campaign amid a surge in new infections.The EU’s exec...

When London came to a stop as a nationwide coronavirus lockdown was imposed a year ago, the Underground kept running as an essential service. But it was a strange and unnerving experience for its workers.Joseph Cocks, a driver on the subway’s C...

A big question among parents and teachers right now is whether their kids will be vaccinated against COVID-19 in time for the fall school semester. Some have wondered whether the vaccine is even necessary for children. Dr. James Wood, a pediatri...

The road to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup began for European teams on Wednesday with a slip-up by France to open its title defense, a big loss for the Netherlands and a human-rights statement by Norway.The French were held 1-1 by Ukraine inside an emp...

Controversy has continued over the construction of a road in a rural area of Dingli, with three residents filing a judicial protest against the protestors themselves – something which NGO Moviment Graffitti have decried as a government-led PR s...

Opposition Leader Bernard Grech said on Wednesday that Malta’s highest institution is potentially harbouring by criminals and “Prime Minister Robert Abela is treating this as business as usual.”Grech delivered an impassioned speech ...

Prime Minister Robert Abela asked on Monday why the Opposition seemed so “enthusiastic” to see criminals walk free instead of paying for their actions.Abela was closing a debate that was supposed to be on the budget measures but which the...

New businesses can benefit from the financial assistance of up to €200,000, thanks to the new Business Start scheme (BStart 2021) launched Wednesday by the Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Sustainable Development Miriam Dalli and the Chief Ex...

Tony Debono, the husband of former Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono, has been cleared of accusations that he had used public funds to carry out private works.A Gozitan court ruled that Debono was not guilty of any of the accusations brought against him,...

The country should focus on digitisation and the green economy in the road ahead for economic recovery from Covid-19, Prime Minister Robert Abela and Opposition leader Bernard Grech said at the Annual General Meeting of the Chamber of Commerce.Abela ...

The family and friends of cancer survivor and footballer Ramiro Mallia who died from a heater gas leak, have woken up this morning to mourn over his tragic loss. 19-year-old Ramiro Mallia lost his life in Qormi after losing consciousness due to ...