The appointment of a former member of the Prison Board of Governors to an inquiry board looking into the state in Malta’s prisons is not a conflict of interest, the Home Affairs Ministry told The Malta Independent.Replying to questions on the a...

NGO Repubblika has spoken about a “fascist” attack against civil society after a Nationalist Party candidate lashed out at an idea that the PN could be replaced by a new party.Repubblika chief Robert Aquilina said that he is all for dialo...

Matthew Caruana Galizia, son of slain journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, will be cross-examined this morning by the lawyers defending the man accused of murdering his mother.Matthew Caruana Galizia had testified in the compilation of evidence against...

Increase in foot passengers in Gozo, an additional 50 daily trips that together with the Gozo Channel schedule covers over 120 trips per 24-hour period and a reduction in traffic, are just some of the benefits of the new Fast Ferry service bestowed u...

The arts and culture ministry, together with the Malta Entertainment Industry & Arts Association (MEIA) is “considering other means” besides the current financial schemes set to ease the hardship of Malta’s creative sector, Mini...

Two fires have been reported within a space of a few minutes in St Julian’s, the police told The Malta Independent.Fire engines and medical personnel, as well as police officers, rushed to Lapsi Street and St Augustine Street.The latter fire is...

The process for creating “balanced” nation-wide regulations for caravan sites across the island have been initiated by the government, Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government, José Herrera told The Ma...

The Maltese government will continue to implement planned measures and step up as necessary towards the fight to climate change, Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning Aaron Farrugia has told The Malta Independent. He was replying ...

Malta and Italy baked in sweltering temperatures, with Spain and Portugal bracing for the arrival of a dangerous heat wave that has grilled southeastern Europe and is starting to push west toward the Iberian peninsula.A heat wave fed by hot air from ...

It was exactly a month ago, on 11 July, that we had written a leader decrying the situation at the Corradino Correctional Facility.That leader was written following the death of a 29-year-old inmate three weeks after a suicide attempt. She had been i...

New Zealand, which has completely stamped out the coronavirus, plans to cautiously reopen its borders to international travelers early next year, the government said Thursday.Officials also said they would delay second shots of the Pfizer vaccine in ...

Thomas Tuchel made the bold call, and Kepa Arrizabalaga made the big saves.Brought on as a substitute with seconds remaining in extra time, Kepa kept out two spot kicks as Chelsea beat Villarreal 6-5 in a penalty shootout to win the UEFA Super Cup on...

Medical Association of Malta (MAM) President Martin Balzan has urged all doctors, nurses and health care professionals to work together in light of the recent streaming problems at health centres across Malta and Gozo. Up until a few weeks ago, ...

18 organisations representing those in the agricultural sector have called on the government to find an “immediate” solution to the unprecedented threat of farmers losing their fields owing to court action.It comes after a landmark judgem...

Malta will start accepting Australian Covid-19 vaccine certificates as from Friday, Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne has announced.The move will be welcomed by many Maltese who have relatives living in Australia.Malta currently accepts vaccine cert...

Former PN leader Adrian Delia has filed a libel suit against Lovin Malta over a story which read that Delia had been in contact with alleged murder mastermind Yorgen Fenech during a parliamentary debate on 17 Black.Delia said that the allegations pub...

A short-term solution to fix the damages on the distribution network is being put into motion given the heat wave, Minister for Energy Miriam Dalli told The Malta Independent yesterday.During the recent spate of power cuts, numerous localities such a...

A 79-year-old woman has passed away as 87 new Covid-19 cases were reported on Wednesday by health authorities.The elderly woman passed away in the last 24 hours at Mater Dei Hospital while positive for Covid-19, becoming Malta’s 429th victim fr...

Two men suffered grievous injuries in two separate traffic accidents, police said in statements on Wednesday afternoon.The first accident happened at Triq San Gorg in Qormi at 7am, with preliminary investigations showing that a 31-year-old man from Q...

Wednesday could be the hottest day so far this summer, as the temperature is set to rise to 42 degrees Celsius.The Met Office had initially set the forecast at 41 degrees (see below), but later changed it to 42 degrees.The feel like temperature is 43...

A 21-year-old Frenchwoman was seriously injured after crashing a quadbike into a parked vehicle.The accident took place in Triq in-Nadur, in Rabat, Gozo, at around 5:30pm.The woman was riding a PEDA quadbike that lost control and crashed into a parke...

Lionel Messi said he's “in the right place” to win another Champions League trophy and cited a reunion with Neymar as a key factor in his decision to sign with Paris Saint-Germain.The 34-year-old Argentina star spoke at his introductory n...

People complaining about smells that still emanate from the Maghtab landfill will have to wait for another two decades for their wish to have an odourless complex to be fulfilled.This is because it will take another 20 years for the stink coming from...

The field which once belonged to the infamous Ċikku Fenech will be turned into an open green space as part of a national urban greening project, the government announced on Wednesday.The field in Mosta, which has since been abandoned, measures o...

In brief, the pertinent facts of the case are as follows.BackgroundVia sworn application tabled on the 23 December 2020, the plaintiff established that she had engaged the defendants' services to carry out a number of dental interventions consisting ...

The president of the Labour Party, Ramona Attard, told The Malta Independent on Sunday in an interview that the State which was under investigation in the inquiry into the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia is not the State we have today.She&rsq...

The Malta Police Union has lamented the decision to stop extra ‘traffic management’ duties, which helped officers boost their income. The MPU said the decision was taken without any form of consultation.The MPU’s Executive Committee...

NGO Repubblika has said that former Nationalist Party leader Adrian Delia should call it quits from politics if reports that he had inappropriate conversations with murder suspect Yorgen Fenech are true.The group was reacting to a story that appeared...

The Malta International Airshow will make a comeback after three years of absence, the government said, and will be held on 25 and 26 September.The event will take place along the coast of St Paul’s Bay while the static display will be held at ...

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation Tuesday over a barrage of sexual harassment allegations in a fall from grace a year after he was widely hailed nationally for his detailed daily briefings and leadership during some of the darkest days...

51 new cases of Covid-19 were reported by health authorities on Tuesday, as the number of people in intensive care decreased.70 people have recovered from the virus, and with no new deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the number of active cases cur...

With everyone having spent more time at home due to Covid-19, animal shelters around the island saw a slight uptake in pet adoptions as people sought companionship in animals. However, many are opting to home a puppy or a small dog breed as opposed t...

Health authorities have resolved technical problems related to the COVID-19 vaccine certificate of individuals who were administered the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. In a statement, health authorities said that this technical fix was required follo...

Nicholas Grech, the man believed to be responsible for the Mosta cat killings but acquitted of all charges due to insanity, is challenging his seven-year detention inside the Mt Carmel mental health facility.Grech, now aged 44, was in 2014 sente...

The Planning Authority has given the thumbs up for plans for anew Outpatients Block at Mater Dei Hospital.The plans include a brand new outpatients building at Mater Dei Hospital which will be situatied near the Life Sciences Park, on the grounds lea...

A €1 million regeneration project has been announced for Ġnien ir-Rinella in Kalkara. The garden, also known as the ex-military cemetery, is set to be completed during the first quarter of 2022. The project was announced by Minister fo...

The ‘Slow Streets’ scheme was announced on Tuesday, with a total of € 344,085 being distributed to ten local councils around the island.This was announced by Minister for National Heritage, Arts and Local Government Josè Herre...

Lionel Messi finally signed his eagerly anticipated Paris Saint-Germain contract on Tuesday night to complete the move that confirms the end of a career-long association with Barcelona and sends PSG into a new era.The French club said in a statement ...

Last month’s traffic through Malta International Airport totalled 311,692 passenger movements, recouping 39 per cent of July 2019 traffic levels, MIA said in a statement.This shows that Malta is recovering at a slower pace than its Southern Eur...

The conclusions and recommendations of the board of inquiry on the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia are being undermined, as the Government pays lip service while deflecting its responsibility to address their implications, Moviment Graffitti ...

The Nationalist Party has called for a national conference to be held to serve as the basis of an Action Plan on climate change. The plan would focus specifically on how to manage the impact of climate change on the environment and society.The party ...

The number of final deeds of sale relating to residential property amounted to 1,354 in July 2021, an increase of 205 deeds when compared to those registered a year earlier. On the other hand, 1,105 promise of sale agreements relating to residential ...

One of Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime accusers sued Prince Andrew on Monday, taking accusations that she has repeatedly publicly lodged against him, including that he sexually assaulted her when she was 17, to a formal venue.Lawyers for V...

According to the met experts, Malta is heading into yet another heatwave this week – the third one this summer. Given how things have been going at Enemalta, it is reasonable to assume that Malta will experience more power cuts during the hot d...

The Spanish league season begins this weekend and it will be unlike any other in the last 17 years.It will be the first without Lionel Messi, its all-time top scorer and one of its greatest players ever.For the first time since 2004, Barcelona will b...

France took a big step Monday into a post-pandemic future by requiring people to show a QR code proving they have a special virus pass before they can enjoy restaurants and cafes or travel by plane, train or bus across the country.The measure is part...

An international team of scientists have obtained strong evidence of a groundwater reservoir off the coast of Malta, a scientific website reports.The Science Daily reports that the team was made up of scientists led by GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Oce...

Israel has reported more than 6,000 new coronavirus infections, the highest daily increase since February.Israel rolled out one of the world’s most successful vaccination campaigns starting late last year, but in recent weeks has been battling ...

The Salina Nature Reserve is once again producing salt after many years, the reserve said on its Facebook page.Samples of the salt will be sent abroad for laboratory testing to confirm their quality.It is hoped that the salt will be later packaged fo...

Two more Covid-19 patients have passed away, bringing Malta’s death tally up to 428 so far, health authorities announced on Monday.Authorities said that a 63-year-old man and a 71-year-old woman had passed away at Mater Dei Hospital while Covid...

Speaker of the House Anglu Farrugia has once again brought himself into hot water over a decision to not convene parliament to discuss a motion of no confidence into government minister Edward Zammit Lewis.The decision has led many government critics...

Malta’s summer carnival is the latest event to have to face the reality of the Covid-19 pandemic, with Festivals Malta announcing that it will not be taking place in 2021.Festivals Malta announced on Monday that this year’s edition of the...

Earth’s climate is getting so hot that temperatures in about a decade will probably blow past a level of warming that world leaders have sought to prevent, according to a report released Monday that the United Nations calls a “code red fo...

Yorgen Fenech helped fund the Degiorgio brothers' legal defence following their arrest, the court heard on Monday.The compilation of evidence against Fenech continued this morning, with middleman-turned-state witness Melvin Theuma testifying before t...

Corradino Correctional Facility has become a suicidal facility rather than a correctional facility under the current management, the Nationalist Party said on Monday. The reporting of another suicide attempt by a prisoner – the second in two mo...

The Santa Marija weekend in Gozo this summer is looking relatively busy despite the Covid-19 pandemic. The Gozo Tourism Association (GTA) says that a significant amount of people have opted to book farmhouses, hotels and other accommodation as t...

A suicide attempt by a prisoner has promted the government to set up a board to evaluate prison procedures.The Correctional Services Agency said in a statement Sunday that a prisoner, a Maltese man aged 30, was found in his cell after a suicide attem...

A judge has ordered that statements released by the man awaiting trial for the murder of Baron Francis Sant Cassia be removed from the case records.Judge Consuelo Scerri Herrera ruled that two statements released by Carmelo Camilleri to the police we...

€40 million in EU funds has been set aside to be invested into turning Malta’s public transport fleet all-electric, Transport Minister Ian Borg announced on Monday.A pilot project involving the installation of solar panels on the roof of b...

In a bid to diminish the lighting energy consumption of architectural landmarks across the island, as well as enhance their aesthetics, the Mosta Basilica is the next cultural heritage site in line to be granted an investment of €850,000 euro by...

Despite a sluggish start, the European Union's COVID-19 vaccination drive has caught up to that of the United States, where the slowdown of the country's once-vaunted campaign has contributed to the virus's deadly comeback.In mid-February, less than ...

It’s pretty clear by now that Edward Zammit Lewis is – with apologies to Margaret Thatcher – not for turning.He remains committed to holding on to not just his green seat within Parliament, but also his ministerial seat – desp...

A man was seriously injured on Sunday evening after a fall in Floriana, the police said.The accident took place in Sa Maison Street at around 9.15pm.The man, aged 61 of Rabat, was taken to hospital with serious injuries.Magistrate Doreen Clarke is le...

Two men on a bike were grievously hurt on Sunday evening in an accident in Msida, the police said.The accident took place in Rue d’Argens at 9.30pm.It involved a Kymco Agility bike with two Nepalese men on board and a Toyota Vitz driven by a ma...

The State mentioned in the public inquiry into the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia is a different State than the one we have today, PL President Ramona Attard said during an interview with The Malta Independent on Sunday.“A n...

The government has drafted its action plan to get Malta off the FATF grey list and is currently discussing to see whether any refinements are required, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana told The Malta Independent on Sunday. Caruana also pledged to reduc...

Given the pandemic, the local village feast has become more of a fireworks tour than ever. On the 31st weekend of the year, the locality of Hal-Lija celebrated the feast of Christ the Saviour and The Malta Independent was there to document the tradit...

Two people have died while positive for Covid-19, health authorities said on Sunday – taking the total number of deaths registered in the country as a result of the pandemic up to 426.The two were a 77-year-old male and a 63-year-old female, wh...

A few days ago, the presenter of a popular programme on PBS said he will not carry on with the show on the national station because of interference which prevented him from being loyal to his audience. In other words, what Mark Laurence Zammit was sa...

Daphne Caruana Galizia’s sister Corinne Vella has blasted Ramona Attard after she was interviewed by The Malta Independent on Sunday this week.“Ramona Attard does not speak from moral high ground”, Vella said as she reacted to Attar...

It began with a virus and a yearlong pause. It ended with a typhoon blowing through and, still, a virus. In between: just about everything.The Tokyo Olympics, christened with “2020” but held in mid-2021 after being interrupted f...

A number of nightclub and disco owners expressed their disappointment and frustration after the government decided not to allow standing events for the time being, despite expectations that such events would be allowed from this month. While Deputy P...

Prime Minister Robert Abela once again doubled down on the claim that the country’s next budget will not include any new taxes, despite the economic blow of the Covid-19 pandemic.Speaking in a telephone interview on party media on Sunday, Abela...

Every day which Justice Minister Edward Zammit Lewis spends in his post is a day wasted from “possibility of getting on the [FATF’s] white list”, Opposition and PN leader Bernard Grech said in an interview on Sunday. The Justice Min...

Discussions between Air Malta and the European Commission on the airline’s request for state aid are still ongoing, more than four months after a second formal petition was lodged, this newsroom has been told. The national airline, whose operat...

Two women were injured in a Taxien traffic accident on Sunday afternoon, the police said.The accident involved an Audi A1 driven by an 18-year-old resident of Marsaskala and a Fiat Punto driven by a 23-year-old resident of Birkirkara.Both were taken ...

34 birds have been confiscated by police after they were illegally put up for sale by sellers in Floriana, police said on Sunday.In a statement, the police said that its Environmental Protection Unit together with the Wild Bird Regulation Unit had di...

A motorcyclist was grievously hurt on Sunday afternoon in a crash in Marsalforn, the police said.The accident took place in the road which leads to Victoria at 12.15pm.The biker, a 31-year-old man of Victoria, was riding a KTM bike which was involved...

Lionel Messi began crying before he even started speaking. The “most difficult” moment of his career had arrived and he wasn't ready for it.It was time to say goodbye to Barcelona after more than two decades with the Catalan club.“I...

The Law Enforcement Services Agency (LESA) has warned about fake notifications that are being received by consumers.In a statement, the public informed the public to ignore these messages, sent via SMS, and obey only the official notices sent by the ...

Aren’t we a lucky country. In its century of representative government and democratically-elected parliaments, Malta has never had a Member of Parliament, still less a Cabinet Minister, who spent even one day in jail (save for Labour MPs in the...

Under pressure minister Edward Zammit Lewis said Saturday evening that a leaflet that is bearing his signature and is being distributed to voters on the eighth electoral district is not his.Neither is it being sent by his canvassers, he said in a Fac...

A British scientist who gained prominence for issuing dire warnings about the spread of COVID-19 said Saturday the U.K. is unlikely to need future lockdowns, although new infections may rise significantly as social interactions increase.Professor Nei...

Louis Arpa was born on 2 August 1949, son of Alfred and Domenica nèe Micallef. From his first marriage Louis has two boys aged 38 and 27 whereas from his second marriage he’s got an eight-year-old boy.Going back down memory lane Louis st...

A German charity boat carrying 257 migrants rescued from the Mediterranean docked Saturday in Sicily after Italian authorities granted permission, and hours later a French humanitarian vessel with 549 migrants aboard received a similar port assignmen...

The Latest on the Tokyo Olympics, which are taking place under heavy restrictions after a year’s delay because of the coronavirus pandemic:The Tokyo Olympics are officially over.IOC President Thomas Bach declared the Games closed after the Fren...

Valletta: Collis Williams Pharmacy, 15, Republic Street; Ħamrun: St Gaetan Pharmacy, Kappillan Mifsud Street; Qormi: Pinto Pharmacy, 43, St Sebastian Street; Swatar: Collis Williams – St Mark's Pharmacy, P. Borg Olivier Street c/w  Gi...

Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has affirmed the Government of Malta's long-term issuer and senior unsecured ratings at A2 but changed the outlook to negative from stable. In a report on the Moody’s website, the key drivers behind the neg...

A woman was seriously injured on Friday afternoon in a crash in Xemxija, the police said.The accident took place in Xemxija Hill, St Paul’s Bay, at around 4.45pm.A Mazda Demio driven by a 32-year-old Ukrainian woman, who resides in Marsa, crash...

The number of new Covid-19 cases has again gone up, from the 48 registered on Friday to 71 on Saturday.Health authorities said however that that number of Covid-19 patients in hospital is now 33, down from 36 on Saturday.Five of these are in intensiv...

Kelechi Iheanacho's late penalty gave Leicester a 1-0 victory over Manchester City in the Community Shield on Saturday, stealing the spotlight from Jack Grealish.Iheanacho’s left-footed rocket from the spot beat goalkeeper Zack Steffen in the 8...

A man from Bangladesh was arrested in connection with human trafficking, the police said.Passport officers at Malta International Airport stopped 11 persons from Bangladesh as they were about to embark on a flight to Italy on suspicion they were usin...

The Foundation for Social Welfare Services (FSWS) is taking good care of the children of the jailed Turkish mothers, Children’s Rights Minister Michael Falzon said.Falzon was speaking to The Malta Independent following a six-month jail term giv...

Saturday has given the Maltese Islands some respite from the heat.Although the temperature is at a high of 34 degrees (feel like 36), it is little when compared to the 38-39 degrees which we experienced in the past days, with a feel like temperature ...

Wildfires rampaged through Greek forests for yet another day Saturday, threatening homes and triggering more evacuations a day after hundreds of people were plucked off beaches by ferries in a dramatic overnight rescue.One volunteer firefighter has d...

Even people who have recovered from COVID-19 are urged to get vaccinated, especially as the extra-contagious delta variant surges — and a new study shows survivors who ignored that advice were more than twice as likely to get reinfected.Friday'...

Pompeii's archaeological park is offering free swab tests, the Vatican Museums posted refund instructions and tourists whipped out smart phones to show QR codes along with admission tickets Friday as a new COVID-19 certification rule took effect in I...

The issue of illegally placed caravans has again come up in the news this summer.After Infrastructure Malta finally took action against the caravans which have long blighted the shoreline at Mistra Bay last June, these caravans seemed to have found a...

Paris Saint-Germain and Lionel Messi are in negotiations on a contract after financially troubled Barcelona was unable to keep the superstar, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press on Saturday.Messi's legal team is in P...