Malta should be promoted as a safe and responsible country, not a reckless and unsafe country for tourists flying to Malta this June, the Medical Association of Malta (MAM) has said.The Malta Independent contacted the MAM to ask for its reaction to t...

The Medical Association of Malta said today that the re-opening of economic activity should be very gradual and that large parties should be the last to be allowed when restrictions are eased. In a statement, MAM said the current practice of fre...

Hitman Vince Muscat testified behind closed doors in the public inquiry into Daphne Caruana Galizia’s death on Tuesday.Muscat, known as il-Kohhu, admitted to his part in the murder in February, getting a 15 year prison sentence in exchange for ...

The Malta Tourism Authority has denied that it is planning large scale parties to be held after Covid-19 restrictions are eased.It was replying to a Medical Association of Malta statement which said that large parties should be the last to be allowed...

The Malta Chamber of SMEs has said that in light of the current Covid-19 situation, “the government is keeping people in the dark.”On behalf of the chamber, the Chief Executive Officer Abigail Mamo, has said that when it comes to the re-o...

A number of civil society NGOs have demanded answers about the fate of over a hundred migrants who remain stranded in Malta’s search and rescue area. The Maltese government has been criticised for “refusing” to aid a number of migra...

Archbishop Charles Scicluna was an angry man last Thursday.While celebrating Maundy Thursday, the day when Jesus Christ established the institution of the Eucharist, he expressed his disappointment that the Holy Week celebrations were being held in e...

The secretary of the Association of Catering Establishments (ACE), Matthew Pace, has called for stricter enforcement against wrongdoers once catering establishments reopen.Last month government announced a number of new measures, including that of ke...

European countries scrambled Monday to tamp down a surge in COVID-19 cases and ramp up vaccinations, hoping to spare hospitals from becoming overwhelmed by the pandemic's latest deadly wave of infections.The crush of coronavirus patients has been rel...

In recent months Gozo’s stream of proposed development applications has become an unstoppable torrent, threatening everything from open fields in Nadur to the skyscape around the Ġgantija Temples, NGOs said in a statement Tuesday.eNGOs Fli...

The authorities have informed the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) that they will know in a day or two whether catering establishments will be able to reopen after 11 April, the association’s president Tony Zahra told The Malta I...

Keith Schembri and his associates have been granted bail by the court.Schembri was charged together with his elderly father Alfio Schembri, a director of several of the Kasco companies, and business partner Malcolm Scerri and financial controller Rob...

A whale has been spotted off the coast of Gozo, specifically near Ta' Sanap cliffs on the southern side of the island.Uploaded by Facebook user Melania Bajada, the short footage shows the whale surfacing in the sea to get a breath of fresh air.The sp...

The Court declared that there is enough evidence for Keith Schembri and his associates to be placed under a bill of indictment in connection with money laundering and corruption charges.Earlier today Schembri and his associates were granted bail with...

The government has decided to accept the Ornis Committee’s recommendation to open the Spring Hunting season for quail, it said in a statement.The season will run from 10 April to 30 April, from two hours before sunrise until noon, including on ...

The Aquatic Sports Association of Malta, the Malta Basketball Association, and the Malta Football Association have today jointly renewed their appeal to the Government and the local health authorities to allow the return of competitive sport, albeit ...

The Ombudsman has taken up the Opposition’s request for an investigation into illegal works being carried out on Comino, the Nationalist Party said.The “illegal” roadworks near the Blue Lagoon were blasted by a number of environment...

56 new cases of Covid-19 were reported by health authorities on Monday, as the number of active cases continued to decrease – albeit not by as much as in recent days.One more person – a 55-year-old man – passed away during the last ...

West Ham jumped above Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea into the top four of the Premier League on Monday.Injuries to arguably its two best players might see the team struggle to stay there.Jesse Lingard inspired a 3-2 win over Wolverhampton as the mi...

Prime Minister Robert Abela met the Prime Minister of the Libyan National Unity Government, Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, during a visit to Tripoli on Monday.The two Prime Ministers discussed themes of common interest, including the economy, security and migr...

Investigators last year requested mobile data belonging to former police chief Lawrence Cutajar, a court heard on Monday. These details emerged as the compilation of evidence against Yorgen Fenech, who stands charged with masterminding the murder of ...

Lynn Faure Chircop has stated that her withdrawal from PL candidature was due to “professional reasons”.This was said in a Facebook post on Monday morning. “I would like to confirm that, although the media takes sound bites and quot...

The re-opening of schools to provide in-person education should not be one of the first measures to be eased, the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) have said.The MUT spoke out against the physical opening of schools in a statement released on Monday morn...

Union of Professional Educators (UPE) chief Graham Sansone has told The Malta Independent that, given how Covid-19 cases have decreased, he would be comfortable with schools being given the green light to physically re-open.Schools were physically sh...

The Labour Party has no problem apologising to anyone who felt hurt, party deputy leader Daniel Micallef said today.He was reacting to an opinion piece written by President emeritus Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, a former Labour minister, who appealed t...

The French city of Lyon's main stadium opened as a mass vaccination center during Easter weekend, and thousands spent the holiday lining up for injections at hippodromes, velodromes or other sites as France tried to speed up shots amid a new rush of ...

While stressing Malta’s obligation to provide people rescued at sea who are disembarked in the country with access to the asylum procedure (for those seeking asylum) and accommodation in suitable and adequate reception facilities, the UNHCR als...

1,880 persons were fined for breaching Covid-19 regulations over the past week, the authorities said.Most of the fines issued were related to the wearing (or not) of face masks (1,222)  and breaches of the regulation restricting gatherings of mo...

The Malta Independent on Sunday meets LAURIE PACE, a name synonymous with Judo in Malta. She speaks about her illustrious career, the GSSE medal winning, her love for adventure and her bronze medal in the New Zealand Commonwealth Games. Laurie P...

Nexia BT has been disowned by the international franchise, although it is so far unclear whether this was a result of the scandals the company has been involved in or the money laundering charges its directors are currently facing in court. Four Nexi...

Leading audit firm PwC Malta has told this newsroom that it was not involved in the Times of Malta printing press bidding process, despite having been named in court as the firm that audited the deal.Former OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri, his fath...

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected plans for the Malta-Gozo tunnel, with consultations forced to be put on hold, Infrastructure Malta has confirmed.The Malta Independent on Sunday contacted Infrastructure Malta to ask if discussions about the tunnel ...

34 new Covid-19 cases were registered on Easter Sunday, as 117 patients recovered from the virus.The number of active cases has continued to drop, now standing at 549.In their daily update, the health authorities announced that one more person has pa...

President George Vella reaffirmed his worries about the threat of widespread construction in a message on Easter Sunday, while also discussing other topics such as the political situation in the country.Addressing the nation on Easter Sunday, which a...

Former President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca has called on the Labour Party to apologise to people who bought into its purported moral credentials, MaltaToday has reported.She called on those who have the party's interest at heart to embark on a soul ...

Pope Francis has urged the international community, in a spirit of global responsibility, to commit to overcoming delays in the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines and to facilitate their distribution, especially in the poorest countries.He spoke durin...

The recent resignation of Rosianne Cutajar over her alleged connection with a man accused of being the mastermind behind the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia is the latest setback to the Labour government.Since taking over the reins of the...

Britain is planning to test a series of measures including “coronavirus status certifications" over the coming weeks to see if they can allow people to safely return to mass gatherings at sports arenas, nightclubs and concerts.People attending ...

Defending leads used to be a forte of Jose Mourinho, soccer's arch-pragmatist.Not anymore, it seems.Tottenham caved in again Sunday, conceding an 85th-minute goal to draw 2-2 at Newcastle and stay outside the top four of the Premier League.If Mourinh...

Gaetano D’Amico and Rose Vassallo, residents in two separate care homes for the elderly, can’t wait for the day they will be able to hug their loved ones and celebrate Easter as a family, rather than being confined to their rooms. One yea...

The police have arrested a man suspected of having tried to rob a store on Friday evening.The case took place in Triq San Luqa in Marsascala at around 8:15pm, the police said. The aggressor, a man who was armed with a knife, demanded that the cashier...

Visiting a military cemetery always evokes a certain feeling of sadness, even in the absence of any connection to those buried there. Despite the uniformity of the gravestones, each one of them represents a different life; a father, husband, son, usu...

Malta needs to rid itself of politicians who think of themselves and harm Malta's name, Opposition Leader Bernard Grech said on Sunday morning.Grech delivered a message to the public to commemorate Easter Sunday, where he reflected on how celebration...

The 270 migrants who were stranded in the Mediterranean were all taken to Lampedusa, TVM reports.NGOs had seen around three boats with migrants, amounting to around 270 people in total. On Saturday, NGO Alarm Phone said that two of the three boats in...

Lawyer Lynn Faure Chircop has withdrawn her candidature with the Labour Party for the upcoming general election.Posting on Facebook, she said: "I decided to withdraw my candidature with the Labour Party. I prayed a lot and it was the right thing to d...

This country has reached the stage where we have daily revelations of more and more mafia-style practices right at the heart of Government. Never in our less-than-pure history have we plumbed such depths. Never did we have allegations of corruption w...

The spring hunting season in Malta could be just around the corner yet hunters have not shown enough respect and discipline towards the laws to merit it to open, BirdLife Malta CEO Mark Sultana told The Malta Independent on Sunday. Spring hunting cou...

The Armed Forces of Malta is grieving the loss of Colonel Brian Gatt, who served as head of the detention service.Gatt passed away at age 54."Today, the Armed Forces of Malta grieves the loss of an exemplary Officer. The Force extends their sincere c...

Malta’s Covid-19 reproduction rate has continued to decrease, now standing at 0.46, statistician Vincent Marmara told The Malta Independent on Sunday in his weekly video blog.The reproduction number of the virus is one of the key figures which ...

The Civil Society Network has demanded an explanation from the Government regarding the 270 people who were reportedly in distress in Malta's Search and Rescue Zone. "Thus far there has been the usual silence from this government.""According to NGOs ...

A biker was grievously injured when he lost control of the motorcycle he was riding and crashed, the police said.The accident took place in Zabbar Road, Fgura, on Saturday at 9.30pm.The biker, a 31-year-old man from Nepal, was taken to hospital with ...

Italy entered a three-day nationwide coronavirus lockdown Saturday to deter Easter travel and get-togethers even as the country's variant-fueled spike in new infections began to wane.The government had announced last month that it would place all reg...

62 new cases of Covid-19 were reported by health authorities on Saturday as two more patients passed away in the last 24 hours.Two men aged 65 and 62 years passed away at Mater Dei Hospital while Covid positive, meaning that 397 people have died whil...

Malta has an obligation to provide people rescued at sea and disembarked in the country with access to the asylum procedure for those seeking asylum, and accommodation in suitable and adequate reception facilities, the UN's refugee agency (UNHCR) tol...

The agriculture ministry has “deplored” the Pitkala Association’s decision to stop the Farmer’s Cooperative and other non-members from selling their products at the Pitkalija. The pitkala are locked in a dispute with the gover...

Britain’s medicines regulator said it has identified 30 cases of rare blood clot events associated with the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine but stressed the benefits “continue to outweigh any risks.”The Medicines and Healthcare Regu...

Without all the injuries, perhaps Liverpool would not be surrendering the Premier League title so easily to Manchester City.Liverpool's 3-0 victory over Arsenal on Saturday was a reminder of the quality that saw the champions still leading the standi...

Inter Milan's title hopes were given a boost on Saturday as the league leader won and rivals AC Milan and Juventus both dropped points.Romelu Lukaku set Inter on its way to a 1-0 win at Bologna at the end of a packed day of Serie A soccer that saw Mi...

Pope Francis prayed that people don't feel lost amid the problems of the pandemic as he listened to children's poignant accounts of sorrow and loneliness, which provided the motif for an unusual Way of the Cross torch-lit Good Friday procession in St...

Two people were arrested by police on suspicion of drug trafficking on Friday morning, police said in a statement on Saturday.The police said that the two Hungarians – a 37-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman – were arrested by the polic...

Octogenarians in Tuscany watched in disbelief and indignation as lawyers, magistrates, professors and other younger professionals got vaccinated against COVID-19 before them, despite government pledges of prioritizing Italy’s oldest citizens. E...

A rubble wall located close to a Medieval chapel was damaged as a result of nearby roadworks, Moviment Graffitti said this morning.The wall was quickly repaired but the incident showed that the works are endangering the ancient chapel, the group said...

42 new Covid-19 cases were reported by authorities on Friday, as the number of active cases dipped below the 700 mark.94 people recovered from the virus in the last 24 hours, meaning that Malta currently has 687 active cases of Covid-19.Another patie...

A 70-year-old shopkeeper was slightly injured in an attempted hold-up on Friday evening.The case took place in Triq San Luqa in Marsascala at around 8:15pm, the police said.The aggressor, a man who was armed with a knife, demanded that the cashier ha...

On the 13th March, we clamoured editorially for a circuit-breaker lockdown of three to five weeks – and the government duly obliged. Ever since, the results have been there for all to see. In just three weeks, the infection rate fell by 90% fro...

Two flights had to be diverted away from Malta after an incident at the Malta International Airport this morning, the airport said in a statement.The MIA confirmed that an incident involving an aircraft being towed occurred at 11:29 on Friday morning...

It is unacceptable that people are allowed to play the lotto but not allowed to attend Mass, an angry Archbishop said on Thurdsay.In his homily on Maundy Thursday, Mgr Charles Scicluna said that while the Church followed instructions given by the hea...

Daphne Caruana Galizia would still be alive today if Malta had effective criminal law provisions in place to avoid the development of a de-facto state of impunity, Moviment Graffitti said on Friday.Moviment Graffitti also addressed the concerning iss...

A British football coach is facing a life sentence after being convicted of dozens of sex attacks on children, including nine rapes, Sky News reports.Stephen Walker, 68, preyed on young football players for more than 40 years.  His youngest vict...

A man made off with an undisclosed amount of cash in a hold-up in Fgura on Thursday evening, the police said.In a statement, the police said that the man, wearing a hoodie and carrying a knife, approached a woman from The Philippines who resides in F...

European nations' immunization campaigns against COVID-19 are “unacceptably slow” and risk prolonging the pandemic, a senior World Health Organization official said Thursday.Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO's regional director for Europe, said vaccine...

A Holy Thursday service in Paris was held at Notre Dame cathedral, which is still under construction after it was ravaged by flames just days before Easter in 2019, its spire crumbling in a shocking blaze.The ceremony involved a foot-washing ritual t...

Christians in the Holy Land are marking Good Friday this year amid signs the coronavirus crisis is winding down, with religious sites open to limited numbers of faithful but none of the mass pilgrimages usually seen in the Holy Week leading up to Eas...

Italy may be in a strict coronavirus lockdown this Easter with travel restricted between regions and new quarantines imposed. But a few miles offshore, guests aboard the MSC Grandiosa cruise ship are shimmying to Latin music on deck and sipping cockt...

A vehicle rolled down a hill and smashed into a passing train, partially derailing it outside a rail tunnel in Taiwan and killing at least 36 people and injuring dozens. Survivors climbed out windows and onto roofs to reach safety in Taiwan's deadlie...

52 new cases were reported on Thursday by health authorities, as the decrease in Covid-19 cases continues.146 people have recovered, meaning that the number of active cases now stands at 740. 32 of those cases are in Gozo.Two men aged 69 and 71 passe...

200,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been administered, Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne revealed on Facebook. This number is the total number of doses, thus meaning that a percentage of these are second doses.Malta has continued to administe...

Superintendent of Health Charmaine Gauci has confirmed that police officers have been delegated the authority to enter private property to check if Covid-19 measures are followed, so long as a report is filed.This was first reported by The Malta Inde...

Should the government open a spring hunting season, parts of Mizieb and Ahrax will be restricted to the public for certain times of day, the Federazzjoni Kaccaturi Nassaba Konservazzjonisti (FKNK) confirmed with The Malta Independent, highlighting th...

Malta will be one of the safest places to travel to this summer, Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne said during an interview on CNBC.The Health Minister was asked about the Covid-19 situation, as well as the vaccination process in Malta.He noted that...

A number of people seemingly chose to ignore recently implemented public gathering measures in favour of going for a spring-time swim at St. Peter’s Pool on Thursday.A picture sent to this newsroom shows groups of people – including one w...

The works ongoing at Comino are as per an ERA permit, the Gozo Ministry has said, while adding that no development is taking place, only the fixing up of existing infrastructureThe Gozo Ministry has said that the ongoing works at the Blue Lagoon, Com...

Bird migration is that spectacular journey many birds make. Some of these journeys are short - like coming down a mountain to spend winter in the lowlands - and some are seriously, mind-bogglingly long. Whether or not you believe that the pigeon-size...

The Chamber of Advocates has again called for lawyers who frequently work in a courtroom setting to be vaccinated. In a statement, the Chamber said that it had noted reports in the media earlier this week stating that all court personnel are to ...

The process to extradite former Allied Group managing director Adrian Hillman has kicked off, although it may take some time to conclude.The Times of Malta reported on Thursday that Maltese authorities had sent a detailed extradition request to UK au...

Coordinated by the Media Freedom Rapid Response, a coalition of international freedom of expression and media freedom organisations filed a submission to the Public Inquiry into the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia."Since its establishment in ...

Inspire Foundation will be launching the campaign “What Autism Has Taught Me” intending to raise more awareness about autism among the public. The campaign will run throughout April, in line with World Autism Awareness Day which is celebr...

A batch of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine failed quality standards and can’t be used, the drug giant said Wednesday.The drugmaker didn’t say how many doses were lost, and it wasn’t clear how the problem would impact ...

The road resurfacing works ongoing in Comino do not require permission from the Planning Authority, a spokesperson for the authority told The Malta Independent.On Monday, Friends of the Earth Malta had condemned what it called ‘illegal roadwork...

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg last week unveiled visuals for what he described as a “national park” in Ta’ Qali.The problem is that the plans, which have been approved by the Planning Authority, look more like Borg&...

A 19-year-old man was arrested by police shortly after he held up a catering establishment in Qormi.The case took place on Tuesday in Triq San Bartolomew, the police said.The man allegedly held up a 34-year-old shopkeeper with a knife and demanded mo...

Pharmacists should be involved in the Covid-19 vaccination programme, the Nationalist Party’s Covid Action Team said.It was reacting to a report published by The Malta Independent in which the government said that no agreement has been made or ...

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday announced a three-week nationwide school closure and a month-long domestic travel ban, as the rapid spread of the virus ramped up pressure on hospitals.In a televised address to the nation, Macron said ne...

The head of the European Medicines Agency said Wednesday that there is “no evidence” that would support restricting the use of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine in any population, as Germany has now done amid concerns...

MEP Alex Agius Saliba is pressuring the European Commission to ensure the small Member States, such as Malta and their citizens, have access to affordable pharmaceutical products, especially during the COVID pandemic.With an urgent question to the Eu...

The Degiorgio brothers have expressed concern over their Presidential pardon request, highlighting the possible conflict of interest by those granting the recommendation to the President of their request.This is due to them saying that they can revea...

40 new cases of Covid-19 were registered on Wednesday, as the number of active cases continues to drop.The healthy authorities, in their daily update, said that 101 more people have recovered from the virus.Two more people have lost their lives while...

Pharmacists have protested over government's statement, that pharmacies will not be involved in the distribution of the Covid-19 vaccines.The Health Ministry had made this clear with The Malta Independent when it was contacted earlier this week.The K...