The election will be held within the next 12 months. That is a fact. A general election must be held within five years and three months from the first time Parliament convenes at the start of a legislature, which means the latest the election can be ...

A landlord has detailed to The Malta Independent on Sunday how a significant number of farmers are merely posing to be so in order to retain their hold on farming land which they are occupying on an agricultural lease.Under Maltese rental laws, agric...

A report published by the MATSEC board gives a grim figure about the standard of our education system.We cannot be happy about the number of students who have failed in the core subjects, which are mandatory for all students and are taught right thro...

3,817 apartment units have been approved in 2021 so far, a spokesperson for the Planning Authority confirmed with The Malta Independent.This number covers the period between the beginning of January till the end of July.471 maisonettes were also appr...

The Mental Health and High School Curriculum Guide, which will be implemented in Church schools from this coming September, seeks to increase knowledge amongst teachers on mental health, reduce stigma and increase help-seeking attitudes. Speaking wit...

Children and adolescents are exhibiting an increase in externalising behaviours at home with family members following the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the President of the Maltese Association of Psychiatry (MAP), Nigel Camilleri.From t...

Over the past couple of weeks, the Maltese news media found itself under attack again. This time it was in the form of impostor emails and fake websites carrying ‘reports’ naming several key figures in politics or civil society. The main ...

Tony Drago was born in Malta’s capital city on the 27th September, 1965.  Nicknamed the Tornado, there are few more entertaining sights in snooker than an on-form Tony Drago whose speed around the table can be summed up by the fact that he...

Sixty-two Covid-19 new cases were reported on Saturday by the health authorities, while one more death was recorded.The latest victim is a 64-year-old woman. The number of recorded deaths is now 442.In all, 36,426 Covid-19 cases have been registered ...

Qala Mayor Paul Buttigieg has called on the parliament to declare Ħondoq ir-Rummien as public domain and change the local plan as was done in recent years.In a post on Facebook published on Saturday, Buttigieg said that “all political part...

Nationalist Party MP Jason Azzopardi said he is being sued by the former owner of Satabank over claims he made that the bank should never have been given a licence to operate. In a Facebook video, the MP said last Thursday he was informed that h...

 Malta lost by a solitary goal against Slovenia in Ljubljana with the goal that decided the match coming from a dubious penalty two minutes from the end of the first half.It was a match in which Malta were never outclassed and had their moments ...

Tens of thousands protested in Switzerland on Saturday for the legalization of same-sex marriage in the Alpine country.The protests came ahead of a national referendum on Sept. 26 on the legalization of gay marriage, which has already been introduced...

Valletta: 20/21, Republic Street; Ħamrun: Chemimart International Pharmacy, 650, St Joseph High Road; Qormi: Evans Pharmacy, 96/98, St Sebastian Street; Birkirkara (Ta' Paris): Mackie's Pharmacy, L. Casolani Street; Msida: Deby's Pharmacy, 1, Mi...

Drainage has once again overflowed in Qormi after a heavy downpour this morning, leading to complainst about an "unbearable smell" in the area.Nationalist Party spokesman for planning Ryan Callus said that he had filed a complaint with the Water Serv...

Twenty-two loggerhead turtles hatched from an unreported nest in Ramla l-Ħamra, Gozo. The hatchlings were discovered by the public who immediately informed Nature Trust Malta FEE last night, ERA said.The nest is close to last year’s nests ...

Heavy rains hit parts of Malta this morning, spoiling the say for bathers who had to quickly seek shelter from the downpour.Clouds gathered over the islands this morning in a taste of autumn, but many challenged the weather to take to the beach for a...

Pilatus bank was fined 5 million euro by the FIAU for “very serious and systemic failures”. That’s putting it politely.  The bank was a money-laundering haven. Just 15 clients transacted 390 million euro.  The bank’s...

A motorcyclist was grievously injured on Friday in a traffic accident in Naxxar, the police said Saturday.The accident took place at 11.30am in Parish Street.The biker, a man aged 60 of Mosta, was riding a Peugeot Tweet which was involved in a crash ...

Dutch driver Max Verstappen took a brilliant pole position for the Netherlands Grand Prix and sent his Orange Army of fans into raptures on Saturday.Then a DJ pumped out loud dance music as they savored Verstappen’s performance and lapped up th...

An e-scooter rider was grievously injured in a crash in Vittoriosa on Saturday morning.The police said the accident took place in Vittoriosa Square at 4am.The rider, a 28-year-old Colombian man who resides in the locality, fell off the scooter.He was...

The 38 Aleppo Pine trees on L-Industrija Road, which were pronounced to be “dying” by Nationalist Party candidate Clifford Zahra Fenech last week on Facebook, have been replaced.The reason why these saplings − planted in May this ye...

English educator Richard Sheriff watched this week as a group of energetic 11-year-olds entered their new secondary school for the first time — finding their classrooms, eating in the cafeteria, racing around the halls.The familiar rituals of a...

The Environment Resources Authority has taken immediate remedial actions by requesting operators to install adequate bins in the vicinity of the sites which were identified as the source of the waste on Comino.ERA said in a statement it had taken thi...

Much is said daily about striking a balance between development and the environment, but it is by now more than clear that neither of the two main political parties have come even close. Despite all the talk of afforestation and urban greening projec...

The new era started well for the Malta Under-21 team, kicking off their UEFA Under-21 Qualification commitments in style with an emphatic 4-1 win over Northern Ireland. The youngster’s player their hearts out and fully deserved the win, playing...

Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects Ian Borg together with University of Malta’s Rector Prof. Alfred J. Vella and Transport Malta Chairman Joseph Bugeja announced the opening of applications for the ‘Maritime Proof...

Year by year, swimming bays around Malta and Gozo have become more accessible to persons with a disability. Below are the bays which are equipped with accessible infrastructure. The table was published by the Commission for the Rights of Persons with...

The U.K.’s vaccine advisors declined Friday to recommend the vaccination of healthy older children against COVID-19, saying the direct health benefits are “marginal.” However, the British government said it may join others around th...

Angela Merkel will leave office as one of modern Germany's longest-serving leaders and a global diplomatic heavyweight, with a legacy defined by her management of a succession of crises that shook a fragile Europe rather than any grand visions for he...

The Court of Appeal on Friday cleared the husband of former Gozo minister Giovanna Debono from all fraud and misappropriation charges brought against him in 2015.The charges had led to Debono’s resignation from the Nationalist Party parliamenta...

The compilation of evidence against Yorgen Fenech regarding the purchase of weapons from the dark web began this morning, in a sitting held behind closed doors.When the case was called before Magistrate Nadine Lia this morning, Police Inspector Omar ...

42 new cases of Covid-19 were reported by health authorities on Friday, with the number of cases coming down compared to the previous two days.55 people meanwhile have recovered, taking the number of active cases down to 691.A total of 37 Covid posit...

Law firm Mamo TCV Advocates has denied allegations put forward in a complaint by Pilatus Bank on Wednesday.The bank, which was yesterday charged with money laundering, filed a complaint at the World Bank through its parent company that the decision b...

For €00.20c per litre of water, the public will be able to fill their reusable bottles from water dispensers which are being placed in strategic locations by the Water Services Corporation (WSC).This was announced by the WSC whilst outlining its...

Seven new environmental proposals were made by the Nationalist party on Friday, one of which focuses on a push for more pedestrian zonesThe announcement was made by environment spokesperson Robert Cutajar together with MZPN President Gabriel Micallef...

There are around 250 families around Rabat who are living in uncertainty as, while they had built their homes legally, do not fully own the land as it is still subject to lease agreements with the government, a PN statement read.The PN said that ther...

20 people have admitted to charges of hate speech over comments they had posted on Facebook.The 20 were arraigned on Friday before Magistrate Ian Farrugia. They had posted their comments beneath a video that had shown a man who had been assaulted by ...

Marsa has been selected as the locality of culture for 2022, Local Government Minister Jose Herrera announced."This is another electoral pledge being enacted, for there to be a yearly cultural programme within a locality selected to be the locality o...

Regeneration works on the garden of Pjazza Patri Redent Gauci in Fgura, costing around €40,000, are complete.This was announced by Fgura Local Council in the presence of Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning Aaron Farrugia an...

Pilatus Bank and the head of its Compliance and Legal department have been charged with money laundering, after a formal arraignment took place on Thursday.Prosecutors Cinzia Azzopardi Alamango and Marthese Grech from the office of the Attorney Gener...

A man was seriously injured when the e-scooter he was riding was involved in an accident in Naxxar on Friday morning.The accident took place in Labour Avenue at 6.40am.The police said the rider, a 56-year-old Bulgarian man resident in Mosta, was invo...

A motorcyclist was grievously injured in a crash in St Julian’s on Thursday afternoon.The police said the accident took place in Borg Olivier Street at 6pm.The biker, a French man aged 29 lost control of the NIU N1S he was riding and crashed.He...

New Zealand authorities were so worried about an extremist inspired by the Islamic State group they were following him around-the-clock and were able to shoot and kill him within 60 seconds of him unleashing a frenzied knife attack that wounded six p...

Health Minister Chris Fearne announced that two test events with less Covid restrictions will be held at the end of September.The minister delivered a press conference yesterday, along with Minister for National Heritage, Arts and Local Government Jo...

 A British national admitted Thursday evening in a federal courtroom near the nation's capital that he played a leadership role in an Islamic State scheme to torture, hold for ransom and eventually behead American hostages.Alexanda Anon Kotey, 3...

As October approaches, many associations and entities have begun publishing their views and ideas as to what should (and shouldn’t) be in the budget for the upcoming year.The Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD) which bring...

An outdated model of development is filling the pockets of the few while reducing the quality of life of many, the Church Environment Commission said.To celebrate the Season of Creation (1st September – 4 th October), the Interdiocesan Environm...

Two clusters of cases have been found in vaccinated residents of elderly people's homes, Health Minister Chris Fearne announced on Thursday.The minister delivered a press conference yesterday, along with Minister for National Heritage, Arts and Local...

The owners of Pilatus Bank, Alpene Ltd, are claiming “direct and intimate knowledge of the alleged corruption” of Maltese officials in connection with the controllership of the shuttered private bank.The company filed a discovery applicat...

Italy finally came back down to earth a bit in its first game as European champion.Less than two months after winning the European Championship at Wembley, Italy was held to a 1-1 draw by Bulgaria in World Cup qualifying on Thursday.That ended Italy'...

Data published by Eurostat shows that Malta has the largest proportions of women in its prison population in the EU.The share of women in prison varies considerably between EU Member States. Between 2017 and 2019, the highest shares on average were o...

75 new cases of Covid-19 were reported on Thursday, a similar number to what was reported on Wednesday in what can be construed as a slight spike compared to case numbers from the past weeks.54 people have recovered from the virus, while no new death...

2021 will be WasteServ’s most productive year in terms of recyclables since its inception in 2002. This was announced by Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning Aaron Farrugia during a visit at the Sant’Antnin Facility i...

Malta registered its first victory in the Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifiers and in the history of the World Cup qualifiers, beating Cyprus in a match completely dominated by the Maltese.Devis Mangia’s side was in a class of its own yesterday at T...

A man posting on Facebook said that he was hit by a hunter's pellets, after the latter was shooting less than 50m away from a road.This happened on the first day of the hunting season, the man said, which would mean that the incident occurred on Wedn...

A biker and a driver were injured on Thursday morning in a crash in Gudja, the police said.The accident took place at 8am in Dawret il Gudja.The biker, aged 59, of Zabbar, was riding a Honda which was involved in a crash with a Nissan, driven by a 26...

The Nationalist Party has set up a new website ‘kunilbidla.com’ to encourage anyone who wishes to see a change in the way Malta is governed, take a more active role, have their voice heard and “be the change.”The portal is aim...

A man was grievously injured on Wednesday afternoon when he was caught between a car and a garage door, the police said.The accident happened at 6.30pm in Gwann Mamo Street, Luqa.The police said that the 56-year-old man, resident of Luqa, was taken t...

A 24-year-old Illinois woman submitted a fake COVID-19 vaccination card to visit Hawaii with a glaring spelling error that led to her arrest: Moderna was spelled “Maderna," according to court documents.In order to bypass Hawaii's 10-day travele...

Every football transfer market has its story to tell, but this year it has been quite particular.The Covid-19 pandemic has had a terrible impact on the finances of the clubs, and yet there are some who manage to dig deep and come up with the right mo...

Prime Minister Robert Abela brushed off questions as to whether he would welcome Joseph Muscat back into the political fold, after the latter did not rule out a return to politics.Former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat resigned at the end of 2019, amid ...

Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Wednesday that the government wants to be at the forefront of introducing anti-SLAPP legislation.Addressing a press conference at Castille, he said that in principle the government is completely in favour of having...

Former National Book Council chairman Mark Camilleri has launched a scathing attack against Prime Minister Robert Abela, lambasting him as the most “hollow and incompetent” leader that the country has ever had.In a post on his Facebook pr...

Prime Minister Robert Abela did not say whether an early election will be called.Rumours have been making the rounds of an early election, possibly as early as November.Asked about an early election, the Prime Minister said: “If we were to act ...

Funds from Malta’s passport scheme will be used to help those who cannot get life insurance owing to a past medical condition, be able to get a home loan, the government announced on Wednesday.The new scheme, announced by Prime Minister Robert ...

Judge Edwina Grima has rejected Yorgen Fenech’s request to abstain and make way for another judge to preside over his trial.Fenech is due to stand trial over complicity in the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2017. He is facing li...

The collaboration from foreign entities is deemed to be important in the investigation regarding the fake emails being sent to newsrooms and the creation of spoof websites posing as Maltese media organisations, the police told The Malta Independent.S...

San Giljan beat Neptunes in a thrilling encounter to win the Knock-out competition with an 11-10 score.It was a kind of sweet revenge for the saints who lost the championship to Neptunes last week in the final game of the league.Yesterday's game was ...

Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty but still broke the men's international scoring record before adding a second goal as Portugal beat visiting Ireland 2-1 in World Cup qualifying on Wednesday.Ronaldo grabbed his 110th goal in the 89th minute to move...

Seventy-six new Covid-19 cases were registered in Malta as 49 patients recovered, health authorities said in their daily bulletin on Wednesday.The number of active cases has again gone up, to 683, while the number of deaths remained at 441.In all, 36...

The findings of the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU) investigation into Pilatus Bank are proof of how the Labour government not only turned a blind eye to money laundering and financial crime, but even defended institutions created precise...

Pope Francis may be in line to fulfil his visit to Malta this coming December, Italian media station RAI reported on Wednesday morning.The news aired during a feature on RAI Uno’s TG1 news bulletin on Wednesday morning.The report said that the ...

A 75-year-old motorcyclist was grievously injured in a traffic accident that took place in St Julian’s on Wednesday.The accident took place in Triq Sant’ Andrija at around 3:30pm, the police said.The man, who is from Naxxar, was riding a ...

A 59-year-old woman was grievously injured on Wednesday after she fell from a height inside a residence in Żebbuġ. The accident took place at around 11:30am in Triq Dun Karm Psaila.The police said the woman was cleaning when she fell from a...

As the summer months come to an end, and with colder temperatures starting to be felt in northern Europe, birds are once again preparing for their impressive migratory journeys to Africa. Most of the migrating birds would be on their first ever migra...

A truck which was carrying a bulldozer found itself in a stick situation on Wednesday morning after it got stuck under the Marsa-Hamrun bypass bridge.The accident happened at around 8.15am when the bulldozer which was inside the truck’s cargo h...

A British man is in serious condition following a diving incident in Cirkewwa, the police said.The man, aged 62, found himself in difficulty while diving at around 3.30pm on Tuesday.He was taken ashore and transported to Mater Dei Hospital, where he ...

The Nationalist Party today said it has set up its own three-member board to receive reports on discrimination and seek redress for those who feel aggrieved.The board was launched during a press conference with the participation of PN candidates Pete...

The Planning Authority said that the Valletta Local Council had been informed about an application for a steel structure to be installed in front of a hotel in Merchants Street.The structure has been the subject of great controversy, with many saying...

At least 11 people are feared dead after another boat crossing the Atlantic Ocean to get from North Africa to Spain's Canary Islands became a trap for migrants trying to reach European territory, Spanish authorities and activists reported Tuesday.The...

The Chamber of Commerce is suggesting that the years of compulsory education should increase by two, with students finishing at 18 years of age instead of 16.In launching a document on a strategy for the workforce last week, the Chamber said that the...

Pilatus Bank has been fined €4,975,500 by the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unity (FIAU) for a "serious and systemic failure" in following anti-money laundering laws.The controversial Pilatus Bank had its licensed stripped by the European Cent...

NGO Repubblika on Tuesday organised a protest in solidarity with journalists after the recent spate of fake news articles and emails.Addressing attendees, the NGO's President Robert Aquilina voiced his concerns about the misinformation trending on so...

The launch of pilot four-day work week projects, the reopening of trade schools, and bonuses for frontliners of the Covid-19 pandemic were among some 230 pre-budget proposals put forward by the MCESD on Tuesday.The proposals – which traced back...

International sports betting company Parimatch is today announcing its evolution into ‘Parimatch Tech’ to highlight its transition from a traditional betting company to a fully digitalised and product-focused technology business.The name ...

A revised education act, focusing on a balance between the rights and entitlements of parents and students, is set to be implemented on the 1st of October.The act, which has been in process since 2019, has drawn upon further challenges in Malta's edu...

The Nationalist Party will not revoke the changes brought about by the 2006 rationalisation exercise, which had seen ODZ land at the time placed within the development zone.PN leader Bernard Grech was responding to questions from the press during a p...

The partner organisations in the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) are highly concerned about attempts to spread disinformation and discredit Maltese journalists and bloggers who write about the recently indicted murder suspect alleged to have orch...

Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar has submitted an appeal against PA 3000/19, the permit issued for the widening of the Marsalforn Road. This road runs through one the most scenic valleys in Gozo, the only untouched part of Marsalforn, now that t...

A Lands Authority Scheme in relation to the revision of commercial leases and recognition of heirs upon demise of the lessee has been launched.Minister for the Economy and Industry Silvio Schembri said that there are currently 400 commercial leases o...

Forty-eight new Covid-19 cases were registered on Tuesday, while one patients has died, health authorities said.The latest victim is a 73-year-old man who died at Mater Dei Hospital, taking the tally to 441.The total number of cases recorded in Malta...

A complaint by a harbour ferry operator has been sent back before the Public Contracts Review Board after an appeals court ruled that the company had not been notified about the extension to a concession given to a competitor. The appeal was filed by...

In inaugurating a five-day-week soup kitchen, Franciscan Father Marcellino Micallef has turned his dream of addressing the "alarming increase of homelessness and hunger in Malta” with dignity into reality.In aiming to “holistically help a...

Opposition Leader Bernard Grech has admitted that his party is behind in the surveys, but says that he will keep on working to bridge that gap.A survey published by the Times of Malta last week showed that while the PN made a 3% gain over a survey la...

The Planning Authority Board is set to discuss the new Manoel Island masterplan on ThursdayLast December, it was decided that the Manoel Island project is to be reviewed in full by the Planning Authority.The case officer's report was published and as...

Since 2016, 1,112 home fires have been recorded around the Maltese islands, the police said.The most common causes of such fires are chip pan fryers (82 fires) and electrical meter fires (109 fires). This not taking into account the fires described g...

Senior Citizens and Active Ageing Minister Michael Farrugia today announced the opening of the first dementia day-night care respite centre in Malta, which will be located in Mtarfa. This centre, set to open its doors in September is aimed to pr...

The Heritage Parks Federation made up of Din L-Art Helwa, Nature Trust and Gaia Foundation, today condemned in the strongest possible terms the attempts at intimidation of its rangers which has been occurring these last few days. This has principally...

A man was grievously injured on Monday afternoon after falling off a ladder, the police said Tuesday.The accident took place in St Helena Bastions, Cospicua, at 1pm.The 54-year-old man from Zabbar was taken to hospital with grievous injuries.