Malta Independent
Fri, 25 Mar 2022 05:47:00 +0000Moscow accused of forcibly removing civilians to Russia
Ukraine accused Moscow of forcibly removing hundreds of thousands of civilians from shattered Ukrainian cities to Russia to pressure Kyiv to give up, while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged his country to keep up its military defense and not stop &...
Fri, 25 Mar 2022 10:02:00 +0000€64,967 in undeclared cash intercepted by Customs Malta at the MIA
Four men carrying a total of €64,967 in undeclared cash were intercepted by Customs Malta at the MIA, the customs department said on Friday.Two Maltese passengers en-route to Turkey and Australia respectively, were found to be carrying a total o...
Fri, 25 Mar 2022 05:50:00 +0000Live updates: Russia fires missiles at Ukraine military unit
LVIV, Ukraine – Russian forces fired two missiles late Thursday at a Ukrainian military unit on the outskirts of Dnipro, the fourth-largest city in the country, regional emergency services said.The strikes destroyed buildings and set off two fi...
Fri, 25 Mar 2022 05:55:00 +0000Putin's demand for ruble payments? No way! say EU nations; EU agrees on Russia sanctions so far
President Vladimir Putin's threat to have “unfriendly” countries pay for Russian natural gas exports only in rubles from now on got the not-so-friendly treatment from European Union nations Thursday.“I don’t think anybody in E...
Fri, 25 Mar 2022 06:53:00 +0000P&O Ferries CEO admits ignoring UK rules, Malta-based company being used to pay new crew members
The head of a ferry operator at the center of a bitter labor dispute stunned U.K. lawmakers Thursday when he acknowledged that the company chose to ignore the law and labor contracts when it fired 786 workers without consulting with them in advance.P...
Fri, 25 Mar 2022 07:53:00 +0000TMID Editorial: Non-silence on silent day
The election campaign is over and, tomorrow, we are being invited to exercise our right to vote to elect the new government.The Friday before the election has been traditionally known as the silent day, one in which it is prohibited at law to in any ...
Thu, 24 Mar 2022 20:43:00 +0000Abela warns against PN’s ‘politics of division’ in final appeal to voters
Prime Minister and PL leader Robert Abela warned against the PN's "politics of division" as he addressed a party mass meeting for the last time in the electoral campaign on Thursday.Speaking at the MFCC in Ta' Qali, Abela said that the PN is anchored...
Fri, 25 Mar 2022 09:32:00 +0000AAMS vs Maltese Gambling License
Similar to every industry, gambling is a legalised sector with special regulations created to maintain fair and transparent gambling. The operators who want to lawfully offer gambling services in both land-based and online sectors require an operatin...
Thu, 24 Mar 2022 21:20:00 +0000‘Not realising Malta’s democracy is in danger would be a mistake’ - Grech
It would be a mistake not to realise that the country's democracy is once again in danger under a PL government, Opposition Leader Bernard Grech said, calling for a change in administration.Addressing a large crowd in the PN's final rally at St Georg...
Thu, 24 Mar 2022 15:37:00 +0000Council of Europe committee finds ‘serious breach of conduct’ by Rosianne Cutajar
The Committee on Rules of Procedure of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly has voted that there was a “serious breach of the rules of conduct” by Rosianne Cutajar.The former Parliamentary Secretary was investigated for fa...
Thu, 24 Mar 2022 14:36:00 +0000Students will no longer need to pass Maths, English, and Maltese O-levels to get into Junior College
Students will no longer require a pass mark in all three of the core O-level subjects in order to be admitted to Junior College, a legal notice published by the government has decreed.Previously, students needed to achieve a grade of 5 or higher in t...
Thu, 24 Mar 2022 18:07:00 +0000University Pro-Rector defends the change in Junior College entrance policy
University Pro-Rector Carmen Sammut has defended the change in Junior College entrance policy.She was reacting to news that students will no longer require a pass mark in all three of the core O-level subjects in order to be admitted to Junior Colleg...
Thu, 24 Mar 2022 12:35:00 +0000Ryanair announces nine new summer routes including to Milan, Lourdes, and Zagreb
Ryanair has announced a new schedule for summer 2022, with nine new routes to destinations in Italy, France, Croatia, Israel, Ireland, and Poland on the cards. During a press conference, it was said that besides including new routes and, the sch...
Thu, 24 Mar 2022 14:42:00 +0000Bernard Grech will contest for PN leadership even if he loses the general election
Opposition Leader Bernard Grech said he would offer his name once again for the PN leadership elections should the PN lose Saturday’s election.Addressing a press conference in Valletta, Grech was answering questions from journalists, one of whi...
Fri, 25 Mar 2022 05:35:00 +0000Italy miss second straight World Cup in rapid fall from grace
Italy has gone from winning the European Championship to failing to qualify for the World Cup in just eight months.In a rapid and stunning fall from grace, the Azzurri were upset by North Macedonia in a 1-0 loss that headlined a night of dr...
Thu, 24 Mar 2022 14:52:00 +0000Grech accuses Abela of giving malicious advice to Joseph Muscat
Opposition Leader Bernard Grech said that Prime Minister Robert Abela could have given malicious advice to former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, with aims to take his position as leader of the country.Addressing a press conference in Valletta on Thurs...
Thu, 24 Mar 2022 07:58:00 +0000Robert Abela and Bernard Grech face off in final debate
In the final debate before Saturday’s general election, Prime Minister Robert Abela and Opposition Leader Bernard Grech faced off on the national broadcasting station, Public Broadcasting Services.The debate, which was moderated by PBS journali...
Thu, 24 Mar 2022 15:26:00 +0000Springtime trapping of finches remains rife on Malta - CABS
In just the last three days, the CABS teams in Malta and Gozo, together with the police, were able to uncover no less than six cases of illegal bird trapping and convict the perpetrators, Cabs said in a statement."In order to catch greenfinches, linn...
Thu, 24 Mar 2022 12:50:00 +0000415 new cases of Covid-19 reported as election campaign spike continues
415 new cases of Covid-19 were reported by health authorities on Thursday.131 new recoveries were reported, and with no new deaths reported, the number of active cases has risen to 3,253.75 patients are currently receiving treatment at Mater Dei Hosp...
Thu, 24 Mar 2022 15:23:00 +0000'Our costings are detailed, Robert Abela only provided a price tag' – Grech
Opposition Leader Bernard Grech said that the PN’s costings are detailed, whilst Prime Minister Robert Abela only provided a number for his electoral programme, that of €3.3 billion, he said, addressing a press conference in Valletta.Asked...
Thu, 24 Mar 2022 06:40:00 +0000Ukraine president pleads for worldwide show of support
Ukraine President Volodymr Zelenskyy called on people worldwide to gather in public Thursday to show support for his embattled country on the one-month anniversary of the Russian invasion that he said breaks the heart of “every free person on t...
Thu, 24 Mar 2022 09:32:00 +0000TMID Editorial: Vote for clean politics
The election campaign comes to an end today.The political parties will make their final push for votes. Most of us have already made up their minds what they will do on Saturday. It is only a few who still have to decide which way to go.It has been a...
Thu, 24 Mar 2022 06:49:00 +0000Live update: NATO helps Ukraine prepare for chemical attack; UK says Putin crossed line to barbarism
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says the military alliance is stepping up its defenses against chemical and nuclear weapons as concern mounts that Russia might use such weapons in Ukraine.Stoltenberg says that NATO leaders agreed at their sum...
Thu, 24 Mar 2022 14:55:00 +0000Lewis Capaldi to perform in Malta on 2 July
Pop music star and multi-award winner, Lewis Capaldi will be making his debut on the iconic Fosos in Malta on 2 July, the Malta Tourism Authority announced.2019 opened in the midst of Capaldi finding himself plauded from seemingly every critic spanni...
Thu, 24 Mar 2022 12:40:00 +0000Cassola says Malta deserves better: Just do it…..Vote for change
Independent candidate Arnold Cassola has said that Malta deserves better, telling voters to go for it and vote for change.This is an election where there is no competiton. The result is known: The Prime Minister for the next 5 years will be Robert Ab...
Thu, 24 Mar 2022 10:56:00 +0000Cruise liners won’t have to shift berth during Freedom Day regatta
An agreement has been reached whereby two cruise liners will be allowed to retain their berths at the Grand Harbour during the 31 March regatta. The Malta Maritime Forum had requested a meeting with the authorities after Transport Malta told operator...
Thu, 24 Mar 2022 07:26:00 +0000Elderly man in hospital after being hit by car
An elderly man was taken to hospital with grievous injuries after he was hit by a car in Fgura, the police said.The accident happened in Triq is-Sur at 7.15pm on Wednesday.The police said that the 82-year-old was hit by a Jeep Renegade driven by a 28...
Thu, 24 Mar 2022 10:07:00 +0000Italy, Malta relations have improved in last two years - Di Maio
Italian Foreign Affairs Minister Luigi di Maio said relations between Italy and Malta have improved in recent months thanks to the efforts of his Maltese counterpart, Minister Evarist Bartolo, while Libyan Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush said that th...
Wed, 23 Mar 2022 13:04:00 +0000Updated (2): Judges dismiss PN’s request to cancel irregular prison vote
It took three judges of the Constitutional Court less than an hour to dismiss a case filed by the PN against the Electoral Commission over an irregular prison vote, ruling that the Constitutional Court - Malta's highest court - did not have leg...
Wed, 23 Mar 2022 18:44:00 +0000‘PN does not want you to vote in order to remove the power you have as voters’ - Abela
Prime Minister Robert Abela stressed on the importance of voting while stating that the Nationalist Party does not want people to vote “in order for them to do as they wish with the country.”Addressing followers in Xewkija Gozo, Abela urg...
Wed, 23 Mar 2022 19:57:00 +0000‘Are you not serene anymore?’, Grech tells Abela as he accuses him of ‘trying to buy votes’
PN leader Bernard Grech questioned on Wednesday why the government has resorted to “trying to buy votes” when the trust rating gaps between him and Prime Minister Robert Abela are so much in Abela’s favour.Grech was asked whether he...
Wed, 23 Mar 2022 13:56:00 +0000Prison votes case: Abela ‘hopes PN will respect democratic process’, PL not involved in court case
Prime Minister Robert Abela has said that he hopes the PN will "respect the democratic process," when asked about the prison votes court case, while adding that until now the PL is not involved in the court process.The Nationalist Party is taking cou...
Wed, 23 Mar 2022 14:13:00 +0000Abela evades question on €80,000 pocketed for overtime hours as PA lawyer
Prime Minister Robert Abela evaded answering a question on whether the public will be given the same payments on overtime work as he did when he was a lawyer for the Planning Authority.Lovin Malta revealed on Wednesday that Abela had charged the PA f...
Wed, 23 Mar 2022 14:32:00 +0000Enemalta investigating interconnector damage caused by ship’s anchor
Enemalta Corporation said it is investigating the damage caused to the energy interconnector which was caused by the anchor of a ship that went out of control during last Saturday’s storm.In a post on its Facebook page, Enemalta said that the f...
Wed, 23 Mar 2022 12:45:00 +0000375 new Covid-19 cases reported as hospitalisations jump up by 22 in a day
375 new cases of Covid-19 were reported by health authorities on Wednesday as hospitalisations jumped upwards in a single day.127 people have recovered from the virus, meaning that the number of active cases has continued to rise, this time reaching ...
Thu, 24 Mar 2022 07:10:00 +0000Prior playoff failure on minds as Italy hunt World Cup spot
With Italy’s worst soccer moment on many people’s minds, coach Roberto Mancini is not thinking about the unthinkable but about winning the World Cup in Qatar.Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 tournament. Missing two straight World Cups...
Wed, 23 Mar 2022 20:08:00 +0000Madeleine Albright, first female US secretary of state, dies
Madeleine Albright, the first female U.S. secretary of state, has died of cancer, her family said Wednesday. She was 84.President Bill Clinton chose Albright as America’s top diplomat in 1996, and she served in that capacity for the last four y...
Wed, 23 Mar 2022 10:42:00 +0000PN publishes financial model 'projecting €42.6b and 32,500 new high-end jobs in eight years'
The Nationalist Party said today that its "transformative vision set out in its electoral programme will earn the country an additional €42.6 billion over eight years, while creating 32,500 new high-end jobs with an average salary of €43,00...
Wed, 23 Mar 2022 07:56:00 +0000Electoral Commission revises decision: no visitors allowed in hospitals
The Electoral Commission said today it is revising the previous notice published yesterday and notifies that on polling day which is going to be held at Mater Dei including SAMOC, Karin Grech, Mount Carmel and Gozo General Hospitals includi...
Wed, 23 Mar 2022 09:08:00 +0000TMID Editorial: Robert Abela wants to beat Joseph Muscat, not Bernard Grech
Surveys continue to show that Maltese voters will give the Labour Party another comfortable victory in Saturday’s election. It would be the third in a row.And yet Prime Minister Robert Abela continues to push for more, at times also coming up w...
Wed, 23 Mar 2022 12:14:00 +0000Police seek information about man who was last seen on 5 March
The Police are seeking information about a man who was last seen on 5 March, and has been reported missing.Jonathan Baldacchino, who is 36 years old and lives in Sliema, was reported missing to Police.Police said that he was last seen around Attard o...
Wed, 23 Mar 2022 14:35:00 +0000Three arrested in connection with manufacturing and trafficking of cocaine
Three people have been arrested by police and are set to be charged with the manufacturing and trafficking of cocaine, along with money laundering, amongst other things.The police said that its anti-drug squad carried out two separate raids in connec...
Wed, 23 Mar 2022 07:01:00 +0000Live updates: US considers freezing Russia's gold reserves
WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen was set to meet with U.S. lawmakers Wednesday to discuss a possible freeze on Russian reserves of gold.The move comes after several lawmakers introduced the Stop Russian GOLD Act, meant to target Rus...
Wed, 23 Mar 2022 06:59:00 +0000Ukraine says Russia seized relief workers in Mariupol convoy
Ukrainian leaders accused Russia of seizing 15 rescue workers and drivers from a humanitarian convoy trying to get desperately needed food and other supplies into the bloodied port city of Mariupol, which also came under naval attack after weeks of a...
Wed, 23 Mar 2022 13:39:00 +0000What they want: Allies meet in Europe for Ukraine summits
Even before Air Force One touches down in Brussels to bring President Joe Biden to three Ukraine summits on Thursday, Western allies have already found what they are looking for — that all too rare sense of unity.They have Russian President Vla...
Wed, 23 Mar 2022 09:47:00 +0000Forewarned is forearmed: A look at weather warnings on World Meteorological Day
The World Meteorological Organisation is dedicating this year’s World Meteorological Day, which has been celebrated on 23 March for the past 61 years, to raising awareness about the importance of issuing early warnings which enable the public, ...
Wed, 23 Mar 2022 11:04:00 +0000Foreign Minister praised for efforts on stability, lasting peace in Libya
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry have all praised Malta’s Foreign Affairs Minister Evarist Bartolo for his continuous efforts to en...
Tue, 22 Mar 2022 22:36:00 +0000PN taking court action after Electoral Commission denies request over prison votes
The Nationalist Party is taking court action after the Electoral Commission refused the PN's request to annul the early voting that was held at the Corradino Correctional Facility and is asking for a new election there to take place.The request was m...
Tue, 22 Mar 2022 13:33:00 +0000Hotelier accuses State of creating ‘illusion’ of pandemic crisis, files damages claim
Hotel owner Michael Zammit Tabona has filed constitutional proceedings against the Superintendent of Public Health, claiming that the quarantine requirement upon returning from abroad for Maltese residents who have not taken a booster dose of the COV...
Tue, 22 Mar 2022 12:54:00 +0000333 new Covid-19 cases reported
333 new cases of Covid-19 cases were reported by health authorities on Tuesday.149 people have recovered from the virus, and with no new deaths reported on Tuesday, it means that the number of active cases is up to 2,723.41 patients are currently rec...
Tue, 22 Mar 2022 15:55:00 +0000BOV reports pre-tax profit of €80.7 million for 2021
The Bank of Valletta Group has reported a profit before tax of €80.7 million for the financial year ending 31 December 2021.The Group’s results were announced by BOV Chairman Dr Gordon Cordina and Chief Executive Officer Rick Hunkin throug...
Tue, 22 Mar 2022 17:52:00 +0000First Luqa junction lanes to open in first half of 2022, government says
Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg has announced that the first lanes of the Luqa Junction project as well as the Kirkop tunnels and the Airport intersection will open by the first half of this year. Borg, as well as Parliamentary Secretary ...
Tue, 22 Mar 2022 18:24:00 +000032-year-old woman injured in Msida crash
A 32-year-old motorcycle rider was grievously injured in an accident at 9am this morning in Msida.The motorcycle rider - a 32-year-old woman from Qormi, was riding a Peugeot Django. She was involved in a collision with a Toyota Vitz driven by a 42-ye...
Tue, 22 Mar 2022 10:11:00 +0000Cost of Malta Film Awards remains under wraps, as government refuses FOI request
The Malta Film Commission has refused a Freedom of Information request filed by The Malta Independent in order to ascertain how much money was spent on the extravagant Malta Film Awards.In the reason provided for the FOI refusal, the Commission said ...
Tue, 22 Mar 2022 20:25:00 +0000Robert Abela’s proposals for Gozo are either recycled or copied – Grech
Prime Minister Robert Abela's proposals for the PL's electoral campaign are either copied from the PN's electoral programme, or recycled from past PL manifestos, Opposition Leader Bernard Grech said on Tuesday.He said that this is especially the case...
Tue, 22 Mar 2022 19:55:00 +0000The opposition does not deserve your trust - Abela
Over the past five weeks the opposition has shown that it does not deserve people's trust, Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Tuesday.During a political event in Paola, Abela said that with their proposals the nationalist party wants to remove all t...
Tue, 22 Mar 2022 13:32:00 +0000Energy Minister launches €40 million project to regenerate San Lucjan Plant
Energy Minister Miriam Dalli launched a €40 million project for the regeneration of the San Lucjan plant, that will turn it into a recreational facility for families.The plant, which was used for storing oil, will be known as 'is-Siċċa...
Tue, 22 Mar 2022 13:32:00 +0000Hospital visiting hours shortened for early voting; Relatives told to take voting cards to patients
The visiting hours at hospitals have been significantly shortened on the day early voting for patients will take place, while the Electoral Commission has called on relatives to bring the voting documents of patients to hospital so that they can vote...
Tue, 22 Mar 2022 13:38:00 +0000Two youths arrested in Santa Venera drug find, two police officers injured
Two young men were arrested over a drug find on Sunday, in an incident during which two police officers were injured. The police said they were notified about two individuals acting suspiciously in Triq Notabile, where they jumped over a fence surrou...
Tue, 22 Mar 2022 10:07:00 +0000‘Gozo’s hospital should be given back to the Gozitans’ - Bernard Grech
Addressing key issues faced by Gozitans, Opposition Leader Bernard Grech focused on the importance of the Gozo General Hospital being given back to the people in order to offer specialised care close to home. Speaking at a business breakfast org...
Tue, 22 Mar 2022 07:02:00 +0000Live updates: Euronews channel says it's blocked in Russia; Zelenskyy wants more Russia sanctions
BRUSSELS — International news channel Euronews says it has been blocked from broadcasting in Russia due to its Ukraine war coverage.“We firmly condemn this intolerable restriction imposed on millions ... in Russia who relied on us to get ...
Tue, 22 Mar 2022 12:06:00 +0000Almost 60,000 people visited Malta in January; much higher than 2021, but still some way off 2020
Malta welcomed 59,928 visitors to its shores in the month of January, data published by the National Statistics Office on Tuesday showed.The number of people travelling to the island is far higher than in 2021, when only 13,806 people travelled to Ma...
Tue, 22 Mar 2022 06:59:00 +0000As Mariupol hangs on, the extent of the horror not yet known
As Mariupol’s defenders held out Monday against Russian demands that they surrender, the number of bodies in the rubble of the bombarded and encircled Ukrainian city remained shrouded in uncertainty, the full extent of the horror not ...
Tue, 22 Mar 2022 12:50:00 +0000MHRA calls for removal of remaining travel restrictions
The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) said that it fully supports calls by travel and tourism stakeholders to end all remaining travel restrictions."Whilst recognizing efforts spearheaded by the relevant national authorities in managing...
Tue, 22 Mar 2022 13:29:00 +0000Ukraine welcomes Malta's support, assistance
Ukraine welcomed the Government of Malta’s political support and assistance to Ukrainians living in Malta, a Foreign Ministry statement said Tuesday. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba expressed his appreciation for Malta’s Eur...
Tue, 22 Mar 2022 12:01:00 +0000Malta Chamber of Commerce, GWU present proposals for pension reforms
Whilst progress has been achieved since the launch of the pension reform programme in 2004, much is yet to be done to secure the pension system's adequacy, solidarity, and sustainability, The Malta Chamber of Commerce and the General Workers' Union s...
Tue, 22 Mar 2022 09:43:00 +0000TMID Editorial: Investigation needed into voting scandal
An urgent investigation is required into what took place during the early voting day last Saturday.It was recently revealed that two prisoners who were not meant to be allowed to vote, are on the electoral register.Darren Debono, known as ‘it-T...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 15:27:00 +0000Updated: PN asks Electoral Commissioner to cancel ‘illegal’ prisoner votes
The Nationalist Party has written to the Electoral Commission, telling it to cancel the votes of prisoners who were ineligible to cast their ballot in the general election.Earlier, Opposition Leader Bernard Grech said the PN was reserving the right t...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 20:27:00 +0000Robert Abela has proven he is a real tax evader- PN leader Bernard Grech
PL Leader Robert Abela is a serial tax Evader, as the thousands that he made from his property in Zejtun have not been declared in his tax declarations, Opposition Leader Bernard Grech said on Monday.Speaking in Gzira, Grech said Abela is still refus...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 20:13:00 +0000‘PN is urging people not to vote on Saturday’ – Robert Abela
In the final week of the election, Prime Minister Robert Abela said that the Nationalist Party has been urging voters not to cast their vote on Saturday, hinting that the PN is hoping for a low voter turnout to maximise its chances.Addressing followe...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 10:05:00 +0000‘My mother has dementia, and she was taken to vote without my knowledge’ – Peppi Azzopardi
Several citizens have expressed concerns over their elderly relatives who have dementia being taken to vote without the relative’s prior knowledge or permission.On a Facebook post, Maltese television personality Peppi Azzopardi said that his mo...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 12:40:00 +0000Two elderly men die while Covid positive as 251 new cases are reported
Two elderly men have died while positive for Covid-19 as 251 cases of the virus were reported by health authorities on Monday.Authorities said that the men were aged 79 and 85 respectively, and their deaths take the total number of people who have di...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 15:57:00 +0000Chemical tanker stricken by heavy winds over the weekend towed to safe shelter
The chemical tanker which was stricken by heavy winds over the weekend has been towed to a bay of safe shelter.The 209-metre Chem P lost control amid gale force winds and was drifting inland towards the Bahar ic-Caghaq coast before it was stopped in ...
Tue, 22 Mar 2022 07:18:00 +0000State media: No survivors found in China Eastern plane crash
No survivors have been found as rescuers on Tuesday searched the scattered wreckage of a China Eastern plane carrying 132 people that crashed a day earlier on a wooded mountainside in China's worst air disaster in more than a decade.“Wreckage o...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 12:32:00 +0000In the coming hours, or the coming days? PN electoral programme costings still not published
Opposition leader Bernard Grech failed to clearly answer a question asked by the media over the costings of the PN's electoral programme, which have not yet been published.Addressing a press conference on Monday, Grech presented several proposals whi...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 13:38:00 +0000PN says it will grant allowances to all frontliners, improve salary scales for public sector
A PN government will grant an allowance to frontliners – including healthcare workers, those in the social fields, educators, and workers in disciplined forces, Opposition Leader Bernard Grech said while addressing a press conference on Monday ...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 14:35:00 +0000Jonathan Ferris wins libel damages in case against Saviour Balzan
Former FIAU official Jonathan Ferris has won €3,000 in a case against the Managing Editor of MaltaToday Saviour Balzan.The case is over a video blog five years ago. Ferris won €3,000 in libel damages.In the blog, Balzan drew comparisons bet...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 14:54:00 +0000Tax reduction on property: Deadline for submission of contracts extended by three months
The submission date for property contracts to benefit from the Covid related tax reduction has been extended till the end of September, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana said on Monday.The scheme provides for reduced tax and stamp duty on the first &eur...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 18:15:00 +0000Government urged to set up coordination committee to help Ukrainian refugees
The Malta Refugee Council has urged the government to establish a Humanitarian Coordination Committee to help Ukrainian refugees arriving in Malta.In a statement, the council said the EU's rapid response has so far been impressive. Triggering the Tem...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 17:03:00 +0000Two cyclists hit by vehicles in separate accidents in Qormi and Luqa
Two cyclists have been hit by vehicles in separate accidents that took place almost simultaneously.One cyclist was hit in Luqa while the other accident took place in Qormi.The exact locations of the accidents is not yet known but several ambulances w...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 11:07:00 +0000PN, ADPD 5th district candidates agree Wied Żnuber remains undeveloped, PL's position unclear - NGOs
A group of NGOs have published the responses received from PN, PL and ADPD 5th district candidates on Wied Żnuber area.The NGOs: Għaqda Storja u Kultura Birżebbuġa, Moviment Graffitti, BirdLife Malta and Din l-Art Ħelwa - sen...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 06:13:00 +0000Live updates: Ukraine says Russia shelled chemical plant; UK says Russia behind hoax calls
WARSAW, Poland – The young Ukrainian girl who went viral for singing a hit song from the movie “Frozen” in a Kyiv bomb shelter has performed her country's anthem live on stage at a charity concert in Poland, where she is now a refug...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 13:05:00 +0000Malta’s deficit for 2021 looking like it will be lower than projected, Finance Minister says
Finance Minister Clyde Caruana has said that the deficit for 2021 is looking like it will be lower than was originally projected.Asked whether the government met its financial targets for 2021, he said that the deficit figures will be published next ...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 14:12:00 +0000Compliance procedure at iGaming operators
Gambling has flourished in recent years due to better gaming opportunities and a fairer and more affordable system of betting. The introduction of online gambling and online casino sites has aided an increase in its popularity along with the huge cir...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 14:19:00 +0000How credit cards can breach responsible gambling policies
Problem gambling is characterized by excessive gambling that has significant financial repercussions. The structure of different types of payments, be it cash or credit cards, may have a profound impact on gambling as well as life. To resist pro...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 08:51:00 +0000Election 2022: Campaigns heat up in final sprint to the finish line
We are now in the final week leading up to voting day, where politicians will be scrambling to convince as many voters as possible that they are the right person to represent them in Parliament for the next five years.Last week saw Prime Minister Rob...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 11:49:00 +0000‘Another step towards saving Hondoq ir-Rummien,’ Qala mayor says on PL pledge
Qala mayor Paul Buttigieg described a Labour Party pledge as “another step towards saving Hondoq ir-Rummien”, with the manifesto pledge meaning that both major parties have guaranteed that they will protect the site if they are elected.&l...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 06:11:00 +0000Russia demands Mariupol lay down arms but Ukraine says no
As it continued its barrage of the besieged city of Mariupol, Russia demanded that Ukrainians put down their arms and raise white flags on Monday in exchange for safe passage out of town.Ukraine angrily rejected the offer, which came hours after offi...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 11:36:00 +0000World Down Syndrome Day: Promoting Inclusion
Since 2006, World Down Syndrome Day was marked each year on March 21, symbolizing the triplication of the 21st chromosome which causes Down Syndrome. For the campaign of World Down Syndrome Day 2022, inclusion is being promoted by encouraging people ...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 08:56:00 +0000TMID Editorial: Favours and the power of incumbency
Much is said, particularly come election time, about the power of incumbency and how it is used by the governing party to support their electoral campaigns.This year’s electoral campaign is no different.The past week has seen significant discus...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 10:37:00 +0000Officials say China Eastern plane crashed with 132 aboard
A China Eastern Boeing 737 with 132 people on board crashed in the southern province of Guangxi on Monday, officials said.The Civil Aviation Administration of China said in a statement the crash occurred near the city of Wuzhou in Teng county. The fl...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 11:45:00 +0000Malta and Estonia to collaborate on diplomatic studies
Malta and Estonia signed a bilateral agreement on collaboration on diplomatic studies between the two countries through which Estonia will offer Maltese students sessions about the Nordic and Baltic states and policies while Malta will of...
Sun, 20 Mar 2022 09:00:00 +0000Ukraine war, Covid push construction material prices up by 30%
Construction costs in Malta are rising due to the war in Ukraine and the lasting impact of Covid-19 on importation, The Malta Independent on Sunday is informed.The economic impacts of Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine are being felt throughout Europe, ...
Sun, 20 Mar 2022 12:57:00 +000096-year-old dies while Covid positive as 203 new cases are reported
A 96-year-old woman is the latest person to die while positive for Covid-19, as 203 new cases were reported by health authorities on Sunday.90 people have recovered from the virus, taking the number of active cases up to 2,356 so far.55 patients are ...
Sun, 20 Mar 2022 15:43:00 +0000Updated: Darren ‘it-Topo’ Debono one of the prisoners allowed to vote despite interdiction
Darren Debono, known as ‘it-Topo’, is one of the prisoners who has been allowed to vote in the general election this year despite being interdicted from doing so by the courts.Debono is a convicted bank robber, having plead guilty to his ...
Sun, 20 Mar 2022 08:15:00 +0000District by district: Malta’s parliament could look very different after next week
No district will see exactly the same MPs elected as in 2017, meaning that Parliament could look significantly different to how it looked after the last general election.Malta goes to the polls on 26 March, and with the candidates list now out and co...
Sun, 20 Mar 2022 07:30:00 +0000Joseph Portelli associate applies for fourth block of apartments in same Sannat road
An associate of Gozitan developer Joseph Portelli has applied for yet another block of apartments in the village of Sannat, only days after the last of a group of three applications in the same street was controversially approved by the Planning Auth...
Sun, 20 Mar 2022 18:22:00 +0000Grech challenges Abela to publish ODZ villa report to tax commissioner
PN Leader Bernard Grech challenged Prime Minister Robert Abela to publish the report on the value of his ODZ villa which he made a contract for five days after the permit was issued, naming Abela a ‘serial tax evader.’Addressing a politic...
Sun, 20 Mar 2022 18:02:00 +0000The secret to keep moving forward together is unity, Abela says
The theme of the Labour Party’s rally on Sunday afternoon was unity, as Prime Minister Robert Abela urged people to go out and vote in the election.“Just over two years ago, the PL chose me to lead the party. These two years were full of ...
Mon, 21 Mar 2022 06:21:00 +0000Abraham nets 2 as Roma sweep aside Lazio 3-0 in derby
Fan favorite Tammy Abraham scored two goals as Roma swept aside Lazio 3-0 in the capital derby in Serie A on Sunday.That took Abraham’s tally to 15 in the league this season and nine since the start of January. In 2022, only Bayern Munich's Rob...