Some 300 people are currently homeless and sleeping in the rough, a number which parish priest and well-known champion of those in need, Fr Hilary Tagliaferro, says is beyond anything he, as a child of the Second World War, remembers.Fr Hilary,...

No woman should have to suffer sexual harassment, nor be silenced when she decides to speak out, singer Ira Losco told The Malta Independent on Sunday.Losco, who represented Malta twice at the Eurovision Song Contest and is one of the leading singers...

Malta is not a country that needs a heavy police presence in a particular area, Police Inspector Mark Cremona, who is in charge of Community Policing in the Southern District, told The Malta Independent on Sunday.In an interview with this newsroom, h...

There has surprisingly been only one case of loitering for the purposes of prostitution in St Julian’s since 2017, police crime records have shown. The sole incident occurred in 2021.St Julian’s might be regarded as notorious for crime, b...

Irina Virganskaya-Gorbacheva, daughter of the former president of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev, who passed away earlier this year, said that she was deeply touched by Prime Minister Robert Abela’s letter of condolences.Gorbachev, the last...

Besides being a priest and the well-known champion of those in need who founded the Millennium Chapel, Fr Hilary Tagliaferro is what one may describe as football mad.Having had a playing career cut short due to an injury, Fr Hilary went into coaching...

Diabetes is a silent pandemic which the world has learnt to live with, professors in the Department of Podiatry at University of Malta have said.Tomorrow, 14 November, marks World Diabetes Day, a day dedicated to the condition which is a “globa...

Michael Mock started studying and performing magic at the tender age of 13.Forty four years have passed since then, and still, magic remains his passion. He attended lectures and performed in the US, UK, France, Latvia and Italy. His presen...

Four Mediterranean European Union nations have issued a joint statement on a dispute over a deal for Europe to jointly help asylum-seekers.In their statement Saturday, Italy, Greece, Malta and Cyprus repeated their positions that they “cannot s...

Qatar made a promise to fans 12 years ago when it started campaigning to host the World Cup: We love football just like you, so come and enjoy it with us.The message acknowledged there would be skeptics that a tiny emirate whose team had never b...

Ukrainian police officers returned Saturday, along with TV and radio services, to the southern city of Kherson following the withdrawal of Russian troops, part of fast but cautious efforts to make the only regional capital captured by Russia livable ...

A man from Valletta was arrested on Saturday morning after he was found to be in possession of 84 sachets of drugs, the police said.The 33-year-old was seen behaving suspiciously in Hgejjeg Street and was also observed by officers passing on some ite...

Independent candidate Arnold Cassola has presented police commissioner Angelo Gafa' with first hand evidence regarding what he said were "grave illegalities in relation to a major project" and has asked for an urgent investigation into the matter.In ...

Many roads ended up being flooded this afternoon after heavy rainfall hit parts of the islands.Low-lying places such as Msida, Qormi, Marsa and Birkirkara were hit, as were newly opened roads including the one at Ghadira.The extent of the downpour &n...

Valletta: Empire Pharmacy (Branch), 46 Melita Street; Marsa: Vivien Pharmacy, Patri Magri Street; Zebbug: Santa Marija Pharmacy, 40, Għasfura Street; Birkirkara: Brown's Pharmacy, 32, Fleur-de-Lys Road; San Ġwann: Spiżerija Kappara, &#...

A man was seriously hurt while two others were injured in a traffic accident in Xewkija early this morning, the police said.The accident took place in Mgarr Road at 12.45am.It involved a Toyota Starlet, driven by a 19-year-old man of Xewkija, and a S...

A public consultation on the palliative care national strategy will be launched in the coming weeks, said Deputy and Health minister Chris Fearne on Saturday.During the first conference on palliative care in paediatrics in Malta, Fearne said that sta...

President George Vella called on everyone to recognise the mounting urgency of developing safer roads and better driving attitudes for all, as the figures are a terrible stain on our nation and one which should be urgently addressed.Addressing the Na...

Tenders issued by the Mosta Local Council, and public funds disbursed by the Planning Authority from the Development Planning Fund (DPF), are the subject of a complaint The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation filed with Malta’s National Audit Off...

Birkirkara and Gzira United figured out in a 1-1 draw in a match which was suspended midway through the second half due to heavy rainfall that hit the Centenary Stadium.A result which left Gzira in second place with Birkirkara falling into fourth pla...

As the Premier League gets ready to pause for the World Cup, some unlikely storylines are in place for the second half of the season.Arsenal has a five-point lead and is undoubtedly Manchester City's biggest challenger for its title.Newcastle is incr...

Napoli could end the year with a double-digit points lead at the top of Serie A.Goals from Victor Osimhen, Piotr Zieliński and Eljif Elmas saw Napoli beat Udinese 3-2 on Saturday for its 11th straight league victory and open up a significant gap...

Formula One team Mercedes had a day to remember at the Brazilian Grand Prix on Saturday.Alpine had a day to forget.Mercedes driver George Russell will start Sunday in pole position after winning the sprint race at Interlagos — his team's first ...

A maritime rescue ship docked Friday in a southern French port carrying 230 migrants whose fates have sparked a diplomatic row between France and Italy — a dispute that's threatening EU efforts to share around asylum-seekers.The French wel...

Climate Change is hitting our world faster as we speak. News about the current changes in the planet's climate are transforming the world. Over the last two decades we have experienced 18 of the warmest years on record, and extreme weather events, su...

A deal reached between the Maltese government, the Lands Authority and the hunters’ federation FKNK for the latter to administer land at Miżieb and l-Aħrax areas as hunting reserves, was declared illegal by a Court of Appeal earlier t...

25 new women participants in the the Labour Party's LEAD programme were presented on Saturday during a press conference led by Minister for Environment Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli, who has been responsible for such programmes since their launc...

Participants of the 2022 Nescafé LifeCycle Challenge have successfully completed the 22nd edition of the challenge – involving a mammoth 1,700 km cycling adventure from Buenos Aires in Argentina to Santiago in Chile. The participants arr...

Fitch Ratings has affirmed Malta's Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at 'A+' with a Stable Outlook.In a statement, Fitch said it expects that Malta's fiscal deficit will narrow to 5.8% of GDP in 2022 from 7.8% in 2021, in line wi...

Twenty-four new Covid-19 cases have been recorded Saturday.In all, the total number of cases has reached 115,587, with 808 deaths.There have been 114,105 recoveries, while the number of active cases stands at 278.

“Why do we enact laws and regulations are put in place if we are always finding ways how to go around these and absolving those who flout them?” ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said at a press conference in front...

The police force is seeking information from the public in connection with a “slippery material” which caused the traffic accident which saw motorcyclist Marie Claire Lombardi lose her life.Lombardi died on 23 October after skidding into ...

With its insistence on not improving the proposed amendments to the Agricultural leases (Reletting) Act, the Government is ensuring that this sector receives a mortal blow, the Nationalist Party said in a statement on Saturday.Earlier last month the ...

A van carrying 12 students crashed into a wall in Msida on Friday, with two of the children onboard being taken to hospital.Police told The Malta Independent that a medical team went on site and assisted the children and the driver.The accident happe...

Environment Minister Miriam Dalli stated that she is of the opinion that parks such as the Mizieb area and L-Ahrax should be accessible in full to the public.This week, the court annulled an agreement signed by the Lands Authority and FKNK in late 20...

Kevin Conroy, the prolific voice actor whose gravely delivery on “Batman: The Animated Series" was for many Batman fans the definitive sound of the Caped Crusader, has died at 66.Conroy died Thursday after a battle with cancer, series...

Gallagher, the long-haired, smash-'em-up comedian who left a trail of laughter, anger and shattered watermelons over a decadeslong career, has died at age 76.Craig Marquardo, in a statement identifying himself as Gallagher's “longtime former ma...

The European Economic Forecast for Autumn 2022 revealed that Malta’s deficit is among the highest in the European Union (EU).Malta’s government deficit sat at 6% of GDP in 2022, which is a decrease from 7.8% of GDP in 2021.The main reason...

Kevin Magnussen shocked Formula One in Brazilian Grand Prix qualifying by earning pole position for the sprint race at Interlagos on Friday.It was the first pole after 142 races for the Danish driver, who celebrated by making faces at the cameras bef...

The Nationalist Party has expressed its worry at how the discussion on traffic has now turned into speaking about the tragedies on Malta’s roads.The PN said that the statistics show that there is a “crisis” on Malta’s roads wh...

Russia relinquished its final foothold in a major city in southern Ukraine on Friday, allowing Ukrainian forces to move cautiously toward reclaiming the country’s only Russian-occupied provincial capital in what would be a major morale-boosting...

The Union of Professional Educators’ industrial action at the ITS (Institute of Tourism Studies) has been ongoing for the last five days after the union registered a trade dispute over the conditions of work of its members at the institute.Addr...

Psychotherapist Mariella Dimech (above) was fired as executive chairperson of the cannabis authority which was set up only 11 months ago.In a terse statement, the government did not give any reason why Dimech was sacked, simply saying that she was to...

A sarcophagus, built on the grave of Colonel Morshead’s tomb is being rebuilt from scratch following painstaking research by Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna through Bank of Valletta’s support.Colonel Henry Anderson Morshead was Colonel Commandant ...

The Nationalist Party (PN) has called out the government for having a weak regulatory framework which has negatively affected the rushed cannabis bill.  This criticism follows the sacking of psychotherapist Mariella Dimech from her position as t...

Nature Trust Malta has officially taken guardianship over the Romeo Romano Gardens to be used for educational purposes while keeping the garden open for the public.WasteServ was in charge of the restoration of the garden as well as that of the adjace...

The eNGOs defending the historical setting of Xagħra’s Ta’ Kola windmill at the Planning Authority were dismayed to witness a repeat of the ‘develop at all costs’ approach that the politicians profess to be turning their ...

Malta’s culture sector has been rocked by events over the past couple of weeks, with two of its most well-known institutions being subject to separate scandals.First, the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra suspended a senior official, who was then ch...

A man was grievously injured after a car crashed into a tractor which he was driving in Gozo on Friday morning.Police said in a statement that a 29-year-old man from Xewkija was hospitalised after a traffic accident in Triq l-Gharb in Gharb on Friday...

Two children and a woman were hurt after a car overturned in Qormi on Thursday evening, the police said.The Accident took place in Vjal de La Cruz at 8.30pm.The driver, a 24-year-old woman of Vittoriosa, lost control of the Toyota Vitz she was drivin...

Total cruise passenger traffic during the third quarter of 2022 amounted to 223,480, the NSO said Friday.There were 97 cruise liner calls during the third quarter of 2022, an increase of 53 when compared to the corresponding quarter of the previous y...

Festivals Malta, through the National Festivities Committee, commemorates the victims of the two World Wars on Sunday, 13 November 2022 on the occasion known as Remembrance Sunday.For this occasion, a concelebrated mass will be held in...

China’s capital Beijing has closed city parks and imposed other restrictions as the country faces a new wave of COVID-19 cases.Elsewhere, more than 5 million people were under lockdown Friday in the southern manufacturing hub Guangzhou&nbs...

Matthew Zerafa has been appointed chief executive officer of the Housing Authority, the government said.He replaces Leonid McKay, who was named as the CEO of the Responsible Use of Cannabis Authority.In a statement, the social affairs ministry said t...

BirdLife Malta has filed a court case challenging the decision – taken by the Ministry for Gozo and the Environment Ministry – to open a spring hunting season in April 2022, on the Vulnerable European Turtle-dove (Gamiema).BirdLife Malta ...

The Malta Public Transport has cancelled an agreement which was to bring 15 bus drivers from the United Kingdom after controversy raged over their wages.It was reported that these drivers were to receive 18.50 sterling (€21.20) an hour, against ...

Rental car entrepreneur Christian Borg has been cleared of illegally employing foreign workers at a car wash, after a court ruled that his ties to the company specified by the prosecution had not been proven. Borg, 28 – together with five other...

18 organisations and animal rights activists have written to the Prime Minister to express their concern about animals that are suffering.The letter appeals for immediate action to stop the suffering of animals in Malta, as activists are arguing...

15 new Covid-19 cases were registered on Thursday, health authorities said.The total number of cases registered is now 115,547, with 808 deaths.Statistics show that 114,071 people have recovered, while 272 cases remain active.The Health Ministry stop...

A motorcyclist has died after he was involved in a traffic accident in Sliema, the police said.The accident took place in Tower Road at 11pm.The biker, a 32-year-old man from Macedonia, was riding a Piaggio Vespa which was involved in a crash with an...

The Malta Women's Lobby is seeking more answers on the sexual harassment case at the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra.A senior official at the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra has been placed under a restraining order, as well as a suspended sentence, after ...

Despite a bad start to the season, Juventus could end the year in the top four in Serie A.Moise Kean's goal was enough for Juventus to win 1-0 at bottom club Hellas Verona on Thursday to move fourth in the league standings.Juventus is just two points...

There are just over 27,000 registered organ donors in Malta, Alexandra Gatt, Director of the Health Care Standards Directorate within the Department for Health Regulation, told The Malta Independent.The number is not as high as it should be.Donating ...

Prime Minister Robert Abela held a meeting with the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, at his office. During the meeting, Prime Minister Robert Abela underlined a number...

President George Vella said that education remains central for Malta to be truly in favour of a sustainable world, while he warned of the impact that the lack of water preservation has on the environment around us.“Today more than ever, we need...

Kylian Mbappé riled up South Americans back in May when he said both Argentina and Brazil don’t play matches “at a high level” in qualifying to reach the World Cup.Interviewed by Brazilian television, the France striker said ...

Wales head coach Robert Page has dismissed concerns about Gareth Bale's fitness after including the former Real Madrid forward in his World Cup squad on Wednesday.Bale will captain his country in Qatar, which is the first time it has qualified for th...

A deal reached between the Maltese government, the Lands Authority and the hunters’ federation FKNK for the latter to administer land at Miżieb and l-Aħrax areas as hunting reserves, has been declared illegal by a Court of Appeal...

Manoel Theatre CEO Massimo Zammit has been suspended with immediate effect and was placed on half-salary, the government announced today.The recommendation to suspend Zammit arrived from an external and autonomous entity which was appointed to e...

An Appeals Court has reduced a fine imposed by the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU) from €10,500 to €2,000.The court, presided by Mr Justice Lawrence Mintoff, ruled that the fine imposed by the FIAU was excessive, Newsbook report...

Two men were taken to hospital after a car crash in Gzira on Wednesday.Police told The Malta Independent that the accident happened at around 3:20pm along the Strand in Gzira. The crash happened between a Renault Fluence, driven by a 51-year-old man ...

Active Ageing Minister Jo Etienne Abela has been granted permission from the Cabinet of Ministers to carry out a “limited number of operations” in the public health service for free.In a statement, the government said that in order to rea...

Russia's military announced Wednesday that it's withdrawing from Ukraine's southern city of Kherson and nearby areas, in what would be another in a series of humiliating setbacks for Moscow’s forces in the 8-month-old war.Ukrainian authorities ...

A 15-year-old girl has been reported missing by police.In a statement issued on Wednesday afternoon, police said that Khadia Al Aloush - who is also known as Jenna - was reported missing to them.Police said that she was last seen in Hamrun and that s...

The Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (MEIA) have called for the “depoliticisation of public cultural organisations” in reaction to the three suspensions that have taken place within the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) ...

 A protester was arrested Wednesday after hurling eggs and vitriol at King Charles III and Camilla, the queen consort, as they walked in the northern England city of York.The incident happened as the king and his wife were entering York through ...

A court has been asked to order five former top Pilatus Bank officials, including its Maltese former resident risk manager, to testify in ongoing money laundering proceedings against its former MLRO (money laundering reporting officer) and Head of Le...

Just how important Nick Pope’s penalty shootout saves prove to be for Newcastle may not be known until February.But this was a very good night to stay in the English League Cup for a team looking to make a statement with a trophy.Newcastle, fly...

Hoping to make England’s World Cup squad, Roma striker Tammy Abraham scored his first Serie A goal since September in a 1-1 draw at Sassuolo on Wednesday.Abraham leaped amid three defenders to head in a cross from Gianluca M...

A motorcyclist is receiving treatment in hospital after a traffic accident in Mosta earlier on Wednesday.Police said in a statement that they were informed of a traffic accident in the junction between Triq il-Kbira and Triq Durumblat in Mosta at aro...

The leader of the Nationalist Party, Bernard Grech has called for the resignation or removal of Minister for National Heritage, Art and Local Government Owen Bonnici following scandals which have rocked the upper hierarchy of both the Malta Philharmo...

Twenty new Covid-19 cases were registered on Wednesday, health authorities said.The total number of cases registered is now 115,532, with 808 deaths.Statistics show that 114,043 people have recovered, while 285 cases remain active.The Health Ministry...

The lack of beds in Mater Dei hospital is a consequence of the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN)’ industrial action in St Vincent de Paule hospital, Health Minister Chris Fearne said today.Speaking at a press conference on the new gover...

ADPD chairperson Carmel Cacopardo will contest a casual election for Albert Buttigieg’s now vacated St Julian’s local council seat.Cacopardo himself announced this on his Facebook page on Wednesday morning, saying he was contesting the se...

Government has launched the awaited 24/7 mental health helpline which will replace the existing Richmond Foundation’s helpline. During a press conference addressed by Minister for Health Chris Fearne, the number 1579 was launched and is availab...

Facebook parent Meta is laying off 11,000 people, about 13% of its workforce, as it contends with faltering revenue and broader tech industry woes, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a letter to employees Wednesday.The job cuts come just...

Democrats mounted a surprising show of strength Wednesday as they repelled a series of Republican challengers in closely watched contests for Congress and governor’s mansions. Ultimately, control of Capitol Hill was unclear as votes were still ...

Former Nationalist parliamentary secretary Tony Abela died on Tuesday evening, the PN media is reporting. He was 66.He served as parliamentary secretary between 2003 and 2008, and was responsible for the economy and home affairs.Abela was born on 14 ...

Tributes are pouring in after the death of former parliamentary secretary Tony Abela.The Nationalist Party said he was a man loved by everyone. The party lost a loyal person who contributed greatly to the districts where he contested and the country....

The director of prisons, Robert Brincau, is facing court proceedings. He has been charged with threatening an ambulance driver with a weapon last August. He is also accused of causing slight bodily harm, insulting and threatening the man, being armed...

Prime Minister Robert Abela has stated that measures which truly address climate change must now be implemented.  This can be done by means of robust policies that incentivise investment in the digital economy together with policies that encoura...

Culture Minister Owen Bonnici and his Opposition counterpart PN MP Julie Zahra traded barbs during parliamentary question time over the sexual harassment case within the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra on Tuesday. Zahra started off by questioning B...

President of NGO Repubblika Robert Aquilina filed a constitutional case in his personal capacity on Monday, on the right to a fair hearing over the police's refusal of a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.He filed this case as he has been battling ...

A school-bus driver has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for having repeatedly sexually assaulted and raped an eight-year-old girl in a case which dates back to 2006.The sentence was handed down by Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit after the Cour...

The Nationalist Party will be putting forward amendments to legislation on agricultural leases at committee level in order to strengthen the agriculture industry and farmers while also respecting the rights of landowners.This was announced in a party...

Gilbert Agius, the Malta Under-21 coach, will take charge of the national team on an interim basis for the upcoming friendly matches against Greece and Ireland, being played at the National Stadium on 17th and 20th November, the Malta Football Associ...

Nine eNGOs have joined forces to submit their responses to the draft National Strategy for the Environment. The eNGOs are Din l-Art Ħelwa, The Archaeological Society Malta, BirdLife Malta, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Friends of the Ea...

The Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) is set to welcome its new largest offshore patrol vessel, the P71.It is currently not in use and still owned by Italy; however, the AFM yesterday invited media on board to give them a tour of the new vessel which the A...

 Even without its most exciting player, Napoli is still finding ways to win.With dribbling wizard Khvicha Kvaratskhelia out with back pain, Hirving Lozano scored one goal and set up another as the Serie A leader beat visiting Empoli 2-...