Malta recorded the second-highest increase in overnight tourism stays across the EU during the first half of 2026, according to new Eurostat figures. Overnight stays in Malta’s tourist accommodation increased by 9.9% compared with the first six months of 2025, placing the country behind only Ireland, which registered a 14.6% increase. Slovakia followed Malta with … Continued •

Concerns are being raised over conditions facing students sitting their MATSEC resit examinations, with multiple reports reaching Lovin Malta about examination halls becoming unbearably hot. One mother, whose daughter is currently in her second year of sixth form, spoke directly to Lovin Malta after her daughter sat an exam at Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary School … Continued •

Your dream home could be one step closer to becoming a reality, thanks to Lovin Malta’s next big giveaway. We’re far from done with our 10-year anniversary celebrations… and for our next one, we’re teaming up with JoinwellFXB, the island’s furniture pioneers with legacy and quality. One very lucky person will win €10,000 to furnish … Continued •

Friends of Kelly Caruana’s family have launched a fundraiser to help cover the cost of the 18-year-old’s cremation following her tragic death after a traffic accident in Qormi. Kelly died on Saturday, nine days after she was involved in a crash on Triq tal-Bajjada on 21st August. She had been travelling as a passenger in … Continued •

Lovin Malta has acquired Love Malta, the popular social-first brand celebrated for showcasing the natural beauty, culture and people of the Maltese Islands, along with all of its associated social media offshoots. The acquisition adds a distinctive, lifestyle-and-culture voice to Lovin Malta’s growing family of verticals, cementing its position as the undisputed leading media platform … Continued •

Malta’s population is projected to grow by around 26% by the end of the century, making it one of the fastest-growing populations in the European Union, according to new Eurostat projections. Under Eurostat’s baseline scenario, Malta’s population is expected to increase by 25.6% by 2050 and 26% by 2100. Only Luxembourg is projected to record … Continued •

After days of clues, silhouettes and plenty of guesses, we finally know which former Formula 1 star is heading to Malta: Giancarlo Fisichella. The Italian racing star has been confirmed for the Malta Motorsport Federation Festival, taking place at the Ħal Far Race Track on Sunday 20th September. Fisichella is a three-time Formula 1 Grand … Continued •

Malta’s Juventus-focused community Black & White is returning for the 2026/27 season, introducing a new format that puts supporters and their opinions at the centre of the conversation. Starting on 4th September, 10 Minuti mal-Partitarju will see Juventus supporters discussing the club’s latest matches, major talking points, opinions and emotions in a fast-paced 10-minute format. … Continued •

A new facility in Ħal Far which will serve as an extension of the Corradino Correctional Facility is nearing completion, with works expected to be finished in the coming days. Around 30 inmates approaching the final months of their sentences are expected to be gradually transferred from Kordin once the building begins operating. The facility … Continued •

Gozo Pride is returning for its fifth edition this September, bringing two weeks of events to the island under the theme ‘Pride Without Permission’. Organised by LGBTI+ Gozo, this year’s Pride will culminate on Saturday 5th September, with a Pride Village, march through Victoria, live performances and an official after-party.   View this post on … Continued •

The life and work of late artist Clemens Hasengschwandtner were celebrated in Valletta yesterday evening, with friends, collectors and members of the artistic community gathering for a special one-night exhibition. Titled ‘A Life Diary’, the exhibition was held at DOMA on St Paul Street on 30th August, bringing together 12 works permanently housed at the … Continued •

Malta’s online casino scene has three names worth knowing right now: Playzee, SpinYoo and Casiku. All three run on Malta Gaming Authority licences, so you get the same rock-solid security, fair play and fast payouts no matter which one you pick. The real difference comes down to how you actually like to play. 1. Playzee: … Continued •

Esplora Interactive Science Centre has launched the Young Researchers’ Grant 2026, an initiative designed to encourage curiosity and give young people the opportunity to carry out real scientific research from an early age. The fund, which opened on 26 August 2026, is available to Maltese citizens and holders of a Maltese residence permit aged 13 … Continued •

New Opposition MP Kevin Cutajar was on Tuesday sworn in to Parliament to replace former Nationalist MP David Stellini, who recently resigned his seat to return to his former job in Brussels. The motion to co-opt Dr Cutajar, a lawyer and Xagħra councillor, was moved by Leader of the House Chris Fearne, and was seconded by Opposition Leader Adrian Delia. It was unopposed. Visibly emotional, Dr Cutajar expressed the «privilege» he felt at forming part of the House of Representatives and at having the opportunity to represent the Gozitan electorate which had voted for him. Government Whip Byron Camilleri and Opposition Leader Adrian Delia both wished Dr Cutajar a fruitful tenure as MP. Dr Cutajar, who lost his sight as a teenager, was chosen to fill Mr Stellini's seat by the PN executive council on Saturday, running unopposed after a battle which threatened to split the party.  An initial vote on the co-option was taken and won by Jean Pierre Debono, by just two votes, but Mr Debono later said he would not be taking up the seat after it emerged that two of the executive members who cast their vote were not eligible to do so. The PN leadership was then threatened with legal action by...

Two drunk tourists who broke into a clothes store in the early hours of Sunday morning have ended up with suspended sentences and a €2,000 fine. Mathieu John Fullen, 20, and Doris Robert Damour, 21, admitted to damaging and stealing from a Baystreet outlet at 4.45am on June 8 and of having been drunk and unable to take care of themselves in public. Magistrate Neville Camilleri took note of the two French tourists’ guilty plea and noted that they had clean criminal records. The court condemned them to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years, and ordered them to fork out €1,838 to the shop owner. Inspector Matthew Spagnol prosecuted.

Nationalist Party leader Adrian Delia insisted that his future at the helm was neither on the agenda nor raised during a parliamentary group meeting held this afternoon at the party headquarters in Pieta. However, he said that the group would be meeting again for as many times as needed, starting on Tuesday, in order to decide on how the PN should move ahead following last month’s electoral setback. The meeting which lasted two-and-half hours was the first one in almost two months. “We will meet again until we come out united in our will, so that every one of us will know who, how and what needs to be done, and I must be convinced that everyone has this will,” he said in comments to the media which gathered outside the party headquarters. Sources said that towards the end of the meeting De Delia asked those present if they intended to contest the next general election under the party ticket. This move raised eyebrows in the wake of the PN leader’s recent comments on #TimesTalk that he was not entirely happy with the group of MPs at his disposal. However, due to the fact that the first hour was dedicated to a Bill for the setting up of the Office for the State Advocate, which was...

A government scheme to help finance the restoration of building facades was gobbled up within an hour of applications going live on Monday.  In a statement, Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg said it was the «greatest satisfaction» to witness the public participate in the initiative. «We can announce with pleasure that this year, the ‘Irrestawra Darek’ scheme was taken up by the public within an hour – this means that across three years, we will have invested €23 million towards the conservation of our country’s architectural heritage,» he said.  Read: the return of the scheme was announced last year.  The quick take-up, Dr Borg added, was a clear sign that the public was keen to invest in their property and rehabilitate cultural heritage.  Today was the official opening of this scheme and within seconds applications came flying in. Within 60 minutes the Planning Authority had received more than 750 online submissions with requests amounting to more than €8 million. The scheme is now officially closed for this year when it comes to private residences in Urban Conservation Areas and Grade 1 or Grade 2 scheduled residential buildings. Meanwhile, the PA is still accepting submissions...

The MSE Equity Price Index opened the week in positive territory as it added 0.13% to 4,820.199 points. Three companies trended higher today whilst only BMIT posted a decline. Meanwhile, GO, HSBC and MIA all traded unchanged whilst trading volumes contracted to €0.18 million. Bank of Valletta plc advanced by 0.4% from its pre-bonus adjusted price of €1.255 to the €1.26 level after opening at a high of €1.33 (equivalent to €1.46 when adjusted for the 1-for-10 bonus share issue). A total of 67,521 shares changed hands. Last Thursday, BOV published a Prospectus in connection with the issuance of €50 million 3.75% unsecured subordinated bonds maturing between 2026 and 2031. BOV’s insurance associate – Mapfre Middlesea plc – added 1.8% to the €2.24 level albeit on just 2,230 shares. A single deal of 16,891 shares lifted the equity of Malta Properties Company plc 0.8% higher back to its 2019 high of €0.64. Tomorrow, MPC is scheduled to hold its AGM. Conversely, BMIT Technologies plc slipped 0.9% lower to €0.545 on 12,800 shares. Meanwhile, GO plc and HSBC Bank Malta plc remained at the €4.50 and €1.63 levels respectively on light trading volumes. Four deals totalling 6,380 shares left...

Buyers should beware when declaring the transfer price of immovable property because there are fiscal obligations they must comply with for their own serenity. A final judgment delivered on May 27 by the Administrative Review Tribunal presided over by Magistrate Gabriella Vella (application 160/11VG - C.H. Formosa Company Limited v Director General [income tax]) will explain why. The case is about the declared transfer value on a deed of sale dated March 20, 2008 for an immovable property. It was mainly about the real value of or payment for the immovable property at issue compared to the value declared by the parties in the deed of sale. The declared value amounted to €628,930.81. In line with article 32 of the Duty on Documents and Transfers Act (Chapter 364 of the Laws of Malta), duty is due inter alia on every document whereby any immovable property or real right thereon is transferred to any person. The duty amounts to €5 for every €100 “or part thereof of the amount or value of the consideration for the transfer of such thing or of the value of such thing, whichever is the higher”. The law allows the Commissioner for Revenue to assess the real value of or payment for the...

The European Commission has told Malta to amend its car licensing rules to bring them in line with the rest of the bloc. In a formal notice to Malta, it observed that under current Maltese legislation, cars registered in Malta after January 1, 2009 and imported from other Member States are taxed more heavily than similar cars registered in Malta before that date, even when the imported car has already been registered in another Member State. READ: New vehicle registration tax announced “The Commission considers that the Maltese legislation is not compatible with EU law. According to the case-law of the Court of Justice of the EU, EU law is infringed where road taxes are calculated according to different criteria which lead to higher taxes being imposed on cars imported from other Member States compared to non-imported vehicles,” the commission said. The Maltese authorities have now two months to reply; otherwise, the Commission may send a reasoned opinion, setting a course for legal action.

The family of murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia have filed a 31-page Suspicious Transaction Report with Latvia’s Office for the Prevention of Laundering of Proceeds Derived from Criminal Activity. The STR names members of the money laundering network whom Daphne Caruana Galizia investigated and whom the family believe are connected to her subsequent murder. Caruana Galizia was killed by a car bomb on October 16, 2017. «We hope that this report brings new evidence to light, helps authorities across Europe bring criminals to justice and helps authorities prevent more murders by taking action to end impunity for the crimes and criminal networks that Daphne Caruana Galizia investigated and exposed,» the family said in a statement on Monday. «We also hope that others will recognise that they too are able to force  accountability and will be inspired to take the necessary action to end impunity and restore the rule of law. » The family said Daphne Caruana Galizia was the only journalist who investigated Pilatus Bank before her murder on 16 October 2017. "The Iranian-owned bank in Malta was possibly part of a larger money laundering network for Azerbaijani and Maltese...

25 years ago - The Times Friday, June 10, 1994 Malta’s employment prospects best in Europe Malta’s employment expectations for this year are the most optimistic in Europe, the European Business Survey 1994 reveals. Sixty-seven per cent of Maltese respondents – the highest percentage of the 15 European countries surveyed – said they expected to increase their workforce this year. Maltese businessmen urged to do business in China Maltese entrepreneurs yesterday urged local businessmen to take advantage of China’s opening economy. The president of Malta’s Chamber of Commerce, Francis Gera, and deputy president of the Federation of Industry Anthony Cassar are in China as part of the Prime Minister’s delegation. They said opportunities for joint ventures in the country were too good to miss. The entrepreneurs are the first to be involved in a delegation with the Prime Minister overseas. Burger King to open in Malta Burger King restaurant, managed by Food Chain (Holdings) Ltd, will open at City Gate in Valletta later this year. Half a century ago - Times of Malta Tuesday, June 10, 1969 Man charged with attempted murder and causing explosion in centre of Balzan Magistrate Dr C.

Goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe, who will be right in the firing line for Canada at the women's World Cup in France, knows all about the fight for equality in a male-dominated sport. The 32 year-old is the player who wanted to take on the men at their own game, literally. After bringing home a bronze medal for Canada in the 2016 Olympics, Labbe sought to rekindle a dying passion for football by training with a professional Canadian men's team. She joined the Calgary Foothills, a minor league club that serves as a feeder outfit for Major League Soccer in the United States, in a bid to keep sharp and show her credentials. «As a goalkeeper I think it's really good because you're facing fast shots, hard shots, the speed of the game is really quick,» says Labbe, who grew up playing on men's hockey and football teams, training with the men. Labbe's performances were such that she ended up in the team for a 4-0 win in a pre-season game, but the overseeing Canadian Professional Development League barred her from featuring in any future matches, insisting on a «gender-specific league.» "It was difficult to be told that you can't play because of something that's completely out of your...

The following are the top stories in Malta's newspapers on Monday. Times of Malta reports that around 400 trees and a vast tract of agricultural land will be destroyed if the latest version of the Central Link Project plans submitted this week get the go-ahead. It also reports that the majority of minimum wage earners are women.  The Malta Independent says Malta has received a written warning over the post-2009 car circulation tax. l-orizzont says a geologist has warned of more building collapses such as that in Mellieha on Saturday. It also quotes the Commissioner for Persons with Disability welcoming Kevin Cutajar's nomination to parliament.  In-Nazzjon quotes PN leader Adrian Delia saying the party will move forward with its organs filled by people willing to work.  

Hong Kong's pro-Beijing leader on Monday refused to scrap a controversial plan to allow extraditions to the Chinese mainland, a day after huge crowds came out to oppose the proposal. Striking a defiant tone after the city's largest protest since the 1997 handover, chief executive Carrie Lam said the legislature would debate the bill on Wednesday as planned, rejecting calls to delay or withdraw the law.  The decision sets her administration on a collision course with opponents who have vowed to ramp up their protests if their demands are not met.  Sunday saw huge crowds march in blazing summer heat through the streets of the financial hub's main island in a noisy, colourful demonstration calling on the government to scrap its planned extradition law. Organisers said as many as a million people turned out -- the largest protest in three decades and the biggest by far since the city's return to Chinese rule. Lam's government is pushing a bill through the legislature that would allow extraditions to any jurisdiction with which it does not already have a treaty -- including mainland China. Authorities say it is needed to plug loopholes and to stop the city being a bolthole for...

The international payment system oils the wheels of trade with the dollar still predominantly the currency used for transferring funds from buyers to sellers of goods and services. Any grit that gets caught in the delicate trade cogs creates significant risk for international trade. Through correspondent banking relationships, banks can access financial services in different jurisdictions and provide cross-border services to their customers, supporting international trade and financial inclusion. The likelihood of Bank of Valletta losing its last correspondent bank prepared to clear its US dollars payments is indeed worrying. The sensitivity of some jurisdictions to the risks of money laundering is high. US banks and international ones operating in the US face huge penalties if they are found to process payments that could be connected with money-laundering activities, including tax evasion. For the past decade, commercial banks have taken note of this development in international correspondent banking. Most banks now refuse to service companies that could be used for money laundering including payment gateways, gambling companies and businesses dealing in cryptocurrencies. When...

The results of the May 25 European Parliament and local elections were a drubbing for the Nationalist Party. But it was neither a meltdown nor a wipeout, as some suggested. The PN still commands a majority in a large swathe of the country, in electoral districts eight to 12. Against all predictions, it contained the haemorrhage in Gozo. The red belt is widening but the blue belt is holding the PN fort, albeit with reduced majorities. An examination of the voting in the 2017 general election and this year’s local council elections gives comparative results that are revealing. This is not an exercise intended to mitigate the PN’s defeat at the polls but aimed at putting the results in perspective. Below are the results of the local councils in the eighth to the 12th district, which, for many years, gave a majority to the PN, compared to those of the general election (2017 general election results in brackets). District 8 (Balzan, Birkirkara, Iklin, Lija) PN: 9,936 – 50.7% (12,591 – 52.9%). PL: 9,116 – 46.5% (10,830 – 45.5%). Others: 542 – 2.8% (384 – 1.6%). District 9 (Għargħur, Msida, San Ġwann, Swieqi, Ta’ Xbiex) PN: 9,986 – 55.1% (13,007 – 56.3%). PL: 7,951 – 43.9% (9,712 –...

I am sure Joseph Heller could have written part 2 of Catch 22 on the prevailing political situation in Malta. The government, while appearing to be improving the economy (with the help of a dubious passport scheme) has two high-profile elements accused of corruption. Also, several instances of suspicious contracts and appointments continue to gain popularity among the Maltese citizens. I wonder whether Heller was right when he said: “You know, that might be the answer – to act boastfully about something we ought to be ashamed of. That’s a trick that never seems to fail.” On the other hand, there is an Opposition that seems to be self-destructing. There are two possibilities. One is that the Maltese citizens are rewarding a government accused of corruption because they are being blinded by job creation, tax cuts, gifts or bonuses. I would like to believe this is not the case. Surely, the Maltese can do what citizens of other countries have done and demand the resignation of a corrupt government. The other possibility is that there is simply no other alternative. What is needed is somebody who is outside political life (like Ukraine?). Maltese politics need a rebirth. Malta needs...

Incidents such as Saturday’s building collapse in Mellieħa would be less likely to happen if a proposed architects’ reform was enforced, according to the chamber of architects.  Andre Pizzuto, who drafted the reform published by Kamra tal-Periti last month, said the likelihood of such events happening once the proposed framework is in place would be minimal.  He was reacting to the news that a building next door to a construction site had collapsed early on Saturday. Briton Maggie Smith, 77, was lucky to survive with slight injuries when the three-storey Mellieħa building came down in the early morning. She had been asleep in the top floor apartment when the side of the building came crashing down, her bed just a couple of metres away from a three-storey drop.  Ms Smith was treated for shock but was released from hospital later in the day.  Next door to the collapsed building, other houses had been demolished, the ground excavated for basement level garages, and shops and overlying apartments are now under construction. A magisterial inquiry and a police investigation have been launched to determine the cause of the collapse. Although the facts of the case were still emerging,...

Obituaries ATTARD. On June 8, at Mater Dei Hospital, GIUZEPPA, widow of Philip, of Żebbuġ, aged 89, passed away peacefully comforted by the rites of Holy Church. She leaves to mourn her loss her children Grace, Paul, Salvina, Ninu, Karmnu, Mikiel, widower of Connie, Annie, Philip, Mario, Joe and Catherine, their respective wives and husbands, her grandchildren, great grand children, her brother, in-laws, nephews and nieces, other relatives and friends. The funeral leaves Mater Dei Hospital, tomorrow, Tuesday, June 11, at 2.30pm for St Philip parish church, Żebbuġ, where Mass praesente cadavere will be said at 3.30pm followed by interment at the Sant’Andrija Cemetery, Żebbuġ. Lord, grant her eternal rest. FORMOSA. On June 8, JOSEPHINE, aged 92, passed away peacefully at St Vincent de Paul Residence comforted by the rites of Holy Church. She leaves to mourn her loss her devoted husband Joseph, her children Mary and Manuel, Joyce and Manuel, Antoinette and Manuel, Paul and Sophie, Anna and Christopher and Manuel and Maria, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, other relatives and friends. The funeral leaves Mater Dei Hospital today, Monday, June 10, at 1.30pm for Pietà parish church...

Ferrari are to appeal against the five-second penalty that cost Sebastian Vettel victory in the Canadian Grand Prix.  Five-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton maintained Mercedes' record winning start to the season when he was handed the controversial victory courtesy of a disputed stewards' decision, despite crossing the finish line just behind the German. Vettel was deemed to have forced a charging Hamilton towards a wall after running off at a chicane and rejoining across a strip of grass.  The Briton had to brake and pull out of his overtaking manoeuvre, prompting the stewards to impose the time penalty on Vettel. «Where could I go?» protested Vettel. «They're stealing the race from us.» Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto later said the team would be appealing against the penalty.  «At the moment, we, as a team, are naturally disappointed,» said Binotto in a statement posted on the Ferrari official website.  «As for Seb, I don't think he could have done things differently, which is why we have decided to appeal the Stewards' decision.» Under the sport's regulations, Ferrari have 96 hours from the end of the race to gather evidence to support their...

We would not complain on the air we breathe even as it rusts away our iron vessel on which we navigate the oceans. We strive for economic well-being as we watch it rot the home we call earth. Most individuals strive for economic well-being. It is what motivates people to be ‘productive’. To be able to produce something that can be exchanged for other products or services, rightly or wrongly perceived to be necessary for the individual’s and the community’s well-being. These exchanges are commonly carried out through an intermediary. Money. This intermediary takes centre stage in judging the success of an individual, of a company, of a country and of the whole world itself by the money or value generated. It is expressed as income, profit and, for countries and the world, as the gross domestic product. Economic well-being has become inseparable from productivity. If producing something from nothing is impossible (I stand to be corrected here), the opposite must be true. Production requires materials and energy. We are very far from global, 100 per cent renewable energy and a 100 per cent circular economy. For these reasons, any product will require materials from finite resources...

«To Twenty Twenty-Two!»

Can a Christian continue to be called so if he harbours racist feelings towards migrants who live among us in this country? Can he sleep comfortably, knowing that, out at sea, desperate human beings are packed like sardines in a slowly-deflating rubber-dinghy? Of course, not. The present tragic migrant situation should not stop Christians from reflecting on what St John Paul II often stressed in his teachings. There is a hierarchy of values a Christian should adhere to if s/he is to be considered a worthy believer in the Gospel. Some Christians do not realise it is meaningless condemning racism and defending the right of migrants to a life of dignity if the most important of all values – the right to be born – is denied. Sadly, it seems the refusal of some Christians to defend what St John Paul II referred to as non-negotiable issues, such as the indissoluble union between a man and a woman in sacramental marriage, can only be attributed to one or both of the following. Firstly, it is political correctness, which dictates that one does not say anything that might irritate those who follow the dominant culture of the day. It could also be that, for some, contrary to what the Lord...

The National Geographic TV channel recently broadcast several documentaries in commemoration of D-Day, the first day of the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944 during World War II. In the film footage, Adolph Hitler, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery and General George S. Patton appear in dream-like sequences. On film, human history looks like a dream. At its worst, history is a nightmare. During World War II, the list of war crimes, perpetrated by Nazi Germany, Japan, the Soviet Union and many other nations, including the US and the UK, was almost ‘endless’. It is estimated that up to two million German women were raped by Soviet soldiers during the occupation of Germany at the end of the war. As he shivered in the damp and disease-ridden trenches of World War I, Arthur West wrote in his diary that he did not think there was “a God at all responsible for governing the earth... mankind is perpetually puffing itself up with unearthly loyalties and promised rewards”. When Pope Benedict visited Auschwitz in 2006 (picture), he was far from reassuring about whether there was “a God at all...