The Malta Independent

Keep me signed in with social media

4 August 2026, Tuesday

View E-Paper

Minimum on-the-spot fine for tourists doubles to €50

The minimum that can be charged in an on-the-spot fine has doubled from €25 to €50, Prime Minister Robert Abela announced on Tuesday morning. The change was made through a legal notice...

Comments (1)
Share

latest comment from Mario aquilina, 04/08/2026 09:12: gimmick... 50€ is a small amount.. other countries fine minimum of 200€.

Click to rate
1
0

LIVE: 'You're my best friend’: Ex-deputy police chief Silvio Valletta's text to Yorgen Fenech

The trial by jury of businessman Yorgen Fenech has entered its 30th day, with the prosecution expected to continue calling witnesses before Madam Justice Edwina Grima. Monday’s sitting saw...

Comments (0)
Share

HSBC Malta delivers strong half-year results with robust capital and liquidity

HSBC Bank Malta p.l.c. delivered a reported profit before tax for the six months ended 30 June 2026 amounting to €44.4million (June 2025: €58.7million). Adjusted profit before tax, after...

Comments (0)
Share

MFSA publishes administrative penalties methodology for credit institutions

New Guidance Note introduces a transparent and proportionate framework for determining administrative penalties applicable to credit institutions. The Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA)...

Comments (0)
Share

TMID Editorial: Protecting the victims of violence

The National Commission for the Promotion of Equality on Monday sounded a stark warning: the repeated granting of bail to people accused of violence against women risks endangering victims and the...

Comments (0)
Share

Birzebbuga feast fireworks hit by court order after fire allegedly caused over €100,000 in damages

The skies over Birzebbuga's annual parish feast this past weekend were quieter than previous years after a court injunction blocked the locality's feast enthusiasts from launching most of their aerial...

Comments (1)
Share

latest comment from Santana, 03/08/2026 19:55: It's understandable that MPs from both sides expressed solidarity with the organisers of parish feasts. A sentence regarding setting up financial guarantees for loss of third party, including farmers', property was conspicuous by its absence.

Click to rate
0
0

NCPE warns repeated bail for alleged violent offenders is putting women at risk

The repeated granting of bail to people accused of violence against women risks endangering victims and the wider public, the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality has warned. In a...

Comments (0)
Share

Malta International Food Festival returning to Floriana Granaries for 10th edition

The Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Supply has announced the return of the Malta International Food Festival. This five-day festival will be held between Wednesday 5 August and...

Comments (0)
Share

Hundreds of migrant children are stranded in Spain's Ceuta after mass crossing

The teenage girl made it through the waves to Spanish territory. Her little brother did not, drowning in the Mediterranean, while their mother disappeared in the chaos when tens of thousands of people...

Comments (0)
Share

Matthew Caruana Galizia pinpoints Electrogas as top story Daphne was working on before her death

Matthew Caruana Galizia pinpointed Electrogas as the top story that his mother was working on before her assassination in a car bombing, as he told a jury on Monday that “Yorgen Fenech seemed to...

Comments (0)
Share

‘Clear plan with solutions needed to address power-cut crisis,’ PN says in social partners meeting

The Nationalist Party has said that there is a need to assess what has been done so far, identify what more must be done and draw up a clear plan with solutions to address the power-cut crisis that is...

Comments (0)
Share

recent poll

Blogs & Opinions

Frans Camilleri

Excruciatingly slow progress

Alfred Sant

Investments

Kevin Aquilina

Proposals for a new human rights and equality law

Valerie Visanich

Lady Marmalade, Ta’ Ġieżu edition

Thomas Bajada

Productivity with education is the next economic question

Katya De Giovanni

Intelligence beyond examinations: Valuing every child's talents

Emmanuel J. Galea

The island that aged first

Frans Camilleri

Is thrift good or bad?

Michael Briguglio

Electricity infrastructure is social

Gejtu Vella

Beyond Vision 2050

Yorgen Fenech trial – Jury enters 29th day, as Matthew Caruana Galizia testifies

The trial by jury of businessman Yorgen Fenech has entered its 29th day, with the prosecution expected to continue calling witnesses before Madam Justice Edwina Grima. Saturday's sitting heard...

Comments (0)
Share

Major electrical equipment installed for second Malta-Sicily interconnector

The Malta-Sicily Interconnector 2 (IC2) project has reached another major milestone with the arrival, transportation and installation of key electrical equipment, including an auto transformer and...

Comments (0)
Share

Chef placed under probation after admitting domestic violence-related offences

A 32-year-old chef from Egypt, residing in Mosta, was placed under a three-year probation order after pleading guilty to a series of domestic violence-related offences against his former...

Comments (0)
Share

Pitbull gives heartfelt message to Maltese cancer patient during Ta' Qali concert

A touching moment unfolded during Pitbull's concert in Ta' Qali on Sunday night when the American artist noticed a fan's sign about Maltese cancer patient Cheyenne Muscat and urged the crowd of around...

Comments (1)
Share

latest comment from RF, 03/08/2026 12:49: Why are such concerts taking place at what should have been a family picnic area before being ruined by Jason Micallef's expensive but failed gravel surface, when millions were spent on much flaunted concert area instead of concrete factory? Why are patrons prohibited from using parking at Ta' Qali but have to use Park & Ride as far away as Marsa and Pembroke or use in street parking in all of Attard since the morning?

Click to rate
0
0

Government distributes palm fronds to fisherman for the lampuki season

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Anton Refalo, visited the Fisheries and Aquaculture Department offices at Għammieri, where palm fronds are being distributed to fishermen as part...

Comments (1)
Share

latest comment from Ġakbu S., 04/08/2026 08:10: Why don't they use floating solar panels? We're in 2026... great success have been had with aquaculture under floating solar panel farms...

Click to rate
0
0

‘I learned about it from the media,’ Malta Tourism Authority CEO on Noma Island

The chief executive of the Malta Tourism Authority, Carlo Micallef, told The Malta Independent that he learned about Noma Island through local media. He said the MTA did not push for its entry into...

Comments (1)
Share

latest comment from J.Degabriele, 03/08/2026 14:54: Sure, sure. We believe you man. Conclusion? You're no better than I am and thousands of others. What are you doing as CEO? Incompetence at its best.

Click to rate
0
0

‘Our partnership with ACE is essential to further strengthen our work’ – Minister Glenn Bedingfield

Minister for Home Affairs and Security Glenn Bedingfield held a meeting with the Association of Catering Establishments (ACE), during which a number of issues of importance to the catering sector were...

Comments (0)
Share

TMID Editorial: Businesses and the country’s direction

A new barometer published by the Chamber of SMEs last Thursday found that close to two-thirds (64%) of businesses feel that Malta is moving in the wrong direction. A majority of businesses (56%)...

Comments (0)
Share

news in pictures

events

Sports

San Ġiljan reign supreme with commanding Knock-Out final victory

UEFA declares no confidence in Infantino and vows accountability for failed World Cup equity plan

Infantino abandons plans to sell World Cup profits to private equity following massive pushback

Franco Baresi, AC Milan and Italy legend, dies aged 66

UEFA members to boycott FIFA competitions in protest of World Cup private investors plan

Euro 2020 winning coach Roberto Mancini returns to rescue Italy after third straight World Cup miss

Identità inspections rise as 112 people handed over to police in first half of 2026

Identità handed 112 people over to the police for further investigations and possible legal action during the first six months of 2026, as the agency stepped up enforcement related to residence...

Comments (0)
Share

Fires near Spokane, Washington, have burned 600 structures and forced 60,000 evacuations

Wildfires in eastern Washington state forced the evacuation of 60,000 people in the Spokane area while destroying at least 600 homes, businesses and other structures, authorities said Sunday. The...

Comments (0)
Share

MPT points to expanding bus network as overcrowding questions persist

Malta Public Transport highlighted the expansion of Malta's bus network and the use of shared passenger data in response to questions about overcrowding, but it did not directly address several issues...

Comments (0)
Share

Front-row seat: The siege outside our newsroom

Friday morning, on 24 July, had started like any other day at The Malta Independent. With the weekend edition fast approaching, reporters and editors were busy putting the finishing touches to...

Comments (0)
Share

Man suffers grievous injuries after being struck by car in Gżira

A 41-year-old man from Ivory Coast, who resides in San Ġwann, suffered grievous injuries after being struck by a car in Gżira on Sunday morning, the police said. The accident happened...

Comments (0)
Share

‘I do not believe we have overtourism,’ Malta Tourism Authority CEO says

The chief executive of the Malta Tourism Authority, Carlo Micallef, does not believe that Malta is experiencing overtourism. He argued that even though Malta welcomed 4 million tourists in 2025 and is...

Comments (8)
Share

latest comment from Joey Falzon, 02/08/2026 22:29: Overtourism? Of course not. We only have permanent traffic jams, buses packed like sardines, beaches where finding a free spot feels like a competitive sport, pavements disappearing under tables and chairs, overflowing rubbish bins, occasional sewage-related beach closures, and residents wondering where they still fit into their own country. But apparently none of that counts because tourists stay for fewer nights. Brilliant logic! That’s like saying a motorway isn’t congested because the cars eventually keep moving. And then there’s the comparison with Monaco — because apparently a tiny, ultra-wealthy city-state built around luxury tourism, with completely different infrastructure, demographics and urban planning, is the perfect benchmark for Malta. Comparing Monaco to Malta to justify unlimited growth is like comparing a private yacht marina to a crowded harbour and claiming they have the same capacity. One has to wonder: does this gentleman actually live in Malta, or has he been enjoying the views from Monaco? Because many people living here are experiencing a very different reality. May God help us if these are the people entrusted with running our institutions and making decisions about the future of our country, because ignoring what is happening around us is certainly not the way to protect Malta’s quality of life.

Click to rate
0
0

Malta’s economic growth slows but remains strong as inflation falls to 2.3%

Malta's economy continued to record robust growth during the first quarter of 2026, despite expanding at a slower pace than in the previous three months, the Central Bank of Malta said. In its...

Comments (0)
Share

NGOs welcome proposed planning appeals reform, urge government to press ahead

The Ġustizzja għal Artna campaign has welcomed the government's proposed reform of the planning appeals system, describing it as a long-awaited step towards planning justice while urging...

Comments (0)
Share

‘There is nothing glorious about it’: Marilena Gauci on the reality of life as an MP

Nationalist Party MP Marilena Gauci has said that serving in Parliament amounts to "over and above a full-time job" and has called for a restructuring of the institution, including proper research...

Comments (0)
Share

Education: Empowering people through knowledge and lifelong learning

There is an old saying that if you give a person a fish, you feed them for a day; but if you teach them how to fish, you feed them for a lifetime. It is a simple thought, but a powerful one. For me,...

Comments (0)
Share

Business

MFSA publishes administrative penalties methodology for credit institutions

HSBC Malta delivers strong half-year results with robust capital and liquidity

BOV branch in Żejtun officially reopens following refurbishment

Mapfre Economics forecasts that the economy will grow 3% in 2026 and 3.1% in 2027

APS Bank posts record interim profit of €23.9m on the back of strong all-round growth

MeDirect delivers a profitable first half as growth accelerates

Fast Shift secures EMI Authorisation from Malta Financial Services Authority

BOV reports €119.8m profit before tax for the first half of 2026

European Commission endorses Malta's €60 million social climate plan

Chamber of Commerce urges Opposition to present credible economic vision

Minimum on-the-spot fine for tourists doubles to €50

LIVE: 'You're my best friend’: Ex-deputy police chief Silvio Valletta's text to Yorgen Fenech

HSBC Malta delivers strong half-year results with robust capital and liquidity

MFSA publishes administrative penalties methodology for credit institutions

TMID Editorial: Protecting the victims of violence

Birzebbuga feast fireworks hit by court order after fire allegedly caused over €100,000 in damages

NCPE warns repeated bail for alleged violent offenders is putting women at risk

Malta International Food Festival returning to Floriana Granaries for 10th edition

Hundreds of migrant children are stranded in Spain's Ceuta after mass crossing

Matthew Caruana Galizia pinpoints Electrogas as top story Daphne was working on before her death

‘Clear plan with solutions needed to address power-cut crisis,’ PN says in social partners meeting

Yorgen Fenech trial – Jury enters 29th day, as Matthew Caruana Galizia testifies

Major electrical equipment installed for second Malta-Sicily interconnector

Chef placed under probation after admitting domestic violence-related offences

Pitbull gives heartfelt message to Maltese cancer patient during Ta' Qali concert

Government distributes palm fronds to fisherman for the lampuki season

‘I learned about it from the media,’ Malta Tourism Authority CEO on Noma Island

‘Our partnership with ACE is essential to further strengthen our work’ – Minister Glenn Bedingfield

TMID Editorial: Businesses and the country’s direction

Government to give all disciplined forces health insurance this legislature, PM says

TMIS Editorial: When criticism comes from every direction

Trump says he will order halt to Iran strikes after parameters reached for deal to end war

San Ġiljan reign supreme with commanding Knock-Out final victory

'I just want a chance': Moroccans sought better future in collective crossing to Spain territory

‘She never knew fear’: Peter Caruana Galizia tells Fenech jury about Daphne’s final months

Yorgen Fenech trial: A husband’s grief, a family’s fight - Peter Caruana Galizia testifies

Malta needs a change of direction so that the economy works for people again - Alex Borg

Man suffers burns in Mosta barbecue accident

Identità inspections rise as 112 people handed over to police in first half of 2026

Fires near Spokane, Washington, have burned 600 structures and forced 60,000 evacuations

MPT points to expanding bus network as overcrowding questions persist

Front-row seat: The siege outside our newsroom

Man suffers grievous injuries after being struck by car in Gżira

‘I do not believe we have overtourism,’ Malta Tourism Authority CEO says

Malta’s economic growth slows but remains strong as inflation falls to 2.3%

NGOs welcome proposed planning appeals reform, urge government to press ahead

‘There is nothing glorious about it’: Marilena Gauci on the reality of life as an MP

Education: Empowering people through knowledge and lifelong learning

Wounded police officer after St Julian’s shooting: ‘I am still here, fighting’

Pharmacies open today 9am to 12pm & 4 to 7pm

Girl, 4, hospitalised with grievous injuries after multi-vehicle crash in Mellieħa

UEFA declares no confidence in Infantino and vows accountability for failed World Cup equity plan

€3m restoration works commence at San Anton Gardens

Horse-drawn carriages will not operate when a Red Alert – Extreme Heat Warning is issued