The Malta Independent

Keep me signed in with social media

28 October 2026, Wednesday

View E-Paper

‘You all deserve to be blown up,' accused tells courtroom

"You all deserve to be blown up!" a 49-year-old man told the court during his arraignment on Tuesday. "You've neglected serious cases, yet you're nit-picking over mine. You should be ashamed of...

Comments (0)
Share

Exit polls suggest no clear winner in Israel's election, but Netanyahu is far from defeated

Israeli voters delivered a rebuke to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's far-right and religious governing coalition, but exit polls Wednesday suggested the election had no clear winner and...

Comments (0)
Share

Ex-orchestra chief Sigmund Mifsud jailed 6 months for obstructing justice in sex harassment scandal

Former Malta Philharmonic Orchestra CEO Sigmund Mifsud has been handed a six-month effective prison sentence after the court found him guilty of trying to obstruct justice. The case revolves...

Comments (1)
Share

latest comment from RF, 27/10/2026 12:12: The Perpetrator who had admitted to the harassment got a suspended sentence only and favoured with a ban on his name. The inconsistency of judicial sentencing is awesome.

Click to rate
0
0

Lorin Scicluna gave conflicting accounts of Lassane Cisse murder during interrogations, jury hears

The jury trial of former soldier Lorin Scicluna continues on Tuesday, after jurors were shown police footage of the accused retracing a route linked to the night Lassane Cisse was...

Comments (0)
Share

Arsenal embarrassed in penalty-shootout loss to 4th-tier Fleetwood in English League Cup stunner

Arsenal slumped to one of the biggest upsets in the English League Cup's 66-year history, with the Premier League champion knocked out by fourth-tier Fleetwood Town in a penalty shootout in the last...

Comments (0)
Share

‘Human dignity has no passport’: Church Commission condemns Budget measures targeting TCNs

The Church's Interdiocesan Commission for the Promotion of Integral Human Development has condemned Budget 2027 measures restricting benefits for third-country nationals, warning that "human dignity...

Comments (0)
Share

Attard says Planning Appeals reform seeks balance between appellants and permit holders

Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Employment Jonathan Attard said that the proposed Planning Appeals reform seeks to balance appellants' rights with legal certainty for permit holders, as he...

Comments (0)
Share

Chamber of SMEs, Childcare Centre Association blast government over end of free childcare for TCNs

The Malta Chamber of SMEs and the Childcare Centres Providers Association (CCPA) have expressed their “disappointment and serious concern” over the Government's decision, announced in...

Comments (0)
Share

PN says Budget 2027 could increase cost of living and traffic congestion

The Nationalist Party has warned that Budget 2027 could increase the cost of living, worsen traffic congestion and create uncertainty for businesses, arguing that the government has failed to provide...

Comments (0)
Share

Lazio rout Sassuolo 6-2 to stay top of Serie A, humiliating cup exit for Espanyol

Lazio saw two penalties saved but still managed to rout 10-man Sassuolo 6-2 to remain top of Serie A on Tuesday. Espanyol suffered a shock loss at fourth-tier Sestao River in the Spanish Cup,...

Comments (0)
Share

Over 5,300 patients to benefit from two new free mental health medicines

More than 5,300 patients are expected to benefit from the addition of escitalopram and alprazolam to the Government Formulary, with an annual investment of around €355,000, the Health Ministry...

Comments (0)
Share

recent poll

Blogs & Opinions

Alfred Sant

Against impunity

Adrian Delia

Families need more than money

Katya De Giovanni

School-based assessment: Weighing the pros and cons

Marco Bonnici

An employee-centred national agenda

Emmanuel J. Galea

Gozo by the side door

Frans Camilleri

Debt and the balance sheet

Gejtu Vella

When leadership turns into stubbornness

Ivan Ebejer

Budget 2027: Preserving fiscal resilience

Ivan Castillo

Traffic, people need action now

Michael Briguglio

Budgeting for Malta’s Blue Economy

Yorgen Fenech granted 10-day extension to respond to Attorney General's appeal against acquittal

The Court of Criminal Appeal has upheld a request by Yorgen Fenech's defence team for more time to prepare its written submissions in response to an appeal filed by the Attorney General following his...

Comments (0)
Share

ADPD leader calls for TCNs to report budget measures en masse for potentially breaching EU law

ADPD leader Sandra Gauci has called for all third-country nationals (TCNs) who feel discriminated against by the government through Budget 2027's measures, to file an official complaint to the...

Comments (0)
Share

A PN government probably wouldn’t have implemented any electoral pledges in Budget, Minister says

Home Affairs Minister Glenn Bedingfield said that if the Nationalist Party, with Alex Borg at the helm, was in government, it would have "probably" not implemented any of its electoral...

Comments (0)
Share

IĠM ‘disappointed’ that some media houses were excluded from pre-Budget briefings

The Institute of Maltese Journalists (IĠM) has expressed its disappointment that some media houses were excluded from the one-on-one Budget briefings that were open to the media hours before the...

Comments (0)
Share

Keith Schembri and co-defendants lose constitutional appeal over asset freezing order

The Constitutional Court has rejected an appeal filed by former OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri and three associates-his father Alfio Schembri, Malcolm Scerri, and Robert Zammit-against an order...

Comments (0)
Share

Budget 2027 is ‘throwing TCNs under the bus’, Friends of the Earth Malta says

Friends of the Earth Malta (FoEM) expressed concern over what it described as a right-wing approach towards third-country nationals (TCNs) in a statement reacting to Budget 2027, arguing that several...

Comments (0)
Share

Student stipends will increase, Education Minister says

The Minister for Education and Sport, Byron Camilleri, has said that students will benefit from another stipend increase, despite this not being mentioned in Monday's Budget speech. He also noted...

Comments (0)
Share

Minister highlights pension increases and breakthrough measure for 3,200 women

Minister for Social Policy and Children's Rights Michael Falzon on Tuesday said Budget 2027 is the government's ongoing commitment to social welfare and supporting pensioners, families, persons with...

Comments (0)
Share

news in pictures

events

Sports

Lazio rout Sassuolo 6-2 to stay top of Serie A, humiliating cup exit for Espanyol

Arsenal embarrassed in penalty-shootout loss to 4th-tier Fleetwood in English League Cup stunner

YoHealth Malta Premier - Spartans stun leaders Valletta

Kane becomes first Englishman in 25 years to win Ballon d'Or and Putellas wins her third

Kimi Antonelli wins US Grand Prix and tightens his grip on historic F1 title chase

Man United humbled by Bournemouth to leave Carrick's job under threat, Liverpool beat Brighton

Mbappé leads Real Madrid to 2-1 win over Barcelona in clasico, Bayern back on top in Germany

Man City fall at Aston Villa and Arsenal move level on top of the Premier League

Roma hold Napoli to dramatic draw and Dortmund beat Frankfurt ahead of Bayern clash

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli earns surprise pole for the US Grand Prix as he chases the F1 title

Repubblika condemns Budget measures targeting third-country nationals as 'unjust and discriminatory'

NGO Repubblika has condemned Budget 2027 measures removing free public transport and childcare benefits for certain third-country nationals, describing them as "unjust, discriminatory and morally...

Comments (1)
Share

latest comment from C Xerri, 27/10/2026 13:36: "warning that a person's worth should not depend on whether they can vote for the government." And could the immigrants from EU and UK vote for the Government....and yet they are not being effected by the Budget measures. Not to mention the fact that there are probably thousands of TCNs who have been in Malta for over five years who would not be effected by the measures.

Click to rate
0
0

George Degiorgio cleared of threatening former partner in prison call

Hitman and career criminal George Degorgio was found not guilty of threatening his former partner in a prison phone call. A court heard how Degiorgio called his former partner telling her he was...

Comments (0)
Share

7% drop in number of cruise passengers in Q3 2026 – NSO

Total cruise passenger traffic during the third quarter of 2026 amounted to 325,681, a decrease of 7.0 per cent over the same quarter of the previous year, the NSO said Tuesday. There were 139...

Comments (0)
Share

Minute by minute: Finance Minister presents budget for 2027, says €1,000 bonus will be given

Finance Minister Clyde Caruana will be presenting the government's plans for 2027 in the financial exercise known simply as the budget. This will be the first budget of the new legislature, after...

Comments (1)
Share

latest comment from Memphis Belle, 26/10/2026 19:40: I think Clyde is still thinking that the general election is next year like it was planned..lets be fair this is an election budget.

Click to rate
0
0

Budget 2027: What's in it for you

Cost of living adjustment €6.41 per week €1,000 super bonus Minimum wage up €10.41/week, including COLA Pensions to increase by €10 a week (including...

Comments (0)
Share

A ‘go back to your country’ budget, Aditus says

Malta Budget 2027 is a shocking testament to the institutionalised racism that for years has directed Malta's treatment of non-nationals living here, NGO aditus said Tuesday. It arrogantly ignores the...

Comments (4)
Share

latest comment from C Xerri, 27/10/2026 13:21: Why is Aditus giving the impression that this is a "a shocking testament to the institutionalised racism " when a very good number of ICN will still get free transport, free child care and even receive the 1000Euro bonus?

Click to rate
0
1

HSBC Malta: Strong and resilient results continued through Q3 2026

HSBC Bank Malta p.l.c. maintained a solid financial performance during the first nine months of 2026 and continued to reward shareholders with a gross dividend of 4.6c per share, bringing the...

Comments (0)
Share

Budget 2027: Government targets tourists and TCNs to raise revenue

The government is seeking to raise additional revenue from tourists and third-country nationals (TCNs) as it looks to reduce the deficit and public debt, which has exceeded €12 billion, under its...

Comments (3)
Share

latest comment from Memphis Belle, 27/10/2026 08:55: What is sure when looking to most of the English mainstream media is ,they are confused with their reporting on the budget is it a case that the budget measures confused their momentum of the critics they were fireing left right and center against the governament ??? at least it looks so..

Click to rate
0
0

TMID Editorial: A Budget that asks tourists and TCNs to foot the bill

This was a different Budget to what the country has grown accustomed to from a Labour government. Rather than offering a gift-giving bonanza, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana stood up in...

Comments (1)
Share

latest comment from C Xerri, 27/10/2026 13:28: "The message to TCNs is clear: be ready to pay your way and sustain yourself, or else leave." Although one questions the statement about "sustaining yourself" , as the TCN are still offered free health care, etc., What's wrong with asking TCNs, and not all TCNs as there are thousands who have bee here over 5 years, "to be ready to pay your way and sustain yourself, or else leave."?

Click to rate
0
0

Borg criticises Budget 2027 for failing to address traffic, hospital waiting lists and power cuts

Opposition Leader Alex Borg criticised Budget 2027 for failing to address some of Malta's biggest challenges, including traffic, healthcare waiting lists, declining productivity and the country's...

Comments (2)
Share

latest comment from Memphis Belle, 27/10/2026 08:44: Look at least now the PN improved a bit and did not came out with the slogan as usual after the budget with, A Little To Late..

Click to rate
0
0

Business

HSBC Malta: Strong and resilient results continued through Q3 2026

Does Europe’s low compute matters in the AI race

Bank of Valletta to host second edition of Investor Days

APS Bank introduces three AI-powered assistants to support colleagues

BOV wins WSBI-ESBG AWARD for inclusive banking and social impact

€40m spent to strengthen electricity supply for 33,000 households, businesses - government

Deficit, debt rise sharply in Q2 2026 – NSO

Malta’s renewable energy share climbs to 18.8% in 2025, 'continuing strong growth'

Malta’s innovation leaders call for practical reforms ahead of Budget 2027

‘You all deserve to be blown up,' accused tells courtroom

Exit polls suggest no clear winner in Israel's election, but Netanyahu is far from defeated

Ex-orchestra chief Sigmund Mifsud jailed 6 months for obstructing justice in sex harassment scandal

Lorin Scicluna gave conflicting accounts of Lassane Cisse murder during interrogations, jury hears

Arsenal embarrassed in penalty-shootout loss to 4th-tier Fleetwood in English League Cup stunner

‘Human dignity has no passport’: Church Commission condemns Budget measures targeting TCNs

Attard says Planning Appeals reform seeks balance between appellants and permit holders

Chamber of SMEs, Childcare Centre Association blast government over end of free childcare for TCNs

PN says Budget 2027 could increase cost of living and traffic congestion

Lazio rout Sassuolo 6-2 to stay top of Serie A, humiliating cup exit for Espanyol

Over 5,300 patients to benefit from two new free mental health medicines

Yorgen Fenech granted 10-day extension to respond to Attorney General's appeal against acquittal

ADPD leader calls for TCNs to report budget measures en masse for potentially breaching EU law

A PN government probably wouldn’t have implemented any electoral pledges in Budget, Minister says

IĠM ‘disappointed’ that some media houses were excluded from pre-Budget briefings

Keith Schembri and co-defendants lose constitutional appeal over asset freezing order

Budget 2027 is ‘throwing TCNs under the bus’, Friends of the Earth Malta says

Student stipends will increase, Education Minister says

Minister highlights pension increases and breakthrough measure for 3,200 women

Budget 2027 ‘is certainly the only progressive budget in Europe,’ Abela says

Budget 2027: Caruana projects 2.6% deficit as government forecasts €10.1 billion in revenue

Budget 2027: Energy subsidies retained, further tax cuts and investment in infrastructure

Budget 2027: €10 weekly pension increase as 3,200 more married women set to qualify for a pension

Budget 2027: COLA to increase by €6.41 per week, Finance Minister defends energy subsidies

Budget 2027: Higher eco-contributions for tourists staying in Malta, visiting Comino

Budget 2027: Talks underway with several airlines over strategic partnership for KM Malta Airlines

Updated (5): Reactions pour in following government's Budget 2027 speech

Kane becomes first Englishman in 25 years to win Ballon d'Or and Putellas wins her third

Repubblika condemns Budget measures targeting third-country nationals as 'unjust and discriminatory'

George Degiorgio cleared of threatening former partner in prison call

7% drop in number of cruise passengers in Q3 2026 – NSO

Minute by minute: Finance Minister presents budget for 2027, says €1,000 bonus will be given

Budget 2027: What's in it for you

A ‘go back to your country’ budget, Aditus says

HSBC Malta: Strong and resilient results continued through Q3 2026

Budget 2027: Government targets tourists and TCNs to raise revenue

TMID Editorial: A Budget that asks tourists and TCNs to foot the bill

Borg criticises Budget 2027 for failing to address traffic, hospital waiting lists and power cuts

Former PN MP and doctor Frank Portelli dies aged 82

Accused 'disappointed' his father survived stabbing, court hears in Mqabba murder case

Jurors hear medical testimony, details on shooting route in 2019 Lassana Cisse case

Spinola Gardens murder victim died from head hitting ground, not punch, court hears

Animal welfare chief to propose legal changes to rehome confiscated animals before court cases end

Man charged with raping wife remanded in custody despite her plea to drop case