Israel’s vow to hit Gaza City “with great force” has jolted even this sun-drenched island 1,800 kilometres away. On Tuesday morning, as café regulars in Valletta sipped their ħobż-bi-żejt and argued about last night’s football, Telegram pings carried images of flattened apartment blocks and frantic rescuers. By evening, the chatter on Facebook groups like “Maltese…
Valletta – The Mediterranean felt smaller and angrier this week when a humanitarian flotilla bound for Gaza reported a drone strike that instantly reminded Maltese seafarers of the 2010 “Mavi Marmara” incident, parts of which were planned inside Valletta’s Grand Harbour. Activists on board the converted trawler “Handala” told international media they were 120 nautical…
# Maltese Activists on Gaza Flotilla Report Drone Strike as Tunisia Denies Detection **Valletta harbour, Tuesday 05:45** – The fishing vessel *Al Awda* was still rocking from the alleged impact when David Zammit’s phone buzzed with a WhatsApp voice note: “We’re okay, but something hit the stern. Tell Valletta we’re pushing on.” Zammit, a 34-year-old…
An excellent source of protein: health, hype and hard truths Monday evening, 18:55. The last rays of sun bounce off the limestone walls of the Għarb parish square while a queue already snakes past the baroque church. At the front, 78-year-old Nanna Rita clutches a reusable bag emblazoned with “Gozo Pride” and waits patiently for…
From the rattling yellow buses of the 1970s to the silent glide of today’s e-kick scooters, Malta’s streets have always told the story of who we are. Now, as the island races to cut emissions by 2030, a new chapter is unfolding—one that blends old habits with bold tech and a stubborn Maltese refusal to…
Our Reputation on the Line: How One Scandal is Testing Malta’s Collective Conscience By 9 a.m. the chatter in Valletta’s cafés had already shifted from yesterday’s Eurovision drama to a single, burning question: “Kemm se ddum ma’ titnissel isem Malta mill-lista l-ħamra?” (“How long before Malta ends up on the red list?”) The trigger was…
Floriana’s Independence Arena was already humming at 07:30 this morning as Prime Minister Robert Abela stepped up to the microphone for the first of three surprise “Announcements – September 9, 2025” that will echo through every village square by nightfall. Flanked by the scarlet standards of the Malta Philharmonic Band and framed by the Triton…
Letters to the editor – September 9, 2025: Valletta post-box overflows with summer’s hopes and island frustrations By Sarah Micallef | Hot Malta The wrought-iron post-box outside the Times of Malta building in Valletta was so stuffed this morning that a postal worker had to prop the lid open with a half-eaten pastizz. Inside, 187…
Alex Borg says he plans small changes to the shadow cabinet Valletta – The Nationalist Party’s newly-appointed deputy leader for parliamentary affairs, Alex Borg, has told Hot Malta he is preparing “targeted, surgical tweaks rather than a grand reshuffle” to the opposition’s shadow cabinet, a move that could ripple across village band clubs, parish youth…
Three-Year Minimum for Drunk Drivers Who Kill: A Maltese Wake-Up Call Sliema’s seafront promenade was unusually hushed this morning as café owners scrolled through their phones, digesting the news Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg delivered last night: anyone who causes death while driving drunk or high will now face a mandatory minimum of three years behind…
US Supreme Court Allows Roving Immigration Patrols, For Now – What It Means for Malta’s Own Border Battles By Hot Malta Correspondent Valletta – While American headlines scream about “roving patrols” and “stop-and-search squads” on Arizona highways, the ripple has already reached our limestone shores. On Monday the US Supreme Court lifted an injunction that…
Malta’s holidaymakers woke up to chaos this morning after Heathrow’s Terminal 5 was evacuated following reports of “possible hazardous materials” in the check-in area. For hundreds of Maltese passengers, the alert came at the worst possible time: the start of the first full week of school holidays and the eve of the popular Maltese festa…
