Mdina’s Silent Cry By Luke Caruana, Hot Malta The sun is already low over Dingli when the last tourist bus coughs its way out of Mdina’s Greek Gate, leaving behind a hush that feels older than the limestone itself. Inside the narrow lanes, the only sound is the soft slap of a housekeeper’s sandals as…
Letters to the Editor: The Maltese Pulse on 11 September 2025 By Luke Caruana, Hot Malta The print edition of Times of Malta may land on doorsteps later than it used to, but the letters page still sparks faster than a July firework. This morning’s crop—19 missives in all—shows a nation wrestling with the same…
# After 15 Years of Promises, Gozo’s Olympic-Size Pool Makes a Splash **Victoria, Gozo** – The air on Triq it-Tuffiera smelled of chlorine and celebration this morning as Prime Minister Robert Abela cut a ribbon made from recycled fishing nets and declared the €22 million Gozo Aquatic Complex officially open. Teenagers who had learned to…
**Israel vows to strike foes anywhere after Qatar attack: How Malta’s neutrality offers a Mediterranean haven amid rising tensions** A stone’s throw from the world’s most volatile region, Malta woke up yesterday to news that Israel had promised “to strike its enemies anywhere” after a drone launched from Qatar targeted Tel Aviv. While the blast…
**Chaos in Court: Seabank Brawl Case Erupts as Tensions Boil Over** A routine court hearing descended into chaos yesterday as three individuals were arrested following a dramatic courtroom outburst during proceedings related to the infamous Seabank Hotel brawl, with one defendant allegedly shouting “F*** justice” as tensions reached breaking point. The incident, which unfolded at…
Blue Lagoon rehabilitation plan consultation to be launched in coming weeks Comino’s postcard-perfect but overcrowded Blue Lagoon is finally getting a long-overdue lifeline. Environment Minister Miriam Dalli confirmed this week that a public consultation on a “comprehensive rehabilitation plan” will open within the next three weeks, kicking off what could be the most radical rethink…
Valletta’s cafés were still buzzing with Monday-morning espresso steam when phones lit up with the headline: Israel had reportedly struck a Hamas office in the heart of Qatar. Within minutes, WhatsApp groups bridging Sliema tech workers and Marsa dockyard traders were swapping voice notes in Maltese, English, and Arabic—an island chorus trying to make sense…
**Watch: Von der Leyen gives her 2025 State of the Union speech – What it means for Malta** As Ursula von der Leyen took to the European Parliament podium on Wednesday morning to deliver her fifth State of the Union address, Maltese eyes were fixed on Brussels with more than casual curiosity. The Commission President’s…
**Poolside brawl injuries did not cause man’s death, medical expert tells court** A medical expert has testified that injuries sustained during a poolside brawl at a popular St Julian’s hotel did not cause the death of a 48-year-old man, shedding new light on a case that has gripped Malta’s summer party scene. The ruling, delivered…
A 17th-century palazzo that once hosted Grand Masters and Maltese nobility could become Mdina’s next five-star hideaway, according to plans filed with the Planning Authority last week. The proposal, submitted by a consortium led by boutique-hotel specialist Corinthia, seeks to convert Palazzo Costanzo on Villegaignon Street into a 30-suite “ultra-luxury” property with rooftop infinity pool,…
**No Entry Sign Put Up at Mġiebaħ Bay as Danger Looms Right on Top of Bathers** A beloved slice of Maltese paradise has been sealed off. Mġiebaħ Bay, the secluded pocket-beach tucked beneath Dingli’s cliffs and reachable only by a dusty farmer’s track, woke up on Thursday to a bright red “PERIKLU – NO ENTRY”…
Spain stubbed out its last legal loophole last week when Health Minister Mónica García signed a decree extinguishing cigarettes on bar terraces, in public parks, and even on the sandy fringes of the Costas. From August, Spaniards will have to choose between their cortado and their Marlboro—no more café con leche in one hand, smoke…
