Times Talk by Times of Malta

Political analysts Pierre Portelli and Robert Musumeci help Mark Laurence Zammit dissect the current state of Maltese politics.

They discuss the performance of the Labour and Nationalist parties in the 2026 general election, Robert Abela's cabinet appointments and the (in?)justice of parliament's gender corrective mechanism.

The country's going to the polls in less than 48 hours, and this latest episode of Times Talk is an essential guide for the perplexed.

It breaks down the mechanics of Malta’s electoral system - one of the most democratic, yet complex, in the world.

Our speakers trace where your vote will go from the moment you slide it in the ballot box on Saturday till all MPs are elected next week.

But the episode also uncovers the lid on a second election at play – an often over...

With just over a week remaining before Maltese voters head to the polls to choose Malta's next prime minister, the latest episode of Times Talk delves into the science and controversy behind political polling, as current surveys continue to indicate a significant lead for the Labour Party.

Times of Malta fact-checker Neville Borg and Esprimi CEO Morgan Parnis joined the podcast. Borg gives an overview of what the polls are showing while Parnis explains the results and why some polls differ from others, even when they are carried out during the same period.

It is very worrying the the election campaign has, so far, almost entirely revolved around 'what's in it for me', according to political analysts Lou Bondi and Michelle Attard Tonna.

The two were speaking on the latest episode of Times Talk Campaign Watch during which they dissected the third week of the election campaign.

The lavish promises are creating a sense of entitlement in people while making it very hard for the next prime minister - whoever it may be - to lead effectively in a very volatile global climate, they...

The second week of Malta’s 2026 general election campaign sparked its first controversies. As Labour leader Robert Abela and Nationalist Party leader Alex Borg make their political pitches, mainly through cash bonanzas, are the country’s (medium-to-long term) problems being ignored?

In this episode of Times Talk, Times of Malta editor-in-chief Herman Grech sits down with former Labour deputy leader and president Daniel Micallef and former PN chief of staff Ray Bezzina to dissect the campaign narratives, the long-term economic impact of today’s pledges, the racism directed at Omar Rababah, and the growing debate over o...

Prime Minister Robert Abela has called an early general election for May 30.The campaign’s opening days have already seen a wave of pledges and voter-focused measures, as the main parties begin to draw their battle lines.

With the Labour government firmly in the driving seat and making full use of its incumbency advantage, the question remains: can the Nationalist Party, led by a relatively new leader, close the gap and defy the opinion polls?

In the first political Times Talk podcast of the campaign, Herman Grech, editor-in-chief of Times of Malta, sits down with Ku...

The youngest daughter of Ġiġa and Leli Camilleri has called for the reopening of the Twannie Aquilina murder case, claiming her parents were wrongfully convicted of a brutal crime committed by someone else.

In a rare and emotional interview on Times Talk, Marthese Camilleri insisted that her brother was sexually assaulted before his throat was slit – a detail she claims was confirmed by an autopsy but never emerged in court.

Accompanied by the Times Talk team, Marthese returned to the very flat in St Dominic Street, Valletta, where the murder occu...

Broadcaster Peppi Azzopardi said he learned English as a young boy because the school he went to forced students to wear a sign around their neck that read: ‘I must speak in English’.

And while he admitted the sign was demeaning, he insisted that it propelled him to learn English, as his parents did not know how to speak the language.

Azzopardi was defending his controversial Popolin proposals during a heated exchange on the latest Times Talk episode. Poet and writer professor Immanuel Mifsud and pedagogy expert Jacqueline Zammit were also on the pane...

There is a Russian oil tanker adrift about 100km to the South East of Malta right now.

Its crew abandoned it two weeks ago after it was hit by a huge explosion.

Russia hasn't come to pick it up and no country - including Malta - will touch it.

Still though, all eyes are on it, as it is loaded with some 700 tonnes of fuel and it could blow up.

In a 20-minute episode that will be out on Wednesday, Times Talk...

What are the chances that aliens are real? And if they are, what do they look like, where are they and how come they never visit? And if they were to visit, how would they even do it?

Is time travel to the past and to the future possible? It turns out it is – at least one way.

And what is the likelihood that there are other worlds like ours out there? The short answer is: very likely. The long answer is even more interesting.

In a wi...

Forty-six years ago, a man walked into Castille with a gun.

Gunshots rang out. The man was dragged out bleeding. He was accused of trying to kill Prime Minister Dom Mintoff.

That same day, thugs destroyed Times of Malta offices and ransacked the home of Mintoff’s rival, Eddie Fenech Adami.

In this episode, Times Talk explores one of the darkest days in Malta's modern history.

There was no single news event that overshadowed all other Times of Malta headlines in 2025.

But that does not mean it was a year without interesting events.

From a building collapse in Paceville to family tragedies, the (second) rise of Donald Trump and the potential sale of HSBC Malta, Times of Malta journalists were kept busy right to the end of the year.

In this episode, Mark Laurence Zammit sits down with Times of Malta editor-in-chief Herman Grech, online editor Bertrand Borg, print editor Anthony Manduca and news editor Diana...

In a world often dominated by bad, sometimes even depressing, news, Times of Malta journalists Mark Laurence Zammit, Emma Borg and Daniel Ellul sat down to look back on just the happiest stories of 2025.

Former Chamber President Marisa Xuereb said most people can only produce top quality work for five hours a day

A five-hour work day is sufficient for most employees to produce high-quality work in today’s technology-driven economy, according to former Chamber president Marisa Xuereb.

Speaking on Times Talk, the long-time entrepreneur and employer said most people including herself can only produce top quality work for five hours a day, and if they worked for 25 hours a week (five hours a day for five days) they would likely produce around the same amount of...

Adrian Delia and Jonathan Attard clashed in their first face-to-face debate since the conclusion of international arbitration between Malta and Steward Health Care, during a Times Talk episode filmed on Wednesday.

Throughout the fiery debate, the pair butted heads over who emerged on top in the arbitration proceedings, whether the government could have pursued a different legal route, and what the tribunal actually said about a €400 million sum supposedly stolen by Steward.

Armed with a stack of meticulously annotated documents in hand, almost certainly the various court sentences, reports and rulings handed do...

When Karl Schembri was a boy, his father carried a dark and unspoken history – years of sexual abuse at the hands of a priest.

The trauma left deep scars, and as an adult, his father’s mind began to unravel. The voices that haunted him eventually drove him to commit an unthinkable act: the murder of Schembri’s mother.

Schembri, an author, journalist and activist, has now finally broken a decades-long silence through his new novel Eħlisna mid-Deni (Deliver us from Evil).

He tells Times Talk the book - a work of fiction...

Days after announcing major tax cuts for parents, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana tells Mark Laurence Zammit he is not happy with people who are upset that families are to get some extra help.

In a one-hour interview about Budget 2026 measures, Caruana also speaks frankly about mass public transport, worker productivity and the end of cash-for-passports income.

Traffic has become the single biggest problem with living in Malta. Transport Malta's traffic team is responsible for ensuring it flows smoothly.

We joined the team on a Monday morning as they monitored traffic flows, cleared roads and responded to crashes.

Michael Stivala is one the country's biggest developers and president of the Malta Development Association (MDA). Wayne Flask is a long-time environmental activist and secretary general of the NGO Il-Kollettiv.

The two agree on almost nothing when it comes to construction and development - which is why this week they went head to head in this Times Talk debate on the highly controversial planning reform.

A woman was convinced she was chatting on Facebook with Pope Leo XIV and was sending him money for his projects – and she simply did not believe Bank of Valletta when it told her the ‘pope’ was a scammer.

Another man lost his life savings to a fictitious Canadian woman whom he chatted with for months, and after she took all his money, he went to look for her abroad, only to discover the address she gave him didn’t exist.

And another woman spent seven years and €170,000 trying to buy a dog that n...

Alex Borg won a nail-biter of a leadership race a week ago. Now, as Malta's new Opposition leader, he must lead the PN out of the political doldrums and make it electable once again.

In this Times Talk interview, the PN's new leader speaks about the party's future and finances, his relationship with leadership rival Adrian Delia and perceptions that he is close to big business.

As Times of Malta celebrates its 90th year, we speak to editor-in-chief Herman Grech and deputy online editor Chris Scicluna about 50 years of history and news in Malta.

Grech has overseen the Times' shift from a primarily print-based newspaper to an online one. Scicluna joined the Times of Malta newsroom 45 years ago, following in his father's footsteps.

Together, the two recall some of the most significant events in Malta's modern history in his interview with Mark Laurence Zammit

Planning Minister Clint Camilleri found himself in the eye of a storm right in the middle of July this year - and it was a storm of his own doing.

Proposals to reform planning laws caught people off guard and led to howls of outrage, as activists noted they would effectively give the Planning Authority unfettered power.

Now, Camilleri says the critics are right.

In this exclusive interview, the minister vows to revoke many of the proposals' most controversial clauses, while arguing others parts of the reform are necessary.

"Despite our...

Karl Gouder was one of the PN's brightest young hopes. He had served as a mayor and as an MP, and was months away from being made the party's general secretary.

Then, one morning last September, Gouder took his own life.

In this Times Talk exclusive, Karl Gouder's brother Simon opens up about that tragedy and the days leading up to it.

We also speak to a young man who survived multiple suicide attempts, and psychiatrist professor Anton Grech and Richmond Foundation CEO Daniela Calleja about men's mental health and the risks of...

One is a lawyer, the other a TV presenter.

But for the next few weeks, Cynthia Galea and Sarah Bajada have had to put part of their personal lives and careers on hold to support their partners, who are running to be the country's next opposition leader and - they hope - the next prime minister.

In this episode of Times Talk, Adrian Delia's partner Cynthia and Alex Borg's partner Sarah, bring Mark Laurence Zammit behind the scenes on the campaign trail.

The Nationalist Party has forbidden Adrian Delia and Alex Borg from debating each other as they compete to become the party's next leader.

So we had to adapt.

In this Times Talk episode, we interview the two candidates separately about their vision for the Opposition party, but present their replies to you in a single take.

Toni Abela was a key figure in Malta's political scene before transitioning to the judiciary.

A former president and deputy leader of the Labour Party, Abela can now add 'retired judge' to that resume, having served for nine years in the judiciary.

In this rare interview, Abela reveals what it's like to be a judge in Malta and opens up about how the power of deciding a person's fate weighed on him.

The Nationalist Party is at a crossroads, again.

Bernard Grech’s surprise decision to step aside midway through the legislature caught the party off guard. And with Roberta Metsola deciding not to contest, the PN’s future appears uncertain.

Lou Bondi played a key role within the PN during its electoral heyday. George Vital Zammit was tasked by the party’s outgoing leader with writing its electoral manifesto.

In this Times Talk episode, we ask these two thinkers where the PN got it wrong, and what it needs to do to get back on tra...

Joseph Portelli and Andre Callus met for the first time in their lives at the top of Mercury Towers, for a Times Talk debate that saw the two trade talking points, accusations and even the odd insult.

Portelli is one of Malta’s biggest construction moguls. Callus is arguably Malta’s best-known environmental activist. It is safe to say there is little love lost between the two.

The hour-long debate was moderated by Times of Malta assistant editor Mark Laurence Zammit.

Cardinal Mario Grech was among a handful of names mentioned in Catholic circles as being a potential successor to the late Pope Francis.

In this exclusive interview recorded inside the Vatican, Cardinal Grech says he was relieved he was not the man chosen to lead the Catholic Church.

Cardinal Grech sheds light on the conclave that led to the election of Pope Leo XIV and also touches on various challenges the Church faces, including the problem of many priests not wanting to become bishops.

Bajd u Bejken has carved out a particular niche in Malta's podcasting landscape. Crude, rude and dark, the comedy show has attracted a dedicated audience that delights in its brand of humour.

The laughs stopped this month, though, when the show was accused of humiliating Terry Muscat, a transgender social media personality.

One of the show's three hosts apologised and quit.

In this exclusive interview, Times Talk speaks to the remaining two, Max Vassallo and PJ Xerxen, about that joke, their plans for the show and whether there should be red lines in...

Rebecca Buttigieg has unveiled government proposals for 'Assisted Voluntary Euthanasia' - proposals that, if they become law, would grant people the right to die in certain circumstances.

Although the proposals are not a draft bill yet, they could lead to one, and on Times Talk, Buttigieg fields questions on what could go wrong if the country were to introduce some form of euthanasia.

As cardinals gather in Rome to select the Catholic Church's next leader, Times Talk speaks to Ambassador and Vatican expert Frank Zammit about the conclave and its mysteries.

Zammit explains how the process will unfold and why he believes it could take slightly longer than usual for a puff of white smoke to emerge from the chapel chimney.

He also weighs in on the internal politics that take centre stage during the event, in an election meant to be the work of the holy spirit.

Four men are in the dock, charged with playing a key role in two separate murders.

One of those killings, the 2017 assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, is arguably the most significant crime in Malta's history.

In this episode, Mark Laurence Zammit speaks to Times of Malta court reporter Monique Agius and online editor Bertrand Borg about the ongoing trial. This episode was recorded on April 29, 2025.

Malta’s new traffic plan has everyone talking but will it actually reduce traffic? In this week’s Times Talk, we sit down with Chris Bonett to clear the air: Who really qualifies for the €25k car grant? What happens if people just switch to cabs? And is asking young people to ride motorbikes really a viable solution? Bonett admits traffic won’t be solved overnight but says a cultural shift is the goal.

A new, groundbreaking discovery has revealed that Malta's human history is at least 1,000 years older than previously thought.

In this episode of Times Talk we meet the first people of Malta - hunter-gatherers who reached the island 1,000 earlier than previously believed, navigating vast open waters before the age of agriculture.

Times Talk follows the journey of the scientists that traced back these prehistoric pioneers and redefined what we thought we knew about the dawn of civilisation in the Mediterranean.

This episode was produced by Mark Laurence Zammit and edited by Karl Andrew Micallef. <...

In this week's episode of Times Talk, we sit down with the unstoppable Jamie Cardona.

Cardona has been on an incredible winning streak this past year - writing and performing in Malta's longest-running solo show, starring in critically acclaimed musical and theatre productions and now, winning the prestigious music competition Mużika Mużika at the first attempt.

Mark Laurence Zammit sits down with Cardona to learn more about what makes him tick, and what he makes of his sudden burst of success.

This episode was edited by Karl Andrew Micallef.

Malta’s nightlife is fueling a rise in cocaine use, with Valletta emerging as a hotspot for open drug consumption.

Times of Malta investigation reveals how the drug culture has seeped into bars, bathrooms, and beyond.

Mark Laurence Zammit speaks to Times of Malta journalists Marc Galdes and Emma Borg as well as medical experts Anton Grech and Godwin Sammut to explore the seedier side of Maltese nightlife.

Hosted by Mark Laurence Zammit. Edited by Karl Andrew Micallef.

Malta’s COVID-19 response was among the best globally, but former Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Chris Fearne acknowledged areas for improvement.

Corradino Correctional Facility is Malta's only prison. It is home to 673 men and 59 women serving time or awaiting trial. And yet very little is known about it, or about prison life in Malta.

Mark Laurence Zammit was granted an exclusive, unprecedented four-hour filmed tour of the facility by prisons director Chris Siegersma, one month after a damning report by the Ombudsman which saw Corradino described as a "factory of evil" by one inmate.

This is what he saw.

Produced by Mark Lawrence Zammit. Filmed by the Correctional Services Agency. Edited by Karl Andrew...