Latest news in Malta? September 18th, 2026

Severe Weather and Disruptions: Malta woke up to heavy rain and gusty winds, leading the meteorological office to issue an orange warning. The squall caused scattered power outages across Gozo (including Victoria, Fontana, and Xewkija) and northern parts of Malta.

EU Solidarity Funding: The European Commission put forward a proposal to allocate €3.72 million from the EU Solidarity Fund to assist Malta with infrastructure repair and recovery costs stemming from recent major storm damage.

Rule-of-Law Protests: Demonstrations organized by civil society groups and international press freedom advocates continue in Valletta and Brussels, demanding accountability and legislative reforms following the verdict in the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder proceedings.

Pre-Budget Talks: Prime Minister Robert Abela engaged in formal consultation talks with the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) at the Auberge de Castille, focusing on tourism enforcement, island connectivity, and economic targets ahead of the upcoming national budget.

EU Border Control Delays: Malta remains among several European Union member states actively seeking phased implementation and extra preparation time from Brussels for the bloc’s biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) at national border crossings.