Times Talk by Times of Malta
A Times of Malta podcast that takes a closer look at the stories shaping Malta today. Hosted by award-winning journalist and assistant editor Mark Laurence Zammit.
Episodes
Times Talk - The trial of Yorgen Fenech week 1
The trial of Yorgen Fenech, who is charged in connection with the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, is one of the most consequential criminal trials in Malta's history.Three days into the proceedings, Mark Laurence Zammit sits down with Times of Malta's court correspondent Clara Farrugia to unpack the prosecution's opening case, explain how the jury was selected and discuss what to expect in the w
The winners and losers of Malta's general election
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.
Times Talk: The secret life of your ballot
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
Times Talk - Are election polls lying to us?
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 give
Times Talk - Entitled voters, shackled leaders
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 makin
Times Talk - The elephants in Malta’s election room
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
Times Talk - Power, underdogs, and a supermarket of promises
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 lea
Twannie The mystery around Malta's schoolboy murder
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
The controversy: Bil-Malti or in English?
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 durin
Times Talk: A tanker adrift
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
Times Talk: Some of the biggest mysteries of the universe explained
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 answe
The shooting that sparked Black Monday
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.
How Times of Malta editors saw 2025 | Times Talk
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 si
Times Talk: Happiest Stories of 2025
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.
Times Talk: A five-hour work day should be enough, employer insists
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
Watch: Delia and Attard clash in fiery Times Talk debate
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
'My father killed my mother. How do you talk about that?'
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-lon
Clyde Caruana: 'I don't want the Maltese to become extinct'
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.
A morning with Transport Malta handling rush hour traffic | Times Talk
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.
Wayne Flask and Michael Stivala go head to head on Times Talk
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&n
Times Talk: The scammers targeting Malta
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
Can Alex Borg make the PN win again?
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.
The journalists on the frontline of Malta's history
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 s
Clint Camilleri: Good intentions, bad planning
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 mi
We need to talk about suicide
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 att
Cynthia Galea & Sarah Bajada
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 L
Adrian Delia & Alex Borg
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.
The lonely life of a judge
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
PN at a crossroads, again
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
Joseph Portelli vs Andre Callus
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
The man who would not be Pope
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 cha
Bajd u Bejken: A joke too far?
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 inter
The right to die
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.
Conclave
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
The Daphne bomb trial
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 o
Is Chris Bonett's traffic plan just a detour?
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
The first Maltese
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 th
Jamie Cardona's winning streak
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
Malta's not-so-secret cocaine scene
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 nigh
What a pandemic taught Chris Fearne
Malta’s COVID-19 response was among the best globally, but former Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Chris Fearne acknowledged areas for improvement.
Inside Malta's Corradino prison
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 d
Ian Borg, the man with many plans
Foreign affairs minister. Tourism minister. Deputy prime minister.If Ian Borg's many hats are weighing him down, he doesn't show it. In this interview with Mark Laurence Zammit, Borg - one of Malta's most powerful and recognisable politicians - delves into his plans to reform the tourism sector, "fix" Comino and adapt Malta's diplomatic neutrality to the geopolitics of today. This episode was prod
Jason vs Jason
You'd be hard-pressed to find two political figures more different than Jason Azzopardi and Jason Micallef. They share a first name and a flair for bombastic posts on social media. The similarities end there. Azzopardi is a lawyer and former Nationalist Party MP who crusades against the Labour government. Micallef is a Labour official who has vocally defended Labour figures facing corruption all
Yorgen Fenech's bail
Yorgen Fenech is out of prison, more than five years after he was taken into police custody and charged with complicity in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. We still don't know when Fenech - the millionaire heir to the Tumas Group fortune - will stand trial on those charges. What we do know is that he will be sleeping at home until that happens. Times of Malta journalist Claudia Calleja was i
The Biggest Industrial Disaster in Malta's History
On February 2, 1995, a blast rang out at the Malta Drydocks.The Um el Faroud, a Libyan oil tanker, had exploded "like a tin can". Nine people lost their lives. 30 years on, we revisit that disaster with the help of two people who were among the first to reach the scene: court analyst and University of Malta Rector Alfred Vella and Times of Malta deputy online editor Chris Scicluna. 
The realities facing African migrants in Malta
In Marsa, dozens of migrants wait by the roadside every morning, hoping to be picked up for casual construction work. Sarjo Conteh, a 31-year-old Gambian man who died in a construction site collapse on July 23, was one of them. On this episode, we hear the stories of some of those men. In part two, we catch up with Claudio Camilleri, a marathon runner who found time to stop and help a stranded tou
Could the unsolved murder case of Lino Cauchi be reopened?
Lino Cauchi's murder remains one of the great unsolved cases in Maltese criminal history. Cauchi vanished in 1982, but his body wasn’t discovered until three years later. His family are now seeking compensation for how the investigation was handled by police and the government at the time. We speak to forensic expert Anthony Abela Medici, who was one of the first people to go down the well where C
Why is the Nationalist Party in such turmoil?
The Nationalist Party is reeling. Its leader, Adrian Delia, has lost the trust of most of his MPs but is refusing to give up the party leadership. In this episode, Times of Malta journalist Ivan Martin explains how the PN got here and where things may end up in the weeks to come. In part two, we speak to ultra-runner Claudio Camilleri, who’s attempting to run 190km around Malta and Gozo later this
Should Malta's colonial monuments be relocated?
All across the world, protest movements are tearing down monuments and statues which represent more divisive moments in different countries' histories. Is there a case for Malta to do something similar? On this episode, historians Charles Xuereb and Simon Cusens debate whether some of Malta’s colonial monuments should be removed or relocated. In part two, we speak to John Edward DeMicoli about his
Should you be worried about Malta reopening to tourists?
Malta International Airport reopened its doors to commercial airlines on July 1, after more than three months of coronavirus-imposed shutdown. We speak to some of the first tourists to visit Malta in the summer of 2020. In part two of this episode, we ask epidemiologist Neville Calleja what Malta has done right during the pandemic and get his take on whether we should be concerned about a second w
Money, Montenegro and an alleged murder mastermind
Times of Malta journalist Jacob Borg explains how he worked with Reuters to expose a 2015 deal linking Malta's energy provider Enemalta to the man accused of masterminding the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. Borg was speaking before former minister Konrad Mizzi was kicked out of the Labour Party and economic crimes unit chief Ian Abdilla was replaced. In part two of the episode, expats who used
A former police chief is linked to a journalist's murder case
Former police commissioner Lawrence Cutajar is now the subject of a criminal investigation over suspicions he may have tipped off a middleman in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. Hours before that probe began, he sat down with Times of Malta for an exclusive interview. Ivan Martin provides insight into the latest developments in a case that keeps twisting and turning. In part two of this episo
Do black lives matter in Malta?
We take to the streets of Valletta and speak to people who attended a Black Lives Matter demonstration and ask if they think Malta has a problem with racism. In part two of the episode, we hear from swimmer Neil Agius about how he's preparing - mentally and physically - to cross from Sicily to Malta later this month. Find out more at https://times-talk.pinecast.co
A politician is named in the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder case
Chris Cardona's name has swirled around the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder case in the past. But this week, the former minister was thrown right into the thick of things. Times of Malta's Ivan Martin walks us through the latest developments in the case of the century. Plus, teenager Leon Bartolo talks about the strains of being a student in Malta, after a global study found that local 15-year-olds
Can Malta's economy survive the COVID-19 pandemic?
How will Malta fare economically once the pandemic blows over? Economist and financial adviser JP Fabri gives his prediction on how the country will weather the fallout from COVID-19. We also speak to national long jump record-holder Claire Azzopardi about the mental challenges she faced when training during lockdown. Find out more at https://times-talk.pinecast.co
Adoption: Why is it increasing in Malta?
We speak to Angie Farrugia, who cannot fly to India to pick up her newly-adopted daughter because airports are shut due to COVID-19. Angie is one of a growing number of Maltese choosing to adopt a child. Shirley Mifsud from one of Malta's three private adoption agencies tells us why it's becoming more popular. Plus, Times of Malta reporter Claire Caruana talks us through the challenges the media h
Migration: Will the crisis in Libya push more people towards Malta?
With the situation in Libya deteriorating because of civil war and now coronavirus, will more people try and make it to Malta to escape the desperate situation? Regional expert Mark Micallef explains what life is like in the north African country. Plus: wondering if you should get swabbed for COVID-19? Times of Malta online editor Bertrand Borg went and took the test, all in the name of research.
Tourism: How one organisation is battling COVID-19 fallout
Heritage Malta CEO Noel Zammit explains how he plans to keep the organisation alive during the coming months, without the income from tourists who usually visit Malta's museums and heritage sites. Plus, musician Glenn Sacco talks about his virtual collaboration with rock legend Jon Bon Jovi. Background reading: 'Tourism will be the last sector to recover' Find out more at https://times-talk.pineca
How relevant is the Catholic Church in Malta in 2020?
Archbishop Charles Scicluna discusses whether the Catholic Church is relevant in Maltese society anymore. He also shares his thoughts on greed, social media and hate speech. Plus, marine biologist Alan Deidun tells us how and why he believes wildlife is thriving across the islands since the COVD-19 pandemic forced us all indoors. Background reading: Archbishop slams 'cardboard institutions with no
Coronavirus: Malta's doctor, Charmaine Gauci
She's become a household name ever since coronavirus reached Malta in early March. But who is Charmaine Gauci? We speak to the Superintendent of Public Health to get to know her a little better. Plus, Times of Malta journalist Jacob Borg explains how Malta gets its electricity, what are the rules it must play by, and why those contracts make it tricky for the government to lower utility rates. Bac
Coronavirus: Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne
Seven weeks into the coronavirus pandemic lockdown, Malta's deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne discusses how and when he feels restrictions will be lifted, and warns "this might not be the only pandemic we see in our lifetime". In the second part of the episode, we speak to a Maltese teen activist who managed to secure a one-hour meeting with Prime Minister Robert Abela to discuss the rights of mi
Coronavirus: How long will this last?
As those living in Malta continue to stay indoors to stop the spread of COVID19, we ask epidemiologist Neville Calleja what the options are when it comes to reopening the country and staying safe. And 100 days into the tenure of Prime Minister Robert Abela, we speak to Times of Malta editor-in-chief Herman Grech about how Malta's new leader is handling the hot seat. Background reading: https://www
