Updated
Joint Police Patrols Between Italy and Malta Launched to Enhance Public Safety in Tourist Areas: Italy and Malta have launched joint summer police patrols as part of a new bilateral security initiative to enhance public safety in tourist areas, especially for Italian-speaking visitors. The agreement, signed in December 2024, sees eight Italian Polizia di Stato officers deployed in two rotations between July 21 and August 17. Unarmed and without executive powers, they will patrol alongside Maltese police in hotspots like Valletta and St Julian’s, focusing on crime prevention, public order, and assisting Italian nationals. The initiative supports Malta’s Police Transformation Strategy and reflects a strong commitment to international law enforcement cooperation, with potential for future summers. Similar joint patrols by Maltese officers have also occurred in France.
Women More Likely to Run Out of Money in Retirement: The book Well-being and Policy – Evidence for Action highlights that women are at greater risk of poverty in old age due to caregiving roles, lower earnings, and shorter working lives. Women receive pensions 25–30% lower than men’s, tied to the gender pay gap and unpaid care work. In Malta, the gender pension gap exceeds 45%, one of the widest in Europe. The book, featuring 41 authors from 18 countries, also finds that women value job flexibility and social connection more than high earnings. Parenthood affects women’s mental health more severely due to time pressures. It calls for policies addressing gender norms and caregiving roles. On ageing, the book stresses resilience and social support as key to elderly well-being, especially as Europe’s ageing population grows.
Red Weather Warning: Malta Braces for 40°C Temperatures on Tuesday: A red weather warning has been issued for Malta as temperatures are expected to hit 40°C on Tuesday, with a “feels-like” temperature of 42°C. The alert follows the launch of a new system by the Health Ministry and Meteorological Office, which sends text warnings for heatwaves. The heat is set to continue through the week, with highs ranging from 32°C to 40°C. The UV index will reach an extreme level of 11 on Wednesday. Temperatures will drop sharply to 30°C on Sunday—below Malta’s July average of 31–32°C. Authorities urge residents to stay hydrated, avoid peak sun hours, wear protective clothing, and monitor public health updates.
Morning Briefing
Finance Minister describes KM Malta pilots demands as greed
Finance Minister Clyde Caruana has strongly criticised the industrial action taken by airline pilots on Monday, labelling it “greedy”, “unjust”, and a form of union “bullying”. The Airline Pilots’ Union launched a series of measures in protest over issues with KM Malta Airlines, including a refusal to allow passengers to board during refuelling – a move that risks delaying flights. The union claims the dispute centres on concerns over staff seniority, disciplinary procedures, and pilot safety. Caruana, however, described most of these concerns as minor and stressed that recruitment processes had already been agreed during the Air Malta transition. Highlighting the €400 million cost to taxpayers, he said the union’s stance runs counter to the public interest. He urged citizens to stand up to what he called ongoing “summer blackmail”. (Times of Malta)
Malta’s working life among longest in EU
A recent Eurostat study shows that people in Malta aged 15 and over can expect an average working life of 39 years — the tenth longest in the EU. This is nearly two years longer than the EU average of 37.2 years. Maltese men are estimated to work for 42.3 years, seven more than their female counterparts at 35.4 years. The figures reflect the country’s high participation in the labour force, but also highlight persistent gender disparities. Malta’s male average is three years longer than the overall EU male average of 39.2. Iceland topped the list at 46.3 years, while Romania and Italy had the shortest spans at just under 33 years. Malta continues to show strong employment longevity in a European context. (The Malta Independent)
NGOs call for urgent access to HIV prevention
A group of Maltese NGOs, led by Checkpoint Malta and Aditus Foundation, are urging government to fulfil its promise of free HIV prevention treatments. Despite submitting feedback on Malta’s Sexual Health Strategy four months ago, the coalition said that it has received no official reply. In 2024, Malta saw 113 new HIV cases — the highest in ten years — bringing total active cases to 754. The groups highlight delays in access to PrEP and PEP, two treatments crucial to preventing transmission. Both were promised in the 2022 electoral manifesto and included in the long-overdue 2024 strategy. Government has said a new treatment tender will cover PrEP and PEP, but NGOs insist that immediate action is now critical. (Newsbook)
