Neville Borg

Fact-check Malta: Is Malta’s Cabinet receiving a salary raise?

November 7, 2025 A series of social media posts posted by opposition party PN in the immediate aftermath of the annual budget held on Monday October 27 sparked a debate over pay raises for Malta’s Cabinet ministers. The posts compared the weekly COLA increase (cost-of-living adjustment, a sum handed out to compensate for inflation) given […]

Fact-check Malta: Is Malta’s Cabinet receiving a salary raise? Read More »

Fact-check Malta: AI-generated videos of unusual incidents on Malta’s streets

November 4, 2025 A series of AI generated videos posted in recent days showing unusual sightings in Malta’s streets have duped many people into believing they are real. The videos range from plausible events, such as photorealistic depictions of near-traffic accidents, to seemingly implausible, such as the sight of exotic animals freely roaming Malta’s streets.

Fact-check Malta: AI-generated videos of unusual incidents on Malta’s streets Read More »

Fact-check Malta: Scammers use fatal car crash to solicit fake donations

October 21, 2025 Claim: The family of a tragic car crash are requesting donations through a Facebook page. Verdict: The Facebook page was set up by scammers, hoping to defraud people of their funds. Online scammers are soliciting donations in the name of Sandra and Kevin Bonnici, one of the two couples who died tragically in

Fact-check Malta: Scammers use fatal car crash to solicit fake donations Read More »

Fact-check Malta: What does a proposed planning reform say about regularising illegal properties?

October 13, 2025 Claim: A proposed reform to planning laws only allows illegal developments to be regularised if a small part of the development is illegal Verdict: The proposed laws allow people to apply to have an entire illegal development regularised, not just a small part of it.   A fiery debate between Michael Stivala,

Fact-check Malta: What does a proposed planning reform say about regularising illegal properties? Read More »

Fact-check Malta: What happened at the Għargħur local council?

May 27, 2025 The local council of the sleepy town of Għargħur has hit the front pages in recent weeks, after councillors ousted the mayor, flipping the council’s previous PN majority to a PL-led one. The turmoil led to protests and earnest appeals for new elections, with several people across social media painting conflicting pictures

Fact-check Malta: What happened at the Għargħur local council? Read More »

Fact-check Malta: Why was a Gaza-bound aid ship attacked near Malta?

May 12, 2025 On Friday 2 May, Malta woke up to the alarming news that the Conscience, a ship operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, had been attacked some 26km off its eastern coast. The ship was reportedly en route to Gaza, carrying humanitarian aid when it was attacked. The news quickly drew international attention

Fact-check Malta: Why was a Gaza-bound aid ship attacked near Malta? Read More »

Fact check Malta: Labour Party supporters use AI to turn civil society protest into a partisan battle

April 14, 2025  Supporters of Malta’s Labour Party are sharing photorealistic AI-generated images in partisan Facebook groups that attempt to portray opposition leader Bernard Grech at a civil society protest in the capital city of  Valletta. A protest was held by a number of local NGOs on 2nd April 2025 outside the parliament building in

Fact check Malta: Labour Party supporters use AI to turn civil society protest into a partisan battle Read More »

Fact-check Malta: Fishing for attention – AI-generated videos making waves

March 10, 2025 AI-generated videos are filling social media feeds, and they are looking increasingly real, even if logic suggests otherwise. Take this video, for example, which is currently doing the rounds on Instagram. It appears to show a team of fishermen out at sea hauling a mammoth oyster onto their boat. They proceed to

Fact-check Malta: Fishing for attention – AI-generated videos making waves Read More »