This past month was packed with events. First came the Malta Song for Europe festival, followed by Carnival, which led into the beginning of Lent, while the election of the new PN leader brought the month to an end.

We followed all of this through the various online features presented by the MaltaMedia Online Network, and encourage you to look at all the online material archived for each of these events, especially if you haven't seen any of it yet.

March this year should be a little less hectic than last year. We will not have to endure another electoral campaign as we did last year. If, for some reason or other, you're nostalgic for all that, you can always visit MaltaMedia's special feature on the Road to Europe.

As you can see, we have created an online scrapbook of events in the Maltese Islands. This is an essential part of the legacy for which this website was created 10 years ago.

Toni Sant
Consulting Editor, aboutmalta.com

P.S. To subscribe to this newsletter just contact us.

1. Last Month's Daily News from MaltaMedia
2. Top Picks:
     a. Picking a New PN Leader
     b. 2004 Carnival in Malta & Gozo
3. This Month in Maltese History
4. What's On This Month

01 Jurors find Meinrad Calleja not guilty
02 PM says it's time for Malta to review its criminal justice system
03 Drug victim dumped in front of Detox Centre
04 Newspapers say Dr. Eddie Fenech Adami’s resignation imminent
05 Maltese language problems persist in Brussels
06 Malta recognises Libya's initiatives towards disarmament
07 PN could have a new leader on the 28th February
08 EFA uncertain of leadership contest outcome although backing Gonzi
09 President de Marco meets Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi
10 Pat Cox will investigate MLP's legal actions
11 Toddler dies after falling in swimming pool
12 Suspect bird eggs from Malta seized at Australian airport
13 FoE urges MEPA to refuse landfills proposal
14 Julie & Ludwig to represent Malta at the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest
15 Unanimous approval of MLP's resolution during mass demonstration
16 National lottery licence privatised
17 Latvian President discusses relations between Malta and Latvia
18 GRTU demands amendment of the new anti-smoking regulations
19 Elderly couple injured when their house roof collapsed in Sliema
20 Commissioner Kinnock wraps up Malta visit
21 Warmest February day ever recorded
22 Twelve persons arrested in several drug raids
23 Carnival celebrations in full swing
24 German Chancellor positive of strengthening relations between Malta and Germany
25 Gozitan Bishop Mons. Nikol Cauchi offers resignation
26 Two men held in connection with Gozitan woman's murder
27 Nine-year-old girl on danger list following traffic accident
28 John Dalli withdraws his candidature, paving the way to Gonzi
29 Fourteen airlines to increase Malta flights

Read and/or listen to the latest daily news from MaltaMedia.com.

a. Picking a New PN Leader

Full coverage of the selection process for the new PN leader to replace Dr. Eddie Fenech Adami. The MaltaMedia.com newsroom followed the candidates - John Dalli, Louis Galea, and Lawrence Gonzi - over the weeks before the internal election held within the Nationalist Party, all the way to the voting result and the aftermath of the selection. You can express your viewpoints in the related message board about the selection of Dr. Gonzi as the new PN leader and his eventual appointment as Malta's first Prime Minister during its membership in the European Union.
 

b. 2004 Carnival in Malta & Gozo

Now that the 2004 carnival is over, this annual feature takes a look at the various aspects of carnival in Malta - from the spontaneity of the Nadur carnival to the months of hard work involved in creating a float for the parade in Valletta.

30 YEARS AGO (31 March 1974)
Official inauguration of Air Malta, the National Maltese Airline

20 YEARS AGO (1 March 1984)
Tourism Minister Joe Grima is interviewed by Mike Bongiorno during the popular telequiz SuperFlash on the Italian TV station Canale 5.

10 YEARS AGO (1 March 1994)
Telemalta launches the Freephone service

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS
1 March 1954: Paul Abela, Composer
8 March 1968: Ray Calleja, Actor/TV Presenter
9 March 1940: Maria Sciberras, Medical Doctor
30 March 1913: Censu Tabone, President of the Republic (1989-1994)

DEATH ANNIVERSARIES
7 March 1997: Frank Ganado, Actor, dies at 84
17 March 1996: Vitorin Galea, Actress, dies at 67
28 March 1885: Adelaide Cini, Philanthropist, dies
31 March 1972: Giuseppe Pace, Bishop of Gozo, dies at 82

See aboutmalta.com's daily full list of birthdays, deaths, and events in Maltese history.

Today in Maltese History is produced exclusively for aboutmalta.com by Mario Axiaq.

5 March 2004
Arnold Cassola Book Launch
The European Federation of Green Parties will launch Arnold Cassola's new book A Maltese in the European Parliament (1999-2003) at the Phoenicia in Floriana.

6-7 + 13-14 March 2004
Caligula
Teatru Menz presents Caligula under the direction of Zep Camilleri at the MITP Theatre in Valletta.

13 March 2004
The Broadband Gathering
Eight local rock bands jam-packed into one night at the Buskett Roadhouse in Rabat; show starts at 6:30pm.

20 March 2004
Global Day of Action against War and Occupation
To mark the one-year anniversary of the U.S. bombing and invasion of Iraq, a public peace-march is being held at 1.00 pm moving from Blata l-Bajda to Freedom Square in Valletta, where a music concert will be staged at the end of the peace-march.

Of special note:
The Beangrowers will be playing live gigs in the USA on the following dates:
Friday 19 March - Austin, Texas: The Fox and Hound, 9pm
Tuesday 23 March - New York City: Sin-e, 9pm

View aboutmalta.com's full calendar for this month's events in Malta and Gozo, or to submit a future event to our calendar.