When I first visited Grazio’s Malta Virtwali in April 1996 I was just starting to explore this new medium that has changed my life. Three years later I joined the MaltaMedia Online Network and here I am now filling-in for Toni Sant, who will be back at the helm within the next few days.

September is truly a month of transition. Autumn drags in, tanned children reluctantly prepare their school bags and the Maltese summer days become visibly shorter and gradually cooler. It’s also a month of transition for us at aboutmalta.com. While Toni is crossing the Atlantic to start a new life in the United Kingdom, I’m moving to Luxembourg for the start of a new career as I take on my new role as Managing Editor for aboutmalta.com.

Yet, much remains to be done in the coming months on aboutmalta.com. We’re preparing to mark the tenth anniversary of this pioneering project started by Grazio Falzon in 1994, and in the meantime we’re also eager to announce new additions to the MaltaMedia Online Network. More about all that next month.

We hope you like the contents we've chosen for this month's aboutmalta.com newsletter, and welcome your suggestions on how we can improve it to serve you better.

Sliem,

Pierre J. Mejlak
Managing 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. MaltaWeather.com
     b. A September to Remember
3. This Month in Maltese History
4. What's On This Month

01 Mario Ellul dies after performing at Casino di Venezia
02 MCESD prepares to discuss social pact
03 Price of Maltese bread loaves increases by one cent
04 Internet subscriptions reach over 80,600 by June 2004
05 Budget 2005 aimed at regenerating Malta's financial situation
06 Woman wanted over fraud at British court currently in Malta
07 Youth dies in traffic accident
08 Malta described as "an expensive holiday"
09 Illegal immigrants die on their way to Italy
10 Malta's youth unemployment level at 17.4 percent
11 Seismic research to establish new oil rig location
12 Joe Borg assigned fisheries portfolio in new EU Commission
13 Air Malta Boeing makes emergency landing at MIA
14 Malta with extremely high rates of software piracy, survey reveals
15 The Maltese Islands celebrate Santa Marija
16 Malta's wine industry suffers blow after EU accession
17 William Chetcuti achieves the best ever placing in the Olympic Games
18 Another 25 illegal immigrants rescued and brought to Malta
19 Lm 143,500 raised during 19th Malta Volleyball Marathon 2004
20 Thirty-four illegal immigrants reach Maltese land
21 Fire breaks out at the Malta International Airport
22 Malta gets a long overdue makeover, says the Times of London
23 Possibility for construction of abandoned animal shelter facility
24 Very small percentage tune to Maltese radio via Internet, study reveals
25 Commissioner Buttiglione for common European immigration policy
26 EU finances Lm200,000 for Maltese interpreters training
27 Planes for mercenaries fly through Malta, reveals S. African newspaper
28 Man arraigned after running wife over, attacking sons
29 Majority of Maltese people negative on economy's performance
30 Sales of Maltacom's shares appointed to Lehman Brothers
31 Tunisian illegal immigrant killed while in custody

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

a. MaltaWeather.com

The first day of September marks the beginning of a new year for rainfall data gathering. This year, MaltaWeather.com has added five new locations to its impressive roster of rainfall measurement posts. The full list now includes: Balzan, B'Bugia, Iklin, Attard, Bahar ic-Caghaq, Msida, Valletta, Zabbar, Marsaxlokk, Zurrieq, Rabat, Mgarr (Malta), Mellieha, Vittoriosa, Siggiewi, Zebbug (Malta), Qormi, Paola, Gudja, Qawra, Mosta, Naxxar, Marsalforn, Sannat, Gharb, Marsascala, San Gwann, Victoria, Nadur, Xaghra and Zebbug (Gozo).

MaltaWeather.com is a collaboration between Malta Weather Services and the MaltaMedia Online Network.
 

b. A September to Remember

On the 8th of September 1565 the Turkish army retreated from Malta following its defeat at the hands of the Maltese and the Knights in the Great Siege. On the same day, but in 1943 during the Second World War, Fascist Italy surrendered to the Allies and the Italian Fleet came to anchor at St. Paul's Bay. September is also related to the Maltese insurrection against the French, beginning on the 2nd of September 1798 and ending in victory for the Maltese and its British ally on the 5th of September 1800. September took on even more historic significance in 2001 with the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington D.C. We followed the 9/11 attacks from a Maltese perspective. As in previous years, the MaltaMedia Online Network continues to commemorate September as a month of rememberance.

40 YEARS AGO (21 September 1964)
At midnight, during a flag raising ceremony in Floriana, Malta gains Independence from Great Britain and becomes a sovereign nation within the Commonwealth.

20 YEARS AGO (25 September 1984)
A bomb-like device with a half-burnt fuse is discovered on doorstep of Archbishop Mercieca residence in Mdina; this happens at the height of a political struggle over the financial administration of church schools.

10 YEARS AGO (8 September 1994)
Dolores Cristina becomes the first woman to ever deliver an official speech at the national ceremony commemorating the Great Siege of 1565 and World War II held at the Great Siege monument in Valletta.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS
5 September 1937: Antoinette Miggiani, Soprano
12 September 1957: Anna Bonnano, TV Journalist
27 September 1919: Charles Clews, Actor/Broadcaster
30 September 1932: Gemma Portelli, Actress/Broadcaster

DEATH ANNIVERSARIES
17 September 1933: Joseph De Piro, Founder Missionary Society of St Paul, 56
18 September 1961: Guze Ellul Mercer, Politician/Writer, dies at 64
21 September 1985: Anthony Aquilina, Military Bandmaster and Composer, dies at 79
21 September 1986: Charles Izzo, Actor/Writer, dies at 74

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.

1 September 2004
Jum il-Belt Hompesch
The Zabbar Civic Council is organizing this annual celebration with art prizes, certificates for town helpers, and an award for a generous act.

11 September 2004
2nd Franciscan Youth Fest
The show includes a variety of songs, dancing, plays and much more, all from the young people of Ghajnsielem, Gozo.

16 - 18 September 2004
Golden Cross International Singing Festival
Singers participating in this festival at the Sir Temi Zammit Hall of the University of Malta are from Sicily, Italy, Macedonia, Bosnia, Poland, Russia, Bulgaria, Moldovia and Malta.

25 - 26 September 2004
The Malta International Airshow
Provides a unique opportunity for the general public to have access to some of the airfield ramps, view the aircraft and chat with the pilots. There will be flying displays by civil and military aircraft, including parachute teams, as well as a static display of various types of aircraft; it all happens at the Luqa Airfield.

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