The more things change the more they stay the same. Sounds like something you hear at an old barber shop, yet this saying keeps coming back to me as I evaluate where aboutmalta.com stands today, especially its relationship with the MaltaMedia Online Network. More than 10 years after Grazio Falzon started this website we're still around and still doing our best to bring everything about Malta and the Maltese Islands to the Internet.

These past six months we have suffered several malicious Denial of Service attacks on our servers. The worse of these DoS attacks happened last summer and the most recent happened just last week. The attacks have slowed the development we had planned for the rest of this year, yet we believe that we managed to maintain our regular services regularly and efficiently.

This month aboutmalta.com, along with all the other websites on the MaltaMedia Online Network will be transfered to a new server system, one which we hope gives us a more secure environment to work in. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you, our loyal community of Internet users.

Once again we would like to thank you for the continued support and encouragement you give us through your emails. We continue to bring you aboutmalta.com as we do because we know it means so much to you.

Grazzi dejjem...

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. GozoWeather.com
     b. Malta Budget 2005
3. This Month in Maltese History
4. What's On This Month

01 Another rise in fuel prices announced
02 GWU members approve of Freeport privatization reforms
03 Forty-nine illegal immigrants reach the Maltese Islands
04 Contract on Public Transport reforms signed
05 Malta Freeport privatised for US$331 million
06 Kenyan woman jailed for nine years
07 Eight years imprisonment for attempting murder
08 Malta shows the most progress in decreasing child mortality rate
09 Stolen silver relic found
10 Sant calls for national conference about illegal immigration
11 Man charged with trafficking people
12 72-year-old woman dies
13 70 protected bird species found
14 PAC ends scrutiny of Dar Malta in Brussels
15 67-year-old pedestrian dies
16 Fire breaks in an unused factory
17 Nettuno patrolling stops 120 illegal immigrants
18 1,600 counterfeit DVDs seized
19 Malta among top five film holiday countries
20 Foreigner dies, man on danger list in two separate accidents
21 Three years jail-term for Louis Fenech
22 Young worker dies from electric shock
23 Italy takes in Turkish Kurd illegal immigrants
24 Motorcyclist fighting for life
25 PM announces a revision in electricity tariffs
26 No agreement reached between Skanska and PM
27 Skanska “fairly optimistic” about Mater Dei negotiations
28 Helicopter operation to end on Sunday
29 EU leaders sign New European Constitution
30 Italy extends Fifth Financial Protocol with Malta till 2007
31 More illegal immigrants brought to shore

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

a. GozoWeather.com

This website was created through a collaboration between the Nadur Weather Observatory and the MaltaMedia Online Network in August 2002. The most popular feature on GozoWeather.com is a 3-day Marine Forecast for the territorial waters around the Maltese Islands. This online weather service from Gozo is a part of the Malta Weather Services organization, which also operates MaltaWeather.com in collaboration with MaltaMedia Online Network.
 

b. Malta Budget 2005

A preview of the in-depth report by the MaltaMedia Online News Service on the budget presented in the house of representatives expected in mid to late November 2004 for the year 2005. Besides all the salient details of the measures and other important points, this feature will eventually include an audio recording of the Budget speech given in parliament and a downloadable version of the full text for the Budget Speech in Maltese and English. You can also post your comment's about this year's Budget on the MaltaMedia Forum. Visit the preview version of the Budget 2005 feature now and bookmark it for future visits.

30 YEARS AGO (1 November 1974)
The Childrens' Allowances Scheme starts providing financial aid for all parents and legal guardians or children under the age of 16.

20 YEARS AGO (18 November 1984)
A bomb explodes outside back door of Apostolic Nunciature at Attard.

10 YEARS AGO (12 November 1994)
New premises for the Planning Authority are opened at St Francis Ravelin in Floriana as role and functions of the Authority are highlighted.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS
5 November 1930: Lino Grech, Actor/Playwright
8 November 1932: Ugo Mifsud Bonnici, President of Malta (1992-1997)
25 November 1956 - Giovanna Debono, Politician (PN MP: 1987-present)
30 November 1960: Michael Laus, National Orchestra Director

DEATH ANNIVERSARIES
2 November 1935: Themistocles Zammit, Scientist/Archaeologist, dies at 71
9 November 2001: Lina Galea Cumbo, Actress/Make-up Artist, dies at 74
11 November 1991: Johnny Catania, Entertainer, dies at 66
29 November 1988: Mabel Strickland, Politician/Journalist, dies at 89

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 - 7 November 2004
Mediterranea Festival
The third edition of the mid-autumn festival organized by Teatru Astra in Gozo, featuring opera, music, dance, art, prehistory, heritage, traditions and much more.

5 - 7 November 2004
Dinner
Actinghouse Productions' second weekend of Moira Buffini’s play at the MITP, Christopher Street, Valletta.

12 November 2004
James Vella Clark
ActionBase Studio will be hosting a live painting 'performance' by expressionist landscape artist James Vella Clark at 8/10 Forge Str. Naxxar at 8.00 pm.

13 - 14 November 2004
Hafna Frattarija Ghalxejn
Grupp Zghazagh Gudja proudly presents a Maltese play based on William Shakespeare's comedy Much Ado About Nothing. Translation by Cyprian Dalli. Artistic direction by Raymond Borg.

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