June marks a very important anniversary for us at aboutmalta.com because on the 1st of June 1999 the MaltaMedia Online News service started appearing daily on the Internet. Over the past seven years, the MaltaMedia Online News service has remained the only truly independent web-based news provider from Malta.

Following the phenomenal debacle around the Eurovision Song Contest, the public imagination of the Maltese Islands is now wrapped around the World Cup in Germany. Thanks to aboutmalta.com's affiliation with the MaltaMedia Online Network, we will be keeping an eye on this event, from a Maltese perspective.

As the summer months roll on, we hope you enjoy the many events organized in Malta and Gozo, many of which you can find listed in aboutmalta.com's Events Calendar.

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. Eurovision Song Contest 2006
     b. FIFA World Cup 2006
3. This Month in Maltese History
4. What's On This Month

01 Malta celebrates Worker's Day
02 Church says The Da Vinci Code is purely fiction
03 Freedom of information White Paper to be published
04 St. Benedict's College inaugurated
05 EU law may force recognition of gay 'marriage'
06 Malta only Euro-hopeful not yet in line
07 Man arrested with drugs en route to Malta
08 8.5 million original cigarettes seized
09 Malta celebrates Europe Day
10 Malta's newborn mortality rate one of the lowest
11 Central Cigarette Company Ltd. base in Malta not viable
12 More detention officers needed for illegal immigrants
13 Motor cyclist dies on impact
14 5000 ecstasy pills confiscated at airport
15 Malta can make a difference within the EU - Ehud Gol
16 Armed robbery in Zebbug
17 Maltacom's privatisation concluded
18 Treaties between Malta and US signed
19 Retail prices index up by 1.16%
20 50 illegal immigrants brought ashore
21 Worst ever result for Malta in Eurovision
22 Man injured during robbery
23 Record-breaking temperatures for May
24 Maltese jailed for trafficking Pakistani babies
25 Men injured in building site incident
26 Recurrent revenue increases; debt still on the rise
27 Norman Lowell in court for enticing racial hatred
28 EU heads say constitution must wait
29 Public to vote for Euro coins design
30 National Archives Council launched
31 11+ examination system under review

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

a. Eurovision Song Contest 2006

Notwithstanding the phenomenal disappointment at this year's Eurovision Song Contest, this annual musical event plays a significant role in Malta's cultural calendar. Fabrizio Faniello's performance in Athens was followed closely through EurovisionMalta.com, which covers Malta's participation at the Eurovision since 1971. Read news stories spanning from the Malta Song for Europe 2006 contest to the post-event scandal everyone is talking about.
 

b. FIFA World Cup 2006

The FIFA World Cup is a long awaited event in the calendar of any football fan. Since our national team will probably never take part in the finals, we Maltese support teams from other nations. MaltaMedia's live coverage of this massive sporting event follows this month of matches from this perspective, highlighting all the joys and disappointments of Maltese soccer fans.

30 YEARS AGO (12 June 1976)
Monument to Sir Paul Boffa, former Prime Minister and Labour Party leader, is unveiled by Justice Minister Anton Buttigieg at Victory Square, Valletta.

20 YEARS AGO (5 June 1986)
Former Chief Justice J.J. Cremona is elected Vice-President of the European Economic Court of Human Rights.

10 YEARS AGO (12 June 1996)
Two World War II mines are found at Mellieha Bay.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS
21 June 1945: Tanya Bayona, Choreographer
28 June 1951: Gorg Mifsud Chircop, Folklorist
30 June 1934: Mary Rose Bonello, Actress
30 June 1978: Miriam Christine Borg, Pop Singer

DEATH ANNIVERSARIES
10 June 1993: Francis Ebejer, Educator/Playwright/Writer, dies at 68
22 June 1983: Francis "Cikku" Saliba, Superior General MUSEUM, dies at 73
23 June 1976: Albert Cassola, Writer, dies at 59
25 June 2002: Lady Margaret Mamo, former First Lady

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.

2 June 2006
Xtruppaw CD Lunching
Official launch party for Xtuppaw's debut album Is-CD tal-iXtruppaw at the Luxol Sports Club in St Andrews. Supporting shows by Dripht and BNI.

4 June 2006
Worldfest '06
Organised by the Fair Trade Cooperative / Koperattiva Kummerċ Ġust (KKĠ), at the Upper Barrakka Gardens, Valletta. Fair traded products, delicious food specialities and drinks will be offered by L-ARKA, which is the only fair trade shop in Malta.

12 - 14 June 2006
Edward de Bono Seminar
Conducted entirely by Dr. Edward de Bono at the University of Malta. Get that competitive edge, unleash your potential for creativity!

28 June 2006
Bob Geldof - Live in Malta
Bob Geldof's concert at Manoel Island is in aid of YMCA Malta. Supporting acts include Ira Losco and Winter Moods.

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