September is a historically significant month for Malta. On the 8th of September 1565 Ottoman forces retreated from Malta following defeat at the hands of the Maltese and the Knights of St John 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 Malta and its British ally on the 5th of September 1800. And it was on 21 September 1964 that Malta acquired independence from Britain.

Outside Malta, September has come to mark the most horrendous terrorist attack in the United States. To mark the fifth anniversary since September 11, 2001, the MaltaMedia Online Network is re-issuing a series of podcasts featuring the webcasts we produced following the 9/11 attacks. Last year this series was released as the world's first podcasting series in Maltese; it gives us great pride to continue to offer this service to podcast listeners worldwide.

I have written about podcasting in general and about our 9/11 series on my blog. We have a weekly music podcast called Mużika Mod Ieħor featuring music by Maltese performers. If you listen to any of our podcasts, please let us know what you think. Your feedback helps us deliver a better service.

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. maltafootball.com - 10 years on!
     b. Lanċa Ġejja u Oħra Sejra: Malta and Its Migrations
3. This Month in Maltese History
4. What's On This Month

01 Petrol prices down, diesel price up
02 Diving tragedy leaves father and son dead
03 Malta launches international call for offshore wind farms
04 FRONTEX experts to help Immigration Police
05 Pre-budget document launched; two months of consultation ahead
06 Nigerian man held for drug importation
07 Five persons injured after karrozzin overturns
08 GWU Public Sector Division officials dismissed
09 Man appeals from extradition decision
10 Air Malta flights operating as scheduled
11 Fatal accidents at work place down
12 Births to young parents decrease
13 Two vessels scuttled at Xatt l-Ahmar, Gozo
14 16-year-old girl on danger list
15 More illegal immigrants to commemorate Santa Marija convoy
16 Maltese localities hit by earthquake tremor
17 Malta to have third most costly tourist packages
18 New plans for Royal Opera House drawn up
19 Humanitarian aid reaches Lebanon
20 Low cost airline confirms interest in Malta
21 Missing 78-year-old man found dead
22 Construction worker in danger of dying
23 Amendment to add Ombudsman post in Constitution
24 Cruise passenger traffic increases
25 Ryanair and Easyjet bid for new routes to Malta
26 Woman dies during illegal immigrants' journey
27 Tripartite immigration meeting set for September
28 Opening of new St Luke's unit delayed
29 Young man loses life in traffic accident
30 New foundation to ensure animal protection
31 Journalist Paul Carachi dies at 80

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

a. maltafootball.com - 10 years on!

The Maltese Soccer Website was one of the first major Maltese websites to appear on the Internet in 1996. It became known as maltafootball.com about five years ago, when it joined the MaltaMedia Online Network. Malta's most comprehensive soccer website now continues to offer all the latest news and results to an average of 22,500 Internet users who visit this website each month. Edited and maintained by Antoine Busuttil, MaltaMedia.com's Sports Editor since 1999, this website is updated daily, and offers an array of interactive pages including an online forum, and an SMS service for Vodafone (Malta) customers on 5090 2345.
 

b. Lanċa Ġejja u Oħra Sejra: Malta and Its Migrations

Malta's stategic position in the Mediterranean Sea has given it a long, interesting history of migration. Emigration was a significant aspect of Maltese life in the last century, however, Malta is also a magnet for all sorts of immigrants. Most recently, the plight of irregular immigrants from various countries seeking a better life in Europe has become an almost daily topic in the news, especially because very few are actually granted refugee status. Over a thousand have reached the Maltese islands this year alone. MaltaMedia's special feature about Malta and its migrations covers all of this and more.

30 YEARS AGO (3 September 1976)
San Nikola's Fireworks Factory in Siggiewi is destroyed in an accidental explosion.

20 YEARS AGO (23 September 1986)
Joe Sultana and Joseph M. Baldacchino are sworn in as members of the House of Representatives since they were elected Labour MPs in casual elections following the recent deaths of Alfred Bartolo and Patrick Holland.

10 YEARS AGO (25 September 1996)
First successful heart transplant operation at St Luke's Hospital.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS
7 September 1931: Charles Camilleri, Composer
12 September 1967: Immanuel Mifsud, Author/Poet
22 September 1965: Tony Drago, Billiards Player
25 September 1976: Chiara Siracusa, Singer

DEATH ANNIVERSARIES
6 September 1986: Paul Nani, Composer, dies at 90
8 September 1961: Guze Ellul Mercer, Politician/Writer, dies at 64
21 September 1986: Charles Izzo, Actor/Writer, dies at 74
29 September 1980: Anthony Miceli Farrugia, Businessman, dies at 88

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 2006
Rebelfest
X-VANDALS' debut 12-track CD album entitled "Erosion Of Our Liberty" and Subculture's second album "A Lifetime Of Disapointment" will be launched during this event at Buskett Roadhouse, limits of Rabat.

4 September 2006
Twieqi: a literary evening
The Maltese-Palestinian Friendship Society is organising literary evening animated with music, visual presentation and drama; featuring works by Dun Karm Psaila, Mahmoud Darwish, Karmenu Vassallo, Fadwa Tuqan, Rena Balzan, Samer Abu Hawwash, Immanuel Mifsud, Ghassan Zaqtan, Gan Anton Vassallo, Walid Khazindar, Gorg Pisani, Mureed Barghouty, Anton Buttigieg, Nathalie Handal, Maria Grech Ganado, Ibrahim Nasrallah and Ruzar Briffa amongst others. This event will be held at the Common Room in Student's House at the University of Malta starting at 7.30pm.

8 - 10 September 2006
A Lad in Love: The Hindi Rock Pop Musical
Penny in a Hat Theatre Troupe will be presenting "A Lad in Love", a Hindi Rock Pop Musical at Sir Temi Zammit Hall at the University of Malta, Tal-Qroqq. Tickets available at Lm 4 and Lm 3.

23 - 24 September 2006
Malta International Airshow
Planes from many countries will be seen at the Malta International Airshow 2006 and the strong historic ties with Britain make the Royal Air Force the one that will feature prominently in one of Malta's premier outdoor events of the year.

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