March 2008 will be remembered in Maltese history for its general elections. Regardless of the outcome, the result of the upcoming elections is not expected to have the sort of huge impact on the Maltese way of life as the EU accession issue did for the April 2003 elections.

More than this, although the elections are just a few days before the start of Holy Week and Easter, they're not expected to overshadow any of the traditional celebrations this time around.

In collaboration with the MaltaMedia Online Network, aboutmalta.com continues to bring you special features related to both these events. Aside from a detailed look at the electoral campaigns and the outcome of the voting process, we also continue to present material related to the traditional Easter time events aimed at providing an online taste of whatever is uniquely Maltese.

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. 2008 Malta General Elections
     b. Holy Week + Easter in Malta & Gozo
3. This Month in Maltese History
4. What's On This Month

01 Man apprehended on Gozo ferry after burglary
02 March 8 for local and possibly general elections
03 Three held over drugs during vehicle checkpoint
04 100th podcast in Mużika Mod Ieħor series released
05 Major cocaine haul, five foreigners arrested
06 Hunters say they hold 17,816 votes plus trappers
07 23% increase in passenger traffic at airport
08 Young couple admit to trying to sell their baby
09 Man accused of Ipswich murders educated in Malta
10 Maltese personalities join campaign against hunting
11 Youth seriously injured but not in danger of dying
12 EU-Arab League ministerial meeting comes to a close
13 Mintoff visits Electoral Commission at breaktime
14 Outbound tourism increases by 8.7% in 2007
15 Relapser gets one year imprisonment for assault
16 Two seriously injured in separate traffic accidents
17 Sunday 17 February coldest day in 20 years
18 55-year-old shop owner robbed €20,000 in Qormi
19 €213 million for new industry incentives
20 Cisk inaugurates €24.5 million investment project
21 New Gozo ferry terminal inaugurated at Mgarr
22 Actress Gemma Portelli passes away on Thursday
23 Emigrant jailed for making 3,674 abusive calls
24 AFM helps rescue immigrants off Lampedusa
25 Protest in favour of children's rights in front of courts
26 Woman found in pool of blood after alleged stabbing
27 Young man gets five years jail for trafficking ecstasy
28 Elderly mother of six dies tragically in bedroom fire
29 Former Gzira mayor Albert Rizzo passes away on Thursday

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

a. 2008 MALTA GENERAL ELECTIONS

MaltaMedia's special feature on the 2008 local and general elections taking place on March 8 gives you everything you need to know about the parties' campaigns, events, the voting system in Malta and results of bygone elections.
 

b. HOLY WEEK + EASTER IN MALTA & GOZO

MaltaMedia's seasonal feature for Holy Week and Easter in Malta highlights traditional, religious, astronomical, and gastronomical aspects of the greatest celebration in the Christian calendar. Whether you're after an understanding of why the date for Easter Sunday changes each year, a virtual via crucis, free Easter e-cards, or the recipe for figolli, you'll find it all in this feature.

40 YEARS AGO (3 March 1968)
In light of the international hippie movement, Archbishop Gonzi warns against pagan ideas.

30 YEARS AGO (24 March 1978)
An outbreak of African Swine Fever hits the Maltese Islands; the collection of refuse is restricted to special arrangements by the Health Department.

10 YEARS AGO (17 March 1998)
The Nationalist Party launches the name and logo of its TV station: Net Television.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS
2 March 1929: Nicholas G Cauchi, Bishop of Gozo
18 March 1971: Chris Laferla, Carmine Lauri, Violinist
26 March 1962: Alfie Fabri, Broadcaster/DJ
27 March 1947: Oliver Friggieri, Poet/Writer

DEATH ANNIVERSARIES
1 March 1930: Giuseppe Cali, Artist, dies at 84
13 March 2005: Ġuze' Cassar Pullicino, Folklorist, dies at 83
17 March 1996: Vitorin Galea, Actress, dies at 67
22 March 1971: Pietru Pawl Saydon, Biblical Scholar, dies at 76

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 2008
The Story of Stuff
A 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns, presented by Green Drinks at Chiaro Scuro (ex-Labyrinth), Strait Street in Valletta at 7:30pm.

5, 7, 10, 12 March 2008
BOV Opera Festival
This annual celebration of Opera at the Manoel Theatre offers two events this year: La Cenerentola by Giacomo Rossini and a programme in collaboration with the Opera Laboratorio di Palermo.

14 - 16 March 2008
In Search of Simone
A theatrical tribute to Simone de Beauvoir based on her life and writings. Presented by Theatre Encore at St James Cavalier in Valletta.

29 March 2008
Cindy: the musical
Gozo College - Agius de Soldanis present their interpretation of Mike Smith and Wilf Turner's musical at the Astra Theatre in Victoria, Gozo.

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