November 2009

Newsletter Number 121

AboutMalta.com is undergoing a radical change. Much of what’s changing is technical and behind the scenes, but this is giving the world’s oldest Malta-related website a new look too. As we’ve done over the years there’s no ‘hey presto’ moment. It’s all a work-in-progress. You see the first sign of change in the very layout of this newsletter.  This is the basis of the new look but we’re happy to adjust it further depending on user feedback.

You may also have noted that we’ve abandoned numbering this newsletter by volume and have now switched to sequential numbering. This would have been number 84 in volume 3. There were 23 issues in volume 1 and 14 issues in volume 2. So that’s how we came to number 121.

I imagine there are those who would prefer that there’s no change. We respect that point of view but gently reserve the right to disagree and move ahead with making the site better adapted to major developments in web publishing. However, as a concession to anyone who would like things to stay as they were, the AboutMalta.com newsletter retains the same main contents it had in volume 3.

I’d like to thank the team who brings you this website and others from the MaltaMedia Online Network. Three people deserve special mention in relation to the rebuilding of AboutMalta.com. They are Giselle Borg Olivier, Owen Cutajar, and Simon Willans. They have each contributed a very significant portion of the new stuff that give AboutMalta.com a new breath of life into the future. In the coming months I’ll be telling you more about each of them in this upcoming issues of this newsletter.

Toni Sant
Consulting Editor

1. Daily News from MaltaMedia.com for October 2009

01 Video: New US Ambassador to Malta to focus on illegal immigration
02 Video: Bad weather disrupts Air Malta flights
03 67% of Irish electorate votes in favour of Lisbon Treaty
04 Criminal reports down by 25%
05 Video: Church against excessive profane festa celebrations
06 105 illegal immigrants rescued by AFM
07 Video: Malta is the 39th wealthiest nation in the world
08 Scottish man extradited to Malta to face drug charges
09 Video: Ex-boxing champion charged with drug trafficking
10 Discovery of 5000-year-old tombs at Kercem
11 Air Malta will not be privatised
12 Archbishop Cremona hit by mild swine flu
13 Video: Journalist critically injured in Sliema assault
14 Two men killed in Swieqi traffic accident
15 Foreign Birdlife volunteer describes Malta massacre
16 Slovakian caught importing kilo of cocaine
17 Video: Kevin Borg wins another music award
18 Cost of living compensation up by €6.06 per week
19 Video: Murder confessed after 20 years
20 Chamber of Commerce rejects proposed budget measures
21 Video: Two jailed for building collapse deaths
22 Government deficit increases to 4.7% of GDP
23 Ebejer murderers jailed 30 years each
24 Man dies while swimming at Ramla Bay in Gozo
25 Investigation into Lockerbie plane bombing reopened
26 Italian warship sent to rescue 200 immigrants
27 Maltese surgeon developing safer cancer surgery
28 Video: Man in danger of dying after being crushed by truck
29 Man from Cospicua dies in Hamrun traffic accident
30 Video: Man crushed by truck dies
31 New leader for Alternattiva Demokratika

2. Top Web Picks

a. On This Day in Maltese History

The daily service providing updates on this day in Maltese history is one of the most popular services on the MaltaMedia Online Network. In line with the planned upgrading of AboutMalta.com, this service is now also featuring a daily video with highlights from that particular day in Maltese history, including noteworthy events, birthdays and death anniversaries. This page will soon have a new look but full listings will continue coming your way on AboutMalta.com as they have since 1999.

b. Video reports from Favourite Channel

Through a collaboration between MaltaMedia.com and Favourite Channel TV, you’re now able to watch video clips about the day’s main news and events. The video clips appear on MaltaMedia.com on the same day they’re shown on TV and are then archived through the YouTube website. This service is still in beta and updates are being made regularly.

3. This Month in Maltese History

30 YEARS AGO ( 27 November 1979 )
Paul Mifsud becomes World Amateur Billiards Champion in Sri Lanka; he is the first Maltese ever to become a world champion in any sports.

20 YEARS AGO ( 27 November 1989 )
President George Bush communicates with Prime Minister Fenech Adami after strong winds force the USS Belknap, in Malta for the upcoming summit between the USA and the USSR, to drag anchor.

10 YEARS AGO ( 29 November 1999 )
A section of the Neolithic Temples at Hagar Qim collapses because of rough weather.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS
5 November 1930: Lino Grech, Actor/Writer
7 November 1939: Gloria Mizzi, Broadcaster
25 November 1956: Giovanna Debono, Politician
30 November 1960: Michael Laus, National Orchestra Director

DEATH ANNIVERSARIES
2 November 1935: Themistocles Zammit, Archaeologist, dies at 71
29 November 1988: Mabel Strickland, Politician/Journalist, dies at 89
23 November 2005: Antoine Camilleri, Artist, dies at 83
30 November 2001: Doreen Micallef, Poet/Writer, dies at 52

If you have any questions or concerns please contact us.

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