Year In Malta - 2020
Year In Malta - 2020
A lot happened in Malta in 2020
These are the stories that got us talking throughout the year.
© 89.7 Bay
Let's get started!
January
Danita Camilleri (@onechickandayorkie) gives birth to a baby boy
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announce their plan to step back as senior members of the Royal Family
89.7 Bay is crowned Malta's number 1...again!
Robert Abela wins PL leadership election
Academy Awards nominations announced as Joker receives 11 nominations including 'Best Picture'
Robert Abela sworn in as Malta's new Prime Minister
Malta's new cabinet revealed
Police Commissioner resigns
PM's daughter reveals his nickname
President's Solidarity Fun Run draws in the crowds
Kobe Bryant dies in helicopter crash
Billie Eilish breaks records at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards
UK formally withdraws from the EU on the 31st at midnight
February
Maltese actor George Micallef passes away
Malta leads the world for gay rights, according to ILGA Europe
Pete Buttigieg takes the lead in the first vote for the US candidacy
Eddie Izzard reaches Malta as part of massive global marathon challenge
Destiny wins X Factor as Malta rises in Eurovision odds
Parasite wins Best Picture & Best International Film, a first in Academy Award history
Pope Francis' visit to Malta is made official
Tamara Webb announces pregnancy!
Love Island host, Caroline Flack, dies
Our Ylenia meets the Jonas Brothers
Postal services from China are cancelled
Ben Camille & Xtina announce they are expecting their second child
Jake Vella wins SportMalta's People's Choice Award
Thermal screening for incoming flights from Italy is launched, following rise in cases
Bulk-buying mania hits Malta!
March
Pete Buttigieg announces that he is withdrawing from the race to the White House
Miriam Pace dies as her residence collapsed due to an accident at a construction site nearby
First COVID-19 case reported in Malta
Destiny's would-be Eurovision entry is released
Coachella is postponed for the first-time ever
The World Health Organisation officially declares the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic
Mega Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein is sentenced to 23 years in prison for sex crimes
Malta introduces more precautionary measures against the spread of COVID-19, including mandatory quarantine and closure of educational institutions
Pfizer signs deal with BioNtech to work on a COVID-19 vaccine
UEFA postpones Euro 2020
Eurovision Song Contest 2020 is cancelled, as is Glastonbury
Malta announces suspension of all inbound flights
€1.8bn financial aid package announced by Malta's government
Further measures announced in Malta as shops and outlets are ordered to close, and most start working from home
Pope Francis' Malta visit gets postponed
€10,000 fine for violation of self-isolation announced
All of Malta's Summer 2020 village festas are cancelled
Vulnerable persons are ordered to stay indoors
Wuhan, where COVID-19 started, gradually lifts its restrictive measures
Tamara Webb reveals she is having a baby girl!
The 2020 Summer Olympic Games are postponed to 2021
Further measures announced - this time, about traveling to Gozo
April
Festivals Malta cancels Malta's Summer Carnival
England's Premier League is suspended indefinitely
"Ain't No Sunshine" legend, Bill Withers, dies
UK PM Boris Johnson hospitalised with COVID-19
First Maltese person, a 92-year old woman, dies of COVID-19
Mater Dei Hospital suspends visiting hours
YouTube's first-ever video turns 15
Worldwide COVID-19 cases surpass 3,000,000
One of Malta's oldest and most iconic toyshops, closes its Valletta shutters
Veteran broadcaster Joyce Guillaumier passes away
Malta extends flight suspension till the end of May
May
The return of the Bay Music Awards is announced
Easing of lockdown measures across Europe, including Malta, as commercial outlets reopen
UEFA announces Champions League provisional programme
Malta's coronavirus government spending package is ranked as the best by Columbia University
Disneyland reopens in Shanghai
Local catering entrepreneur Elia Borg Bonaci passes away
The winners of the 2020 BMAs are announced
Bundesliga in Germany resumes, becoming the first major sports league to continue after the COVID-19 "break"
End of an era, as Prof Charmaine Gauci brings her daily briefings to an end
Maltese doctor chosen as director for the World Health Organisation
Hair salons, nail technicians, pools and hotels are among the businesses which are allowed to reopen
Visiting hours at St Vincent de Paule and other homes for the elderly resume
Floriana FC are declared winners of the 2019/2020 BOV Premier League
George Floyd is murdered in the USA, sparking a series of protests in the US and across the world, as well as the start of the BLM movement
J.K. Rowling releases her first non-HP children's book 'The Ickabog'
Serie A announces 20th June return
Malta's COVID-19 efforts are praised by the Commonwealth's Secretary General on Bay Chats
June
The reopening of Malta's Airport is announced with flights from 19 countries allowed as from July
Malta announces lifting of final set of COVID-19 restrictive measures
Malta becomes the 2nd EU country to declare a "win" over coronavirus
Celine Dion's Malta concert is postponed to 2021
Restoration of Queen Elizabeth's former Malta home is announced
New Zealand declares itself COVID-19-free
Cabinet nominates Angelo Gafa for the post of Police Commissioner
Government announces €900m economic regeneration plan
English language schools announce reopening plans
The new PS5 is finally revealed
The Crowns' lead singer, Victorio, and his wife welcome their third child
Bayern Munich seal 8th consecutive Bundesliga title
UK Premier League returns
UEFA announces resuming of competitions in August
89.7 Bay is crowned Malta's number 1 radio station...again
Napoli win Coppa Italia 2019/2020
The voice of the war, Dame Vera Lynn, dies, aged 103
Trailer for Sette Giugno movie featuring Hollywood legends finally drops!
Neil Agius starts 95km swim from Sicily to Malta to raise awareness on sea pollution, for Wave of Change Malta
Liverpool are crowned Premier League champions, after 30 years
Ira Losco announces pregnancy, as Harry is set to be promoted to big brother
July
Malta reopens its airport for tourists
Maltese COVID-19 mural named as one of the best around the globe
Kanye West announces his intention to run for President of the United States of America
One of the world's biggest movie-soundtrack geniuses, Ennio Morricone, dies, aged 91
The first edition of Malta's Got Talent is announced
Dylan wins Liquorish 2020
Valletta salutes one of its iconic coffee shops
Malta is awarded the Cultural Getaway of the Year 2020
Manchester City's UEFA two-year ban is lifted by the Court of arbitration for sport
Glee star Naya Rivera's body is found at Lake Piru, California
FIFA confirms December final for Qatar's 2022 World Cup
Taryn launches Taryn's Travels!
Tina Turner makes a comeback at 80 years, collaborating with Kygo for 'What's Love Got to do with it"
Prof Charmaine Gauci awarded Gieh il-Mosta for her COVID-19 work
Akon names Malta as his favourite city
Sliema Aquatic Sports Club crowned Enemed Cup 2020 Champions
Nicki Minaj announces pregnancy
George Floyd protests continue across the United States
Melvin Theuma, state witness in the Daphne Caruana Galizia assassination case, is urgently hospitalised, after being found in a pool of blood at his residence
Liverpool are presented with the Premier League trophy after playing their last home match
Juventus declared champions for the 9th year in a row
The Phantom of the Opera closes permanently on London's West End
Maltese MEP Alex Agius Saliba becomes a dad for the first time
New restrictive measures are announced by the Deputy Prime Minister following new rise in COVID-19 cases
Ellen DeGeneres addresses all the 'toxic workplace' accusations in a letter to all her staff
August
Malta MedAir makes it first flight
Massive explosions hit Beirut killing more than 130 people and injuring more than 5,000
"Loose Women" cast spotted in Malta
Neil Agius is awarded the 'Point of Light Award' by H.M. Queen Elizabeth II
Malta launches bid to host EuroPride 2023
Ben Camille and Xtina welcome baby George
Vladimir Putin declares Russia as the first country to approve a COVID-19 vaccine
Malta announces COVID-19 testing on passengers landing at Malta International Airport
Lebanese chef based in Malta raises funds to help the residents of Beirut following massive explosions
New restrictive measures are announced
Malta introduces Amber List of countries
Double homicide in Sliema shocks the nation
Malta ranks third in the world, for its COVID-19 testing rate
RuPaul's Drag Race star ChiChi DeVayne, dies, aged 34
PBS pulls the plug on Xarabank after 23 years
Tamara Webb and her husband Ken, announce the birth of their daughter, Pixie Rose
Gianluca Bezzina and wife Vanessa welcome their second child, Paolo
Dynamite by BTS has the biggest YouTube debut ever!
Massive raid in Floriana leads to an arrest in relation to the Sliema double homicide
Katy Perry & Orlando Bloom welcome their first child
Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman dies, aged 43
MGT judge Ray Attard & make-up queen Diane Nikolic tie the knot!
September
Ed Sheeran announces the birth of his daughter
90s Legend Erick Morillo, found dead, aged 49
Haley Bugeja debuts with Sassuolo Calcio in Italy and is instantly branded a phenomenon
The end of 'Keeping up with Kardashians' is announced
Bay Breakfast with Daniel & Ylenia celebrates three years
House of Nicholas Monsarrat in Gozo given Grade 2 protection status
Over €1 million collected in Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation telethon
Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid announce the birth of their daughter
A brand new collection of Emojis for 2021 is announced
Schools in Malta postpone their opening dates
The Bay Breakfast Hide&Seek goes on air!
David Attenborough gives Prince George a shark tooth, which he had found when in Malta...and all hell breaks loose!
Malta announces even more restrictive measures
October
Chrissy Teigen opens up about miscarriage
Malta chooses its Junior Eurovision Song Contest entry
Donald and Melania Trump test positive for COVID-19
Malta wins bid to host EuroPride 2023
Apple changes the mask emoji to reflect the 2020 reality
Rock legend Eddie Van Halen dies, aged 65
Meghan Trainor announces pregnancy
89.7 Bay is officially Malta's Number 1 radio station...again!
Dr Clare Gerada becomes the first Maltese woman to ever be made a Dame by H.M. Queen Elizabeth II, while Dr Ivan Muscat was also given an MBE
89.7 Bay rebrands - bringing a new way to radio for the Maltese Islands
The Wanted's Tom Parker reveals terminal tumour diagnosis
Cristiano Ronaldo tests positive for COVID-19
Teatru Manoel reopens to socially-distanced audiences
John Cena gets married, in secret
Even more COVID-19 restrictions are announced
Miriam Dalli and Clyde Caruana co-opted in Parliament
Finance Minister announces the government's 2021 budget
Bars and Band Clubs are ordered to close down to curb COVID-19
Emily Ratajkowski announces pregnancy, saying that the child will get to choose its gender, at 18
Fabio Spiteri competes massive cycling challenge around Sicily
The original James Bond, Sean Connery dies, aged 90
November
Terror Attack leaves five dead in Vienna - Bay News spoke to the Maltese Ambassador in Vienna
With over 7 billion views, Baby Shark is crowned YouTube's most-viewed video of all time!
Johnny Depp leaves the 'Fantastic Beasts' franchise
Joe Biden is the projected winner of the Presidential Elections of the United States of America
BTS win big at the MTV European Music Awards
Pfizer and BioNTech confirm that their COVID-19 vaccine has been found to be 90% effective in what was described as a 'great day for science and humanity'
Michael Mifsud plays his last international match with the Maltese national football team
Rupert Grint joins Instagram to announce birth of daughter
Roberta Metsola elected as First Vice-President of the European Parliament
#BREAKING
— EPP Group (@EPPGroup) November 12, 2020
We are proud to announce that @RobertaMetsola has been officially elected by the @Europarl_EN as the new First Vice-President of the European Parliament, succeeding Commissioner @McGuinnessEU. Congratulations! #EPlenary pic.twitter.com/X0exuCSctb
Pastizzi debut in Japanese Anime Series
Mayor of Qormi Renald Falzon passes away following COVID-19 diagnosis
Ira Losco and Sean Gravina welcome their baby daughter, GiGi
Daniel and Ylenia inaugurate Marsa's latest flyover with Minister Ian Borg
The Bay Network launches Bay Xmas - Malta's first Christmas radio station
Moderna vaccine shown to be more effective than the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine
"Six steps forward for Malta" - FIFA dedicates entire feature to the success of Malta's national football team
Oliver Friggieri, one of Malta's Literature giants, passes away
Malta mourns artist Ed Schembri, who died suddenly, aged 45
Roberta Metsola chairs the European Parliament plenary for the first time, and in Maltese
Meghan Markle reveals she suffered a miscarriage and opens up about it in an op-ed
Legal notice relating to the closure of bars and band clubs is extended, beyond the Christmas period
Diego Armando Maradona, dies, at the age of 60
Maltese engineer named one of 2020's TechWomen100
Alison Bezzina, is appointed as Malta's new Animal Welfare commissioner
Malta places 8th in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest
Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine is found to be 94.1% effective
Malta's theatre community mourns Carmel S Aquilina
December
The United Kingdom approves Pfizer's COVID-19 Vaccine
PM Robert Abela reveals his favourite morning radio show...
Zabbar's Sanctuary Street us officially named the most beautiful street in Malta
Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne announces Malta's COVID-19 strategy
Italian football legend, Paolo Rossi, dies, aged 64
EastEnders icon, Dame Barbara Windsor, passes away after a long battle with Alzheimer's, aged 83
Malta's Amber List of Countries is updated extensively with over 40 countries included
Professor Charmaine Gauci is among the key persons to be recognised by the State during the Republic Day Honours
Jomike & Lydon win the first edition of Malta's Got Talent
Jesy Nelson leaves Little Mix
After an amazing 9 years together Jesy has made the decision to leave Little Mix. This is an incredibly sad time for all of us but we are fully supportive of Jesy.
— Little Mix (@LittleMix) December 14, 2020
European Medicines Agency moves vaccine approval meeting to the 21st December
Pete Buttigieg is nominated to serve as Transportation Secretary by US-President Elect Joe Biden
Maltese Film 'Luzzu' selected for Sundance Film Festival
The Maltese Ftira is officially included in UNESCO's intangible heritage list
