Everyone loves a good joke, but over the years, these newspapers and media houses have taken it to the next level by poking fun at the nation with some of the most offbeat stories and headlines. Here are some of the ones we enjoyed most, over the years.

1. “Old buses, drivers to return” – Times of Malta, April 1, 2013

Remember riding in those old, lumbering, idiosyncratic hunks of metal which formed the network of our public transport system? Whether you loved them or not, it was with some sorrow that the nation said goodbye, replacing them by the more modern vehicles on the roads today. But the Times of Malta seemed to have a real hankering for them – their April Fool’s headline in 2013 claimed the old guard were coming back. “The surprise decision will see the return of some 150 of the old yellow buses, together with many of the former drivers, according to a draft report expected to be unveiled in the coming days,” the report claimed. Unfortunately, it was not to be. But wouldn’t it be grand to sit once again in those hallowed interiors, proudly exhibiting religious iconography, new leather seats and – of course - restored through subsidies? We can but dream.

2. “Malta’s traditional pastizzi face extinction as a result of tough EU legislation to cut down on obesity” – Times of Malta, 1 April 2014

Another beloved Maltese symbol was the target the following year. On April 1st 2014, the Times of Malta ran a (obviously) fictitious story claiming that European Union was looking to ban our beloved pastizzi in an effort to stamp down on obesity levels across the zone. The story claimed that “pastizzi, and other food, like the Scottish haggis and a lard-based Spanish chorizo sausage, had to come in line with new EU health regulations by September or else be declared illegal.” The story racked up a staggering 70,000 page views by the afternoon. We do love our food! And while Malta may be one of the countries most guilty of over-indulging – reflected in our ever-expanding waist bands – there was no need to panic. Pastizzi are here to stay. 

3. “Last Freedom Day to be celebrated as national holiday” – Malta Today, 1 April 2016

It has been said that Malta has more than its fair share of public holidays (though we’d like to know who’s complaining, so they can be hunted down!) And this April Fool’s story in English-language daily, Malta Today, stated the Prime Minister was taking up recommendations from employers to reduce the number of Malta’s national days. And guess which two – allegedly - were getting the axe? Victory Day, on 8th September, which celebrates the end of Malta’s war-time sieges, and Freedom Day, which commemorates the anniversary of the withdrawal of British troops from Malta in 1979 and which is celebrated on 31st March. The article claimed the Prime Minister “intends presenting before the summer recess, Labour delegates told this newspaper”. Luckily, three years’ on and these hols are still firmly marked in our calendars. 

4. “Free surgery for over 12,000 Maltese youths suffering from ‘text thumb’” – Malta Today, 1 April 2017

Have you ever felt completely addicted to your mobile phone? (We know we have!) Malta Today’s 2017 April Fool’s story put a spotlight on the issue by stating that the health department is going to launch a scheme “for operations on young people suffering from ‘text thumb’ – the inflammation of the tendons on the thumb side of your wrist resulting from too much mobile phone texting.” The media outlet claimed that the authorities had identified a demographic of 12,000 people aged between 18 and 30 – yes, you Millennial and Gen Zs out there – who would be eligible for the scheme. 

5. “Lovin Malta Has Officially Registered Itself as A Political Party” – Lovin Malta, April 1 2017

2017 was a tumultuous political year for the island and many of the year’s April Fool’s headlines attempted to inject a bit of humour into what many felt was a tense situation. Popular portal Lovin Malta announced their intention to get into politics – and sort this island out, presumably, with crazy AF policies (like we don’t have enough of these already) – by officially registering as a political party. And, while this turned out to be a prank, it seems the Electoral Commission even had to vet their application. We wonder what the report might have said!

6. “Plans to construct bridge linking Valletta to Cottonera” – The Malta Independent, 1 April 2017

Bridges, tunnels and metro systems are all the rage nowadays, with the authorities coming up with myriad inventive – and not always popular - ways of attempting to placate concerns on how to get from A-to-Z. And, in 2017, the weekday daily, The Malta Independent, claimed there were plans to build a bridge across the mouth of the Grand Harbour, which would enclose the historic port, changing its appearance forever. The paper even went to the trouble of getting their designer to superimpose the design of the bridge over the Valletta breakwater to give readers an idea as to the final look. 

7. “Lovin Malta TV launches with epic schedule and exclusive Netflix partnership!” – Lovin Malta, April 1, 2018

If you’re a Netflix addict – unable to tear yourself away even when the sun is shining – then this piece of fake news may have brought a flutter: Lovin Malta announced a - supposed - partnership with the streaming giant, claiming Maltese-based shows modelled on some firm favourites were set to launch. Chef’s Table Malta, Queer Eye Malta, Temptation Villa and My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with Lou Bondi (hardly David Letterman, but we’ll let that slide) were all said to be premiering in the near future – and the online portal had even gone to the trouble of creating trailers for each. 

8. “Panama national football team to visit Malta ahead of Russia World Cup!” – The Malta Independent, April 1, 2018

When Panama hits the local and international headlines, many locals scan for a mention of Malta. And last year, the Malta Independent indulged those looking for further connections between the two nations by stating that the “national football team of Panama will be visiting Malta in early June, one week before flying to Russia to take part in the World Cup for the first time.” This was due, they said, to the connections between the countries of the past five years and was motivated by a desire for Maltese people to know more about the much-maligned nation. The article even quoted a (confidential) source saying that "Panama is a country with many hidden assets that the Maltese would do well to learn about." 

What were some of your favourite jokes over the years?