Malta and international press digest

The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press:

The Sunday Times says Frontex patrols are to start shortly, and rescued migrants will be taken to the nearest safe harbour.

The Malta Independent says the European Union is to open excessive deficit procedures against Malta. It also reports that Italian Home Affairs Minister Roberto Maroni has dropped his anti-Malta mask against Malta, and that a Maltese-registered ship was taken over by pirates off Yemen.

MaltaToday says a policeman has been taken to court in Gozo for hunting in the closed season, wearing a balaclava.

It-Torca says the popular Italian TV programme la Iene censored Maltese officials in the Pinar migrants case. It also says the government does not know how to refund €4.5 million collected in excess as eco-contributions.

Il-Mument accuses the PL of having criticized the PM over the Pinar migrants rescue case and adopted a position which was against the national interest. It also reports the Church call to the MUT to suspend industrial action in Church Schools.

KullHadd says the deputy mayor of Swieqi has resigned because a company where he works is being investigated in the VAT faud case. It also reports that Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi had to bow to pressure and mention sites where windfarms may be built on land.

Illum says the commander of the AFM has confirmed that there were irregularities under former Parliamentary Secretary Tony Abela.

The Press in Britain

The Mail on Sunday features a leaked email suggesting Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell promised money from the 2012 Games in exchange for the selection of a family friend as a General Election candidate.

The Sunday Times presents its Rich List for 2009 with news the UK's wealthiest have lost £155 billion in the recession.

The Observer says Gordon Brown is in "full retreat" in the MPs expenses row.

The Sunday Express tells the story of MP James Purnell who it says claims £100 to clean his flat, despite it being left in a filthy condition.

And elsewhere…

El Universal says the Mexican government has announced that the number of deaths linked to the swine flu outbreak has risen to 81. Over 1,300 people are now suspected ill with the rare virus strain, which is a mixture of swine, avian, and human flu viruses.

Tribune de Geneve quotes WHO director-general Margaret Chan describing the outbreak as a "serious situation." An emergency meeting of the global health body last night ended without any decisions being made about declaring an international public health emergency.

USA Today says that in New York up to nine people from a school party tested positive for what is believed to be swine flu after returning from a trip to Mexico. There have been eight other reported cases in California and Texas, but the infections were not fatal.

Frettabladid says preliminary results in Iceland’s first general election show the leftist interim government is headed for a strong victory. The pro-EU Social Democratic Party was given 31.9 per cent of votes, and its junior coalition partner, the Left Green Movement, was seen with 23.3 per cent – the first time centre-left parties have held such a strong position in Iceland.

The Washington Times quotes US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton saying this week's deadly suicide bombings in Iraq were a sign that extremists were afraid the Iraqi government is succeeding. She said the country had made great strides despite the recent violence that killed at least 148 people.

Nation on Sunday reports that the Tamil Tiger rebels have warned that tens of thousands of civilians trapped in Sri Lanka's northern war zone are facing starvation and called on the United Nations and the international community to ensure that food supplies are swiftly sent to the area. They say the number of trapped civilians is 150,000, three times the UN estimate.

Globe & Mail quotes Jacob Zuma, the man expected to become South Africa's president after his ANC party's fourth term in office was confirmed, vowing he will work to unite the country. The ANC won 65.9 per cent of the votes, or 264 seats, but fell just short of its previous two-thirds majority.

Al Ahram says 16 tourists, mostly from Europe and North America, were injured when a hot air balloon crashed after striking a mobile phone transmission tower in the ancient temple city of Luxor in Egypt. None have life-threatening injuries.

Sinboj reports North Korea said it has begun to reprocess spent fuel rods from its nuclear power plant, allowing it to produce weapons-grade plutonium. There have been no signs of diplomatic breakthrough to bring Pyongyang back to nuclear negotiations.

Sueddeutsche Zeitung publishes a leaked list that shows German banks are weighed down under €816 billion in toxic assets. The list is from the federal financial supervisory authority BaFin.

Bild reports that German brothels are cutting prices to beat the recession and prostitutes are offering discounts, loyalty cards and 'extras'. One manager claimed revenue at her establishment had dropped by 30 per cent while turnover had fallen by as much as 50 per cent at other clubs. Germany has about 400,000 professional prostitutes. Annual revenue from the activity is about £12.3bn.