Malta and international press digest

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

The Times pictures Aaron Ciantar following his powerboats race victory yesterday afternoon. It also reports that Italy has repatriated more migrants rescued in the Sicily channel.

The Malta Independent also features Aaron Ciantar on its front page. It follows up Friday’s fatal stabbing in Cospicua and says the victim’s son is not being considered a suspect.

In-Nazzjon also follows the story, saying the victim’s son, a police sergeant, had defended his mother and sister. The newspaper also quotes the Prime Minister saying Malta needed to send the best people to the European Parliament.

l-orizzont reports Labour leader Joseph Muscat saying the people elected to the European Parliament needed to be tough enough to uphold the national interest. It also reports that five kittens were saved by policemen from a bring-in site near Naxxar.

The Press in Britain

A number of senior Tories are named as more MP's expenses are revealed by The Daily Telegraph.

The Guardian says that as more MPs come forward to condemn the claims, the heat was now on the Conservatives.

As the frenzy over the claims continues, The Times says it has uncovered a Labour plot to suppress the release of MPs’ expenses.

The Daily Mail reports that some MPs have made millions by selling their second homes after they have left their jobs in the Commons.

The Financial Times reports that the cancellation of Eurofighter Typhoon jets could cost the country more than £2 billion in penalties.

The Daily Express reports on a link between obesity and cancer.

The Sun claims that tips on make-up belonging to Gordon Brown were found in a taxi.

The Daily Mirror and the Daily Star focus on the arrest of Tottenham and England star Ledley King in a race abuse attack.

And elsewhere…

Jordan Times reports that some 20,000 Catholics from across the Middle East turned up in Amman for Pope Benedict’s outdoor mass on the third day of his weeklong pilgrimage to Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories. During the mass the Pope drew attention to women’s rights around the world, saying women often did not get the recognition they deserved.

Berliner Zeitung says German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy have both questioned the wisdom of Turkish membership of the EU. Merkel said it made no sense for the European Union to continuously expand, if the growth leaves the union unable to operate. Sarkozy proposed a large joint economic area, saying that a similar concept might work to bind Russia closer to the EU. The two leaders met in Berlin in a mutual show of support ahead of next month’s European elections.

The International Herald Tribune reports that the number of swine flu-related deaths outside Mexico has inched up to five with the United States reporting its third fatality and Costa Rica its first. The number of confirmed cases of the infection in the US has risen to 2,532 in 44 states. Mexico raised its count of confirmed cases to 1,626 with 48 deaths.

Pakistan Times says thousands of civilians, many on foot, have fled the war-torn Swat Valley to take advantage of a lifted curfew that could precede an even more intense round of fighting between the military and the Taliban. The goal of what the prime minister called a “war of the country’s survival”, is to wrest the valley and neighbouring districts from al-Qaida militants.

Kabul Press reports a double suicide bomb attack has killed seven people and wounded 20 in southern Afghanistan. The majority of casualties were police and army units responding to the initial attack.

Iran Daily says the lawyer for the American journalist convicted to eight years’ imprisonment for spying for the US is optimistic there will a change in her verdict. After Roxana Saberi's brief appeals hearing, her lawyer said he expects the court will make its decision in a few days.

Globe & Mail says President Jacob Zuma has named powerful figures to key posts charged with overseeing and improving the South Africa's limping public services. A day after his swearing in, Mr Zuma announced a restructured cabinet including minority party members and leftist allies, establishing a powerful planning commission to take a more comprehensive view of socio-economic development in the country.

Vientaine Times reports that the pregnant British woman arrested for smuggling 680 grams of heroin into Laos, has been told she must testify she was not raped in prison in order to escape the firing squad. Samantha Orobator, who is five months pregnant has been told that if she co-operates, she will be transferred from Laos to a UK prison.

Arab News says a Saudi judge’s remarks that that a man could slap his wife for lavish spending, have sparked an outcry at a seminar on the role of judicial and security officials in preventing domestic violence. Saudi women have become more vocal about the problem of husbands beating wives and fathers mistreating children. But the judge said some of the blame must be shouldered by wives for their behaviour.