Press digest

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

The Times says Brussels has indicated that limited Spring hunting is possible. It also reports how a police inspector told a court that an accused man had shown the police where drugs were hidden.

The Malta Independent says the European Union is emerging from recession, but uncertainty is rife. It also says the Rabat Road tree which has the shape of a crucifix, is to be converted into a monument.

In-Nazzjon lists precautions which will be taken in schools to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus.

l-orizzont reports a flurry of deceiving SMS messages about lottery winnings. It also carries another story on the power station extension contract, saying the local representative of the winning bidder has been to the auditor.

The Press in Britain...

The Daily Telegraph says that following a European court ruling, workers who fall ill during their holidays would be able to claim the time back from their employers. Leading employment lawyers warned it would be costly for businesses and that it left "the door open for abuse" by unscrupulous employees

Metro leads on the life sentences handed down to three British Muslims who plotted to kill thousands of people by blowing up transatlantic planes using home-made liquid bombs.

The Independent reports on the government's decision to order a review of a controversial scheme to vet millions of adults who work with children.

The Daily Express claims trade unions are calling for higher taxes on middle income families to help pay off Britain's debt.

The Guardian says the government is abandoning plans to extend maternity pay from nine months to a year, because it would be too expensive.

The Daily Mail says ministers are planning to impose fines on households that do not recycle food waste.

The Times leads on a poll that suggests almost half of all voters think anyone would do a better job than Gordon Brown as Labour leader.

The Daily Mirror reports on allegations that a so-called 'society beauty' was involved in a mile-high drunken liaison with a fellow passenger.

The Daily Star quotes Jordan's ex-husband Peter Andre declaring he'd never take her back, "even though she begged".

And elsewhere...

Wall Street Journal reports on President Barack Obama's warning to bankers they must not squander public trust further by awarding huge bonuses to top executives.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is ready to walk out of next week's G20 summit if no progress is achieved on curbing bankers' bonuses. His chief of staff, Claude Gueant, told RTL radio the President was "absolutely determined on that score".

Börzen Zeitung says the OECD, WTO and UNCTAD have called on the G20 leaders to step up efforts to conclude a global trade deal next year to combat crisis-driven protectionism and lock in recovery.

La Nazione reports an earthquake marking 4.2 on the Richter scale, struck Barberino del Mugello, a Tuscan town located between Florence and Bologna, overnight sending residents rushing out onto the streets. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damages to buildings.

Le Courrier says Italy's treatment of boat migrants arriving from North Africa has came under fire from UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay. In an address to mark the opening of this year's session of the UN Human Rights Council, Pillay criticized the practice of forcibly escorting migrants at sea back to their point of departure and referred to a recent incident in which nearly 75 people died after their boat ran out of fuel. Her speech drew an angry response from the Italian centre-right government which said its policy was ''in line with the rest of Europe''.

Al Jezeera quotes Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden warning President Obama that he was "powerless" to halt the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and must rethink his policy on Israel. Bin Laden said that among "some other injustices," US support to Israel motivated al-Qaeda to launch the 9/11 attacks on New Yprk and Washington.

La Tribune de Genève says Midnight Oil's hit song Beds are Burning is to be recorded by a group of 55 world celebrities, including British rock group Duran Duran and Irish singer/composer Bob Geldof, who have joined together to draw attention to the global warming crisis. The song is part of a mass media campaign on the threats of climate change organised by the Geneva-based Global Humanitarian Forum, headed by former UN secretary general Kofi Annan.

Az-Zaman says an Iraqi court has ordered the release from jail of Muntazer Al-Zaidi, the reporter who attained worldwide fame when he hurled his shoes at then US president George W. Bush last and called him a "dog". He was sentenced to three years in jail for assaulting a visiting head of state, but his sentence was later reduced to one year.

The Jakarta Post says Muslims who commit adultery can be stoned to death under a new Sharia law in Indonesia's staunchly Islamic province of Aceh. Those guilty of rape, alcohol consumption, homosexuality and gambling get 100 lashes.

Variety announces Patrick Swayze, the Hollywood heart-throb acclaimed for his performances in Dirty Dancing and Ghost, has died of pancreatic cancer, aged 57. He had been battling the disease for almost two years.

The Star says a 107-year-old Malaysian woman is ready to marry for the 23rd time because she fears her current drug addicted husband might leave her for a younger woman. Wook Kundor made headlines four years ago when she married Muhammad Noor Che Musa, a man 70 years her junior.