Press digest

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

The Times reports that a driver was given a suspended sentence after a court found him guilty of causing the death of two girls on the Mriehel bypass four years ago. The newspaper says the sentence has been described as disgraceful by the mother of one of the victims. It also reports that a Maltese man was arraigned in court as part of an international child-porn investigation.

The Malta Independent reports that Maltese houses were searched as part of a Europe-wide child porn investigation. It says Malta and the Council of Europe commissioner for human rights are involved in a new argument over the fate of a migrants' boat in August.

In-Nazzjon says Mepa has approved final plans for a new passenger terminal in Cirkewwa.

l-orizzont says yet another date has been given in the saga of the Cirkewwa terminal, which had been delayed for many years. It lists major world landmarks which were completed in a shorter time. The newspaper also quotes the GWU saying that the UHM has chosen to dictate the future of workers who are not its members. The case involves ambulance drivers.

The international press

De Standaard reports EU leaders meeting in Brussels have continued their consultations overnight in a bid to reach agreement on how much aid the bloc will give to developing nations to tackle the effects of global warming. On the first day of a two-day summit they had wanted to agree a joint offer of around €6 billion over three years. Wealthier states are struggling to convince poorer Eastern European countries to contribute.

EU Observer says the summit was also grappling with a Greek financial crisis which threatens the euro, risks destabilising other economies and has sent alarm bells ringing across Europe. EU politicians are scrambling to restore confidence, while increasing the pressure on Athens to fix the country's gaping budget deficit.

The Economist says Athens is running a 13 per cent deficit - way above the 3 per cent maximum of GDP permitted under the eurozone stability rules. The Greek government debt is also off the eurozone scale at well over 100 per cent of GDP - compared with the maximum permitted debt ceiling of 60 per cent.

Aftenposten reports that as he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway, President Obama defended the concept of a just war, saying that the "instruments of war have a role to play in preserving the peace".

The International Herald Tribune says US and Pakistan have confirmed that five suspected militants arrested during a raid on a house in Pakistan are US nationals wanted by the FBI.

In the UK, The Guardian says MPs were enduring yet more expenses embarrassment after it emerged Gordon Brown had repaid another £500 and a minister submitted a £20,000 bill for repairing a bell tower.

According to Al Jazeera, Egypt has denied an Israeli newspaper report it is constructing an underground steel barrier along its strip with the Gaza border in an attempt to seal off smuggling tunnels built by Palestinians.

Manila Times says tense negotiations are taking place after tribal gunmen raided a school and abducted 75 people in the southern Philippines. The mass kidnapping continued a terrifying outburst of crime in the Mindanao region in recent weeks, following the beheading of a logging company employee and a political massacre that left 57 people dead.

Environmental Daily reports next year could be the warmest year on record. It quotes climate scientists said a combination of man-made global warming and a weather pattern, known as El Nino, heating the Pacific Ocean would make it very likely that 2010 would be warmer than 2009.

USA Today says 17 people have died after a massive winter storm buried central parts of the United States under ice and snow. Scores of motorists were left stranded as snow drifts as high as 15 feet shut down major roads.

The Sun predicts Britain is braced for a major cold snap with freezing temperatures forecast for the weekend. Following the wettest November on record, widespread frosts and isolated wintry showers are set to the hit the country. Temperatures are likely to drop below freezing in the north of England.

Deutsche Welle says German truck manufacturer MAN SE must pay a fine of €151 million after an investigation by prosecutors in Munich revealed that the company paid kickbacks to officials "in numerous cases" in Europe, Africa and Asia.

Le Parisien reports that a 1788 bottle of Cognac has fetched the top price at an auction of wine from one of the world's most famous cellars. A French entrepreneur bought the bottle from the Tour D'Argent restaurant for €25,000, with the proceeds to go to charity. Some 18,000 bottles were sold for more than €1.5 million at the auction.