Press digest

The following are the top stories in the local and international press today:

In The Sunday Times Parliamentary Secretary Mario Galea speaks about his depression problem and calls on Labour MPs to apologise if they were really sorry they said he had a drink problem. The newspaper also carries an interview with Malta’s representative in the Eurovision song contest Thea Garrett.

The Malta Independent quotes Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi saying that the Opposition had crossed the red line and the government had the duty to halt the damage. It also reports that a man found not guilty of attempted murder would be seeking damages from the Attorney General.

MaltaToday asks why Enemalta had ignored the Christmas gifts sent by BWSC.

KullHadd reports that the European Commission has suspended Malta’s participation in the lifelong learning programme and that the agency Content House Ltd had been awarded tenders without a call for tenders.

Illum refers to interview with Lydia Abela who says that she was not involved in all the PL strategy meetings. The newspaper also claims that PN general secretary Paul Borg Olivier has strengthened his hold within the party.

It-Torca reports the keynote speech in a family conference by British judge Sir Paul Coleridge. It also reports on an agreement between the General Workers’ Union and Enemalta and that Thea Garrett has now gone to Oslo to represent Malta without sponsors and without money. The newspaper reports an appeal by a father who lost his 26-year-old son to the Maltese to learn first aid and on a phenomenon in Marsascala yesterday, when the sea level rose.

Il-Mument reports on the PN general council which ends today and on the rebuilding of the Marsascala bypass.

The international press:

Bangkok Post quotes Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva saying troops will "push forward" with an operation to end an anti-government protest in the heart of Bangkok.

Sky News reports that volcanic ash from Iceland could disrupt air travel in Britain, Ireland and Germany. Some space may be closed until Tuesday.

Corriere della Sera says Italy’s civil aviation agency has fined Ryanair €3 million for failing to help passengers stranded last month when flights were cancelled due to the volcanic ash cloud. The agency said it found 178 cases of Ryanair passengers who did not receive mandatory assistance such as food, drink and lodgings during the flight shutdown in much of Europe from April 15 to 22. Ryanair said the company was not aware of any problems.

Kathimerini reports thousands of protesters, mobilised by the Greek Communist Party, have taken to the streets of Athens demanding that austerity measures apply across the board. The government has promised to a corruption clean-up of politicians.

El Mercurio says a Pakistani, detained with suspicious chemical residues at the US Embassy in Chile, was charged with possessing explosives and then set free pending further investigation. Judge Maria Carolina Herrera declined to charge Mohammad Saif Ur Rehman Khan with associating with terrorists for lack of evidence. But she ruled that Khan stay in Chile and check in with authorities once a week. Prosecutors have three more months to develop their case.

Minsk Times reports Belarusian police violently dispersed a gay pride parade which had been banned by authorities. Riot police broke up the demonstration and arrested several dozen participants, beating some of them and throwing them to the ground.

Le Monde says French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde has denied "rumours" that President Nicolas Sarkozy had threatened to pull France out of the euro to force Germany to help Greece with its debt crisis.

NRC Handelsblad reports Ruben van Assouw, the nine-year-old Dutch boy who was the sole survivor of a plane crash in Libya four days ago, has arrived back home in the Netherlands. He was accompanied by his maternal uncle, aunt and the Libyan doctor who had been treating him.

France 24 reports Clotilde Reiss would be allowed to leave Iran after paying a fine of 230,000 euros. The French academic was arrested for espionage when Iran's post-election unrest threw the country into political turmoil last June.

According to China Today, Xu Yuyuan has been found guilty of intentional homicide and sentenced him to death. He rampaged a kindergarten in late April, stabbing 29 children and three teachers. There have been five such attacks in China in recent months.

The Washington Times says the Obama administration has sent five nuclear scientists to the Gulf of Mexico to help BP stem the flow of oil.

Abrar says President Lula Inacio da Silva of Brazil has arrived in Tehran for a nuclear summit. The US and Russia have warned that Lula's trip to Tehran could be Iran's last chance to escape severe UN sanctions on its controversial nuclear programme.

Deutsche Welle reports former Catholic bishop Walter Mixa has been cleared of allegations that he sexually abused children. However, prosecutors said their investigations confirmed claims that he beat children while working at a children's home. Mixa, who is also under investigation for improperly using funds meant for the home, resigned last month and is at present in a Swiss clinic for treatment.

The Times says brothers and former cabinet ministers Ed and David Miliband will compete against each other for the leadership of Britain's Labour Party, defeated in last week's general election after 13 years in power.

The Star-Ledger reports a group of American construction workers are suing a former co-worker, claiming that he kept a $38.5 million lottery jackpot from a group pool for himself. Americo Lopes claims that the winning ticket he purchased in November was his alone and not part of the group pool he shared with five New Jersey colleagues, who had an arrangement to contribute $2 each and share in the jackpot in the event of a winning ticket. A Superior Court judge has ruled to freeze the $14 million left until the case is sorted out, and ordered Mr Lopes to account for all of his finances since winning the jackpot.