The Times reports that the tourist bed night tax may be capped for tourists who come to Malta on long stays. It also reports Joseph Muscat saying that the Labour Party is seeking to attract those who have no political affiliation.
The Malta Independent says some doctors are casting doubts on the safety of the H1N1 vaccine while the Health Department insists it is safe. It also reports the arson attack on a shop in Gzira yesterday.
In-Nazzjon features preparations for the Papal visit. It also reports the court judgment against Glenn Bedingfield in a libel case. In a third story it quotes EU figures showing that unemployment growth in Malta was among the slowest in the EU.
l-orizzont says no agreement has yet been reached with NGOs on the management and maintenance of Park tal-Majjistral.
The international press
EU Observer reports the eurozone emerged from recession in the third quarter of 2009, with a 0.4 percent quarter-on-quarter growth after five quarters of falling output.
Meanwhile, Business Daily quotes latest figures from Eurostat which show the unemployment rate in the eurozone is currently running at 10 percent or above 15 million – the highest since August 1998.
The Wall Street Journal says the unemployment rate in the US held steady at 10 percent. The US economy lost more than eight million jobs since the recession began in December 2007 and most economists worry that 2010 won’t be much better.
The cold weather continues bringing chaos and problems across large areas of Europe. In France, La Provence reports almost 12 inches of snow fell on Arles and Avignon in southern France.
El Pais says much of Spain was also shivering. In the Catalonia region snow prevented 72 schools from reopening after the Christmas holidays, providing an extra day off for more than 16,000 children – not that anyone of them were complaining.
Corriere della Sera reports heavy rains caused flooding across central and southern Italy, and authorities in Rome are watching the rising level of the Tiber. Northern Italy was blanketed by snow, while Venice faced the “acqua alta” phenomenon – exceptionally high tides which often flood most of the lagoon city in winter.
Sweden’s Expressen says temperatures dropped to minus 38.7C, straining the country’s energy supplies.
Travelling Britons braved more icy blasts as the severe weather did its best to wreck the country’s transport links. With councils running low on salt stocks to treat roads, the Daily Express leads on emergency orders by the government to cut grit consumption by 25 per cent as supplies run low. Travelers had to show true grit just to complete the simplest of journeys.
In Ireland, The Irish Times says up to 15cm of snow was forecast this weekend as authorities ordered salt rationing to conserve dwindling supplies.
El Mundo reports the EU hopes to open accession talks with Turkey in the next six months. It is understood talks will focus on four new policy areas. The Spanish Foreign Minister said he was hoping for progress in a dispute between Turkey and Cyprus which was blocking Ankara's bid to join the 27-nation bloc.
Expresso says Portugal's parliament has voted by a clear majority in favour of a bill to legalize same sex marriages.
Il Mattino reports that clashes between the residents of the southern Italian town of Rosarno and immigrants left 18 policemen and 19 foreigners injured.
The New York Times says two men – a Bosnian immigrant and a US citizen – are being held by the FBI over an al-Qaida bomb plot targeting New York.
The Sun says an Afghan asylum-seeker has been jailed for eight years for the horrific gang rape of a woman who was kidnapped off the street in Bristol, England. Ahadullah Khughiani, 20, was one of five men who took turns raping the victim in a city park on November 26, 2008. He laughed and sang in court while the traumatised 25-year-old woman relived her terrifying ordeal.
Metro reports that a man declared dead after being hit by a car woke up when coroners began his autopsy. Manas Deo, 44, was injured after being run over on Christmas Day. Doctors signed his death certificate after finding no pulse.
The French Sports daily L’Equipe says gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying Togo's national football squad to the top African tournament in Angola, killing the driver and wounding nine others, including two players. Manchester City's Emmanuel Adebayor was on the bus but escaped unharmed.