The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press:
The Sunday Times says Air Malta is bracing for changes as part of a restructuring programme following financial losses. It also reports that the Prime Minister is prepared to grant a free vote to Nationalist MPs in a parliamentary vote on divorce.
The Malta Independent on Sunday quotes the Minister of Finance saying that the focus of the Budget will be responsibility and sustainability. It also says that debate has flared on the proposed extension of maternity leave to 20 weeks
MaltaToday says a survey has showed that Justice and Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici is the most popular member of the Cabinet while Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt and Finance Minister Tonio Fenech are the least. Education Minister Dolores Cristina has seen her popularity slide.
Il-Mument says the thrust of the Budget will be jobs and investment. It also says that speeches by Opposition leader Joseph Muscat reflect lack of confidence in the Commissioner of Police and the Auditor-General.
It-Torca presents an analysis of what has become of the promises made in the last Budget. It also reports that the hospital emergency department was flooded with 17 drug overdose cases between Friday and yesterday.
Illum says that two-thirds of the Maltese do not see voting for divorce as being a sin.
KullHadd says that the government has considered an amnesty on penalties for the payment of overdue VAT on the same basis as the recent amnesty on income tax. It also says that the new CEO of Arms Ltd, Wilfred Borg, will receive compensation of €85,000.
The overseas press
Weiner Zeitung reports that at a meeting Vienna, several far-right European parties have vowed to seek a Europe-wide referendum on Turkey's accession to the European Union. The parties include the Austrian Freedom Party, Belgium's Flemish Interest Party, the Sweden Democrats, and the Danish People's Party. Turkey began EU membership talks in 2005, but has not come far due to its disputes over EU-member state Cyprus and resistance from other EU members such as France and Germany.
London’s Sunday Express accuses Brussels politicians of losing touch with reality by pouring millions of euros into a pointless European space programme. It says that when member countries are desperately trying to reduce their deficits, the draft EU budget revealed an extra €26 million would be spent on space research next year, taking the annual total to €230 million.
The Times reports that thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in London to protest against planned government spending cuts at events organised by trade unions across the Britain. Union leaders have vowed to fight the cuts outlined in George Osborne's Comprehensive Spending Review, as they are expected to lead to 490,000 public sector job losses. The general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, Bob Crow, called for a 'tidal wave of protest' across the country.
Scotland on Sunday says the Scottish unions described the cuts as an 'act of inexcusable callousness' and called on the government to focus its efforts on job creation schemes.
The Belfast Telegraph quotes leading trade unionist Peter Bunting saying the cuts ordered by the Conservative-led British government were “ideological vandalism”. He said the elite of the financial world had caused a catastrophe that the poorest people in the UK were set to pay for.
Asia Times says representatives of the Group of 20 leading industrial nations have reached an agreement on how to reform the International Monetary Fund, decreasing Europe's influence on decision-making. The reforms shift more than six per cent of voting power to fast-developing nations like China and India. Europe would also give up two out of the eight or nine seats it controls at any given time on the 24-member executive board.
Az Zaman says Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has criticised the timing of the release of almost 400,000 secret US military documents about the conflict in Iraq. His office accused the Wikileaks website of trying to sabotage his bid to form a new government by stoking up anger "against national parties and leaders, especially the prime minister".
In London, The Independent on Sunday reports on the WikiLeaks revelations that expose in detail the brutality of the war in Iraq - and what it calls "the astonishing, disgraceful deceit of the US". Speaking in London, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said that the release was aimed at revealing the truth about the war. He said the records showed there had been "a bloodbath on every corner" and provided evidence of war crimes.designed to create the 'maximum political impact possible'. Both US and British government officials have widely condemned the leak, suggesting that it might put members of the armed forces' lives at risk.
Il Mattino reports that the European Commission has warned Italy it may face sanctions if it does not clean up the 2,000 tons of rubbish that have piled up on Naples streets in the country's latest collection crisis. European Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik said today the latest outbreak of violence between residents and police over where to put Naples' rubbish shows that Italy has not taken sufficient measures to deal with the crisis.
Deutsche Welle says thousands of protestors across Germany have made it known that they didn't want radioactive atomic waste transported through their towns. The waste was set to flow into Germany from France starting next month.
According to Pravda, some 500 people have rallied in central Moscow to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and political reform. Opposition activists from left-wing and liberal groups gathered in a rare opposition protest allowed by the Moscow authorities.
El Universal says at least 32 youths aged between 14 and 20 have been shot dead at a party in Mexican city of Ciudad Juarez. Reports said gunmen in three cars drove up to a house party and began shooting. At least 15 people were wounded. Police found bullet casings from assault weapons typically used by drug gangs.
The East African reports seven people died in a stampede while trying to gain access to a football match between two of Kenya’s most popular teams. Six people died at Nyayo National Stadium and one died after being taken to hospital. The government has ordered an official investigation.