The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press:
The Times says that the Budget finally signals action on sexual health, with €200,000 allocated for the purpose. It also says that Malta has fared better in the corruption perception index.
The Malta Independent says that an angry MHRA has lashed out at the Finance Minister over the increase in VAT on hotel acommodation. It also says that CCTV cameras will be installed on all buses next year.
Malta Today says the Budget allocated no funds for the City Gate project in the Budget. (The project is administered by a corporation, which has a different budget)
l-orizzont says a court has ordered payment of €35,109 to nurses who were discriminated by not being given overtime after they observed union directives. It also reports on the MHRA concerns over the increase on VAT on hotels.
In-Nazzjon says more medicines will be given free by the government.
The overseas press
Jakarta Post reports Indonesia is grappling with a series of natural disasters that have killed more than 120 people. Some 113 died and many are missing after a tsunami triggered by an earthquake hit Mentawai islands, west of Sumatra. Ten villages on the islands are believed to have been swept away. In central Java, yesterday’s eruption of the country’s most active volcano, Mount Merapi, killed at least 15 people.
Somalia is the most corrupt country in the world, followed by Afghanistan, Burma and Iraq. The Christian Science Monitor gives prominence to the annual report of Transparency International which found that Denmark, New Zealand and Singapore tied for first place as the world’s least corrupt nations. The international watchdog found that some countries especially hard hit by the fallout of the global financial crisis became more corrupt during the last year. Among them were Greece and Italy. Of the 178 countries surveyed, Malta came 37th. (The whole list can be seen at http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2010/results).
Meanwhile, CNN reports that for the second consecutive year, Norway leads the 2010 list ranking the prosperity of 110 of the world's nations. Europe dominates the Top 10, taking six of the spots – Noway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands. The United States and Canada represent North America, while Australia and New Zealand check in from the Pacific-Asia nations. Eight of the bottom 10 nations are from Africa, with Zimbabwe coming in last. See the list at http://www.prosperity.com/rankings.aspx)
Az-Zaman says Tariq Aziz, for many years the international face of Iraq under Saddam Hussein, has been sentenced to death by the Iraqi Supreme Court afer being convicted of the persecution of religious parties. Aziz, 74, served as foreign minister and deputy prime minister and was a close adviser to Saddam Hussein. The Vatican has protested against the death sentence and called for clemency saying that sparing Aziz's life would "foster reconciliation and the reconstruction of peace and justice in Iraq after great suffering".
The Financial Times quotes British Airways chairman Martin Broughton saying some "completely redundant" airport security checks should be scrapped and the UK should stop "kowtowing" to US security demands.
Florida Post reports that a newborn baby died in hospital after being attacked by a pit bull in a Florida home. Authorities said the state agency for children and police were investigating whether the baby was being supervised and whether the dog previously showed aggressive behaviour. City animal control officials say the young dog has been put down.
China Now says a 10-year-old boy survived falling 20 floors from an apartment window. He landed in a car, shattering its back window. He suffered skull fractures and bleeding on the brain and remains under close observation. Last month a New York man survived after falling 39 stories and crashing through a car’s back window.
According to The Times, nature lovers in the UK were mourning a giant stag feared to have been shot dead for its antlers. The male red deer, known as the Emperor and reputedly the biggest wild animal in Britain, was reportedly killed by a trophy hunter. The 12-year-old stag was 9 feet (2.74 metres) tall to the tips of his antlers and is believed to have weighed some 300 lbs (136 kilos). If properly stuffed, Emperor’s mounted head could fetch as much as £2,000 (€2,280).