The following are the top stories in the Maltese press:
The Times reports how a man, Raymond Mifsud, was jailed for 11 years for sex slavery. It also says that Malta backs boosting the eurozone financial firewall.
The Malta Independent leads with the death of Lucio Dalli. It also says that the EU is focusing on what really matters – economic growth.
l-orizzont says officials in government bodies are receiving huge salaries and perks.
In-Nazzjon says the government will not raise power tariffs or dismiss anyone from Enemalta. It also reports how unemployment in Malta is among the lowest in the EU.
The overseas press
The BBC reports the price of crude oil has jumped to its highest level in 43 months after reports of a blast at a pipeline in Saudi Arabia. Brent crude rose $5.74 to $128.40 per barrel in late Thursday trading in New York – the highest since July 2008. However, prices eased a bit after Saudi officials denied the reports. Brent was trading at $125.86 per barrel in Asian trade on Friday, with US light sweet crude at $108.92 per barrel. The new high set on Thursday beat the level seen during the Libyan civil war last year. Oil prices have been rising since the start of the year amid concerns about the tensions between Iran and the West over its controversial nuclear programme.
Le Soir quotes Eurogroup chief Jean-Claude Juncker saying Greece would not get funds from a second EU/IMF bailout until its private creditors gave final approval for their losses next week. He conformed, however, that Greece had taken all the legal action necessary to get the €130 billion bailout, which must now await the debt swap with private bondholders on March 8.
Ansa reports unemployment figures from Italy showed a record jobless rate of 9.2 per cent in January – up from 8.9 per cent in December 2011. The statistics agency Istat said the number of unemployed rose to 2.312 million. Across the 17-country eurozone, unemployment was at 10.7 per cent – the highest level since monetary union was launched in 1999.
In what Australia’s ABC calls “a shock development”, it was announced this morning that former New South Wales premier Bob Carr would take the coveted job of Foreign Affairs Minister in Julia Gillard's new-look cabinet, despite earlier this week saying he was not pursuing the job. At the end of a turbulent week in federal politics, the Gillard announced the reshuffle, appearing at a Canberra press conference with Mr Carr by her side. The changes follow Monday's bitter leadership challenge which forced Kevin Rudd to the backbench and triggered Sports Minister Mark Arbib's sudden resignation.
According to Al Bawaba, Syrian rebels have left their shattered stronghold in the city of Homs in a "tactical withdrawal" after a bloody 26-day army siege. Activists said a few fighters had stayed on in the Baba Amr – which has endured weeks of shelling, sniper fire and privation – to cover their comrades as they retreated.
Soon afterwards, Tribune de Genève quoted the International Committee of the Red Cross saying Syrian authorities had finally given it permission to take aid into the district. The retreat came as Russia, China and Cuba voted against a resolution adopted overwhelmingly by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council which condemned Syria for violations that it said may amount to crimes against humanity.
The Washington Times says a Senate hearing has been told the international community must do everything it can to bring about the downfall of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. The US Senate committee on foreign relations has heard testimony from top US diplomats describing a deteriorating situation in Syria, and the need for an aggressive push by the UN Security Council to bring about regime change.
Lebanon’s Al Manar TV reports two French journalists have been evacuated out of Syria where they were holed up in the besieged city of Homs following the deaths of two of their colleagues. President Sarkozy said in Paris he had spoken to wounded freelance journalist Edith Bouvier by telephone following her evacuation to Lebanon along with photographer William Daniels. They were evacuated out of Syria by rebels and were met at the Lebanese border by French embassy officials including a doctor.
Several hundred angry protesters have booed President Nicolas Sarkozy, forcing him to take refuge in a cafe protected by riot police as he campaigned in France’s south-west Basque country. La Tribune says riot police surrounded the Bar du Palais where Sarkozy took refuge from the protesters who booed him throughout his visit to Bayonne. Sarkozy claimed the protesters were organised by the rival Socialist Party. The conservative Sarkozy trails Socialist candidate Francois Hollande, the front-runner in the two pronged April and May presidential election.
Metro reports the Church of England has offered an “unreserved apology” for historic cases of child abuse by some members of its clergy. Officials said it was a matter of “great sorrow and deep regret” and they recognised the harm caused to the victims.
The People says passengers on the crippled Italian liner Costa Allegra said they thought they would have to get into lifeboats and abandon ship in pirate-infested waters when it was disabled by fire. The ship drifted for several hours before being taken into tow by a French tuna fishing trawler, and limped into Victoria port on Thursday after a three-day ordeal for the more than 1,000 people on board. Italian investigators were also dockside waiting to question the crew of the ship.
The death has been announced in Switzerland of Lucia Dalli, one of the most important, as well as most popular Italian pop-music figures. La Republica says Dalla, who would have turned 69 on March 4, died after suffering a heart attack, leaving Italians and fans world over in disbelief, shock and mourning. He recorded 32 albums throughout his career that spanned over four decades. One of his most important compositions was the 1986 song Caruso, which t sold over nine million copies across the globe and was covered by the likes of Luciano Pavarotti and Andrea Bocelli.