The following are the top stories in the Maltese press today:

The Sunday Times and all the other newspapers lead with the inauguration of President George Abela. In other stories, The Sunday Times says a relative and two friends of a man who was found dead in an industrial furnace have been arrested as part of a police murder investigation. It also reports that the alleged fraud at the VAT Department may run into millions of euro.

The Malta Independent focuses on the inauguration of the President and the opening of new Lufthansa Tecknik facilities. It says the airline maintenance company will be employing 700. It also says that PN MEPs have a poor record on green issues, and PL MEPs do not fare much better.

MaltaToday also focuses on the swearing in of George Abela and says some officials were blacklisted. It also carries the results of a survey, which found that 84% of respondents agreed that there is an immigration crisis.

It-Torca asks if there are plans for a 50% increase in water tariffs. It also follows up the ballot of port workers for union recognition and covers the presidential inauguration.

Il-Mument highlights a quote by President Abela where he said that the country needs to continue to create jobs. It also gives prominence to Lufthansa Technik's plans to employ up to 700.

KullHadd also follows up the VAT Department fraud and the murder investigations. It says the murder victim, Gaetano Romano, may have been killed three days before he was found.

Illum's focus is on problems being encountered by farmers whose fields are on the cliff top at Marsascala.

The press in Britain

Most of the British press focuses on the funeral yesterday of TV star Jade Goody.

The Daily Star Sunday says thousands bade farewell to Goody and widower Jack Tweed fought back tears.

The News of the World says Jade was laid to rest in a Diana-style send-off.

The Sunday Mirror says ‘heartbreakingly innocent’ summed up the words of her two sons as emotion brimmed over at St John’s Church in Essex.

The Independent on Sunday reports on the commitment by Nato countries to send more troops to Afghanistan.

The Sunday Times reports that Chancellor Alistair Darling and the Treasury have admitted they got it wrong on the severity of the recession and will have to review economic predictions.

The Sunday Telegraph says Home Secretary Jacqui Smith was mortified when two pay-per-view porn movies were inadvertently submitted as part of her expenses claim to the Commons.

The Mail on Sunday tells how the Cabinet Minister who sent troops to Iraq claimed expenses on his constituency house but lived in a grace-and-favour apartment.

The Sunday Express reports that the switch to digital television is leaving viewers with blank screens with only half the channels promised.

And elsewhere...

Le Journal du Dimanche reports that Nato has agreed to boost troops in Afghanistan.

Die Welt says anti-Nato protestors fought police and set a hotel on fire in Strasbourg.

Il-Tempo reports a large protest in Rome to demand effective government action on the economy.

Novy Cas says Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic won yesterday’s election runoff.

Pittsburgh Times reports that three policemen were killed and five wounded when a man opened fire during a domestic argument.

Frontier Post says at least 62 illegal migrants, mainly Afghans, suffocated to death inside a shipping container in south west Pakistan.

Meanwhile, L’Unita’ says Italian police have found more than 100 immigrants living in the sewers beneath Rome. They include 25 migrants.