Malta and international press digest

The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press. The local press is dominated by the elections of deputy leaders for the Labour Party.

The Times says the age for sports shooting has been reduced to 14, although children have to practice the sport under supervision. It also reports a discussion which Resources Minister George Pullicino had with children about the environment.

In-Nazzjon says Anglu Farrugia and Toni Abela go into today’s run-off in the lead. It also reports that Joe Debono Grech’s daughter Joanne Borg, an MLP local councillor, has resigned from the party, following her father’s lead

The Malta Independent leads with the MLP inconclusive elections. It also reports how Maltese women are becoming mothers later in life, according to official figures.

l-orizzont also leads with the election saying no decision had been taken. It also carries a large picture of Joseph Muscat with George Abela before the voting took place. In the inside pages it shows Joseph Muscat and MLP general secretary Jason Micallef entering Dom Mintoff’s residence yesterday morning. They paid the former PM a courtesy visit.

The Press in Britain…

The Daily Telegraph leads with David Davis' dramatic stand down in protest over the 42-day terror detention bill and says that the Conservatives are in turmoil. Davis is the home affairs spokesman of the Conservative Party.

The same story makes the Guardian front page - with the paper adding that Labour is unlikely to field a candidate to stand against Davis in a by-election.

The Times says Davis has provoked an unwanted and potentially embarrassing by-election with his resignation.

The Daily Mirror reports on the death of a supermarket shopper who was allegedly punched after being mistaken for a teenage queue-jumper.

The Daily Express looks at the shape of things to come: it shows a picture of empty shelves in a supermarket in Spain and says that this is the same misery facing the British people as the petrol strike is on.

The Scotsman has the news that Gordon Brown has called for a new generation of nuclear reactors to be built to provide Britain with secure energy supplies.

The Daily Mail has one of the few pictures of the Rooneys' Italian wedding but it leads with the story of an 18-year-old A-level student who died after having an abortion.

Metro has the story that the wife of a 21/7 bomber has been jailed for failing to tell police what she knew about the plan.

And elsewhere…

The Irish Times reports that turnout in the referendum on the European Union's reform treaty was reported at about 40 per cent. Both the No and Yes sides expressed confidence that the result will go in their favour, but the result, expected by late this afternoon may be tight. More than three million voters were eligible to cast their ballots.

The Washington Post says that the US Supreme Court has ruled 5-4 that detainees held at the US military base at Guantanamo Bay have the right to appeal to federal courts. The ruling is considered a blow to the administration of President George W. Bush

The Chronicle quotes Zimbabwean police say Tendai Biti, the secretary general of the main opposition party, the Democratic Movement for Change, will be charged with treason. Biti had been wanted by the authorities after announcing that the MDC had won the March 29 presidential and parliamentary elections before an official announcement was made. Meanwhile police have released opposition presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangirai after briefly detaining him on his way to address a campaign rally ahead of the country's June 27 run-off election.

Le Monde reports Afghan President Hamid Karzai has called on the international community to provide him with more than €30 billion in aid over the next five years.

South China Morning Post says Taiwan and China have agreed to launch regular direct weekend passenger flights starting from July 4, the first in nearly 60 years

Al Ayyam reports that a powerful explosion has destroyed the house of a Hamas commander in the northern Gaza Strip killing at least four people and injuring up to 30. The Israeli army has denied any involvement.

Asahi Shimbun reports that Japan's lower house of parliament has approved a motion expressing confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda.