Malta and international press digest

The following are the top stories in the Maltese press this morning.

The Times on its front page says the President was not consulted over the MLP decision that Charles Mangion will stay on as opposition leader, even though technically it is the President’s prerogative to appoint a leader of the opposition. Joseph Muscat said yesterday that despite the appointment of Anglu Farruia as MLP deputy leader for parliamentary affairs, it had been decided, on the recommendation of Dr Farrugia himself, that Dr Mangion would stay on until Dr Muscat becomes leader of the opposition. The newspaper also reports that Joseph Muscat has asked the MLP board of discipline to issue amnesties so that the MLP can turn a new page. In another story, it says the hunters’ federation has accused BirdLife of waging a hate campaign against hunters.

The Malta Independent reports calls by Joseph Muscat for the Prime Minister to make a statement on the Mistra saga, which, he said, had political implications. It also says that the Joint Office has a huge backlog which the government is working to ease. The Joint Office handles the administration of former Church properties.

l-orizzont leads with Joseph Muscat’s remarks yesterday, where he said the MLP over the past week made major strides in the opening of a new political season.

In-Nazzjon says the first workers at SmartCity are expected to start working in offices in September. It also reports that Jason Micallef is determined to stay on in the administration of the MLP. He would otherwise be unemployed.

The Press in Britain…

The Independent says that Saudi Arabia plans to increase its oil production by 200,000 barrels to 9.7m barrels a day next month. Voicing concern that sustained high oil prices will eventually slacken the world's appetite for oil and undermine its long-term profitability, it has also appealed for Western countries to cut taxes on fuel.

Photos dominate the Daily Mail's front page. One shows the coffins of five British soldiers ahead of their flight back to Britain. The other is of George Bush and his wife Laura arriving in the UK.

The Times pictures the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh as they hosted President and Mrs Bush at Windsor Castle. Bush will have more talks with Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his predecessor Tony Blair today and will later head to Northern Ireland.

Metro shows the protests by some 2,500 demonstrators during the US President's visit to Downing Street but leads with reports that hundreds of service stations ran out of petrol or were close to doing so because of the strike by Shell tanker drivers.

The US President's visit to Britain also makes the front page of the Financial Times which reports that Barclays is trying to raise up to £4bn from outside investors to avoid a rights issue.

The Guardian’s coverage of the Bush visit focuses on the protests held to coincide with his arrival. Its lead says that the Government will propose tougher community punishments and better protection for victims of crime as part of reforms designed to restore trust in the criminal justice system.

The Daily Express claims an industry expert has warned that household dustbin collections will be cut to once a month. And Paul Burrell has denied suggestions that he had an affair with Diana, Princess of Wales.

The Sun claims to have tracked down a suspected Nazi war criminal - at Euro 2008 in Austria.

The Daily Mirror reports police have found the bodies of a man and two young children in a Land Rover parked at a beauty spot in North Wales.

And elsewhere…

Irish News quotes Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen saying in Dublin he wants EU leaders to help find solutions to keep Ireland at the heart of the EU. Mr Cowen will discuss the Lisbon Treaty crisis with heads of state at the European Council summit in Brussels on Thursday. The crisis will be discussed between EU ministers for the first time today when Foreign Affairs Minister Micheal Martin meets his counterparts in Luxembourg.

Welt am Sonntag quotes Germany's interior minister Wolfgang Schaeuble calling for more transparency in the European Union and suggests the direct election of the European Commission president. Schaeuble believes the Irish no camp's 53.4 to 46.6 percent victory in Thursday's referendum was a result of the EU's remoteness from the people. He said the bloc had to become understandable for everyone.

The International Heald Tribune says Amnesty International has criticized the world's richest countries for not doing enough for Iraqi refugees. According to Amnesty, some 4.7 million Iraqi refugees have now fled their homes – the highest level since the start of the US-led invasion in 2003.

Le Courrier des Balkans reports that despite Serbia's objections, Kosovo's constitution has gone into force four months after its ethnic Albanian majority declared independence and gained recognition by some 40 countries. The constitution and a set of new laws, adopted at a ceremony in Pristina, hands executive powers to Kosovo's government from a United Nations administration.

The People’s Daily says at least 55 people have been killed in flooding over the past 10 days in China and more torrential rains are expected in the coming days. More than 1.3 million people have been forced to flee to higher ground in nine provinces in the south of the country.

Pakistan Times quotes Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gillani warning he will not tolerate any violations of its borders. He was reacting to Afghan President Hamid Karzai threats to send troops into neighbouring Pakistan to attack Taliban militants.Gillani said Pakistan did not interfere with other countries and would not allow any interference in its affairs.

Sunshine Coast News reports a jumper survived a 260 metre fall from a waterfall in Queensland after his parachute failed to open properly. The man sustained a suspected broken leg and pelvis and internal injuries when he hit the water at Wallaman Falls.

The Post says 27 people died and 55 others were seriously injured in Zambia when an overloaded 60-seat bus plunged into a ditch after a tyre burst. The bus overturned in Luangwa, a small town 200km (125 miles) east of the capital.

Kathmandu Post says the palace of the deposed King Gyanendra has opened as a national museum four days after the abolition of the monarchy in Nepal. A car given to the ex-King's grandfather by Hitler is to be among the exhibits.

London 24 reports the RSPCA has revealed orphaned birds are being played the bird song of their own species up to twice a day before they are released into the wild. It follows a study, funded by the RSPCA, which concluded that birds being reared in captivity often lose the ability to communicate with others.