Malta and international press digest

The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press:

The Times says a wind farm off Bugibba is to cost €130 million. It also carries a warning by dermatologists that excessive mobile phone use could cause rashes.

The Malta Independent leads with comments by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi that Malta needs to invest in alternative energy.

l-orizzont asks if a French diver had disappeared in the sea or had left. It also says the MLP will publish its costings of the government’s proposed utility tariffs today. Questions have been raised in view of an e-mail found an hour after the diver disappeared.

In-Nazzjon carries a detailed report on the conclusion of the PN general council meeting. It also reports that the number of operations at Mater Dei Hospital has risen by almost 1,000 over the same period last year at St Luke’s.

The Press in Britain…

The Daily Telegraph quotes a new report on the impact of an impending recession which shows family finances, high street spending and the housing market will not recover for three years.

The Daily Mail reports that according to a study by Standard & Poors, if trends continue at the current rate, the UK's housing market could be on course for a crash worse than the early 1990s.

The Independent claims plans to allow 4.5 million parents to work flexibly are to be delayed by the government as it searches for ways to help businesses survive the economic downturn.

The Financial Times says Dutch banking and insurance group ING has accepted an €10bn injection from the Dutch government to shore up its core capital.

The Guardian says it has been a good weekend for presidential candidate Barack Obama: he is ahead of McCain in the opinion polls, his campaign raised a record $150 million in September, and now he has the endorsement of senior US politician Colin Powell.

The Times says Justice Secretary Jack Straw plans to open up family courts to public scrutiny to create more transparency in the family justice system while seeking to protect the welfare of the child.

The Daily Express says British scientists have revealed a list of 20 foods capable of defying the ageing process and warding off killer diseases. The list includes tea, coffee and chocolate as well as popular fruit and vegetables.

Metro says Britain's diabetes population has risen by more than 167,000 since last year, bringing the total number to almost 2.5 million.

The Daily Star claims Madonna is back in the arms of convicted killer Chris Paciello who she first dated 10 years ago. Burly Paciello, 37, walked free in 2006 after serving seven years of a 10-year stretch for his role in a bungled raid that left a woman dead.

The Mirror also leads with Madonna saying the singer has promised not to flee Britain for good and will continue to maintain a home in London, allowing Guy regular contact with their children.

The Sun says the 50-year-old superstar believes all Guy was ever after during their marriage was a slice of her £320million fortune.

And elsewhere…

Berliner Zeitung, the German government is considering bringing forward proposed tax cuts for health insurance contributions, mean that citizens would have to pay a total of nine billion euros less in taxes next year.

Jerusalem Post quotes Israel’s Defence Minister Ehud Barak saying Israeli leaders have been discussing a comprehensive Saudi peace plan and debating how to respond to it. Al-Ayyam reports President Abbas has urged Palestinians to plant trees across the West Bank in response to Jewish settlers attacks on farmers during an olive harvest.

Los Angeles Times says the chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, Ed Lazear, has said that parts of the country were already experiencing a recession.

Christian Science Monitor reports that Denver archbishop Charles Chaput, one of America’s most politically outspoken Catholic leaders, has labelled Barack Obama the “most committed” abortion-rights candidate from a major party in 35 years.

Az-Zaman reports Iraq's ruling Shiite coalition has called for amendments to a draft security agreement with the United States. The so-called Status of Forces agreement is to regulate the legal status of US troops in Iraq after the United Nations mandate expires by the end of the year.

El Mundo quotes President Hugo Chavez of Vednezuela saying he would urge fellow members of the OPEC oil cartel to implement a cut in production, with a goal of allowing prices to fall to no less than $80 a barrel.