Malta and international press digest

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

The Times says the Mayor of Marsa has demanded a new inquiry into the presence of toxic gas at Hexagon House, fearing a leakage from a nearby oil recycling facility. The newspaper also reports how a computer spy network based in China reportedly attacked embassy IT systems around the world, including Malta.

The Malta Independent leads with the same IT story, saying the Maltese embassy in China may have been hacked. It also reports that the Cabinet will today discuss the reform of local councils.

In-Nazzjon quotes Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi saying this is the time for courageous and mature decisions.

l-orizzont says the PN is fanning division on the celebration of Freedom Day.

The Press in Britain

The Daily Telegraph says the political future of Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is in the balance following the humiliating admission that she claimed taxpayer-funded allowances for her husband to watch pay-per-view pornographic films.

According to the Daily Mirror, Jacqui Smith threatened to give her husband the boot unless he apologised for spending taxpayers' cash on porn films.

The Daily Mail reports the Home Secretary still "could face axe" despite her public apology.

The Daily Express is categorical: “Shamed Jacqui Smith must quit now”.

The Financial Times says President Barack Obama has voiced optimism that the G20 summit will set the framework for recovery.

However, The Guardian reports that expectations of a global spending deal at the G20 summit have been dampened after it emerged any decisions will be made at later talks.

The Times claims the equalities watchdog is urging statutory maternity leave be cut to six months and new paid leave given to fathers.

The Independent announces four million ex-servicemen and women are to be given veteran ID cards to entitle them to priority NHS treatments.

The Sun leads with its campaign to help Britain's war-wounded troops and says it has joined forces with the charity Help for Heroes to raise £20m.

The Daily Star says Michael Jackson will attend Jade Goody's funeral on Saturday.

And elsewhere…

Chumhuriyet reports that early results from municipal and provincial elections in Turkey show that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Ergogan's Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party is headed for victory.

Vijesti quotes Montenegro's Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic claiming victory in the Balkan country's parliamentary elections.

Il Tempo says Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been elected as the leader of the new Freedom party through a show of hands at the conservative party's founding conference in Rome. The Freedom Party combines his former party, the Forza Italia movement with the right-wing National Alliance.

El Pais reports that thousands of anti-abortion demonstrators have marched through Madrid and other Spanish cities to protest against government plans to reform the country's abortion law. Spain's Socialist government is planning to allow terminations on demand up to 14 weeks into a pregnancy and up to 22 weeks if doctors detect a serious threat to the health of the mother or fetal malformation.

USA Today says six people were killed and several others wounded after a gunman has opened fire at a North Carolina nursing home.

The International Herald Tribune quotes new figures from Save the Children showing that more than 10 million children are starving because of the global economic crisis.

The Washington Times claims President Obama has asked the head of car-maker General Motors, Rick Wagoner, to resign as part of the administration's plans to rescue the auto industry.

Al-Ayyam reports that Palestinian officials in a West Bank refugee camp have disbanded a youth orchestra after it played for Holocaust survivors in Israel. Playing down or even denying the Holocaust is common in Palestinian society, fearing Jewish suffering would weaken their own historical grievances against Israel.

The Age reports Britain's Jenson Button has won the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. Button's team-mate Rubens Barrichello from Brazil came in second, handing a one-two victory to the Brawn GP team in its debut Formula One race. Italy's Jarno Trulli finished third, but just hours after the race, Formula 1 stewards penalised Trulli for overtaking while the safety car was on the track. This resulted in Britain's Lewis Hamilton being promoted from fourth to third place.