Malta and international press digest

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

The Times leads with estimates of the cost to the economy of last Wednesday power outages. It also reports the start of distribution of government vouchers for energy saving lamps and a cabin crew union's warning to Air Malta of flight delays unless the airline improved a pay offer.

The Malta Independent says businesses have been waiting two years for reimbursement of eco-contributions. It also reports that the EU summit today and tomorrow will discuss the reappointment of EU Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso.

l-orizzont reports comments by GWU General Secretary Tony Zarb in an ILO conference where he backed an international jobs pact. It reports Lino Bugeja, Secretary of the Ramblers' Association, saying MEPs had a duty to attend this evening's protest in Bahrija.

In-Nazzjon highlights the court hearing in connection with the death of a gunner at Chadwick Lakes during an exercise in February. It also reports the Enemalta press conference and the distribution of vouchers for energy saving bulbs.

The Press in Britain

The Scotsman quotes Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling claiming that Britain appeared to be on the road to recovery, despite figures showing job losses.

The Financial Times says the Governor of the Bank of England appeared at odds with the Chancellor as he stressed the need for an overhaul of bank regulation to prevent a repeat financial crisis.

The Daily Star says British jobs are vanishing at the rate of one every 30 seconds.

The Daily Express reports that middle income families were warned to brace themselves for tax hikes and interest rate rises.

Junior Treasury Minister Kitty Ussher Has resigned following allegations in The Daily Telegraph that she avoided paying up to £17,000 in capital gains tax on the sale of her constituency home.

According to The Sun, an illegal Afghan immigrant smuggled himself into Sandhurst - after hiding near a toilet on a coach.

The Independent says Prime Minister Gordon Brown is considering a startling U-turn over the official inquiry into the Iraq war which could see witnesses give evidence in public.

And The Guardian claims former Prime Minister Tony Blair was aware of the existence of a secret interrogation policy which effectively led to British citizens, and others, being tortured.

The Times quotes environmental experts saying the threat to Britain posed by floods, heat waves and coastal erosion is far more serious than previously thought.

The Daily Mirror claims Katie Price threatened to stab a clubber during a bender in Ibiza.

According to the Daily Mail, doctors have been told gypsies and travellers should be given priority in NHS hospitals and GP surgeries.

And elsewhere...

The Wall Street Journal says President Barack Obama has unveiled sweeping changes to the US financial regulatory system aimed at preventing a repeat of the banking crisis and protecting consumers. Under the plan, the US central bank will be given new powers to oversee the entire sector, while a watchdog will be set up to improve standards and drive out bad practice.

Abrar reports Iran has accused the United States of "intolerable" meddling in its internal affairs, alleging for the first time that Washington has fuelled a bitter post-election dispute.

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera says that an amateur video showed thousands marching in the capital in support of pro-reform candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi's campaign to force a re-run of the disputed presidential election. An even larger protest is expected today, which Mr Mousavi has designated a day of mourning for the eight people killed after Monday's demonstration.

Dawn reports that Pakistani police have made their first arrest in the attack on Sri Lanka's cricket team in the eastern city of Lahore in March. Police said the suspect was a member of a banned militant group.

El Mundo says that all 759 passengers and 400 crew members of the Ocean Dream are under quarantine aboard the ship docked at Margarita Island, a popular destination for foreign tourists. They have been ordered to remain onboard until health officials have examined three crew members who have tested positive for flu and another 11 have symptoms.

The Washington Post quotes US Attorney General Eric Holder saying the United States may hold 50 or more trials of Guantanamo Bay detainees as the Obama administration works to close it by early next year.

Le Parisien says search teams have recovered more than 400 pieces of debris from Air France Flight 447 but investigators still do not know why the plane crashed into the Atlantic. All 228 people aboard were killed.

Kathemerini reports gunmen have shot dead an anti-terrorist police officer guarding a witness in central Athens. This was the first targeted killing attributed to domestic terrorism in years.

Italy's tourism minister is entangled in controversy after a video posted on the website of the left-leaning newspaper La Repubblica shows the woman giving the Fascist salute. Some opposition members today called for the resignation of Michela Vittoria Brambilla, a former beauty queen and close ally of Premier Silvio Berlusconi who was recently installed as tourism minister. Ms Brambilla says she has "never either done or thought of doing any gesture that is an apology of Fascism."

USA Today reports that a 15-year-old was crowned the new US texting champion after a two-day marathon competition. Kate Moore's 14,000 texts-per-month habit landed her the competition prize of $50,000 (€58,960) just eight months after she got her first mobile phone.