Malta and international press digest

The following are the top stories in the local and international press today.

The Times says that the law supports the Armed Forces of Malta on immigrants. In another story it says that a bill on whistle blowing is to be published before the end of the year.

l-Orizzont also leads with immigration in the Mediterranean and quotes Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini saying that Malta was small and unable to manage its search and rescue area. It also reports on the new power station to be built at Delimara saying that there was one voice for diesel.

The Malta Independent says that immigration and foreign investment are among the foreign ministry's priorities.

In-Nazzjon says that the pre-budget document is well in line with UHM policies. It says that services are being provided according to the needs of industry and that an EU coordination office will be opening in Malta in October.

The Press in Britain…

All newspapers feature the jubilant celebrations by members of England’s cricket team who regained the Ashes with a sweeping 197-run victory over Australia in the fifth Test at the Oval.

The Independent describes the win as an "historic day".

The Daily Mirror credits Andrew Flintoff for England's success as fans call for him to be knighted.

The Daily Star says the cricket heroes gave the English the feelgood factor.

As champagne flowed, Metro’s heading reads “Splashed to Ashes”.

The Times says the decision to release Abdelbaset al Megrahi could topple the Scottish government as opposition parties are preparing a confidence vote and First Minister Alex Salmond says he could resign if the poll goes against him.

The Daily Telegraph reports Prime Minister Gordon Brown is under increasing pressure after it emerged he had discussed the issue with the Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi six weeks ago.

The Daily Mail says American consumers are being urged to boycott British and Scottish over claims that the release was linked to a trade deal between Libya and Britain.

The Guardian leads on claims from senior mandarins that Labour has abandoned Cabinet government and bypassed the civil service to exert greater political control over Whitehall in what it calls “a more presidential style of leadership”.

The Daily Record says an emergency debate by by Scottish MPs on the Lockerbie bomber release is to take place amid growing US calls to boycott Scotland.

The Scotsman reports that the detective who led the probe into the Lockerbie bombing has said al-Megrahi should not have been released.

According to the Daily Express, Gordon Brown's "sell-out" to Europe means every Briton will have to pay £257 to Brussels every year.

The Financial Times reports that the world's major economies, except for the US, are sitting on combined losses of $10.8 billion related to equity on banks they bailed out over the last 12 months.

And elsewhere…

Most of the European newspapers lead with Greece’s raging wildfires.

Kathemerini reports that a partial drop in gale-force winds has offered hard-pressed Greek firefighters a brief respite from the wildfires which have raged for two days north of Athens.

Afghan Times quotes President Hamid Karzai's chief rival Abdullah Abdullah claiming that early election results from the provinces show he has more than half of the vote needed to win in the first round.

Appearing on CNN's "State of the Union", US Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Admiral Mike Mullen said the US military position in Afghanistan was "deteriorating" and Taliban insurgents had become tougher.

Meanwhile, The Sunday Times quotes defence sources saying the British government has decided, primarily for financial reasons, that there will be no extra troops heading to Afghanistan.

Berliner Morgenpost quotes German Chancellor Angela Merkel telling public television she wanted to bring the German soldiers home "as soon as possible" but not until their mission was complete. But Frank Walter Steinmeier – her Foreign Minister and challenger in next month’s elections – has suggested he'll be seeking an exit strategy.

The Jerusalem Post reports Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his minister during Sunday’s cabinet meeting he expected the Swedish government to condemn an article in the Stockholm tabloid Aftonbladet suggesting Israeli troops harvested the organs of Palestinians they killed.

Al Ahram reports that a group of Egyptian fishermen, who were kidnapped by pirates off the Somali coast four months ago and managed to overpower their captors, have sailed home to a hero's welcome.

The Times of India reports that road rage raised its ugly head when a 58-year-old woman cancer patient was allegedly slapped, dragged on the road and beaten up by a youth in west Delhi.

The Daily Star reports that 55-year-old heart specialist Conrad Murray, the doctor who may face charges over Michael Jackson’s death, is under suicide watch at his luxury Las Vegas home.