Press digest

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

The Times says there is an emphasis on education in the proposed reform of the wardens system, with warnings for the first offence, and higher penalties for repeat offences. The newspaper calls carries pictures of the re-inauguration of Palace Square.

The Malta Independent gives prominence to the President's Charity run.

In-Nazzjon says the President's Charity run was an outstanding success. It also quotes Eddie Fenech Adami saying he is a product of the Maltese identity.

l-orizzont says illegal immigrants are the biggest target of discrimination in Malta.

The international press:

Ekstra Bladet reports 15,000 delegates and 100 world leaders from 192 countries are in Copenhagen for today's opening of the long-awaited two-week UN summit on climate change, a conference described by scientists as "the most important the world has ever seen".

The Irish Times reports that Ireland's abortion laws will be challenged in a landmark European court hearing on Wednesday which could overturn the Republic's sovereign right to protect unconditionally "the life of the unborn". Three women living in Ireland claim the Republic's abortion ban violates the European Convention on Human Rights, to which Ireland is a signatory.

Adevarul says both candidates in Romania's presidential election have claimed victory after three exit polls out of four showed Social-Democrat challenger Mircea Geoana with a slight lead over centre-right incumbent President Traian Basescu. Final official results will be available only on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, La Prensa reports President Evo Morales has claimed victory in Bolivia's presidential election and appears set to serve a second five-year term.

Kathermerini leads with the riots in Athens and Thessaloniki where Greek police fired tear gas at scores of demonstrators marking the death of the killing of a 15-year-old boy Greek police in 2008. As protesters invaded Athens University, the dean was seriously injured and is currently in intensive care in hospital.

As Russians observed a day of mourning for the 112 people killed in Russia's worst blaze in decades, Pravda reports that four people are being held in jail pending an investigation into the nightclub fire.

The Guardian says the British Labour government will today pledge to reduce by half public spending and say it is committed to "getting maximum value for money. Prime Minister Gordon Brown will argue that the savings will help the government to protect frontline services while halving the budget deficit over the next four years.

Az-Zaman reports Iraqi lawmakers have overwhelmingly approved a law that clears the way for parliament elections early next year

New Zealand's Star-Times says an HIV-positive man has admitted to wilfully injecting his blood into his sleeping wife and infecting her with the virus that can cause Aids. It is believed the man wanted to infect her with the disease so she would start having sex with him again.

The New York Times reports a woman has been arraigned in court on charges that she tricked her husband's pregnant mistress into taking a drug that would cause an abortion.