Press digest

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

The Times says that Nationalist MP Franco Debono, who missed two votes in Parliament on Monday, was nowhere to be found yesterday.

The Malta Independent says Franco Debono was absent from a PN parliamentary group meeting yesterday.

l-orizzont reports that the PN group meeting was a heated one.

MaltaToday Midweek says Franco Debono is alone in a fight against the Prime Minister.

In-Nazzjon says the PN condemned political dishonesty by the PL leader on what happened in Parliament on Monday.

In other stories, The Times says Malta has been urged to adopt new laws on party funding.

MaltaToday says the Maltese believe corruption is rampant, according to a survey.

In-Nazzjon says a Maltese woman was killed in Toronto. It also reports that Malta has introduced new measures to combat swine flu.

The Malta Independent reports that cyclists are among the most liable to die from injuries.

l-orizzont features reactions to the new power tariffs which, it says, will make life more difficult for many families.

The international press:

The European edition of The Wall Street Journal reports that the value of the Euro fell as debt concerns spread around the Eurozone. The euro fell as low as $1.4505 (€0.998125) yesterday, its lowest level since early October as pledges of austerity and fiscal rigor in Greece failed to stem growing fears that the Continent's economic recovery could be derailed. New worries about Austrian banking also hit markets.

Ekstra Bladet says the Danish hosts of the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen have appealed for consensus amid concerns that crucial talks may be heading for failure

L'Avenire reports that the Pope has called for urgent action to protect the environment, saying that climate change and natural catastrophes threaten basic human rights such as life, food and health.

The Jerusalem Post says the Israeli Foreign Office has called the British Ambassador to protest against a British arrest warrant for leader of the opposition and former foreign minister Tzipi Livni over her role in Israel's war against Hamas-run Gaza at the turn of the year. He was warned Britain would not be able to play a key role in the peace process unless it curbed such actions.

The Financial Times reports that a High Court judge sitting in London will today hear British Airways' lawyers argue the 12-day strike by cabin crew is illegal because of "irregularities" with the union's ballot of cabin staff. BA is seeking a court injunction to stop the strike going ahead on December 22.

Az-Zaman says an eight-day-old girl was among five people killed in separate attacks in Iraq. Five children were among 40 people also wounded in Mosul, in the latest spate of attacks on Christians in the region.

Deutsche-Welle reports Polish border guards stopped 200 Chechen and Georgian refuguees from crossing the German border on Tuesday. The refugees boarded a train to Strasbourg to protest against the poor conditions of the Polish refugee camps where they live.

Fox News reports some 800,000 pre-filled syringes of swine flu shots for children aged 6 months to 3 years, manufactured by French drug company Sanofi Pasteur, have been recalled in the US. Tests indicated the vaccine doses lost some strength.

Aviation News says Boeing has begun airborne testing of its new lightweight passenger plane, the 787 Dreamliner. The plane, which has been delayed by over two years, is a direct rival to the planned Airbus A350.

Il Sole 24 Ore reports that Italy's financial police have raided the offices of the country's five main pasta makers - including Barilla, De Cecco and Divella - as part of a price-fixing investigation.

The New York Times says an ivory and gold toothpick once owned by Charles Dickens has sold at auction in New York City for $9,150 €6,300).

Metro reports that a French court has split the jackpot from a casino slot machine between the woman who put in the money and the man who pulled the lever. The woman walked off with over €2 million in March after a bet of €50 on a one-armed bandit, only for her gambling partner to contest her gain based on the fact that he activated the machine. A court in Montpellier ruled the woman should keep 80 per cent of the earnings while the rest should go to the man.