Press digest

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

The Times says the European Commission has warned that fines could be imposed on Malta if spring hunting is extended to three weeks. It also reports that Nationalist MP Michael Frendo is expected to be appointed Speaker next week.

The Malta Independent reports that President Abela will meet abuse victims tmorrow. It also says that Malta drydocks lost a €1 billion from 1970 to 2009.

l-orizzont reports GWU General Secretary Tony Zarb calling for action over unsecure jobs. It also reports that the PL has moved its May 1 celebration to Paola and Fgura and that Enemalta chairman Alex Tranter has said he did not need to resign over the Delimara contract extension.

In-Nazzjon says the ash cloud over Europe is drifting closer to Malta but it is thin now and will not cause problems. It also reports how the Pope praised his visit to Malta.

The overseas press:

The European air traffic agency Eurocontrol says air traffic in Europe should be back to "almost 100 per cent" today, after six days of unprecedented travel chaos after ash from an Icelandic volcano caused the shutdown.

Meanwhile, EU Observer says the European Commission has set the stage for a debate over plans to create a single authority with the power to override member states' control over their skies. But aspects of the plan still face resistance from some European governments that worry about risks to national security, and from air traffic controllers' unions, which argue that it will ease the way for job cuts.

El Universal reports a huge air and sea rescue operation has been launched in the Gulf of Mexico for at least 11 oil workers missing after an explosion on a rig. Fifteen people were airlifted to hospital in Louisiana by helicopter. Three were critically injured in the explosion. A total of 126 workers were on board the rig at the time of the blast.

Avvenire says the Pope has spoken out for the first time about the Catholic abuse scandal and promised "church action" to deal with it. He told his weekly public audience in St Peter's Square that he had told victims of abuse during his recent trip to Malta that he "shared their suffering ... assuring them of church action". The church would do everything in its power to bring justice to abusive priests and would implement "effective measures" to protect children.

Börzen Zeitung reports that Greece has started talks with officials from the EU Commission, the European Central Bank (ECB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to hammer out the details of a 45-billion-euro backup loan. The Greek government has yet to ask for activation of the aid package, but the cost of interest has made it highly probable that Greece would trigger the rescue mechanism once the technical details are sorted out.

Kyiv Post says the Ukraine and Russia have agreed to extend the lease allowing Russia's Black Sea Fleet to be stationed in Ukraine by 25 years in return for cheaper gas. The deal was signed by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev. The lease of Russia's naval base in Sevastopol, Crimea, had been due to expire in 2017.

The Warsaw Voice reports that Poland's parliament acting President Bronislaw Komorowski has set June 20 as the date for the presidential election of the successor of President Lech Kaczynski who died in a plane crash 11 days ago. Komorowski is expected to be one of the candidates, the other being the late president's twin brother. If no candidate musters at least 50 per cent, a second round will be held two weeks later, on July 4.

Le Parisien reports President Sarkozy has ordered the French parliament to debate a law banning women from wearing full-face Islamic veils in public. Last year he said such veils oppressed women and were not welcome in France. The proposal has provoked intense debate about religious freedom in a secular society, as well as the position of Muslims in France. The country's highest administrative body has suggested such a law might be unconstitutional.

London's The Times reports Silvio Berlusconi has been accused of committing sacrilege with the complicity of the Vatican after he was shown on television taking holy communion even though he was twice married and was seeking a divorce from his second wife. Vatican officials said this was permissible because Berlusconi was in the process of divorcing Veronica Lario, his second wife, and was de facto separated from her. Archbishop Rino Fisichella, head of the Pontifical Council for Life, said the Church had not therefore made an exception for him.

In the UK, the national newspapers are dominated by stories about Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg whose popularity has soared since the first leaders' debate last week. On the eve of the second debate tonight, he tells The Independent he would only work with other parties if proportional representation was promised. The Daily Telegraph says Mr Clegg received a series of party donations directly into his personal bank account but the Lib Dem leader argues it was above board.

Scientific American reports young people were putting their hearing at risk by listening to music at the same volume as a jet engine. American scientists say some MP3 players pump out music that is as loud as an aeroplane. The study warns portable music players are developing more quickly than our ability to identify potential health consequences of their use.

The sporting pages of the world media announce that the Olympic family is mourning the death of Juan Antonio Samaranch, the former long-standing head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). He died in a Barcelona hospital aged 89, after suffering acute heart problems. Samaranch became IOC president in 1980 and held the post longer than anyone else, with the exception of Pierre de Coubertin. He is credited with helping bring the Olympics into the modern era.