The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press:
The Times says EU fines loom over emissions at the power stations. The government, however, will be using less polluting fuel at the Marsa power station.
The Malta Independent highlights the taxis reform announced yesterday and says that taxi meters will be remotely monitored.
In-Nazzjon also features the taxis reform. It however gives top prominence to a PN conference on its Vision for 2015+. The conference was for non-political persons.
l-orizzont says there are no statistics on homeless people in Malta. It also says that Joseph Cuschieri is expected to take his place in the European Parliament shortly. It also says that the GWU is working to attract a German company to invest in Malta, employing 250.
The overseas press:
The New York Times reports that signatories of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, meeting at the UN in New York, have called for a conference in 2012 to establish a nuclear-weapons-free zone in the Middle East. The document also said Israel should sign the NPT but President Obama, who backed the deal, said he was "strongly opposed" to Israel being singled out.
ABC says the Spanish government has ruled out calling early elections despite having almost no parliamentary support for spending cuts of €15 billion designed to combat the country's debt crisis. Finance Minister Elena Salgado said the austerity measures would result in higher unemployment and slower growth. They have been welcomed by the EU and the IMF but much criticised at home as a major reversal by the Socialists.
Courentul says some 700,000 Romanian public sector workers are set go on strike next week to protest against government sweeping wage cuts to reduce the budget deficit. Public salaries would be cut by 25 per cent and pensions by 15 per cent next Tuesday. Retirees also plan to take part in protests against planned pension cuts.
The Daily Telegraph claims a major scoop with its report that the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, David Laws, claimed up to £950 a month for eight years to rent rooms in two properties owned by his partner. He apologised and announced that he would "immediately" pay back tens of thousands of pounds claimed for rent and other housing costs between 2006 and 2009. He also referred himself to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner.
Bild reports that a former German Social Democrat parliamentarian, Joerg Tauss, has been convicted of possessing and distributing child pornography and given a suspended 15-month prison sentence. Tauss had acknowledged possessing child pornographic material but insisted that he was carrying out legitimate research aimed at breaking up a child porn ring in his capacity as a senior politician.
Los Angeles Times quotes President Obama saying he had ordered a tripling of manpower in coastal areas where oil has washed ashore or threatens to within 24 hours. Speaking on a tour of oil-hit areas, he said the additional manpower would lay more booms, clean beaches and monitor stricken wildlife.
Meanwhile, Oil City Derrick says BP operations to seal the hole in the damaged well were "going pretty well according to plan". However, BP chief executive Tony Hayward said the outcome would not be clear for another 48 hours. The new "top kill" effort has never been tested at this depth of 1.5km.
The Washington Times says the American military death toll in Afghanistan has reached 1,000. More than 430 were killed after President Obama took office in January 2009. The number of US troops in Afghanistan has now surpassed the total in Iraq - roughly 94,000 in Afghanistan compared with 92,000 in Iraq, where the war is winding down.
Pakistan Today reports Islamic militants attacked two mosques packed with hundreds of worshippers killing more than 70 people and wounding dozens. At least seven attackers, including three suicide bombers, took part and several people were held hostage.