The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press:
The Times and l-orizzont report how a court has ordered a fresh appeal in the Marsascala waste recycling plant case after finding that the appeals board was not impartial or independent of Mepa.
The Malta Independent says that Malta Enterprise is working on 11 projects in order to improve Malta’s competitiveness.
In-Nazzjon says that Alfred Sant is back in the heart of Labour Party politics. It also focuses on the change to digital broadcasting.
The overseas press:
Tunisia’s Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi has pledged to quit politics after a transition phase leading to legislative and presidential elections “in the shortest possible time”. In an interview broadcast on Television Tunisiennes, Ghannouchi promised that all undemocratic laws would be repealed during the transition period.
Metro says Tony Blair has issued a stark warning that the West must be prepared to use force if necessary to deal with the “looming challenge” of Iran. Appearing before the Iraq Inquiry, the former prime minister said that the West needed to end its “wretched posture of apology” towards the regime in Tehran
Al-quds al-arabi reports that dozens of furious Palestinians have protested against French Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie on a visit to the Gaza Strip, pelting her motorcade with eggs and narrowly missing her with a lobbed shoe. The protesters, relatives of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons, were angry about comments reportedly made the day before. She was said to have voiced her support for Gilad Schalit, the Israeli soldier captured by Hamas and held in Gaza since 2006. The soldier’s father said after meeting Alliot-Marie that the minister had called on Hamas to allow the Red Cross to visit his son for the first time.
Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden has issued a new message warning France to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan. The call, reported by al-Jazeera, said bin Laden called on French President Nicolas Sarkozy to withdraw his troops from “our countries”, adding that that its role would cost the French “inside France and outside”. Extremist groups associated with al-Qaida are holding at least seven French hostages – five in the Sahara Desert and two in Afghanistan.
Houston Chronicle says the American Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head while meeting voters two weeks ago, has been transferred to a rehabilitation centre in Texas. She smiled and shed tears in the ambulance transporting her on hearing applause from well-wishers. However, doctors have warned that it was too early to assess her long-term general outlook.
The Guardian and The Times lead with the resignation of David Cameron's communications chief Andy Coulson after mounting pressure over whether he was aware of phone-hacking when he was the editor of the News of The World. Mr Coulson, 43, has always denied any knowledge of phone-hacking activities at the paper but the issue has dogged him throughout his time in politics.
The Daily Mail reports that former shadow chancellor Alan Johnson's ex-bodyguard Specialist Operations PC Paul Rice has been suspended over an alleged affair with the MP's wife. The Sun claims Laura Johnson, 46, had no idea the cop was also romping with Tracy Windle, her husband’s PA. The Metropolitan Police has confirmed an officer had been suspended pending an investigation by the Directorate of Professional Standards into the allegations.
Le Matin reports that the former Haitian leader, Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier has called for national reconciliation. He said his surprise return to Haiti after 25 years in exile was because he wanted to help rebuild his country. In his first full statement since his return last Sunday, he also expressed sorrow for those who consider themselves victims of his government.
Kansas City Star says an American company that manufactures a drug used to kill convicts sentenced to death in the US has announced it would discontinue production. Hospira said it had been due to start producing the anesthetic, sodium thiopental, at a plant in Italy but the authorities there had warned that the licence would be withdrawn if the drug continued to be used in execution of prisoners.
Il Sole 24 Ore announces that Diego della Valle, founder of the Italian luxury goods company, has announced that he would foot the bill of €25 million so that urgently-needed restoration could get underway on of the Colosseum. Restoration works are expected to begin at the end of the year and would take two and a half years to complete.
Ukraine News says staff at an aquarium in the country have expressed concern for one of their crocodiles after it ate a mobile phone dropped into its enclosure by a visitor. The 14-year-old crocodile – known as Gena – has been refusing food since the incident last month. Workers did not believe the woman's complaints that her phone had been eaten until it began ringing.