The following are the leading stories in the Maltese and international press today.

The Times leads with the PN mass meeting, with Dr Gonzi telling young people “the country is in your hands”. It also quotes Dr Sant saying healthcare is a top MLP priority.

l-orizzont uses its front and back pages to carry a picture of yesterday’s MLP mass meeting. It quotes Dr Sant saying a Labour government would build on firm foundations, a reference to the focus the MLP is placing on reforming education at the lower levels. The newspaper also reports that a couple from Sierra Leone is being held after their baby was found dead in Qawra. The couple enjoys humanitarian status in Malta. The death was reported to the police by the father.

In-Nazzjon shows the Prime Minister and Mrs Gonzi waving to the people during yesterday’s mass meeting. It says Dr Gonzi urged the people to judge the government on its results and on the facts. In another report it says it was Dr Sant’s government which introduced payment for health services.

The Malta Independent also leads with the mass meetings and carries the activities of the smaller parties.

The Press in Britain…

The Guardian says the US administration is pressing the 27 governments of the European Union to sign up to a range of new security measures for transatlantic travel.Meanwhile,

The Financial Times claims that UK and US are at loggerheads over the imminent tax clampdown on non-domiciled foreigners living in the UK.

The Daily Telegraph reports that for the first time, the number of foreign workers in Britain has risen to above the two million mark. It also claims that new figures show the number of convicted rapists spared jail has doubled, fuelling claims that the justice system is soft on offenders.

The Daily Express says the full extent of the damage unlimited immigration is causing to the fabric of society has been revealed through an investigation which has found that a foreigner is arrested every four minutes on the streets of Britain.

The Times predicts the Archbishop of Canterbury will face anger within the Church of England over his comments on Sharia law when he opens the General Synod in London. Dr Rowan Williams has been embroiled in controversy since Thursday for claiming the adoption of elements of Islamic legal codes in the UK "seems unavoidable".

The Metro says a new report shows that firefighters are being attacked – “ambushed, shot at, beaten, abused and spat on while they save lives” – at least 40 times each week. The Fire Brigades Union has called for more protectionThe Daily Mail says thousands of street lamps are being turned off after midnight as councils try to cut energy bills to meet climate change targets.

The Independent says MPs could award themselves a salary rise of up to £22,000 a year under a move to "clean up" politics by ending the allowance for second homes.

The Daily Mirror claims that Sir Paul McCartney has snubbed Heather Mills' last-minute attempts to clinsh a divorce deal and told her: "See you in court."The Daily Herald says surgeons and anaesthetists will be specially trained to work in remote parts of Scotland for the first time under plans to save rural hospitals

And elsewhere…

Sueddeutsche Zeitung quotes Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov waring the European Union it would open a ‘Pandora's box' if it recognises Kosovo as an independent state.

Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger reports Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has emphasised his country's right to full European Union membership. Speaking in Cologne, Erdogan again rejected the Berlin proposal of a ‘privileged partnership' between Turkey and the EU that falls short of full membership.

Berliner Morgenpost says three days of talks between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and top German officials, including Chancellor Angela Merkel, will focus on Israeli security and measures to discourage Iran from continuing its uranium enrichment programme, which is seen by many western countries as an effort to develop nuclear weapons. Olmert will also brief Merkel on peace negotiations with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Meanwhile, Jerusalem Post reported that amid rising anger within his country over mortar strikes launched from Gaza, Olmert has pledged to target all those behind the cross-border attacks, but ruled out a broad military operation in the Hamas-controlled area. Israel has warned it would not implement any peace deal if the violence continues.

El Nacional claims Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has threatened to cut off oil deliveries to the US after oil giant Exxon Mobil won a court order to freeze up to $12 billion of Venezuela's assets. The American company has launched court action in the US, UK and the Netherlands over Veneluela's nationalisation of oilfields.

International Herald Tribune reports that Barack Obama has won the Maine caucuses to complete a clean sweep of all five weekend contests in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. Earlier, Mrs Clinton replaced campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle with her long-time aide Maggie Williams as she saw her lead in delegate numbers cut. On the other side, Republican voters in Louisiana and Kansas told John McCain they weren't ready to support him. Washington state, however, backed the Republican front-runner over former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

Washington Post says a US soldier was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment after being found guilty of the murder of an Iraqi citizen in May south of Bagdad. It quotes the US military saying the seargent was also found guilty of planting a gun on the body and for making a false official statement.

Los Angeles Times says troubled British singer Amy Winehouse has picked up three awards at the prestigious Grammys ceremony in the US. The 24-year-old collected best pop vocal album for Back To Black and was named best female pop vocal and best new artist at the Los Angeles awards. She was due to attend the event, recognising the cream of the industry, but visa problems meant she has to perform via satellite from the UK.

Al Ahram is esctatic in reporting Egypt’s winning of the African Nations Cup, after beating Cameroon 1-0 in the final. A second-half strike from Mohamed Aboutrika was enough for Egypt to retain the title they won in 2006 and take home the cup for a record sixth time.