The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press: All newspapers feature the rescue of a fisherman found alive in the sea after having been missing for a week. Two bodies have been recovered and two, including that of an 11-year-old boy, are still missing.
The Times says that the survivor, Simon Bugeja managed to keep his wits about him to try to save his crew, including his son, after the vessel they were on, the Simshar, was blown apart by an explosion in the engine room.
l-orizzont also devotes the whole front page to what it calls a “tragedy”.
The Malta Independent also reports that the prime minister will be paying an official visit to Italy next week where he will be meeting his Italian counterpart Silvio Berlusconi.
In-Nazzjon says consultation talks between the government, taxi and mini-bus drivers have been rescheduled due to court commitments.
Catholic Church weekly Il-Ġens Illum quotes Gozo Bishop Mgr Mario Grech saying that talk on divorce is dangerous.
The Press in Britain…
In an exclusive interview with The Times, Chancellor Alistair Darling admits taxpayers are at the limit of what they are willing to pay to fund public services.
The Financial Times reports that some banks are feeling the credit crunch as shareholders stay away and do not take up their rights to buy new shares.
The Daily Mail leads on rising heating bills along with the alleged remarks of One gas boss on how consumers should try to keep warm - wear two jumpers.
The Independent says heroin or crack cocaine addicts will be forced to seek treatment or lose their benefits under a radical reform of the welfare state..
The Sun leads on former EastEnders actress Brooke Kinsella's emotional farewell to her younger brother who was stabbed to death in London.
The Daily Telegraph claims the government is quietly trying to push through new laws on household rubbish collections.
The Daily Express predicts cheaper home loans are here as some lenders cut their interest rates.
The Guardian reveals that Channel Four misrepresented some leading climate scientists in a documentary that claimed global warming was a conspiracy and a fraud.
The Daily Star reports the agreement reached between pop star Britney Spears and Kevin Federline which grants the singer more overnight visits with her children and averts a custody trial.
The Herald says radical plans to make the long-term unemployed "work for dole" and force those on disability benefits back to work have been unveiled.
And elsewhere…
Sydney Morning Herald leads with the Pope’s apology to people sexually abused by members of the clergy in Australia. He raised the issue during a ceremony today (0230 Malta time) to consecrate the altar of St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney, where the Pope has been participating in World Youth Day activities. He called on his congregation of 3400 people, including Sydney Archbishop Cardinal George Pell, bishops, seminarians, and religious and school groups, to work together in "combating this evil".
The Irish Times reports that Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore has turned down an invitation to meet French President Nicolas Sarkozy saying it was pointless to return to the debate on the Lisbon Treaty. Mr Gilmore – who supported the Treaty – said “That debate is over and the referendum has delivered a result.”
The Mail and Guardian says Nelson Mandela celebrated his 90th birthday yesterday surrounded by grandchildren and relatives in the South African village of Qunu he calls home.
The Washington Times reports former Vice President Al Gore called for a “man on the moon” effort to switch all of the United States’ electricity production to wind, solar and other carbon-free sources within 10 years.
Brazil’s O Globo says a record number of penguins, swept from the icy shores of Antarctica and Patagonia, are washing up dead on Rio de Janeiro's tropical beaches.
Berliner Zeitung says a German court has given a real estate agent a two-year, suspended prison sentence for tax evasion at the end of the first trial in a massive probe into the so-called Liechtenstein affair. The case is part of an investigation of more than 700 suspects who allegedly hid money in Liechtenstein accounts to avoid paying taxes in Germany.
Münchner Merkur reports an 89-year-old former officer is to face a murder trial in Munich over the killing of 14 civilians in Italy during the Second World War.
Madame Figaro, says First lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy's new album is ranked third in the album charts a week after its release.
The San Francisco Chronicle says voter will decide next November whether to commemorate President George Bush’s years in office by slapping his name on a city sewage plant, renaming the Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant the George W. Bush Sewage Plant. Backers say the idea is to commemorate the mess they claim Mr Bush has left behind by actions such as the war in Iraq.