The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press today:
The Times says 300 fines were imposed over the past two weeks as part of a crackdown on littering, which is to be continued. It also reports how the Mayor of Lija yesterday criticised MEPA for granting a permit for a private road within the buffer zone of Lija fireworks factory.
The same story is taken up by l-orizzont which says the building of the road threatens the fireworks factory.
The Malta Independent leads with the Russian parliament’s recommendation that Moscow recognise the independence of the Georgian breakaway regions. It also reports that there has been no breakthrough in talks brokered by a mediator on the privatisation of Malta Shipyards.
In-Nazzjon says there is disagreement within the MLP on the Labour leader’s plans to appoint a CEO, with some arguing that the plans should have been revealed to the party, not the media, first. The newspaper also reports that unemployment has continued to drop.
The Press in Britain…
Most papers feature the return from Beijing of the British Olympic team, winner of19 gold medals, 13 silver and 15 bronze. Metro says they were given a heroes' welcome in London.
According to the Daily Mirror, the athletes were overwhelmed by the reception they got when they returned home.
The Times claims that the Prime Minister faces the prospect of at least one ministerial aide resigning if he fails to impose a windfall tax on energy companies' profits.
The Financial Times reports that Swiss bank UBS will cut its wage bill by about $4bn, or one-third, because of the credit crunch.
According to the Daily Telegraph, a database intended to protect every child in the country will also be used by police, council staff, teachers and care workers to search for evidence of crime.
The Daily Mail says the personal details of more than a million bank customers have been found on a computer sold on auction website eBay.
The Daily Express leads on new research which warns that eating a fry-up for breakfast every day increases the risk of bowel cancer by 63%.
The Guardian claims a Home Office counter-terrorism unit is targeting media organisations as part of an effort to counter al Qaeda propaganda.
The Sun reports that an 18-month-old boy is fighting for his life after being accidentally shot in the head by his five-year-old sister. The girl had accidentally fired the air gun her father had been using for target practice while he answered a call on his mobile.
And elsewhere…
The International Herald Tribune says Michelle Obama stressed her husband's values and belief in the American dream at the opening of the Democratic National Convention to nominate Barack Obama to run for president.
Western governments are urging Russia not to recognise Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The Washington Post says President Bush has warned the US would continue to support Georgia's territorial integrity. Senior officials of the so-called Group of Seven industrial nations expressed alarm over the Russian parliament's measure.
The Jerusalem Post says nearly 200 jailed Palestinians were freed by Israel in a goodwill gesture hours before US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice's latest peace mission to the region.
According to Pakistan Observer, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has pulled his party out of Pakistan's ruling coalition government as the coalition has failed to restore judges ousted by ex-President Pervez Musharraf or agree a neutral successor to him.
Zimbabwe Independent says an Opposition nominee has been elected Speaker of parliament.
Hindustan Times reports suspected Hindu hard-liners set an orphanage run by Christian missionaries on fire, killing one nun and seriously injuring a priest.
The Irish Times claims fresh disagreements over policing and justice have plunged the Northern Ireland Executive into crisis as Sinn Féin warned that it will collapse ministerial power-sharing arrangements if security responsibilities are not devolved to a local minister.
Le Matin says Haiti residents have been told to prepare for evacuations as Tropical Storm Gustav approaches the country's southern coast as a full hurricane. Gustav is then expected to move on to Cuba, the Bahamas and Florida.
Az-Zaman says a 15-year-old Iraqi girl caught with a suicide vest said she was fitted with the explosives by a woman she did not know.
Writing in Granma, former president Fidel Castro has said corrupt judges "blatantly cheated" two Cuban boxers in Olympic semi-finals. Looking forward to the 2012 edition in London, he predicted “there will be European chauvinism, judge corruption, buying of brawn and brains ... and a strong dose of racism".