The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press:
The Times reports comments by Police Commissioner John Rizzo that an incident in Gozo where a man was run over and killed by a four-wheel drive vehicle some months ago is now being considered as murder.
The Malta Independent says the natural rock 'window' at Dwejra in Gozo may be entered to selected as one of the wonders of the world. It also highlights problems between local councils and the police, sometimes caused by poor knowledge of the law by council secretaries.
l-orizzont leads with the story of a foreign two year old boy found abandoned in the open and cared for by a policewoman until his mother showed up at a police station two hours later.
In-Nazzjon says trade unions have lifted industrial action at the university and talks on a collective agreement are to resume. It also reports that EasyJet will start flights from Newcastle on April 2.
The Press in Britain
The Guardian predicts the wrangle over gas supplies between Russia and Ukraine will keep British energy bills high.
The Times says that the Treasury is considering printing more money to help Britain through the economic slump.
The Daily Mail says Labour’s ‘latest big idea’ is the result of the fact that the great bank bail out has not worked and the VAT cut has flopped.
The Daily Express says that Britain is a 'soft touch' for jobless East European immigrants who can claim benefits of up to £715 a week against £178 back home.
The Daily Telegraph reports millions of savers who have invested in Premium Bonds have seen their chances of winning drop dramatically.
According to the Financial Times, the Royal Bank of Scotland is discussing the sale of its £2bn stake in Bank of China.
The Sun says a UFO has collided with a wind turbine.
And elsewhere…
The New York Times says representatives of Israel, the Palestinians and Hamas have agreed to meet later today in Cairo for talks brokered by Egypt. Hamas rulers are demanding an assurance on the opening of borders and Israel wants Hamas to halt "hostile fire".
Meanwhile, Al Jeezera reports that Israeli warplanes continued to bomb the Gaza-Egypt border, killing 29 Palestinians.
Berliner Morgenpost claims both parties in Berlin's grand coalition government have declared willingness to provide German peacekeeping troops to monitor a possible truce in Gaza under a UN resolution.
Pravda leads with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s new terms for the resumption of natural gas shipments to Europe via Ukraine. The Kremlin leader told Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko that Kiev must accept market rates for Russian gas, pay outstanding debts and allow European Union monitors to verify gas flows through its territory.
The International Herald Tribune says more than 10 people have died in Europe as a result of a blast of frigid weather. In Poland the temperature dropped as low as -250C and in Germany, the mercury plunged to -27.70C. Snowfalls disrupted air traffic across Europe, shutting down airports in Italy for several hours and paralysing TGV high-speed trains in France.
The Times of India says that according to Indian authorities, transcripts of intercepted telephone conversations show that Islamist militants who attacked the Indian city of Mumbai in November were being directed from Pakistan.
The Washington Times says US president-elect Barack Obama has been welcomed to the White House – for lunch with four of his predecessors. Mr Obama met current President George Bush and previous leaders Bill Clinton, George Bush Senior and Jimmy Carter in the Oval Office before talks at lunch. The gathering was the first time the country's living former presidents have been at the White House together since a meeting in 1981.
Le Figaro reports France's justice minister, Rachida Dati, returned to work yesterday less than five days after giving birth to a baby girl by caesarean section. Smiling and wearing a black suit and high heels, the 43-year-old minister arrived on foot with fellow cabinet members for the first council of ministers meeting of the year at the Elysée Palace.
A doctor who donated his kidney to his wife in 2001 now wants it back because she cheated on him and has filed for divorce. New York Daily News quotes Richard Batista, a surgeon from Long Island in New York, saying it’s the organ or $2.1 million (€1.6 million). Dr Batista says he is only suing to get her to act reasonably in the divorce case, claiming she is restricting access to their children, aged 8, 11 and 14.