The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press:
The Times says that almost a third of persons who had a hospital outpatients appointment - 106,000 patients – did not keep their appointment last year.
The Malta Independent says a Maltese team is among 12 selected in a Microsoft global competition. It also features the welcome given to 12 soldiers who returned from anti-piracy operations in Somalia.
In-Nazzjon says the police are getting closer to solving the attempted HSBC hold-up and suspects are expected to be arraigned this week. It also says that there has been an 11% increase in occupancy in hotels.
l-orizzont features the case of a woman who, it says, suffered an infection while in hospital. It also says that Mepa has issued a permit for Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando to enclose his Mistra property with a rubble wall.
The overseas press
The International Herald Tribune reports that the US and EU governments have welcomed Israel’s easing of its blockade of the Gaza Strip, calling the move “as a step forward”. According to The Jerusalem Post, consumer goods would be allowed but a "blacklist" of items including weapons and materials that could have a military use would be barred or limited. Construction materials would still be limited to UN-controlled projects and the changes do not allow exports from Gaza. Al Ayyam says Hamas, which controls the territory, dismissed the concessions as of no use and said the blockade should be fully lifted.
The Washington Post says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets President Obama at the White House later today, hoping to restore battered relations and the renewal of direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians. However, the Palestinians have said settlement building must stop completely before that happens.
EU Observer says a European Parliament committee has said it supported a deal with the United States on sharing citizens' bank data – a move which investigators say will help counter-terrorism investigations. The EU has won concessions from US officials on how bank data would be transferred and used, allaying concerns over insufficient protection of Europeans' private information.
Deutsche Welle reports that European leaders have welcomed the election of Bronislaw Komorowski as Poland's new president, seeing it as a step closer to membership in the eurozone. According to election officials the acting president won 53.01 per cent of the vote while rival Jaroslaw Kaczynski got 46.99 per cent.
Times of Asia says Sri Lankan officials have accused the the European Union of interference in its affairs. The allegation follows EU’s decision to withdraw Sri Lanka's preferential trade access to EU markets after it failed to improve its human rights record.
Cyprus Mail says the US has asked for a laptop owned by 54-year-old Christopher Metsos, the US-based Russian spy ring’s suspected paymaster, and “more than one” USB memory sticks. Metsos. who is wanted on charges that he supplied money to the spy ring which operated under deep cover in American suburbs, disappeared last Wednesday, a day after a Cypriot court freed him on bail.
Times of India says trains and planes came to a standstill across India by strikes called by the opposition in protest at fuel price rises of 6.7 per cent. The unpopular move came as the government struggled to stem losses at state-run oil companies and tame the fiscal deficit while facing double digit inflation.
According to the results of a survey in July's Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine starting school 30 extra minutes late leads teens to be more alertness in class, have better moods, less tardiness, and even healthier breakfasts. Researchers said teens tend to be in their deepest sleep around dawn – when they typically need to arise for school. Interrupting that sleep could leave them groggy, especially since they also tend to have trouble falling asleep before 11 p.m.
The Sun says the first e-Bay seller to be prosecuted for bidding in his own auctions to boost the price of his goods has been ordered to do 250 hours of unpaid work by a judge in the UK who also told him to pay €6,000 in fines and costs. The items involved included two Mercedes vehicles, a pie and pasty warmer, a cash register, a refrigerated display counter, three mobile phones, a Land Rover and a digital camera.
Metro reports that a newly-crowned lottery millionaire has toasted his luck – but will have to wait until his new Pin number arrives before he can reach his money. Wally Jinks lost his wallet while on holiday in Jersey – he had to cancel all his cards and ended up borrowing money from his wife. The pair had no idea that they had a winning ticket worth £1million until five days after they returned home.
France Football says that as the world warms up to tonight’s first World Cup semi-final between the Netherlands and Uruguay, injuries and suspensions force both the Oranje and La Celeste to improvise as they try to punch their ticket for the final. Both will have to battle history in what could be a war of nerves. Coming off their upset of Brazil, and boasting a squad that features players from Europe's top clubs, The Netherlands are definitely the favourites.