The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press:
The Times reports how two prisoners escaped from a jail in Tunisia. It also says that developments are expected today regarding the raise given to ministers and MPs.
The Malta Independent carries comments by the outgoing Israeli ambassador to Malta, who said that a double taxation avoidance agreement is expected to be signed when Dr Gonzi visits Israel.
MaltaToday leads with the jailbreak in Tunisia. It also says that Lino Spiteri was surprised when one of his books was banned from school libraries.
l-orizzont reports that two inmates at Mt Carmel Hospital have been on hunger strike for six days after being banned from the yard because of alleged attempted theft.
In-Nazzjon highlights the EU decision to stop excessive deficit procedures against Malta.
The overseas press
CNN reports that Chinese President Hu Jintao has kicked off a four-day US visit with a rare private dinner with President Barack Obama as raucous demonstrators protesting against China's Tibet policies gathered in front of the White House, waving signs and flags and chanting slogans.
Le Figaro says French Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie has defended her handling of the Tunisian crisis. She told MPs that France had been surprised by events. Earlier, Socialist opposition leader Martine Aubry accused the government of a "deafening silence", accusing it of failing to condemn the violent repression of protests. The unrest in Tunisia has left 78 people dead and scores injured.
EU Observer quotes European finance ministers saying they would take their time over enlarging the eurozone's €440-billion rescue fund – an option both France and Germany oppose. At the end of a two-day meeting in Brussels, the ministers also announced they would launch new transparent, uniform stress tests on banks that would aim to check liquidity levels and avoid bailouts.
The Irish Independent says Prime Minister Brian Cowen has survived a vote of confidence in his leadership of the ruling Fianna Fail party. Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin, who led the charge against him, quit his Cabinet post immediately after the result of the secret ballot by 71 lawmakers was known. Mr Cowen reluctantly accepted the resignation. of his.
Le Matin reports prosecutors in Haiti have charged former leader Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier with corruption and embezzlement during his 1971-1986 rule. Duvalier, who denied any wrongdoing, made a surprise return to Haiti on Sunday after 24 years in exile. There have been growing calls for Mr Duvalier to be prosecuted for alleged torture and murder of thousands of people during his rule. He is also thought to have embezzled millions of dollars from state coffers.
Asia Observer says a strong earthquake measuring 7.2 has hit south-western Pakistan, in a desert area bordering Iran and Afghanistan. The US Geological Survey says it struck at 0123 on Wednesday (2123 on Tuesday Malta time), some 55 km west of Dalbandin in Pakistan, at a depth of 84km. It was located several hundred kilometres from the Pakistani city of Quetta and the city of Zahedan, Iran. Officials in nearby towns indicated that damage was not extensive.
El Pais reports that Spanish police have raided a huge drug-production lab near Madrid, seizing 300kg of cocaine and €2 million in cash. The police arrested 25 people and said the facility was the "largest and most sophisticated" cocaine lab in Europe. They said the suspects included Spaniards and Colombians, and they had imported the drug by hiding it in shipping containers of coffee.
El Tiempo says Colombian police say they have captured a carrier pigeon that was being used to smuggle drugs into a prison. The bird was trying to fly into a jail in the north-eastern city of Bucaramanga with marijuana and cocaine paste strapped to its back, but did not make it because the 45g drug package was too heavy for it. The pigeon is thought to have been trained by inmates or their accomplices. Police said carrier pigeons had been used in the past to smuggle mobile phone Sim cards into the jail.