The following are the top stories in national newspapers today.

Times of Malta says the doctors’ association and the country’s second largest trade union want Parliament and the Auditor General to probe the deal whereby three hospitals were handed over to an “anonymous” company with just “two employees”. In another story, it says Bank of Valletta’s credit rating was downgraded by Fitch after capital reserves were deemed inadequate to satisfy regulatory requirements.

The Malta Independent says although the government has not set any specific deadline to conclude talks Air Malta started with Alitalia on the sale of 49 per cent of the national carrier’s shares, this did not mean that the negotiations were open-ended.

L-Orizzont says that 200 pharmaceutical employees will be losing their job.

In-Nazzjon says that the Nationalist Party’s ‘Policy for Retailers’ is being well received by owners of small businesses.