Press digest

The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press:

The Times says a prominent surgeon had warned the Public Service Commission of foul play in the selection of medical consultants.

The Malta Independent reports how a private Maltese plane has been held in Spain on reports that it was being used to ferry drugs.

In-Nazzjon gives prominence to the deep brain stimulation treatment being used at Mater Dei, transforming the life of Parkinsons disease patients.

l-orizzont leads with the autopsy report on the killing of Mario Galea in Paceville, saying he choked in his own blood.

The overseas press

Börzen Zeitung reports the economies of both the 17-nation eurozone and the broader block of 27 EU nations contracted by 0.2 per cent in the second quarter. The only glimmer of good news came from Germany and France. Growth for Europe's largest economy, Germany, was a modest 0.3 per cent. And the second largest economy France managed to escape widespread expectations of recession by registering zero growth for a third consecutive quarter. Recession is defined as two successive quarters of negative growth.

The Wall Street Journal reports that European Union, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank have said that economic reforms in Romania were advancing and remained "broadly on track". Romania made the reforms as part of an agreement with its international lenders in return for bailouts. However, the lenders indicated that the progress toward recovery appeared jeopardized by an ongoing political war between the ruling Social-Liberal union coalition and centre-right President Traian Basescu, who was targeted by an impeachment bid six weeks ago. Political turmoil has affected market confidence, it said, and must be settled to continue moving forward. Romania joined the EU in 2007, but has not yet adopted the euro.

The Financial Times reports British bank Standard Chartered has reached a settlement with regulators in New York who had accused it of hiding billions of dollars’ worth of illegal transactions with Iran. The bank has agreed to pay a penalty of $340 million. American law strictly controls trade with Iran. The US and other Western nations are attempting to force Teheran to end what they say is a nuclear weapons programme, which Iran says does not exist.

The Washington Post says US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has sought to play down reports of an imminent attack by Israel on Iran over its nuclear programme. He said the US did not think Israel had made a decision on whether to attack Iran. At the same media briefing, America’s most senior military officer, General Martin Dempsey, accused Iran of working to develop a militia within Syria to fight on behalf of the embattled government of President Bashar al-Assad.

al bawaba reports foreign ministers of the 57-memberm Organisation of Islamic Cooperation met in Saudi Arabia after agreeing to recommend suspending Syria from the group. The foreign minister of Iran, one of Syria’s strongest allies, said his country would never accept the proposal.

The New York Times says Valerie Amos, the UN's under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, is in Damascus for what the UN says is “an attempt to draw attention to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Syria". She will also visit Lebanon. The humanitarian situation in Syria had further worsened in recent weeks as fighting has spread in Damascus and to Aleppo and other cities. The UN estimates two million people have been affected by the crisis, and over one million have been internally displaced.

Meanwhile, Al Arab Al Yawm quotes former Syrian Prime Minister Riad Hijab saying that Bashar Assad's regime is "collapsing morally, economically, militarily". In his first remarks after defecting from the government in Damascus, Hijab told a news conference in Amman that he thought President Bashar Assad now controlled only 30 percent of Syria.

Metro says President Rafael Correa of Ecuador has denied British reports that his country has decided to grant asylum to Australian WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Assange has been holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since he sought sanctuary there on June 19. The Australian is trying to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning over sexual assault allegations.

Le Parisien says French Interior Minister Manuel Vallas had been jostled by angry crowds during a visit to the northern city of Amiens, where there had been two nights of rioting. Earlier, French president François Hollande promised to mobilise all state resources to restore security.

CBS News reports that computers and personal items worth more than €49,000 have been stolen from the California home of the late Steve Jobs. A 35-year-old man has been arrested and charged with burglary and selling stolen property.

Al Hayyat says Saudi Arabia has approved a €13.5 billion plan to modernise the transport system in the holy city of Mecca, including building a bus network and metro system. More than six million visitors from across the world visit Mecca every year for the Haj and Omra pilgrimages. The influx has strained the narrow roads and outdated transport system.

La Trbune reports that French prosecutors have said that the two Bayern Munich playes Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema would be called into court to answer allegations that they paid for sex with a minor. The case revolves around whether they knew she was 16. Both players have acknowledged the incident, but said they were unaware of Zahia's age. Zahia disputes the term prostitution but says she was paid for sex by both players. She also told investigators that she did not tell them how old she was. Eight people are under investigation, some charged with aggravated pimping.