The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press.
The Times reports how the prime minister vowed yesterday to protect any oil procurement corruption whistleblowers.
The Malta Independent also leads with Dr Gonzi’s promise to protect whistleblowers.
l-orizzont refers to the oil procurement scandal and quotes Frank Portelli saying this was corruption of an unimaginable scale. It quotes Dr Portelli saying that if all the millons taken over 20 years were recovered, Malta would have a Budget surplus.
In-Nazzjon highlights a press conference where the prime minister promoted the PN’s promises to raise the quality of life of children.
The overseas press
At least 14 people were killed and over 100 injured in an explosion that rocked the offices of Mexico's state oil company. Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong told Foro TV dozens of people were still trapped in the building and rescuers were searching for survivors in the basement of the office tower, which is one of the city's tallest skyscrapers. It was unclear what caused the explosion.
The New York Times reports that tension over the Israeli airstrike on Syrian territory appeared to increase as Syria delivered a letter to the United Nations declaring its right to self-defence and Israel’s action was condemned not only by longstanding enemies, including Iran and Hezbollah, but also by Russia. Syria’s ambassador to Lebanon declared that Syria “has the option and the capacity to surprise in retaliation”, the Iranian deputy foreign minister warned that the attack would have “grave consequences for Tel Aviv” while the Russian Foreign Ministry said the strike “blatantly violates the UN Charter”. Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry also condemned the attack – as did some Syrian rebels. Israel maintained a stony silence but UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed “grave concern” and called on all parties to “prevent tensions or their escalation in the region”.
According to Haaretz, Israel’s security service has arrested 20 members of the armed wing of the Palestinian movement Hamas in Hebron. Israel said those arrested had served sentences at Israeli prisons for military activities. During the operation the Israeli authorities found and confiscated weapons “aimed for terrorist activities”.
The Washington Post reports President Obama's nominee for Defence Secretary has defended his views of the military and global threats in a combative confirmation Congressional hearing, pushing back against criticism of his past statements on Israel, Iran, Iraq and nuclear weapons. Chuck Hagel told senators that America “must engage – not retreat – in the world” and insisted that his record was consistent on that point.
In London, The Times says the prospect of divorce cases being settled by Sharia and religious courts has been opened up by a landmark legal decision. A Jewish couple have had their divorce settlement under Beth Din, rabbinical law, approved by the High Court. The decision is thought to be the first in British legal history where an English family judge agreed to refer a divorce dispute to a religious court. Lawyers said that the judgment could have far-reaching consequences and clear the way for other couples to seek a divorce in a religious court. The decision was welcomed by the Muslim Council of Britain.
AFP reports Spain's ruling Popular Party has described as lies a newspaper report of hand-written ledgers purportedly showing secret payments to Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and other top party officials. Leading daily El Pais ran photographs of the supposed ledgers on its front page – a potentially explosive story at a time when Rajoy's government is imposing steep spending cuts and higher taxes on a population suffering a jobless rate of 26 percent. The party said it had only one set of accounts, which was clear, transparent and submitted to the government's official auditors.
Amnesty International has called on the Chinese authorities to commute the death sentence of a Chinese woman, who beat her husband to death with a gun after suffering months of domestic violence, to a term of imprisonment. WNN says Li Yan, 41, was sentenced to death in August 2011 for the murder of her husband, Tan Yong, in late 2010. Tan inflicted frequent beatings on his wife, he cut off one of her fingers, stubbed cigarettes out on her face and during the freezing Sichuan winters locked her outside on the balcony of their apartment for several hours with little clothing. AI said justice would not be served by executing Li Yan.
A 14-year-old girl has been shot in the head at a school in Atlanta, Georgia. Local television station 11 Alive said that another person, who is believed to be a teacher, was also injured during the shooting. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a suspect is in custody. The news comes as USA Today reports a county prosecutor in a town southeast of Dallas was fatally shot on near the courthouse by one or perhaps two gunmen wearing masks, black clothing and tactical-style vests.
New guidelines have been launched in Ireland to deal with mental health and suicide prevention in post-primary schools. The Journal says it is estimated that one in 10 children and teenagers experience mental health disorders which impact on their relationships and day-to-day coping skills. Separately, a survey by the Irish Primary Principals’ Network has found that three out of five principals have noticed an increase in emotional disturbance of children.
ITAR-TASS reports Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic has reacted “very painfully” to an erotic joke he was involved in by one of the local televisions. The provocation was organised by Pink TV, which invited the prime minister for an interview. The questions were asked by a “journalist”, who was a former Playboy model, who held the interview naked from the waist down. The prime minister answered to all questions cold-bloodedly but sometimes a strange smile appeared on his face. Dacic has ordered an investigation to find out whose idea it was to conduct such a candid-camera-style “interview”.