The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press.
The Times of Malta says l-Imniehru’s wife claimed her brother wanted her dead. Her brother Jason Galea is accused of the murder of Mario Camilleri l-Imniehru and his son Mario Jr. It also reports how residents objected to the development of a big apartment block in Zbiebu Lane, San Gwann.
The Malta Independent says the health minister denied that the situation of out of stock medicines is alarming.
In-Nazzjon says the government broke an electoral promise when it sought a permit for the power station to continue to use heavy fuel oil
l-orizzont reports that exports rose steeply in the first six months of this year, with gains in exports to Asia and Africa.
The overseas press
World leaders gathering for the G20 summit in St Petersburg remained divided over whether to back punitive military strikes on the Syrian regime, reflecting the domestic political concerns many of their leaders are facing. Ansa quotes Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta saying the split was also confirmed at a working dinner. Diplomatic sources had earlier reported that Europe had tried to speak with one voice, but France maintained its position alongside that of the United States. The leaders of the EU countries present at the G20 met separately before dinner.
Russia Today TV reports UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told world leaders at the summit there was “no military solution” to Syria. Addressing world leaders during a closed-door dinner, Ban stressed the need for a political solution instead. He urged the permanent members of the UN Security Council – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States – they had a “collective responsibility to mankind” to act. However, he reiterated that any decision “should be taken within the framework of the UN Charter, as a matter of principle”.
From Rome, Pope Francis urged the leaders of the world's largest economies, to avoid the “futile pursuit” of military action. Avvenire says Francis took the unusual step of penning a letter to world leaders ahead of a global day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria tomorrow. To reinforce the pope’s peace effort, on Thursday the Vatican also briefed ambassadors from some 70 countries on its position on the Syrian conflict.
al bawaba reports the Syrian government has written to US Congress, warning members against supporting “irresponsible, reckless action” that would injure innocent civilians. The letter urges Congress to “communicate with us through civilised dialogue rather than the language of fire and blood”.
Fox News says President Obama pressed fellow world leaders to support a US-led strike on Syria but he ran into opposition from Russia, China and even the European Union, which condemned the deadly recent chemical weapons attack in Bashar Assad's country but declared it too soon for military action. Russia has warned that a US strike on Syria’s atomic facilities might result in a nuclear catastrophe and is urging the UN to present a risk analysis of such a scenario.
VOA News reports US ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power accused Russia of holding the Security Council hostage by repeatedly blocking resolutions. She said the Security Council was no longer a “viable path” for holding Syria accountable for war crimes.
Meanwhile, China warned other world powers of the global economic risks of any US-led military intervention in Syria. Xinhua says deputy finance minister Zhu Guangyao said such action “would definitely have a negative impact on the global economy, especially on the price of oil”. He estimated that a $10 rise in oil prices could push down global growth by 0.25 per cent.
In other news...
The Guardian,The New York Times and ProPublica report US and British intelligence agencies have successfully cracked much of the online encryption relied upon by hundreds of millions of people to protect the privacy of their personal data, online transactions and emails. According to top-secret documents revealed by former contractor Edward Snowden, the National Security Agency and its UK counterpart GCHQ have broadly compromised the guarantees that internet companies have given consumers to reassure them that their communications, online banking and medical records would be indecipherable to criminals or governments.
The Washington Times says President Barack Obama and his Brazilian counterpart Dilma Rousseff held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the G20 summit, amid an escalating row over alleged US spying on Latin American leaders. Earlier, AFP reported Rousseff cancelled preparations for a US visit. No reason for the cancellation was given but it comes after Brazil demanded explanations from Washington for reports that NSA was using a programme to access all Internet content Rousseff visited online. Mexican Radio said President Enrique Pena Nieto also asked Obama to order an investigation into allegations the NSA had spied on him.
Financial Mirror reports the Cypriot parliament has rejected two banking bills requested by the country's international lenders in order to secure another disbursement of the €10 billion bailout agreement. However, MPs passed 12 other bills required for a green light to be given at a September 13 Eurogroup meeting for the island's second tranche of €1.5 billion. Earlier, there were protests outside parliament against austerity measures.
East African Standard says Kenya's parliament has voted to withdraw from the International Criminal Court. The vote comes before the country's President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto face trial in The Hague, accused of fomenting post-election bloodshed more than five years ago. Kenya's withdrawal will be the first in the court's history. However, it will not affect the upcoming trials, as legal proceedings have already begun.
CNBC announces that after recently filing for divorce from his wife of 14 years, Rupert Murdoch has also decided to part from his cherished yacht, the Rosehearty, for €22.5 million. Built in 2006, the sleek Rosehearty is a modern 56-metre sailing yacht. The vessel has three masts, six suites for 12 guests and even a large Jacuzzi on the bridge. Her handling requires 10 sailors.
Jakarta Post reports Muslim hard-liners have resumed protests against the Miss World beauty pageant, as organisers insisted the event would go ahead this weekend on the Indonesian resort island of Bali. In Jakarta, members of the hard-line Islamic group Hizbut Tahrir rallied outside the building housing the local organiser of the contest. Protests were also held in other cities, with protesters calling on the government to revoke the permit for the contest.
According to El Bruguers, Barcelona star Lionel Messi and his father have repaid €5 million owed to the taxman before facing court on tax evasion charges. The tax fraud charges filed in June were a stunning blow to the prestige of Messi, long seen as a more humble figure than most top-class footballers. A judge in Gava said the Argentine player's father Jorge Messi had deposited €5.02 million with the court last August 14 and rejected a prosecutors' request for the 26-year-old Argentina international to be obliged to deposit a financial bond so as to ensure he pays any fine on the tax charges.