The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press.
The Sunday Times of Malta reports how a couple has bought a boat to rescue migrants. It also features comments by Joseph Muscat that the controversy about Sai Mizzi was mishandled.
It-Torca highlights the need to create new revenue streams for the Community Chest Fund
Il-Mument says disagreement within the government prevented Ray Zammit from being appointed Police Commissioner.
MaltaToday said the ministers collectively cost Malta €5 million. It also says China is very keen to invest in Malta.
KullHadd focuses on the ‘positive certificate’ for Malta from ratings agency Standard and Poor’s.
The Malta Independent says the hunters’ petition for amendments to the Referendum Act has been shelved in Parliament with neither the government, nor the opposition, seeking to debate it.
Illum highlights plans for the setting up of a logistics centre in Malta for Chinese products. It also reports that Gozo Bishop Mario Grech is favourite to take over from Archbishop Paul Cremona when he retires.
The overseas press
Palestinians living in northern Gaza have been warned by the Israeli military to leave their homes ahead of a planned offensive against that part of the strip. Speaking to the Jerusalem Post, an Israeli military source said since the Hamas militants leaders were hiding under homes and using human shields, they were initiating the evacuation of civilians in Gaza before stepping up attacks.
Al Ayyam quotes Palestinian officials saying 17 members of the same family were killed when Israeli missiles destroyed a three-storey home of the Hamas chief of police, who was reported to have been seriously injured in the heaviest wave of bombings since the Israeli operation began. Nearly 160 Palestinians have been killed in the violence this week. There have not been any Israeli deaths.
CNN says the UN Security Council has called for a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. It is the first time since Israel’s offensive began that they have issued a statement, with members previously divided on their response.
AFP reports the United States has warned that the conflict in Libya could become “widespread” and urged a new parliament be quickly seated after contested elections. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki also called for work on drafting Libya’s new constitution to take place unhindered, amid increasing lawlessness and unrest in the country.
The corruption scandal surrounding former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has deepened further with fresh leaks of telephone conversations purporting to show he offered to get a judge a plum job in return for favours, according to Le Monde.
Kabul Times reports US Secretary of State John Kerry has announced that Afghanistan is to audit all eight million votes cast in last month’s disputed presidential election. Kerry said both candidates, Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani, have agreed to abide by the result.
Al Sumaria says the Iraqis Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari has urged PM Nouri Maliki to apologise for alleging the region authorities in Kurdistan were sheltering Jihadi militants. In an exclusive BBC interview, Zebari, who is Kurdish, said unless Maliki withdrew his remarks, the Kurds would find it very difficult to work with him.
Meanwhile, according to Al Zaman, an attack on two buildings in the Iraqi capital has left at least 25 people dead, many of them women. Reports said the two buildings were suspected to be brothels.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that for the first time ever scientists have managed to use the sun’s rays to create the same energy that is currently produced in coal or gas fired power stations. The breakthrough in Australia means one day the sun could compete with fossil fuels to provide our energy needs.
O Globo reports Brazilian police have arrested 21 people in Rio de Janiero suspected of taking part in “acts of vandalism” in recent demonstrations. The arrests came as more protests had been planned in the city to coincide with tonight’s football World Cup final between Germany and Argentina.