The following are today’s top stories in the Maltese and overseas press:
The Sunday Times leads with a story on plans for tighter control on weapons. Another story is on on ultimatum given to the Labour Party’s general secretary Jason Micallef to obey instructions given by Labour leader Joseph Muscat. The newspaper also reports on the Israeli attacks on Gaza.
The situation in the Middle East is also reported by the Independent on Sunday, which has a story on a fraudster caught by the Italian police exporting beer to Malta. A photo describes yesterday’s hailstorm in Valletta.
Another hailstorm photo is on the front page of il-Mument. This newspaper also says that Air Malta is planning to increase is routes and has an interview with Oliver Friggieri.
The Malta Today leads with a look at 2008 while Illum interviews Freddie Micallef on his fight with breast cancer.
It-Torċa describes Barack Obama as 2008’s personality. It reports that following the vandalism at the Kirkop cemetery in the past days, a number of cars have now been scratched in this locality. In another story it says that trappers have remained without a license.
Kulhadd leads with a story on a new birth to the Agius family whose son Gabriel had died after falling into a shaft. It reports on a resident at the Dar tal-Providenza who is moving out on her own and on yesterday’s hailstorm.
Lehen is-Sewwa discusses the educational reform and youth day themes. The bishops criticise the working time directive.
The Press in Britain…
The Observer leads with Israel's airstrikes on the Gaza Strip saying anger is growing in the Arab world.
The Sunday Times says children coming home from school and police officers at a graduation ceremony were among the victims of the Israeli attack. It considers the situation as the first test for US President-elect Barack Obama.
The Independent shows a dramatic picture of a man, covered in dust, being led from the debris of a collapsed building in Gaza.
The Sunday Telegraph writes the air strikes signal a new phase in the conflict.
The Mail On Sunday says the Queen has agreed to cut back on honours for bankers and City workers because of their role in the financial crisis. And like the Sunday Express, the Mail also shows a photograph that shows Prince Edward hitting a dog during a shoot.
The Sunday Mirror predicts that 14-year-old swimming star Eleanor Simmonds will become the youngest person to be made an MBE.
The News of the World reports that the Queen has slapped a gagging order on all palace staff to preserve family secrets.
The People says that Gordon Brown is to tell greedy energy firms to slash household bills.
According to Daily Star Sunday, a lottery glitch that prevented thousands of people buying tickets could be worth millions of pounds.
And elsewhere…
Al Jazeera quotes exiled Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal calling for a new third Palestinian intifada against Israel and promising suicide attacks.
Al-Ayyam reports that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has condemned the attacks as "criminal".
Jerusalem Post says the Israeli government has declared a state of emergency.
In an interview with Fox News, Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak rejected UN and EU calls for a truce saying that Israel cannot accept a ceasefire with Hamas.
Az-Zaman says a car bomb in the capital, Baghdad, has killed at least 22 people and wounded 54 more.
Afghan Post says five people – three policemen and two civilians – have been killed in a suicide attack in southern Afghanistan. Another five were injured.
Vietnam’s League-run Tuoi Tre newspaper said bird flu has resurfaced in poultry in the north of the country after months without any cases, killing ducks and chickens at two farms.
Corriere della Sera reports that Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini has called on Libya to intensify its controls to keep would-be illegal immigrants from crossing the Mediterranean Sea.
According to Egypt's Al-Masry al-Yom newspaper, a teacher has been sentenced to six years in prison for kicking a schoolboy to death after he failed to do his homework.