The following are the top stories in the national and international press today:
The Times reports on the Vatican’s decision to defrock Charles Pulis, who has been found guilty of child abuse and says that a decision on Fr Scerri is expected soon. It also reports on the Church apology. In another story, it says that Libyan rebels are believed to have seized a gasoline tanker off Malta.
L-Orizzont says that Mepa has opened an investigation on Green MT following allegedly false allegations on waste collection. In another story it reports one of the child abuse victims saying he had been told by Mr Pulis to lie under oath if he was called to give evidence by the Curia.
The Malta Independent quotes victim Lawrence Grech saying the guilty priests should apologise to the victims and not continue with their court case.
In-Nazzjon also reports on the Church apology and says that work on the first phase of the Mcast campus has been embarked upon.
The Malta Business Weekly says that businesses in Valletta do not know anything about the work to be carried out in St Paul Street. It also reports that government tenders do not carry assurance that the health of asbestos removal workers would be safeguarded.
The international press
The Financial Times says European policymakers are struggling to contain the global financial turbulence as markets drop and investors seek safer asset havens. Yesterday was a day of drama on financial markets, as Italian and Spanish bonds reached 14-year highs. In early trading on Wednesday, the yield on Italian ten-year bonds rose 0.19 percentage points to 6.21 percent. A cost of borrowing above six percent is considered unsustainable by many economists. Brussels’ financial newspaper L’Echo quotes European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso saying this surge was cause for deep concern, although it did not reflect the true state of affairs.
In Italy, Il Sole 24 Ore reports that Premier Silvio Berlusconi rejected suggestions that Italy was facing a debt crisis and said a lack of confidence in the country's economy was totally unjustified. Speaking first to the House after the markets had closed, Berlusconi recalled how last month the government had pushed through an austerity budget plan to cut spending and place Italy on track to balance its budget by 2014. He said this plan had failed to convince a market where uncertainty reigned due to problems which had little to do with Italy. According to the premier, markets have ignored the strength of the Italian economy and the importance of household wealth for the economy.
The Japanese government has intervened in the currency markets to weaken the yen and protect economic growth. Nikkei Weekly quotes Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda confirming the move to the media but declined to comment on the size of the intervention. As a result of the intervention, the US dollar has moved higher against the yen, jumping to 78.47 from 77. The government had repeatedly warned that the strong yen was hurting growth.
The New York Times says the UN Security Council has condemned the Syrian government for its deadly crackdown on protesters. It was the first clear condemnation issued by the Security Council, which includes longstanding allies of Syria such as Russia.
The UN move came as the Syrian army again attacked Hama, a centre of opposition protest, with reports of much loss of life. Al Jazeera reports human rights groups had said at least 140 people have been killed in the Syrian unrest since Sunday, mainly in Hama, adding to a civilian death toll believed to be more than 1,600 since March.
Al Ahram says the opening session of ex-President Hosni Mubarak's trial has been adjourned to August 15 after he pleaded "not guilty" to charges of murder and corruption. Mubarak's sons Alaa and Gamal as well his former interior minister Habib al-Adli and six former security aides, who are facing similar charges in the same trial, also pleaded not guilty. The presiding judge Ahmed Rafaat said the court would reconvene for the case of former Interior Minister Habib al-Adli on August 4. Over 50 people were injured after clashes broke out outside the court.
The Sydney Morning Herald quotes the Australian police saying a device attached to a teenager that took 10 hours to remove was part of an elaborate hoax. Madeleine Pulver, 18, was at home in Sydney when an intruder apparently entered and placed a suspected explosive device round her neck. They are looking into the possibility that the hoax was part of an extortion attempt.
London’s Daily Telegraph carries a photo of Heather Mills who has alleged that a senior Mirror Group journalist admitted hacking voicemails left for her by her then-boyfriend Sir Paul McCartney. Ms Mills told BBC Newsnight that after Sir Paul left the voicemail in 2001, the journalist rang her quoting parts of the recording. When challenged about how they knew what had been said, Ms Mills said they admitted the message had been hacked. Parent group Trinity Mirror says all its journalists work within the law.
A married couple in southern Russia face charges after the wife's elderly father was found by police chained up in a yard like a dog to stop the old man from wandering into the street. According to the Russian news website, Life News, neighbours alerted police after hearing the 70-year-old man's cries for help. He was allegedly chained for five days. The victim can barely see or hear, and is in very poor health.