The following are the top stories in the national and international press today:
The Sunday Times dedicates its front page to stories on the abuse suffered by children from two priests. The newspaper speaks to Vatican official Mgr Charles Scicluna, who said that he had to personally intervene to speed up justice for the victims.
It-Torca also leads with a story from the priests' judgement and continues to stands by its missile story.
The Independent on Sunday says that the new internet of the future may be deployed in Gozo. In another story, it says that at least €2.1 million a year are spent on private tuition for O levels.
Malta Today says that Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi will be contesting on the first, instead of the second district but will be retaining the ninth.
Illum says that the Gozo quarry from where stone for new Parliament is to be taken had gone through a number of irregularities and still lacked an environmental permit. In another story, it says that Europeans who set up home in Malta were paying higher water and electricity rates.
Il-Mument quotes University professor Luciano Mule Stagno saying that Malta will reach its environmental targets.
Kullhadd says that Charles Muscat il-Pips, who had to serve a 25-year-prison term, is out after serving only 15 years because of good conduct. It says that his conduct, however, had not always been so good.
The international press
The Observer says finance ministers of G7 countries are in urgent talks to stem the panic over global debt by coordinating action between their countries’ central banks. The move follows several days of market panic and a downgrade of the US credit rating. French Finance Minister Francois Baroin, whose country currently holds the G7 presidency, told France’s RTL radio, he had been in close contact with his G7 counterparts. He said they would be carefully watching what might happen on Monday. The G7 members are Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US.
Reuters reports that the European Central Bank’s policy-setting council will also hold an emergency meeting today to talk about the eurozone problems. Markets are anxiously looking for the central bank to start buying Italian and Spanish debt on Monday to stabilise prices – a move that has split the ECB governing council. Standard & Poor’s downgrade of the US credit rating added to growing fears over debt levels and economic growth in the world’s biggest economy and in European nations, like Italy and Spain.
China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency says America’s “debt-addiction” is threatening the world economy and that Washington must slash its defence and social welfare spending. The commentary, Beijing’s first official response to the S&P’s downgrading, says that if Washington failed to rein in spending, there would be more “devastating” credit rating cuts to come and global financial turbulence. It demanded international supervision over US dollar issues and suggested a new global reserve currency was needed.
The Irish Examiner quotes leading Irish economist Professor Ray Kinsella of University College, Dublin, calling on the Irish government to leave the Eurozone for the sake of the country's economic stability. He said Ireland would be best placed emerge from recession if it had its own currency as the markets had lost faith in the euro. Other small European countries, such as Denmark, had seen more prosperity by having their own currency.
The Washington Times says 30 US troops, said to be mostly special forces, have been killed, reportedly when a Taliban rocket shot down their helicopter in east Afghanistan. Seven Afghan commandos and a civilian interpreter were also on the Chinook. US sources say the special forces were from the Navy Seal unit which killed Osama Bin Laden, but were “unlikely” to be the same personnel. The helicopter was returning from an operation against the Taliban in which eight insurgents were believed to have been killed.
Al Jazeera reports rebels in Libya have engaged Col Gaddafi’s forces in a day of fierce fighting after launching a fresh offensive in the west. The rebels appear to have captured the town of Bir al-Ghanam, some 80 kilometres from Tripoli. There has been no official comment from the Libyan government.
The Jerusalem Post reports at least a quarter of a million Israelis have staged marches over the rising cost of living. The largest protest was in Tel Aviv where police said at least 200,000 people were on the streets, while another 30,000 marched in Jerusalem. In one of biggest waves of protests in decades in Israel, demonstrators are demanding government action to reduce the cost of housing and food. Some protesters have also set up camp in city centres.
Sky News reports some 200 people attacked riot police and set two squad cars alight in north London following a protest at the fatal shooting of a 29-year-old man by armed officers on Thursday. The Metropolitan force said bottles were thrown at officers on a foot patrol near Tottenham police station during the evening. One of the vehicles was pushed into the middle of the main road before it was set on fire. Riot police sent to the scene came under attack from a crowd throwing bottles and missiles, said the force.
The Washington Post says the ringleader of the US military guards who photographed their abuse of suspected Iraqi insurgents at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison has been released. Charles Graner served more than six-and-a-half years of a 10-year sentence. Graner, a former US Army Reserve specialist, was convicted of leading his six-member team in the sexual humiliation of naked prisoners. Images of the acts emerged in 2004, sparking international outrage.
Ansa announces the death of actor Francesco Quinn, the third son of the late actor Anthony Quinn. He was 59 and died of a massive heart attack while playing with his 10-year-old twin son Max at his home in Malibu’, California. Paramedics, who arrive at the scene within minutes, were unable to resuscitate him. Perhaps best known for his portrayal of underground drug king Rhah in Oliver Stone's Academy Award-winning “Platoon” (1986), Francesco Quinn was one of the film industry's most versatile young actors.