The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press:
The Times reports that the family involved in the sickle case attack currently before the courts had made many previous reports to the police.
The Malta Independent reports on a “cruel attempt” to vilify the prisons
l-orizzont says the closure of the Maltese High Commission in London last Tuesday was ‘premature’.
In-Nazzjon reports that foreign direct investment rose by €250m last year. It also reports on the granting of scholarships to Maltese artistes.
The overseas press
Making an emergency statement to the House of Commons Prime Minister David Cameron has vowed to crack down on rioters. The Independent reports he promised to do whatever it took to restore law and order, suggesting that the world had been appalled by the chaos on the streets of London and other cities. He also announced a package of support for homeowners and businesses that have seen their properties destroyed in the carnage. The Association of British Insurers expected the industry to be paying out in excess of €228 million. Cameron also acknowledged that the initial police response to England's worst unrest in decades had been flawed.
The BBC says that one of Britain’s top police officers has strongly rejected criticism of police tactics in handling the recent street violence across England. He said police commanders had reacted quickly to the severity of the first night’s riots on Saturday, greatly increasing police numbers and adopting more robust tactics. He moves, he suggested, had nothing to do with any intervention by government ministers.
Börzen Zeitung reports that France, Italy, Spain and Belgium have banned short-selling on the shares of banks and other financial companies. It followed sharp gains and losses in bank stocks in recent days, especially in France, on fears about their exposure to Eurozone government debt. Short-selling is when traders profit from bets on the fall in a share price. It has been blamed for increasing recent market instability.
The Jerusalem Post says Israel’s interior minister has given final authorisation to build 1,600 apartments in disputed east Jerusalem and would approve 2,700 more in days. Palestinians oppose all Israeli construction in east Jerusalem because it dampens their hopes to establish the capital of a future state in the holy city. The approval for the apartments could also create new problems for Washington, which is trying to persuade the Palestinians to abandon their statehood bid and enter into negotiations with Israel instead.
The Washington Times quotes US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton calling for other countries to support US sanctions against Syria in the face of escalating violence by the Syrian security forces. She said action by China, India and Russia and Europe could significantly increase pressure on Syrian President Assad.
Kathimerini says Greece’s state-run Social Security Fund has stopped payments to 1,473 pensioners over the age of 90 – after finding out that they were dead. The fund also said it would sue people who were illegally pocketing such pensions and try to recoup €1.8 million that have been paid into the accounts of the dead. The announcement follows a continuing fraud investigation after officials found that some 9,000 Greeks aged over 100 were receiving pensions. The latest census, in 2001, listed fewer than 1,700 people as aged over 100. Greek authorities also were probing suspected disability and welfare fraud after noticing suspiciously high numbers of beneficiaries.
The New York Times reveals one of the most iconic statues in the world is to undergo renovations. The Statue of Liberty is to be refurbished to the tune of more than €19 million. The operation is set to begin in late October. Liberty Island, where the statue is located, will remain open during the project, which is expected to last a year.
The New York Post says the former girlfriend of billionaire financier George Soros has accused him of reneging on a promise to buy her an apartment in New York City and has filed a €35.15 million lawsuit. The 28-year-old Brazilian soap opera star Adriana Ferreyr alleges that the 80-year-old Soros gave the €1.33 million apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan to a new girlfriend. Ferreyr is attending Columbia University. The couple met in 2006.
L’Equipe says Fifa is investigating 16 Caribbean football leaders in connection with the bribery scandal involving ex-presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam. The senior officials are suspected of taking cash bribes to back Bin Hammam in Fifa's presidential election. They are also accused of denying the corruption attempt to investigators. Bin Hammam was found guilty of trying to buy votes last month and banned from football for life. He has appealed.