The following are the top stories in the national and international press today.
The Times leads with an interview with potential PN candidate Herman Schiavone saying he would continue with house visits in spite of being publicly chastised by the PN for doing so. It also interviews Terry Embleton, the British man who yesterday gave himself up to the police and was yesterday charged with trafficking cannabis.
The Malta Independent says the Nationalist Party has said that Hermann Schiavone will not be contesting the election on its ticket. The newspaper also reports on the shots fired near the Prime Minister’s Palace at Girgenti early yesterday morning.
In its report on the Girgenti incident, l-Orizzont says that a search carried out near the Palace proved negative. In another report, it quotes the Eurobarometer saying that 89 per cent of the Maltese believe the country needs reforms to face the future.
In-Nazzjon also leads with the Girgenti incident. In another story it says that former minister Edwin Grech has divulged new details on the murder of his daughter Karin 34 years ago.
The international press
Vast crowds have gathered in Pyongyang’s main suqare as North Korea held another day of mourning and commemoration for late leader Kim Jong-il, a day after his elaborate funeral in the capital blanketed by snow and ice. State TV showed his son and designated successor, Kim Jong-Un, leading the ceremony. Eulogies were read to hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians standing heads bowed in square. A three-minute silence was also held, after which trains and ships throughout the country sounded their horns. Kim Jong-il died of a heart attack on 17 December, aged 69. He had ruled North Korea since the death of his father Kim Il-sung in 1994.
The European Union has said it would go ahead with plans to impose new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme. A spokesman for EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton told the AFP news agency that the decision would be taken in time for the next meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on January 30. The sanctions being considered by the EU as well as the US would be aimed at Iran's oil and financial sectors. Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: The West fears that Iran may be building atomic weapons at its nuclear sites. In 2010, Iran was the fifth-largest exporter to the EU after Russia, Norway, Libya and Saudi Arabia. Iran relies on oil exports for about 80 percent of its public revenues. Western nations have accused Iran of using its civilian nuclear programme as a cover for developing nuclear weapons. Iran has denied the charges.
The EU’s reaction came as Tehran again threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz through which much of the world's oil passes. Iran's navy chief, Admiral Habibollah Sayyari told state-run Press TV that it would be easy for the Iranian navy to close the strait. On Tuesday, Vice President Mohamed Reza Rahimi also threatened to close the strait and cut off oil exports. More than a third of the world's tanker-borne oil is transported through the strait, which links the Persian Gulf with its petroleum-exporting states of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, to the Indian Ocean.
The US has warned Iran it would not tolerate any disruption of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The Washington Times quotes Pentagon press secretary George Little warning that “interference with the transit or passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz will not be tolerated.” The United States Fifth Fleet has told Reuters news agency it will not tolerate any disruption to traffic in the strait. The US maintains a navy presence in the Gulf largely to ensure that oil could pass freely. Le Monde says that in the wake of Tehran's threats, France has called on the Iranian authorities to respect international law and navigation rights.
The main parties in Bosnia have agreed to form as central government – ending a 14-month political crisis. Bosnia Post says the agreement would help prepare the way for Bosnian membership of the EU and allow the release of hundreds of millions of euros in frozen funds to the country.
Al Bawaba reports that violence has continued in Syria despite the presence of the Arab League observers. Activits said more than 10 people were killed in the cities of Homs, Hama and elsewhere. The Arab League monitors overseeing compliance with a peace plan have been fanning out to cover various parts of Syria. They visited Homs for a second time, to be met by angry residents. The team's head said he had so far seen "nothing frightening", dismaying some activists and Western observers. Meanwhile, Al Thawra announces that Syria ha released 755 people detained during the nine-month-old uprising against President Bashar al-Assad's rule. It said their "hands were not stained with blood".
Voice of Nigeria quotes church leaders saying their members would defend themselves if the security forces were unable to protect them. The leader of the Christian Association, Ayo Oritsejafor, has said the Islamic extremists of Boko Haram had declared war with its recent violence. More than 40 people were killed in attacks on churches across the country on Christmas Day. Since then, some 90,000 people have fled their homes amid clashes between Boko Haram and police in Damaturu.
Al Ayyam says the annual cleaning of the Church of the Nativity, one of Christianity’s holiest icons, deteriorated into a brawl between rival clergy, as dozens of monks feuding over sacred space battled each other with brooms until police intervened. The ancient church, built over the traditional site of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, is shared by three Christian denominations – Catholics, Armenians and Greek Orthodox. The fight erupted between Greek and Armenian clergy, with both sides accusing each other of encroaching on parts of the church to which they lay claim. Palestinian security forces rushed in to break up the melee, and no serious injuries were reported.
It’s almost 2012 – with nearly 3,000 crystal triangles sparkling on the New Year’s ball ready to drop in Times Square, New York. At a news conference, workers also displayed the numeral “2” that would light up for 2012. The New York Post says 288 new Waterford crystal panels were added to those from past years. The new patterns represent friends holding hands for this year’s theme, “Let There Be Friendship”. The ball will dangle before the world on Saturday at midnight – a televised countdown spectacle with Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga performing. More than a million people are expected in Times Square to mark the new year.