The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press:
The Times says the Vatican had cleared the Bishops’ Pastoral letter on IVF before it was read in Maltese churches two weeks ago.
The Malta Independent reports that the first phase of the new Mcast building is in an advanced stage. It also says that 40% of appointments at the Outpatients’ Department are not kept.
MaltaToday says the increase in private cars is a certificate of the failure of public transport.
In-Nazzjon quotes the PN asking whether Joseph Muscat will take action against Labour MP, Architect Charles Buhagiar after his €150,000 mistake on a Mosta roads project.
l-orizzont reports that Malta was placed third from last in a EU report on waste management.
The overseas press
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has vowed to “purge his country of terrorists” as his security forces continued to fight rebels trying to seize control of parts of Aleppo and of Damascus. In his first televised appearance in two weeks on Syrian TV, Assad said he would show no leniency in quashing the rebellion against his government. His comments followed a meeting with Iran’s National Security Council secretary Said Jalili. The visiting official pledged continue Iranian support to Syria which, he said, formed part of an axis of resistance against foreign opponents.
Amnesty International says it has urgent concerns for the welfare of residents in Aleppo in Syria, after satellite images revealed more than 600 new craters a few kilometres outside the city. The BBC quotes the human rights group saying the holes were probably caused by artillery shells and heavy weapons used in fighting between government forces and rebels in a nearby town. AI says both the Syrian government and rebel forces might be held criminally accountable for failing to failing to protect civilians.
China’s Xinhua news agency reports some 200,000 people have been ordered out of their homes in Shanghai where authorities prepared for the third typhoon to hit the Chinese coast in a week. Authorities said 23 people died and nine were still missing after typhoons Damrey and Saola hit eastern Zhejiang province causing flooding and landslides. The latest typhoon, dubbed Haikui, is expected to be the largest yet with winds reaching more than 70 kph.
The Irish Enquirer says the European Commission is to outline its plans for a banking union on September 11. The new entity would supervise the banking industry across the bloc and would have a key role in winding up failed lenders to prevent them destabilising the financial system. It was designed to work alongside the permanent rescue fund, the European Stability Mechanism which would be able to directly aid banks in difficulty.
CNN says the man accused of killing six people and seriously wounded a US Congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords, in a shooting rampage in Arizona last year had pleaded guilty after a judge ruled that he was fit to stand trial. Jared Loughner had been confined to a psychiatric ward since he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and illusions.
USA Today says the American security contractor formerly known as Blackwater has agreed to pay a fine of $7.5 million to settle US federal charges related to arms trafficking and unauthorised sales of training and equipment to foreign governments. The agreement brings to an end a long and complex case against the company which had been awarded billions of dollars-worth US security contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Nigeria’s The Guardian reports that members of the radical Islamist group, Boko Haram, have shot dead at least 19 people and injured any others in a Christian church in central Nigeria. Authorities said the gunmen stormed a church building where worshippers had gathered to pray late on Monday in the town of Otite, near the city of Okene.
Adnkronos says more than 3,400 cases of people fraudulently claiming poverty and disability benefits have been uncovered in Italy this year, including a ''blind'' person caught chopping wood. According to anti-fraud and public-expensive officials, more than 170,000 suspicious cases were investigated. Italy's unelected government led by prime minister Mario Monti is trying to reduce the country's €1.95 trillion debt and balance its budget by raising taxes, reforming retirement rules and cutting back on perceived waste. More than €60 million spent on fraud are a waste.
The Daily Mail says that Fifty Shades of Grey has apparently become the bestselling book of all time in the UK. It's publisher has said that more than 5.3 million copies have been sold. The first of a trilogy of steamy tales written by E. L. James has become a literary phenomenon. All three are due to be filmed as part of a movie deal.
Few Italians would buy a used car from soccer star Mario Balotelli or Prime Minister Mario Monti. According to a survey by Italian carmarket website Facile.it, 21.7 percent of Italians would look elsewhere before purchasing a used car from the striker for Manchester City. Closely following in second and third place are the Italian art critic and politician Vittorio Sgarbi, with 20.9 percent of votes, and Mario Monti garnering 16.7 percent. The celebrities Italians would trust include Cesare Prandelli, manager of the Italian national football team, winning the trust of 19.4 percent of Italians and Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, the president of Ferrari, with 16.5 percent of the votes.
The Independent says seven Cameroonian athletes have disappeared while in Britain for the Olympics. David Ojong, the head of the Cameroon delegation, said five boxers, a swimmer and a female football player had been missing since the weekend. The reason for their disappearance is not known, amid some reports that they wanted to stay in the UK for economic reasons. A Voice of America source said the group left after collecting 2.5 million Central African francs (€3,800) which the government had given them for participating in the games. None of them had won any medals.
A fly-in fly-out prostitute has won the right to work from a central Queensland motel, even though the owners want her kicked out. Australia’s ABC reports that a tribunal found the owners of the motel contravened the Anti-Discrimination Act by banning the prostitute from using the premises when they realised she was bringing clients back to her room. The Gold Coast-based woman is now seeking thousands of dollars in compensation while Accommodation Association CEO Richard Munro says they were considering an appeal and would ask the state and federal governments to legislate for the right of motel owners to decide who can stay at their business.