The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press.
The Times features an interview with Cardinal Prospero Grech in the wake of the Pope’s resignation. He says the Pope in various speeches had hinted what he could do. It also reports how the Pope had surgery three months ago.
The Malta Independent reports how Toni Abela said a recording of comments he made in the PL Club in Attard was not related to a case now in court.
Malta Today says the presidential pardon has delayed the case against known suspects.
In-Nazzjon says records shows that Toni Abela put pressure on a policeman.
l-orizzont asks if, for Simon Busuttil, the recordings revealed last week and featuring Tony Zarb revealed corruption. It also reports how Joseph Muscat said yesterday that the prime minister’s backing for Austin Gatt meant he too was assuming responsibility.
The overseas press
Libya will close its borders with Egypt and Tunisia for four days as of Thursday as it marks the second anniversary of the start of the revolution that ousted Muammar Gaddafi. The official Lana news agency quoted Prime Minister Ali Zeidan saying international flights would also be suspended at all airports except for those of Tripoli and Benghazi. The "preventive" measures were decided after repeated calls for protests to be held nationwide, including some who have demanded a "second revolution" in protest at what they say is the new Libyan rulers' failure to push for reforms.
Corriere della Sera says the former head of Italy’s military intelligence services, Nicolo Pollari, has been sentenced to 10 years in jail for his role in the abduction of a terrorism suspect during the US rendition programme 10 years ago. The court in Milan also sentenced his former deputy Marco Mancini to nine years in jail over the 2003 kidnapping. Italy's courts have already convicted in absentia 22 CIA agents over the same case. The abducted Egyptian cleric said he was flown to Egypt and tortured.
The New York Times reports the UN Security Council has "strongly condemned" North Korea's third nuclear test amid US demands that it face new sanctions to halt its weapons development. A unanimously-agreed Security Council statement said that because of the "gravity" of North Korea's defiant gesture, the 15-member council "would begin work immediately on appropriate measures". The statement made no direct reference to sanctions but demands for new measures were quickly made by the United States and its allies.
Sole 24 Ore says the EU executive has asked ArcelorMittal to suspend the closure of sites in Europe pending the launch of a pan-Europe plan to save the industry – but the global steel giant declined. Speaking at a round table on steel, the EU's industry commissioner Antonio Tajani said he was convinced Europe could save its steel sector. But Belgian and French ministers at the talks said the world's top steel producer rejected the request.
Le Parisien reports France’s lower house has voted to approve the government’s marriage reform, which would allow same-sex couples the same spousal and adoption rights as their heterosexual counterparts. The law, which has proved to be hugely divisive in a country steeped in conservative Catholic values, would now go to the Senate, where it is expected to pass easily.
Huffington Post says eight Femen activists flashed their breasts in the iconic Notre Dame cathedral in Paris on Tuesday to mark Pope Benedict XVI's resignation announcement a day earlier, yelling "No more homophobe" and "Bye bye Benedict!" Scandalised visitors voiced their disapproval. The Femen women's power group has been making headlines since 2010 for topless feminist, pro-democracy and anti-corruption protests in Russia, Ukraine and London.
CNN reports the massive weekend snowstorm that hit parts of north-east America and Canada was blamed for at least 18 deaths. The epic storm swept through on Friday and Saturday with a metre of snow that entombed cars and buried driveways. Several people died from carbon monoxide poisoning while sitting in snowed-in vehicles. Schools remained closed across much of New England and New York and more than 100,000 homes and businesses were still waiting for electricity to come back on. About 650,000 customers have been without power, most of them in Massachusetts.
A group of Moroccan passengers are taking Air France to court after a pilot joked that “His Majesty the King of Morocco” was delaying their flight from Casablanca. “The control tower won’t let me take off until 'His Majesty the King of Morocco' has finished relaxing in the VIP lounge,” he said, according to the E-Marrakech news site. Air France CEO Alexandre de Juniac sent a letter to the group apologising for the December 5 incident, adding that the pilot in question “would be sanctioned” for the offence.
According to Al Watan, the Saudi royal family has intervened to block the release of a celebrity preacher accused of raping, torturing and killing his five-year-old daughter. Fayhan al-Ghamdi was set to be released after agreeing to pay “blood money” to the mother of his daughter Lama. The case caused a scandal in Saudi Arabia, with public calls for the cleric to be put to death. Despite the country’s strict legal system, however, fathers cannot be executed for murdering their children, in the same way husbands cannot be executed for murdering their wives.
Deutsche Welle reports German prosecutors have extended their probe into suspected stock price manipulation at sports car maker Porsche. A spokesman for prosecutors said the investigation had now been widened to include everyone who sat on the supervisory board of Porsche's holding company between March and October 2008, as well as a former employee.