The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press.
The Times quotes Austin Gatt saying he was 'serene' about his oil trader meetings while denying he ever discussed oil procurement with him. It also says that schools will have a greater say under the new curriculum.
The Malta Independent says Austin Gatt is suspecting a frame-up. It also quotes Joseph Muscat saying a minister called the police for a person to be released from the police lock-up, something which was denied by the Cabinet.
In-Nazzjon says Austin Gatt never spoke to anyone on oil procurement. It also highlights the commissioning of new fast boats and the inauguration of new quarters at the AFM maritime squadron.
l-orizzont under the heading 'Ghamilt Zball' reports on Austin Gatt's press conference and his comments on a Swiss bank account he inherited from his parents.
The overseas press
The international media focuses on Oscar Pistorius' journey from Olympic and Paralympic stardom to the holding cell as he faces a murder charge over the death of his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp. The athlete's arrest has stunned South Africa and fans across the world. South Africa’s Mail & Guardian suggested the girl was apparently shot as she woke him, trying to surprise him on Valentine's Day, and was mistaken for an intruder. But the police later said the shooting was being treated as a murder. The Johannesburg-born athlete, known as the Blade Runner because of the carbon fibre blades he uses on the track, made history in 2012 when he became the first amputee to compete in the Olympics. In the Paralympics, he won gold in the 400m and another in the 4x400m relay. Both of his legs were amputated below the knee just before his first birthday because of a congenital condition.
Sky News reports police in Wales and northern England have arrested three men on suspicion of intentionally mislabeling horsemeat as beef. The country's Food Standards Agency had shut down both sites on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Le Parisien says French meat-processing company, Spanghero, indefinitely lost its license on Thursday for knowingly selling horsemeat to the company Comigel, which produces ready-made meals, including frozen lasagne. EU Health Commissioner Tonio Borg has called on member states to conduct DNA testing on meat products, to determine whether they contain horsemeat.
The Times says British Prime Minister David Cameron has been challenged by the European Commission over his increasing efforts to impose tougher curbs on immigrants. He thrust the issue to the forefront of the Eastleigh by-election, saying that Britain must do more to deter immigrants by cutting their access to benefits and services. One possible solution would be to make EU migrants register for residency permits on arrival.
Avvenire reports outgoing Pope Benedict has said he intends to keep a low profile once he retired at the end of the month. He told a packed audience at the Vatican he would live “hidden” from the spotlight. The Vatican has hinted that Benedict could work behind-the-scenes as a spiritual guide for the person chosen as his successor.
According to Associated Press, Republicans in the US Senate blocked the nomination of Chuck Hagel as the nation's next Defence Secretary over unrelated questions about President Obama's actions in the aftermath of the deadly raid on the US diplomatic mission in Libya. Obama accused Republicans of playing politics with national security during wartime, and Democrats vowed to revive the nomination after Congress' weeklong break. By 58-40, with one abstention, the Senate fell short of the 60-vote threshold required to advance Hagel's nomination to a final, up-or-down vote on his confirmation.
Ansa reports Italian magistrates have condemned former premier Silvio Berlusconi's contention that companies were forced to view bribes as a part of doing business in the third world. Berlusconi sparked a pre-election flap by saying criticism of bribes such as those suspected in a major helicopter deal by defence giant Finmeccanica with India amounted to "facile moralism". The judges and prosecutors' union said the statement from the media magnate, who was premier at the time of the 12-copter deal in 2010, was “unacceptable” and “must be prosecuted”.
Euronews says the one-year international campaign calling for the end to violence against women known as One Billion Rising, culminated on Thursday around the world with strikes, flash mobs, protests and dances. Women and men met at monuments, city squares and sites throughout their country, joining in with the more than 200 countries, 5,000 associations, innumerable NGOs and well-known personalities. Campaign organizer Eve Ensler, creator of “The Vagina Monologue”, said one in three women, or one billion, would be beaten or raped during her lifetime.
La Sicilia reports thieves have stolen some 200 grates and iron covers, mostly on the outskirts of the Sicilian city of Gela, leaving sewer holes dangerously exposed. Those responsible are believed to be stealing the iron to resell as scrap metal. Each cover costs the city €600, meaning that the municipal budget to replace them so far is €120,000.