The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press.
The Times of Malta reports that the staff of Where’s Everybody have been handed their notice. It also reports that scientist Nicholas Sammut has resigned as CEO of the Malta Council for Science and Technology after claims of improper conduct.
The Malta Independent highlights yesterday’s speech in parliament by Simon Busuttil.
In-Nazzjon also leads with Dr Busuttil’s speech, saying he promised a loyal opposition in the interests of the people. It also says 10 ministerial secretariats have engaged 91 people from outside the civil service.
l-orizzont says the police corps is without a commissioner since the new commissioner has not yet been formally appointed, and his predecessor has not formally resigned.
The overseas press
Bloomberg reports a Philadelphia doctor has been convicted of the murders of three babies who were born alive after late term abortions. Kermit Gosnell was found guilty of killing the infants by cutting their spines with a scissors. He was also found guilty of the involuntary manslaughter after one of his patients – a Nepalese refugee – died during an abortion. The court was told by former workers at his clinic that Gosnell routinely performed illegal late-term abortions past Pennsylvania's 24-week limit. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
Libya Herald says a massive car bomb exploded in the parking area of Benghazi’s Al-Jalaa hospital, killing three people and injuring six others, according to the director of the hospital, Mohamed Bilaeid. However, people at the site said at least 12 people died. An official at the Interior Ministry has denied the higher figures, confirming the number at three. He told the Libya Herald said that six people had also been injured, including a woman and children.
Deutsche Welle reports eurozone finance ministers have freed a first tranche of loans for Cyprus, met Italy's new government, and urged Slovenia to act in haste to avoid the need for emergency loans in an ongoing two-day meeting in Brussels. Non-eurozone finance ministers join the meeting in Brussels today, with broader issues liable to cause far more tension. The wider assembly of ministers will seek to plot Europe's path to unified banking supervision and improved methods of combating tax evasion.
Sky News says David Cameron will today publish a draft Bill that would pave the way for a vote on whether Britain should remain in the EU – a day ahead of an amendment to the Queen's Speech expressing “regret” that an EU referendum was not on the agenda. News of the bill came after Mr Cameron received a boost from Barack Obama in his battle with Conservative rebels over Europe during a joint news conference on his US trip. Obama told Cameron he should not “break off” the UK's relationship with the EU before trying to mend it.
Kathemerini reports Greece's coalition government has said it would use emergency powers to prevent teachers from disrupting university entrance exams as part of their planned strike this month to protest over longer working hours and involuntary staff transfers. A government spokesman said it took the decision under its "moral obligation" to safeguard the May 17-31 exams for 100,000 school leavers and university candidates. It is the third time this year that the government has used the emergency civil mobilisation order to end a labour dispute in the crisis-hit country.
Corriere della Sera says prosecutors have urged a Milan court to hand a six-year prison sentence and life ban from office to former Italian PrimemMinister Silvio Berlusconi for having sex with Moroccan belly dancer Karima el-Mahroug, nicknamed “Ruby the Heart Stealer”, an underage prostitute, and abuse of power. Berlusconi and Ruby deny they had sex. Berlusconi is also charged with abuse of office for getting Ruby released from police custody for an unrelated petty theft offence in order to cover up their liaison. The defence will start arguing its case on June 3 and a sentence is expected on June 24.
The extreme-right Forza Nuova party has launched an Internet campaign called “Immigration Kills”, after several recent murders allegedly committed by immigrants in northern Italy. Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno says a statement posted by the group said supporters of immigration reform must accept responsibility for the rape and murder in Livorno and the very serious events in Milan – a reference to the recent rape and murder in Livorno of a 19-year-old woman, allegedly by a Senegalese immigrant, and a pick-axe killing spree in Milan last Saturday by a Ghanaian suspect that left two men dead. The group also attacked as “absurd” proposals by Italy's first black minister, the recently appointed Integration Minister Cecile Kyenge, who wants to grant automatic citizenship to children born to legal immigrants in Italy.
EU Observer reports the European Union has hailed as “an historic victory for democracy” Pakistan's weekend election, which unofficial results suggested were won by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N). Pakistani media say Sharif's party was likely to get around 130 seats and should be able to make up the required majority of 137 with support from independents and small parties. Once it achieves a majority, Sharif's party would be allocated a majority of 70 other parliamentary seats reserved for women and non-Muslim minorities.
Al-Moussawar reports security forces have arrested two young Tunisians from the northeast of the country who are suspected of working for Israel's Mossad intelligence agency. One of the two suspects was caught as he was allegedly sending information via the internet on the security situation in the Jebel Chaambi area of the Kasserine governorate. The second youth was arrested on suspicion of transmitting sensitive information via Facebook and of abetting the first suspect. Both the youths come from Biserta in the northeast Tunisian coast.