The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press.
The Times of Malta reports how the agreement on marriages between the Church and the state is set to be revised. The agreement was discussed in Rome yesterday between the Pope and the Prime Minister. It also reports that Greece wants a deal with Malta and Cyprus for joint oil exploration.
The Malta Independent claims there were differing versions on the Pope-PM talks. A statement by the Holy See did not mention any readiness by the Church to amend the Church-State agreement. The statement, however, mentioned the importance of the Church in areas such as property and education. It also reports how Berlusconi was found guilty in his sex-for-hire trial.
In-Nazzjon says a PN commission has started choosing the team of candidates for the European Parliament elections.
l-orizzont quotes a GWU statement expressing satisfaction that the problem of precarious work is being addressed by the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development.
The overseas press
The United States has urged Russia to send a fugitive intelligence contractor, Edward Snowden back to America to face justice. The Associated Press says the White House demanded that he be denied asylum, blasted China for letting him go and urged Russia to “do the right thing” and send him back to America to face espionage charges. Thirty-year-old Snowden was believed to be in Russia, where he fled Sunday after weeks of hiding out in Hong Kong following his disclosure of the broad scope of two highly classified counter-terror surveillance programmes to two newspapers. The programmes collect vast amounts of Americans' phone records and worldwide online data in the name of national security.
VOA News quotes US Secretary of State John Kerry, who is in New Dehli, warning there would be “consequences” for countries helping Snowden avoid arrest for disclosing secret details of US government surveillance of telephone and internet activities. Kerry said it would be “deeply troubling” if authorities in Russia or Hong Kong had adequate notice and wilfully ignored US efforts to gain custody of Snowden following espionage indictments.
Meanwhile, The Washington Post says President Obama has said the United States was following all legal channels and cooperating with other countries to ensure that the law was respected. White House officials believe Snowden is still in Russia. He had been booked on a Monday flight from Moscow to Havana with the possible eventual destination of Ecuador, where he is seeking asylum. But the fight to the Cuban capital left with no sign of him on board.
A court in Milan has sentenced the former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to seven years in prison and barred him from public office for life after he was convicted for paying for sex with an under-aged prostitute – Moroccan-born Karima El Mahroug , known as Ruby the heart stealer – and abusing his office to cover it up. Ansa quotes Niccolo' Ghedini, one of the 76-year-old politician and media mogul's defence lawyers, describing the ruling “beyond any logic” and said his client would appeal. Ghedini stressed that the judges “had gone beyond” the six-year term prosecutors had wanted.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has proposed holding a referendum for the summoning of a constituent assembly to bring about political reform in an effort to tackle the grievances highlighted by a wave of protests across the country. O Globo says she also proposed reforms covering the economy, transport, health and education. Proposals include a $25 billion (€19 billion) plan to enhance public transport and cut diesel fuel taxes. Earlier Rousseff met leaders of the group that started the nationwide protests more than a week ago.
Kathimerini reports that following the government reshuffle in Greece, Socialist leader Evangelos Venizelos has been appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister while Yannis Stournaras was confirmed as Finance Minister. The reshuffle was sparked as the Democratic Left quit the government coalition owing to the shutting down of state TV network ERT.
When it comes to Turkey's EU membership, Germany remains loyal to the principle that “agreements must be kept”, Angela Merkel told German and Turkish business leaders in Berlin on Monday. Berliner Zeitung says Merkel also called for dialogue that is “open and in good faith”. The German Chancellor's statements followed last week's decision to block plans to resume Turkey’s EU membership talks in the wake of Ankara's crackdown on anti-government protests.
Al Arab says the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, will step down later today and transfer power to his heir apparent, 33-year-old Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Sheikh Hamad has been in power since 1995, during which Qatar has evolved into an important player on the regional and international political scenes. The British-educated Sheikh Tamim is deputy commander of the armed forces and head of the National Olympic Committee. He also chairs the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee which is in charge of hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
According to Voice of Nigeria, four prisoners have been hanged in what is believed to be the country’s first executions for seven years. The justice commissioner for the state of Edo said the prisoners had been convicted of armed robbery and murder. Amnesty International's deputy Africa director, Lucy Freeman, said the hangings marked "a truly dark day for human rights" in Africa's most populous nation.
Meanwhile, the BBC says Amnesty International has warned that homosexual acts are increasingly being criminalized across sub-Saharan Africa. The human rights group said homophobic attacks were on the increase and urged political and religious leaders to fight discrimination.
Jakarta Post reports that after days of giant forest fires in Indonesia, the country’s president has apologised to Singapore and Malaysia for the thick smoke which has been blowing over the countries. Visibility in the Indonesian capital, Kuala Lumpur, remained poor on Monday as officials ordered schools closed in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor state. In Singapore air quality continued to improve after last week's record haze, as wind conditions changed. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Indonesia was working hard to control the fires.