The following are the top stories in the national and international press today.
The Sunday Times of Malta interviews former Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi who says that the Prime Minister will live to regret his decision to give former Nationalist MPs – rebel back-bencher Franco Debono and former European Commissioner John Dalli – government posts. In another story, the newspaper says that Birdlife Malta has reported the Government to the European Commission for failing to provide vital information concerning the 2013 spring hunting season.
It-Torca says that money belonging to former deputy head of the Kazakhstan Secret Service Rahkat Aliyev was laundered in Malta. In another story it says fuel prices are the cheapest they have ever been in the past 12 months.
Il-Mument says that Parliamentary Secretary Franco Mercieca has failed to declare some €386,500 in income. The newspaper also reports Speaker Anglu Farrugia insisting on the need for an ethical committee or another structure that would set standards for Members of Parliament.
The Malta Independent on Sunday says that Malta has moved up a noted in the EU minimum wage statistics. It also reports on the changes to the shadow cabinet, saying these have not been completely explained.
Illum says that Film Commissioner Peter Busuttil employed Dr Gonzi’s former personal assistant without a call for applications. In another story it speaks about Nationalist Party's employees anger at leader Simon Busuttil.
MaltaToday speaks to PN employees who spoke of utter disregard to their plight by Dr Busuttil. In another story it says the Police Commissioner has promised another 22 policmen on the beat in Paceville.
Kullhadd says that when the Labour government took over in March, there were 60,000 families who had not received a water and electricity bill for a year and a half. In another story it says that an internal effort within the PN to replace Dr Busuttil was not being excluded if he continued to disappoint.
International news
According to the CBS, US intelligence officials have received a report from a reliable source signifying that the plot against the US embassies by al-Qaeda has already been triggered.
The New York Times quotes US officials as saying the communications involved plans for operations in the region. France, Germany and Britain are keeping their embassies in Sanaa closed, after the US said 21 diplomatic posts would be not open.
Le Monde says Interpol has issued a global security alert calling for increased vigilance amid a series of prison escapes, including in Iraq, Libya and Pakistan.
Zimbabwe Independent reports that Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has announced that he would boycott President Robert Mugabe's new government because he believed the elections were “fraudulent”. Tsvangirai said the MDC would challenge the results in court.
Meanwhile, London’s Sunday Times says intelligence documents in its possession reveal Mugabe used $850 million of diamond money to rig the country's elections.
International concern is rising as Syria's neighbouring countries are sharply reducing the number they allow into their territory. The Los Angeles Times reports Turkey, Iraq and Jordan, which have taken 1.1 million of the 1.9 million Syrians who have left the country, have reduced entry sharply, worried about the cost of caring for the refugees and the risk they may pose.
The Australian announces that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has signed a deal with Nauru's President that will see asylum seekers who arrive by boat in Australia sent to Nauru to have their claims processed and possibly resettle there.
USA Today says after six years' consideration, US food regulators have created a standard for food products labelled “gluten-free”. The rule requires any product with the label to contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten.
China has beaten US in terms of the style of clothes worn by their first ladies. According to rankings compiled by Vanity Fair on the best-dressed people in the world, at the 90th place figures Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, while the list, for the second consecutive year, does not figure Michelle Obama.
US tabloid Star quotes an “anonymous source” saying Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones will divorce after 13 years of marriage: “their love story is over”.