The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press.
Times of Malta reports that three hotels are planned for an Outside Development Zone in the south of Malta. It also reports how a mother sent people to torch a foster family’s front door.
The Malta Independent says a former Labour minister, Reno Calleja, said he had nothing to do with Leisure Clothing.
l-orizzont focuses on how half of the new jobs created this year went to foreigners.
In-Nazzjon says the government has still not answered questions on the new power station, which was meant to be ready in four months’ time.
The overseas press
Al Jazeera reports the United Nations has said it would “closely” study Libya’s Supreme Court’s ruling to dissolve the country’s elected parliament. It also said it would consult “Libyan stakeholders across the political spectrum and international partners”. The UN confirmed that it remained “committed to working with all parties to help Libya overcome the current political and security crisis”.
Al Arabiya says the International Criminal Court will not launch a prosecution over Israel’s raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla in 2010 in which 10 Turkish activists died. The decision comes despite a “reasonable basis to believe that war crimes were committed”. Chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said the court had a duty to concentrate on war crimes committed on a large scale.
There are reports President Obama has written a letter to Iran’s supreme leader to discuss the country’s nuclear program, as well as fighting Islamic State (IS) militants. The Wall Street Journal reported Obama wrote a letter a fortnight ago to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, describing a shared interest in fighting IS militants. White House spokesman Josh Earnest would not confirm or deny the report.
France 24 says President François Hollande has said he would not seek re-election in 2017 if unemployment, now at 3.43 million, continued to rise. In a 90-minute TV appearance, which observers saw as an attempt to revive his flagging popularity, Hollande acknowledged that he had made mistakes since coming to power in 2012.
According to a report by The Associated Press, Interpol has warned that would-be jihadist fighters are travelling on cruise ships to try to reach Syria and Iraq. The international police organisation said alterative travel routes were being attempted because of increased monitoring of airports as well as moves by Turkey to tighten border controls.
Le Soir says riot police in Brussels had to use tear gas and water cannons as more than 100,000 demonstrators marched against EU-enforced austerity. Fighting broke out soon after the end of a largely peaceful march organised by trade unions and left wing politicians. The protesters set fire to cars and hurled stones.
Het Parool reports Dutch investigators hope to start recovering wreckage from the crashed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in Ukraine within days. The Dutch Safety Board said agreements had been reached about the recovery of the wreckage, but that the precarious situation in Ukraine might delay the start of the operation.
The New York Daily News says a former US Navy Seal has re-ignited controversy over the operation to kill Osama bin Laden after he said he fired the fatal shots. In an interview with Fox News, Robert O’Neil said he alone went into a bedroom in the bin Laden compound in Pakistan in 2011, and killed the al-Qaeda leader. However, his account has been disputed by other Navy Seals.
The Washington Times reports US House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner has warned President Obama not to act alone on immigration and other issues, saying it could “poison the well” for cooperation with the new Republican Congress.
One million Australian cattle worth $1 billion are set to be exported to China each year under a breakthrough agreement being finalised between the two countries, ABC says.
Nigerian Tribune quotes residents of a town in northeastern Nigeria saying 18 men have been killed hours after being arrested by the military. The men were accused of being members of the militant Islamist group Boko Haram. The military denies the accusations.
Hollywood Reporter says studio giant Disney has revealed the title of the Star Wars franchise's seventh episode, The Force Awakens, and said filming was over.