The following are the top stories in the national and international press today.
Malta’s national newspapers today lead with the nomination of Minister Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca as President, which is expected to be announced in the coming days.
The former European Court of Human Rights Judge Giovanni Bonello tells The Sunday Times of Malta that Parliament’s decision last week to halt impeachment proceedings against a judge pending the Constitutional Court’s outcome conspired to reinforce the conclusion the judiciary became wholly untouchable once appointed.
The Malta Independent on Sunday says the former parish priest of Gharghur has taken sabbatical leave after having left his church in disarray by neglecting to pay a number of bills resulting in debts of €26,000.
MaltaToday says that the Lands Department has paid off arrears for Valletta’s Cafe Premier on income tax, VAT, energy bills and an outstanding bank loan, to acquire the cafeteria and waxworks attraction. In another story it says two women will be appointed judge and magistrate in the coming days.
Il-Mument says that the Freeport would have to close down because of the floating gas storage facility should the same safety distance applied in Livorno be applied in Malta.
Illum says that 519 people were employed in the civil service in the days before the election.
It-Torca Marie says former Prime Minister Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici is in a stable condition following an operation at Mater Dei Hospital.
Kullhadd quotes economist Karm Farrugia saying that there was not one negative indicator in the European Comission’s report on Malta published this week.
International news
USA Today reports members of the US Congress have called for immediate sanctions against Russia and an emergency aid package for Ukraine as the crisis in Eastern Europe escalated.
VOA News says that in a 90-minute phone call with President Putin, Obama warned that Russia faced “greater political and economic isolation” and he threatened to boycott the upcoming G-8 talks in Sochi.
CNN says the United Nations also met yesterday for an emergency session requested by the United Kingdom.
Obozrevatel reports the Ukrainian government has put the army on alert, warning Russia to be ready for war and asking the EU, US and NATO to evaluate all the possible options to protect its territorial integrity.
According to the online magazine Tizhden.ua, a group of investigative journalists even talk of 28,000 soldiers in Moscow, almost five times that estimated by the new Ukrainian authorities.
In other news...
At least 27 people were killed and 109 injured by unidentified knife-wielders in a subway station in Kunming, main city of China's southern province of Yunnan.
The Party of European Socialists has elected Martin Schulz as their candidate to be the next President of the European Commission, kicking off the campaign to win Europe’s top job for the social democratic political family. Il Tempo says that at in an Election Congress in Rome, hosted by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his Democratic Party, Schulz was backed by 91 per cent of delegates. In his acceptance speech to the Congress, Schulz said that as Commission President, his first priority would be “good jobs”.
The final countdown is on for the ultimate in Hollywood glitz and glamour. Hollywood Reporter says the red carpet is out, and the Oscar statue replica vendors are ready for their annual moment of glory. The ceremony will air from 2.30am until 5am (Malta time).