Italy is reeling from the destruction wrought by yesterday's earthquake.
The story is on the front page of all the Italian dailies.

La Stampa (Italy)
Si scava, gia 150 morti 

They say the earthquake has caused devastation, already 150 dead, and thousands injured. The paper is full of graphic images of the wreckage left by the quake, and tragic testimonies.

Il Giornale (Italy)
L’urlo
 

The scream.  One hundred thousand people are left homeless, and rescuers continue to dig bodies and survivors out of the rubble.
In a box at the bottom of the front page they ask – was it possible to avert this tragedy? They quote a scientist who says he raised the alarm about a huge earth quake weeks ago -  residents said they’d been feeling tremors for a month and the government should have taken action.

Lots of papers have picked up the angle that the damage could have been limited if the government had been better prepared.

The Independent (UK)

Town ignored warning of imminent earthquake
 
The Independent also quote the scientist who forewarned the quake – apparently he drove through Aquila weeks ago, urging people to leave their homes for safey, but the mayor of the town allegedly threatened the seismologist with criminal charges for scaremongering.

Il Mattino (Italy)
Tragedia impossible da prevedere

The tragedy was impossible to predict.  This Italian daily talks to an official who’s part of the rescue efforts. He rejects claims that the disaster could have been avoided.

Zaman (Turkey)
It’s up to Turkey, Armenia to resolve history now

The paper says US President Barack Obama sounded a conciliatory message to Muslims around the world. They say he “called on Turkey to address the killings of Armenians in eastern Anatolia nearly a century ago but gave clear signs that he would stay out of the debate, saying it is up to Turkey and Armenia to deal with history.” 

Wall Street Journal (USA)
Obama’s Unreality Tour
 

A scathing attack on the US leader's European tour…  Obama has made lots of nice promises but he’s got his head in the clouds. The people and press may love him – but the WSJ’s opinion page says he needs to get real.  “Get real. Get real about North Korea. Get real about the U.N. Get real also about NATO, arms control, Russia, the global financial system, and every other item headlining the president’s unreality tour through the capitals of Europe.”

An opinion not reflected in a poll published in the International Herald Tribune today  - conducted in partnership with FRANCE 24.

 
International Herald Tribune (USA)
Western Nations Are Cool to Cold War Adversaries, Poll Finds

As NATO celebrates its 60th anniversary, a new poll shows “people in its largest member nations still hold enmity toward the leaders of their adversaries from the Cold War."

Former president of Cuba Fidel Cuba is the most disliked among the world leaders listed by respondents from the United States and five Western European nations.

Mr. Castro was followed closely by Vladimir V. Putin, former president and current prime minister of Russia.

While most world leaders have seen their popularity plummet, US President Barack Obama maintains an enviable 80 percent popularity level.  The Dalai Lama is close on his heals, with 74 percent. Angela Merkel in third place with 51 percent.

Pope Benedict XVI has seen the most significant decrease in popularity –  his rating is 39 percent.