by Jennifer Williams

Australia’s The Age carried the headline: “Corruption fuels rebel anger”, and quoted General Sonthi’s remarks that Shinawatra “has caused an unprecedented rift in society, widespread corruption, nepotism, and interfered with independent agencies”.

The International Herald Tribune spoke to Thitinan Pongsudhirak, director of the Institute of Security and International Studies at Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University. “We’ve got to get out of this vicious cycle of constitution, election, corruption and coup,” he said. The paper added that Sonthi had accused Shinawatra of “destroying democratic institutions”.

BBC News analysed the cause of the claims. Their roots could be traced to Shinawatra selling his family’s stake in the Shin Corp telecoms group, it reported, adding, “the move angered many, who complained that the family avoided paying tax”.

The London Times devoted a lead article to the “turmoil” in Bangkok. “The corruption and incompetence of politicians have hindered what ought otherwise to be a sound economy and bright future,” it said. “The Thai people deserve better.”

By Jennifer Williams

The Financial Times reported that the Bank’s governing body had “endorsed the anti-corruption paper”, but also “made it clear that this was not the final word, and asked Mr Wolfowitz to report again to shareholders in the spring”.

Ministers said their board representatives would oversee the plan’s implementation “in a reflection of concern among some countries that Wolfowitz is being overzealous”, according to Reuters. The news agency also quoted British development secretary Hilary Benn as insisting, “It’s clear that the board oversees its implementation.”

The International Herald Tribune reported a progressively “deeper and bitter” rift in the Bank’s discussions. The “backlash” was attributed by the paper to a concern that countries labelled as corrupt would find lending “shut off in an arbitrary or selective way”. A former vice president of the bank, Roberto Danino, also was quoted noting: “getting rid of corruption is not a silver bullet”.

by Jennifer Williams

The International Herald Tribune reported that the programme was filmed “over a year-long period and was based around conversations between agents, undercover journalists and club officials”. The paper added that Panorama’s investigation was set off by Luton Football Club manager Martin Newell claiming eight months ago that he had been “twice offered two bribes to complete player transfers”.

The BBC’s own news report on the scandal quoted from the programme itself, in which football agent Chris Gordon admitted, “I can’t argue with the public seeing us as the scum of the earth”. The report said that Gordon “estimates millions of pounds have been exchanged in corrupt deals”.

The Athens News described a statement by Allardyce’s son as being “the most compelling evidence in the programme”, referring to Craig Allardyce’s claim that his father was aware of corrupt transfers to his own club. The paper also noted that “the one hour programme failed to show any money changing hands, although three agents alleged that Allardyce took illegal kickbacks”.