The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press.

Times of Malta reports how another two men have been accused of the murder of Bank of Valletta messenger Alphonse Ferriggi 14 years ago.

l-orizzont  says a China-Maltese energy joint venture is to start operating by the end of this year and 30 projects have been identified.  

The Malta Independent reports that minister Konrad Mizzi would not comment on his wife’s work. It also says Zabbar council may be on the verge of being dissolved.

In-Nazzjon also reports on Zabbar council saying divisions among the Labour councillors have persisted,

The overseas press.

AFP reports the Vatican has called for a truce in wars around the globe during tomorrow’s World Cup final, taking to social media with the hashtag #pauseforpeace as a conflict in the Gaza Strip escalated and killings continued in Ukraine.  

France 24 says despite international criticism of Israel’s recent air strikes on the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that he would not bow to international pressure to end the offensive, pledging instead to carry on.  

AGI reports Hamas' military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, has warned airlines  that it would continue to target rocket fire at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport in reprisal for Israel's Gaza air strikes.  

Israel, meanwhile, has massed thousands of troops along the border in preparation for a possible ground invasion. Speaking to Channel 2 News Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman has said it was time to put an end to the Hamas rule of Gaza, and that an aerial operation is not enough to accomplish this.  

Daily Star says militants in Lebanon also took aim at northern Israel with rockets for the first time in the conflict. Southern Lebanon is a stronghold of the Shiite militant group Hezbollah, which has battled Israel numerous times.

Kyiv Post reports at least 50 pro-Russian rebels were killed in an airstrike in Izvarino, in eastern Ukraine.  

In the UK, the i newspaper leads with an expected government reshuffle. It says British Prime Minister David Cameron would appoint more female ministers in an attempt to improve the Conservative Party's image. The Guardian has the same lead story, saying a series of older men known as the “old lags” will be sacked or announce long-planned retirements.