The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press.
Times of Malta and The Malta Independent report on the arraignment yesterday of a man accused of the attempted murder of his partner’s baby. Separately, Times of Malta also carries a picture of Brad Pitt and Anglina Jolie taking a break from film-shooting for a family day out.
In-Nazzjon gives prominence to the plight of a woman who suffered cancer of the uterus but sees a new beginning.
l-orizzont asks if Prince Harry may be coming to Malta instead of the Duchess of Cambridge for the Independence celebrations.
The overseas press
Al Jazeera announces more than 200 people were missing after the sinking of a barge last evening off the Libyan coast. It quotes a spokesman for the Libyan navy saying that the barge had 250 people on board but only 26 were rescued. Most of the migrants were Africans.
Meanwhile, Ansa reports the Italian Navy stepped in to rescue a boat 60 miles from Libya and has rescued 95 migrants. Nine others were rescued off Lampedusa. Yesterday, 111 Syrian migrants arrived in Crotone after an Italian patrol boat had intercepted the vessel which had brought them from Syria up to the Italian coast.
Le Monde says diplomats from around the world are in Paris France to discuss action against Islamic State militants after the murder of British hostage David Haines. US Secretary of State John Kerry said almost 40 countries have offered to contribute to an international coalition to fight the terrorist group in Iraq and Syria.
Meanwhile, President Fouad Massoum of Iraq has said there was no need for Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia to join airstrikes against the Islamic State group. In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, he also expressed regret that Iran was not invited to take part in the 26-nation Paris conference.
ABC News reports Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced Australia would send 600 military personnel to the Middle East as part of an international bid to fight the Islamic State.
According to The Scotsman, Alex Salmond has revealed that talks have taken place with major European states including France, Spain and Italy about the prospect of an independent Scotland joining the EU. The First Minister also said that a number of members of his Team Scotland negotiating team have already been signed up and would “move into action” immediately after a Yes vote.
The Daily Telegraph says the Queen has broken her silence over the Scottish referendum on independence from the UK. She said she hoped people would “think very carefully about the future” when they cast their ballot next Thursday.
Aftonbladet reports Sweden’s Social Democrats leader Stefan Löfven has said he would try to form a new government after his coalition won the biggest number of votes in the country’s general election, but excluded he would work with the far right.
RIA Novosti says as many as 75 million Russians are voting in a series of elections to elect governors, regional assemblies, mayors and local councillors. However, political commentators believe turnout would be low with the liberal parties under pressure following a surge of patriotic fervour in the wake of events in Ukraine. Voters in parts of recently annexed Crimea and Sevastopol are also heading for the ballot box.
Deutsche Welle reports Germany’s eurosceptic Alternative for Germany (AfD) party would now take seats in three state parliaments. They’ve made the cut in Thuringia and Brandenburg, two weeks after being elected in Saxony.
Al Ayyam says schools in Gaza have reopened following the recent Israeli-Hamas conflict. In Khan Younis, the UN has to rebuild its school there after being destroyed by the IDF. Twenty four schools were completely destroyed in Gaza and 120 suffered partial damage. As many as 60 children are crammed into a single class.
Il Tempo reports Pope Francis has presided over the marriage of 20 couples, in the first papal wedding ceremony at the Vatican in 14 years. Among the couples were several who were cohabiting and one couple who had children. The Vatican views sex outside marriage as sin, but Pope Francis has stressed that the Church should be a forgiving one.