The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press.
Times of Malta reports that Archbishop Mgr Paul Cremona is expected to step down.
In-Nazzjon says More supermarkets are to be restructured because of financial problems caused by fraud. They will be scaled down to two supermarkets.
The Malta Independent says John Dalli wants an apology from Simon Busuttil. The two had an exchange of statements yesterday.
l-orizzont reports that more than half the population now shops on the internet. It also recounts the story of a woman who says she has lost control over her body.
The overseas press
Reuters reports Libya‘s Red Crescent has called for a ceasefire in Benghazi to allow the evacuation of families trapped by street fighting between Islamist militants and pro-government forces supported by local youths.
AFP reports Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff fell ill at the end of a tense and at times bitter televised debate with challenger Aecio Neves. Rousseff and Social Democrat Neves traded accusations for an hour and a half – accusing each other of lying, misrepresentation and nepotism.
Tribune de Genève says the World Health Organisation is to increase efforts to prevent Ebola spreading beyond the three countries most affected by the deadly virus. Fifteen African countries – which share land borders with Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia or have significant trade or travel links – would receive more help in areas including prevention and protection.
Militants of the Islamic State have been driven out of most of the northern Syrian town of Kobane, a Kurdish commander has told the BBC. Baharin Kandal said IS fighters had retreated from all areas, except for two pockets of resistance in the east. US-led air strikes have helped push back the militants, with another 14 conducted over the past 24 hours.
The Daily Star reports British police are carrying out 100 anti-terror operations a week in a bid to stave off Islamic State attacks. Mark Rowley, Scotland Yard assistant commissioner revealed they have prevented “several” terrorism atrocities on the UK mainland in the past 10 months and made 218 arrests and charged 16 Britons who have returned from Syria with terrorist activity. Specialist police internet experts have removed 51,000 websites showing beheadings, torture and suicide bombings in a bid to lure Islamic extremists to the Middle East with the prospect of martyrdom.
The Daily Express says British Prime Minister David Cameron has warned the EU that Britain was going to “give it one last go” to reform immigration rules or the UK would vote to leave. He admitted it was not going to be easy to re-negotiate freedom of movement laws imposed by Brussels but warned the rest of the EU could lose one of the continent’s strongest powers if it did not ground.
Ansa reports economic growth was top of mind for European leaders as two days of meetings with their Asian counterparts began yesterday amid the backdrop of financial market turmoil. French Femen activists poured red wine on their bare breasts outside the meeting to protest the bloodshed in the conflict between Kiev and pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine.
The New York Times says five new non-permanent members – Venezuela, New Zealand, Spain, Angola and Malaysia – have been elected to UN Security Council, the UN’s most powerful body, for a period of two years. Turkey lost its bid to Spain after three rounds of voting in the run-off for the last vacant seat.
O Globo TV announces that Brazilian police have arrested a man who they say has confessed to at least 39 murders over a period of three years. Police said 26-year-old Thiago Henrique Gomes da Rocha, a security guard, targeted homeless people, women and homosexuals. Police said he often demanded valuables from his victims before shooting them and leaving without their possessions.
Metro reports a teenager has appeared in court in England after a pregnant woman lost her unborn child following a street robbery at a bus stop. The 17-year-old was accused of snatching the handbag of the 43-year-old woman, who was between four and eight weeks pregnant. The victim struggled to keep hold of her bag, containing £170 (€215), but was overpowered and after the robbery she noticed she was bleeding and miscarried.