The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press:
The Times quotes the government saying it has no intention to increase the retirement age of the judicature. It also reports that the police have filed charges against a bus driver who allegedly attacked a Spaniard.
The Malta Independent reports that Bank of Valletta and the Valletta Fund Management have filed their reply to a judicial protest by Finco and that the situation at Mater Dei is precarious.
l-Orizzont publishes part of a transcript of a radio interview with pro-vicar Mgr Anton Gouder on divorce. It reports that a foreigner who jumped into the sea fully clothed yesterday created moment of tension as he was in the middle of port at the same time as it was time for the Malta-Gozo seaplane to land on the sea.
In-Nazzjon says that a record number of students have applied to join the university. It reports that a digital X-Ray machine has been launched at the Mosta health centre and that foreign nurses are to be employed to work at Mater Dei.
The overseas press
Sky News reports that the British government has warned Libya against any celebrations on the anniversary of the Lockerbie bomber's release saying that any celebration of Megrahi's release would be tasteless, offensive and deeply insensitive to the victims' families.
The Independent says representatives of the so-called Quartet – the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations – would today invite Israelis and Palestinians to begin direct peace talks on September 2 in Washington. Both sides were expected to agree to attend, the source said. President Barack Obama would be present at the talks.
According to Liberation, France was set to repatriate nearly 140 more Roma (gypsies) – a day after scores were flown back to Romania under a controversial crackdown ordered by President Sarkozy. Although the Roma are EU citizens – mostly from Bulgaria and Romania – they need to have a work permit if they stay in France for more than three months or prove they have the means to support themselves. President Traian Basescu of Romania has said the expulsions showed the need for a Europe-wide plan on integrating Roma communities
The New York Times says devastated by floods, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has pleaded with UN member states to rush in massive financial aid and warned that failure to do so would undermine its battle against extremists. Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon has warned the international community that Pakistan was facing a "slow-motion tsunami" of destruction and urged the world's richest countries to give more aid to the flood-ravaged country.
Less than 24 hours away from election day, The Australian reports that the major parties in Australia were neck-and-neck. As both Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott campaigned across New South Wales, Labour lost its slim lead and the vote was now split 50-50 on a two-party preferred basis. But a poll in The Herald Sun gave Labour a slender lead.
The Patriot Ledger reports a teacher was forced to resign after calling her students "germ bags" on Facebook. June Talvitie-Siple, 54, also described the parents of her students as "snobby" and "arrogant". The parents spotted the posts and complained to the school superintendent. The high school maths and science teacher has admitted what she did was stupid, but refused to apologise.
Jakarta Post says women-only train carriages have been launched in an attempt to avert sexual harassment on packed commuter trains. Women can choose to board the female-only, orange and pink-seated carriages at the front and rear of trains.
The Saudi Okaz newspaper repors a Saudi judge has asked several hospitals whether they could damage a man’s spinal cord as punishment after he was convicted of attacking another man with a cleaver and paralysing him.