The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press:
The Times says the prime minister has called for coordinated humanitarian aid to Libya.
The Malta Independent leads with the evacuation of workers from Libya.
In-Nazzjon and l-orizzont quote the prime minister saying that the end of the Gaddafi government is inevitable. In-Nazzjon also reports on a conversation on the Libya crisis between the prime minister and David Cameron.
The overseas press
International relief efforts are being stepped up as thousands of people continue to pour across Libya’s border with Tunisia trying to escape the violent unrest there. The BBC says about 30,000 refugees – many of them Egyptians – are stranded after some 12,000 people crossed on Sunday alone and there was no sign of the flow ending.
Al Jazeera reports that anti-government rebels in Zawiya, the battle-scarred city nearest to the Libyan capital Tripoli, deployed tanks and anti-aircraft weapons, bracing for an attack by troops loyal to Muammar Gaddafi. Meanwhile, politicians in the opposition stronghold of Benghazi set up their first leadership council in a step that could lead to an alternative to the regime.
In an interview with Serbian TV Pink, a defiant Gaddafi has repeated his message that he would stay in Libya and blamed foreigners and al-Qaeda for the unrest that was threatening his 41-year rule. The Libyan leader also condemned the UN Security Council for imposing sanctions on him and launching a war crimes inquiry. Gaddafi said the UN council could not see that the capital, Tripoli, was secure.
The Libyan leader’s son, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, denied in an interview with ABC News that turmoil was sweeping the country and said the military did not use force against the people, despite reports to the contrary. He said there was a "big, big gap between reality and the media reports".
Al Arab says banks in Tripoli were open but bread and petrol remained tightly rationed as the opposition grip on large swathes of the nation disrupted the distribution of basic goods. People gathered at banks trying to register for a handout sum of approximately $400 per family unit, promised by the government on Friday.
Times of Oman reports two people have been killed and at least five people were said to have been wounded in clashes between security forces and protesters. Hundreds had gathered for a second day in the industrial city of Sohar to call for political reforms. Until now, Oman had mostly been spared the unrest which has affected other Arab states in recent months.
Assabah says a former government minister, Beji Caid-Essebsi, has been appointed as the new Tunisian prime minister, replacing Mohammed Ghannouchi who resigned after becoming a major irritant to Tunisians behind the so-called "Jasmine Revolution". In his first address he appealed for calm following new violent protests which left at least five dead since last Friday.
The Irish Independent says Prime Minister-in-waiting Enda Kenny would begin talks today in a bid to form a new coalition government after Fine Gael romped to an historic victory in the 2011 general elections. He said he had received phone calls from many European leaders, congratulating him on his success. It's understood during all conversations, the issue of the EU/IMF bailout deal was addressed in broad terms.
Handelsblatt reports Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has begun a visit to Germany repeating his call for aid in allowing Turkey to join the European Union. In a speech to a crowd of 10,000 Turkish residents he criticised German government policies on integration and EU accession. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has advocated a "privileged partnership" with Turkey but staunchly opposed the country gaining EU membership.
Le Parisien says French President Nicolas Sarkozy has shuffled his Cabinet's top diplomatic and security posts on Sunday, appointing Defence Minister Alain Juppe to replace Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie, who had been criticized for her ties to Tunisia's ousted regime. She resigned early on Sunday.
La Prensa reports that heavy rains caused a hilltop to collapse in a poor neighborhood of the Bolivian capital La az, cracking roads, destroying at least 400 homes and burying people's belongings under mud and debris. Hundreds more home are threatened.
USA Today says the six astronauts aboard the orbiting shuttle-station complex geared up for the first spacewalk of their mission later today, after commander Steven Lindsey and his crew had installed an equipment platform to the orbiting lab and hauled fresh supplies from Discovery into the space station. Stephen Bowen and Alvin Drew will move a broken ammonia pump to a better storage area on the station's exterior and install an extension power cable.
The Los Angeles Times says the outstanding success of the Oscar night was the British film The King’s Speech which gained four awards: best original screenplay for wroter David Seidler, Best Director for Tom Hooper; Best Actor for Colin Firth and was acclaimed as Best Motion Picture. Natalie Portman won the Oscar for leading actress for her performance in Black Swan. The science-fictior thriller Inception also picked up four awards, mainly in technical categories.