These are the leading stories in local newspapers this Wednesday.

Times of Malta reports on Robert Abela’s pledge to ramp up Malta’s defence spending, made on the fringes of an EU Council meeting in Brussels.

The newspaper also gives prominence to a court decision to provisionally give Malta’s biggest operator of Y-Fleet cabs its licence back.

The Malta Independent gives prominence to court submissions made by Repubblika lawyer Jason Azzopardi, who argued a court showed prejudice against Robert Aquilina when it dismissed a case filed by the NGO and its former president.

The newspaper also reports on Abela’s push to increase defence spending, highlighting a PN statement in which it described the prime minister’s position as “another U-turn”.

Malta Today reports that rents in Gozo are up 6% since 2020, when compared to Malta’s 3.4% rate.

The newspaper also writes that Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri is refusing to remove Alex Dalli from his post as envoy to Libya.

L-Orizzont gives prominence to news that works at Chadwick Lakes have been completed. It also highlights Abela’s call for diplomatic efforts to end ongoing conflicts and says the NAO believes film productions left a “probably bigger” impact on Malta’s economy than estimated by the Malta Film Commission.

In-Nazzjon dedicates its front page to a PN press conference about the cost of living in which party MPs said people were not managing to keep up with rising prices.