The following are the top stories in Malta's newspapers on Thursday. 

Times of Malta and the Malta Independent lead with an American couple's plea to be allowed to leave Malta for the woman to have an abortion over fears that a miscarriage will endanger her life.

Times of Malta also features an interview with the widow of a suicide victim who was targeted by hate speech. 

The Malta Independent reports that the number of COVID-19 deaths in the first half of this year exceeded all 2021. 

In-Nazzjon says there has been a major improvement in the way the Maltese view the European Union since Roberta Metsola became president of the European Parliament. It also quotes the chairman of the Corinthia Hotels group expressing fears that tourism numbers will not return to what they were before prices started rising. 

L-orizzont quotes the CEO of Malta Enterprise, Kurt Farrugia, saying Ryanair's decision to set up an aircraft maintenance and repair facility in Malta will enhance Malta's reputation as an investment destination. It also says the government has, within 100 days of the general election, kept its promise to preserve land at Marsascala originally handed to the American University of Malta.