The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press:
The Times says the cost of living rise for next year is expected to be just €1.16 per week. It also says that MPs' cars have taken over part of the pedestrian zone in Merchant's Street, Valletta.
The Malta Independent says the Opposition has demanded an inquiry by the Auditor-General on Arms Ltd. It also warns that Malta risks fines of €11m if it does not observe EU rules.
l-orizzont gives prominence to the trade union protests in Brussels yesterday. The GWU was among the participants. The newspaper also reports how the PN does not want John Dalli around
In-Nazzjon says the uptake of bonds and stocks this year has already exceeded last year's total.
The overseas press
The overseas pressL'Echo reports that tens of thousands of people across Europe have taken part in a coordinated day of strike action against pay and budget cuts. Demonstrations against government austerity measures were held in Belgium, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain. Unions, which estimated the turnout in Brussels at 100,000 people, said the budget cuts would slow economic recovery and "punish the poor". "This is the start of the fight, not the end," John Monks, who heads the European Trade Union Confederation, told supporters in Brussels.
EU Observer says the European Commission has unveiled a proposal that would penalize eurozone nations that let their budget deficits spiral too far out of control. Currently, the EU's Stability and Growth Pact prohibits a nation's sovereign debt from exceeding three percent of gross domestic product. However, nearly every eurozone nation is currently in violation of this threshold.
Le Monde reports the European Commission has decided to take legal action against France for deporting Roma gypsies who are not French citizens to Romania and Bulgaria. The EC's legal action asserts that the deportations are in violation of EU freedom of govement rules implimented in 2004, which France did not write into its national legislation.
Ha'aretz says US efforts to salvage the Middle East peace process continue in Jerusalem, with envoy George Mitchell meeting the leaders of both sides in a bid to forge a compromise on the contentious issue of Jewish settlements on occupied Palestinian land. A 10-month-long moratorium in the West Bank expired on Sunday. The Associated Press reveals the amount of construction was only reduced by between 10 and 20% per cent during the so-called "freeze".
Corriere della Sera reports the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has won a vote of confidence in Italy's lower house of parliament. Following his speech calling for national unity, former allies pledged their support, allowing him to remain in office. His term expires in 2013.
The Washington Times reports the US House of Representatives has passed legislation aimed at putting pressure on China for undervaluing its currency, the yuan. Members are concerned that China's strong currency was weakening the US economy.
According to Nigeria Independent, an investigation into the trafficking of Nigerian girls has discovered a large network of brothels and slave camps in Mali. Nigeria's anti-trafficking agency said thousands of girls were tricked into going to Mali by Nigerians who promised to take them to Europe and once there, most were just forced into prostitution.
The Daily Telegraph says British Prime Minister David Cameron is on a collision course with the Armed Forces after the military establishment threw its weight behind Defence Minister Liam Fox's protest against "draconian" cuts in spending. Some 300 policemen searched the Ministry of Defence after Dr Fox's confidential letter was leaked to newspapers. The Defence Minister warned of "grave consequences" if the military budget was reduced while the country was at war in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the New York Times quotes American Defence Secretary Robert Gates warning of the dangers of the US military becoming alienated from the rest of society. He said the all-volunteer force was recruiting from smaller and smaller base of people, both geographically and socially.
David Miliband's decision to take a break from frontline politics receives extensive coverage in today's British nationals. He said he was returning to the backbenches to recharge his batteries and to give his brother a clear run at leading the Labour Party, emphasasing he would still be a very loyal supporter. The new Labour leader said his brother made a "thoughtful and gracious decision".
Environmental News quotes a study of the world's river system which shows that nearly 80 per cent of people live near rivers which were threatened by human, industrial and agricultural waste. The report also found that about 3.5 million people live in areas where access to clean water was not guaranteed.
Times of India says the Indian authorities have placed the air force and tens of thousands of police on high alert ahead of a court ruling that could spark nationwide clashes between Hindus and Muslims. For more than a century, the two faiths have fought bitterly over the ownership of a patch of land in Ayodhya in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. An ancient mosque on the site was demolished by Hindu extremists in 1992, provoking riots which killed some 2,000 people.
The British Medical Journal announces that British scientists have found the first direct evidence to show thet the condition of children known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) could be caused by a genetic disorder. Up to five per cent of children worldwide are thought to have the condition which causes restless or aggressive behaviour.
The South Taranaki Star says a Turkish immigrant who claimed he was performing a traditional dance with violent-looking moves as he beat his wife has been convicted of assault by a New Zealand judge. Kebab shop owner Allaetin Can denied the assault charge, arguing he and his wife were celebrating a profitable lunchtime's trade with a traditional dance called kolbasti, which features mock wrestling, hitting and kicking. But the judge described them as "nonsense", labelling Can "a manipulative, deceitful man".