The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press:

The Times and l-orizzont say the ill-fated Simshar sank after an explosion and then a fire, which l-orizzont says took five hours.

In-Nazzjon reports how Simon Bugeja, the sole survivor of the Simshar, said that his son Theo gradually slipped from his hands. The Malta Independent also reports on the tragedy but, like In-Nazzjon, also allows space on its front page to the announcement yesterday that the Cabinet has given the green light for the privatisation of yacht marinas.

The Press in Britain

The Daily Mirror leads with the latest on Kate and Gerry McCann, who have been cleared of any involvement in their daughter Madeleine’s disappearance in May last year.

The Daily Telegraph leads with a health exclusive, reporting that more than 800,000 people are admitted to hospital each year with injuries and illnesses caused by alcohol.

The Guardian, The Daily Mail and The Times report on a possible breakthrough in the treatment of prostate cancer.

The Daily Mail carries a half-page picture of the son of a Romanian fraudster Adu Bunu surrounded by a mountain of stolen banknotes. Bunu is believed to have made more than £1million by cloning credit cards.

The Financial Times says that about 300 wealthy Britons are facing an investigation by Revenue & Customs over £1bn they have "salted away" in the tax haven of Liechtenstein.

The Daily Express says a petrol price war broke out between UK supermarkets yesterday, with the "big four" cutting the cost of fuel by up to 5p per litre.

The Independent carries a picture of holidaymakers in Italy who appear to be enjoying the sun while the bodies of two drowned Gypsy girls lie on the beach.

And elsewhere…

The Irish Times says that after meeting with the Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said there was "no miracle solution" to the impasse caused by the Irish rejection of the European Union's Lisbon treaty in June.

Jerusalem Post reports that Gordon Brown has threatened Iran with tougher international sanctions as he became the first British Prime Minister to address the Israeli parliament.

The Ethopian Observer says African ministers meeting in Addis Ababa have urged the UN Security Council to seek the suspension of the International Criminal Court indictment of Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir.

La Tribune de Genéve leads with the world trade talks by ministers from 35 key nations to revive the stalled Doha round launched in 2001.

Harare’s The Herald leads with Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai signing a framework deal committing their political parties to talks aimed at ending the country's political crisis.

The International Herald Tribune says a former driver for Osama bin Laden has pleaded not guilty to terrorism-related charges as the first US war crimes trials since World War II began in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Kyiv Post quotes German Chancellor Angela Merkel pledging to support Ukraine in gaining future NATO membership

USA Today leads with Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s visit to Iraq as part of a week-long international tour. An Iraqi government spokesman said the talks covered how many troops should be withdrawn from Iraq from 2009.

Il Tempo reports that Italian parties in opposition have called on the government to sack Reform Minister Umberto Bossi after the populist Northern League leader gave the finger to the Italian national anthem at the weekend.