The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press:
The Times reports that the EU is to co-finance an educational campaign against trapping. It also reports that Italy and Malta have agreed to set up a Forum against Immigration which will coordinate their actions in this area.
The Malta Independent leads with the gas explosion yesterday which injured a barman in Sliema. It also reports that a coalition of environment NGOs have presented MEPA reform proposals to the Prime Minister.
l-orizzont says the government is trying to divide the social partners over the water rand electricity tariffs. Meetings with some of the partners were held over the weekend.
In-Nazzjon says the Labour Mayor of Birzebbuga has backed the transfer of the gas bottling plant from Qajjenza to Benghajsa.
Press in Britain…
According to The Guardian, the recent financial crisis has cost the world's financial institutions £2.8 trillion.
The Financial Times says insurance and hedge funds could bring further economic instability.
The Express tells shoppers they can begin loosening their belts as food prices begin to come down.
The Times runs a photograph of a note passed to Gordon Brown from his press officer reminding him to tell the press he is planning to borrow a further £60bn.
The Independent reports Gordon Brown has cut the Conservatives lead over Labour to eight points, which would lead to a hung parliament in an election.
Metro reveals online thieves as young as 12 are stealing identities from social networking websites and robbing cash from PayPal accounts.
And elsewhere…
Le Parisien reports that France has expressed concern about a US raid in Syrian territory which left eight dead.
USA Today reports that the FBI have foiled a plot to assassinate the Democratic presidential candidate, Barack Obama. Court documents reveal that they arrested two neo-nazi men in the state of Tennessee over plans to carry out a killing spree at a predominantly black high school and eventually shoot the black presidential contender.
Zimbabwe Independent leads with the call by the country’s neighbours for an urgent regional summit to resolve the country's political.
Berliner Morgenpost reports Germany has promised to help Kosovo establish a security force by contributing €7 million towards the training and equipment of security forces.
The Jerusalem Post says President Peres has cleared the way for the country to hold early general elections. He told the Israeli parliament that there was no chance of forming a new government, after efforts to build a coalition around the ruling Kadima party failed at the weekend.
Panapress reports UN peacekeepers have reportedly used helicopter gunships against rebels advancing on the regional capital Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
La Tribune says a passenger on a French train had to be rescued by firemen after having his arm sucked down the on-board toilet. The 26-year-old victim was trapped when he tried to fish out his mobile phone, which had fallen into the toilet bowl, and fell foul of the suction system. Firemen cut through the train's pipework and the man was carried away with the toilet still attached to his arm.