The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press;
The Times says that according to a Eurostat survey, Malta has the second lowest birthrate in the EU. It also reports a statement to Parliament by the Prime Minister where he said that Malta was ready to consider a lowering of VAT for manufacturing industry, as long as that included the pharmaceutical sector.
The Malta Independent leads with the GRTU’s angry reaction to the legal notice publishing the new energy tariffs. It also quotes GRTU Director-General Vince Farrugia saying Christmas shopping is slow because of the pending utility bills and internet shopping.
In-Nazzjon carries a follow-up to the PN’s successful fund-raising event on Sunday, saying the party would reciprocate the people’s confidence with effective policies. It also reports a commemoration of former Prime Minister Georgio Borg Olivier held yesterday.
l-orizzont says a letter by trade unions to the Prime Minister about the energy tariffs has not been answered yet. It also reports a judicial protest by the MUMN against one of its former council members, saying it is under systematic attack. The newspaper also reports on the appointment of the Data Protection Commissioner.
The Press in Britain…
The Independent leads on the fall-out from the arrest of Wall Street grandee Bernard Madoff over what it describes as the world’s biggest fraud in history. It claims that banks, billionaires, charities and film stars are victims of the $50 billion fraudster.
The Sun says British banks are facing multi-billion pound losses.
Daily Star quotes an official survey confirming that immigrants have grabbed nearly every new job in Britain since 2001. At least 1.3 million arrived in the UK during the past seven years.
The Mail says a huge pensions blunder has seen retired public sector workers paid millions of pounds in excess.
The Financial Times claims the biggest shareholder in Party Gaming, the UK-listed online gambling company, has agreed to pay US authorities £196m and plead guilty to a charge relating to illegal web betting.
The Telegraph reports a large stake in Royal Mail is to be sold to a foreign postal company under plans drawn up by ministers.
The Times says up to 50,000 jobs could be lost in a part-privatisation of the Royal Mail that would break up the business and offer bits to rivals.
And elsewhere…
US President George W. Bush has arrived back in Washington after concluding farewell visits to Iraq and Afghanistan. The Washington Times says Mr Bush used a joint press conference to tell Afghan President Karzai that the transition of power in the White House would not affect Washington's commitment to his country.
Al Quds al-Arabi reports that thousands of Iraqis have taken to the streets to demand the release of a reporter who threw his shoes at President George Bush on Sunday and is being held in custody by Iraqi security. Arabs across many parts of the Middle East hailed Muntadhar al-Zeidi as a hero and praised his insult.
Die Welt leads with the agreement by German electronics giant Siemens to pay €600 million in fines to settle long-standing corruption charges in the United States.
Al-Ayyam says hundreds of people in Ramallah gave a heroes' welcome to the over 200 Palestinian prisoners released by Israel. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who led the welcoming ceremony, kissed and hugged the prisoners, most of whom are members of his Fatah movement. None of those freed are accused of involvement in deadly attacks on Israelis.
Al-Thawra confirms armed tribesmen in western Yemen have kidnapped a German aid worker and her parents in a mountainous area near the capital Sanaa.
The Illinois Globe reports that the state’s House of Representatives has voted to begin an impeachment inquiry into Governor Rod Blagojevich, accused of trying to sell the US Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.
The Moscow Times says a Russian court has handed jail terms of up to 20 years to seven members of a teenage group which carried out a string of racially-motivated murders and posted the evidence on the Internet.
The Irish Times says that the British love for dogs is put into question as irresponsible pet owners in Britain have abandoned their dogs because they did not match their furniture. The UK animal charity, the Dogs Trust, said others complained their dog had to go because its different-coloured eyes made it look too much like the singer David Bowie. One set of owners tried to get rid of their current pet because it was “too old” and even asked staff at one of the trust’s re-homing centres for a younger model.