The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press:
The Times and most of the other newspapers feature the launching yesterday of the car scrappage scheme, which targets the replacement of 2,000 old cars.
The Malta Independent says that 10% of the population suffers diabetes.
l-orizzont quotes GWU General Secretary Tony Zarb saying that Air Malta replaced 50 engines on its RJ 70 aircraft during the two years they were used by the airline, at considerable loss.
In-Nazzjon reports that the number of Maltese going abroad in September rose by 17.5% compared to the same month last year. The increase was 9% in the first nine months of the year.
The overseas press
Seoul’s Yingtan Daily reports that representatives from the 20 developed and emerging countries have agreed on "indicative guidelines" to prevent tensions escalating into currency wars and the need to avoid protectionism.
The Irish Times says Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen has denied reports of behind-the-scenes talks on securing a rescue package from the European Financial Stability Facility. Mr Cowen, who said the country was fully funded until next July, would unveil a four-year austerity programme later this month, involving a €15-billion budget adjustment to reduce the public deficit, which has soared to 32 percent of GDP.
The Financial Times says that earlier, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain published a joint statement declaring that bond market nerves over Ireland were misplaced. They insisted banks and investors lending to Ireland would not face losses on loans, adding that any new bailout mechanism would only come into effect after mid-2013 with no impact whatsoever on the current arrangements.
Adnkronos reports Silvio Berlusconi's right-wing political rival Gianfranco Fini on Monday will pull four ministers belonging to his newly-formed party from the government, putting the prime minister's embattled rule on the brink of collapse. Meanwhile Italy’s opposition has introduced a no-confidence motion against Berlusconi in a move that could spell the end of the government.
El Pais reports a 52-year-old Spanish priest has been arrested for alleged possession of around 21,000 computer files containing child pornography. The diocese has suspended him from his duties.
Sky News says a 23-year-old student university student, suspected of throwing a fire extinguisher at police from the roof of the Tory headquarters during the tuition fees protes, has been released on bail. He was held on suspicion of violent disorder.
Former US President George W Bush has been accused of copying sections of his memoirs from other books and newspaper articles about his presidency. A blog by Huffington Post journalist Ryan Grim has claimed Mr Bush was "lazy" in his penning of “Decision Points”, citing examples where he has apparently lifted material. Mr Grim said Bush's book is a collection of other people's versions of events.
The New York Post says a Russian couple living in the US has been charged with illegally using the personal information of an American citizen living in Ireland, who says he learned of the alleged scam through Facebook. A criminal complaint charges the couple, whose true names are not known to police, with identity theft, bank fraud and other crimes. The man is held until a bail hearing next week. His wife was released on bail.
Metro says more than a quarter of teachers in the UK believe textbooks will become obsolete thanks to the internet. A survey among primary and secondary school teachers reveals that many believe more and more learning will be done online. A fifth of the teachers questioned in the poll by the e-Learning Foundation and the Times Educational Supplement said access to a computer and the internet at home was essential for a pupil to complete homework.
Global Times says Beijing will start collecting and melting snow this winter in a bid to quench the water shortage that has plagued the Chinese capital for years. Two vehicles with high-powered heaters capable of processing around 100 cubic metres of snow and ice an hour will be sent to locations around Tiananmen Square. Clean snow will also be dumped into dammed sections in three rivers that drift through the city to be used for road cleaning, irrigation and to supplement the rivers' water levels, it said.