The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press:
The Times says most no show bus drivers are to be sacked. It also says hundreds of boathouses at San Tumas Bay are expected to be sanctioned.
The Malta Independent quotes Franco Debono saying prison inmates jailed on the strength of police statements given without legal assistance may start filing for compensation.
l-orizzont asks if the bendy business are dangerous.
In-Nazzjon says the GWU will take part in the Air Malta pilots’ demo on Friday but not their planned strike.
The overseas press
The Scotsman reports that European Council president Herman Van Rompuy has called an emergency meeting this morning of officials dealing with the eurozone debt crisis over concerns that it could spread to Italy, the region's third largest economy. The talks have been organised after a sharp sell-off in Italian assets on Friday, which has increased fears that Italy, with the highest sovereign debt ratio relative to its economy in the euro zone after Greece, could be next to suffer in the crisis. Today's emergency meeting will precede a previously-scheduled gathering of the euro zone's 17 finance ministers to discuss how to secure a contribution of private sector investors to the second bailout of Greece, as well as Friday's results of the stress tests of 91 European banks.
French Defence Minister Gerard Longuet has told French television station BFM TV that it was time for Libya's rebels to negotiate with Muammar Gaddafi's government. The rebels have so far refused to hold talks as long as Gaddafi was still in power. Soon after, the State Department in Washington issued a message that gave no hint of compromise. Reuters said Washington said it stood firm in its belief that the Libyan leader cannot stay in power.
The Moscow Times says that hope is fading for more than 100 people missing after a tourist boat sank on the Volga River. Dozens of people were rescued after the boat sank some 750km east of Moscow. At least two deaths are confirmed. More than 180 passengers and crew were believed to be on board the boat, which was sailing from the town of Bulgar to the regional capital, Kazan. Bad weather, mechanical failure on the aged craft and overcrowding have all been cited as possible reasons why the boat sank.
Der Spiegel reports that Germany's Catholic Church is planning to launch a mass investigation into possible sexual abuse committed by members of the clergy. It says that a criminological research institute would be granted access to the personnel records for the past 10 years for all 27 German dioceses. In addition, records would be made available for nine dioceses dating back to 1945. The investigation would determine how such abuses came about, how the church has dealt with them in the past, and what conclusions can be drawn to prevent new cases.
The Guardian says the family of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler are to press for "stronger, clearer and faster action" from the government over phone hacking in meetings this week with senior politicians. Milly's parents Bob and Sally Dowler are suing the now-defunct News of the World over claims their daughter's phone was targeted by the newspaper when she went missing in 2002. News that Milly's phone was among those targeted kicked off a wave of public outrage, fuelled by reports that terror victims' families also had their messages hacked, which resulted in the Sunday newspaper's closure and the announcement by British Prime Minister David Cameron of a judge-led inquiry into the scandal.
The US says it is withholding some $800 million (€563 million) in military aid to Pakistan. White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley told ABC television that Pakistan had taken steps that had given the Americans reason “to pause on some of the aid”. He said the US raid that killed Osama Bin Laden in May had affected ties. The New York Times earlier quoted senior US officials as saying the suspension of military aid amounted to about one-third of the yearly US security assistance to Pakistan. The paper said the move was to show US anger at the expulsion of US military trainers and to pressure Pakistan to step up its fight against militants.
The Washington Times says a senior US official has accused Damascus of orchestrating violent protests over the weekend at the US embassy in Syria. The Syrian government had criticised the American and French ambassadors for visiting the troubled city of Hama. Meanwhile, Al Thawra reports Syria’s government held a “national dialogue” on Sunday which it aid would pave the way towards political reform. However, opposition figures boycotted it over the deadly crackdown on dissent.
Los Angeles Times says Victoria Beckham has given birth to a baby girl at Cedars Sinai hospital. The girl weighed 7lb 10oz (3.5 kilos) at birth. A spokesman for her husband David has announced the couple was "delighted. The three Beckham boys – Brooklyn, 11, Romeo, eight, and Cruz, five – were said to be "excited to welcome their baby sister to the family".
Nature Genetics says researchers in the UK have found seven new genetic variants linked to prostate cancer, adding to 33 previously discovered links. Experts said the discovery of the new genes could help calculate men's risk of developing the disease. Scientists can currently predict a woman's risk of breast cancer based on genes, but the same has so far not been available for prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men.