The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press:
The Times says that the Gharb fireworks factory blast took place when, according to permit conditions, no work should have been taking place at that time. The newspaper also reports that Malta is struggling in EU budget talks.
The Malta Independent says the timing of Sunday’s tragedy reinforces the 2011 inquiry findings.
In-Nazzjon reports that forensic tests will be made today to identify the victims of Sunday’s fireworks tragedy.
l-orizzont refers to comments by Franco Debono and asks if the CEO of PBS was go-between the PN and the Nationalist MP.
The overseas press
l-oriont asks if he CEO of PBS was mediator between PN and Franco As the US counts down to tonight’s presidential election, incumbent President Barack Obama and his Republican opponent Mitt Romney have embarked on their sprint to the finish, wooing voters in a handful of crucial swing states. Fox News says their last-minute focus is to motivate their supporters in key swing states to go to the polls at the end of a campaign that has been marked by bitter personal attacks and saturation advertising in key states. President Obama began the day addressing supporters in Wisconsin before travelling to Ohio and Iowa – all crucial swing states. Mitt Romney started the day with a rally in Florida before visiting Virginia, Ohio and New Hampshire. The latest Reuters/Ipsos national daily tracking poll of likely voters released this morning gave Obama a slight edge, with 48 per cent support compared to Romney's 46 per cent.
Along with the race for president, all of the seats in the House of Representatives and a third of the 100 Senate seats are being contested. The Washington Times reports that most analysts predict Republicans would continue to hold their majority in the House, while the president’s Democratic Party was likely to maintain a slim majority in the Senate.
The New York Times says the Mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, has appointed a commissioner to lead the city’s housing recovery effort after saying this was the top priority as the city faced colder weather and another impending storm. Brad Gair would coordinate temporary accommodation for those whose homes were damaged by superstorm Sandy a week ago.
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reports New York's attorney-general has launched an investigation into hundreds of complaints of prices being increased in the aftermath of storm Sandy. Eric Schneiderman said the largest number of complaints concerned increased fuel prices, but other emergency supplies were also affected. More than one million people in New Jersey and New York City are without power a week after the storm hit.
e-Kathimerini says Greek public transport workers and journalists have launched a week of strikes against a new round of austerity measures the Athens government is seeking to impose. Tram and metro stations throughout the capital were closed on Monday, and journalists began a 24-hour walkout over job layoffs. A 48-hour strike is set for today, including a three-hour work stoppage by air traffic controllers. Greece's government is proposing €13.5 billion in spending, benefit and pension cuts. Parliament will vote on the new austerity package on Wednesday.
The Daily Telegraph leads on a story about an investigation into sexual abuse claims made against an unnamed senior Conservative politician. British Prime Minister David Cameron ordered an urgent investigation into allegations of sexual abuse at children’s homes in Wales in the 1970s and 80s. Although this has been examined before, there is renewed concern after a victim alleged recently that he was abused by a senior politician from the governing Conservative Party at that time.
News Tribune reports a preliminary hearing has begun for Sgt Robert Bales, the US soldier who is charged with killing 16 villagers, mostly women and children, in Afghanistan. Sgt Bales is accused of walking off his base in Kandahar province during the night of March 11and firing on civilians in their homes. If convicted, he could face the death penalty. The hearing will determine if there is enough evidence for a court martial.
France 24 says fresh chaos has engulfed Syria's civil war as Palestinian supporters and opponents of the embattled regime were swept up in intense fighting in Damascus, while rival rebel groups clashed over control of a Turkish border crossing. The rare infighting was accompanied by car bombs, airstrikes and artillery shells that killed or maimed dozens of people. A suicide bomber detonated his explosives-laden car near an army checkpoint in Hama province, killing 50 soldiers in one of the deadliest single attacks targeting pro-Assad troops in the 19-month uprising, according to activists. Eleven civilians died when a bomb exploded in a central Damascus neighbourhood, state media said, and activists reported at least 20 rebels killed in air raid on the northern town of Harem.
Former French Justice Minister Rachida Dati had up to eight lovers in the year she fell pregnant with her daughter, a lawyer for the alleged father has reportedly claimed. The fact that multi-millionaire businessman Dominique Desseigne, 68, was one of Miss Dati's several lovers was one argument he would use to refuse to take a paternity test, Le Monde has reported. Dati, 47, a minister in Nicolas Sarkozy's government and now an MEP, filed a paternity case last month to oblige Desseigne to acknowledge he was the father of Zohra, now three years old. A court hearing is scheduled in Versailles for today.