Updated - The state funeral of former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff will be held on Saturday, the government has announced.

Friday and Saturday have been declared as days of national mourning.

Mr Mintoff's body will lie in state at the Palace in Valletta on Friday between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and on Saturday from 7.30 a.m. to 9.30 a.m.

Mass praesente cadavere will be said by the Archbishop at St John's Co-Cathedral on Saturday at 10.30 a.m.

Further details will be issued in the coming days.

Meanwhile, Mr Mintoff's body was this afternoon transferred from his Tarxien residence to the mortuary at Mater Dei Hospital.

A hearse pulled up at Mr Mintoff's residence at about 2 p.m., escorted by an unmarked police car.

Mr Mintoff, 96, died at his residence yesterday evening.

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