The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press.
The Times of Malta says Mater Dei Hospital is 400 beds short. It also reports that Marsaxlokk and Birzebbuga councils see a gas risk study as invalid.
The Malta Independent says ethics is to be taught to students who do not follow religion classes.
In-Nazzjon says Joseph Muscat expects the European Union to accept his position on citizenship.
l-orizzont quotes Dr Muscat saying there is no legal basis for action by the EU against Malta's citizenship scheme.
The overseas press
Kyiv Post reports that as riots spread from Ukraine's embattled capital to nearly half of the country, President Viktor Yanukovych promised to reshuffle his government and make other concessions – but the opposition said nothing short of his resignation would do. Hours after the president's comments, angry demonstrators hurled firebombs, rocks and fireworks at riot police, who responded with tear gas. Several dozen protesters were rushed to a makeshift medical triage area to be treated.
Deutsche Welle says UN mediator Lakhdar Brahimi has announced that a Syrian government delegation and the Western-backed opposition will meet on Saturday in the same room. The announcement came after three days of discussions between representatives from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government and, separately, the Syrian opposition, which have not come face to face for talks in three years of fighting. At one time, Damascus threatened to quit the talks in Geneva if the regime and opposition failed to hold “serious sessions” by Saturday.
Al Ahram reports more than 250 supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi are being held Egypt following clashes with security and pro-government forces throughout the country. The arrests follow bomb explosions which left 14 dead and 91 injured.
More than 140,000 Iraqis have fled parts of Anbar province over clashes between security forces and al Qaida militants. Al Jazeera quotes the spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Peter Kessler saying more than 65,000 people fled the conflict just in the past week alone. Many civilians are trapped and suffer from a lack of supplies. International aid agencies appealed to the warring parties on Wednesday to allow humanitarian aid to reach those affected.
Thousands of people rallied in Vienna on Friday to protest against the staging of an annual ball hosted by an extreme right Freedom Party in the city's Hofburg Palace to which far-right figures from across Europe were invited. State television network ORF estimated 10,000 people took part in the three protest marches.
Xinhua announces a triple explosion in China's western Xinjiang region on Friday killed three people. Two others were injured in what appears to be latest attack in the troubled region with its Turkic Uighur Muslim minority. One bomb exploded in a hairdressing salon while another went off in a market and claimed the first fatality. A car bomb exploded immediately after, killing two other people who had rushed to the scene.
FAZ reports two men were killed in an attack at a court in Frankfurt. According to police sources, a 47-year man stabbed and opened fire on two men aged 45 and 50, who were on trial for murder after allegedly attacking three men with knives in a car-park in 2007.
Fox News says a judge has ordered a Texas hospital to remove life support for a pregnant, brain-dead woman whose family had argued that she would not want to be kept in that condition. The hospital argues they were duty-bound to protect the unborn child.
Avvenire reports Pope Francis Jas met with representatives of the Sacred Roman Rota, the highest appellate tribunal of the Roman Catholic Church, at an event Friday marking the opening of the Vatican City's judicial year. The pontiff urged the Catholic magistrates that behind each review there were people expecting justice.
Alex Ferguson has been appointed as UEFA’s coaching ambassador. France Football reports UEFA president Michel Platini announced that the former Manchester United manager will work for the European governing body. Ferguson, regarded as one of the most successful managers of all time, retired as United boss in May after winning his thirteenth league title with the club.