The explosion at a fireworks factory near Gharb dominates the front pages of today's local newspapers.
The Times says three people died in the fireworks factory blast and there are fears that the factory owner, who is still missing, also perished. The Malta Independent says four are believed dead. In-Nazzjon says four people died, including three from the same family. Two members from another family were seriously injured. l-orizzont says three are dead, one is missing and two were seriously injured.
In other stories, The Times says bread prices are expected to rise in parallel with rising international grain prices. It also reports that the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Gzira have denied reports of disagreements.
The Malta Independent reports that the European Commissioner for Education is expected to visit Malta next month to discuss the suspension of EU education programmes for Malta. It also quotes Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi saying Malta was ready to help the EU negotiate an agreement with Libya on immigration.
In-Nazzjon quotes Dr Gonzi saying economic indicators were positive. He said that there was growth in exports, industrial production and tourism.
l-orizzont highlights comments by the MUMN saying that 100 students are being denied a nursing career.
The overseas press:
Bilbao's El Correo reports that the Basque regional government has rejected the announcement by the outlawed separatist group Eta that it was declaring unilateral ceasefire in its 42-year-old violent campaign for independence from Spain. Eta said it wanted to achieve its aims by peaceful means but the Basque regional interior minister said the only thing Basque society expected was a definitive end to terrorist activity. Since the late 1960s, the conflict has killed more than 825 people.
The Jerusalem Post quotes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying "creative solutions" were needed to make peace talks with the Palestinians succeed. Mr Netanyahu had been briefing his Cabinet following negotiations in the Washington earlier this week. Meanwhile, The Washington Times announces US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton will attend peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians later this month in the Egyptian resort of Sharm-el-Sheik.
Metro says the Pope could meet people who were abused by Roman Catholic priests when he visits Britain later this month. Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Vincent Nichols pointed out that the Pope had met victims of clerical sex abuse during recent visits to other countries. But he stressed this was always done confidentially and in private and that was the "right and proper" way to approach such a sensitive issue.
Berliner Zeitung reports a high-level meeting of politicians and industrialists that agreed that Germany would keep its nuclear power stations - some of them until 2030 and beyond. Officials said the meeting had agreed to a phased extension according to the age and safety record of the plants.
El Periodico says rescue services in Guatemala fear that as many as 100 people may have died after a massive mudslide. The large gathering were trying to dig a bus out of a mudslide on a major highway outside Guatemala City when a second engulfed the scene.
Chilevision reports that the 33 miners trapped deep underground in northern Chile might be brought back to the surface as early as November. According to a document provided to workers on the various rescue efforts, the quickest possible route to the surface is the rescue workers' "Plan C", which involves a football-pitch-size oil drilling platform that President Sebastian Pinera has said was expected to begin work by September 18 - Chile's Independence Day. This plan reduces the rescue time to two months, at best, having to only drill some 597 meters to reach the trapped workers.
The Times of London quotes the first survey since the European working time directive came into force, which reveals almost a quarter of junior doctors drop out of their NHS training after two years. The directive aimed to improve the work-life balance of doctors by ending 100-hour weeks and preventing them from working while they are tired. Instead, doctors are having to handle an increasingly complicated caseload while working fewer hours.
Az-Zaman reports that suicide bombers struck at a Baghdad military headquarters killing 12 people. The blast came two weeks after an attack on the same site pointed to the failure of Iraqi forces to plug even the most obvious holes in their security.
La Gazzetta dello Sport says a Japanese rider died after being thrown from his bike and colliding with two riders during the Moto2 GP in San Marino. Shoya Tomizawa lost control of his bike and was struck by Alex de Angelis and British rider Scott Redding at full speed during the race. Video footage showed Tomizawa hitting his head on the track as his bike flipped over before the collision.
The Daily Mail reports a British Tory politician was reduced to tears after his wife of 10 years was exposed as an €84-an-hour prostitute. Mike Weatherley, 53, said he had no idea his 39-year-old Brazilian spouse Carla had been working in three "massage parlours". He said they had been separated since February and remained good friends. It was his second marriage.
Manchester United's Wayne Rooney is fighting to save his marriage after tabloid allegations about his £1,200-a-night sex sessions with a prostitute during his wife's pregnancy last year. The Daily Mirror reports the striker's wife Coleen was shocked and distraught over the affair and might dump him. The Sun says Coleen was determined to make Wayne pay for his actions.