The following are the top stories in the Maltese and overseas press:
The Times and the other newspapers feature the robbery at Papillon in Hamrun yesterday, where an Italian businessman was shot by gold thieves. It also reports that the EU has closed investigations on the power station extension procurement procedures.
The Malta Independent says Karl Gouder has denied having made a ‘passionate’ speech in favour of divorce.
In-Nazzjon gives prominence to the European Commission’s formal conclusion of its investigation on the power station.
l-orizzont says many localities in Gozo lost the power supply after a tall vehicle pulled down power lines. It also says €70,000 in gold items were stolen in the robbery in Hamrun yesterday.
The overseas press
Al Jazeera reports Egyptian security forces were on high alert as thousands of people were expected to join anti-government rallies this afternoon after Friday prayers. The government says it was open to dialogue but also warned of "decisive measures". There are also reports of arrests of members of the Muslim Brotherhood, after it said it would back the Friday protests. At least seven people have died since the protests began on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Al Ahram says Nobel peace laureate and Egyptian opposition politician Mohamed El Baradei has arrived in Cairo as anti-government protests continue to spread. There were protests in the Sinai region and in the cities of Cairo, Suez and Ismailiya. As he left Vienna, where he now lives, Mr ElBaradei told reporters that if the people wanted him to lead the transition, he would not let them down.
Al Hurria reports Tunisian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi has announced a major reshuffle of his interim government. He said 12 ministers, allies of ousted President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali have, been replaced and insisted the government was "transitional" and would "take the country to democracy". Protests are continuing.
Iranian state television Irib said 10 drug traffickers were hanged in Iran, bringing the total hanged in the Islamic republic this month to 82. A new law has made trafficking more than 30 grams of an illegal substance a capital crime.
O Globo quotes Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff announcing the building of 8,000 houses to give free to poor people made homeless by floods and landslides in Rio de Janeiro state this month. She said there would also be heavy investment in flood prevention measures. More than 830 people died in the floods and landslides.
Bangkok Post says a Thai undertaker has been jailed for 20 years for helping hide over 2,000 illegally-aborted foetuses discovered in a Bangkok temple last year. The man was initially sentenced to 333 years – two months for each of the corpses But he saw his sentence reduced to 20 years, 10 years for each charge, which is the maximum penalty under Thai law.
El Pais reports that more than 260 alleged victims of a baby-trafficking network in Spain, begun under the dictator General Francisco Franco but continued after his death in 1975, have started legal action demanding an investigation. A victim-support group, called Anadir, estimates that thousands of babies were stolen over decades from parents with left-wing sympathies and given to other families.
The Mail & Guardian says concern has been expressed over the health of former South African President Nelson Mandela who spent a second night in a hospital under medical supervision. Mr Mandela, 92, was said to be undergoing “specialized” tests in Johannesburg. Friends and family visited him during the day
Vanguard reports sectarian clashes in Nigeria, sparked by a dispute over a game of billiards, have left four people dead and five mosques and some 50 homes on fire as Christian and Muslim youths fought each other. The trouble broke out in Tafawa Balewa, a region that has seen an upsurge in violence between Christians and Muslims.
The New York Times says pedestrians would be banned from using their mobile phones or iPods while crossing the road under a new law being considered by local politicians. Those caught breaking the rule would face a fine of $100 (€73).
Radio Netherlands reports that a Dutch prisoner, described by his lawyer as a giant, has gone to court over the size of his single cell, arguing that it was inhumanely small. The prisoner, 2.07 metres (6ft 9in) tall and 230 kilo (36 stones), said he could not sleep properly or use the toilet. He was asking to complete his two-year sentence for fraud under house arrest, insisting he was not trying to get out of serving his time.
Under the headline “Police are afraid of the dark”, the Daily Express says a Yorkshire police commissioner has sparked outrage after banning officers from tackling criminals in a badly lit park. Inspector Andy Sullivan claims it was too dangerous as his men would not be able to “see what’s going on” in the park.