The following are the main stories in Friday’s newspapers.

Times of Malta’s front page is dominated by a photo of Brazilian football legend Pele, who died aged 82 on Thursday after a battle with cancer.

The newspaper also speaks to the Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises which says that retail sales were strong over Christmas and on Boxing Day throughout the island.

In another story, it says the Maltese authorities are aware of only one Russian military vessel in the central Mediterranean and there are absolutely no unusual movements in a heavily guarded region.

The Malta Independent says that bike sharing company Nextbike is to stop operating from Malta.

L-Orizzont says consultation on the appointment of a new Malta Council for Economic and Social Development chairperson is under way.

In-Nazzjon says the government is completely silent about out-of-stock medicine.