The following are the top stories in Malta's newspapers on Friday.

Times of Malta leads with Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti's call on the government to appoint more judges to the bench as the effort being put in by the judiciary was not enough to solve the “biggest challenge” of court delays.

In a separate piece, former prime ministers Lawrence Gonzi and Alfred Sant warn about a controversial deal that could hand the US jurisdictional powers in Malta.

The Malta Independent also quotes the Chief Justice, who, during his address at the start of a new forensic year, suggested a revision of the law course to offer students a specialisation in working as lawyers in the courtroom. 

It also refers to calls by the chamber of SMEs for a clarification on the extension of the COVID-19 wage supplement. 

In-Nazzjon quotes Yorgen Fenech's lawyer, Charles Mercieca, who told court on Thursday that the real masterminds of Daphne Caruana Galizia's assassination are roaming free.

l-orizzont refers to a separate court hearing, in which former Neville Gafà is being accused of threatening Italian journalist Nello Scavo. Gafà told the police that his message was not meant as a threat, but was of a political nature. 

The newspaper also refers to comments by Archbishop Charles Scicluna, who during the launch of a new forensic year, warned judges and magistrates not to be cowards.