What Friday's papers say

IRISH TIMES

- The Irish Times leads with a renewed attack from US president Donald Trump on North Korea. Trump warned that the country should be "very, very nervous" if it does anything to harm the United States, adding that his previous warning of "fire and fury" may not have been tough enough.

- The paper reports on yesterday's Census 2016 figures, which show that children aged four and younger are the largest single group experiencing homelessness. People in the 30-34 age group were the largest cohort of homeless people in Census 2011.

- In business, the Irish Times reports that Permanent TSB has decided to go ahead with a plan to sell bundles of its worst-performing mortgages, as it faces mounting pressure from regulators to draw a line under the problem. The paper quotes sources as saying the bank has written to a number of investment banks and accountancy firms seeking advisers on potential sales.

- Cairn Homes chief executive Michael Stanley has told the paper his company has rejected approaches from private rental firms for an apartment block it is building in Dublin's docklands, as it remains focused on selling to individual buyers.

FINANCIAL TIMES

- The Financial Times says Prudential is to merge its two big British businesses in a move seen as paving the way for a break-up of the £47 billion insurer as it shifts its focus to fast-growing Asian markets.

- The FT reports that Lego, the world's most profitable toymaker, is jettisoning its 61-year-old British chief executive Bali Padda after only eight months, bringing in a younger Danish boss. to steer it through the increasingly digital world of play.

- The paper says Japanese tech and telecoms group SoftBank's Vision Fund is putting $2.5 billion into online retailer Filpkart in the biggest private investment to date in India's technology sector.

- The FT says Britain's Co-operative Bank has ruled out the possibility of a sale in the near future, but reported an exodus of current account customers in the first half amid concerns for its future as it tried to strike a rescue deal with existing investors to bolster its capital reserves.

IRISH INDEPENDENT

- The Irish Independent also reports on the Census figures, highlighting the finding that one in seven homeless adults is in employment but unable to afford a home.

- The paper says letters it has seen show that the world's most powerful tobacco firms threatened to take measures that could undermine Ireland's economic recovery as part of their attempt to block the Government's plain packaging laws. The letters were to former EU commissioner Olli Rehn.

- The Irish Independent reports on a letter from Britain's Brexit secretary David Davis to the House of Lords, in which he says the Common Travel Area and co-operation under the Good Friday Agreement will be looked at in detail in the next round of negotiations with the EU.

- The paper quotes Belgian bank KBC as saying that rising house prices and reduced mortgage arrears in Ireland could boost its profits by as much as €200m this year.

IRISH EXAMINER

- Junior finance minister Michael D'Arcy has told the Irish Examiner the Government is considering a third middle rate of income tax to ease the tax burden on people who earn less than the average working wage but pay the top rate of tax.

- The paper says disabilities minister Finian McGrath, who earlier this week called for an independent to run for the presidency, has been criticised by Independent Alliance colleague John Halligan, who described some of McGrath's comments as "laughable".

- The Examiner reports on Kerry's first-half results yesterday, saying the food group has signalled that it will make more acquisitions before the end of the year, with small bolt-on buys likely in the increasingly key Asia-Pacific region.

- The paper quotes accounts from the operator of the Rathcormac-Fermoy bypass in County Cork, Directroute Fermoy Ltd, as showing that its operating profits last year increased slightly to €7.58m, though revenues fell slightly to €16.4m.