The following are the top stories in Maltese newspapers today.

The Sunday Times of Malta says Ingrid Zammit Young successfully negotiated a €75,000 golden handshake to leave her job at GO a few days before the Justice Minister got the green light from Cabinet to nominate her as a magistrate. In another story, it says outdated laws have to be reviewed to stem the pressure for permits in outside development zones, according to the Malta Developers Association president.

The Malta Independent says Environmental NGOs have raised concerns about Franco Mercieca’s nomination to chair the Parliamentary Environment and Development Planning Committee, replacing Independent MP Marlene Farrugia.

Malta Today says the Speakers daughter was nominated for magistrate after Speaker Anglu Farrugia expressed displeasure at Toni Abela’s nomination for the court of auditors.

KullHadd says the Malta Information Technology Agency gave €1 million worth of direct orders when it was chaired by shadow minister Claudio Grech.
It-Torca says

It-Torca says that €80 million were spent on gaming between January and June last year, 16 per cent more than in the previous year. It also says there was a four per cent drop in winnings.

Illum says Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi is likely to be the sole candidate for Labour Party’s deputy leader.

Il-Mument dedicates its front page to the nominated magistrates saga reporting Opposition leader Simon Busuttil and quoting Law Reform Commission chairman Giovanni Bonnello saying the government made a mess of the whole thing.