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

Times of Malta leads with an appeals court decision ordering the re-sentencing of a murderer after he complained that a prison term he had been given was well above what was agreed in a plea bargain.

The newspaper also reports that the European Commission on Wednesday warned Malta about its excessive deficit, and also urged it to cut its energy subsidies. 

The EU's calls for Malta to cut its deficit and energy subsidies also feature in The Malta Independent and In-Nazzjon. L-orizzont says the EU made positive remarks about Malta's economy.

In other stories, The Malta Independent quotes popular doctor and politician Josie Muscat telling a court that he never discussed a cancer treatment project with Vitals Healthcare.

In-Nazzjon says a Labour official will be writing regularly about news and leaks from within the Labour Party.

l-orizzont says court evidence has contradicted part of the Vitals inquiry. It says Josie Muscat admitted that the idea for Malta to have a cyclotron for cancer treatment was his. It also says the masterplan for St George's Square in Victoria, Gozo, is to be updated.