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

Times of Malta says the Office of the Prime Minister hurriedly appointed the boards of directors of two important regulators only a day after the newspaper reported that the Malta Gaming Authority and the Malta Communications Authority had been left headless for several months. In another story, the newspaper says a panel set up to review loopholes in the controversial ODZ planning policy spent much of its time debating a possible amnesty for building illegalities in the countryside.

The Malta Independent quotes Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg saying there was no cause for resignations at the Planning Authority due to the Qala development decision as the board members interpreted the policy correctly.

In-Nazzjon also quotes Minister Borg speaking about the same decision saying the policy which had recommended development had helped farmers.

L-Orizzont says a new draft policy on buildings in outside development zones will be out in the coming weeks.