RABAT (MOROCCO) (ITALPRESS) – King Mohammed VI of Morocco has appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri—coordinator of the collective leadership of the Authenticity and Modernity Party—to head the government. King Mohammed received the politician today at the Royal Palace in Rabat. The monarch also tasked El Mansouri with forming the new executive, according to the Moroccan news agency MAP.

Since the beginning of his reign, King Mohammed VI’s actions regarding Moroccan women have followed a consistent and progressive path: from the recognition of rights to their actual implementation, and from economic and social empowerment to women’s full participation in public life. A key milestone was the 2004 reform of the Moudawana (Family Code), followed by the 2011 Constitution, Article 19 of which enshrines the principle of equality between women and men.

In parallel, the National Initiative for Human Development, launched in 2005, has fostered women’s economic autonomy through training, workforce integration programs, and income-generating activities.

This evolution has also been reflected in state institutions: the number of female MPs rose from just two in 1993 to 96 in 2021—nearly a quarter of the House of Representatives. Women’s access to the highest levels of state responsibility has also been encouraged since 2000, starting with the appointment of Zoulikha Nasri as an Advisor to His Majesty—the first woman in Morocco’s history to hold such a position. A woman’s accession to the head of government for the first time represents, therefore, not a rupture, but the result of the progressive maturation of Moroccan society and institutions.

Today’s milestone transcends national borders and holds symbolic significance across the African, Arab, and Mediterranean spheres. Yet, according to domestic observers, this symbolic moment now ushers in a time for action: it is through the capacity to govern, reform, unite, and meet citizens’ expectations that this achievement will find its fullest meaning. Furthermore, the real challenge will be to ensure that what stands today as a historic “first” becomes, in the future, a standard institutional norm.

Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri was born on January 3, 1976, in Marrakech. A lawyer by training, she holds a degree in private law from Mohammed V University in Rabat, a Diplôme d’études approfondies (DEA) in business contract law from the University of Montpellier in France, and a certificate in Anglo-American law from Pace University in the United States. Specializing in land and real estate law, she has been a member of the Marrakech Bar Association since 2005. She began her political career in 2007 with the Movement of All Democrats and was a founding member of the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) in 2008. In 2009, she was elected President of the Marrakech City Council, a position she held until 2015 and assumed again in 2021. She also served as a member of the House of Representatives from 2011 to 2021. From 2015 to 2024, she chaired the PAM National Council, and since 2024, she has served as coordinator of the party’s collective leadership. On October 7, 2021, King Mohammed VI appointed her Minister of National Land Use Planning, Urban Planning, Housing, and City Policy.

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(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LONDON (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – Manchester City found guilty. There are no longer any doubts: it is official. The independent commission of the Premier League has “found Manchester City FC guilty of all charges relating to serious breaches of the financial regulations over a period of nine seasons, as well as the majority of charges relating to the club’s failure to cooperate with the League’s investigation.” This was stated in a Premier League statement.

“The independent Commission found that between the 2009/10 and 2017/18 seasons:

• Manchester City entered into sham contracts (which misrepresented the actual agreement between the parties) with several commercial partners, and also used sham arrangements with others to artificially inflate the club’s revenues and reduce its costs.

• The club submitted falsified financial statements and concealed its true financial position from auditors and football regulatory bodies.

• Manchester City significantly breached spending limits imposed by both the Premier League and UEFA.

• During the Premier League’s investigation, Manchester City committed multiple breaches of its obligations to cooperate with the League and to act in the utmost good faith (three of the four alleged breaches were upheld).”

“The independent Commission found that Manchester City entered into sham commercial agreements with several sponsors during the period under review, as part of a disguised funding scheme under which these companies were required to pay only part of the relevant sponsorship fees,” the Premier League statement continues. “The remaining amount was funded by Abu Dhabi United Group Investment & Development Ltd (ADUG), the club’s owner.

“As part of the scheme, further sham agreements, funded by ADUG, were entered into to allow the club to record lower operating expenses than those actually incurred, as well as a sham circular agreement with Fordham, an entity that acquired the image rights of the club’s players and was funded by ADUG.

“It was found that the purpose of these schemes was to artificially inflate the club’s revenues and reduce its costs by more than £900 million during the period in question, in order to appear compliant with the financial regulations.

“The consequence of this, as established by the Commission, was that the club submitted falsified financial statements and concealed its true financial position from auditors and football regulatory bodies.”

“The Commission concluded that ‘through its conduct, the club clearly intended to circumvent the Premier League’s rules’. As a result, Manchester City did not properly report its revenues and expenditure for the purposes of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Regulations and UEFA’s Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations.

“The Commission found that, had all the relevant agreements been properly reported in the club’s financial statements, the club would have breached the spending limits imposed by both the League and UEFA by a considerable amount.

“Furthermore,” the statement continues, “during the four-year investigation conducted by the Premier League, the club committed multiple breaches of its obligations to cooperate with the League and to act in the utmost good faith. The Commission concluded that the club had ‘made concerted efforts to stop and obstruct the Premier League’s investigation’.”

According to Premier League CEO Richard Masters, the Commission has established that “the club systematically breached the Premier League’s rules for almost a decade and therefore

justifies the Premier League’s decision to pursue this case against Manchester City.”

“It is a fundamental responsibility of the Premier League to ensure that the rules, approved by the clubs themselves, are upheld in order to protect the integrity of the competition. It is of paramount importance that the League remains competitive and fair for all clubs and supporters. We take this role extremely seriously,” Premier League CEO Richard Masters continued.

“This disciplinary proceeding, and this decision, are the most significant in the history of the Premier League. There are still matters to be determined, including, crucially, the sanction to be imposed for these breaches. Now that we have the Commission’s decision, we are committed to moving quickly with the remainder of the process in order to provide certainty to the League, our clubs and our supporters.”

The Premier League added that “now that the charges have been proven, the issue of sanctions will be dealt with separately at a further hearing before the Independent Commission. In accordance with the Premier League’s regulations, that hearing will remain private and confidential until publication of the outcome is permitted.

“The club has the right to appeal the decision of the Independent Commission.”

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Source: medNews

PARIS (FRANCE) (ITALPRESS) – Tomorrow, Olivier Giroud will celebrate his 40th birthday, and it could be his last as a professional footballer.

The former Milan striker, now playing for Lille, said in an interview with L’Équipe: “I believe this will most likely be my last season as a footballer, and I want to enjoy every moment,” explained the Frenchman, who won the World Cup in 2018.

Giroud began his career in 2006 with Grenoble and went on to play for Istres, Tours, Montpellier, Arsenal, Chelsea, Milan, Los Angeles FC and Lille.

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(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Maltese Interior Minister Glenn Bedingfield attended the Munich Migration Meeting over the weekend, where ministers discussed measures to strengthen the European response to irregular migration.

Bedingfield emphasized that the success of the Pact on Migration and Asylum should be measured by its implementation and concrete results, rather than merely by the legislation adopted.

The minister highlighted Malta’s migration policy, noting that it has contributed to a 93% reduction in irregular arrivals since 2019 and has resulted in the country recording one of the highest return rates for irregular arrivals in Europe.

So far, the number of people returned corresponds to 70% of the irregular arrivals recorded in 2025, the minister explained.

Bedingfield stressed that effective return policies are essential for reducing irregular migration and combating the criminal networks that profit from migrant smuggling.

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Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Maltese agricultural sector is becoming increasingly dependent on state and EU subsidies, which now account for over one-fifth of total output. According to data from the National Statistics Office (NSO), subsidies rose by 4.7% in 2025, reaching €28.7 million—equivalent to 20.2% of agricultural output. This share represents a significant increase from the 13.7% recorded in 2021. Subsidies also accounted for approximately 43% of the sector’s net operating surplus of €66 million, a figure that nonetheless saw a 0.7% decline last year. The data reflect the growing cost pressures facing farmers. Agricultural output fell by 0.1% to €141.8 million, while intermediate costs rose by 0.9%, reaching €87.9 million.

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Source: medNews

RABAT (MOROCCO) (ITALPRESS) – Morocco is becoming increasingly integrated into new European industrial supply chains. The joint venture announced in Kenitra between Gotion High-Tech and PowerCo—a Volkswagen Group company—marks a new step in the Kingdom’s integration into the strategic supply chain for electric mobility batteries. According to the Moroccan news site Le360, the new plant involves an investment of approximately €480 million and will produce LFP (lithium iron phosphate) cathode materials, with a capacity reaching up to 100,000 tonnes per year. Most significant is the intended destination of this output: Kenitra will be linked to other industrial projects developed by Gotion and Volkswagen in Spain and Slovakia, effectively creating a production chain that spans both shores of the Mediterranean.

The project illustrates the growing industrial complementarity between Morocco and the European Union; alongside traditional automotive manufacturing, the country is increasingly producing batteries, advanced materials, and technologies linked to transport decarbonization. The Kingdom’s geographical location, the competitiveness of its industrial platform, its infrastructure, and its growing reliance on renewable energy all boost its appeal at a time when Europe is aiming to diversify and build greater resilience into its supply chains. With this Gotion-Volkswagen investment, Kenitra is establishing itself not merely as an automotive hub, but as a key new Euro-Mediterranean node in the battery industry.

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Source: medNews

CAIRO (EGYPT) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Egypt aims to boost the mining sector’s contribution to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Gross National Product (GNP), positioning it as a high-value-added industry and a strategic sector for the economy’s future. This was reported by the Egyptian website Maspero, citing Ministry of Petroleum spokesperson Mahmoud Nagi.

According to Nagi, the fifth edition of the Egypt Mining Forum—inaugurated in the presence of President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi—underscored the importance the government places on developing the sector.

The spokesperson highlighted key reforms, including the transformation of the Mineral Resources Authority from a service-oriented body into an economic entity; this change offers greater flexibility in investor relations and provides incentives aligned with international standards. The reform also aims to cut red tape and reduce the time required to obtain licenses and launch operations.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – “Football is a shared passion among our citizens and holds great value for us. Fair competition on the pitch and the impartial, transparent execution of refereeing processes form the foundation of trust in the sport. Our State is firmly addressing—within the legal framework—any allegations of irregularities that undermine this trust.” So begins a lengthy post on X by Turkey’s Minister of Justice, Akin Gurlek, announcing the detention of the president of the Turkish Football Federation’s Central Referee Board and six other individuals. “In this context, allegations regarding interference in the compilation of referee rankings, the assignment of duties, point evaluations, appointment processes, and rules examinations have been investigated. As part of the inquiry conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office in collaboration with the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Public Security, an operation was launched this morning based on statements from complainants and witnesses, as well as expert reports,” the Minister added.

“As part of the operation, detention procedures were carried out against the suspects, including the president of the Turkish Football Federation’s Central Referees Board, Ferhat Gundogdu; the vice-president; a board member; a former board member; the president of the Istanbul branch of the Referees Association; and two other individuals. Judicial searches were conducted at their residences, workplaces, and various offices,” noted Akin Gurlek. “We are well aware of how sensitive sports fans are regarding refereeing processes and their expectations for fairness. No position, title, or role confers privileges before the law. I thank the Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office—which is conducting this important investigation with great meticulousness—and the Istanbul Provincial Security Directorate for their efforts in this operation. We will continue our fight for clean football with determination,” the Minister concluded.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – The standoff between FIFA and UEFA continues—a conflict that erupted after the World Cup, primarily due to President Gianni Infantino’s “FIFA Forward Enterprise” (FFE) project, which was subsequently abandoned. Last month, the European football governing body petitioned a U.S. federal court for permission to obtain testimony and documents in support of a criminal complaint filed in Switzerland against the FIFA president. In its response, filed yesterday, FIFA stated that UEFA’s submission contained “numerous false and/or misleading statements regarding FIFA and Mr. Infantino.” “Without any evidence, UEFA suggests that Mr. Infantino may have sought personal gain from the proposal known as FFE,” FIFA declared in the memorandum filed with the Southern District of Florida, opposing UEFA’s request for the disclosure of documents and testimony.

“UEFA is confusing equity value with enterprise value,” FIFA noted, accusing UEFA of “waging a disinformation campaign” and “attempting to influence the upcoming presidential election” of the global football body, scheduled for 2027. Gianni Infantino, who seeks a new term at the helm of FIFA, is currently the sole candidate for the presidency of the International Federation of Association Football.

– photo IPA Agency –

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Source: medNews

LONDON (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – Life was better before. Despite being 40 years old, Cape Verdean goalkeeper Vozinha was a breakout star at the last World Cup; he kept clean sheets against Spain and Saudi Arabia and helped his national team reach the Round of 16, where they were defeated 3-2 by Argentina. Signed by Colo-Colo in Chile, he is now a contender for the Yashin Trophy—awarded to the year’s best goalkeeper—and has seen his Instagram following skyrocket from 56,000 to 28 million.

“But I’ve lost my peace and quiet; I have no privacy anymore,” he confessed to The Observer newspaper. “I go to a restaurant, and there’s always someone wanting to take a photo with me or asking for an autograph. Or, worse still, someone filming me… I don’t think there’s anything I can do about it.” It is a level of fame his family has also had to share, with Cape Verdean fans showing up at his mother’s home back in his homeland every day. “Many people want to be famous, but they only see the positive side of that reality. To be honest, if I could choose between the life I have now and the one I had before, I’d choose the life I had before,” Vozinha insists.

– foto IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews