VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – A 44-year-old Bosnian man has been remanded in custody after allegedly attempting to smuggle 35 kilograms of cocaine into Malta from Sicily.

The drugs, with an estimated street value of €4.5 million, were reportedly discovered hidden inside a secret compartment in the man’s vehicle shortly after he arrived on a Virtu Ferries catamaran from Pozzallo.

Customs officials became suspicious of the man’s behaviour upon disembarkation at the Grand Harbour and requested police assistance.

The suspect was escorted along with his vehicle for further inspection before being arrested.

Police later dismantled the vehicle at the Police garage in Floriana, where investigators allegedly uncovered the concealed compartment containing multiple packages of suspected cocaine.

Members of the Forensic Science Unit collected the drugs for analysis, while Magistrate Joseph Mifsud was appointed to lead a magisterial inquiry.

The sospect was arraigned before Magistrate Jean Paul Grech and charged with the importation, trafficking and aggravated possession of cocaine. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The court denied bail after the defence made no request for release and ordered the freezing of the accused’s assets. The sospect will remain at the Corradino Correctional Facility as investigations continue.

– photo Malta Police –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MADRID (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – An irreparable rift has opened between Julian Alvarez and Atletico Madrid following the striker’s sensational comments made after the World Cup match between Argentina and Austria. The player publicly requested a transfer during the current window, sparking the anger of the Colchoneros’ management. CEO Gil Marin responded immediately, expressing his strong disapproval: “It wasn’t the right day to make such statements. While it is true that he spoke with us, he was fully aware of our position; we were very clear: we do not want to let him go.” This high tension threatens to further complicate negotiations. The Argentine player is aiming for a move to Barcelona or Real Madrid, but Atletico has no intention of strengthening a direct rival. Relations with the Catalan club are so strained that—according to Marca—Atletico Madrid is reportedly filing a complaint with FIFA. “Barça is disrespecting us. They think they can trample all over us; that is why we are filing a complaint with FIFA for negotiating with a player under contract during the protected period,” concluded Gil Marin.

This standoff could prompt the club to pressure “El Araña” to accept a move abroad, where Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain have shown strong interest for months. However, according to the Spanish press, Álvarez is not considering leaving Spain. Paris does not appeal to him, and a return to the Premier League is not his top choice—partly due to his stint at Manchester City, which did not end on the best of terms. The media storm hitting Madrid highlights the complex transfer market situation facing Simeone’s team, as he is forced to defend his star player against the very rivals targeting the same players as the Colchoneros.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The government has ruled out increasing the retirement age or social security contribution rates following the conclusion of the public consultation on Malta’s 2025 Strategic Pensions Report.

Social Policy Minister Michael Falzon said the government would honour its electoral pledge and continue strengthening pensions through measures planned for the current legislature, starting with the next Budget.

Key initiatives include a €50 weekly increase in pensions over the legislature, reforms to widows’ pensions so they match the amount a deceased spouse would have received, and the extension of the Cost of Living Bonus to provide equal payments for all recipients from next year.

Falzon also announced planned increases to the Maximum Pensionable Income threshold, which will be equal for all pensioners by 2028, regardless of their year of birth.

A total of 14 submissions were received during the consultation process, including contributions from organisations, private companies and individuals.

The feedback was reviewed by the Strategic Pensions Group, chaired by Permanent Secretary Mark Musu, which is preparing its final recommendations to government.

Falzon said the recommendations exclude any increase in the retirement age or social security contribution rates, adding that Malta’s strong economy and sound public finances make this possible.

He added that the latest strategic report confirmed significant improvements in the adequacy and sustainability of Malta’s pension system.

– photo DOI –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta’s Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU) received a record 10,712 suspicious transaction reports (STRs) in 2025, marking a 13.6% increase over the previous year, according to its latest annual report.

For the first time, crypto asset service providers generated the highest number of reports, overtaking the remote gaming sector. Crypto-related STRs rose sharply from 1,751 in 2024 to 3,712 in 2025, accounting for more than a third of all reports.

Meanwhile, reports linked to gaming operators continued their downward trend, falling from 5,049 in 2022 to 3,022 last year.

The FIAU attributed part of the increase in crypto-related reporting to stricter compliance requirements introduced under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation, which became fully applicable in December 2024.

Fraud was the most frequently identified suspected offence, featuring in 28% of reports where a predicate offence could be established. Tax crimes and drug trafficking accounted for 8% and 4% respectively, while in half of all cases no specific offence could be identified.

The most common trigger for filing a report was an unknown source of wealth or funds, cited in 4,583 cases. Other leading factors included uncooperative customers and adverse media findings.

The FIAU carried out 5,552 intelligence disseminations during the year, with 4,351 shared with foreign counterparts. Germany received the highest number of intelligence reports, followed by Italy.

Administrative penalties imposed by the FIAU totalled €1.34 million in 2025. The agency also conducted 21,000 searches on the Centralised Bank Account Register, which now tracks 1.9 million IBAN accounts and records relating to 1.26 million individuals.

-Photo FIAU-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LONDON (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – Confirmation is coming from the English press: Marco Palestra is now very close to joining Chelsea. This has fooled Inter, who had long been pursuing the player, owned by Atalanta, as a replacement for the departing Denzel Dumfries. “Chelsea are ready to sign defender Marco Palestra as new manager Xabi Alonso’s first signing for a fee in excess of £43 million (more than €50 million, ed.),” the BBC website reports.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – “Our thoughts are with our coach and his entire family. You are not alone.” In a story posted on his Instagram, France captain Kylian Mbappé expressed the sympathy of the entire French national team for the loss of Didier Deschamps. The French coach’s mother has passed away. He returned home to attend the funeral and will not be on the bench to lead Les Bleus against Norway in their final World Cup Group I match. To accompany his “story,” Mbappé posted a photo of the entire French squad and staff embracing in the center of the training pitch.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – After drawing their first two Group G matches against Egypt and Iran, Belgium now have everything to play for on the third and final matchday of the World Cup group stage. During the night between Friday and Saturday (Italian time), the national team coached by Rudi Garcia will face New Zealand in Vancouver in a decisive do-or-die encounter.

Jeremy Doku’s availability remains uncertain. The Manchester City winger missed Belgium’s opening match against Iran due to a respiratory infection. He then featured against Egypt before flying home for the birth of his first child.

Yesterday, Doku was expected to rejoin his national teammates, but he was not present during the portion of training open to the media. However, three hours ago, the Belgian national team posted images on social media showing the player returning to Seattle, where the Red Devils are based during the tournament.

“Back home after the most important assist of his life,” read the caption accompanying photos of Doku reuniting with teammates such as Romelu Lukaku and the entire Belgian staff.

“Welcoming my son into this world is one of the greatest blessings God has ever granted me,” the player wrote on Instagram. “I thank the Belgian national team for their support during this period; now it is time to return to football and represent my country at the biggest event in world sport,” Doku added.

– Photo Ipa Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LONDON (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – Gary O’Neil has returned to England. Appointed by Strasbourg last January to replace Liam Rosenior, who moved to Chelsea, the 43-year-old English coach has been named the new manager of Ipswich Town, the newly promoted Premier League side.

Ipswich were searching for a new head coach after Kieran McKenna stepped down to take a break from football. O’Neil has signed a contract running until 2029 and will be joined by his coaching staff, including Tim Jenkins, Neil Critchley, and Ed Ames.

During his spell in France, the former Bournemouth and Wolverhampton manager guided Strasbourg to the semi-finals of both the French Cup and the UEFA Conference League, while leading the club to an eighth-place finish in Ligue 1.

–  Photo Ipa Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta and Libya have strengthened their cooperation on security and migration issues following the return of the patrol boat Al Kifah to the Libyan authorities after repair works carried out in Malta.

The Home Affairs Ministry said the vessel, operated by the Libyan Coast Guard, will support ongoing efforts by both countries to combat human trafficking in the Central Mediterranean.

Speaking during the handover ceremony, Home Affairs and Security Minister Glenn Bedingfield described the event as an important milestone in the longstanding relationship between Malta and Libya. He said the two countries share a commitment to promoting security and stability across the Mediterranean region.

Bedingfield noted that cooperation between Malta and Libya has produced tangible results in recent years, particularly in reducing irregular migration and tackling human trafficking networks. He said the decline in irregular arrivals highlights the value of coordinated action between countries facing common challenges.

The minister stressed that further work is needed to strengthen border controls, improve cooperation between law enforcement agencies and intensify efforts against criminal networks facilitating irregular migration.

Referring to the Al Kifah, Bedingfield said the investment demonstrates Malta’s commitment to maritime security and support for operational capabilities in the Central Mediterranean. However, he emphasised that migration challenges cannot be solved through border security measures alone and called for greater attention to the root causes driving people to leave their countries.

He reiterated Malta’s position that prevention should remain central to migration policy and reaffirmed the country’s role as a neutral bridge between Europe and North Africa, promoting dialogue, stability and economic cooperation.

– Ministry of Home Affairs and Security of Malta –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LONDON (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – Fulham have found Marco Silva’s successor, completing the Madrid-Lisbon-London connection. With the Portuguese manager having agreed to join Benfica to replace José Mourinho, who was in turn hired by Real Madrid, the Cottagers have decided to focus on Alvaro Arbeloa, who until a few weeks ago was in charge of the Blancos.

According to “The Athletic,” the deal is now in the final stages, with the 43-year-old Spaniard expected to sign a three-year contract. Interestingly, if the deal goes through, Arbeloa would make his Premier League debut against Xabi Alonso, whom he replaced at Real Madrid and signed from Chelsea.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews