LONDON (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – Arsenal are ready to lock down Bukayo Saka. According to “The Athletic,” the 24-year-old English winger, who trained with the Gunners, has already reached an agreement to extend his contract by four years, until 2031. Saka’s renewal—he has seven goals and four assists in 27 games this season—would join those of Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães, Nwaneri, and Lewis-Skelly.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

PARIS (FRANCE) (ITALPRESS) – Rarely used at Espanyol (just five appearances between La Liga and the Copa del Rey), Luca Koleosho will spend the second half of the season in France. The 21-year-old striker from the Italian Under-21 team, owned by Burnley, has joined Paris FC on loan with an option to buy. Koleosho could already be available for next Monday’s Copa de France derby against PSG.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – A coalition of Palestine solidarity groups and arts organisations has launched a campaign urging Malta to withdraw from the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if Israel is allowed to participate.

The initiative, titled “Malta: No Music for Genocide,” calls on the Maltese government and Public Broadcasting Services (PBS) to pull out of the competition following the European Broadcasting Union’s decision to permit Israel’s entry.

Backers of the campaign include the Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (MEIA), Moviment Graffitti, Ġustizzja għall-Palestina, The Lebanese Advocates and The Watermelon Warriors.

In a joint statement, the groups argued that cultural events such as Eurovision are inherently political, citing Russia’s exclusion from the contest after its invasion of Ukraine as precedent.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Admissions requiring inpatient care at Malta’s General Hospital rose sharply during the first week of January, exceeding levels recorded just two months earlier.

Around 570 patients required hospital beds in the first week of November, but this figure increased by more than 200 cases at the start of the new year. Health specialists attribute the rise to a surge in respiratory infections, including influenza, compounded by colder weather and large gatherings over the festive period.

The increase is placing significant pressure on healthcare services, with the hospital currently operating at full capacity.

Patients admitted with respiratory illnesses often require extended recovery periods, limiting the availability of beds and straining resources. Approximately 20% of recent admissions are directly linked to influenza, which can range from mild symptoms to severe complications such as pneumonia.

Doctors warned that individuals experiencing high fever or difficulty breathing should seek medical attention promptly to determine whether hospital treatment is needed.

A new strain of influenza is circulating this season, although experts say it is covered by the current flu vaccine. Despite this, vaccination uptake remains low. Vaccination rates among older adults stand at around 10%, far below the estimated 70% needed for effective protection, while uptake among younger people is estimated at just 1%.

Health authorities stressed that vaccination among younger and healthier individuals is vital to protect the elderly and other vulnerable groups. The public was also reminded that lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic remain relevant, as influenza spreads in a similar way.

– Photo Ospedale Mater Dei Malta –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – After scoring the winning goal in his final game for Bournemouth against Tottenham (3-2) on Wednesday, Antoine Semenyo (26) has joined Manchester City. The transfer, estimated at €75 million, was officially announced today by the Citizens.

The Ghana international striker (32 appearances, 3 goals) has signed a contract until 2031. Semenyo has made 110 appearances in total for the Cherries, scoring 32 goals and providing 13 assists. He will be available to Coach Guardiola tomorrow, Saturday, for the FA Cup match against Exeter (League One).

This is another lucrative move for Bournemouth following the sales of Illya Zabarnyi (€63 million excluding bonuses, PSG), Dean Huijsen (€60 million, Real Madrid), and Milos Kerkez (€47 million, Liverpool) last summer.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MANCHESTER (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or Michael Carrick, but not both. According to Sky Sports UK, Manchester United have ruled out the possibility of appointing either of them as manager until June: the choice will fall on just one of the two, while Darren Fletcher is also considered, although he will also be on the bench on Sunday’s FA Cup match against Brighton to give the club more time to evaluate. Also on the table is Ruud Van Nistelrooy, another former great who guided the Red Devils through the dismissal of Ten Hag and the arrival of Amorim last season.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta’s Commissioner for Standards in Public Life has warned Prime Minister Robert Abela that recent changes to asset declaration rules for ministers represent a “setback for transparency in public life.”

In a letter dated 6 January and published on Thursday, Chief Justice Emeritus Joseph Azzopardi said Cabinet had scrapped the detailed ministerial declaration form, requiring ministers to file only the less comprehensive form used by ordinary MPs.

“This means that ministers will no longer declare their income, nor the financial investments and bank accounts held by their spouses,” Azzopardi wrote, noting that such information was previously mandatory.

The warning follows months of correspondence after the commissioner sought copies of ministers’ 2024 declarations. He was later informed that Cabinet had opted for a single form for all MPs, and that ministers had already filed declarations using it.

Azzopardi said transparency had been further weakened because ministerial declarations were traditionally tabled in Parliament, while MPs’ declarations are not published.

He also pointed out that the Standards in Public Life Act requires ministers to submit annual asset statements “on the relevant form,” warning that its elimination places ministers in breach of the code of ethics.

The commissioner said the move ran counter to recommendations from his office and the OECD for stronger disclosure rules, and signalled his concern by making the correspondence public.

– Photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has congratulated Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela on the sixth anniversary of his leadership of the Labour Party and the Maltese government.

Sánchez wrote in his capacity as president of Socialist International, the global alliance of social democratic and labour parties founded in 1951.

In his letter, Sánchez praised Abela’s leadership as being marked by a strong commitment to social justice, democratic values and inclusive economic progress, adding that Malta continues to play an active role in Europe and the wider international community.

The Maltese Labour Party joined the organisation in 1955. Labour’s engagement with Socialist International later waned, leading to its demotion to observer status in 2012 over unpaid membership fees and its removal from the organisation in 2014.

The party rejoined Socialist International last year, paving the way for Sánchez’s message -to Abela, which Labour shared publicly.

– Photo Archive IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MANCHESTER (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – If it’s not a surrender, it’s very close. Manchester City drew 1-1 yesterday against Brighton, a third straight draw that this evening—if Arsenal beat Liverpool—could drop the Citizens to eight points off the top.

“Unfair result? It’s not a question of justice, a point for us and a point for them, that’s how it went,” commented Pep Guardiola. “The game was very similar to the second half against Sunderland. Against Chelsea, we perhaps had fewer clear chances, but we misplaced our passes in two-on-one situations. We played exceptionally well. In the past, we took advantage of these opportunities. We created chances and were solid in defense. We failed to finish our opportunities in the six-yard box. That’s why we didn’t win the match.”

In terms of performance, in short, the Catalan coach has little to reproach his team for, but the standings are now in disarray: “We haven’t won the last three games. Now it’s more difficult to win the league,” admitted Guardiola.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

FRANKFURT (GERMANY) (ITALPRESS) – Eintracht Frankfurt has announced the arrival of 23-year-old French striker Arnaud Kalimuendo on loan with an option to buy from Nottingham Forest. Having come through the PSG youth system and stood out with Lens last season (17 goals in Ligue 1), he arrived at Forest last summer, where he made 14 appearances and scored two goals in the first half of the season.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews