MADRID (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema arrived in Saudi Arabia when their careers had already entered a downward phase, but the Saudi league could soon attract top players at the height of their careers as well. Ramon Planes, former Barcelona executive and now sporting director of Al Ittihad, said as much while speaking on “Onda Cero.”

Talking about Vinicius, who has been linked to Saudi football on several occasions, Planes confirmed: “I see it as a possibility that players like Vinicius could come here to Saudi Arabia. I see an evolution of the league, and it is feasible to have top-level players here who are in the prime of their careers. There is already a trend toward signing players of a certain age; it’s no longer only players in the final phase of their careers who arrive.”

Planes went even further, suggesting that Saudi clubs could one day take part in the European Champions League: “I wouldn’t rule it out at all. Sport is becoming globalized.”

– Photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

BUENOS AIRES (ARGENTINA) (ITALPRESS) – Misappropriation of pension and social security contributions related to the organization’s activities. This is the charge against the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) and, as the responsible party, its president, Claudio Fabián “Chiqui” Tapia. According to Argentine media reports, ARCA (the Argentine Association of Pension Fund Administrators) owes the World Cup-winning federation over €11 million, resulting from withholding taxes and social security contributions. This crime, under Argentine law, is punishable by one to six years in prison.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – Thirty-seven years old, but with the same enthusiasm and desire to score, win, and make an impact that have characterized his extraordinary career. Robert Lewandowski, in an interview on Polish journalist Bogdan Rymanowski’s YouTube channel and reported by Catalan websites, discusses his future and a contract that expires on December 30th, but which doesn’t keep him awake at night.

“There’s still time to make the right decisions. I don’t feel any pressure, nor am I thinking about which path to take right now,” the Barcelona striker explains. “I’m not talking to the coach about potential interest from other clubs, nor about salary reductions. My decision won’t depend on that, but on what the club wants to do, Flick’s technical plan, and the role he plans to assign me. Obviously, what I think is the best solution for me will also count. I still have many goals, I’m thinking about qualifying for the World Cup with my Poland team, winning La Liga and the Champions League. I know I’m in the final stage of my career, but I still have big ambitions. In football, the hardest thing isn’t getting to the top, but maintaining a certain level.”

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Air travel from Malta began rising today as thousands of Maltese set off to bid farewell to 2025 and welcome the new year in another country.

Today is expected to be the busiest day of the month at Malta International Airport, with around 30,000 passengers travelling on 206 flights. An airport spokesman said these figures are higher than the airport’s summer daily average.

The contrast with Christmas Day is stark. Only 50 flights landed or departed on December 25, making it the quietest day at the airport this month.

The situation has since changed dramatically. On Friday, activity was already picking up in the Arrivals and Departures halls, with many Maltese travellers choosing this period to spend the final days of the year and usher in 2026 abroad.

Several foreign visitors were also seen departing Malta after spending the Christmas holidays on the island.

Statistics show that, over the year, one in six passengers using the airport is Maltese. In December, this increases to one in four, largely due to school holidays and the appeal of experiencing winter in a different country.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MADRID (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – No signings in the January transfer window, but Real Madrid are interested in a June move. According to Cadena SER, the club’s target would be PSG’s Portuguese midfielder Vitinha if Vinicius doesn’t renew his contract and thus leaves Madrid. These two players are different, but with the over €100 million Real expect to receive for the Brazilian’s sale, they would have the resources to pursue a key player for Luis Enrique’s side. According to the Spanish press, this move would not affect the transfer of Nico Paz, who is set to return to Madrid after two extraordinary seasons at Como.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – French football is in mourning. Jean-Louis Gasset has died this morning at the age of 72. A former midfielder, he spent almost his entire playing career at Montpellier, the club he later coached first as an assistant and then as head coach.

After serving as head coach of Caen and Istres, in 2007 he began his collaboration with Laurent Blanc at Bordeaux as assistant manager. In 2010, he was Blanc’s deputy with the French national team that took part in the 2012 European Championship, reaching the quarter-finals. From 2013 to 2016 he was assistant coach at Paris Saint-Germain.

In 2022 he became head coach of Ivory Coast, succeeding Patrice Beaumelle. In February 2024 he replaced Gennaro Gattuso on the bench of Olympique Marseille, who were ninth in Ligue 1 at the time, finishing the season in seventh place. In the Europa League, the French side were eliminated by Atalanta in the semi-finals.

He concluded his career by returning to Montpellier, bottom of Ligue 1 in the 2024–2025 season, failing to avoid relegation to Ligue 2. His contract was terminated on April 7.

– Photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Transport Malta has launched an investigation into the fatal crash of a Maltese-registered private jet near Ankara, confirming it is working closely with Turkish authorities to establish the circumstances of the incident that occurred last Tuesday.

The Dassault Falcon 50, registered 9H-DFJ, crashed shortly after take-off from Ankara’s Esenboğan Airport while en route to Tripoli. All eight people on board were killed, including Libya’s army chief of staff General Mohammed Al-Haddad.

Malta’s Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri expressed condolences, describing
General Al-Haddad as a key figure for regional stability and cooperation
with Malta.

No Maltese crew members were on board. The aircraft was operated by Harmony Jets, a Maltese private aviation company based at Malta International Airport.

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said the aircraft took off at around 8.10pm and contact was lost about 30 minutes later.

Shortly after departure, the pilot reportedly requested an emergency landing before all communications ceased. The wreckage was later located near the village of Kesikkavak in the Haymana district of Ankara.

– Photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – President Myriam Spiteri Debono used her Christmas message to highlight the pressing challenges Malta faces, warning that economic success alone is not enough to secure the common good. While acknowledging strong economic growth driven by hard work, the president said the country must confront growing concerns about quality of life. She pointed to work-life balance, the rising cost of living and mental health as major preoccupations affecting many families.

Environmental degradation, poverty, homelessness and addiction were also cited as issues requiring urgent attention. Spiteri Debono stressed that these challenges cannot be ignored and must be addressed collectively through open and honest dialogue. She said both government and non-government organisations have a shared responsibility to find solutions that put people at the centre of policy.

The president expressed hope that Malta would remain an island of peace and solidarity, while continuing to promote these values internationally. She urged the public to support future generations and ensure that the spirit of solidarity associated with Christmas endures throughout the year. “By working together,” she said, “we can overcome the obstacles and challenges that we face.”

– Photo DOI –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The government has once again pushed back the introduction of free HIV prevention medication, announcing that a tender for the medicines will only be issued in 2026, despite a continued rise in HIV cases in Malta.

Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela confirmed that the tender will cover Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), two internationally recognised treatments used to prevent HIV transmission.

Abela was speaking after figures published in parliament showed that 721 people are currently living with HIV in Malta. He confirmed that 125 new cases were diagnosed up to November 28, 2025, adding that the overall number of patients could change as people move into or out of the country.

The delay has drawn criticism from NGOs and activists, who have long been calling for free access to PrEP and PEP. They argue that the government has failed to act with sufficient urgency at a time when HIV infection rates are climbing.

In its long-awaited sexual health strategy, first released as a white paper in December 2024, the government committed itself to providing free PrEP for people considered at high risk of contracting HIV.

In December 2024, Abela had said that the treatment would be introduced in 2025 after funds were allocated in the national budget. However, the latest announcement means the actual provision of the medicines will be delayed even further.

The minister said the free provision of PrEP and PEP would cost €1.6 million over a three-year period, a figure he described as sustainable within the health budget.

PrEP is a preventive medication taken by HIV-negative individuals and, when taken consistently, reduces the risk of sexual transmission of HIV by about 99 per cent. It is also highly effective in lowering the risk of infection among people who inject drugs.

PEP, on the other hand, is taken after a potential exposure to HIV, usually within 72 hours, and is continued for 28 days. Medical studies estimate its effectiveness at around 80 per cent when taken correctly.

The postponement comes as Malta continues to register alarming HIV statistics. Last week, the HIV/AIDS Surveillance in Europe Study reported that Malta’s per capita rate of new HIV diagnoses had risen to the highest level in a decade and remained the highest in Europe for the second consecutive year.

The study noted that while most European countries have seen a steady decline in new HIV infections, Malta recorded its highest infection rate since 2015.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LIVERPOOL (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – “He will be out for a couple of months. It’s a big blow both for him and for us, he was getting back to being the player we had seen at Newcastle.” Arne Slot confirms reports regarding Alexander Isak’s recovery time after the fractured fibula he suffered in the match against Tottenham.

An injury caused by “a reckless challenge. Van de Ven’s tackle — if you do it ten times, I believe ten times there’s a serious chance a player suffers a severe injury,” said the Liverpool manager, pointing the finger at the Spurs defender.

The English tabloids have already started naming possible attacking reinforcements to cope with Isak’s absence, above all Semenyo. “But I’m only thinking about the next two matches, two difficult games,” Slot replied. “This is the moment for the players who are available to do what they’ve already done many times: roll up their sleeves. They have to give everything they’ve got, just like the fans usually do. That’s where my focus is.”

As for the possibility of recalling Elliott early from his loan at Aston Villa, Slot shut the door: “He’s expected to stay there for the whole season. Any questions about him should be directed to Aston Villa.”

– Photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews