ISTANBUL (TURKEY) (ITALPRESS) – Mert Hakan Yandaş of Fenerbahçe and Metehan Baltacı of Galatasaray are just two of the players targeted by the arrest warrants issued by the Istanbul prosecutor’s office in connection with the scandal involving betting and match-fixing in Turkey.

“Twenty-seven players who had bet on matches involving their own teams have been identified, including Metehan Baltacı, a professional player for Galatasaray. Mert Hakan Yandaş, a professional player for Fenerbahçe, was identified for having placed bets through third parties on legal betting sites,” reads the statement from the prosecutor’s office, reported by local media.

“Following an analysis of bank accounts, suspicious financial transactions involving seven individuals were identified: the former Adana president, Murat Sancak; the former referee and current sports commentator, Ahmet Çakar, and his wife; and the first-category referee, Zorbay Küçük,” the statement continues. “Arrest, search, and seizure warrants were issued for a total of 46 suspects in Istanbul and 16 other provinces. Of these, 35 suspects have been arrested.”

– Photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta is accelerating its national investment plan to modernise the management and sustainability of its water and wastewater sector, with several projects already approved for EU funding and national financing.

Energy Minister Miriam Dalli and European Funds Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, together with the Water Services Corporation, outlined a programme of strategic interventions to strengthen water production and wastewater treatment systems.

Dalli noted that the government is implementing a ten-year plan to reinforce water production and sewage treatment, ensuring the country is prepared for future challenges. The plan includes boosting production capacity, improving water quality, reducing seawater intrusion, and upgrading the wastewater network to handle seasonal peaks and demographic growth. It also foresees an increase in New Water production for agriculture and green areas.

Zrinzo Azzopardi stressed the key role of EU funds in making Malta’s infrastructure more modern and resilient, recalling projects such as Gozo’s first reverse osmosis plant, which today provides quality water to thousands of families.

WSC CEO Karl Cilia announced upgrades to reverse osmosis plants, new pumping mains and reservoir links to strengthen supply resilience. Groundwater collection processes will be improved, and new laboratory equipment will further enhance water quality.

The national investment plan allocates over €370 million between 2023 and 2033, including €86 million in EU 2021–27 co-financing. WSC green bonds add a further €12 million for the same objectives. Malta North and Gozo’s wastewater treatment plants are also being expanded to meet growing demand.

– Photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MIAMI (USA) (ITALPRESS) – “For me, he’s unique. There are extraordinarily good coaches, but he has something different. He’s the best of them all.” For Leo Messi, there’s no comparison: Pep Guardiola, his coach at Barcelona, ​​is the number one on the bench.

“In terms of the way he sees things, the way he prepares matches, the way he conveys to the players, he’s very complete,” he emphasized in an interview with ESPN. “He’s gone to other places and continued to win. And I’m not just talking about results, but also the way his teams play. At Bayern, even though he failed to win the Champions League, he changed the way they played in Germany, and he did the same with City in England.”

Messi, who could play in his sixth World Cup next year, assures that Argentina “will try again, give it their all, and fight. But a World Cup is very difficult: any team can get you into trouble or knock you out, the ball hits the crossbar and can end up in or out, you can even lose on penalties. In Qatar, we were lucky because even though we were superior to both the Netherlands and France, we ended up going to penalties. There, we had that ‘beast’ Dibu Martinez who helped us win, but you can go to penalties and lose.”

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The government has unveiled proposals to restrict social media access for children under the age of 13, alongside plans to introduce monitoring and enforcement mechanisms developed in collaboration with parents and other stakeholders.

The measures were outlined in a newly published Green Paper, which invites public discussion on tighter controls around children’s use of social media. The document follows last month’s announcement of a technical committee tasked with preparing a report and recommendations based on feedback gathered during an ongoing consultation process.

Speaking at the launch, Parliamentary Secretary for Equality Rebecca Buttigieg said the reform’s primary objective is to safeguard children and other vulnerable groups, while respecting the fundamental right to freedom of expression.

Minister for Social Policy and Children’s Rights Michael Falzon added that the intention is not to impose a blanket ban on social media for young users, but to ensure that its use is properly regulated, particularly in light of concerns around self-harm. According to Falzon, the number of young people engaging in self-harm has tripled in recent years.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta’s plans to strengthen its electricity supply and improve grid resilience have reached a new milestone, as the final engineering, procurement and construction contracts for the second Malta–Sicily interconnector (IC2) were signed.

The latest agreement, with the PowerFix JV consortium, covers the supply and installation of a 132kV Variable Shunt Reactor at Magħtab. With this contract in place, the project has fully passed through the design and permitting phases. Works are expected to begin in the first weeks of the new year.

Energy Minister Miriam Dalli said the new interconnector is central to Malta’s energy strategy, increasing connection with the European grid, boosting resilience, and enabling greater integration of renewable sources. She said the project will reduce the country’s dependence on fossil fuels as part of a broader transition to cleaner energy.

Interconnect Malta Ltd. reported steady progress over the past year, including securing environmental permits in Sicily, advancing production of the undersea cable in Norway and the US, and completing detailed marine surveys. In Ragusa, 6km of a planned 21km trench have been dug, with 4km of cable already laid. Works on the base for a 220kV reactor at the Ragusa station are nearing completion.

In Malta, trenching has begun along a 2km route in Magħtab ahead of cable laying. Manufacture of undersea and land cables, two 220kV reactors, and a 220kV/132kV auto transformer is also underway.

ICM divisional manager Joseph Vassallo said the project has met all environmental and climate-proofing requirements and is entering a “delicate and crucial” execution phase.

The 300-million-euro project will link Magħtab and Ragusa via a 122km, 245kV cable with a 225MW capacity, laid near the existing IC1 interconnector. It is co-funded by the ERDF, which allocated 165 million euro. Officials say the project will enhance energy security, support renewable investments and contribute to an estimated 13.5 million tonnes reduction in CO₂ emissions.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

RIO DE JANEIRO (BRAZIL) (ITALPRESS) – An increasingly heroic Neymar leads Santos to the brink of survival. Despite a torn meniscus in his left knee, the 33-year-old Brazilian striker once again appeared and even scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Juventude. A draw at Peixe will be enough to stay afloat on Sunday, the final matchday against Cruzeiro.

However, it could also be Neymar’s last game with Santos, as his contract expires on December 31st. “Honestly, I don’t know,” the former Barça and PSG player shrugs. “First I want to finish this season and then I’ll think about it. My priority remains Santos.” Speaking about the match, Neymar said he was “happy with these goals and for having helped the team in some way, but without my teammates I wouldn’t have been able to do it. My injury? Always prioritizing my health as an athlete, never doing anything that could harm my career, I’m trying to outdo myself to be 100%.”

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

RABAT (MOROCCO) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Spain welcomed the adoption of Resolution 2797, which emphasizes that true autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty represents one of the most viable solutions to the Sahara issue.

In the declaration adopted at the conclusion of the 13th High-Level Meeting, held this Thursday in Madrid, Spain welcomed United Nations Security Council Resolution 2797 of October 31, 2025, which recognizes autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as a credible and viable way to resolve the issue. Reaffirming the position expressed in the Joint Declaration of April 7, 2022, between the President of the Spanish Government and King Mohammed VI, Spain expressed its satisfaction with the latest UN development, which “fully supports the efforts of the Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy to facilitate and conduct negotiations based on the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco.” This position, expressed within the framework of the 13th High-Level Meeting between the two countries, confirms Spain’s active support for the current United Nations path, which places the Moroccan autonomy initiative at the heart of the solution process.

– photo MAP –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MARSEILLE (FRANCE) (ITALPRESS) – Roberto De Zerbi’s Marseille returns to action tomorrow against Lille, following a 2-2 draw with Toulouse that cost them their chance to move to the top of Ligue 1. “We conceded a bad goal, but a 40-meter throw-in in the 92nd minute isn’t going to change everything,” observed the Italian coach. “We lost two points and the top spot in the league because of that throw-in. But I was thinking: how many throw-ins are there in a football weekend? Thousands, millions, and maybe there’s one goal in every billion, the probability is very low. We weren’t lucky, even though we lacked organization and communication. Without that throw-in, however, we would have said positive things: OM top of the league, six points in the Champions League, and the chance to qualify for the next round… We need to understand why we concede these goals at the end, and so often, but we also need to look at things with a balanced and objective approach.”

After all, it’s a “very homogeneous, very balanced Ligue 1: no one runs away at the front, no one is doomed at the back. Ligue 1 is tough technically, physically, the stadiums are full. It saddens me that it is so little visible outside France.”

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

RABAT (MOROCCO) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot reaffirmed Belgium’s commitment to fully implementing its new position on the Sahara, both consularly and at the economic and diplomatic level at the multilateral level, before the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs in Brussels.

Prévot reiterated that the Belgian Consulate General in Rabat is responsible for all Moroccan territory, including the Sahara provinces, where Belgian citizens are regularly registered and supported, thus marking an operational recognition of the region’s integration. On the economic front, the Belgian government is preparing a series of initiatives in the southern provinces: an ambassador’s visit to Laayoune and Dakhla, business missions, business forums, and a possible joint mission of Belgian regional agencies. A government visit is also planned for the spring, while work is underway on a future state visit.

Finally, the minister reaffirmed Brussels’ support for the Moroccan autonomy plan, which he described as “the most appropriate, credible, and realistic basis” for a political solution in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.

– photo Maroc diplomatique –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MANAMA (BAHRAIN) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Supreme Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) reaffirmed in Manama the Moroccan identity of the Sahara and its support for the autonomy initiative as a solution to the question of the Moroccan Sahara.

In the final communiqué concluding the work of its 46th session, held in the Bahraini capital, the Council also welcomed Resolution 2797 adopted by the United Nations Security Council on October 31, 2025, which enshrines the autonomy initiative as an important step toward a realistic and achievable solution. The Council further praised the decision of King Mohammed VI to submit this initiative to the UN Security Council and to designate October 31 of each year as a national holiday under the name “Unity Day.” This position reflects the GCC states’ consistent and steadfast support for the Kingdom of Morocco and its territorial integrity. The GCC is composed of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman.

– photo MAP –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews