BARCELONA (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – A storm has erupted over Lamine Yamal and the party for his 18th birthday held on Saturday night. The Association of People Affected by Achondroplasia and Other Skeletal Dysplasias with Dwarfism (Adee) denounced in a statement the hiring of people with dwarfism to entertain the young Barcelona star.

“They were employed exclusively for entertainment purposes,” it read. Adee considers this practice intolerable, as it perpetuates stereotypes, fuels discrimination, and damages the image and rights of people affected by achondroplasia or other skeletal dysplasias, as well as all disabled people.”

ADEE announces that it will take legal and social action “to preserve the dignity of people with disabilities” and recalls that in Spain it is prohibited “to organize shows or recreational activities in which people with disabilities or other conditions are used to provoke mockery, derision, or ridicule from the audience in a manner contrary to the respect due to human dignity.”

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – Arsenal are close to signing Christian Mosquera, Valencia‘s central defender, who is entering in the final year of his contract with the Spanish club. As reported by Sky Sports UK, contacts between the two clubs are continuing, but there is optimism for a successful transaction.

Mosquera has rejected offers of a contract renewal and wants to join Arsenal, who are meanwhile working to finalise negotiations related to Noni Madueke (Chelsea) and Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting). This transfer window, the Gunners have already confirmed the arrivals of Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, and Christian Norgaard.

– Photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works Chris Bonett has launched a national call for innovative ideas to improve Malta’s public transport system. The initiative, part of the Reshaping our Mobility strategy, invites individuals, companies, and academics to submit proposals aimed at making mobility more efficient and sustainable.

Eligible applicants can receive up to €20,000 for individual or academic proposals, while startups, SMEs, and companies can benefit from up to €50,000 per project. The minister encouraged ideas that tackle practical issues such as parking, traffic management, road safety, and multi-modal transport integration.

“I urge everyone, especially young people, to step forward with bold ideas that can simplify daily life and transform how we move,” Bonett said. Transport Malta Executive Head Kurt Farrugia called the initiative a “national challenge” to harness AI and digital technologies for smarter mobility. “This is not a regular funding call — it’s an open door to the future of transport,” he said. Suggested concepts include intelligent parking systems, car-pooling platforms, integrated mobility networks, and digital tools to enhance safety and connectivity.

– Photo Information department of Malta –

Source: medNews

NEW YORK (USA) (ITALPRESS) – “We are very, very proud of what we’ve achieved this season. It’s magnificent. We won’t forget it.” NasserAl-Khelaifi, president of PSG, said after the 3-0 defeat to Chelsea in the Club World Cup final. “We wanted to win this Club World Cup, but that’s football,” he added. “The players gave everything, but they were tired. This season is the club’s best. I’m proud of the players, the coach, and the entire club.”

– Photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (MNA/ITALPRESS) – Malta is set to implement the first phase of its Labour Migration Policy on August 1, with 12 out of 20 proposed measures entering into force. The policy, introduced by the Ministry for Work in January for public consultation, aims to modernise the framework governing the employment of third-country nationals (TCNs) and align it with Malta’s evolving economic landscape.

Minister for Home Affairs, Security, Reforms and Equality Byron Camilleri emphasised the policy’s alignment with four key principles: labour market stability, protection of workers’ rights, stronger regulatory controls, and strategic investment in skills.

“The economy we have today is not the same as when unemployment was the biggest concern,” Camilleri noted. “Today, new challenges must be addressed with decisions that reflect the government’s duty to provide clear direction and stability for the country”.

During the consultation process, which extended beyond the legal requirement to encourage deeper engagement, the policy received widespread support from both social partners and the public, according to Camilleri. Among the major reforms taking effect this August are enhanced oversight on employee termination rates and stricter job advertisement requirements for employers. Maltese companies must now post job openings on both local and EU employment platforms before hiring TCNs. Additionally, firms that have previously dismissed workers without a valid reason will be restricted from filling the same roles with foreign nationals.

Employers are also required to file employment and termination documentation promptly. Companies that fail to comply with the Persons with Disability (Employment) Act will no longer be eligible to hire TCNs. In an effort to curb abuse and attract skilled talent, the government is adjusting financial and procedural requirements for foreign workers. Application fees for new TCN workers will double in most sectors, with exemptions granted to essential fields such as healthcare and elderly care.

Meanwhile, salary thresholds will increase to Ç45,000 under the Key Employment Initiative and Ç30,000 under the Single Employment Initiative. TCNs who lose their jobs will benefit from extended grace periods to remain in the country and seek alternative employment, with preference given to individuals already residing in Malta. Further measures to be enacted include tighter visa conversion rules, more robust permit renewal checks, and a cap linking TCN hiring permissions to a company’s existing workforce size.

Certain exemptions will apply: individuals in stable relationships with Maltese citizens or parents of Maltese children under 23 will bypass the Single Permit process, though they will still need a work licence. The remaining eight measures in the policy will be phased in over the coming months, with the next batch scheduled for October 1. These will include mandatory electronic salary payments, temporary permits for visa-exempt nationals who apply within 60 days of arrival, and fee exemptions for human trafficking victims.

– Photo DOI –

(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews

NEW YORK (USA) (ITALPRESS) – “The Club World Cup is already the most successful club competition in the world,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said at the competition’s closing press conference, just hours before the final between Chelsea and PSG.

The FIFA president, who spoke at Trump Tower surrounded by football legends such as Ronaldo, Baggio, and Kaka, added that the competition has generated over $2 billion in revenue, equivalent to “$33 million per match.”

This allows us to say that the tournament was a “huge success” and that “the golden era of global club football has begun. We can confidently say that this FIFA Club World Cup was a huge success. Of course, there are many positives and some negatives. We respect everyone’s opinion, but it was a success. We had over 2.5 million spectators in the stadium, which equates to about 40,000 per match, and no league in the world, except the Premier League, averages 40,000 spectators per match,” Infantino said.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta’s population reached approximately 574,250 by the end of 2024, a 1.9% increase from the previous year, according to new data released by the National Statistics Office.

This growth, however, is driven almost entirely by migration. Net migration added 10,614 people to the population, while natural population growth—births minus deaths—contributed just 193 people, a drop of over 55% from 2023.

Non-EU nationals now make up the bulk of new arrivals, accounting for nearly 77% of net migration. Foreigners constitute 29.4% of Malta’s total population, up from 27.8% the year before, and are heavily concentrated in younger, working-age groups.

St Paul’s Bay, for instance, is now 62.8% foreign. In Sliema, Malta’s most densely populated town, 17,539 people live per square kilometre.

Men represent 53.1% of the population, partly due to the male-heavy migration pattern. Among migrants, 57.7% are male, reflecting demand in construction, logistics, and other male-dominated sectors.

Meanwhile, Malta’s aging trend continues. People aged 65 and over make up 18.4% of the population, with 71% of deaths occurring in this age group. Women outnumber men significantly among the elderly, especially those over 85.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MIAMI (USA) (ITALPRESS) – Lionel Messi continues to have fun and lead Inter Miami to victory. With his brace (last night) against Nashville that gave his team the three points, the Argentine extended the MLS record for most goals in consecutive games to five. He set the previous record last week and is the first player to score more than one goal in five consecutive Major Soccer League matches.

Messi’s MLS scoring streak began before the Club World Cup. He scored twice and provided an assist against Montreal on May 28, then repeated the feat against the same team on July 5. On May 31, he scored twice and provided two assists against Columbus Crew (5-1). He scored twice against New England Revolution last week and now two more against Nashville. In total, Messi has scored twelve goals in his last ten MLS matches (16 in the last 16). He also scored from a free kick in the Club World Cup match against Porto.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

NEW YORK (USA) (ITALPRESS) – “I think like you, like most people who follow football.” Enzo Maresca has no doubts about PSG, but he’s equally certain when it comes to his Chelsea. Tomorrow at 3 p.m. New Jersey time, Blues will face the French and European champions in the Club World Cup final.

The odds favor the Parisians, but Chelsea have shown in this long competition, as well as in the Premier League and the Conference League (which they won by beating Betis in the final), that they can compete with anyone. “I agree with those who believe that PSG is the best team in the world. Many of us think so, but they’re proving it in every competition. They dominated in France, they won the Champions League, they’re in the final of this World Cup, and everyone saw how they played. We have great respect for them,” says the former midfielder. “I already said recently that I really enjoy watching them play, and I stand by that, but I’d also add that we’ll go out on the pitch to give our all, to compete, to try to win.”

“The team earned everyone’s trust and respect. They finished in the top four in the Premier League, won the Conference, and here they reached the final stage. They had a fantastic season. For me, the greatest achievement is that a year ago, no one was talking about football, about Chelsea. Now things have changed, and that’s the greatest satisfaction of this season”, Maresca ended.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

NEW YORK (USA) (ITALPRESS) – “It’s the last match of a season that has been fantastic, historic, and we want to end it in the best possible way; it would be important for the club and the fans. We’re going into this match with good feelings.” And it couldn’t be otherwise: Luis Enrique‘s PSG, regardless of the result they’ll achieve at the end of the Club World Cup final scheduled for tomorrow night against Chelsea, have had an excellent sporting year. They’ve won everything there was to win, reaching the top with the Champions League title lifted after the historic victory against Inter, but there’s still the chance to improve by winning the new Club World Cup.

The real star of this PSG is without a doubt the Spanish coach, even if he has a different view of the journey they’ve completed. “I don’t have magic powers. I didn’t have them as a player, and I don’t have them as a coach. I like what I do, I have fun, especially in difficult moments; that’s when I feel most comfortable. When things work out, it’s nice to see that you can make people happy, but I feel better when I receive criticism; it motivates me more than praise. It could be my best season as a coach, but we have to win tomorrow’s match to finish. The most important thing is to play giving 100%”.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews