VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta has urged the European Union to establish a permanent mechanism to protect critical underwater infrastructure in the Mediterranean.

Home Affairs Minister Genn Bedingfield made the call on Tuesday at a meeting of EU defence ministers in Dublin.

He said submarine telecommunications cables, electricity interconnectors, pipelines and other seabed infrastructure were vital to Europe’s security and economic resilience.

Bedingfield described the Mediterranean as a “superhighway” linking three continents and said EU efforts to strengthen seabed defence must have a strong Mediterranean dimension.

He said responsibility for monitoring and protecting critical infrastructure remained fragmented and called for a more structured European operational capability.

As a first step, Malta proposed a dedicated expert working group to examine the legal, technical, institutional, operational and budgetary requirements for such a mechanism.

The proposed capability would provide shared awareness of critical maritime infrastructure, coordinate national and EU resources and enable a rapid response to threats or incidents.

Bedingfield said Malta was prepared to participate in the initiative and explore hosting elements of a future Mediterranean capability.

He also cited a recent incident involving a Russian gas tanker that was allegedly attacked and subsequently left drifting in the Mediterranean.

The incident, he said, exposed difficulties in moving from monitoring a maritime security threat to taking coordinated operational action.

Questions over jurisdiction, sanctions, environmental responsibility, salvage and available intervention capabilities had to be addressed simultaneously.

Bedingfield said Europe needed clearer arrangements for incidents involving international waters, sanctioned vessels, suspected hostile activity or significant environmental and navigational risks.

He called for pre-agreed procedures for coordination, information sharing, legal assessments and the rapid mobilisation of appropriate European or national capabilities.

Malta, he said, believed the same principle should apply “below the surface of the sea”.

– Photo DOI –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

BARCELONA (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – Gabriel Jesus is officially a new Barcelona player. The Catalan club have reached an agreement with Arsenal for the transfer of the Brazilian striker, who has signed a three-year contract.

Born in 1997, Jesus leaves the Gunners after four years and moves to Catalonia following spells with Palmeiras and Manchester City. With the Citizens, he won four Premier League titles, while with Arsenal he won the English league title in the 2025/26 season.

– Photo Ipa Agency –

(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The number of Maltese citizens officially living in Sicily has almost doubled in the space of three years, as more people from Malta seek a quieter life across the Mediterranean.

According to Italy’s national statistics office ISTAT, 287 Maltese citizens were registered as living in Sicily in 2025, up from just 164 in 2022.

The figures may, however, underestimate the true size of the Maltese community, as they do not include those who own holiday homes or spend much of their time in Sicily without registering their property as their primary residence.

Most Maltese residents are concentrated in eastern Sicily, particularly around Catania and the province of Ragusa, close to ferry connections with Malta.

More than a third of all registered Maltese residents are based in the municipality of Catania, mostly in the towns and villages surrounding the city.

Several towns have seen particularly sharp increases. In Caltagirone, for example, there were no registered Maltese residents until 2023, when six were recorded. The community grew to 24 the following year and reached 31 in 2025.

Ispica, another baroque town in the Noto Valley, is now home to 19 Maltese citizens, while smaller communities have emerged in towns such as Chiaramonte Gulfi and San Giacomo.

For many, the attraction is a slower pace of life, more space and the chance to buy larger homes with gardens at relatively affordable prices.

The move is not without its drawbacks, with residents citing bureaucracy, higher electricity bills and taxes on homes and waste.

Nevertheless, Maltese residents have developed a close-knit community, regularly meeting for feasts, social events and trips around the island.

The influx has also caught the attention of locals, with some Maltese residents saying increased demand from buyers in Malta is contributing to higher property prices in parts of southern Sicily.

– Photo Pexels –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS/MNA) – “Having joined Paris Saint-Germain at the age of ten, Ibrahim Mbaye has left the club after eight seasons, during which he rose through the ranks to win eight trophies with the first team. The 18-year-old now joins Aston Villa on a permanent transfer.” This is how Psg bade farewell to Mbaye, confirming his move to Aston Villa.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

BERGAMO (ITALPRESS) – Atalanta has officially announced that it has reached an agreement for the transfer of the player Honest Ahanor to Chelsea. “The agreement stipulates that the player will join the Blues’ squad in 2027,” the Bergamo club stated. The news was confirmed by the London club.

“Chelsea has reached an agreement with Atalanta for the transfer of the Italian defender Honest Ahanor. The defender who will join will make the deal official in 2027,” the English club’s profile reads. The transfer will be for approximately €48 million, according to British media reports. This season, however, the player is expected to go on loan to Crystal Palace.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

TRIPOLI (LIBYA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – A delegation of 42 participants, representing 34 Italian companies – expected to grow with the participation of other entities – will take part in the “Benghazi Urban” initiative, dedicated to the redevelopment and urban development of the Libyan city’s historic center. Nicola Colicchi, president of the Italian-Libyan Chamber of Commerce, announced the initiative in an interview with Italpress.

“We have strong ties with the economic system of eastern Libya. We have worked hard to have our say in the redevelopment and planning of the city’s future urban development, especially because the entire historic center of Benghazi has Italian origins, with Italian styles, names, and architecture. Therefore, at the national level, it is important for us to contribute and be protagonists in the city’s rebirth,” Colicchi stated.

According to the president of the Italian-Libyan Chamber of Commerce, 34 companies have officially been registered, but the actual number of participants will be higher: “There will be another dozen companies present with only staff, who send a representative. In fact, there are 42 participants, plus another five arriving the following day.”

The initiative is part of the broader process of reconstruction and economic revitalization of Libya, with particular attention to Benghazi, where the Italian-era architectural and urban planning influence is a central element of identity for the ongoing redevelopment projects.

An additional five representatives of Italian companies are also expected on the second day of the mission. Currently, the companies that have officially participated are:
Arcadia; Bis67; Buro Milan; Cementi Innovative; DRA&U; Elifly; Englobe; European Engineering; Med-el; MyPersonalWasher; Studio Bodega; Studio Capaldini; Studio Maroni; TES; Visionitalia; Semaforica; Tema; General Smontaggi; Modenese; A.D. Costruzioni; Pasqualucci Costruzioni S.p.A.; Compir; Eureka; Sikelia; Imesi; Artelia S.p.A.; Emip; Cusano University; Polistamp; Medical Farm; Sestito Engineering System; Tekton; 4 Luglio and Speri.

– photo Italpress –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ALGIERS (ALGERIA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Twenty people were injured following a fire that broke out overnight in a residential building in the city of Aïn Defla, in the Algerian province of the same name. According to the Algerian Civil Protection service, the fire started at 1:57 a.m. at the electrical meters of an eight-story building in the AADL Ech-Challah residential complex. The affected individuals, aged between 4 and 70, were in a state of shock; they received assistance and were transported to the local hospital. Civil Protection teams responded with three ambulances, a fire truck, and a mechanical ladder truck.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

TUNIS (TUNISIA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Tunisian President Kaïs Saied reiterated the need to revise the Association Agreement between Tunisia and the European Union to make it “more balanced and fair.”

He made this statement during a meeting with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, received on August 31 at the Palais de Carthage, according to the official website of the Presidency of the Republic of Tunisia. During the meeting, Saied emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation between Tunisia and Germany, particularly in the fields of higher education, scientific research, vocational training, energy, and technological innovation.

The Tunisian president also raised the issue of converting loans into investments, arguing that the Tunisian people would not adequately benefit from such financing and that part of the resources would be allocated differently, resulting in significant costs for the country.

Saied finally highlighted the historic nature of the friendly relations between Tunisia and Germany, which this year celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, underscoring the need for new approaches based on freedom and justice to ensure stability and security.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MIAMI (USA) (ITALPRESS) – The World Cup final defeat against Spain on July 19 will be Lionel Messi’s last match for Argentina. The 39-year-old Rosario native announced his decision on Instagram to end his long career with the Albiceleste.

He did so with a post he revealed at the end he wrote two days after that match, but “today, after what happened to my father, I’m even more convinced than before,” a reference to the death of his father, Jorge.

Messi is therefore retiring from the national team, a decision he confesses “that hurt and still hurts me deeply, but I understand the time has come. I swear to you that I’ve always given everything, not just in the last few years, when we won everything, but even before that. I’ve always fought and given my all for this shirt, to bring you joy and make you feel proud to be Argentinians through football.”

At 39, Messi knows that there are stages in his career that are “coming to a close, and this is one of those that hurts me the most. I love, have loved, and will always love being in the national team. But I’m now empty, I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are some very talented players coming up behind me who deserve to be there.”

“Thank you for all the affection you’ve shown me over these 20 years,” Messi, whose Seleccion debut came in August 2005 under Pekerman, wrote. “I will sorely miss hearing from you and experiencing your support from on the pitch. Now I will be one of you, always cheering and supporting me from outside (in good times and bad, even more so). Thank you to my family for always being there, for accompanying me on this journey, as wonderful as it is difficult. Thank you to all the coaches, teammates, and managers with whom I’ve been fortunate enough to share this journey. I carry with me unforgettable memories and moments. I leave with the serenity and pride of having given you, together with my teammates, dream moments. It was crazy to be able to experience them with you. I love you! Thank you God for making me Argentine.”

Messi thus ends his long spell in the Seleccion after 207 matches and 125 goals, with six World Cups played (one won in 2022 in addition to the finals lost in 2014 and 2026) and two editions of the Copa America won.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Judge Edwina Grima has reminded jurors in the Yorgen Fenech murder trial that any reasonable doubt must be resolved in favour of the accused, as she continued her detailed review of the evidence.

Fenech is accused of complicity in the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who was killed in a car bomb explosion in Bidnija in October 2017. A conviction could result in a life sentence.

Addressing the jury, Judge Grima began summarising testimony heard over 53 days of proceedings. She stressed that her account should not replace the jurors’ own recollection or consideration of the evidence.

“What I am telling you is not gospel,” the judge said, reminding jurors that they are the “sovereign judges” of the facts.

She began with Assistant Commissioner Keith Arnaud, one of the investigation’s lead officers, who testified about the immediate response to the assassination and the subsequent forensic investigation.

The court heard that international forensic experts were brought in to assist Maltese investigators and that surveillance points overlooking Caruana Galizia’s Bidnija home were identified.

Judge Grima also recalled testimony from Caruana Galizia’s son Matthew, who described his mother briefly returning home after forgetting her chequebook before leaving again, moments before her car exploded.

Scene-of-Crime officers divided the area into 28 sectors to document and collect evidence. A post-blast examination concluded that the explosive device had been placed beneath the driver’s seat.

The judge also reviewed evidence concerning a suspicious white vehicle seen in Bidnija, the forensic examination of Caruana Galizia’s mobile phone and analysis of mobile numbers linked to the investigation.

She recounted the arrests of the three men convicted in connection with the killing and evidence concerning intercepted communications, the bomb and the alleged involvement of middleman Melvin Theuma.

Theuma secretly recorded conversations with Fenech and later sought a presidential pardon in exchange for testimony. According to evidence summarised by the judge, Theuma claimed Fenech had asked him to find George Degiorgio and said he wanted Caruana Galizia killed.

Judge Grima also revisited evidence concerning Theuma’s contacts with former government chief of staff Keith Schembri and the events leading to Fenech’s arrest at Portomaso as he attempted to leave Malta by yacht.

Police searches of Fenech’s properties and recordings supplied by Theuma also formed part of the evidence being reviewed.

Earlier in the afternoon, Caruana Galizia’s father, Michael Vella, attended a sitting for the first time during the trial.

Judge Grima’s address is the final stage before jurors retire to deliberate on the verdict.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews