VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Mdina Cathedral Museum has unveiled a major addition to its cultural collection with the permanent installation of the Neapolitan Crib, an 18th-century ensemble featuring more than 300 handcrafted figurines. Widely regarded as a work of international calibre, the masterpiece places Malta on the map of world-class sacred art.

The historic collection was donated by Monsignor Dr Edgar Vella, whose decades-long dedication to preserving sacred art now enriches Malta’s national heritage.

Inaugurated this week, the crib will remain on display throughout the year. Its intricate Baroque craftsmanship and vivid portrayal of Neapolitan life have long drawn both the faithful and art enthusiasts.

“I decided to donate the whole collection to the Cathedral Museum to be put on permanent display,” Monsignor Vella said, describing the gift as a legacy of faith and beauty.

The Nativity, known as The Mistero, forms the heart of the installation: Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus are depicted within the ruins of a pagan temple, symbolising Christianity’s triumph over the old world. Surrounding them are angels, shepherds and the Magi in scenes rich with movement and colour.

Other tableaux include the Annunciation to the Shepherds, a bustling Tavern Scene, and symbolic settings such as the Fountain and Bridge, evoking themes of renewal, baptism and spiritual passage.

Crafted by leading Neapolitan artists of the Bourbon era, each terracotta figure — dressed in fine fabrics and shaped with expressive detail — reflects the union of artistic mastery and devotional storytelling.

Now housed in a dedicated gallery, the Neapolitan Crib joins the museum’s extensive holdings of manuscripts, reliquaries, vestments, prints and period furniture.
Though inaugurated at Christmastime, it is intended as a year-round invitation to reflection, celebrating a message of faith, culture and enduring artistic heritage.

– photo xf3/Italpress –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MADRID (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – Xabi Alonso’s bench is at risk. Yesterday’s defeat against Celta, which helped Barcelona overtake the top of La Liga, could represent a breaking point, so much so that, “Mundo Deportivo” revealed, there was a meeting of the club’s top management after the match to discuss the manager’s future.

Xabi Alonso, who arrived at the end of last season to replace Carlo Ancelotti and was already on the bench at the Club World Cup, will still have one chance: Wednesday’s Champions League match against Manchester City: another debacle could lead to a sensational dismissal. Also because Xabi Alonso’s future isn’t just tied to results: Real’s problems are said to be rooted in the dressing room and stem from Vinicius’s reaction to his substitution in the El Clasico. At that point, Los Blancos were unstoppable: 13 wins in 14 games.

Then, however, something snapped. Hence the decline that has called the coach himself into question, to the point that names of possible replacements are starting to circulate: from the dream of Klopp to a temporary return for Zidane, through internal solutions (Arbeloa, current coach of the second team, or Solari, previously called upon to replace Lopetegui and now technical director), up to Raul, still without a team.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LENS (FRANCE) (ITALPRESS) – Ligue 1 leaders Lens are aiming to further strengthen their position in January and are targeting Amadou Haidara. According to “La Voix du Nord,” the 27-year-old Malian midfielder is no longer in Leipzig’s plans and, since his contract is expiring in June, could be sold when the transfer window reopens to avoid losing him on a free transfer. However, this will require a financial effort from the player, whose salary, €3 million gross per season, is outside the limits of Lens’s policy.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

SEOUL (SOUTH KOREA) (ITALPRESS) – A South Korean court has sentenced a woman who blackmailed football star Son Heung-min to four years in prison. The 20-year-old woman will serve four years in prison, while her 40-year-old ex-partner was sentenced to two years in prison.

The woman had extorted 300 million won (about €175,000) from the player in June 2024 after sending him an ultrasound image and threatening to reveal that she was pregnant with his child, a claim that has never been proven. Then, between March and May of this year, she returned to the charge, demanding another 70 million won to keep the press and Son’s family from telling the press or Son’s family about the alleged pregnancy and subsequent abortion.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ABU DHABI (UNITED ARAB EMIRATES) (ITALPRESS) – Preparations are complete for the inaugural edition of the BRIDGE Summit 2025, a global media event that will bring together world leaders from the media, technology and creative industries from 8 to 10 December at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).

The summit is expected to welcome around 300 leading exhibitors from the fields of artificial intelligence, robotics and gaming, along with more than 400 international speakers. The programme will feature thematic panels, keynote talks, workshops and interactive sessions. Positioned as a unique event, BRIDGE Summit 2025 aims to serve as a major trade fair for the global media and entertainment industry.

Italy will play a prominent role through the participation of Fabrizio Romano, Luca Iandoli and Stephane Timpano, who will help position the country as a strategic international interlocutor.

Fabrizio Romano, one of the world’s most influential football journalists, will present a model of sports storytelling that bridges breaking news, digital platforms and global communities, with dedicated sessions on how sports media are changing language, timing and relationships with fans.

Luca Iandoli, Dean and Distinguished Chair at the Collins College of Professional Studies at St. John’s University, will focus on the future of media education and the use of artificial intelligence as a driver for new learning and innovation models.

Stephane Timpano, CEO of ASPIRE, Abu Dhabi’s advanced technology research institution, will concentrate on the links between cutting-edge research, robotics, sport and entertainment.

For the Italian media sector, BRIDGE 2025 represents a major opportunity for dialogue in a venue designed to shape the future of the content economy through the contribution of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

A closed-door diplomatic session is scheduled for the first day of the summit, bringing together leaders, policymakers and international experts under the auspices of UNESCO. Discussions will focus on information integrity in a world where rapid technological acceleration and digital influence are increasingly interconnected with political and economic decision-making processes.

During the summit, a partnership agreement will also be signed between the Emirati news agency WAM and the Italian news agency Italpress.
Italian Ambassador to Abu Dhabi, Lorenzo Fanara, expressed strong satisfaction with the initiative.

“The special attention given to Italy by the Abu Dhabi BRIDGE Summit,” Fanara said, “confirms the excellent level of Italian-Emirati relations. It is also significant that, on the margins of the Summit, an agreement will be signed, which the Embassy has facilitated, between Italpress and the Emirati news agency WAM.”

-Photo from the Bridge Summit website-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

NEW YORK (USA) (ITALPRESS) – Inter Miami is the first-ever Major League Soccer champion: led by Lionel Messi, who added two more assists and was named the American league’s MLS player of the year, the Florida club—led by Javier Mascherano and co-owned by David Beckham—defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 in the final, with Thomas Muller on the pitch.

Taking the lead early thanks to an own goal by Ocampos, Inter Miami conceded an equalizer from Ahmed on the hour mark. Messi and his teammates responded immediately, with an old acquaintance of Italian football. Former Udinese player Rodrigo De Paul scored the 2-1 with an assist from Messi, his 48th career triumph for club and country combined. Allende made it 3-1 in stoppage time.

There was a huge celebration at the final whistle, with Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba also celebrating, having officially ended their careers with a triumph. “The MLS title is a coveted prize,” Messi said. “The team gave it their all and achieved their goal. I’m happy for Sergio and Jordi; they’re friends to whom I wish all the best.”

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MEXICO CITY (ITALPRESS) – Sergio Ramos is leaving Monterrey. The 39-year-old former Real Madrid defender has announced his departure from the Mexican club, which he had been linked to since February following their 3-2 elimination in the semifinals of the opening tournament, the “winter championship,” against Toluca.

“Yes, it was my last game here,” Ramos said after the match. There is no indication of his future, although local media are speculating on Ramos’s return to Europe to try and secure a sensational call-up to the Spain squad for the next World Cup.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – S&P Global Ratings has confirmed Malta’s sovereign credit rating at ‘A’ with a stable outlook, citing improving public finances and strong economic fundamentals.

The agency said Malta is likely to exit the EU’s Excessive Deficit Procedure as its fiscal position strengthens, with the deficit forecast to fall to 2.9% next year.

Public debt is expected to drop below 40% of GDP in the coming years, supported by robust government revenues despite years of elevated spending, notably on energy subsidies.

Economic growth is projected to slow to 3.5% this year, but this remains well above the Eurozone average of 1.3%, underlining Malta’s relatively strong performance.

S&P noted a sharp decline in non-EU foreign workers, from 22,000 in 2022 to 11,000 in 2024, following tighter restrictions, warning that labour shortages could weigh on future growth.

The report highlighted improving fiscal balances after pandemic-era deficits, driven by strong tax income from iGaming and financial services, with the current deficit of 5.1% expected to fall below 3% by 2026.

Interest costs were described as low and sustainable, at 4.1% of government revenue.

However, the agency warned that fixed energy prices remain a significant fiscal risk, while competitiveness in financial services and iGaming, as well as governance standards, will be key to maintaining the rating.

S&P concluded that Malta’s strong external position, supported by tourism and services exports, justifies maintaining the ‘A’ rating with a stable outlook.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LEEDS (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – “I’m very disappointed. I’ve done so much for this club, especially last season. I feel like the club has abandoned me”. These were the words of Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, speaking to journalists after the Reds’ draw away against Leeds — a match the Egyptian watched from the bench. “From where I stand, it looks like they want to get rid of me, making me out to be the team’s problem”.

Then, regarding manager Arne Slot, he added: “I had a good relationship with him. Suddenly, that relationship was gone. I don’t know why. It seems like someone doesn’t want me at the club”, Salah concluded.

– Photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MUNICH (GERMANY) (ITALPRESS) – Harry Kane is calling Marc Guehi to Bayern Munich. According to the Bavarian newspaper “Tz,” the English striker is reportedly trying to convince his international teammate, whose contract with Crystal Palace expires at the end of the season, to join him in Bavaria.

This pressure has borne fruit in the past: Kane did the same with Eric Dier, who later moved from Tottenham to Bayern. Guehi is also among Liverpool’s targets, who, according to “Bild,” have also set their sights on the Bavarian club’s Michael Olise.

The Frenchman is reportedly on the Reds’ wish list, along with Juventus player Kenan Yildiz, Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, and Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews