VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The government is preparing recommendations to tackle the abusive use of deepfake technology, Prime Minister Robert Abela told members of the Parliament of Youths and the National Youth Council.

Deepfakes are realistic AI-generated videos, audio or images that depict people saying or doing things they never did.

Abela stressed the importance of the responsible use of artificial intelligence, saying the government is studying existing laws and drafting measures to prevent deepfakes from being used to bully, blackmail or harass individuals.

“We will work in the same way as we acted against cyberbullying and cyberstalking, to penalise the use of deepfakes to harm people,” he said.

The Maltese government’s approach mirrors action being taken internationally amid growing concern over AI abuse.

On Monday, UK media regulator Ofcom opened a formal investigation into Elon Musk’s X over its AI chatbot Grok, whose image-generation feature has been used to create sexualised deepfakes.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned that if X cannot control the tool, authorities will intervene swiftly, adding that companies profiting from harm risk losing the right to self-regulate.

The European Commission has ordered X to retain all internal documents and data related to Grok until the end of 2026, while EU officials said platforms will be required to prevent the generation of illegal content.

Several countries, including France, Malaysia and India, have also pushed back against the misuse of AI tools, calling for investigations and rapid takedowns of explicit images.

– photo DOI –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MADRID (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – According to the website of the newspaper “AS,” in fact, the unfortunate experience on the Blancos’ bench hasn’t made the world of football forget the good work Xabi Alonso did at Bayer Leverkusen.

This is why, the Madrid-based portal writes, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich are already hot on his trail. In the first case, Slot is having a difficult season with the ‘Reds,’ in the second there are doubts about Pep Guardiola’s continuity, while the third case is different, given that Vincent Kompany is doing very well at Bayern and recently renewed his contract until 2029. Yet AS includes the Bavarians in the race, while tending to rule out rumors that he could be linked with Tottenham and Manchester United.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

BARCELONA (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – “For me, Barça is the best club in the world, the only one that gives me goosebumps every time I sign a contract.” Joao Cancelo is finally ready to begin his second life at the Blaugrana. The 31-year-old Portuguese full-back, who arrives on loan from Al Hilal until June, will wear the number 2 jersey.

“I spoke to the club,” he said of his discussions with the Saudi club, “and they told me there was the possibility of leaving. Other teams were interested, but from the moment Deco called me, I said my first option would be Barça and that I would wait for them. Where does my passion for this club come from? Anyone who knows me knows that all my idols played for Barcelona. I watched Dani Alves run on the wing and wanted to be like him, and I was also inspired by Ronaldinho. And I really identify with this club because, right from the youth academy, they try to play a style of football that suits my abilities very well.”

Cancelo reunited with many of the players who were there two years ago. “I felt at home when I returned to the dressing room; they welcomed me very warmly. Barça is a winning club, it thrives on titles. The players have improved a lot, they’ve raised their game, and I think the squad is stronger now than when I was here. I had a good relationship with everyone. Pau Cubarsí, Fermin, Lamine, Raphinha, Ronald—everyone welcomed me very well, the others too. The group is very good. I’m really happy here.”

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MANCHESTER (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – Michael Carrick will be Manchester United’s new manager until June, replacing the dismissed Ruben Amorim. For the 44-year-old former midfielder—who made 464 appearances as a player and won five Premier League titles, one FA Cup, two League Cups, one Champions League, one Europa League, and one Club World Cup—this marks a return. After retiring in 2018, he joined the coaching staff of first Mourinho and then Solskjaer, taking charge of the Red Devils on an interim basis following the Norwegian’s dismissal for three games before Rangnick’s arrival. He then coached Middlesbrough from October 2022 until June of last year.

“Having the responsibility of leading Manchester United is an honor,” Carrick said. “I know what it takes to be successful here. My focus now is on helping the players reach the standards we expect at this extraordinary club, standards we know this group is more than capable of delivering. I have complete faith in their talent; there’s still a lot to strive for this season.” Wayne Rooney, who had been rumored to return, is currently not among the team’s staff.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MADRID (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – “Winning, winning, and winning again. It’s our DNA, it’s what has filled the showcases, and it’s the values ​​that were passed on to me as a footballer. It’s also my obsession.” Álvaro Arbeloa begins his adventure as the new Real Madrid coach, having been promoted yesterday from the Castilla team to the first-team bench after the split with Xabi Alonso. “It’s a special day for me,” the former full-back, flanked for the occasion by Emilio Butragueno, said at the press conference. “I’m 42 years old and I’ve spent 20 of them in this house, and it’s a truly special day. I’m aware of the responsibility I have and the task that awaits me, but I’m also full of enthusiasm.” For Arbeloa, everything happened very quickly, no friction with his friend Xabi Alonso (“I spoke to him, you all know how much I love him and respect him. The feeling is mutual, and will continue to be, he wished me the best and I did the same”) and he’s focused only on what’s ahead. “My contract? I’ll stay as long as Madrid wants me to. This is my home and always will be. I’m incredibly eager to get started, I have an extraordinary squad.”

“Here we have players who have won six Champions League titles, champions who seem to have been forgotten too quickly. We have great professionals, and no one wants to win more than them. I know what it means to be a Madrid player; the best time of my life was as a Real Madrid player.” Ready to exploit the products of the youth team he knows well (“I was lucky enough to work with many young players who brought me here”), with Pintus back on the staff (“it’s a privilege to have him”), the new coach of the Blancos also knows he will find himself managing a complicated locker room. “But with me, all the players start from scratch, it’s a new beginning for everyone,” retorts Arbeloa, who will make his debut tomorrow in the Copa del Rey against Albacete. “Vinicius? I’m incredibly lucky to have one of the most decisive players in the world. What I want to see is a Vinicius who has fun and dances.” The reference to the beautiful game is inevitable, but “Real Madrid has more than a hundred years of history, and it’s difficult for them to be recognized for playing well. Here, we have to win.”

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta says it will not be rushed into taking a stand on the growing international row over US President Donald Trump’s controversial statements about taking over Greenland. Foreign Minister Ian Borg said that with no unified European Union position on the matter, Malta sees no reason to be “presumptuous” in speaking first, especially as the republic is not a NATO member.

Borg told journalists that even the NATO secretary-general has yet to issue a formal stance, and the issue mainly concerns NATO states given Greenland’s status as part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Prime Minister Robert Abela earlier voiced worry about comments from Trump that appeared to hint at the possibility of the United States seizing Greenland by force. Abela described the rhetoric as “very worrying” given its implications for European territorial integrity and potential treaty obligations.

Malta has traditionally maintained military neutrality and, according to Borg, contributes to collective EU positions rather than simply echoing them. He pointed to Malta’s role in a joint EU declaration on Venezuela as an example of active engagement.

The Foreign Minister also reiterated that Malta will issue its own statement once a common EU stance is agreed. He declined to clarify whether he still stands by his past nomination of Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize, saying that was a decision tied to his former diplomatic role.

The controversy over Greenland has drawn strong reactions across Europe, with the territory’s government rejecting any US takeover “under any circumstance” and EU officials warning of serious implications for alliances if force were used.

For now, Malta continues to stress caution and unity within the EU before taking its official position on the unfolding diplomatic dispute.

– Ministry of foreign affairs of Malta –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

RIYADH (SAUDI ARABIA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) has awarded the contract for the extension of the Riyadh Metròs Red Line to a consortium led by Webuild, with the participation of L&T (India), NESMA (Saudi Arabia) and Alstom (France).
The project involves the design and construction of 8.4 km of new driverless metro line, including 1.3 km of elevated viaduct and 7.1 km underground. It also includes five stations, three of which will be underground, as well as all signalling systems. Tunnel excavation will be carried out using a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM).
The Red Line extension forms part of the world’s longest fully driverless metro network, developed by the RCRC and officially recognised as such by Guinness World Records. One of the project’s key objectives is to integrate the new section with the entire six-line driverless network, inaugurated in Riyadh last December. Spanning 176 km, the network is one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects in the world.
The new section will add two additional stations serving King Saud University and will provide access to newly developing areas of Riyadh. In particular, it will connect the existing Red Line and the wider metro network to Diriyah, Saudi Arabiàs first capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Diriyah is currently undergoing a major development project aimed at transforming the area into a leading cultural and tourism hub for the region, while preserving its history and traditional Najdi architecture.
The Webuild Group has a long-standing presence in Saudi Arabia, where it began operations in 1966. In Riyadh, the Group is currently involved in several projects, including a 10,500-space underground mega car park for the Diriyah Gate Development Authority. Completed projects include the Kingdom Centre in Riyadh, which won the 2002 Emporis Skyscraper Award for the world’s best skyscraper design, more than 70 healthcare facilities, and the Shoaiba-3 desalination plant, built by Fisia Italimpianti, a Webuild subsidiary specialising in water treatment and desalination.
Webuild has extensive experience in metro construction, with a global track record of more than 890 km of new lines delivered worldwide. Recent inaugurations include two new archaeological stations on Romès Metro Line C (Porta Metronia and Colosseo/Fori Imperiali), the final section of Milan’s M4 line, and the Thessaloniki Metro, Greecès first driverless line. Major projects currently under way include Lines 15 West and 16 of the Grand Paris Express in France, Lines 2 and 4 of the Lima Metro in Peru, and the Sydney Metro-Western Sydney International Airport project in Australia. In Italy, Webuild is nearing completion of the Capodichino station on Naples Metro Line 1 and has recently won the contract to build the new Naples Metro Line 10.

– Webuild press office photo –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MADRID (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – “This professional stage is over, and it didn’t go as we would have liked. Coaching Real Madrid has been an honor and a responsibility. I thank the club, the players and above all the fans and Madrid fans for their trust and support. I leave with respect, gratitude and pride that I did my best.” A few words, but no trace of resentment, for Xabi Alonso, who took to his Instagram page to bid farewell to Real Madrid fans after yesterday’s split.

Meanwhile, Jurgen Klopp, guest on Austrian TV channel Servus, immediately withdrew from the potential race for succession. “The divorce between Xabi Alonso and Real Madrid? This has nothing to do with me and doesn’t concern me at all,” emphasized the former Liverpool manager, who prefers to continue his role as coordinator of the Red Bull Group’s football-related activities. “Where I am now is the right place for me,” assured Klopp, though he was sorry for his Spanish colleague.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

AMSTERDAM (NETHERLANDS) (ITALPRESS) – It was supposed to be only an interim appointment, but instead, Fred Grim has earned the club’s trust and will lead Ajax until the end of the season. According to the Dutch press, this is the club’s decision to hand over the team to Grim following the dismissal of John Heitinga in early November. The new technical director, Jordi Cruyff, will choose a new coach for the 2026-2027 season.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ZURICH (SWITZERLAND) (ITALPRESS) – Starting from January 13, 2026, the FIFA Museum in Zurich will permanently display the FIFA Club World Cup trophy, allowing visitors to admire one of the most recent and significant symbols of world football.

The arrival of the trophy follows the inaugural edition of the FIFA Club World Cup, which last summer delivered 63 matches, 195 goals and a month of excitement across the United States, from Miami to Seattle and from Los Angeles to Philadelphia. The first champions, Chelsea, lifted the trophy in New York–New Jersey, marking the beginning of a new era in top-level global football competitions.

“The trophy,” FIFA said in a statement, “will be exhibited in the museum’s Foundations Gallery, offering visitors a striking centerpiece that reflects the evolution of modern football. Its placement is no coincidence: the space pays tribute to FIFA’s original mission of promoting international competitions and developing football worldwide. As a symbol of the latest development in global football, the trophy not only reflects these founding principles, but also strengthens the FIFA Museum’s mission to preserve and celebrate the heritage of the sport with the entire world.”

Designed by FIFA and created in collaboration with Tiffany & Co., the trophy reflects the ambition and boldness behind the new era of global football. Made of vermeil gold, it features detailed laser engravings depicting the rich history and culture of the sport, from expressive players and jubilant fans to FIFA’s founding date. As a global emblem, it includes inscriptions in 13 languages and in Braille, including Ancient Greek, Arabic, German, Hindi, Japanese, Latin, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian and others. The contemporary design and inclusive details of the trophy underline its role as the symbol of a competition created to unite clubs and fans from all over the world, FIFA concluded.

– Photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews