VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Prime Minister Robert Abela met European Commissioner for the Environment Jessika Roswall in Valletta to discuss Malta’s environmental challenges and long-term sustainability strategy.

During the meeting, Abela underscored the country’s structural constraints, including water scarcity, limited land space and insularity, noting their continued impact on national development and infrastructure planning.

He highlighted Malta Vision 2050 as a key framework to tackle these issues through practical sustainability measures. The strategy prioritises environmental protection, water security, the circular economy and efficient resource use, aiming to enhance quality of life, resilience and economic competitiveness.

Addressing water scarcity, Abela said Malta has invested in strengthening its water system, pointing to initiatives such as the New Water programme designed to support the agricultural sector.

The Prime Minister also outlined efforts to expand the circular economy, including waste separation initiatives, a beverage container refund scheme and investment in facilities like the EcoHive Complex, alongside increased public awareness campaigns.

Environment Minister Miriam Dalli and the Prime Minister’s adviser on European affairs, Leandro Borg, were also present for the meeting.

– Photo DOI –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

BARCELONA (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – Closing the La Liga issue as soon as possible, renewing his contract, and then pursuing his dream of the Champions League. These are Hansi Flick‘s goals, today at a press conference on the eve of the home match against Celta Vigo, the 33rd matchday of the Spanish top league. “La Liga is the only competition we have left. We’ve had a couple of days off to clear our heads. The atmosphere is fantastic, but we need to transmit it on the pitch and give our all. We need to learn from defeats and from every match. I feel the team is in great spirits,” Flick said, indicating that the disappointment of the Champions League elimination in the derby against Atlético Madrid has at least been partially overcome. “The team is young. The elimination was painful. But we have to give our best in the next matches and also in next season. I’m proud of my team. We’re focused on La Liga; we have an advantage, but it’s not over yet. It won’t be easy. We want to play our best and give everything. The elimination was painful, but everyone is proud of the team because they gave everything.”

The future, having said that he speaks “with Deco every day, on the pitch or on the phone” and that planning for next season is already being discussed, Flick focuses on his future, starting from the present. “I had a fantastic time with the national team and with Bayern… but here I feel that everything around me is top notch. Looking around, if I think about my career and my family, I’m very happy. The feeling is fantastic: the atmosphere in the dressing room is wonderful. The Champions League is a motivation. It’s the club’s and the fans’ dream. We need to stay united and try again and again; I hope it will come soon.” The German, therefore, is ready to remain at the helm of the club. “My plan is to renew. I’m very honest; it will be the last step of my career, and I feel great here. I’d like to renew, but this isn’t the time to talk about it now. For me, winning the Champions League with Barça is a huge dream. I want two things: the first is to win the Champions League. And I think we can do it by making the right decisions, including in the transfer market. We have the potential to improve, but we already have a good structure. The second thing I want is to be in charge of the team when the stadium work is completed. I’m very happy and satisfied with how Barça is working; it’s like being part of a big family. Now we have to focus on what remains to be done.”

– photo IPA Agency –

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Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta will stop accepting new applications for all-inclusive resorts, most hostels, and lower-tier hotels under sweeping tourism reforms set to take effect in June.

A legal notice outlines the new framework, following a public consultation launched last November. The changes also scrap a controversial rule allowing hotels to exceed local height limits by two floors.

Tourism Minister Ian Borg said the reforms aim to improve quality across the sector. “These regulations will raise standards across all accommodation categories, ensuring that we continue to meet and exceed our visitors’ expectations,” he said.

Under the new rules, the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) will no longer consider applications for one- and two-star hotels or all-inclusive resorts, particularly those proposed in Outside Development Zones (ODZ). Hostels will only be approved if linked to educational institutions and limited to 40 beds in residential areas.

Borg cited misuse of hostels to house foreign workers as a key driver behind tighter restrictions.

Caps have also been introduced: hotels will be limited to 200 rooms, guesthouses to 20 rooms, and short-term rentals to a maximum of 10 guests per property or two per bedroom. Dormitory-style accommodations will be refused outright.

The reforms introduce a new “diffuso” label, allowing accommodation providers to operate across multiple converted buildings within the same locality, sharing centralised services.

Short-term rental operators face stricter obligations, including mandatory signage with licensing details, 24/7 contact availability, and waste management plans. Air conditioning is now required, while sofa beds and underground rooms are banned.

Operators without a valid MTA licence risk a three-year disqualification and additional penalties. Properties failing to meet the new standards will not be licensed.

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Source: medNews

LONDON (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – Cristian Romero’s season is already over, and it’s a major blow for Tottenham. The team coached by De Zerbi, currently fighting to avoid a shocking relegation, will have to do without their defensive leader and one of the Spurs fans’ favorites.

The former Genoa and Atalanta player, born in 1998, has been at the club since 2021, but according to reports from the English outlet CaughtOffside, his future could lie elsewhere, especially in the event of relegation.

The club may decide to put one of its most valuable assets on the market, with his price tag estimated between €60 and €65 million. The Argentine defender is under contract with Tottenham until 2029, but the club may need to raise funds and could give in to interest from Atlético Madrid, managed by Diego Simeone, a long-time admirer of his fellow countryman.

According to the same source, Real Madrid are also interested, while Manchester United have been monitoring him for some time in the Premier League.

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Source: medNews

BARCELONA (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – “We’re happy with Bastoni, we’re happy with what he has given to Inter, and I’m sure he will continue to give us a lot. If someone is interested in Bastoni, they know the phone numbers.” Yesterday, Piero Ausilio summed up the ongoing saga surrounding the Nerazzurri defender, who for months has been increasingly linked with Barcelona.

Mundo Deportivo continues to fuel the story, explaining that the Blaugrana are the only club the Italian international centre-back would say yes to, partly because he is fascinated by Flick’s work (“He never misses his matches,” MD says) and by the Catalan city.

This would be the reason why he is not willing to talk to other interested clubs such as Manchester City last summer and Liverpool now, according to the Barcelona-based newspaper. Bastoni has reportedly made his stance clear to his agents: “Barça or I stay at Inter.”

Negotiations between the player and the Spanish club are said to be at an advanced stage, with only Flick’s final approval still missing. Negotiations between the player and the Spanish club are said to be at an advanced stage However, Ausilio’s words serve as a reminder that Inter are waiting for a call and, according to Mundo Deportivo, the Nerazzurri have set a valuation of between €70 and €80 million for the player.

– Photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

METZ (FRANCE) (ITALPRESS) – Having survived the Crans-Montana fire last New Year’s Eve, despite suffering serious burns, 19-year-old Tahirys Dos Santos has signed his first professional contract with Metz, committing himself to the club until 2027. A product of the club’s youth academy, where he joined at the age of 8, he returned to play with the second team on April 11.

“I am very happy and proud to sign my first professional contract with the club where I trained,” he said. “It is the result of many years of work, sacrifice, and determination to achieve my childhood dream. This moment is even more special after the difficult months I spent in the hospital. This experience has made me stronger and taught me to never give up. I want to send my support to all those who are still fighting: never lose hope.”

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LONDON (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – Bournemouth have chosen Marco Rose. The 49-year-old German coach, who has signed a three-year contract, will take over next season from Andoni Iraola, who recently announced his departure from the Cherries, who he had led since 2023 and with whom he could earn a place in European competition this year. Rose was free after being sacked in March 2025 by Leipzig, with whom he had won the German Cup and the German Super Cup in 2023. The German coach also coached Borussia Moenchengladbach from 2019 to 2021 and then, in the 2021-22 season, Borussia Dortmund.

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Source: medNews

BUCHAREST (ROMANIA) (ITALPRESS) – Gheorghe Hagi will take over the legacy of Mircea Lucescu, who passed away on April 7, as Romania’s coach. The former Barcelona, ​​Real Madrid, Brescia, and Galatasaray star has signed a four-year contract and will be tasked with reviving a national team that missed out on the next World Cup, having been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Turkey.

This is a return for Hagi, having already held the position of coach in 2001, albeit only for four matches. The former number 10, who led Farul Constanta to the Romanian title in 2023, will make his debut in the June friendlies against Georgia and Wales, followed by the Nations League, with Romania drawn in a group that also includes Sweden, Bosnia, and Poland.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – An independent fiscal watchdog has urged the Maltese government to rein in rising expenditure, warning against further increases in what it described as “non-productive spending”.

In its annual report to Finance Minister Clyde Caruana, the Malta Fiscal Advisory Council said recent budgets have been marked by persistently high spending alongside permanent revenue-reducing measures.

While acknowledging the government’s commitment to keep the deficit below the EU’s 3% of GDP threshold and maintain debt well under 60% of GDP, the council raised concerns over how public funds are allocated.

It noted that improvements in the fiscal balance have largely been driven by strong revenue growth, cautioning that such conditions may not last if economic circumstances weaken.

The council recommended tighter spending controls to preserve fiscal space and allow flexibility for future adjustments, stressing the need to prioritise efficiency and long-term sustainability in public finances.

Labour market conditions remain robust, with employment rising by 3.9%, supported by continued immigration flows. Unemployment has fallen to historically low levels, hovering near 3%.

However, the report highlighted that Malta’s economic growth continues to rely heavily on domestic demand, fuelled by both private and government consumption, a trend expected to persist in the near term.

While this has supported short-term growth, the council warned of risks, including pressure on infrastructure, strain on public finances, and limited gains in productivity and competitiveness.

It reiterated the need to gradually shift towards a more export-oriented growth model, calling this transition a “pressing strategic priority”.

The council said boosting exports will require sustained investment in innovation, diversification, productivity, and the strengthening of competitive sectors.

Expanding Malta’s export market share, it added, is essential to enhancing long-term economic resilience and growth.

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Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – Transfer rumors aren’t fazed by José Mourinho. The 64-year-old Portuguese coach of Benfica has been linked in recent days with Real Madrid, which, barring a Barcelona collapse, appears destined to end the season with “zero titles.”

This is why Alvaro Arbeloa’s future as Los Blancos coach is in serious jeopardy, so much so that president Florentino Perez is reportedly considering a return for the Special One.

He has always admitted to enjoying a successful period in his career in Madrid (from 2010, immediately after the treble with Inter, to 2013, the year he returned to Chelsea), despite never winning a “tenth” Champions League title, but he did win a La Liga title, a domestic cup, and a Spanish Super Cup with the Merengues.

According to ‘Marca’, however, the rumors remain just that for now because the Spanish club hasn’t reached out to the former Roma manager, who is focused solely on Benfica. His priority is to finish the season well, and, at least publicly, he’s avoiding discussing his future.

“Can I guarantee I’ll be at Benfica next season? I spoke about it two months ago, weeks ago, and a few days ago. I can’t guarantee what will happen,” Mourinho recently responded at a press conference, although many are betting on his return to Real Madrid.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews