VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – An Ivorian national, 32, holding an Italian identity card was arrested by the police in Malta, and charged with multiple terrorism-related charges.
Facebook Messenger chats involving the suspect appeared to indicate that Mouhamadou Dosso was encouraging third parties to travel to France to carry out suicide bomb attacks.
The Ivorian was arrested on Thursday morning at approximately 5am on Triq Giovanni Barbara, Hamrun, after weeks of surveillance and intelligence analysis conducted across multiple police departments. The raid stemmed from information received by the police anti-terrorism unit.
The police surrounded two neighbouring properties associated with the suspect, confiscating several electronic devices, including servers, believed to be used in the distribution of extremist content. He was subsequently taken to the Police Headquarters in Floriana for further questioning.
Upon arraignment, he pleaded not guilty to various terrorist offences, including knowingly instigating terrorist acts and participating in an organisation to promote some political object by the use or display of physical force.
His legal aid lawyer did not request bail at the arraignment stage. The Magistrate remanded the Ivorian in custody.

– Photo Malta Police –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Maltese government announced a significant revamp of Maltàs tax system for 2025, promising to put “€550 million back in peoplès pockets” while simultaneously reducing energy subsidies. While presenting the Budget speech for 2025, Finance minister Clyde Caruana announced a comprehensive tax reform raises the zero-tax threshold to €12,000 for single taxpayers, while married couples will now enjoy tax-free earnings up to €15,000. Parents will benefit from a new €13,000 threshold. During the Budget speech, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana said other EU countries are introducing more taxes. He showed an online article quoting Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti, Italian Minister of Economy and Finance declaring that the Italians will be asked to do more sacrifices in 2025. However, these tax adjustments, that will cost the Maltese government 140 million, come alongside a significant reduction in energy support measures. Government spending on energy subsidies will decrease from €300 million to €175 million in 2025, despite ongoing cost-of-living pressures faced by ordinary households. The budget presentation was notably interrupted by Moviment Graffitti protesters, accusing the government of “dancing to the tune of developers.” They raised concerns about the influence of property developers on government policy. Their dramatic demonstration inside the Parliament Chamber, highlighted growing public anger about the direction of Maltàs economic development.
The government’s economic strategy appears firmly focused on meeting EU fiscal targets, with plans to reduce the deficit to below 3% of GDP by 2026 – a year ahead of schedule. This achievement, however, comes as public debt is projected to reach €13.5 billion by 2027.
GDP growth is expected to remain robust at 4.3-4.5% over the next three years, significantly above EU averages. Yet questions remain about how this prosperity will be distributed, particularly as the gap between government revenue and expenditure is set to widen, with recurrent expenditure dropping to 27.5% of GDP by 2027 while revenue holds at 31.5%.
As part of a broader strategy aimed at balancing the growing demands on the pension fund with long-term sustainability, the government will be extending the required years of contributions for full pension eligibility from 41 to 42 years for individuals born in 1976 or later.
Addressing a press conference following the Budget speech, Prime Minister Robert Abela pledged to follow up the 2025 Budget with a series of “action plans” which, he said, would address the “major challenges that our country is facing.” Among other issues, he said, these would aim to address Maltàs tourism sector, pledging that Malta would no longer measure success by the volume of tourists that reach the country every year.
Abela insisted that the government would be implementing a number of short-term and medium-term solutions to traffic.
He said that Maltàs growing population and its impact on infrastructure was now the most important concern for the Maltese public, and insisted that the budget “was the start of an action plan to address and solve these challenges.” He also rejected suggestions that transforming Maltàs economy should “close the door to the construction sector.” Meanwhile, Opposition leader Bernard Grech said the Budget was an attempt by Robert Abela to save his political career in the shadow of Labour’s poor electoral result in last Junès European Parliament election. “The government knows what the peoplès problems are – the quality of life, infrastructure, over population, services, power cuts, drainage problems – the Budget fails to address these problems,” he said.
The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry said that while the Government has recognised the importance of quality over quantity, the Budget 2025 still lacks the necessary measures and economic vision to drive a major quality leap and a tangible improvement in the well-being of society.

– Photo Agenzia Fotogramma –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALY) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – “Our goal is on the one hand to relaunch collaborations that have been at a standstill for a long time and on the other to expand collaborations that have always continued and above all to explore together new forms of cooperation. I wanted to be here in Tripoli today to reiterate the commitment of Italy and the Italian Government to be alongside Libya and its people in this new reconstruction and development phase. Libya represents a major economic partner for Italy, our excellent trade relations are proof of this”. This was stated by the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, at the Italy-Libya Business Forum in Tripoli. “We consider the relationship with Libya a priority for Italy and Europe. We are convinced that the deep cooperation that binds us has not yet expressed its full potential. The relationships between our companies have never been interrupted and there is a common interest in leaping in quality, even compared to what we have done so far”, Meloni explained. Furthermore, “Italy is for Libya the privileged gateway to one of the largest energy markets in the world, the European one, made up of 500 million consumers. This offers us a double opportunity: to work to become a hub for energy flows between Italy, Africa, and Europe, a true supply and distribution hub and to be a pivot for the conjunction and connection of new interconnections, which must be infrastructural and economic, to which we are also giving voice through the Mattei Plan for Africa”, concluded the Prime Minister.
(ITALPRESS).
-Photo credit: Palazzo Chigi-

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Maltàs government debt has exceeded €10 billion for the first time, reaching €10.01 billion by September 2024. According to figures released by the National Statistics Office, the debt represents a substantial increase of €653.8 million compared to 2023, primarily driven by a €779.8 million rise in Malta Government Stocks. Additional increases were noted in Foreign Loans (€71.8 million) and Euro coins issued by the Treasury (€3.8 million). The government simultaneously reported a surplus of €142.3 million in its Consolidated Fund, painting a complex picture of the nation’s fiscal health ahead of today’s budget speech. Malta was placed under the EU’s Excessive Deficit Procedure in July 2024, alongside seven other member states. The Malta Fiscal Advisory Council (MFAC) added its voice to these concerns, particularly regarding the government’s energy subsidy policy. Finance minister Clyde Caruana recently indicated that energy subsidies are expected to cost €160 million in 2025, equivalent to 0.7% of GDP-a reduction from 1.4% in 2023.
Despite this, the government’s revenue collection saw substantial growth, with Recurrent Revenue reaching €5.49 billion, marking a €747.8 million increase from the previous year. The primary sources were: Income Tax: Up by €381.2 million, Value Added Tax: Increased by €158.4 million and Social Security: Rose by €106.7 million.
(ITALPRESS).
-. Photo credit: Malta Tourism Office-

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (MNA/ITALPRESS) – Malta’s population is now up to over 563,000 people, according to the latest national statistics.

The number of people in Malta has shot up by almost 21,000, or 4 per cent, in a year to reach 563,443 by the end of 2023. This figure stood at 542,051 a year earlier. This increase was mostly driven by immigration, which reached its highest ever level, with over 42,000 people moving to Malta throughout 2023.

Some 33,000 were third-country nationals including UK citizens, with almost 7,000 EU nationals also coming to live in Malta. Some 2,200 Maltese citizens also returned to Malta in 2023, after a spell living abroad.

Meanwhile, emigration has almost doubled from 13,000 in 2022 to over 21,000 the following year. Most people who left the country were third-country nationals, with 13,500 leaving the country throughout the year, along with 6,000 EU citizens and 1,700 Maltese.

Malta’s migration has also had an effect on the gender balance across Malta’s population. Women in Malta outnumbered men until 2013. Today there are 34,000 more men in Malta than there are women.

Much of this difference can be found amongst working age people between the ages of 20 and 50, which make up roughly half the population. In this group, there are 35,000 more men than women.

People over 60 now make up a just under a quarter of Malta’s total population.

4,462 babies were born in 2023, more than during any other year since 2016. Last year’s tally was 153 more than the previous year. In almost half of all births, the parent who gave birth was between the ages of 30 to 34, with a further one in five between 35 and 39, suggesting that fewer people are choosing to have children throughout their 20s.

Deaths throughout the year topped the 4,000 mark, but were lower than at any point since 2019, with Malta registering 200 fewer deaths last year compared to 2022.

Seven out of every ten deaths were among people over the age of 75.

Meanwhile, infant mortality has dipped to its lowest levels in the past 15 years, with just 16 deaths amongst infants under the age of one. This is half the high of 34 registered in 2008.

(ITALPRESS).

Foto; Agenzia Fotogramma

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (MNA/ITALPRESS) -The Maltese government confirmed that an evacuation plan is in place for the Maltese soldiers stationed in Lebanon, in case the present conflict intensifies.

Seven Maltese soldiers stationed in Lebanon, who voluntarily signed up for the six-month peacekeeping mission, are stationed close to the Israeli border. They are currently in Camp Shamrock together with Irish, Polish and Hungarian troops. The Maltese soldiers are part of a United Nations peacekeeping mission known as the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) which has around 10,500 peacekeepers from 50 contributing countries.

The Home Affairs ministry stated it is in close contact with the Maltese soldiers and

is ensuring that they are given the support and assistance they need, as well as ensuring their safety.

The Home Affairs ministry announced that Malta adopted a joint declaration which was signed by 14 other EU Member States that are participating in UNIFIL.

Home affairs ministers of the EU member states that are also part of UNIFIL held a meeting on 16 October in which the situation along the Israel-Lebanon border was discussed.

The ministry said Malta insisted on the importance of prioritising the safety of UNIFIL soldiers. After the meeting, Malta together with Austria, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Holland, Poland and Spain, adopted a declaration condemning the targeting of all UNIFIL peacekeepers and reminded that this was against the fundamental principles of international law.

In their declaration, the defence ministers of the member states of the EU contributing troops to UNIFIL expressed their grave concern regarding the escalation of violence along the blue line and the recent incidents targeting UNIFIL personnel and installations.

They also recalled that all actors have an obligation to take necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and property and to respect the inviolability of UN premises at all times.

Malta as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council is working closely with the EU and the international community to safeguard UNIFIL’s mandate.

Maltese soldiers have been participating in the peacekeeping mission since November 2018.

(ITALPRESS).

Foto: Agenzia Fotogramma

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (MNA/ITALPRESS) – The Commander of Operation Irini, Admiral Valentino Rinaldi, held key meetings in Brussels with senior EU representatives and ambassadors from the Political and Security Committee to discuss reinforcing the enforcement of the UN arms embargo on Libya.

Operation Irini, an EU-led mission launched in 2020, plays a critical role in preventing the flow of weapons into Libya. The mission operates in the central Mediterranean and conducts inspections of vessels suspected of carrying weapons. This arms embargo is critical to preventing further destabilization in Libya, where the flow of weapons has fueled conflict between rival factions. Despite several peace initiatives, weapons continue to reach Libyan factions, undermining efforts to build lasting peace.

Admiral Rinaldi also met with Daniel Markic, Director of the EU Intelligence and Operations Center, to improve cooperation between intelligence networks and enforcement agencies.

During his meetings, Admiral Rinaldi emphasized the need to focus on integrating real-time intelligence and satellite data into Irini’s operations, making arms enforcement more efficient and precise. This increased coordination aims to close loopholes and prevent smuggled arms from reaching Libya by air or sea.

While Operation Irini has achieved significant progress, it faces several challenges, including limited enforcement capabilities and persistent violations through land and air routes. Admiral Rinaldi reaffirmed the importance of EU unity and collaboration to overcome these challenges and ensure the mission’s effectiveness.

(ITALPRESS).

Foto: Agenzia Fotogramma

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanchè met in Hurghada with Sherif Fathy, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of the Arab Republic of Egypt, to reaffirm the long-standing cooperation between Egypt and Italy in the tourism sector.
During the meeting, both ministers underlined the importance of tourism as a key driver for social and economic development. They highlighted the need for vocational training and skills development to improve employment opportunities and support the growth of their respective tourism industries.
They also expressed their satisfaction with the inauguration of the Italian School of Hospitality in Hurghada, which aims to provide young Egyptians with world-class training in the tourism and hospitality sector. This initiative was developed in collaboration with Federturismo Confindustria, the Italian School of Hospitality and the Pickalbatros Group.
The two ministers welcomed this innovative model of collaboration between the private sector and public institutions of both countries, based on mutual benefit, and expressed their intention to explore ways to replicate it in other projects.
Highlighting the importance of tourism as a tool for peacebuilding, the two ministers also reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation between the ministries of tourism of Egypt and Italy through the exchange of information, expertise and best practices in tourism policies, in order to promote sustainable and high-quality growth in the tourism sector, identifying areas of joint action to fully exploit the potential of the tourism industry of both countries and fostering opportunities for collaboration between the tourism industries of Egypt and Italy.

– Photo Ministry of Tourism press office –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanchè has inaugurated the Italian School of Hospitality “Campus Enrico Mattei” in Hurghada, Egypt. The initiative, born in the context of the Mattei Plan for Africa promoted by the Italian government, is implemented by the Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with the Italian School of Hospitality, Federturismo Confindustria, the Italian Embassy in Egypt, PickAlbatros Holding and the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism. The project aims to support the local and international tourism sector, creating highly qualified professionals and promoting the exchange of skills between Italy and Egypt and is part of the broader perspective of cooperation and sustainable development within African countries.

Specifically, creating the “Campus Enrico Mattei” aims to develop managerial skills, promote operational excellence, incentivize innovation and sustainability, and ensure regulatory compliance. All this, through the training of highly qualified professionals in the hospitality sector, with two specializations; in the Management of Food & Beverage (F&B) and kitchen duties and the Management of the guest experience upon arrival and in catering.

Minister Santanchè defined this moment as “historic for the tourism sector in terms of international relations between Italy and Africa, at a time when cooperation and sustainable development are more important than ever.” She added that from today, the young Egyptians are given a new future and will be able to receive high-level training, thanks to Italian tutors and trainers. “They will acquire and strengthen their skills in the tourism sector to improve their job opportunities and meet the demand for a qualified workforce, first and foremost in Egypt, but also Italy, in particular by taking advantage of the regulations that favour the immigration of personnel trained abroad.”

Santanchè explained that this initiative, on the one hand, responds to the needs of the labour market, and on the other contributes to mutual growth. “Investing in training and professionalism in tourism means designing a prosperous sector, capable of generating opportunities and improving quality,” continued the minister, adding, “Italy, which excels in experience and expertise as recognized internationally, is ready to share successful models in training and professionalism in the sector”.

Santanchè concluded, “Considering the importance of training, the Ministry of Tourism has set up a dedicated department. And now, with this project placed in the context of the Mattei Plan, we aim for more international training which will lead to the creation of better experts also by exporting the Italian know-how to the entire Mediterranean region. Not only that: this school can be a bridge for peace because tourism helps people get to know each other and become friends”.

The Italian Ambassador Michele Quaroni declared: “I am particularly proud of the realization of the project of the Italian School of Hospitality in Hurghada to which the Embassy has actively contributed since the Italian Government presented the idea.” He explained, “The School, the result of collaboration between various Italian and Egyptian public and private actors, is a concrete demonstration of the great potential of the Mattei Plan for Africa and of the opportunities that can arise for Egypt and our country from its realization.” Quaroni explained that the school will help strengthen economic ties between the two countries and also promote controlled migration to Italy, with positive repercussions for the tourism industry operators on both sides of the Mediterranean”.

Giulio Contini, General Director of the Italian School of Hospitality announced that 100 students are participating and they will cover over 600 hours of theoretical/practical training with the same learning methodology applied in Italy through the alternation of demonstration lessons, workshops and internships with tutoring. He said that this will increase the awareness of the social impact resulting from the inclusion of local young people in training and job placement projects. “We are grateful to the Ministry of Tourism and all the partners who collaborated to make this project possible”, he added.

The President of Federturismo Confindustria, Marina Lalli reaffirmed how “training is the real ‘key’ in every country to restart the tourism sector and to provide workers with the knowledge and tools to be able to orient themselves in a complex world, but full of opportunities. She also emphasized that the Italian Hospitality School in Hurghada will train young Egyptians according to the Italian quality standards, “a source of great pride and satisfaction for us”. She added that the school inauguration is the result of a great cooperation between Italy and Egypt aimed at supporting the development of the hospitality sector of both countries and facilitating the insertion of these qualified resources into the labour market”.

The President of Pickalbatros, Kamel Abu Ali declared his happiness in welcoming the delegation of the Italian Ministry of Tourism in Hurghada. “This moment marks the success of the positive efforts we have made to bring this project to life. This school, in collaboration with our Italian friends, will provide much-needed qualified workers to the Egyptian and Italian markets. This school represents the historic and fruitful friendship and cooperation between Egypt and Italy”.

– Photo Ministry of Tourismo press office –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Cybersecurity and artificial intelligence were the main topics discussed during the event organized in Malta by Fortinet, a global leader in cybersecurity that promotes the convergence between networking and security.
The event was held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, in St. Julian’s, where Fortinet met Maltese partners and representatives from public entities and private businesses.
The event was opened by Cesare Radaelli, Senior Channel Director Italy and Malta of Fortinet: “It is a very important year for Fortinet,” he stated, “because we are pushing on different technologies such as Network Security, OT and SecOps.” Radaelli declared: “We decided to organize this event in Malta because here too we see a growing demand in terms of cybersecurity, and it is important for us to be increasingly present.” He continued, “customers need to focus on the most important issues while increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of their security infrastructures. The threats are growing. Beyond malware, we are seeing AI being used by cybercriminals to develop more refined attacks in terms of quality and execution time.”
During the forum, there were several interventions by the company’s partners and customers: “Our partnership with Fortinet,” explained Finian Massa, Strategic Marketing Manager at ICT Solution, “has been going on for 13 years now. We have seen the company grow and support many activities, not only Maltese ones. We are witnessing increasingly frequent cyber attacks and continuous threats. The support of a company like Fortinet certainly gives security and makes up for the lack of qualified personnel in the field of cyber security.” “The positive thing,” he continued, “that there is more awareness of these dangers, companies know the problem and are invited to invest more and more in cyber security with the support of the institutions that must do their part to regulate this sector”.
An important topic covered during the initiative was the one linked to the use of artificial intelligence in the fight against cyber threats, a tool that is revolutionizing the world but, as Marthese Vella, Chief Technology Officer at AX Group explained, this also hides many pitfalls. “Artificial intelligence,” Vella said, “is certainly a hot topic in cybersecurity. On the positive side, AI can significantly increase our ability to detect threats in real time, analyze large amounts of data, and automate incident responses. This means we can identify patterns much faster than traditional methods, allowing us to proactively address vulnerabilities before they are exploited. However, we also need to recognize the risks. Cybercriminals are increasingly using AI to develop more sophisticated attacks, creating challenges that can overcome our defenses. Ultimately, the key is to find a balance. We should leverage AI’s strengths while implementing strong security measures and ethical guidelines to mitigate its potential drawbacks. In this way, we can leverage AI as a powerful ally in our ongoing fight against cyber threats”.

– photo Fortinet –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews