ROME (ITALPRESS) – As a deterrent against time-wasting, FIFA is considering introducing a new rule: a mandatory two-minute stay off the pitch for any player who requests medical staff intervention for an alleged injury. The idea was discussed by Pierluigi Collina, FIFA’s head of referees, in an interview with Qatari radio station Al Kass, as reported by Al Jazeera.

The new rule will be tested at the Arab Cup, held in Qatar from 1 to 18 December. The goal is to discourage players who simulate injuries, as this would force their team to play with ten men for two minutes—unless the opposing player responsible for the foul is booked or sent off, or if the injured player is the goalkeeper.

FIFA is also reportedly considering additional measures to speed up the game, such as enforcing the 8-second limit for goalkeepers to put the ball back into play. Failure to comply would result in a corner kick for the opposing team. This rule was successfully tested at the recent Under-17 World Cup, where referees never found themselves needing to penalize goalkeepers.

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(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews

LISBON (PORTUGAL) (ITALPRESS) – “Who mentioned Dybala? You’ll have to ask the journalist who reported that, because it’s not true.” Manuel Rui Costa, former Fiorentina and AC Milan star and current president of Benfica, thus dismisses rumors of Portuguese interest in the Argentine striker from Roma, who was coached by Mourinho at the Giallorossi, now coach of the Eagles.

According to “A Bola,” there have actually been informal contacts to explore the possibility of signing Dybala in January, but the financial conditions are not met: the Argentine earns around 6-7 million euros net per season, while at Benfica the salary cap is set at just over two million.

– photo IPA Agency –

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Source: medNews

MEXICO CITY (MEXICO) (ITALPRESS) – Sergio Ramos has decided to leave Monterrey once his contract expires at the end of the year.

According to El Chiringuito, the former Real Madrid defender will not renew his contract with Monterrey, which expires at the end of 2025, and will leave the club at the end of the Torneo de Apertura. However, it won’t be his last experience: despite being 39, Ramos has no intention of retiring.

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Source: medNews

SAO PAULO (BRAZIL) (ITALPRESS) – A heroic Neymar. Despite the meniscus tear that, according to the Brazilian press, should have prevented him from playing for the final matchdays of the season, the 33-year-old former PSG striker played for Santos, making a decisive contribution with a goal and an assist in the 3-0 win over Sport Recife. A vital victory for Peixe, who leaves the relegation zone.

“Physically I’m fine, I’m gradually feeling better. This injury saddens and bothers me, but it’s nothing that can prevent me from playing. Now I’m thinking about Santos, leaving it where it deserves to be, in Serie A. Then we’ll see what to do,” he said regarding his future.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta will maintain its “fair but firm” migration policy as the EU moves toward implementing its new Migration and Asylum Pact, Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri said on Saturday at the close of the 9th MED5 ministerial meeting in Malta.

Camilleri, who chaired the talks among his counterparts from Italy, Spain, Greece, and Cyprus, said the five Mediterranean frontline states reinforced their shared view that Europe’s external borders and return systems must be strengthened for the pact to work.

“Today we have adopted a strategy that is fair but firm,” he said. “If someone does not have a legitimate claim to asylum, we are strict and we return them.”
He noted Malta’s significant increase in returns, rising from 2% to over 80% this year.

Camilleri said MED5 has matured into a coordinated bloc capable of shaping EU migration policy. “We go to the European Council as Mediterranean states with a clear and united voice,” he said.

The European Commission’s First Annual Migration Management Report confirmed that Greece, Italy, Spain, and Cyprus remain under substantial migratory pressure, though Malta is no longer listed.

Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said frontline states remain the most exposed to irregular arrivals and stressed the need for effective EU solidarity, including better pre-departure training and legal pathways.

Greece’s Dimitris Kairidis highlighted his country’s recent law criminalising illegal stay, saying it has helped cut irregular entries by up to 50% in three months. “But border protection alone is not enough,” he cautioned.

Spain’s Fernando Grande-Marlaska said MED5 cooperation is essential to ensuring EU policy balances solidarity and responsibility.

Cyprus deputy minister Nicholas Ioannides urged that the pact be translated into “operational reality,” including stronger returns and cooperation with origin countries.

European Commissioner for Home Affairs Magnus Brunner acknowledged the pact’s imperfections but said it would help the EU “control who enters” once fully implemented by June 2026.

Camilleri closed the summit by reiterating Malta’s stance: “We want to help people who are truly in need. But when someone abuses the system, we must be firm.”
The MED5 now turns to the December Home Affairs Council for final migration-reform negotiations.

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Source: medNews

RABAT (MOROCCO) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The first African Summit on Health Systems and Health Sovereignty has opened in Dakhla, bringing together more than 200 experts and over 1,000 participants connected remotely. The event is organized by the Mohammed VI Foundation for Science and Health (FM6SS).

The summit aims to craft a shared vision to strengthen Africa’s health systems, with a focus on epidemiology, infrastructure, training, governance, and research. Its goal is to reinforce networks of expertise and improve access to healthcare across the continent.
Speaking at the opening session were the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Azeddine El Midaoui, FM6SS Deputy Director Youns Bjijou, and numerous institutional and academic leaders from across Africa.

The programme includes thematic panels on health priorities, integrated information systems, organizational models, and healthcare financing. Parallel sessions will also take place at the Mohammed VI Campuses in Casablanca and Rabat, dedicated to innovation and partnerships.

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Source: medNews

RABAT (MOROCCO) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Morocco’s Minister of Economy and Finance, Nadia Fettah, emphasised that the country’s development trajectory is inseparable from that of the African continent. She spoke at the closing session of the 2025 Africa Investment Forum (AIF), attended by the president of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Sidi Ould Tah.

“Morocco, guided by the vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, is advancing rapidly, but never alone. Our growth is an integral part of Africa’s growth,” she said. For more than twenty years, the Kingdom has pursued a strategy of growing, investing and progressing alongside the rest of Africa.

The 2025 edition of the Forum’s “Market Days” generated more than 15.2 billion dollars in investment interest across sectors including energy, infrastructure, transport, agribusiness, manufacturing and digital technologies. According to Fettah, the AIF reflects the image of an ambitious, interconnected Africa capable of proposing its own solutions.

“We need to mobilise more African capital, with partners who respect and understand our priorities,” she stressed, noting that the future of the global economy will run through the continent.

The 2025 Africa Investment Forum, held under the High Patronage of King Mohammed VI, took place from 26 to 28 November under the theme: “Bridging the Gaps: Mobilising Private Capital to Unlock Africa’s Full Potential.”

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Source: medNews

RABAT (MOROCCO) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The 22nd edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival opened Friday evening at the Palais des Congrès, marking the start of its 2025 programme, which runs until 6 December. The event kicked off with the traditional red carpet, where Moroccan and international stars paraded before a large crowd and media outlets from around the world.

The jury for this year’s official competition is chaired by South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon Ho, winner of both an Oscar and the Palme d’Or. He is joined by Karim Aïnouz, Hakim Belabbes, Julia Ducournau, Payman Maadi, Jenna Ortega, Celine Song and Anya Taylor-Joy. Together, they officially declared the 22nd edition open.

A highlight of the evening was a tribute to Egyptian and Arab cinema icon Hussein Fahmi, who received the Étoile d’Or presented by actress Youssra. The ceremony continued with the screening of Dead Man’s Wire, a Gus Van Sant film inspired by a true story.
Thirteen feature films from multiple continents are competing for the festival’s Golden Star, including works by Meryem Benm’Barek, James J. Robinson, Shih-Han Tsao, Akinola Davies Jr., Zamo Mkhwanazi and Siyou Tan.

The festival’s “Conversations” programme will host leading figures of global cinema, among them Bong Joon Ho, Guillermo del Toro, Andrew Dominik and Laurence Fishburne, as well as Bill Kramer (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences), Nadine Labaki, Kleber Mendonça Filho, Jafar Panahi and Tahar Rahim.

Running in parallel, the 2025 Ateliers de l’Atlas will present 22 projects and films in development or post-production from nine African and Arab countries, with a strong Moroccan presence.

In addition to honouring Hussein Fahmi, the festival will also pay tribute to Jodie Foster, Guillermo del Toro and Raouya, reaffirming its international scope and its commitment to celebrating major figures of world cinema.

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Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Senior socialist leaders from around the world convened in Malta this weekend as the country hosted the latest Council meeting of Socialist International.

Prime Minister Robert Abela opened the gathering by pitching Malta’s economic and social reforms as a model for centre-left parties seeking election-winning credibility and broad appeal.

“Elections are won or lost on the economy,” Abela told delegates, highlighting Malta’s performance and the €420 million package in the 2026 Budget, including tax cuts for parents, expanded social measures, business incentives and investment in artificial intelligence.

He cited free childcare, free public transport and pension tax reform as examples of policies that embody “social justice, opportunity and dignity at work”.

Warning against “sectional politics”, Abela urged socialist parties to build majorities rather than retreat into narrow constituencies. Standing alongside Spanish Prime Minister and Socialist International president Pedro Sanchez, he said Malta and Spain show that “progressive economics work”.

Abela also framed Malta’s foreign policy as active neutrality, recalling the country’s recent UN Security Council term and its recognition of Palestinian statehood. “Neutrality means we are partisan for peace,” he said.

The prime minister pointed to Labour’s record on civil liberties — including marriage equality and the ban on conversion practices — as proof that progressive politics can be translated into national priorities.

Delegates from Europe, Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East are attending the Malta summit, themed “Leading Together”. The Council is expected to adopt resolutions on democracy, peace and equality before closing on Sunday.

Malta’s Labour Party, which rejoined Socialist International in January after years of absence, is also hosting bilateral meetings on the summit’s fringes. The event will conclude with the presentation of the Peña Gómez Award.

– photo IPA Agency –

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Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Prime Minister Robert Abela met European Commissioner for Internal and Migration Affairs Magnus Brunner during the MED5 gathering in Malta, where ministers from five EU states discussed shared migration priorities.

Abela underlined the need to complement the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum with additional measures, including renewed momentum in negotiating the Repatriation Regulation. He also called for an EU-wide list of safe countries of origin to speed up returns of migrants who do not qualify for asylum.

The meeting was attended by Interior Minister Byron Camilleri, PM’s Office head of secretariat Col. Mark Mallia, and the Prime Minister’s advisor on European Affairs Leandro Borg.

Earlier, Brunner visited the Armed Forces of Malta Maritime Squadron and boarded patrol vessel P71, welcomed by Minister Camilleri.

During a bilateral meeting, Camilleri reiterated Malta’s strong stand against irregular migration. He highlighted a 93% drop in irregular arrivals over the past five years and a rise in repatriations to around 75%, attributing the results to government investment in prevention and returns.

Camilleri urged deeper cooperation with third countries and stressed the need for effective solidarity mechanisms, ongoing external border investments, and continued support from Frontex.

Brunner praised Malta’s efforts and described the country as a consistent voice within the Council. He called for swift agreement on the proposed repatriation rules and thanked Malta for its constructive role in shaping EU migration policy.

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Source: medNews