LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Maltese Labour MEP Daniel Attard has asked for his parliamentary immunity to be lifted after learning he is named in a Belgian bribery investigation linked to Chinese tech firm Huawei.

The investigation centres on Attard’s attendance at a football match in September 2024, where he was invited to a corporate box by his Hungarian assistant. The invitation came from a person now under investigation, who reportedly raised Huawei-related topics during the match.

Attard said he was unaware the invitation was corporate or connected to Huawei. A follow-up meeting took place two weeks later in Strasbourg, which Attard claims was fully compliant with EU Parliament rules. He denies any wrongdoing and says he had no further contact with Huawei. He also noted that the ticket’s value was under the €150 threshold requiring declaration, as confirmed by his assistant.

Attard has pledged full cooperation with authorities and has informed S&D leadership of the situation while awaiting the Parliament’s decision on his immunity.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MANCHESTER (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – Manchester City will most likely be without Kevin De Bruyne at the next Club World Cup, where Guardiola’s team is in the same group as Juventus. The 33-year-old Belgian has already announced that he will leave the Citizens at the end of the season but, despite his contract expiring on June 30 – during the tournament -, he is expected to leave early.

“There is no point in me going,” he said, as reported by the English media. “I have to take care of myself, what would happen if I got injured during the Club World Cup? It is very likely that I will not play.”

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The humanitarian aid ship Conscience, part of the Gaza Flotilla Movement, is being towed to the Libyan port city of Misrata for repairs following a reported drone attack earlier this month. The ship had been anchored just outside Maltese territorial waters at Hurd Bank since early May.

According to sources in the shipping industry, cited by MaltaToday, the Conscience is being towed by the Italian-flagged tugboat Cala Azzurra. The vessels are expected to arrive in Misrata by Monday evening.

The operation follows diplomatic efforts by the Turkish government. On Sunday, Maltese Foreign Minister Ian Borg announced on social media platform X that arrangements had been made to tow the vessel to “a Mediterranean port.” Borg expressed gratitude to Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan for his country’s assistance in resolving the situation.

Activists have alleged that the drones were Israeli, pointing to the presence of an Israeli air force Hercules plane that had flown over the area hours before the incident. The aircraft later returned to base in Israel. No official statement has been issued by the Israeli government regarding the accusation.

– Foto DOI –

(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews

LONDON (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – It’s now official: Gary Lineker has left his role as a BBC pundit after a backlash over an anti-Semitic post shared (and then removed) on his social media channels.

The 64-year-old former England striker, who hosts Match of the Day, reposted a post featuring a mouse emoji, captioned: ‘Zionism explained in two minutes.’ Lineker apologised, saying he hadn’t realised the anti-Semitic content.

“This was an honest mistake, but I should have been more careful,” he said in a video, in which he described it as “a pleasure and a huge privilege” to have worked with the BBC. Lineker will host Match of the Day for the last time on Sunday.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LONDON (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – Fabio Paratici is reportedly ready to return to lead Tottenham’s sporting direction. According to the “Sun”, the Italian manager, after the imminent end of his suspension for the capital gains scandal at Juventus, will return to the position of general manager of Spurs (where he worked from 2021 to 2023).

Paratici will have a say on the coach issue and his first choice, according to the tabloid, would be Francesco Farioli, now former Ajax coach, who today announced his separation from the coach (who has also been linked with Roma in recent days).

The future of Ange Postecoglou, current Tottenham coach, would therefore seem to be sealed, regardless of the result of the Europa League final against Manchester United, scheduled for Wednesday 21 May. Tottenham is in fact seventeenth in the Premier League with 61 goals conceded.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS) – A 34-year-old Romanian man, Iulian Dinca, has been extradited from Italy and charged in connection with a high-value mobile phone theft ring that targeted multiple retail outlets in Malta.

Dinca, who identified himself as a mechanic by trade, appeared in court after being arrested in Rome under a European Arrest Warrant. He is accused of participating in a series of break-ins during the summer of 2023, which resulted in the theft of mobile phones valued at approximately €180,000.

The thefts took place in retail stores located in Birkirkara and Qormi. According to the prosecution, the perpetrators forcibly breached the shops’ entrances and emptied entire shelves of mobile phones within seconds. Dinca pleaded not guilty to the charges.

However, his defense did not request bail, and he was remanded in custody. Police investigations had been ongoing for several months and led authorities to believe the thefts were carried out by an organized group of Romanian nationals. Dinca’s arrest follows the earlier capture of a 27-year-old Romanian man in January, who was extradited from Romania to Malta and is also currently being held under arrest.

– Photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta’s annual inflation rate has once again outpaced that of both the European Union and the euro area, rising to 2.6% in April, according to the latest data released by Eurostat and the National Statistics Office (NSO).

The increase represents a 0.5 percentage point jump over March, when Malta’s Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) stood at 2.1%. The HICP is the standard measure used across the EU to ensure consistency and comparability in inflation reporting.

The NSO attributed Malta’s inflation increase primarily to a sharp rise in the transport index, which contributed +0.68 percentage points to the overall figure, largely driven by higher air transport prices.

A similar contribution came from the food and non-alcoholic beverages index (+0.68pp), with notable price hikes in beverages. The third largest driver of inflation was the restaurants and hotels index, which added +0.53pp, mainly due to increased prices for restaurant services.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

AMSTERDAM (NETHERLANDS) (ITALPRESS) – After losing the Eredivisie, suffering the comeback of PSV, Francesco Farioli leaves the bench of Ajax. The young italian coach had been leading the ‘lancers’ for a year and had signed a contract until June 30, 2027. Leave the club also coaches in second Daniele Cavalletto and Felipe Sanchez Mateos and the goalkeeper coach Jarkko Tuomisto.

“Being Ajax first non-Dutch coach since 1998 and the club’s first-ever Italian one have been an absolute privilege,” Farioli said in a statement. “The management and I have the same goals for the future of Ajax, but we have different visions and time frames about the way we should work and operate to achieve those goals”, he continued. “Given these differences in the principles and foundations of the project, I feel deep in my heart that this is the best moment to part ways.”, he concluded.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The enthronement of Pope Leo XIV marked a deeply emotional and historic day for the Catholic Church, drawing praise and hope from religious leaders, diplomats, and figures from around the world. Among those in attendance was Kamel Ghribi, President of GKSD Investment Holding and Vice President of Gruppo San Donato, who expressed his admiration for the new pontiff and the spiritual message he brings.

“The enthronement of Pope Leo XIV was a day that will remain etched in our hearts,” said Ghribi. “Every Pope is unique and unrepeatable, and I am certain this will be true for Leo XIV. In just these first few days, he has already demonstrated humility, strength, culture, and enthusiasm.”

Ghribi spoke of the global sense of renewal and unity witnessed at the Vatican. “Today, I met friends from across the world—some of whom I last saw at the funeral of the late Pope Francis. Then, we mourned the passing of a great man. But yesterday, in St. Peter’s Square, there was joy and smiling faces. The world has already understood that the Church of Rome now has a truly extraordinary Pope.”

Pope Leo XIV’s address during the ceremony resonated with many, including those of different faiths. “His words are a source of living energy for anyone on a spiritual path,” Ghribi said. “He spoke to the restlessness felt in the search for God—something that transcends religious boundaries.”

The Pope’s humility was especially moving. During his first address, he remarked, “I was chosen without any merit, and with fear and trembling, I come to you as a brother who wishes to serve your faith and your joy.”

Ghribi praised the Pope’s vision and clarity in calling for peace and unity: “The Holy Father was both concrete and visionary. He showed us the way forward—to build a new world where peace reigns.” Pope Leo XIV concluded the ceremony with a universal appeal: “Let us walk toward God and love one another.” Reflecting on the message, Ghribi added, “It’s a sentiment I deeply identify with. And as Catholics say: Viva il Papa—Long live the Pope!”

– photo GKSD press office –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MILAN (ITALPRESS) – Milan has announced its return to Perth, Western Australia, as part of the Club’s Pre-Season Tour 2025, with the Rossoneri set to take on Perth Glory at HBF Park on Thursday, 31 July. The match will mark the final stop on AC Milan’s Asia-Pacific Tour this summer, which also includes fixtures against Arsenal FC in Singapore and Liverpool FC in Hong Kong.

This encounter will see AC Milan face off against Perth Glory, one of Australia’s most established and decorated football clubs, which competes in the A-League, Australia’s premier football competition.

The return to Perth highlights the strong and enduring connection between AC Milan and Australia, following the Club’s successful visit to the city in 2024, which saw the Rossoneri face AS Roma at Optus Stadium in front of over 56,000 spectators – marking the first-ever encounter between two Serie A teams on Australian soil.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews