VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The murder trial of Maltese businessman Yorgen Fenech entered a critical phase on Thursday as the prosecution delivered its reply to the jury, revealing that police have sought to reopen the investigation into possible third parties involved in the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Prosecutor Anthony Vella made the disclosure during his closing address on the 50th day of proceedings at the Valletta law courts.

Vella said the inquiry concerning Fenech, the Degiorgio brothers and Vince Muscat was closed, but police had applied to investigate other individuals who may have played a role in the killing.

He stressed that the possible involvement of others could not exonerate Fenech, telling jurors: “This is Yorgen Fenech’s trial and no one else’s.”

Vella also rejected defence efforts to implicate former OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri and former minister Chris Cardona, reminding jurors that only Fenech was before them.

The prosecutor acknowledged that pardoned middleman Melvin Theuma was an accomplice and warned that his evidence should be treated with caution.

However, he argued that Theuma’s account was corroborated by other evidence presented during the trial.

Vella accused Fenech of repeatedly changing his version of events and alleged that he used money to continue paying the executioners.

Earlier on Thursday, defence lawyer Charles Mercieca concluded his nearly three-day closing address by urging the jury to find Fenech not guilty on the first two charges.

Mercieca repeatedly attacked Theuma’s credibility and renewed claims that Schembri was the “hidden hand” behind the assassination, while portraying Fenech as someone trying to help his friend.

Following the prosecution’s reply, the defence will make its final submissions before Judge Edwina Grima gives detailed directions to the jury.

The jurors will then retire to deliberate on the case.

Fenech is accused of financing, ordering and conspiring to assassinate Caruana Galizia, who was killed in a car-bomb attack on 16 October 2017. He denies all charges.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – Manu Koné is in Real Madrid’s sights. AS reports, specifying that representatives of the Blancos have been closely monitoring the French midfielder in his league debut of the season against Fiorentina. Koné has a contract with Roma until 2029 and is valued at around €60 million, according to the Spanish newspaper. The midfielder has already made 19 appearances for the French national team, starting against Iraq, Norway, Paraguay, and Morocco at the last World Cup.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – Barcelona has officially signed Dominik Livakovic from Fenerbahce. The Croatian goalkeeper has signed a four-year contract until June 30, 2030. Livakovic has been a regular for the Croatian national team since 2017.

He has participated in the last three World Cups (2018, 2022, and 2026) and the last two European Championships (2021 and 2024). Notably, he finished second at the 2018 World Cup and third at the 2022 World Cup.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Ukraine has called for Malta’s support in strengthening international efforts to counter Russia’s illicit trade in stolen Ukrainian grain, during a telephone call between the countries’ foreign ministers.

Foreign Minister Chris Fearne and his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha spoke as Ukraine marked its 35th independence anniversary.

“Malta continues to support Ukraine against Russian aggression and in monitoring of the shadow fleet in the Mediterranean,” Fearne said on X.

Sybiha described the exchange as a “productive call”, saying the ministers discussed bilateral cooperation and Ukraine’s most urgent challenges.

They focused on the deteriorating security situation in the Black Sea, freedom of navigation and the protection of Ukrainian ports and the maritime corridor used for agricultural exports.

Sybiha urged Malta to support efforts to protect civilian shipping and combat Russia’s trade in stolen Ukrainian grain, which he said threatens global food security.

The ministers also discussed practical measures to strengthen Ukraine’s energy resilience ahead of winter, including additional contributions to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund.

Sanctions against Russia were another key issue, with discussions covering its shadow fleet and networks accused of helping sustain its war effort.

Sybiha highlighted the role of the Global Centre for Maritime Sanctions Monitoring in Valletta, saying it helps coordinate maritime monitoring, information sharing and efforts to counter sanctions evasion.

The centre, founded by Malta, monitors substandard vessels and false flags while supporting international efforts to prevent sanctions circumvention.

Sybiha said the ministers agreed on the need to deepen cooperation to reduce revenues funding Russia’s war.

He also called for stronger sanctions targeting the ecosystem supporting Russia’s missile and drone production, as well as continued international pressure in response to attacks on Ukrainian civilians.

– photo Malta Foreign Ministry –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

BAGHDAD (IRAQ) (ITALPRESS) – GKSD Group President Kamel Ghribi, along with a delegation of consultants and experts, met with the President of the Iraqi National Investment Commission, Engineer Adel al-Yasiri, in Baghdad. The discussions focused on prospects for strengthening collaboration between Italy and Iraq and ways to attract Italian investors in various sectors, in line with the country’s development needs and priorities.

Ghribi reiterated the GKSD Group’s commitment to continuing investments in Iraq, particularly in the healthcare sector. A priority is the Italian Hospital (HHH) project, under construction on the site of a former Turkish restaurant. The initiative aims to transfer and utilize Italian administrative, engineering, and medical expertise, develop rare specialties, and offer advanced healthcare services for complex cases. The importance of continuing the training and qualification of Iraqi medical, technical, and administrative staff employed at the facility was also emphasized, as well as strengthening partnerships with several medical universities in Baghdad, in order to build sustainable local capacity and improve the quality of healthcare services. The meeting confirms the GKSD Group’s commitment to maintaining and expanding its investment presence in Iraq, contributing to the country’s economic development in strategic sectors.

– photo GKSD – San Donato Group –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – Liverpool has reached an agreement with Paris Saint-Germain for the transfer of Bradley Barcola. L’Équipe reports this. The forward is set to join the Reds for €140 million (the highest fee ever recorded in Ligue 1 for a player moving abroad). Only details regarding bonuses remain to be finalized. Barcola is now awaiting the green light from PSG’s management to fly to England and sign his five-year contract with Liverpool.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – “Maybe the reason is that I’m a sh***y coach.” Paulo Fonseca appeared visibly irritated in the press room following his Lyon side’s defeat to Fenerbahçe last night—a loss that knocked the French team out of the upcoming Champions League. “It’s always the same question. I’m used to it. What can I tell you? It’s very easy to talk after the match. Maybe the reason is that I’m a sh***y coach,” he replied when asked about the substitutions made during the game. Following the 1-1 draw in Istanbul, goals from Muriqi (24′) and Brown (28′) proved decisive, rendering futile the spectacular goal scored by Fofana (61′)—a transfer target for Roma.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

TUNIS (TUNISIA) (ITALPRESS) – Tunisian President Kais Saied has accused those responsible for recent water and electricity outages in various parts of the country of carrying out “deliberate actions” aimed at stoking tensions and destabilizing the domestic situation. Saied made the accusation yesterday during a meeting at the Carthage Palace focused on the state of essential public services, attended by government officials and the heads of the public utility companies responsible for water and electricity distribution. According to the Tunisian Presidency’s official page, Saied stated that investigations indicated the outages recorded in several regions were not due to standard technical faults but were instead caused by operations organized to inflame the situation, spread misinformation, and create disorder—including through the deliberate sabotage of infrastructure networks. This issue is particularly significant as Tunisia faces exceptionally high temperatures and severe strain on its electricity grid and water distribution systems, with outages reported across various areas of the country. During the meeting, the Tunisian President also praised the efforts of workers from the Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gas (STEG) and the National Water Distribution Utility (SONEDE), emphasizing that he is closely monitoring the evolving situation. Finally, Saied asserted that those behind what he termed attempts to fuel tensions have been “exposed” in the eyes of the public, reiterating that internal cohesion and citizen awareness will enable the country to counter such actions.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

TRIPOLI (LIBYA) (ITALPRESS) – The European Union Ambassador to Libya, Nicola Orlando, met with Libyan Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dabaiba for a farewell meeting at the end of his tenure. During the meeting, they discussed deepening the EU-Libya partnership and the progress made in various areas of mutual interest.

According to a statement posted by Orlando on his X account, the two agreed on the importance of continuing to support the UN-facilitated political process, building on the outcomes of the “restricted roundtable” and other international efforts aimed at guiding Libya toward national elections and institutional legitimacy.

Orlando commended the government’s efforts regarding national budget unification, transparency, accountability, and socio-economic development, reiterating the EU’s readiness to continue supporting Libya across all areas of shared interest. He expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister and his cabinet for their cooperation during his term and wished the Libyan people a future of stability, unity, prosperity, and peace.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – Newcastle has officially announced the signing of Spanish midfielder Nico González from Manchester City. The 24-year-old, a product of Barcelona’s La Masia academy, will wear the number six shirt. “I am really happy to be here at this fantastic club. I’ve heard nothing but positive things about the club and the city, so I’m excited to live here and be part of this project. I already love the black-and-white shirt and can’t wait to wear it on the pitch. I played at St. James’ Park twice with Manchester City, and it was a really tough experience. The atmosphere was incredible, and the fans are so passionate. I can’t wait to experience that feeling again,” explained Nico González.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews