PORTO (PORTUGAL) (ITALPRESS) – The door remains open. Cristiano Ronaldo remains the elephant in the room for a Portugal side that, however, knows how to win without him: last night at the “Do Dragao,” the Portuguese defeated Norway once again and, with four wins from four games, secured early qualification for the Nations League quarter-finals. But the rift with CR7, who left the national team camp on the eve of the match against Denmark on September 30, continues to dominate the headlines.

Pressed on the issue after the match in Porto, head coach Jorge Jesus tried to extend an olive branch: “I don’t know what Cris may decide. I’ve already said what I had to say, but I’ll add something. For me, initially, it was never an issue. It was something I considered normal as a coach. There are principles, as a coach, that are non-negotiable, but since there was nothing particularly significant as far as my authority was concerned, for me Cris will be, in the next international window, if he is playing for Al Nassr, a player who can be called up if he wants to return to the national team.”

Jesus acknowledged that “just because it was him – and perhaps rightly so, because he is a symbol – this whole issue arose over the fact that he warmed up against Norway and then did not come on. If Cris wants to return and is playing for Al Nassr, he will be included in the next squad. We spoke before this international window and we can speak before the next one. But Cris will be the one to decide.”

The Portugal coach insists that “it does not depend on me” and, echoing comments made by Bruno Fernandes, added: “One of the things I told Cris was that he could not end his national-team career at a World Cup by losing and crying. He had to finish his time with the national team playing. That is why he played in the first match at the Alvalade, and he was supposed to play here as well [in Porto, ed.]. But, in light of what happened, everything turned out differently.

“I, too, spent a year sharing everything that the Ronaldo symbol and brand represent, especially for children,” he added, referring to their time together at Al Nassr. “For me, there is no issue. The situation between him and me has been blown out of proportion. A lot of people got involved and made it seem as though there was a problem, when there wasn’t one.

“The fact that a coach asks a player with a different status to warm up and then does not bring him on created this issue. Do you really think that is enough of a reason for what Cris represents to end like this, all of a sudden? I want him to be there. He knows that it will come to an end, that it won’t last forever.”

“But I would like him to end his time with the national team the way he wants. He will be the one to decide. When he received his first call-up, I told him: ‘I need you. Whether you play or not, I need you.’ And it is the same now.”

There is one thing, however, that Jesus makes clear: “I am not apologizing to anyone. What should I apologize for?”

Portugal Football Federation president Pedro Proença also addressed the Ronaldo issue: “We are talking about the greatest player of all time, a player who has dedicated more than two decades to Portuguese football. He is in the national team on sporting merit, and that must be absolutely beyond question. He will always be part of this squad whenever he is technically able to do so.

“As for this specific situation, let me say that we are dealing with a misunderstanding that needs to be resolved internally. We will have the time and the peace of mind to sit down together and sort it out. Let me reiterate: Cristiano Ronaldo is part of our heritage and he will always be here if the coach wants him. What we want is for all of us to be together again with our national team in November.”

— Photo: IPA Agency —

(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Matthew Caruana Galizia has alleged that messages exchanged between jurors in the Yorgen Fenech trial were found on their mobile phones and showed bias against his family.

Speaking at a protest concert in Valletta on Sunday evening, Caruana Galizia claimed some jurors had expressed a desire to “continue hurting” his family by acquitting Fenech.

Fenech was acquitted by a near-unanimous jury of complicity or association in the car-bomb assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia nine years ago.

Caruana Galizia said his family had not anticipated the possibility of juror bias, believing the evidence was strong and that prejudice would not influence the verdict.

He praised the Police and prosecution, as well as civil society and politicians he described as serious, for their efforts to seek justice.

However, he criticised the judicial system, saying it had “collapsed” when tested despite reforms introduced in recent years.

He pointed to covert recordings obtained by investigators which, he said, were difficult to hear when played in court.

Caruana Galizia also accused groups on Facebook of spreading what he called “poison” about his mother, claiming that such views had reached members of the jury.

He said the jurors had been tasked with deciding whether the person he described as his mother’s killer was guilty.

Caruana Galizia said the assassination was not simply a crime against one person but against Maltese society as a whole.

He called for further reforms to the justice system and thanked those attending the protest for continuing to demand accountability.

The event featured placards calling for justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia, greater protection for journalists and implementation of recommendations from the public inquiry into her assassination.

– Photo Ipa Agency –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

BUENOS AIRES (ARGENTINA) (ITALPRESS) – “A win, and thank you for the enduring love. I am happy to have become the third-highest goalscorer in the history of this national team. Let’s push on for more success.” This was posted on Instagram by Inter striker and captain Lautaro Martinez, who, with a goal in a friendly against Burkina Faso last night, drew level with Kun Agüero for third place on the national team’s all-time scoring list with 42 goals.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

PARIS (FRANCE) (ITALPRESS) – “We must pay tribute to his great career.” That was the comment from France head coach Zinedine Zidane regarding Cristiano Ronaldo‘s likely departure from the Portuguese national team following last Wednesday’s dramatic falling-out with his coach, Jorge Jesus—who had announced that CR7 would be benched (for the second consecutive time) on the eve of the Nations League match against Norway. “I was fortunate enough to have him with me, and what he has achieved is exceptional,” Zidane said during a press conference at Clairefontaine.

“He helped me win incredible things. So, hats off to Cristiano. I always have great respect for players in general, but even more so for those with whom I’ve shared a journey—and especially for Cristiano, who helped us win so much.” Speaking about tomorrow’s match against Belgium, Zidane announced some changes: “There will be changes, that’s for sure; it’s our fourth game in a row, so we can’t take unnecessary risks. We’ll make smart changes—changes aimed, above all, at keeping us competitive.”

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ALGIERS (ALGERIA) (ITALPRESS) – Algeria could reach a Gross Domestic Product of $400 billion by the end of 2026 or the first quarter of 2027. Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune stated this during his regular interview with national press representatives, broadcast on Saturday evening. According to Tebboune, this result would be driven by investment momentum and ongoing projects across various economic sectors.

The President also pointed to economic growth exceeding 3.8%, with the potential to reach 4.2%. Tebboune stated that the country also aims to raise stable revenues from non-hydrocarbon sectors to at least $50 billion, highlighting the commitment to diversifying the national economy’s revenue sources. Finally, the President reiterated that Algeria does not intend to resort to loans from the International Monetary Fund.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

CAIRO (EGYPT) (ITALPRESS) – The Grand Egyptian Museum has welcomed nearly 4 million visitors between its opening in November 2025 and the end of August 2026. This figure was announced by the Egyptian Cabinet’s Media Center in an infographic published on social media. The data confirms the growing interest in Egypt’s major cultural destinations and the museum’s role in promoting ancient Egyptian heritage. According to the Media Center, various international publications and platforms have highlighted the museum’s significance. National Geographic emphasized the scale of the collections—comprising approximately 50,000 artifacts distributed across 12 halls—while Antiquity highlighted its importance within the contemporary museum landscape.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

RIJEKA (CROATIA) (ITALPRESS) – “It’s hard to find an explanation for a performance like ours. There was no aggression, no team spirit. I have to say, I’ve been here for 20 years, but this is the first time I’ve felt ashamed after a match.“ Luka Modric stepped up and faced the press following the humiliating 0-7 defeat his Croatia side suffered against England in Rijeka.

“Losing is one thing—that’s not a problem; right now, they are the stronger team. But losing like this and throwing away the reputation we’ve worked so hard to build over the years—that is unacceptable. It’s the first time in my 20 years here that I’ve felt actual shame. It looked as though we were playing with four or five men down. It was truly a catastrophic night,” said the midfielder, though he was quick to add: “We mustn’t point fingers at one another or look for scapegoats; we need to stand united right now, just as we always have. We have to pick ourselves up, regroup, and stick together because another very difficult match awaits us in Split”—referring to the upcoming clash with Spain—“and we need to show our true selves, the team we are right now. We need to prove that we still have grit and pride within us. The only thing we can do is apologize. I hope the fans in Split will be by our side, supporting us and spurring us on. I hope we can repay them in the best possible way,” Modric said.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ZENICA (BOSNIA) (ITALPRESS) – An equalizer, followed by a substitution shortly before the end of the match that marked Edin Dzeko’s farewell to the Bosnian national team. Kerim Alajbegovic’s goal allowed the hosts to level the score at 1–1 against Sweden, ensuring the celebration of the former Roma, Inter, and Fiorentina player’s final national team appearance wasn’t spoiled.

However, his substitution due to a muscle issue caused concern for both Bosnia and Juventus; yet, after the match in Zenica, head coach Barbarez put everyone at ease. “Kerim didn’t want to come off; he had cramps, so we substituted him,” explained the Bosnia manager. “Many players were in the same situation—it can happen when playing three matches in such a short span—but he is fine.”

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

BACKA TOPOLA (SERBIA) (ITALPRESS) – Everything had been going smoothly for over ten minutes, but then a couple of questions prompted Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson to stand up and leave, bringing the press conference to an early end. Tomorrow, the second Nations League match between the “Boys in Green” and Israel will take place at a neutral venue in Backa Topola, Serbia—a location chosen by the Dublin-based federation to best manage security, to the extent that the game will be played behind closed doors—and the atmosphere remains extremely tense.

A week ago, Ireland only confirmed they would play on the eve of the match following a player vote; they went on to win 3–0 in Debrecen the next day but sent several messages—ranging from wearing black armbands and refusing to shake hands with their opponents to bowing their heads during the Israeli national anthem.

Today, for most of the press conference, Hallgrimsson answered questions focused on the match—as requested by the press office, and avoiding the topic of alleged racist insults directed at two Irish players in the first leg—but two questions from Israeli journalists prompted the Irish federation to halt proceedings.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

TUNIS (TUNISIA) (ITALPRESS) – The Islamic Development Bank has approved financing of €335.49 million—equivalent to approximately 1.1 billion Tunisian dinars—for Tunisia to fund a project extending the highway network toward the Kef and Jendouba regions. The approval was granted during a meeting of the institution’s Board of Executive Directors, held in Jeddah and chaired by Mohammed Sulaiman Al Jasser, the Bank’s President. According to the institution, the project aims to strengthen economic integration and regional development by improving connectivity and accessibility between different areas of the country. The initiative also seeks to foster social cohesion, facilitate travel, improve road safety, and enhance transport infrastructure.

– photo Pexels.com –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews