VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Property prices in Malta have risen by nearly 45% over the past six years, according to official figures released by the National Statistics Office (NSO), renewing concerns over housing affordability.

The NSO’s Residential Property Price Index reached 104.19 in the first quarter of 2026, up 6.7% from a year earlier and 1.8% higher than the previous quarter. The annual increase marks the fastest pace of price growth since 2022.

Apartments recorded the sharpest rise, increasing by 6.9% year-on-year, while maisonette prices climbed 5.3%.

Since the first quarter of 2020, the index has risen from 72.54 to 104.19. Separate NSO data shows the average house price increased from €163,560 in 2020 to €237,749 in 2025.

The latest figures come despite signs of a slowing economy, with the Central Bank reporting declines in promise-of-sale agreements and final deeds of sale. However, lending to the construction and real estate sectors continued to drive credit growth.

Housing affordability remains under pressure as Malta’s population continues to expand, largely through inward migration, sustaining demand for homes.

A KPMG study found that a young couple on the minimum wage could afford only 2.2% of properties on the market in 2025. Central Bank data also shows homeownership among people under 35 has fallen, while more than a third of first-time buyers now rely on parental support.

The International Monetary Fund has warned of banks’ growing exposure to the property sector, while campaign groups say soaring property and rental costs are putting homeownership beyond the reach of many young Maltese.

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Source: medNews

NAPLES (ITALPRESS) – Massimiliano Allegri has been appointed as Napoli’s new head coach.

The announcement was made by club president Aurelio De Laurentiis on X, posting a brief message: “Welcome, Max!”

Allegri, who is coming off a disappointing season with AC Milan, replaces Antonio Conte on the Napoli bench.

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Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – Speaking to beIN Sports after Algeria’s 2-0 defeat to Switzerland in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32, Riyad Mahrez announced his retirement from international football.

The 35-year-old Al-Ahli winger finishes his international career as Algeria’s second-most capped player with 119 appearances, behind Aïssa Mandi (122), and the nation’s second-highest scorer with 40 goals, trailing only Islam Slimani’s 46.

“It was a match we could have won. We conceded two goals because of our own mistakes, and at this level you pay the price. We didn’t deserve to lose, but we conceded too many goals to realistically hope for a different outcome,” said the former Le Havre academy product, who rose to prominence with Leicester City before enjoying further success at Manchester City.

“This was my last appearance for the national team. It was my final match.”

Mahrez helped Algeria win the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, the Desert Foxes’ second continental title after their triumph in 1990. The tournament in 2026 was his second FIFA World Cup, following his first appearance in 2014, the same year he made his senior debut for the national team.

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Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Prime Minister Robert Abela was formally confirmed as Labour Party leader after securing 95.3% of delegates’ votes at the party’s Extraordinary General Conference.

Addressing delegates after the confirmation, Abela said only a Labour government could turn challenges into opportunities, arguing that the party’s fourth consecutive election victory would ensure Malta continued on a path of success rather than austerity.

He reaffirmed the key themes of Labour’s recent election campaign, describing the party as a broader movement with the ability to deliver reforms and sustain economic growth.

Abela pledged that the next five years would focus on implementing what he called the most ambitious electoral programme in Malta’s history, while maintaining strong economic performance to improve citizens’ quality of life through the Vision 2050 strategy.

The prime minister said the government’s immediate priority was to begin implementing the electoral manifesto, which he said had been shaped by lessons learned during the Covid-19 pandemic and other international challenges.

He outlined plans for the government’s first 100 days, including legislation to expand IVF access, permanently protect parks and open spaces, and reform planning appeals to halt construction while appeals are pending.

– Phto DOI –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ATLANTA (USA) (ITALPRESS) – Sebastien Desabre‘s expression at the end of the post-match press conference quickly made headlines around the world following a statement by the Congolese Football Federation’s press officer. The Congo head coach appeared shocked, grief-stricken and visibly uncomfortable, deeply affected by the death of his father—far more than by his team’s 2-1 defeat to England in the Round of 32, where Harry Kane scored both goals for the Three Lions.

Many believed that the French coach had learned of his father’s passing only at that moment, when the press officer publicly announced the news. However, the Congolese Football Federation and African journalists present at the press conference confirmed that this was not the case. Desabre had been informed of his father’s death before the match. His reaction stemmed from his surprise that such deeply personal information had been made public in that setting without his expectation.

The Congolese Football Federation (FECOFA) praised Desabre’s professionalism under extremely difficult circumstances and expressed the full support and sympathy of both the national team and the Congolese people.

“We’re disappointed because we truly believed we could do it. We played well. Towards the end of the match, we gave away two chances, and Kane, one of the best players in the world, scored twice. It’s a shame,” Desabre said after the match.

“We must congratulate the players for their performance. They gained valuable experience by facing a team like England without fear. This is how football is built in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Perhaps we lacked a bit of experience, but that’s part of the game. We are learning and continuing to improve. We will keep moving forward, step by step,” said a proud Desabre.

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Source: medNews

MANCHESTER (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – Elliot Anderson is officially a Manchester City player. The agreement with Nottingham Forest had already been reached, but today the official statement from the Citizens also arrived. The 23-year-old England international, currently at the World Cup under Tuchel, underwent a medical in Kansas and will be available to new manager Enzo Maresca after the World Cup and following his post-tournament break. According to the British press, Elliot Anderson is moving to the Citizens for a record fee of €135 million.

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(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS) – One of Spanish football’s most admired careers is coming to a close. At 41, Santi Cazorla has announced his retirement from professional football, ending a journey filled with success and marked by an extraordinary ability to bounce back from adversity. According to Spanish media reports, the former Spain midfielder has chosen to conclude his adventure with Real Oviedo, the club where he developed as a player.

Having returned home three seasons ago, he fulfilled his dream of leading the team back to La Liga after a 24-year absence, thereby ending his career exactly as he had always envisioned. His future had been uncertain in recent months. After discussing the matter with his family, Cazorla decided the time had come to hang up his boots, cementing his status as an Oviedo legend and a key figure in Spanish football. Throughout his career, he played for Villarreal, Málaga, Arsenal, and Al-Sadd, distinguishing himself through his technical quality, tactical intelligence, and exemplary conduct both on and off the pitch. With the Spanish national team, he won two European Championships—in 2008 and 2012—contributing to one of the most successful eras in the history of La Roja.

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Source: medNews

MUNICH (GERMANY) (ITALPRESS) – An excellent World Cup so far. The season has been excellent, too, but the tournament has further highlighted the class of Michael Olise, a French international whom Didier Deschamps is nurturing and developing alongside Mbappé and Dembele, and whom Bayern Munich is desperate to secure.

According to Bild Sport, a contract extension is ready for the player, which will make him one of the highest-paid players in the squad, doubling his current €13.5 million gross salary and extending his contract until 2031.

This move is intended to ward off potential suitors, but also to deter the player who, according to Bild, dreams of one day wearing the Real Madrid jersey.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta’s greatest climate-related economic risks may come from Italy rather than rising temperatures at home, according to a new study by the Central Bank of Malta.

The research finds that Malta’s close trade and energy links with Italy create a “climate bridge”, allowing heatwaves, droughts and other weather shocks to spill over into the Maltese economy.

Italy supplies between 41% and 56% of Malta’s food imports, up to 60% of agricultural products, while Malta’s electricity and gas supply is largely connected to Italy through the Malta-Sicily interconnector.

The study shows that unusually high summer temperatures in Italy increase production costs and energy demand, driving up import prices and contributing to higher inflation in Malta.

It also found that Maltese services inflation, particularly in the catering and accommodation sectors, can exceed inflation recorded in Italy because of the island’s reliance on imported food and energy.

Droughts during key harvest periods in Italy have an immediate impact on Malta’s food sector, with processed food prices closely tracking increases in Italian inflation.

Beyond inflation, the research identifies a decline in Malta’s food manufacturing output following winter temperature anomalies in Italy, highlighting the impact of foreign climate shocks on domestic production.

Although climate-related disruptions can affect Italian energy production, government subsidies and increased local electricity generation help cushion Maltese consumers from direct price increases.

The study concludes that Malta’s economic resilience is closely tied to climate conditions in Italy and urges policymakers to monitor climate risks affecting key foreign suppliers as weather extremes become more frequent.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Maltese people are less concerned than the EU average about defence, security, inflation and terrorism, but place greater emphasis on immigration, climate change and Artificial Intelligence, according to a published Eurobarometer survey.

The survey, conducted between late April and early May, found that inflation and the cost of living remain the top priority for 44% of Maltese respondents, followed by public health (37%) and the economy and job creation (30%).

Compared with the EU average, Maltese respondents were more likely to prioritise climate change (26% vs 22%), migration and asylum (22% vs 19%), and digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence (15% vs 7%).

Nine in 10 Maltese said they were satisfied with their quality of life, well above the EU average of 83%, with health, social life and financial security cited as the main contributors.

Support for EU membership also remained strong, with 94% saying Malta has benefited from joining the bloc, compared with 74% across the EU. Nearly all respondents agreed that EU member states should work more closely together to tackle global challenges.

The survey also found that Maltese respondents were more optimistic than the EU average about the future of the European Union, Malta and their own families, despite a majority expressing pessimism about the global outlook.

Emotionally, Maltese respondents reported higher levels of confidence, serenity, happiness and determination than the EU average, although they were also more likely to report feeling anxious.

– photo IPA Agency –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews