José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, the former prime minister of Spain, appeared before a judge in Madrid on Wednesday in connection with his alleged role in a government airline bailout and links to jewelry discovered in a police raid on his office. It was Zapatero’s first appearance before the National Court judge since being placed under investigation last month for alleged influence peddling, money laundering and other possible financial wrongdoing related to the Spanish government’s rescue of the Plus Ultra airline. Zapatero, 65, who was prime minister from 2004 to 2011, had been out of public office for a decade when...
Sabrina Carpenter Gets 5-Year Restraining Order Against Man Who Kept Trying To Enter Her Home
A man who tried to get into pop star Sabrina Carpenter ‘s home more than a dozen times was ordered by a judge Wednesday to stay away from her for five years. William Applegate, 31, said at a hearing that he and Carpenter were part of a classified military program that required them to “be together as soon as possible” because it’s essential to “national and global security.” In one instance last month, Applegate hit a security guard and was arrested after reaching the front door of Carpenter’s home in Los Angeles, she said in a petition. He got there...
Putin Hosts Leaders Of Southeast Asian Nations, Seeking To Boost Their Business Ties
President Vladimir Putin hosted leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Wednesday as Russia seeks to bolster business and other ties with the nations of the regional bloc. The two-day meeting, being held in Kazan, is set to consider ways to expand Russia’s “strategic partnership” with ASEAN nations that include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, East Timor and Vietnam, according to Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov. The regional bloc has maintained relations with Moscow as a “dialogue partner” and engaged Russian officials in annual top-level meetings, he said. The summit in Kazan,...
Philippine Senate President Allied With Duterte Removed Ahead Of His Daughter’s Impeachment Trial
A leadership standoff in the Philippine Senate ended Wednesday with the removal of an ally of former President Rodrigo Duterte as leader of the chamber, which will soon start the impeachment trial of his daughter, incumbent Vice President Sara Duterte. With 13 of 24 senators backing him, Sherwin Gatchalian, an ally of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., was elected Senate president. His rival, Alan Peter Cayetano, a key supporter of Duterte, conceded defeat. Both had claimed leadership of the Senate in the last two weeks based on contrasting legal interpretations of the quorum that led to their elections. An allied senator...
Migrants Clash With Police At A Deportation Site In South Africa Where Thousands Have Gathered
Migrants Clash With Police At A Deportation Site In South Africa Where Thousands Have Gathered Police fired rubber bullets and used stun grenades against migrants protesting Wednesday near a community hall in South Africa where thousands are being processed for deportation by authorities. The clashes came as tensions over immigration surge in Africa’s richest country following a series of anti-migrant marches and reports of attacks on some foreign nationals. The migrants who gathered near the hall in the eastern city of Durban are mainly Malawians who initially turned up there more than a week ago to be voluntarily repatriated to...
Pentagon Chief Lashes Out At NATO Allies And Announces A Review Of US Forces In Europe
dU.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth lashed out at NATO allies on Thursday, announcing a six-month Pentagon review of American forces in Europe that will depend on how fast they take responsibility for their own security. “This will be a real review. It will be designed to ensure that NATO is moving fast and irreversibly toward Europe leading, stepping up to take primary responsibility for the defense of Europe,” he told his NATO counterparts in Brussels. Hegseth lambasted European allies for failing to provide U.S. forces access to bases in Europe to launch attacks on Iran, calling it “shameful.” “These allies,...
Mexican military brings down drone near South Korea’s training camp, coach says it is ‘unfortunate’
Mexican military forces intercepted and brought down a drone that flew near the South Korean national soccer team’s training camp ahead of its World Cup match against Mexico, a federal official told The Associated Press on Wednesday. Military forces used specialized equipment to detect an “unregistered drone” near the South Korean camp, prompting them to “neutralize” it, the Mexican federal agent said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the incident publicly. Co-host Mexico won its opening Group A match at the World Cup on Thursday while South Korea beat the Czech Republic...
Marco Rubio’s Stern Face That Draws Speculations On Social Media At G7 Summit During Trumps Statement On Blaming Vance If The Iran Deal Fails
At the 52nd G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France, from June 15-17, leaders discussed the U.S.-Iran deal, Ukraine, and energy security, with Trump highlighting the agreement that ended U.S. conflict and eased Strait of Hormuz disruptions. The deal seeks to end Gulf war tensions, reopen the Strait of Hormuz for oil, extend a ceasefire, and block Iran’s nuclear weapons development, with Trump warning of bombs if Iran fails to comply. Trump reasoned he will take the credit for the success of the MoU and blamed it failure on his VP stating: “If [the Iran deal] works out, I’m going to take...
Ukraine Leader Meets With NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Discusses Strengthening Ukraine’s Protection, Air Defense Equipment Production And Military Funding
On June 17, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held strategic talks in Brussels with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, focusing on defense requirements, air defense equipment production, and military funding. Zelenskyy attended the gathering of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (also known as the Ramstein format) alongside NATO defense ministers and was invited to the NATO summit in Ankara scheduled for July 7–8, he promised to make it as effective as possible for Ukraine, though his participation is expected to take place in a limited format with side discussions rather than a the main 32-leader plenary table
Ukraine Target Russia Again, Hit Moscow Oil Refinery, President Zelenskyy Declared “This Is A Fully Justified Response To Russian Attacks On Our Cities And Communities.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy: “Last night, our long-range sanctions once again reached the Moscow region – for the second time this week, the Moscow oil refinery was hit. Targets were also struck in the Rostov region and in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. “This is a fully justified response to Russian attacks on our cities and communities, and another important result of our warriors’ work against facilities that sustain Russia’s war machine. “I thank our Defense and Security Forces of Ukraine for their coordinated efforts – the Security Service of Ukraine, the Unmanned Systems Forces, the Special Operations Forces, Defense Intelligence, and...