Former Transport Minister Jose Luis Abalos was taken to Soto del Real prison on Thursday following a ruling by Spain’s Supreme Court ordering his pre-trial detention over a corruption scandal that has embroiled Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s left-wing government.
The court said Abalos, a senior member of the ruling Socialist Party, posed a flight risk, making pre-trial detention necessary. He, along with his aide Koldo Garcia and a businessman, is accused of rigging public contracts for medical supplies, including face masks, during the COVID-19 pandemic while he was in office. Both Abalos and Garcia deny any wrongdoing. In a related development, the Supreme Court ordered on Wednesday the provisional release of former senior Socialist Party official Santos Cerdan, citing a reduced risk of evidence tampering amid the ongoing corruption investigation. Cerdan, who was remanded in custody in June, faces potential charges including involvement in a criminal organisation, bribery and influence-peddling linked to kickbacks for awarding public works contracts. Speaking to journalists after leaving Soto del Real prison, Cerdan said he hoped “the truth will prevail and that, in the end, justice will be done.” The case against Cerdan is the most serious in a series of scandals dogging Spain’s Socialist-led left-wing minority government, which forced Prime Minister Sanchez to apologise in June and fend off calls from opponents for a snap election. In a separate Supreme Court case, anti-corruption prosecutors are seeking 24 years’ imprisonment for Abalos, the Socialist Party’s former organisational secretary, in connection with the same COVID-19 medical contracts. The court noted it had secured information “that would very likely have been concealed or would have been very difficult to access” if Cerdan had remained free. Under the court’s conditions, Cerdan must surrender his passport, report to the Supreme Court every 15 days, and remain in Spain. The court added that there was no risk of a repeat offence since Cerdan no longer holds public office or party leadership positions.
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The United States launched a seventh consecutive night of strikes on Iran as Tehran targeted U.S. allies in the Gulf, while tensions remain high in the Strait of Hormuz.
Actor Will Smith has become involved in a legal dispute between his estranged wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, and his former friend Bilaal Salaam, who is seeking to question the Oscar-winning actor as part of an ongoing civil lawsuit.
A senior member of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's ruling CDU party has resigned after having a baby born through a surrogate mother in the U.S., contrary to his own party’s position on surrogacy.
A landslide in the southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing killed at least eight people and left about 34 missing on Friday.
The half-time interval during the 2026 FIFA World Cup final is expected to be extended to around 30 minutes to accommodate the tournament’s first-ever major half-time concert.
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. The operation targeted command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance sites across multiple locations.
Nineteen years ago, at Barcelona's Camp Nou, Lionel Messi posed for a charity photo shoot with a five-month-old baby he had never met. On Sunday, that baby, Lamine Yamal, will face Messi in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final as Spain take on Argentina. A full-circle football story.
The U.S. military said it completed a sixth consecutive night of strikes on Iran late on Thursday, targeting logistics infrastructure and maritime capabilities. Iran responded by launching strikes at U.S. bases in neighbouring countries.
SpaceX's Starship rocket aborted its 13th flight test just seconds before liftoff in Texas on Thursday after some of its 33 engines failed to start. CEO Elon Musk said the company is likely to make another launch attempt early next week.
A senior member of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's ruling CDU party has resigned after having a baby born through a surrogate mother in the U.S., contrary to his own party’s position on surrogacy.
A landslide in the southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing killed at least eight people and left about 34 missing on Friday.
Russian attacks on Ukraine's southern ports killed at least five people, damaged foreign-flagged civilian vessels, and further disrupted Black Sea grain exports, while Ukraine launched drone strikes targeting Russian logistics and infrastructure.
At least four people have died and four others remain missing after flash floods swept through a mountainous village in northern Vietnam, as days of heavy rain continue to batter the region.
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