Spain’s High Court clears Shakira of tax fraud and overturns multi-million euro penalty
Spain’s High Court has cleared Colombian pop star Shakira of tax fraud and annulled a €55 million ($64 million) penalty imposed by Spani...
Poland plans to expand its armed forces to 500,000 by 2039, including 300,000 active-duty troops and 200,000 reservists, officials said Friday. The enlarged force would feature a new high-readiness reserve unit.
Currently, Poland’s army totals about 215,000 soldiers, excluding reservists, making it NATO’s third-largest. According to Defence 24, the force includes 154,000 professional soldiers, nearly 20,000 trained volunteers, and 37,000 in the territorial army.
The move comes amid ongoing tensions with Russia, following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and subsequent attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. Poland, sharing a border with Ukraine, has accelerated military investments to deter potential threats, strengthen NATO’s eastern flank, and enhance national defence capabilities.
Poland plans to spend 5% of its GDP on defence in 2026. The army aims to develop multi-domain capabilities across land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace. Plans include expanding the use of drones, artificial intelligence, and advanced weapons designed for deterrence and punishment.
Officials described the initiative as a “key step towards long-term transformation” to ensure effective defence and credible deterrence against regional threats. The programme reflects Poland’s broader effort to modernise its armed forces and prepare for emerging security challenges in Europe.
Bulgaria has won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time, taking victory in a final overshadowed by a boycott over Israel’s participation and the war in Gaza.
At least eight people were injured after a driver rammed a car into pedestrians in the northern Italian city of Modena, authorities said on Saturday. Four of the victims were reported to be in serious condition.
The World Urban Forum (WUF13) continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 18 May, addressing the global housing crisis. The day’s agenda includes the official opening press conference, the WUF13 Urban Expo opening and a ministerial dialogue on the Nairobi Declaration to advance Africa's urban agenda.
At least eight people have died and 32 others were injured after a freight train collided with a public bus at a railway crossing in Bangkok on Saturday (16 May), triggering a fire that quickly spread through the vehicle.
U.S. President Donald Trump says China's Xi Jinping agreed Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran prepares a new shipping mechanism. Tensions over the U.S. blockade and stalled nuclear talks continue to disrupt global oil supplies.
Israeli military strikes across Gaza killed at least eight Palestinians on Sunday, according to local health officials, as the Israel Defense Forces intensified operations targeting Hamas commanders and infrastructure across the enclave.
The World Urban Forum (WUF13) continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 18 May, addressing the global housing crisis. The day’s agenda includes the official opening press conference, the WUF13 Urban Expo opening and a ministerial dialogue on the Nairobi Declaration to advance Africa's urban agenda.
A 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck China’s Guangxi region early on Monday, killing two people and forcing more than 7,000 residents in Liuzhou to evacuate as rescue efforts continued.
Russia carried out overnight drone strikes, air raids and shelling across Ukraine, hitting cities including Odesa and Dnipro, killing one person and injuring more than 30, according to Ukrainian officials on Monday (18 May).
Iran and Pakistan reviewed bilateral ties and the latest developments in the stalled Iran-U.S. peace negotiations mediated by Islamabad, as Tehran and Washington continue to refuse tangible concessions amid a fragile ceasefire and escalating verbal threats.
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