Trump meets Zelenskyy at Vatican, agrees on further talks
President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met ahead of Pope Francis' funeral at the Vatican, according to sources.
France’s constitutional court ruled that politicians can be barred from office immediately if convicted of a crime, raising the possibility that far-right leader Marine Le Pen could be disqualified from the 2027 presidential race if found guilty in her upcoming embezzlement trial.
France's constitutional court on Friday ruled local politicians can be barred from office immediately if convicted of a crime, leaving the door open for far-right leader Marine Le Pen to potentially be barred from the 2027 presidential race in an embezzlement trial concluding on Monday.
National Rally (RN) leader Le Pen, who leads polls for the 2027 presidential vote, accuses prosecutors of seeking her "political death" by asking judges to bar her from office for five years if convicted.
Should Le Pen receive a so-called "provisional execution" ban, which would be effective immediately even if she appeals, she would be unable to stand in the 2027 election. She has denied wrongdoing.
Robin Binsard, a lawyer who represents another disbarred politician, said the court's ruling was "absolutely" negative for Le Pen as "the judges retain the possibility of ordering ineligibility with provisional execution".
The court in Friday's case dismissed a challenge from a disbarred Mayotte councilman who disputed the legality of his "provisional execution" ban, which means having to quit their jobs immediately if convicted, rather than waiting for an appeals process to run its course.
In its ruling, the court said the "provisional execution" of an ineligibility sentence did not infringe on rights such as freedom of expression and so was legal.
In Le Pen's case, prosecutors have asked judges to impose an immediate five-year ban regardless of any appeal, via the same "provisional execution" measure.
A provisional execution ban would not see Le Pen removed from her seat in parliament until her mandate ends, but it would prevent her from running in any fresh electoral contest.
Le Pen, the RN and some two dozen party figures are accused by prosecutors of diverting over 3 million euros ($3.27 million) of European Parliament funds to pay staff working for the party in France.
The defendants say the money was used legitimately and that the allegations incorporate too narrow a definition of what a parliamentary assistant does.
China has rolled out the world’s first 10-gigabit (10G) fixed broadband network in Xiong'an New Area, promising ultra-fast speeds and low latency through cutting-edge optical infrastructure.
The Holy Fire ceremony stands as one of Christianity's most enduring and mysterious rituals, drawing thousands of pilgrims to Jerusalem each year.
Pope Francis's relationship with Azerbaijan has evolved significantly over the years, characterized by diplomatic exchanges, promotion of religious tolerance, and peace advocacy in the Caucasus region.
Russia launched a major missile and drone assault on Kyiv overnight on April 24, killing at least twelve people and injuring 90, including children and a pregnant woman, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
China’s pivot away from U.S. liquefied petroleum gas under new tariffs is shaking global energy flows, slashing demand, and fuelling a scramble for alternatives across Asia, with Middle Eastern suppliers and rival buyers seizing the moment.
President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met ahead of Pope Francis' funeral at the Vatican, according to sources.
The global movement against sex trafficking has lost a key voice, as Virginia Giuffre, a prominent figure in exposing Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes, has died in Australia at the age of 41.
China and Kazakhstan have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their permanent comprehensive strategic partnership, pledging to boost cooperation across key sectors during the second China-Kazakhstan Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue in Beijing.
Thousands of mourners and dozens of world leaders are attending the funeral of Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Basilica, following his death at age 88.
North Korea has launched a new 5,000-tonne destroyer as part of Kim Jong Un’s plans to expand the country’s naval power far beyond its coastal waters.
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