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A French appeals court confirmed Marine Le Pen’s conviction for misusing EU funds but reduced her ban on holding elected office, potentially allowing her to run in the 2027 French presidential election. She was sentenced to three years in jail, with two years suspended and one year to be served at home with an electronic ankle bracelet, a condition she has said may stop her from campaigning.
Key Facts
Marine Le Pen was found guilty of embezzling European Parliament funds between 2004 and 2016.
The appeals court shortened her ban on running for public office from five years to 45 months, mostly suspended.
Her prison sentence was cut from four years to three years, with two years suspended.
She must wear an electronic ankle bracelet during one year of home detention.
Le Pen has denied wrongdoing and hopes to run for president again in 2027.
She has indicated that campaigning while wearing the bracelet could prevent her from running.
If Le Pen does not run, her party’s president, Jordan Bardella, may become the candidate.
Le Pen’s final political plans are expected to be announced in a televised interview.
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Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s far-right National Rally party, has been banned from holding public office for 15 months and sentenced to one year with an electronic monitoring device after being found guilty of misusing European Union funds. Because Le Pen will not run for president under these conditions, her close ally Jordan Bardella is expected to be the party’s candidate in the 2027 French presidential election.
Key Facts
Marine Le Pen was sentenced to a 15-month ban from public office.
She also received a one-year sentence with electronic monitoring (an ankle tag).
The punishment resulted from a case about embezzlement of EU funds.
Despite the ban, Le Pen could run again, but she said she would not run with an electronic tag.
Jordan Bardella is a protégé of Marine Le Pen.
Bardella is likely to become the National Rally’s presidential candidate in 2027.
The National Rally is a far-right political party in France.
The court’s ruling affects the party’s leadership and election plans.
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A French appeals court ruled Marine Le Pen guilty of misusing public funds but shortened her ban from holding office. She may be able to run for president in 2027, but she must wear an electronic monitoring tag if she campaigns.
Key Facts
Marine Le Pen was found guilty of misusing public funds by a French appeals court.
The court reduced her ban on holding elected office to 45 months, with 30 months suspended.
Le Pen must wear an electronic tag as part of her sentence if she campaigns.
A lower court last year sentenced her to five years ban and two years in prison over a fake jobs scandal at the European Parliament.
Le Pen has run for president three times before.
She aims to run in the 2027 presidential election to replace President Emmanuel Macron.
If the electronic tagging prevents her from campaigning, she said she would let Jordan Bardella, her party’s leader, take her place.
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A French appeals court confirmed Marine Le Pen’s conviction for misusing European Union funds but reduced her ban from holding elected office to 15 months. She was also sentenced to wear an electronic monitoring tag for one year, which she said would stop her from running in the 2027 presidential election.
Key Facts
Marine Le Pen was found guilty of misusing EU funds.
The court shortened her ban from running for public office to 15 months.
She must wear an electronic tag for one year as part of the sentence.
Le Pen said she would not run for president if she has to wear the electronic tag.
The reduced ban might allow her to return to politics after the sentence.
The case relates to her role as a far-right political leader in France.
The ruling affects her plans for the 2027 French presidential race.
The court decision was made on July 7, 2026.
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A tanker caught fire near Oman after being hit by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz. Reports say Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired missiles at commercial ships in the area, causing damage but no injuries, amid ongoing peace talks between the U.S. and Iran.
Key Facts
A tanker was hit by a projectile and caught fire about 15 km off Oman’s coast in the Strait of Hormuz.
The tanker was reportedly a Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) ship named Al Rekayyat; the crew is safe.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) allegedly fired missiles at two commercial ships, damaging them.
No one was hurt in the attacks, but one ship may face a risk of explosion due to engine room fire.
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital waterway where about 20% of the world’s oil and gas passed before the war started.
Shipping traffic has decreased sharply due to the war, dropping from 120-140 daily vessels to as few as two tankers at war’s peak.
Iran has restricted ship movements through the strait, sometimes charging high fees for safe passage.
The attacks happened while the U.S. and Iran hold sensitive peace talks aiming to end the conflict that began on February 28.
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Nearly half of British adults think Prince Harry should be allowed to stay at Buckingham Palace during his visit to the U.K. The palace initially offered him accommodation, withdrew it after he first declined, and then he tried to accept again, causing confusion.
Key Facts
A YouGov poll surveyed 6,323 adults in the U.K. about Prince Harry’s stay at Buckingham Palace.
48% support Harry staying at the palace, 27% oppose it, and 25% are unsure.
King Charles III offered Harry a room, but the offer was taken back after Harry initially said no.
Palace staff said it was too late to organize the stay after Harry changed his mind.
The visit coincides with the coming legal judgment on Harry’s privacy case against a newspaper publisher.
The poll showed younger and middle-aged people were more supportive of Harry staying at the palace than older people.
Harry met with his father and royal aides in recent months, suggesting improving relations.
Harry’s visit includes promoting the Invictus Games, an event he founded for injured veterans.
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Ahead of the July 7-8 NATO summit, President Donald Trump highlighted that the U.S. spends much more on defense than other NATO members. Eastern European countries like Poland and Lithuania spend a larger share of their GDP on defense and are becoming strong allies to the U.S. due to the threat from Russia.
Key Facts
The U.S. defense spending is about $999 billion, much higher than the U.K.’s $90.5 billion and France’s $66.5 billion.
Poland spends 4.48% of its GDP on defense, higher than the U.S. at 3.22%.
Other top NATO spenders by GDP share are Lithuania (4%), Latvia (3.73%), and Estonia (3.38%).
Germany plans to double its defense budget in four years and aims for 3.5% of GDP on defense by 2029.
The U.K. announced £64 billion ($84 billion) for nuclear defense and upgrades to drones and fighter jets.
Poland has more than doubled its defense spending since Russia invaded Ukraine and acts as a key logistics hub sending aid to Ukraine.
Poland launched a citizen training program called “wGotowości” to train 400,000 people for crisis response by 2026.
Lithuania is investing in tanks, fighting vehicles, drones, and civilian training on drone skills.
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A British couple, Craig and Lindsay Foreman, who were detained in Iran in January 2025, have been on hunger strike for several weeks due to their prison conditions. Their family says they are very weak and have been denied medical care and supplies sent by the British Embassy. The family urges the UK government to act quickly to help the couple.
Key Facts
Craig and Lindsay Foreman have refused food for nine and eight weeks, respectively.
Lindsay has lost over 14 kg (31 lb) and suffers from dizziness, tremors, and weakness.
Craig has lost about 16 kg (35 lb) after starting his hunger strike when phone access was cut.
Medical supplies, glasses, books, and hygiene products sent by the British Embassy have been withheld.
The family says this withholding breaks a promise made to the British ambassador.
The couple cannot contact their children or loved ones.
Lindsay’s son plans to speak with UK Members of Parliament to seek help.
The couple’s detention is seen as Iran trying to gain bargaining power against the UK.
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President Donald Trump arrived in Ankara, Turkey, for the NATO summit. He was welcomed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and greeted Turkish soldiers on arrival.
Key Facts
President Trump arrived in Ankara, Turkey, on Tuesday.
The visit is for the NATO summit held in the Turkish capital.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan greeted President Trump at the airport.
President Trump interacted with Turkish soldiers during his arrival.
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack was present for the arrival.
U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker also attended the welcome.
The NATO summit is a meeting of member countries to discuss security and cooperation.
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A Ukrainian woman suspected of planting a bomb targeting a wealthy businessman in Monaco was found shot dead in Kyiv. Ukrainian authorities have arrested two men, including a military intelligence employee, who admitted to killing her.
Key Facts
Anastasiia Berezovska, 39, was suspected of planting a bomb in Monaco that injured a wealthy businessman and his family.
The businessman targeted is Vadym Yermolaiev, a Ukrainian-born, Cypriot national who was seriously wounded.
The bombing happened in the lobby of an apartment building in Monaco.
Interpol issued a Red Notice for Berezovska for attempted murder and placing an explosive device.
Berezovska returned to Ukraine the day after the bombing and was found shot dead in Kyiv.
Ukrainian security services arrested two men connected to her: one a current military intelligence employee and one a former law enforcement officer.
The military intelligence employee admitted he killed Berezovska without informing his superiors.
During a search, authorities found a basement room in one suspect’s home that resembled a torture chamber.
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Cuba experienced its third country-wide power outage this year, affecting millions and causing long power cuts in many areas. The Cuban government says the outages happen because of a shortage of fuel caused by U.S. sanctions that block oil supplies to the island.
Key Facts
Cuba had a total power blackout on Monday midday, affecting about 9.6 million people.
Power was partially restored on Tuesday in parts of Havana, including hospitals and water facilities.
Cuba’s power system relies on old Soviet-era plants and is struggling due to fuel shortages.
The U.S., under President Donald Trump, limited oil deliveries to Cuba as part of a pressure campaign.
Power outages and rationing are lasting over 30 hours in some cities and more than 70 hours in rural areas.
The Cuban government blames U.S. sanctions for the energy crisis and calls the workers fixing the grid heroic.
Food, water, medicine, and transportation shortages have worsened due to the growing crisis.
The Cuban government announced free-market reforms, but the U.S. demands deeper political and economic changes.
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At least 11 people died and over 330 were injured after tornadoes and severe storms hit central China’s Hubei province. The storms caused damage to thousands of houses, lifted trucks, and led to evacuations in nearby southern regions due to flooding from Tropical Storm Maysak.
Key Facts
Tornadoes struck eastern Hubei province on Monday night, killing at least 11 people and injuring over 330.
Around 14,600 people were affected by the severe weather.
More than 20 houses collapsed and about 4,800 others were damaged.
An EF2 tornado hit Huanggang city, damaging buildings and a logistics park.
Winds reached speeds strong enough to lift trucks up to 30 meters (98 feet).
Tornadoes are rare in Hubei; they were partly caused by remnants of Tropical Storm Maysak.
In southern China’s Guangxi region, flooding led to four deaths and evacuations of over 61,000 people.
Guangxi issued its highest flood alert as rivers rose well above warning levels.
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French prosecutors opened an investigation after a Paraguayan senator made racist comments about French soccer player Kylian Mbappé following France’s win over Paraguay at the World Cup. The senator apologized but also demanded an apology from Mbappé and threatened legal action. The Paraguayan government condemned the senator’s remarks, saying they do not reflect the country’s views.
Key Facts
The investigation concerns racist insults and incitement to hatred directed at Mbappé.
The French Football Federation filed the complaint that led to the probe.
Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla made racist remarks about Mbappé on social media after the match.
Amarilla later apologized but also accused Mbappé of gender-based violence and threatened legal action.
The Paraguay government condemned Amarilla’s comments and stated they do not represent the country.
Mbappé scored the winning penalty for France in the World Cup round of 16 match against Paraguay.
France will play Morocco next in the World Cup quarterfinals.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Sports Minister Marina Ferrari supported Mbappé.
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President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke from Ankara before the start of the NATO summit. President Trump’s visit comes amid discussions about possibly withdrawing the U.S. from NATO and increased criticism from some members of his own party and from Israel.
Key Facts
President Trump and President Erdoğan gave speeches from Ankara.
Their remarks took place just before the NATO summit began.
President Trump has suggested the U.S. might leave NATO.
This idea has caused concern among members of the Republican Party (GOP).
Israel has also expressed concerns about President Trump’s stance on NATO.
The NATO summit is a meeting of member countries to discuss security and cooperation.
Turkey is a key member of NATO and hosts NATO facilities.
The discussions and speeches are part of broader talks about NATO’s future.
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The former NATO chief George Robertson criticized UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s military spending plan, saying it is too little and too late. He warned that the plan has lowered confidence in the defence industry and among NATO allies, as global threats have grown sooner than expected.
Key Facts
George Robertson led the UK government’s recent defence review and now says the new defence investment plan (Dip) is insufficient and delayed.
The Dip was published after nearly a year’s delay and after the defence secretary John Healey resigned suddenly.
Robertson explained that the security threat to the UK has increased and come faster than anticipated, but the plan does not match this reality.
Defence companies may struggle financially because the government’s plan offers less certainty and support than expected.
Starmer is attending a NATO summit in Ankara, where he may face criticism for the UK’s low defence spending compared to countries like Germany and Poland.
Military leaders have requested £28 billion more funding beyond the initial plan; the Treasury agreed to £15 billion extra, but nearly £5 billion is still unallocated.
Other NATO countries are explicitly setting targets to spend 3.5% or more of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defence, while the UK plan lacks a clear deadline for this.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte urged all members to present clear plans to meet spending goals, and President Trump expects urgent action to increase defence budgets.
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The European Union has decided not to pause the new fingerprint and facial recognition border controls, despite problems at about 20 locations causing long waits. The system, which tracks non-EU travelers entering and leaving the Schengen area, started last October and aims to improve security and border management.
Key Facts
New border controls require non-EU passengers to register fingerprints and facial images when entering the Schengen area.
These biometric checks verify travelers each time they leave and re-enter the Schengen zone.
Airports and airlines asked to suspend the controls due to delays and chaos in popular summer holiday spots like Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, and Belgium.
The EU says a partial suspension is not possible because it would cause problems with travelers being wrongly recorded as overstaying.
Only 20 out of 1,500 border crossing points report significant difficulties with long queues.
Some airports have improved wait times by adding extra staff and border agency workers.
The system has logged 110 million journeys and stopped about 44,500 people from entering illegally since its start.
A separate EU travel authorization system, like the US ESTA, has been delayed.
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Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, will make a statement about his future in public life. This comes after reports that he did not declare financial help from an ally who was once convicted of fraud in the United States, and he is already under investigation for not declaring a large gift from a billionaire donor.
Key Facts
Nigel Farage leads the Reform UK political party.
He will speak publicly about his future at 14:00 BST.
Farage did not declare support from George Cottrell, who was jailed in the US for wire fraud in 2017.
This support included paying for Farage’s security staff and social media workers.
Farage used a property rented by Cottrell near Buckingham Palace.
Farage is under investigation for not declaring a £5 million gift from billionaire donor Christopher Harborne.
Harborne, based in Thailand, has donated £15 million to Reform UK since early 2023.
Farage says he followed parliamentary rules and did not have to declare these benefits.
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A strong El Niño weather pattern is developing in the Pacific Ocean and is expected to become one of the most intense events on record. This could cause significant changes in weather across the United States through late 2026 and 2027, including increased storms, rainfall, and warmer temperatures in some areas.
Key Facts
El Niño is a natural climate cycle that happens every 2 to 7 years, caused by warmer ocean waters in the tropical Pacific.
Current forecasts from NOAA and the World Meteorological Organization show El Niño conditions are already present and expected to strengthen quickly.
Ocean temperatures and heat under the surface in the central and eastern Pacific are much higher than usual, supporting the strong El Niño forecast.
NOAA’s climate model ran 30 simulations, all showing a peak El Niño event among the strongest in the last 100 years.
The World Meteorological Organization expects sea-surface temperatures to rise above 2 degrees Celsius in key areas, signaling a rare "super" El Niño.
In the U.S., this could bring more rain to California and the southern states, increase flood risks, and cause more storms on the East Coast during fall and winter.
Northern U.S. regions may experience warmer-than-normal winter weather.
The El Niño event may also influence hurricane activity in the Atlantic Ocean.
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A Ukrainian woman suspected of planting a bomb in Monaco that injured a wealthy Ukrainian man and his family has been found dead in Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities say she was shot in the head, and two men, including a current defense official, have been arrested and are suspected of killing her.
Key Facts
Anastasiia Berezovska, 39, was wanted for placing a bomb in a Monaco apartment building on June 29.
The bomb injured three people, two seriously, including a sanctioned Ukrainian multi-millionaire and his family.
Berezovska was believed to have disguised herself as a man during the attack.
She returned to Ukraine on July 1 after the attack and contacted family and two men linked to the assassination.
Two men, one a current Ukrainian Ministry of Defense intelligence officer and another a former law enforcement officer, were arrested for her murder.
The intelligence officer confessed to killing Berezovska with the help of the other suspect.
Police found a basement resembling a torture chamber in the former officer’s home.
Interpol had issued a red notice to find Berezovska after the attack and before her death.
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A NATO summit is taking place in Turkiye where President Donald Trump is urging NATO member countries to increase their spending on defense. The article also discusses how NATO has evolved since Trump became president.
Key Facts
The NATO summit is happening in Turkiye.
President Donald Trump is asking NATO members to spend more money on their military defense.
NATO is a group of countries that work together on security and defense.
The article explains changes in NATO since Trump’s election as president.
Defense spending has been a key topic at the summit.
President Trump emphasizes fair contributions from all member states.
The summit aims to strengthen cooperation among NATO countries.
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