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Marine Le Pen has been allowed to run in the 2027 French presidential election despite an embezzlement conviction from 2025. The court ruling requires her to wear an electronic tag as part of a house arrest sentence, but she may request to reduce that restriction to campaign freely.
Key Facts
Marine Le Pen was convicted in 2025 for embezzling European Union funds to pay her party staff.
Her original five-year ban from running for president was reduced to 45 months, making her eligible for the 2027 election.
Le Pen was sentenced to three years in prison, with two years suspended and one year under house arrest with an electronic tag.
The house arrest and tagging will remain in place unless reduced, which would allow her to campaign without restrictions.
Le Pen has stated she cannot campaign freely while under house arrest or wearing the tag.
Other members of her National Rally party were also found guilty and sentenced.
Polls show Le Pen and her party leader Jordan Bardella have similar support ahead of the election.
French presidential elections have two voting rounds, with the top two candidates in the second round deciding the winner.
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Farmers in Gaza have lost their homes and farmland due to widespread destruction during the ongoing Israeli military actions. Many displaced farmers now grow small gardens near their tents as a way to feed their families amid severe shortages of water, seeds, and fertilizers.
Key Facts
Israeli bulldozing since October 2023 has destroyed most farmland in Gaza’s Sheikh Ijlin neighborhood and beyond.
More than 94 percent of Gaza’s 178,000 dunams (about 69 square miles) of agricultural land has been destroyed.
Gaza’s agricultural production dropped from 405,000 tonnes to 28,000 tonnes annually.
Around 4 million fruit trees, including 1.6 million olive trees, were uprooted, damaging long-term food sources.
Less than 15 percent of usual farm areas remain cultivated due to destruction and lack of supplies.
Israeli forces marked much farmland as unreachable due to military fire, blocking farmers access.
The United Nations and food experts say this damage is a deliberate effort to cause food dependence and hunger.
Displaced Gaza residents are growing small vegetable gardens near their tents to cope with food shortages.
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President Trump arrived in Turkey to attend a NATO summit focused on important security topics, especially the war in Ukraine. The president's involvement in the controversy surrounding U.S. soccer player Folarin Balogun's World Cup suspension may affect the atmosphere at the meeting.
Key Facts
President Trump is attending a NATO summit in Turkey.
The main topics at the summit include security concerns.
A major focus will be the ongoing war in Ukraine.
President Trump has also addressed the suspension of U.S. soccer player Folarin Balogun in the World Cup.
The discussion about Balogun's suspension is seen as a controversial issue.
The controversy might influence the tone of the NATO summit.
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President Donald Trump arrived in Ankara, Turkey, for a two-day NATO Summit. He received a formal welcome and met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, where they are expected to discuss a possible sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey.
Key Facts
President Trump arrived in Ankara, Turkey, for the NATO Summit.
He was welcomed with military salutes and an air show.
The summit will last two days.
Trump had a meeting with Turkish President Erdoğan soon after arriving.
One topic on the agenda is a possible sale of F-35 jets to Turkey.
The F-35 is a type of advanced fighter jet used by the U.S. and allies.
NATO Summits bring together member countries to discuss defense and security.
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Violence has increased in South Sudan’s Jonglei State, where a government-appointed county commissioner, James Kueth Makuach, was killed by opposition fighters. This conflict challenges the 2018 peace agreement and threatens the safety of civilians in the region.
Key Facts
James Kueth Makuach, the government-appointed county commissioner in Akobo West, was assassinated on Sunday by opposition forces.
Akobo County is contested, with both government-backed and opposition-backed officials claiming leadership.
Makuach switched to President Salva Kiir’s ruling party in April after being removed by the opposition earlier in the year.
The 2018 peace deal gives control of Akobo County to the opposition party led by Riek Machar, who is currently in prison facing treason charges.
Fighting in Jonglei State has intensified recently, with unclear casualty numbers and senior army officers reportedly killed.
The United Nations withdrew peacekeepers from the area in June, reducing protection for civilians.
Civil society leaders warn that political tensions are causing more fighting and are calling for respect of the ceasefire.
South Sudan plans to hold national elections on December 22, its first since gaining independence in 2011.
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President Donald Trump traveled to Turkey to attend a NATO summit. At the meeting, he plans to urge NATO countries to increase their military spending amid ongoing global tensions.
Key Facts
President Trump is attending a NATO summit in Turkey.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan welcomed President Trump upon arrival.
The main focus for President Trump is to ask NATO allies to raise their defense budgets.
This request comes as there are concerns about global security and tensions.
NATO is a military alliance made up of many countries that work together for mutual defense.
Increasing defense spending means countries would spend more money on their military forces.
The summit serves as a chance for NATO leaders to discuss shared security challenges.
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A commercial tanker caught fire after being hit by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz near Oman, according to the British military. The incident happened as Iran was observing mourning for its leader, Ayatollah Khamenei.
Key Facts
A commercial tanker was struck by a projectile while sailing through the Strait of Hormuz.
The tanker caught fire following the strike.
The location of the incident was off the coast of Limah, Oman.
The British Royal Navy’s Maritime Trade Operations reported the attack.
The tanker was traveling southbound at the time.
The event coincided with a period of mourning in Iran for Ayatollah Khamenei.
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A French court confirmed Marine Le Pen’s conviction for stealing European Parliament funds but reduced her ban on running for office, which might let her run in the 2027 presidential election. However, the court gave her a three-year jail sentence with one year under electronic monitoring, which could make running a campaign difficult.
Key Facts
Marine Le Pen was convicted of embezzlement related to a fake jobs scheme that ran from 2004 to 2016.
The court shortened her ban on running for office to 15 months, with 30 months suspended.
She received a three-year prison sentence: two years suspended and one year with an electronic ankle tag.
Le Pen leads the National Rally party, which is known for its anti-immigration policies.
She has said that wearing an electronic tag would likely stop her from campaigning freely.
Le Pen’s party president, Jordan Bardella, could run for president if she decides not to.
Le Pen aims to run for president in 2027 after losing twice to Emmanuel Macron in 2017 and 2022.
The case involved misuse of European Parliament funds intended to pay assistants.
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French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has been found guilty of embezzling European Union funds. She was sentenced to a 15-month ban from holding public office and one year of electronic monitoring.
Key Facts
Marine Le Pen was found guilty of misusing EU funds.
The appeals court sentenced her to 15 months of ineligibility for public office.
She was also given a one-year sentence requiring her to wear an electronic tag.
Wearing the electronic tag would still allow her to run for president, but she has said she will not run under these conditions.
The ruling came from a court in Paris.
Marine Le Pen is a leading figure in France’s far-right political party.
The case focuses on her actions related to funding from the European Union.
The sentence affects her political career and participation in future elections.
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Archaeologists in western Thailand discovered two gold rings and human bones at a site called Don Yai Thong. The rings are about 2,000 years old, and one has an ancient Indian script engraved on it. The site also has skeletons and other artifacts from a period known as the Iron Age.
Key Facts
Two gold rings, around 2,000 years old, were found at Don Yai Thong archaeological site in Phetchaburi province, Thailand.
The rings were discovered with human bones during an excavation that started earlier in 2026.
One ring has an engraving in Brahmi script, an old Indian writing system.
The inscription reads "pusarakhitasa," meaning "the one protected by Pushya," a good zodiac sign in Indian astronomy.
Experts think the rings' owner might have been a merchant from the ancient Indian caste group called Vaishyas.
The Don Yai Thong site dates back to Thailand’s Iron Age, about 1,500 to 2,500 years ago.
Archaeologists have found eight human skeletons, bronze and gold jewelry, pottery, and other items suggesting these were high-status burials.
Charcoal samples from the site were sent to the U.S. for scientific dating, with excavation expected to finish soon.
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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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