Germany chancellor Friedrich Merz’s messy path to power raises questions

Svetlana Dali, 57, was charged with stowaway offenses after sneaking onto a Delta flight from New York to Paris in November, having previously evaded security at Bradley International Airport. Dali accessed secure areas without a boarding pass and hid in a lavatory for hours during the flight, attempting to deceive crew members by pretending to be sick. After her arrest in Paris, she was returned to New York, where she cut off her ankle monitor...

The recent federal election not only determined a new prime minister but also resulted in significant changes among party leaders, with Jonathan Pedneault stepping down as Green Party co-leader after losing his seat, and the NDP appointing Don Davies as interim leader following Jagmeet Singh's defeat. Andrew Scheer was announced as the interim opposition leader for the Conservatives, stepping in for Pierre Poilievre, who lost his seat and plans to run in a byelection in...

The fact that Oman was the country to broker a ceasefire agreement between the United States and the Houthis did not surprise Marc Sievers, the former US Ambassador to Oman, who served as ambassador from 2016 to 2019. Sievers noted that Oman has been a key channel to the Houthis since 2017, facilitating negotiations and successfully negotiating the release of American hostages. He emphasizes Oman's unique position in the Gulf, maintaining a friendly relationship with...

Catholic cardinals have entered the Sistine Chapel to begin the conclave for electing a new pope following Pope Francis' death last month. A total of 133 cardinal electors will take an oath of secrecy before casting their votes, with the first ballot expected soon; voting may continue for several days until a two-thirds majority is achieved. There is no clear favorite among the candidates, although Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle...

SummaryWiparera Paraire, a 27-year-old man from Auckland, has pleaded guilty to four charges related to the exploitation of young people, including running a child prostitution ring that involved a 14-year-old girl and her friends. He appeared via audio-video feed in the High Court at Auckland, where he acknowledged his guilt, notably in connection with creating an objectionable video of the minor in 2023. Paraire faces a potential sentence of up to 14 years in prison,...

SummarySouth African opposition leader Julius Malema has been denied a visa to attend a conference in the UK on 10 May, which he claims is an attempt to silence dissenting political views. The UK High Commissioner, Antony Phillipson, stated that the Home Office could not process Malema's application in time due to recent bank holidays, despite efforts to expedite the process. Malema criticized the situation as "unacceptable and spineless," noting that the EFF delegation received...