Author: Rachel Maddow

Vienna – The financial collapse has drawn significant public attention and continues to raise pressing questions. Liabilities officially total 19 million euros. The Vienna Commercial Court has opened restructuring proceedings without self-administration. Twelve creditors have registered claims, and the debtor has offered a repayment quota of 20 percent within two years. At the same time, several media outlets report substantially higher figures. According to these accounts, the overall financial exposure may reach up to 30 million euros. Such an amount would significantly expand the scale and implications of the case. The court has not yet held the first examination hearing.…

Overnight Airstrikes Escalate Violence After months of uneasy calm, tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have surged dramatically. Early Friday, Pakistan launched airstrikes on Kabul and other Afghan cities, declaring “open war” after Taliban forces attacked Pakistani border positions. Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said Islamabad’s patience with the Taliban had “run out.” The Pakistani military reported that its Operation Ghazab lil Haq (“Righteous Fury”) killed 133 Taliban fighters and targeted key military sites in Kabul and Kandahar, where Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada resides. The Afghan Taliban confirmed strikes across three provinces and reported retaliatory attacks on Pakistani positions. Afghanistan’s Defence…

De Niro Sounds Alarm on Trump Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro has once again spoken out against Donald Trump, warning that the president “will never leave” office and urging Americans to take action at the ballot box. Appearing on MS NOW and at a National Press Club event called “State of the Swamp,” De Niro described the country as being run by “a handful of dishonest and greedy and cruel authoritarians” and said he felt “betrayed by my country.” Trump Fires Back on Social Media Trump responded angrily on Truth Social, targeting De Niro as well as Democratic Representatives Ilhan…

Renewed Focus on European Security President Emmanuel Macron is set to outline France’s plans to extend its nuclear deterrent to European partners, a proposal first floated in 2020 but largely ignored at the time. Speaking from the Île Longue peninsula, home to France’s four nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, Macron will stress that France’s expanded role would complement, not replace, the protection provided by the United States. Macron previously suggested involving willing European countries in exercises and strategic discussions, and earlier this year at the Munich Security Conference he confirmed he had been in talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and…

Rising Tensions Over Northern Gulf Waters A fresh maritime dispute has emerged between Kuwait and Iraq after Baghdad submitted new coordinates and a map to the United Nations, claiming waters that Kuwait considers its own, including the Fasht al-Qaid and Fasht al-Aij shoals. The northern Gulf remains a crucial area for shipping and offshore resources, and the latest claims have reignited long-standing tensions in the region. Strong Regional Support for Kuwait Neighboring Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman, have voiced strong backing for Kuwait, calling for respect for international law. Saudi Arabia noted…

Supreme Court Ruling Sparks Uncertainty European Parliament negotiators have paused the EU-US trade agreement after last week’s US Supreme Court decision questioned the legality of certain 2025 tariffs imposed by Washington. Following the ruling, President Donald Trump announced new 15% duties on imports, further complicating the implementation of the pact. German MEP Bernd Lange, chair of the parliamentary trade committee, said the legal situation “has totally changed,” adding that the EU needs clear assurances from the United States before moving forward. European Parliament Seeks Firm Guarantees The 2025 deal, negotiated by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Trump…

Budapest Demands Pipeline Repairs Before Supporting Sanctions Hungary has announced it will block the EU’s 20th sanctions package against Russia until Ukraine restores oil deliveries to the country. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told the Energy Security Council that EU funding, including the €90 billion war loan to Ukraine, should not proceed while Hungary’s oil supply remains cut off. Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó confirmed the move, citing the need for Ukraine to repair the Druzhba pipeline, damaged in a Russian strike, before Budapest will lift its objection. Szijjártó added that the new sanctions package is scheduled to be adopted by EU…

Tariffs Raised Following Supreme Court Ruling US President Donald Trump announced an immediate increase of global tariffs from 10% to 15%, just a day after the Supreme Court struck down his sweeping use of emergency powers to impose them. Trump said the move was necessary to protect American interests and described the court’s decision as “poorly written” and “anti-American,” insisting other legal avenues remain open to enforce trade protections. Legal Limits and Alternative Measures The Supreme Court ruled 6–3 that only Congress has the authority to levy taxes, including tariffs, emphasizing that the Constitution does not grant the president taxing…

Court Limits Executive Power The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday blocked Donald Trump’s broad global tariffs, ruling that the president overstepped his authority by invoking emergency powers. In a 6–3 decision, the justices said the Constitution clearly grants Congress — not the president — the power to impose taxes, including tariffs. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the Framers never intended the executive branch to wield that taxing authority. Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Brett Kavanaugh dissented, arguing the tariffs were legally justified regardless of policy considerations. The ruling represents the first major test of Trump’s wider agenda to…

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office, according to a police statement. Officers also carried out searches at properties in Berkshire and Norfolk as part of the investigation. Although authorities did not name him directly, they confirmed that a man in his sixties remains in custody. Mountbatten-Windsor marked his 66th birthday the same day. Police emphasized the need to safeguard the integrity of their inquiry, noting the intense public attention surrounding the case. They said updates would be provided when appropriate. Unmarked police vehicles were seen outside Sandringham in Norfolk, where Mountbatten-Windsor has been staying…