The political situation in Moldova
Moldova's prime minister resigns suddenly
Moldova's prime minister Alexandru Munteanu is resigning after only eight months in office, Bloomberg reports. The announcement comes after corruption was revealed within a state-owned air traffic control company, which has led to a major scandal.
Munteanu was not involved in the affair himself, but states that he can no longer exercise his office based on his "principles and beliefs". He did not specify his sudden resignation in more detail.
Munteanu's defection comes at a time when Moldova is experiencing a deep political crisis. The corruption scandal has increased pressure on the incumbent president Maia Sandu and her EU-friendly government. Several believe that the crisis could complicate the country's application for EU membership and that pro-Russian voices could gain a stronger grip on politics, writes Reuters.
NATO's future
Trump: Ridiculous for the US to maintain NATO relationship
US President Donald Trump is once again expressing frustration with the European NATO countries. In a post on Truth social, the president writes that it is "ridiculous" for the US to maintain its "unilateral" relationship with the defense alliance.
"They were not there for us," the president writes without specifying what he is referring to.
Trump has on several occasions criticized NATO countries for not helping the US in the war in Iran.
Japanese gender equality
Maternity leave mayor sparks major debate in Japan
35-year-old Shoko Kawata has made history as Japan's first mayor to take parental leave, writes the BBC. The decision has received much attention and led to national debate.
Some believe that Kawata, who leads the small town of Tawata outside Kyoto, is an example of putting family first, and that her decision could pave the way for more women to get involved in politics. But others say her decision is irresponsible and that she should not have taken on the role of mayor if she was also planning to have children.
Kawata says she is surprised by the extent of the debate. She also doesn't give much to the criticism.
- If we criticize politicians who take parental leave, we are effectively excluding all women between 20 and 40 from public office, she says.
Changes in the Catholic Church
Pope expels conservative priests - ordained their own bishops
Pope Leo XIV excommunicates the Catholic breakaway group the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), reports the AP. This after the group opposed the pope and ordained four of its own bishops.
The pope states that the society has entered into schism and is therefore now excluded from the Catholic community. The SSPX is very conservative and has opposed a modernization of the Catholic Church. The group has been at odds with the Holy See for several decades.
More than 15,000 people attended the controversial episcopal ordination in Switzerland earlier this week. According to the AP, the group has around half a million followers.
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Middle East Crisis Situation in Iran
Hidden Iranian General Caught in Photo at Ayatollah's Coffin
One of the most senior generals in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, Ahmad Vahidi, has been caught in a photo during preparations for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's funeral, writes Politico.
Vahidi is otherwise in hiding but is seen at Khamenei's coffin in a photo published in state media. He is described as a key figure behind Iran's hard line during negotiations on a possible peace agreement with the United States. He is also believed to be one of the few who is in direct contact with the new Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who is also in hiding.
Mohammad Fazlhashemi, a professor and expert on political Islam, does not believe that he would show up at his father's funeral.
There is a clear threat against him. But things can happen. We can only wait and see, he tells TT.
Religious leaders mourn Ali Khamenei's body
Next week, the state funeral for Iran's former supreme leader Ali Khamenei will be held for several days. His body has now been taken to a religious center in the capital Tehran, where religious leaders and other mourners will be able to visit his coffin, the Iranian state news agency Irna reports.
The ceremony is expected to begin on Saturday and continue until July 9. Representatives from Pakistan, China and Afghanistan, among others, will attend the funeral. In total, it is estimated that up to 20 million people will mourn Khamenei during the coming week.
Ali Khamenei was killed in a US-Israeli attack on February 28 of this year. He was 86 years old.
Revolutionary Guards chief appears
The supreme leader of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards is making his first public appearance since the outbreak of war. He is appearing in connection with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's funeral.
Ahmad Vahidi, a general and the supreme leader of the powerful Revolutionary Guards, is seen in pictures shown in Iranian state media.
After not being seen in public for the past four months, Vahidi is seen praying and placing his hands on a coffin said to contain the remains of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In the power struggles of the war, Ahmad Vahidi, the Guard and other more confrontational forces are considered to have gained even more power and influence, not least over the ongoing negotiations with the US and the military threats in the Strait of Hormuz.
Five coffins on stage
A funeral ceremony for Iran's long-time supreme spiritual leader - who was killed in an attack on Tehran in connection with the outbreak of the war in February - will, after much upheaval, be held in Tehran starting this weekend. Dignitaries from various countries and movements have come to show their participation.
Five coffins, four large and one small, have been placed on a stage in a religious facility in Tehran. The coffins are said to contain the remains of Ali Khamenei and several of his family members who were also killed.
Monaco bombing
Snake tattooed Anastasija singled out after Monaco bombing
The 39-year-old Anastasija Berezovska from Ukraine is singled out after the bombing in Monaco, writes AP.
According to Interpol, she has a snake tattoo that runs along her entire arm. She is also described as having dark hair and is said to speak German. The 39-year-old is a Ukrainian citizen, but lives in Germany, according to Reuters.
The bombing occurred on Monday evening. According to French and Ukrainian media reports, the intended target was the pro-Russian Ukrainian businessman and oligarch Vadym Yermolayev. He and several others are said to have been injured.
Anastasija Berezovska is believed to have fled the scene dressed as a man and is said to have been wearing a fisherman's hat.
Police suspect that several people may have been involved in the attack.
Disguised woman wanted for Monaco bombing
A Ukrainian woman in her 30s is wanted internationally for the bombing in Monaco on Monday, Aftonbladet reports. “The person is probably trying to disguise herself as a man,” Monaco police wrote, according to BFMTV. She is believed to be in a third country.
The police hypothesis is that either organized crime or another state is behind the assassination attempt, according to BFMTV.
The target is believed to have been the pro-Russian Ukrainian oligarch Vadym Yermolajev. His partner and 13-year-old son were seriously injured in the explosion and are being treated with life-threatening injuries, according to Le Figaro.
Comedian arrested in Turkey – accused of blasphemy
32-year-old Deniz Göktas was arrested when he landed at Istanbul airport on Thursday. He is suspected of “publicly insulting religious values” during one of his shows.
The show in question is 90 minutes long and has received nine million views on YouTube.
The show satirically portrayed political developments in Turkey. The comedian also made comments about President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his imprisoned political rival, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, whose arrest last year sparked massive street protests, AFP reports.
The comedian's arrest comes as authorities have stepped up crackdowns on people seen as critical of Turkey's conservative government or its values.
