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Spain launches new investigation into former PM Zapatero after finding jewellery in his office
The Spanish High Court said that a judge who is investigating the former Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero for corruption suspicions has opened a separate investigation into jewellery found in his office. Zapatero was prime minister between 2004 and 2011 but he remains a prominent figure within the Socialist Party. The allegations of graft, which he has denied, have increased pressure on the government after a "series" of corruption scandals. The Investigating Judge Jose Luis Calama stated that the?jewellery articles seized during the search on May 19 are currently without documented proof of origin. He stated that the possession of high-value assets without clear fiscal tracability could indicate possible tax fraud or smuggling offenses, citing an absence of customs documentation or proof of import duties paid. Zapatero’s lawyer didn’t immediately respond to our request for comment. Luis Arroyo said earlier on Friday that Zapatero's lawyer would discuss the jewellery issue?before a judge. Zapatero will testify in the corruption case on June 17th and 18th. The case centres around an alleged 'influence-peddling network and money-laundering scheme that he led. The network is suspected to have benefited from lobbying authorities on behalf of third parties, mainly the Spanish airline Plus Ultra which received state bailouts in 2021. Reporting by Emma Pinedo, Editing by Helen Popper.
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Sicily By Car founder under police protection after arson attacks
Tommaso Dragotto said in a?interview on Friday that he was given a police escort following a?series of attacks?on?his business. The latest incident that prompted the decision to put the 88 year old under protection was the burning of a car depot for a Sicilian company in Palermo in the early morning hours of Thursday. Eleven vehicles were destroyed. In the past three months there have been two other arson incidents, and in March Italian media reported that shots were fired near the entrance of a company site. "Three (arson attacks) in 80 days is just too much." I didn't want to be escorted because it would have changed my freedom, my movements, and daily life. Dragotto said to La Stampa that he was told he could not refuse the escort. He said that he was never asked to pay money for protection to the mafia and that he refused any such request. "I will never pay and I won't start now", he added. After the attack on Thursday, Palermo's anti-mafia prosecutors, and police, said that eight people were arrested for extortion, and attempted murder, which was aggravated through mafia tactics. The Cosa Nostra Mafia in Sicily, which was a major force during the 1980s and 1990s, lost its influence after arresting their senior leaders. It remains a formidable organisation. Mayor Roberto Lagalla stated that the city had suffered in recent months from "a worrying increase of acts of intimidation and arson attacks against business owners, shopkeepers and citizens." (Reporting and editing by Alvise Armillini and Gavin Jones, with reporting by Mirko Moirelli)
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Channel Tunnel owner threatens to take legal action against UK for tax hike
The Channel Tunnel's owner announced on Friday that it would "challenge" the British government by all means possible after its business rates had tripled in the past three years, resulting in a decision to no longer invest in the UK. Eurotunnel, owned by Getlink of Paris which operates car and lorry trains through the tunnel between England & France. * Yann Leriche, CEO of the FT, told them that they are facing a rise from PS40million a yearly to PS118million a yearly increase in their rateable value. * In a press release, the company stated that it had "no justification" for its near-tripling of its business rates over the past three years, which is a property tax. Leriche, a BBC Radio presenter, said: "We will use all legal options available to us to contest that." The company said, "At the current level of uncertainty we will not invest in the UK." Leriche claims that Getlink, between corporate taxation and business rates, will pay 69 cents for every new pound in revenue generated within the UK. * A number of business and employer groups warned the government that costs are rising and higher taxes would lead to inflation. Rain Newton-Smith, CEO of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), said earlier in June that "business is not like a cash faucet which can be opened?without consequences". The British tax office stated that its methods of valuing properties were well-established and reflected "the specific facts" of each property. A HMRC (tax office spokesperson) said: "If ratepayers believe their valuation is wrong, they can challenge it, and if necessary, appeal to an independent Valuation Tribunal."
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India opens the way for safety cars and self-driving technology to reduce road fatalities
India has removed licensing requirements for radio frequency used in crash-avoidance systems and self-driving cars. This removes a commercial barrier to automakers, as the country seeks safer roads. India, which is the third-largest car market in the world, has reported over 177,000 road deaths in 2024. The government announced on Thursday that it would waive the licence requirements for radar sensor in the frequency range 77GHz-81GHz, allowing businesses to use spectrum without a separate allocation from authorities. Separate notices were issued for systems operating in the 5.9 GHz range, which allow vehicles to 'communicate' with one another and with roadside infrastructure. INDIA ALIGNS ITS STANDARDS WITH GLOBAL STANDARDS This aligns India with the standards in use in the United States. The European Union and India allow carmakers to use standardised hardware instead of building more expensive local versions. This lowers costs and speeds up adoption. Mercedes-Benz, BMW and other luxury carmakers that offer radar-based assistance to drivers abroad can now introduce the same system in India. Maruti Suzuki and Mahindra & Mahindra, domestic players, could introduce advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) more easily. This would allow them to push premium?safety?features into cheaper models. Also, suppliers such as Germany's Bosch, Continental, and Qualcomm chipmaker will benefit. Radar sensors are used to measure safe distances. They also enable features like emergency braking, adaptive cruising control, and blind-spot alerts. This is the foundation for autonomous driving. Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) ?systems warn drivers of hazards beyond their line of sight, such as a car braking around a blind curve or an approaching ?ambulance. According to a 2023 government panel, the majority of traffic problems are caused by these situations. V2X is a good alternative to most sensors in such situations. The panel recommended that V2X be added to India's voluntary Bharat ncap safety ratings, which evaluate crash performance instead of mandating?specific features. India's roads are crowded and drivers face many hazards, from pedestrians to cattle. Lane discipline and speed limits, however, are often ignored and poorly enforced. Reporting by Munsif Vegattil, Aditi Shah. Clarence Fernandez, Mark Potter and Clarence Fernandez edited the report.
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Hamburg Airport: Delays and cancellations after evacuation due to security concerns
A spokesperson for the airport said that there would be significant delays on Friday at Hamburg Airport after a terminal was evacuated because of a security issue. "The federal police's precautionary measure has now ended, and passengers are passing through security again." The spokesperson confirmed that flight operations have resumed. "However, there will be a number of delays, some significant, all day long. "Flights will be cancelled all day long," she said without specifying the number of cancellations. A federal police spokesperson confirmed that the incident took place at 0945 local time (0745 GMT), when a man accidentally pressed an "emergency" button that opened escape routes and allowed unauthorised entry into a'security hazard area. The man was likely to have simply lost his way, said the spokesperson. (Reporting and editing by Linda Pasquini, Thomas Seythal - Additional reporting).
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UK Tax Authority wins dispute with Bolt which could affect Uber
The British tax authority won an appeal on Friday?in a dispute with Estonian 'ride-hailing' and food delivery company Bolt. This ruling could impact Uber's case, which is worth more than PS1 billion ($1.3billion). Bolt argued that in its PS190million dispute with HM Revenue and Customs, it was liable to charge a 20% value added tax on its'margin' rather than the total fare charged by customers. The London Court of Appeal, however, ruled in HMRC’s favor and overturned two lower tribunal decisions. Bolt was told by the court that it could not use a tax system originally intended for tour operators and travel agents called Tour Operators Margin Scheme (TOMS). Uber also has a case that is pending. It was put on hold as Bolt's case progressed. In a ruling issued last year, a London tribunal said that Uber had paid disputed tax amounts of PS1.446 billion. Bolt's spokesperson stated that the company is disappointed with the ruling, and will "consider all options available to us". Uber and HMRC didn't immediately respond to our requests for comment. ($1 = 0.7457 pounds) (Reporting by Sam Tobin. William James, Mark Potter and William James edited the article.
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Families of victims mark anniversary of Air India crash with prayers and tributes
Families of those 260 people who were?killed in an Air India 'Boeing 787 crash that occurred in Ahmedabad one year ago?will gather this Friday to pray and pay tribute by candlelight to mark the anniversary. Some of the relatives attended a commemoration earlier in the day at B.J. Some of the relatives who attended the memorial ceremony earlier that day, near the site where the plane crashed in a student hostel, were joined by politicians, government officials, and foreign dignitaries. The damaged hostels, which bear the scars from the crash of June 12, 2025 remain closed. The state government of Gujarat has announced that the damaged hostel will be demolished, and replaced by a new building with funding from Tata Group. Tata Group owns 75% of Air India. PAINFUL REMEMBERANCES The first anniversary of the crash in Ahmedabad has brought back painful memories for the families who lost loved ones and the local residents. Suresh patni's family, whose son was a tea vendor and died?in this disaster, is still deeply in mourning. "I can't imagine it's been a whole year," he said. He added that the family survived thanks to compensation from Tata Trusts. Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of this crash. It was the deadliest air disaster the world has seen in the last decade. The preliminary report published last year revealed that the Boeing 787 engine fuel control switches switched almost?simultaneously between 'RUN" and 'CUTOFF", starving both engines with fuel shortly after Air India Flight AI171 left for London. How can you blame him? According to the US, a cockpit recording of the dialogue between?two pilots confirmed that the captain had cut off the fuel flow to the plane's engines. Last year, officials' initial assessment was reported. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau stated at the time that it was "too soon to draw any conclusions". Pushkar Raj Sabharwal rebuffed suggestions in an interview with the BBC that his son, Sumeet, the captain of the Air India flight, could be held responsible for the crash. He said that his son had been flying the plane for years and was incident-free. How can you blame him? He said. Pushkar Raj Sabharwal, the Indian Supreme Court's Chief Justice, has requested that an independent investigation be conducted to examine other causes than pilot actions.
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Source: India summons top US diplomat a second time in protest of strikes on ships near Oman
India summoned U.S. Deputy?chief of Mission in Delhi to protest against U.S. Military strikes on commercial'vessels' off the -coast of Oman on Friday, a?Indian source said. This is the second time New Delhi has voiced its displeasure in the last three days. Jason Meeks, the U.S. deputy head of mission in the country, was summoned to India by the government for the first-time on Wednesday. This followed a U.S. Navy attack on the Palau flagged oil tanker Settebello that resulted in the deaths of three Indian sailors. The attack on Thursday was a similar one, but this time there were no reported deaths or injuries. The Indian source stated that "MEA summoned meeks to lodge protests against attacks on commercial ships?off of the Coast of Oman", referring to the Indian Foreign Ministry, which is called the Ministry of External Affairs. Source: "Yesterday another vessel with twenty Indian crew members on board was attacked," source adds. The U.S. Embassy at New Delhi didn't respond to a request for comment immediately. New Delhi and Washington developed a strategic partnership in the past two decades. It is rare for India to summon a U.S. ambassador to lodge a protest. Washington's tariffs, and its engagement with New Delhi’s rivals Pakistan or China have put pressure on the strong ties that exist between these two countries. The death of Indian sailors occurs just days before a possible meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trump at the Group of 7 Summit in France. Reporting by YP. Rajesh, Saurabh. Sharma and Tanvi. Mehta. Ahmed.
Slovakia, Hungary rebuff EU contact us to change lost Russian oil via Croatia
Slovakia and Hungary on Friday rebuffed a European Commission recommendation that they might replace lost Russian oil supplies via an alternative path through Croatia saying it was too expensive.
Products from Russia's biggest oil exporter Lukoil through Ukraine were stopped in July following a ban by Ukrainian authorities on Lukoil utilizing the Druzhba pipeline, which connects Russia to eastern Europe.
Hungary and Slovakia earlier this month asked the European Commission to step in and moderate as the threatened their security of supply.
But they are declining the European Commission's proposition to usage spare capability on the JANAF Adriatic pipeline in Croatia to supply both countries with oil not sourced in Russia.
Croatia is just not a reliable country for transit, Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said. Oil transit costs were raised fivefold considering that the outbreak of the (Ukraine). war by Croatia.
Slovakia, whose Hungarian-owned Slovnaft refinery currently. takes some oil via JANAF, also referred to as Adria, said on Friday it. received a letter from the Croatian government providing to. secure materials.
But for what rate? What capability? No one understands that. today, Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar stated in a. declaration.
Slovakia wants the Commission to get Ukraine to totally. renew flows from Russia, but he stated it will also search for. another solution in case the Commission does not act.
Following Russia's 2022 intrusion, European Union forbade. oil imports to its member states in an attempt to wean itself. off from Russian fossil fuels, however offered an exemption to Hungary,. Slovakia and the Czech Republic to discover alternative routes and. supplies.
Flows from Russian providers besides Lukoil by means of Druzhba. have actually continued.
EU commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis on Friday said Ukraine. had actually confirmed that Lukoil oil flowing through Ukraine was at. that point of its journey already owned by other entities and. thus sanctions do not use to it, raising concerns about the. reason for the disturbance to the circulation.
In spite of dragged out talks over transit charges, Croatia's JANAF. and Hungary's MOL managed to sign an one-year agreement. in May 2023, on a transportation and storage deal for 2.9 million. tonnes of crude on the Adriatic pipeline to MOL's Hungarian and. Slovak refineries.
Hungary on Friday also grumbled that Croatia has actually stopped working to. invest in capacity structure, and has actually never ever shown the figure it. has actually given for the optimum transit capability of its pipeline.
Croatia's federal government press office did not instantly respond. to ask for comment.
(source: Reuters)