Author: Admin

by Admin Feb 17, 2025 Sweden’s Foreign Minister, Maria Malmer Stenergard, stated on Monday that the country is “not ruling out” deploying troops to Ukraine as part of a potential postwar peacekeeping mission. The foreign minister’s remarks follow a similar statement by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who expressed readiness to send British troops to Ukraine for peacekeeping duties.  The British Prime Minister’s position aims to emphasize the role European nations should play in negotiating an end to the war and ensuring long-term stability in Europe. In an interview, the Swedish foreign minister underscored the importance of securing a peace agreement that upholds international law and protects Ukraine’s sovereignty. “We must first negotiate a just and sustainable peace that respects international law, that respects Ukraine, and most importantly prevents Russia from withdrawing, regrouping, and launching another attack in the coming years,” she said. Stenergard added that once a durable peace is established, Sweden’s government would consider all options to ensure its enforcement, including potential troop deployment.

by Admin Feb 15, 2025 Italian authorities detained 130 individuals on Feb. 11 as part of a large-scale operation targeting the Sicilian mafia in Palermo. The country’s top anti-mafia prosecutor indicated that high-security prison inmates were still issuing “criminal directives” to operatives outside. The Carabinieri, Italy’s national police force, reported that the operation resulted in restrictive measures against 183 individuals, including 36 who were already incarcerated. The Cosa Nostra, the notorious crime syndicate immortalized in films like The Godfather, held a brutal grip on Sicily for decades. At its peak in 1992, the organization assassinated two prominent anti-mafia prosecutors, Giovanni Falcone, and Paolo Borsellino, in retaliation for their efforts to dismantle the group using informants, known as pentiti. However, in recent years, the Sicilian mafia has been overshadowed by the ‘Ndrangheta, a powerful criminal network based in Calabria. The Carabinieri stated that those arrested on Feb. 11 face charges including criminal association of a mafia nature, attempted murder, extortion using mafia intimidation, and drug trafficking conspiracy. Italy’s national anti-mafia prosecutor, Giovanni Melillo, said the investigation reflected a broader pattern seen in other regions, where high-security prisons remain under the influence of organized crime groups, enabling incarcerated mafia bosses to communicate and issue orders. Palermo’s chief prosecutor, Maurizio de Lucia, echoed these concerns, warning that mobile devices and video calls in prisons have blurred the line between incarceration and freedom, allowing mafia leaders to continue coordinating their operations. “Two key points emerge,” de Lucia explained. “First, the organization understands that to regain strength, it needs a central command structure, which it has struggled to achieve. Second, it has adapted by using technology to link its mandamenti [territories controlled by mafia families].” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni praised the operation, calling it a “very hard blow to Cosa Nostra.” Writing on the social media platform X, she emphasized that the arrests send a clear message: “The fight against the mafia has not stopped and will not stop.”

by Admin Feb 14, 2025 At least 28 people were injured in Munich when an Afghan asylum seeker drove into a crowd gathered at a trade union rally, police reported.  The suspect accelerated his vehicle toward the demonstrators, prompting an officer to fire a single shot before arresting him. Although the suspect sustained injuries during the incident, he was not hit by the bullet. Authorities stated that no other individuals are believed to be involved.  The suspect, identified as 24-year-old Farhad N, arrived in Germany in 2016. Although his asylum application was rejected, his deportation had been suspended. Counter-terrorism police have assumed control of the investigation amid indications of the suspect’s extremist background.  The incident occurred as Munich prepares to host the Security Conference this weekend; however, officials do not see a connection between the two events. With a national election just 10 days away, the case has further fueled the heated debate over migration in Germany. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, along with other politicians, responded strongly to the attack.  He further said “This perpetrator cannot hope for any leniency. He must be punished and he must leave the country,” Scholz told reporters.

by Admin Feb 14, 2025 Pope Francis has been admitted to Rome’s Policlinico Agostino Gemelli early Friday morning for diagnostic tests and ongoing treatment for bronchitis. The Vatican disclosed that the pontiff, who has led the Church since 2013, is receiving care for bronchitis—a condition he recently described as a “strong cold” during his weekly audience with pilgrims. Despite his illness, the Pope maintained his busy schedule, holding meetings with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, Cardinal Luis Tagle, a Catholic philanthropy group from Puerto Rico, and CNN CEO Mark Thompson before heading to the hospital. This isn’t the first time Pope Francis has faced health challenges. Over the past two years, he has battled influenza and other ailments. Additionally, recent falls at his Vatican residence resulted in a bruised chin in December and an arm injury in January.  The Gemelli hospital, which features a dedicated suite for popes, previously treated him during a nine-day stay in June 2023 for surgery to repair an abdominal hernia.