International

Vance pays a claim to Trump and affirms in his first speech that they are united to win

The Ohio senator J.D. Vance, elected by Donald Trump to be his vice president in case of returning to power, gave him a plea in his first speech, during the Republican National Convention, and thanked him for not taking the easy path because although “he did not need politics, politics needed him.”

“The man I have personally met in recent years is tough, but he cares about people. He can be defiant to a murderer in one moment, and urge national recovery in the next,” he said in Milwaukee, where he stressed that both “they love the country and are united to win.”

“I will never take for granted the trust you have placed in me. What an honor to help you capture the extraordinary vision you have for the country. I promise all Americans, whatever party it is, that I will give everything at their service,” he added.

Vance, 39 years old and whose intervention had been preceded by that of his wife, Usha Chilukuri Vance, said that this Wednesday night was “a night of hope, a celebration of what the United States once was.”

“And with the grace of God it will be again,” he said, recalling that it cannot be forgotten that this moment could have been very different, if Thomas Matthew Crooks had missed his shot on Saturday during a rally in Pennsylvania and the bullet would have killed Trump instead of touching his ear.

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With a slow tone, he stressed that Trump represents the last hope of something that has been lost and may not be found again: “A country where a working-class boy, far from the corridors of power, can be in this scenario as the next vice president of the United States.”

“But this moment is not about me, but about all of us and who we are fighting for. This is an automotive sector worker in Michigan who wonders why politicians are destroying their jobs. This is the worker of a Wisconsin factory who does things with his hands and is proud of American craftsmanship.”

Vance alluded to his humble origins and gave part of the prominence to his mother, acclaimed by those present at the Fiserv stadium. “A single mother who had a hard time with money and addictions but never gave up: I am proud to say that my mother has been sober for ten years.”

The senator stressed that Trump created “the best economy in history for workers” and asked the public to imagine what he will achieve if he gets another four years in the White House in case of winning on November 5.

Trump commissioned him by announcing that it would be his “number two” to focus “strongly on the people he fought for so brilliantly, American workers and farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota,” all of them key states, and “much beyond.”

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“We are going to build factories again, put people to make real products for American families, made by American workers. We will protect the salaries of Americans and stop China from raising its middle class at the expense of Americans,” he concluded.

International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.

International

U.S. counterterrorism chief resigns over opposition to war in Iran

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced Tuesday that he has resigned from his post, citing his opposition to the ongoing war in Iran.

In a post on X, Kent said he could not, “in good conscience,” support the conflict, arguing that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the United States. He also claimed that the war was driven by pressure from Israel and its lobbying influence in Washington.

In a resignation letter addressed to Donald Trump, Kent alleged that at the start of the current administration, senior Israeli officials and influential figures in U.S. media carried out a disinformation campaign that undermined the “America First” platform and fostered pro-war sentiment aimed at triggering a conflict with Iran.

Kent further stated that he could not support sending a new generation of Americans to “fight and die in a war that provides no benefit to the American people and does not justify the cost in American lives.”

Since the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28, at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed, while 10 others have been seriously wounded and around 200 have sustained minor injuries, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal.

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International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

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Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”