International

Donald Trump faces former lawyer in court over Stormy Daniels payments

Former U.S. President Donald Trump is set to face testimony from a key figure in his criminal trial over irregular payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels: his former lawyer and right-hand man, Michael Cohen, who facilitated those payments.

Trump will confront one of his greatest adversaries, who in 2018 pleaded guilty and served more than a year in prison for several offenses, including campaign finance violations related to payments to two alleged lovers of the politician, one of them being Daniels.

Cohen is a star witness for the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, which has charged Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records in a series of payments to the lawyer during the 2016 presidential campaign that led him to the White House, including $130,000 paid by the former president to Daniels to silence her.

Cohen is expected to strongly criticize Trump, as usual, and as he did in the recent civil trial in New York for fraud in the Trump Organization, where he accused Trump of manipulating asset figures, resulting in a $364 million fine that the mogul is appealing.

Last week, another key and opposing witness, Daniels herself, took the stand. She detailed her one-night affair in 2006 with the then-married former president when she was 27 and he was 59.

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Daniels underwent rigorous cross-examination by the defense, where she was labeled a liar and accused of being motivated by money. She was even accused of extorting the payment from the former president, which she denied, through Cohen.

The lawyers unsuccessfully attempted once more to have the trial dismissed, criticizing the intimate nature of the adult film actress’s testimony. She revealed having spanked Trump with a magazine and stated that he had greeted her in satin pajamas and they had had unprotected sex.

International

German president says trust in U.S. leadership is ‘lost’ amid global tensions

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Tuesday that trust between the United States and its Western allies has been “lost,” warning that the damage could persist beyond the presidency of Donald Trump.

“The rupture is very deep, and the loss of trust in U.S. great power policy is significant—not only among its allies, but also, as I observe, globally,” Steinmeier said during a speech in Berlin marking the 75th anniversary of Germany’s Foreign Ministry.

Referring to the future of transatlantic relations, he stated that “there is no return to the situation before January 20, 2025,” the date marking the start of Trump’s second term in the White House.

“Even a future U.S. administration will no longer be able to resume the role of a benevolent hegemon guaranteeing a liberal international order,” added Steinmeier, who previously served as Germany’s foreign minister.

He also criticized the war against Iran, describing it as “contrary to international law” and calling it “a political mistake with serious consequences.”

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“This war is avoidable and unnecessary,” he said.

Although the German presidency is largely ceremonial, Steinmeier’s remarks reflect a broader concern within Germany, aligning with the government’s cautious stance while going further in tone.

International

Trump claims talks with Iran as G7 meets to address global tensions

U.S. President Donald Trump said that the United States has held talks with Iran—a claim denied by Tehran—and has temporarily paused his threat to target the country’s electrical infrastructure.

In his first overseas trip since the United States and Israel launched their offensive on February 28, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to address key global issues, including the situation in the Middle East, according to State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven will meet in Cernay-la-Ville, close to Versailles, on the outskirts of Paris.

During the meeting, Rubio will hold discussions with his counterparts on “the war between Russia and Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, and threats to global peace and stability,” Pigott said.

France currently holds the presidency of the G7, whose members also include the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Italy, and Japan.

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Although all G7 nations are close allies of the United States, none has offered explicit support for Washington’s military actions against Iran, a stance that has reportedly frustrated Trump.

Last Saturday, G7 foreign ministers called for an “immediate and unconditional end” to Iranian attacks against U.S. allies in the Middle East.

International

Pentagon to deploy 3,000 troops to Persian Gulf as Middle East tensions escalate

The Pentagon is planning to deploy nearly 3,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Persian Gulf, according to two senior officials cited Tuesday by Spanish newspaper El País.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah warned it would confront any attempt at occupation following Israel’s announcement that its military will take control of southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, located about 30 kilometers from the border.

In recent hours, the Israel Defense Forces carried out airstrikes on Beirut, while Iran and Hezbollah responded with attacks on Israel, leaving at least six people with minor injuries in Tel Aviv.

The escalation comes as global markets react to renewed instability. The price of oil rose again above $100 per barrel after a brief decline the previous day, following an announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump of a five-day truce on attacks targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure.

Despite the announcement, Iranian authorities reported that two projectiles struck a gas pipeline in Khorramshahr and administrative buildings at a gas facility in Isfahan early Tuesday.