International
The far right in the European Parliament expels AfD after the scandals of its head of the list
The far-right group in the European Parliament, Identity and Democracy, decided on Thursday to expel the entire delegation of Alternative for Germany (AfD) because of the scandals in which the head of the list of this formation for the European elections, Maximilian Krah, has been involved.
“The ‘bureau’ of the Identity and Democracy group in the European Parliament has decided today to exclude the German delegation, AfD, with immediate effect. The ID group does not want to remain associated with the incidents involving Maximilian Krah, head of the AfD list for the European elections,” the group said in a statement.
Hours earlier, seven of the nine MEPs of the formation had asked ID to expel their leader to prevent the exclusion of the entire delegation from the parliamentary group, on the grounds that it has damaged “the cohesion and reputation” of ID.
In practice, the decision has a small impact because the European Parliament no longer has legislative activity and its MEPs are mainly campaigning in their countries of origin. After the elections, the groups will be composed from scratch and it was already public that AfD would not be welcome again in Identity and Democracy.
After the head of the list of the German far-right affirmed that in the Nazi organization SS “not everyone was criminals,” the National Group (RN) of the French Marine Le Pen and La Liga of the Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini distanced themselves and affirmed that they will not share a parliamentary group in the European Parliament again.
Krah’s words about the SS are only the last of the chain of scandals in which he has been involved during the campaign.
At the end of April, one of its employees in Brussels was arrested on suspicion of espionage for China and the Dresden prosecutor’s office (east of Germany) has opened preliminary proceedings to determine whether Krah could also have received payments from Beijing.
On the other hand, along with his number two, Petr Bystrom, Krah is under suspicion of having collected money from Moscow in exchange for spreading certain pro-Russian opinions, for example through contributions on the Voice of Europe platform.
The leadership of Alternative for Germany (AfD) said on Thursday that it maintains “optimism” for the next elections to the European Parliament, despite the fact that the party was expelled today from the far-right group in the European Parliament Identity and Democracy (ID).
“We are aware of the decision of the ID parliamentary group. We still see with optimism the election night and the following days,” said the co-leaders of the ultra-German formation, Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, in a brief statement.
They indicated that the AfD will strive to increase the number of representatives it has in the European Parliament and stressed that in order to have a political effect in Brussels, a collaboration with close parties is “indispensable”.
“We are confident that we will also have reliable partners by our side in the new legislature,” Weidel and Chrupalla concluded.
International
Mexico City Mayor Invites U2 to Perform at Iconic Zócalo Plaza
Irish rock band U2, which spent Tuesday and Wednesday filming a new music video for its song Street of Dreams in the Historic Center of Mexico City, received an invitation to perform at the capital’s iconic Zócalo square from Mayor Clara Brugada.
Brugada shared the invitation through social media posts accompanied by photos and a video showing her meeting with the band members.
“This is an invitation for you to perform in our wonderful public square, the Zócalo. You are welcome here, and we would love to have you,” Brugada said in the video while handing a document to Bono, the band’s lead singer.
Bono responded by saying that the group would like “to begin its new tour in Mexico City.”
Referencing one of the band’s most famous songs, In the Name of Love, Brugada said she was greeting Bono along with The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr..
“Welcoming U2 to our capital means celebrating music, connection and the emotion that can be felt in every corner of this city,” Brugada wrote in one of her messages. “We are a city open to the world, vibrant and full of stories shared from the stage to the streets.”
She also described the Zócalo as “the country’s most important public square” and a cultural landmark for Latin America.
Over the years, the Zócalo has hosted massive concerts by internationally renowned artists and bands including Roger Waters, Paul McCartney, Manu Chao, Café Tacvba, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Los Tigres del Norte, La Maldita Vecindad, Silvio Rodríguez, Joan Manuel Serrat, Rosalía and Shakira, drawing hundreds of thousands of fans.
International
Marco Rubio Urges China to Help Restrain Iran Amid Gulf Tensions
Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Washington hopes to persuade China to take a more active role in stopping Iran from escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf, arguing that the crisis directly threatens Asian commercial interests.
“It is in China’s interest to resolve this situation. We hope to convince them to play a more active role in getting Iran to stop what it is doing now and trying to do in the Persian Gulf,” Rubio said during an interview with journalist Sean Hannity on Fox News while traveling aboard Air Force One.
The top U.S. diplomat said the conflict and concerns over the possible disruption of the Strait of Hormuz have already affected China’s interests.
Rubio noted that “a Chinese cargo ship was struck over the weekend,” referring to the exchange of attacks reported last Friday between Iran and the United States.
The remarks come amid growing international concern over rising tensions in the region and the potential impact on global trade routes and energy supplies.
International
Trump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubiocould potentially form a Republican presidential ticket for the 2028 elections.
Speaking during a dinner with law enforcement officials as part of National Police Week, Trump publicly praised both officials and said they could make “an ideal team” for the next presidential race.
“Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?” Trump asked attendees before adding that the pair “sound like a good combination.”
The president highlighted his vice president’s performance in office, stating that their current partnership has been highly effective. “JD is perfect, that has been a perfect formula,” Trump told reporters later.
He further suggested that a Vance-Rubio pairing could represent a strong presidential and vice-presidential ticket, although he stopped short of offering any formal endorsement.
“I think it sounds like a presidential candidate and a vice-presidential candidate,” he said, while clarifying that his remarks should not be interpreted as an official backing of any future campaign.
So far, neither Vance nor Rubio has publicly confirmed any intention to run in the 2028 presidential election.
Rubio previously sought the Republican nomination in 2016 but withdrew after losing the primary race to Trump. Later, in a December 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, he said he would be among the first to support Vance if he decided to run for the White House.
Vance, meanwhile, has recently dismissed speculation of any political rivalry with Rubio amid growing discussion about potential future GOP leadership.
Mexico City Mayor Invites U2 to Perform at Iconic Zócalo Plaza
Marco Rubio Urges China to Help Restrain Iran Amid Gulf Tensions
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Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
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International1 day agoTrump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
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International4 days agoRussia Accuses Ukraine of Violating Victory Day Truce
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Central America1 day agoPanama confirms drug contamination of El Salvador coffee shipment occurred on its territory
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International2 hours agoMarco Rubio Urges China to Help Restrain Iran Amid Gulf Tensions
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International2 hours agoMexico City Mayor Invites U2 to Perform at Iconic Zócalo Plaza