Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol returns to prison
A Seoul court has decided to return former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to prison as part of an investigation into the declaration of a state of emergency on December 3, 2024.
According to Reuters, a warrant for his re-arrest has been issued, while the court process is expanding the political and legal dimensions of the case.
On June 6, special counsel Cho Eun-seok, who is leading the investigation into the martial law incident, issued an arrest warrant for Yoon, charging him with abuse of presidential powers and violating the constitution. The case has raised strong questions about the role of institutions in maintaining the balance of power in the country.
Mark Rutte: "Europe is not producing enough weapons"
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hosted NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Berlin on Wednesday, as part of the 70th anniversary of Germany's membership in the North Atlantic Alliance.
Rutte stressed that Europe is not producing enough military equipment, welcoming the increase in defense budgets in some member states.
"The problem is neither the US nor Europe. The problem is that we are not producing enough. We are improving, but at the moment, Poland, Romania and Estonia are buying from South Korea, because in Europe and the US the processes are too slow. Therefore, we need to increase our capacities together," Rutte declared.
Meanwhile, against the backdrop of tensions between France and Germany over the fighter jet project, Merz stressed that talks are continuing and that cooperation with France and Spain could bring positive results, if an agreement is reached.
Zelensky and Pope Leo XIV discuss peace in Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Pope Leo XIV met on Wednesday at the Pope's summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, where they discussed the possibility of the Vatican serving as a host for peace talks to end Russia's full-scale occupation.
The meeting took place a day before the Fourth Conference on the Recovery of Ukraine, which will be held on Thursday and Friday in Rome.
According to the official statement from the Holy See, Pope Leo XIV and Zelensky spoke of the urgent need for a "just and lasting peace."
European Court: Russia has violated international law in Ukraine
Judges at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg handed down a historic ruling on Wednesday, declaring that Russia has violated international law on Ukrainian territory. This is the first time an international court has formally held the Kremlin responsible for human rights abuses since the start of the large-scale invasion in 2022.
The court also found Russia responsible for the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in 2014, a tragedy that claimed the lives of 298 people.
The ruling is separate from a criminal trial in the Netherlands, where two Russian citizens and a Ukrainian rebel were convicted in absentia of multiple murders in connection with the downing of the plane. The Strasbourg ruling is expected to have a major impact on international efforts to hold Russia accountable for its aggression against Ukraine.
