International

Italian mafia drug trafficker caught in Dubai

AFP

One of Italy’s most wanted international drug barons has been arrested in Dubai, police said on Thursday, following more than six years on the run.

Raffale Imperiale, considered one of Italy’s most dangerous fugitives, was a top operative from the organised crime world of Naples, who in 2016 was believed to have fled to the Gulf emirate.

He was arrested August 4 by Dubai authorities following coordination with Interpol and Europol, police in Naples said in a statement.

They described Imperiale, 47, as a “long-time top level player in international drug trafficking and money laundering” who over the years built up “an impressive network of international traffickers, in particular of cocaine.”

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Italy’s justice ministry was preparing extradition proceedings, police said.

Imperiale — part of the Amato-Pagana clan within Naples’ Camorra organised crime syndicate — left Italy for Amsterdam in the 1990s to manage a coffee shop, and began allying himself with Dutch traffickers, according to Italian daily La Repubblica.

After first dealing in ecstasy tablets, he set his sights on the more lucrative cocaine trade, moving tons of drugs into Holland for the European market with the help of South American traffickers, while at the same time operating restaurants and investment companies, the paper said.

In 2016, Italian police found two Van Gogh paintings that had been stolen from Amsterdam’s Van Gogh museum 14 years earlier inside a home outside Naples belonging to Imperiale.

The paintings — “View of the Sea at Scheveningen” and “Congregation Leaving the Reformed Church at Nuenen” — were stolen in a daring heist.

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Police on Thursday said a close cohort of Imperiale, Vincenzo Aprea — a well-known Camorra boss now in prison — had been able to buy the paintings on the black market using drug money.

International

Iran rejects negotiations as tensions escalate with United States

Iran has no intention of entering negotiations and will continue to resist, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday night, dismissing recent statements by U.S. President Donald Trump about possible talks.

Speaking to state television, Araghchi argued that Washington’s call for negotiations reflects a position of weakness. He added that the Islamic Republic seeks to end the war on its own terms, ensuring that such a conflict does not recur in the future.

Meanwhile, the White House issued a stark warning, stating that Trump would “unleash hell” on Iran if it refuses to accept a deal to end the conflict. Despite Tehran’s rejection, U.S. officials maintained that discussions remain ongoing.

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt reinforced the administration’s position, warning that failure to acknowledge what she described as Iran’s military defeat would result in even stronger action from Washington.

The increasingly aggressive rhetoric from both sides has diminished hopes for a near-term de-escalation in the conflict, which began following U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28.

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As tensions continue to rise, the prospect of a diplomatic resolution remains uncertain amid conflicting narratives and escalating threats from both governments.

International

Maduro appears again in New York court amid drug trafficking charges

Ousted Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro appeared in a New York federal court on Thursday for the second time since his capture on January 3 during a U.S. military operation in Caracas.

Maduro, 63, and his wife, Cilia Flores, 69, have been held in a detention facility in Brooklyn for nearly three months. Their only previous court appearance took place on January 5, when Maduro declared himself a “prisoner of war” and pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges.

A large police convoy departed the detention center early in the morning, heading toward the federal courthouse in Manhattan, where the hearing was scheduled. Security around the building was reinforced as both supporters and opponents gathered outside.

Among those present was Venezuelan educator Carlos Egana, who expressed frustration and called for justice, reflecting the polarized reactions surrounding the case. At the same time, left-wing activists displayed banners demanding Maduro’s release and criticizing U.S. foreign policy.

Maduro governed Venezuela from 2013 until his removal from power earlier this year. Following his ouster, Delcy Rodríguez assumed the interim presidency, initiating a shift in relations with the United States.

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The former leader faces multiple charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation, and illegal possession of weapons.

During Thursday’s hearing, scheduled for 11:00 a.m. local time, Maduro’s legal team was expected to push for the dismissal of the case, while also addressing disputes over how his legal defense will be financed amid ongoing U.S. sanctions.

His lawyer, Barry Pollack, has argued that restrictions on accessing Venezuelan state funds could affect Maduro’s right to legal representation, adding another layer of complexity to a case with significant political and international implications.

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.