International

Judge of the Trump case points out comment on Facebook about possible verdict leak

The judge who presided over the criminal trial against former President Donald Trump (2017-2021) in New York, Juan Merchan, pointed out on Friday a comment posted by a user on the Facebook of the judicial system about a possible leak of the guilty verdict before it was determined by the jury.

Merchan addressed a letter to both the Manhattan Prosecutor’s Office and Trump’s defense calling his “attention” to a comment by a user in a publication on May 29, a day before the verdict, which quotes: “My cousin is a juror and says that Trump will be convicted. Thank you, people, for your hard work!!!”

However, the comment was deleted and when the name of the alleged author is searched by the judge on Facebook, a profile of a person appears who is listed as a ‘shitposter’ (a person who intentionally publishes junk messages on the internet), according to local media.

The judge’s letter is a mere notification and does not indicate that he will take any action for the comment.

A spokesman for Trump’s campaign told Fox News that he is “investigating the matter.”

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On May 30, after a month and a half of trial, a jury found Trump guilty of 34 crimes related to the falsification of his company’s documents to silence the porn actress Stormy Daniels and protect her career in the White House elections in 2016, which she ended up winning. The sentence will be announced on July 11.

The jurors were specifically instructed by the judge to keep secret about their work and not to talk about the case with anyone.

On the other hand, Merchan responded this Friday to a motion by Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, allowing him to attend an interview of his client with a correction official prior to the sentence.

International

Spain’s irregular migrant population rises to 840,000, study finds

The number of migrants living in Spain without legal residency status continues to rise and has reached 840,000 people, with 91% originating from the Americas, particularly Colombia, Peru and Honduras, according to a report by the Spanish think tank Funcas (Foundation of the Savings Banks).

An estimated 17.2% of the non-EU foreign population living in Spain is in an irregular administrative situation. The estimate is based on the gap between the number of foreign residents effectively living in Spain, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE), and those who hold a residence permit, benefit from international protection, or are in the process of obtaining it.

The data, as of January 1, 2025, point to a notable and sustained increase in irregular migration since 2017, when the estimated figure stood at around 107,000 people, representing 4.2% of the non-EU population residing in Spain.

By origin, migrants from the American continent stand out, totaling around 760,000 people, or 91% of all irregular migrants. Colombians account for nearly 290,000, followed by Peruvians with almost 110,000, and Hondurans with about 90,000. Migrants from Africa (50,000), Asia (15,000) and Europe (14,000) trail far behind.

The figures predate Spain’s latest immigration regulation reform, which came into force in May 2025 and introduces measures to ease access to legal status through residency ties. According to Funcas, the reform would, in principle, tend to reduce the number of migrants in an irregular situation.

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International

Historic snowstorm paralyzes Toronto after 60 centimeters of snow

Toronto, Canada’s largest city and the fourth most populous in North America, was largely paralyzed on Monday after a historic snowstorm dumped up to 60 centimeters of snow and sent temperatures plunging to -15 degrees Celsius, authorities said.

Late Sunday, as the scale of the snowfall became clear, city officials declared a climate emergency, triggering extraordinary measures including parking bans on several major streets to facilitate snow removal operations.

Toronto’s public transit authority reported that while some buses remain immobilized, subway and streetcar services are operating with relative normality, though localized disruptions may occur.

A similar situation is affecting the city’s commuter rail network, which remains operational but is experiencing significant delays on its main routes due to the severe weather conditions.

International

Venezuela frees at least 80 political prisoners, NGO says

At least 80 political prisoners were released on Sunday across Venezuela, human rights group Foro Penal reported, as the broader process of detainee releases continues at a slow pace under the interim government.

Foro Penal’s director, Alfredo Romero, wrote on social media platform X that verified releases took place nationwide and that the figure could rise as more confirmations are completed.

Attorney Gonzalo Himiob, also from Foro Penal, said the excarcelations occurred during the early hours of the day and emphasized that the number is not yet final pending further verification.

The releases are part of a series of steps announced by Venezuela’s interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, who took power after the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. military operation on Jan. 3, 2026. Rodríguez has pledged a significant number of liberations but has been criticized by opposition groups and rights organizations for the slow and nontransparent nature of the process.

So far, the Venezuelan government reports that 626 detainees have been freed since December, though independent counts by human rights groups suggest the number of actual political prisoner releases is lower and that many remain behind bars.

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Families of those still detained have maintained vigils outside prisons, hopeful for further releases even as broader concerns about political imprisonment and due process persist.