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Spain’s prime minister has decided not to resign despite his wife being investigated over corruption claims.

Pedro Sanchez said he was pausing public duties and considering his future last week, but confirmed on Monday he would continue as leader.

“I have decided to go on, if possible even stronger as prime minister. This is not business as usual, things are going to be different,” he said in a speech.

He earlier met King Felipe VI to inform him of his decision.

His wife, Begona Gomez, is being investigated by a court on allegations she used her position to influence business deals.

The claim is in the preliminary stage and was filed by a far-right legal platform called Manos Limpias (Clean Hands).

However, it has admitted the complaint is based on newspaper articles and Madrid prosecutors have said it should be dismissed.

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Mr Sanchez has called the allegations “spurious” and a “smear campaign” whipped up by news sites aligned with the opposition Popular Party and the Vox party.

Thousands of supporters of the 52-year-old centre-left PM held rallies last week urging him not to resign.

Mr Sanchez could have chosen to step down, called a new election or sought a parliamentary vote of confidence.

Pic: Reuters
Supporters took to the streets of Madrid at the weekend to urge him to stay. Pic: Reuters
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Supporters took to the streets of Madrid at the weekend to urge him to stay. Pics: Reuters

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The Popular Party said his decision to step back to think about his future was frivolous and a tactic to generate more support in upcoming regional and European elections.

Nagore Calvo Mendizabal, a senior lecturer in Spanish and European politics at King’s College London, agreed it could be “another of his political manoeuvres” designed to increase support nationally in the face of attacks from the right.

First elected in 2018, Mr Sanchez began another four-year term in November after assembling a new minority coalition government with smaller regional parties.

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Scottie Scheffler: World number one golfer detained by police near PGA Championship course

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Scottie Scheffler: World number one golfer detained by police near PGA Championship course

World number one golfer Scottie Scheffler has been detained and handcuffed by police for reportedly attempting to get around a traffic jam caused by a fatal accident near a course.

Play in the second round of the US PGA Championship at Valhalla golf club in Kentucky was delayed following the incident in which a pedestrian was hit by a shuttle bus, according to Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD).

The 27-year-old was apparently attempting to drive past a police officer when he was stopped.

An unverified video posted online shows one officer leading Scheffler to a patrol car while another says to a camera: “Right now, he’s going to jail, he’s going to jail and there ain’t nothing you can do about it. Period.”

ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington, who witnessed the incident, said on air: “Traffic had been backed up and building.

“Scottie Scheffler tried to enter Valhalla Golf Club using a side median, at which point a police officer instructed him to stop.

“Scheffler attempted to continue to go, the police officer then attached himself to the side of Scheffler’s car.

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“Scheffler stopped the vehicle as he turned into Valhalla Golf Club at the entrance, about 10 to 20 yards from the point at which the police officer first told him to stop.

“At that point the police officer instructed Scheffler to get out of the car.

“He rolled down the window, the police officer grabbed his arm and started pulling at it.

“He reached inside, opened the car door, pulled Scheffler out, pushed him up against the car, immediately placed him in handcuffs.”

A statement released by LMPD earlier, said officers had been called to reports of a collision involving a male pedestrian and a bus at around 5am.

It added: “As a result, the pedestrian received fatal injuries and was pronounced dead on the scene. The LMPD Traffic Unit is investigating.”

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French police shoot dead armed suspect who ‘planned to set fire to synagogue’

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French police shoot dead armed suspect who 'planned to set fire to synagogue'

French police have shot and killed an armed suspect outside of a synagogue, the interior minister has said.

The incident in Rouen, northern France, on Friday morning happened after the individual was intent on setting fire to the town’s synagogue, Gerald Darmanin said.

“I congratulate [national police officers] for their reactivity and their courage,” he added.

According to regional authorities, police rushed toward the man as smoke was rising from the synagogue.

He was carrying a knife and an iron bar when an officer shot him dead. His identity and motive are unclear.

Local broadcaster France 3 reported firefighters were at the scene. A city hall official said shortly before 8am that the fire had been brought under control.

Rouen mayor Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol also said on social media the town is “bruised and in shock”.

He thanked first responders on the scene and said there were “no victims other than the armed individual”.

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The president of France’s Consistoire Central Jewish worshippers body Elie Korchia added police “avoided another anti-Semitic tragedy”.

France has already raised its security level to its highest level ahead of the 2024 Olympics in Paris over conflict in the Middle East, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the threat of terror attacks.

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Donald Trump trial star witness Michael Cohen accused of lying about hush money phone call

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Donald Trump trial star witness Michael Cohen accused of lying about hush money phone call

Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former “thug” and “pit bull”, has been accused of lying about a phone call he says he made to the former US president about payments to ex porn star Stormy Daniels.

Cohen, a lawyer who worked for the Trump Organisation from 2006 to 2017, has been giving evidence in the case about hush money payments to Ms Daniels – in an attempt to cover up an alleged sexual encounter in 2006.

Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, called into question an important detail – a phone call made by Cohen to Trump’s assistant, Keith Schiller, on 24 October 2016.

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Cohen, 57, has maintained that during that call he spoke to Trump (who was either given the phone by Mr Schiller or placed on loudspeaker – we don’t know which) and told him he had paid Ms Daniels $130,000 in hush money on his behalf.

But Mr Blanche called this into doubt – showing the jury a number of interactions suggesting Cohen was in contact with Mr Schiller about a different issue at the same time, namely that he was receiving harassing phone calls and texts from a 14-year-old child.

“That was a lie – you did not talk to President Trump on that night, you talked to Keith Schiller about what we just went through,” Mr Blanche said.

Cohen said that, based on his records, he believes he spoke to Trump about the Stormy Daniels matter.

“We are not asking for your belief,” Mr Blanche said. “This jury does not want to hear what you think happened.”

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Pic: Reuters
Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attends trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 16th 2024 in New York City, U.S. Steven Hirsch/Pool via REUTERS
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Donald Trump in court on Thursday. Pic: Reuters

That exchange was part of several hours of questioning which apparently sought to paint a picture of Cohen as someone who is eager to see his former boss behind bars.

Mr Blanche played jurors audio clips of Cohen saying the case “fills me with delight” and that imagining Trump and his family in prison made him feel “giddy with hope and laughter”.

“Does the outcome of this trial affect you personally?” Mr Blanche asked.

“Yes,” Cohen replied. He is due to return to the witness stand on Monday.

Michael Cohen (right) leaves his apartment building in New York on Tuesday. Pic: AP
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Michael Cohen (right) was Donald Trump’s fixer. Pic: AP

Cohen worked as the former president’s fixer. He once described himself as Trump’s “spokesman, thug, pit bull and lawless lawyer”.

He once said he would take a bullet for his boss and admitted at the end of questioning on Tuesday that he “violated my moral compass” while working for Trump.

Hush money payouts are not illegal, but Trump is accused of falsifying business records to hide it – a claim he denies.

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