Trump Calls for “Nationalizing” Voting, Drawing Backlash Over Election Authority 
Federal Judge Signals Possible Dismissal of xAI Lawsuit Against OpenAI 
Israel Reopens Rafah Crossing, Offering Limited Relief to Gaza Patients Amid Ceasefire Efforts 
DOJ Sues Virginia Over Failure to Provide Full Voter Registration Records 
US Judge Rejects $2.36B Penalty Bid Against Google in Privacy Data Case 
Federal Reserve Faces Subpoena Delay Amid Investigation Into Chair Jerome Powell 
Supreme Court Signals Skepticism Toward Hawaii Handgun Carry Law 
Russia Warns Foreign Troop Deployment in Ukraine Would Be Treated as Legitimate Military Targets 
Minnesota Judge Rejects Bid to Halt Trump Immigration Enforcement in Minneapolis 
U.S. and Israeli Military Leaders Hold Pentagon Talks as Tensions With Iran Escalate 
Taiwan Urges Stronger Trade Ties With Fellow Democracies, Rejects Economic Dependence on China 
Supreme Court Tests Federal Reserve Independence Amid Trump’s Bid to Fire Lisa Cook 
Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol Faces Historic Court Ruling Over Failed Martial Law Attempt 
Starmer’s China Visit Highlights Western Balancing Act Amid U.S.-China Rivalry 
DOJ Urges Judge to Block Lawmakers’ Bid for Special Master in Jeffrey Epstein Records Case 
Federal Judge Rules Trump Administration Unlawfully Halted EV Charger Funding 
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy will soon learn his fate in a high-profile corruption trial over allegations he received millions of euros from late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to finance his 2007 presidential campaign. French prosecutors have requested a seven-year prison sentence for Sarkozy, who governed France from 2007 to 2012. If convicted, the 70-year-old can appeal, which would temporarily suspend his sentence.
The trial, which began in January, centers on charges of concealing embezzled public funds, passive corruption, illegal campaign financing, and criminal conspiracy. Investigators allege that Sarkozy made a secret pact with Gaddafi’s regime, with cash deliveries in suitcases reportedly transported to Paris. The case has drawn global attention due to its alleged involvement of Libyan intelligence agents, arms dealers, and even a convicted terrorist. Sarkozy has strongly denied the accusations, calling the trial politically motivated.
Despite his legal troubles, Sarkozy remains a significant figure in French politics. Even after being stripped of the prestigious Legion of Honour in June, he has continued to wield influence. Recently, he met with Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, once his protégé, and gave credibility to Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally by stating the party now belongs to France’s “republican arc.”
This is not Sarkozy’s first encounter with the law. Last year, France’s highest court upheld a separate corruption conviction, requiring him to serve a year with an electronic monitoring tag—an unprecedented penalty for a former French head of state. That tag has since been removed. In addition, an appeals court confirmed another conviction over illegal campaign financing tied to his failed 2012 re-election bid.
As Sarkozy awaits the ruling in the Libya case, the outcome could redefine his political legacy. While supporters view him as a victim of judicial overreach, critics argue his repeated convictions highlight systemic abuse of power at the highest levels of government.
