Former aide of far-right German EU lawmaker charged with espionage
Prosecutors in the south-western city of Karlsruhe said the former employee as well as an accomplice repeatedly passed on information on negotiations and decisions made in the European Parliament to a Chinese intelligence agency, while also spying on Chinese dissidents in Germany.
Krah was the top candidate of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in last year's European Parliament elections, but his campaign was plagued by scandal.
The AfD was kicked out of the right-wing Identity and Democracy (ID) group in the European Parliament after Krah made highly controversial comments defending members of the Nazi SS paramilitary in an interview with an Italian newspaper.
The party subsequently expelled him from its delegation to the European Parliament.
His former aide, identified as Jian G, a German citizen, has been working for a Chinese secret service since 2002, according to the federal prosecutor's office.
He was arrested in the eastern city of Dresden in April 2024 on accusations of particularly serious espionage. He is said to have obtained more than 500 documents, "including some that the European Parliament had categorized as particularly sensitive."
Shortly after the arrest, German authorities searched Jian G's and Krah's offices in the European Parliament in Brussels.
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Politico
41 minutes ago
- Politico
Tucker Carlson's view of the Epstein saga
PROMISES MADE — The Jeffrey Epstein saga has President Donald Trump 'furious' and House Republicans sprinting away from Washington for an early recess. Trump has tried everything in an attempt to distract attention from the matter — calling the entire affair a 'hoax,' releasing thousands of files related to Martin Luther King Jr., even diving back into the settled issue of the name of Washington's NFL team. But the issue is showing no signs of burning out. CNN reported Tuesday on newly uncovered archived video footage and photos of the president's ties to the deceased financier. Just today, The Wall Street Journal published a piece alleging that the Justice Department told Trump in May that his name appeared multiple times in the so-called Epstein files. Some of Trump's biggest backers — and many of the most important conservative influencers — have been at best unenthusiastic, and at worst antagonistic, about how Trump has handled the situation. One such figure is the former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who has fashioned himself into something of a kingmaker among the new right, a more libertarian-leaning segment of MAGA that's concerned with immigration and the end of American involvement in wars overseas. From his home in Maine, Carlson wields significant cultural cachet and attracts a wide audience to his web-based interview show, enabling him to establish something of an intellectual vanguard for the movement. He's an avowed Trump supporter, but on Epstein, he thinks the White House is missing something. Carlson sat down with Paul Ronzheimer of the German newspaper Bild — which, like POLITICO, is owned by Axel Springer — for a wide ranging interview at his home in Maine on July 17. He discussed everything from the war in Ukraine to his family to why he thinks many journalists are bitter and jaded. He also expounded on Epstein — while the interview took place almost a week ago, many of Carlson's answers illuminate the forces that have given the controversy such staying power. Below is an excerpt from their discussion, edited for POLITICO Nightly. The German version of the interview can be found here. Ronzheimer: I want to talk about the Epstein case. Carlson: I didn't know him, thank heaven. So what is going on inside the MAGA movement right now? Oh boy, I have no idea. What we do know is there was this guy who got indicted twice, convicted once, of sex crimes, and he was a sex weirdo. Lots of those. I worked in television. I know quite a few. So we know that. What we don't know is what was he doing and how did he get hundreds of millions of dollars? He didn't apparently execute any trades on Wall Street. He was not a trader. Didn't work on Wall Street. So where did the money come from? And what was the point of this? He had heads of state and ... high-level political leaders in his house all the time and there was sex involved and there are a lot of allegations which may or may not be true. I can't assess what he was doing and why and we don't have answers on that. But I think we know enough that people are insistent on getting answers. And then there's a question of: How did he die? It's pretty clear he did not kill himself, sorry. Do you think Trump is nervous about it? I don't know, I can't say. But I can say that normal people, non-crazy people, have a great desire to know these answers, and I think have an expectation that they're due these answers. It's their right to know. Their government was involved. And I also think bigger than that — and this is something that maybe not everyone at the White House understands, though I think they will — it's a metaphor. It represents something bigger than it is. I personally don't think the fate of nations rises or falls on the questions of Jeffrey Epstein. I just don't. Okay? But I do think the fate of nations rises and falls on the question of who's really in charge, who's making these decisions and why. So there is a widespread belief in the United States and it's true, it's rooted in reality, that a lot of [what we hear from the government] is fake. It's an illusion. Why can't we know? In our system, the people rule. We have a representative democracy in which we elect people to work on our behalf. They work for us. We own this country. We're shareholders. We're not just passing through, we're not renting it, we own it. That's the American system. And so if you can't get a straight answer from your government about what the government's doing, and there's clearly no national security implications — some pedophile, how is that a national security question? It's not. Then you start to wonder, what the hell is this? Who's running it? Donald Trump ran for president on the promise that he would tell us, and that he'd end corruption in Washington. Now, that's a big promise. Every large organization is corrupt by its nature. D.C. is the largest organization, therefore it's the most corrupt. That's just a fact. Can one man fix that? No. But you have to make a good faith effort. And so people understood that when Trump got there and they voted for him for this reason, that they would learn what their government was doing. Not just about Epstein, and not just about JFK or RFK or MLK or the historic murders that are still unsolved, but about like, where does all the money go? Why is the Pentagon getting a trillion dollars? Where does that money go exactly? So, are Trump supporters disappointed? I don't know, Trump, look, I think my impression is that — I'm trying to be diplomatic here. I can feel that. With Trump, you're diplomatic, with other topics, not so much. Yeah, that's true, because I know Trump. I know him well enough to know that and have known him for so long and I've talked to him so much that I know that he agrees fundamentally with the idea that the system is corrupt and the way that it continues to be corrupt is through secrecy. And that you have to air this stuff. You have to tell people what's going on and take the hit, and that's okay. You know, we all screw up. There are things about me I seek to hide. I love pizza, or whatever. That's okay, but you have to be honest at a certain point, or it doesn't get better. That's just kind of a basic human principle, and I know that Trump agrees with that. I don't mean to be cagey. I don't really understand what the hell is going on, if I'm being honest, I really don't. And I haven't talked to him about it. I haven't called over there and asked, 'what the hell's going on?' By the way, I don't think Trump had anything to do with Epstein, he knew Epstein. But I would be sincerely shocked if there was some weird sex stuff with Trump. I just don't believe that. I've talked to Trump about it, I know him well. What did he say? I think he said this publicly. He said Epstein was always in Mar-a-Lago freeloading and hitting on the massage therapist and he kicked him out. Does that sound realistic to you? It does. Whatever Trump's sins, I have never gotten a creepy vibe off him at all. And you ask any woman who's been around him — because women know, they get the creepy vibe way better than men do, or at least than I do. And I've asked a number of women, do you get a creepy vibe off of him? You could smell it if someone's got weird sex shit going on underneath the surface. I've never gotten that vibe off Trump at all. And every woman I've ever asked didn't get that at all [Ed note: over 25 women have accused Trump of sexual misconduct.]. So I could be completely wrong, but I would be shocked. And by the way, this information, if it exists, would have been in the hands of the Biden administration during the last presidential campaign. You think they wouldn't have leaked it? Again, I could have been wrong, but I just don't believe it. And so what is this [situation with Epstein]? I don't really know. You do get in a vacuum when you're at the top of whatever pyramid, and I don't think they fully understand how this is being read on the outside. We're a few days into this, get back to me in a month and I'll have a better sense. We will all have a sense of what this is, but I think it's a big deal. Not because of Epstein, but because of what he represents. Welcome to POLITICO Nightly. Reach out with news, tips and ideas at nightly@ Or contact tonight's author at cmchugh@ or on X (formerly know as Twitter) at @calder_mchugh. What'd I Miss? — Florida judge denies DOJ request to unseal Epstein grand jury transcripts: A federal judge in Florida has rejected one of the Justice Department's bids to make public secret grand jury transcripts from the investigation of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenberg concluded she was required to dismiss the department's request because of longstanding grand jury secrecy rules that include only a few narrow exceptions — none of which she said the Justice Department met in this case. — The firing of a veteran prosecutor in New Jersey escalates Trump administration's war with the courts: The Trump administration opened a new front in its war with the courts this week — and fired a veteran federal prosecutor in the process — in a dramatic tussle over the New Jersey U.S. Attorney's Office. Now it's not clear who is in charge. Federal judges exercised a 160-year-old power to select a temporary prosecutor on Tuesday to lead the office, following President Donald Trump's failure to win quick Senate confirmation for his pick: his former personal lawyer Alina Habba. Within hours, Attorney General Pam Bondi and her deputy Todd Blanche unloaded on the group of mostly Democratic-appointed judges and their pick, Desiree Leigh Grace, a registered Republican who was, until this week, the top career prosecutor in the office. — Gabbard declassifies new docs in latest push to cast doubt on Russia assessment: Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard declassified documents today she claims prove intelligence officials in the Obama administration lied about Russia's efforts to influence the 2016 election. The 44-page review of how U.S. spy agencies under then-President Barack Obama arrived at their conclusions was led by Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee and ordered in the aftermath of Donald Trump's win over Hillary Clinton in 2016. The move comes days after Gabbard released a separate tranche of documents on the 2016 election that she claimed showed evidence that senior intelligence officials under Obama had mounted a 'years-long coup' to undermine Trump and were guilty of a 'treasonous conspiracy.' — State Department launches new investigation into Harvard: The State Department will investigate Harvard University's eligibility to sponsor international students and researchers, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced today, the latest attempt by the Trump administration to pressure the Ivy League university. 'The American people have the right to expect their universities to uphold national security, comply with the law, and provide safe environments for all students,' Rubio said in a statement. 'The investigation will ensure that State Department programs do not run contrary to our nation's interests.' The State Department is probing the Exchange Visitor Program at Harvard, which allows the school to bring international students, researchers and faculty to the university for temporary periods. — Judge orders Kilmar Abrego Garcia released from criminal custody: One of the Trump administration's highest-profile deportation targets, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, must be released from criminal custody in Tennessee and returned to Maryland and cannot be immediately redetained by immigration authorities, a pair of federal judges ruled Wednesday. The rulings are victories for Abrego, a Salvadoran man who entered the U.S. illegally and has lived in Maryland for about a decade. But they may be short-lived: Immigration enforcement officials signaled that he's likely to be re-detained when he arrives in Maryland. AROUND THE WORLD ILLEGAL INACTION — Governments can be held legally responsible for climate inaction, the world's highest court said in a landmark decision today, opening the door to a cascade of lawsuits. In the first decision of its kind, the International Court of Justice held that existing international law obliges all countries — whether they are party to the 2015 Paris climate accord or, like the United States, quitting the treaty — to fight global warming. MACRONS SUE OWENS — French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, have sued American hard-right podcaster Candace Owens for defamation, alleging that the influencer profited off of spreading a false rumor that the French first lady was born a biological male. In their suit, filed in Delaware state court, the Macrons allege that Owens has 'used this false statement to promote her independent platform, gain notoriety, and make money,' including launching an eight-part podcast series called 'Becoming Brigitte,' in which she pushes various conspiracy theories about the Macrons and their relationship. EU WARNS UKRAINE — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has put his country's EU ambitions in jeopardy, top European politicians warned today. Zelenskyy signed a controversial bill into law Tuesday that critics say nixes the independence of Ukraine's anti-corruption watchdogs, sparking protests around the country for the first time since Russian tanks rolled over the border in February 2022. Top EU leadership has now urged Zelenskyy to prove he is still committed to European democratic values after signing the inflammatory law, which European allies said threatens to fatally undermine Ukraine's ongoing bid to join the bloc. Nightly Number RADAR SWEEP LEGOLAND COMES TO CHINA — Earlier this month, the first Legoland in China opened in Shanghai. The theme park is the latest attempt by the Chinese government to boost domestic and international tourism and consumer spending, which has been lagging since the pandemic. Local government officials hope that Legoland and planned Harry Potter and Peppa Pig theme parks will be able to compete with dominant Disney and Universal Studios. Tax breaks and new public transportation lines are being used to draw fans and investors to the new attractions. Osmond Chia reports on theme park expansion for BBC News. Parting Image Jacqueline Munis contributed to this newsletter. Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Why Tencent and Other Chinese Tech Stocks Rallied Today
Key Points Tencent led Chinese stocks higher on Wednesday. The U.S. Treasury secretary said yesterday that trade talks with China will resume next week, with a tariff extension likely beyond the August 12 deadline. An extension would remove a key risk for Chinese stocks and those exposed to China -- for now. 10 stocks we like better than Tencent › Shares of Tencent Holdings (OTC: TCEHY) rallied on Wednesday, up 4% as of 3:48 p.m. There wasn't much company-specific news for the Chinese tech giant; however, positive words from U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent yesterday revived hopes for progress on trade between the U.S. and China. As a result, major Chinese tech stocks rallied today, with Tencent rallying especially strongly. China and U.S. negotiators to meet in Sweden During an interview yesterday, Bessent said, "I'm going to be in Stockholm on Monday and Tuesday with my Chinese counterparts, and we'll be working out what is likely an extension then." For reference, on May 12, the U.S. and China agreed to ratchet back their mutual tariffs on the other, which had escalated to the triple digits following China's retaliation for President Trump's "Liberation Day" tariff announcement on April 2. The lowering of tariffs was agreed on to allow room for trade negotiations to take place, with the three-month deadline approaching on August 12. Along the way, there have been some hiccups in the ongoing talks, such as when President Trump accused China of backtracking on commitments to speed up shipments of crucial rare earths materials. That may have led to some skepticism that a deal would be reached in time. But Bessent's comments yesterday were encouraging. Tencent would benefit from a China recovery Tencent has managed its business extremely well during China's three-year quasirecession, and recently showed an acceleration across its business. With a vast tech empire spanning mobile games, social media, streaming video and music, fintech, and cloud services, it's also in a prime position to benefit from artificial intelligence. So trade talk optimism could be boosting the Chinese economy, and last week's news that Nvidia may restart shipping H20 GPUs to China could also be helping shares along. Investors will learn more on all these fronts when Tencent reports Q2 earnings on August 13. Should you invest $1,000 in Tencent right now? Before you buy stock in Tencent, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Tencent wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $641,800!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,023,813!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,034% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 180% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 21, 2025 Billy Duberstein has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Nvidia and Tencent. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Why Tencent and Other Chinese Tech Stocks Rallied Today was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Miami Herald
2 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Former U.S. marine freed in Venezuela-U.S. prisoner swap was convicted of triple murder
One of the 10 American citizens or residents freed by the government of Nicolás Maduro in a recent high-profile prisoner exchange with the United States was a fugitive convicted of a triple murder in Spain, according to reports by Venezuelan and Spanish media outlets. Dahud Hanid Ortiz, 54, a former U.S. Marine born in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, was convicted of killing three people in Madrid in 2016. He was sentenced by a Venezuelan court to 30 years in prison on July 22, according to court documents and statements by the victims' families. Ortiz, who holds U.S. and German citizenship, was among those repatriated to the United States on July 18 as part of a prisoner swap. The deal involved the release of 252 Venezuelan nationals who had been held in a maximum-security prison in El Salvador, many of them accused by U.S. officials of allegedly being criminals or part of the feared Tren de Aragua gang. Ortiz is currently believed to be in Texas, where he landed after his release. As of press time, the U.S. State Department had not provided information about his legal status, or whether he remains in custody. A former combat veteran, Ortiz served in Iraq and South Korea and was awarded the Purple Heart. However, he was dishonorably discharged from the U.S. Army after being found guilty of falsifying documents related to his residence and military record. After being discharged from the marines, his personal life unraveled. His relationship with a German doctor, Irina Trippel, crumbled, and when she began a new love life with Peruvian lawyer, Víctor Yoel Salas Cobeñas, the former Marine reacted with obsessive fury. On June 22, 2016, Ortiz executed a meticulous and bloody plan in Madrid, according to court documents. He showed up at the lawyer's office and, mistaking an Ecuadorian client for his romantic rival, murdered him. He then attacked and killed two women who worked in the office: Maritza Osorio Riverón, a secretary, and Elisa Consuegra Gálvez, a lawyer and Salas's partner. Before fleeing, he set fire to the office and left a fake business card with the logo of a supposed Mexican cartel, attempting to mislead the investigation. Following the attack, Ortiz fled Spain. An international arrest warrant was issued, and he was eventually detained in 2018 by Venezuelan authorities during a routine security operation in the state of Bolívar. For years, Ortiz was held in the Caracas headquarters of Venezuela's Military Counterintelligence Directorate, initially under suspicion of espionage. In December 2021, Venezuelan and international media revealed Ortiz's identity and the charges against him. According to media reports, he had been using false identities and speaking multiple languages while detained, including Spanish, English, German and Russian. He was tried and sentenced in Venezuela rather than in Spain for the crimes committed in Madrid because the Venezuelan Constitution prohibits the extradition of Venezuelan-born citizens, but the country's laws allows Venezuelan citizens to be prosecuted for crimes committed abroad. Ortiz was sentenced in January 2024 to 30 years in prison, the maximum sentence provided for in Venezuelan law, on charges of homicide and arson. On June 1 of this year, Ortiz was removed from his cell and taken to a separate location where he recorded video messages addressed to U.S. officials, claiming to be in poor health and without access to food or medicine. Sources familiar with the situation said he was instructed to follow a prepared script. The decision to include Ortiz in the prisoner exchange has drawn criticism from relatives of the victims. Salas, the Madrid-based attorney whose law office was the site of the attack, spoke publicly after receiving confirmation of Ortiz's sentence. 'We all feel deceived, betrayed and defrauded,' Salas said during an interview with the Spanish television program Vamos a Ver. 'Dahud Hanid Ortiz was never a political prisoner. He was a convicted and sentenced murderer. The court documents make that absolutely clear.' Salas also questioned the involvement of former Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, who reportedly played a mediating role in the negotiation between Venezuela and the United States. He urged all parties involved to take steps to acknowledge and rectify what he described as a miscarriage of justice.
