https://nordictimes.com/world/crypto-fraudster-sentenced-faces-110-years-in-prison/
https://nordictimes.com/world/simion-seeks-election-annulment-alleges-french-and-moldovan-interference/
Right-wing nationalist and EU-skeptic presidential candidate George Simion is demanding that Romania’s presidential election be declared invalid. He accuses France and Moldova of trying to influence the outcome of the election – claims that are also supported by Telegram founder Pavel Durov.
Simion, leader of the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR) party, claims that the election was compromised by “foreign interference” and says he has formally requested that Romania’s Supreme Court invalidate the results.
In a post on the X platform on Tuesday, Simion, who was leading in the polls ahead of the election, wrote that there is evidence of undue influence from “external state and non-state actors” – and specifically named two countries as responsible:
“Neither France nor Moldavia , nor anyone else has the right to interfere in the elections of another state”.
“To all Romanians: ask urgently the Constitutional Court to annul this farce. We will not give up and we will not betray! This is only the beginning of a great victory!” he continued.
I officially ask Constitutional Court TO ANNUL Romanian presidential elections (May 2025).
For the very reasons December elections were annulled: EXTERNAL INTERFERENCES by state and non-state actors.
This time proven with evidence! Neither , nor , nor anyone else has…— George Simion (@georgesimion) May 20, 2025
Simion also claims that the electoral register contained 1.7 million fictitious names and that the government had transported voters from neighboring Moldova. His party accuses Moldova’s pro-European government, the Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), of urging the country’s million-strong diaspora in Romania to vote for his opponent Nicusor Dan.
Dan, mayor of Bucharest, won Sunday’s second round of voting with 54 percent of the vote. He is widely seen as pro-EU, pro-NATO, and pro-US. The election was held after the Constitutional Court invalidated the November results, in which the NATO-critical independent candidate Calin Georgescu won with 23 percent of the vote. The court cited “irregularities” and reports of Russian interference, which Moscow has denied.
It is noteworthy that Simion’s accusations have received unexpected support from Pavel Durov, founder of the messaging app Telegram. Durov has previously claimed that French intelligence services tried to pressure him to censor conservative Romanian channels ahead of the election.
“I am ready to come and testify if it helps Romanian democracy”, he wrote in a post shared alongside Simion’s statement.
I’m ready to come and testify if it helps Romanian democracy. https://t.co/lEq16uKg8b
— Pavel Durov (@durov) May 20, 2025
France has denied Durov’s allegations and claims that they are disinformation and smear tactics.
“The recent accusations against France are merely a diversionary maneuver from the real threats of interference targeting Romania. France calls on all Romanian political actors to exercise responsibility and defend democracy, the statement said.
Romanian authorities have in turn accused Russia of illegal election interference, but so far without publishing any concrete evidence to support this.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the allegations and called the election “strange”. He claimed that the most popular candidate, Calin Georgescu, had been “forcibly removed”, and criticized what he described as the EU’s long history of interfering in other countries’ elections.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova went even further in her criticism, dismissing the Romanian election results as completely illegitimate.
https://nordictimes.com/world/france-building-super-prison-in-south-america/
France is planning a new prison in the jungles of French Guiana with the stated aim of isolating dangerous criminals and Islamists. The decision has raised hopes of a reduction in drug trafficking, but also concerns among the local population.
In Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, deep in the rainforest of French Guiana, France is now taking a radical step in the fight against organized crime.
A new prison with 500 places, 60 of which are reserved for high-security prisoners such as drug offenders and radical Islamists, is to be completed in 2028.
Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin is promoting the project as a necessity to deal with criminal networks, particularly those involved in drug trafficking from South America to Europe.
France has been hit by a series of attacks on prisons in recent months, which Darmanin has described as “terrorist acts” in response to the government’s new legislation.
With a price tag of around €400 million, the facility aims to permanently isolate the most dangerous criminals, according to reports by the British state broadcaster BBC and French newspaper Le Figaro.
French Guiana, a French overseas department, serves as a strategic hub for drug trafficking, with smuggling routes from Brazil to Europe. The region’s high crime rate, with 20.6 murders per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023, underscores the need for decisive action.
The prison will also have a special section for 15 Islamist extremists and promises strict security procedures to prevent prisoners from maintaining contact with their criminal circles.
Bravo à Gérald Darmanin qui frappe un grand coup en rouvrant Cayenne, ou plutôt en construisant une nouvelle prison dans la jungle amazonienne ! Ils pourront faire les malins, les p’tits cons la bas, avec leur livraisons par drones ou catapultes, leurs 18 cellulaires et leurs… pic.twitter.com/dU2a9vTO84
— Alain Weber (@alainpaulweber) May 17, 2025
The decision has also been met with criticism from the local population. Local leaders, such as Senator Marie-Laure Phinéra-Horth, are calling for investment in schools and roads instead. In an interview with Franceinfo, Jean-Luk Le West, vice president of the regional authority, expressed frustration that the news first reached them via the French media.
Concerns have also been raised that the prison will cement French Guiana’s reputation as a backwater for France’s problems, which could scare away tourists and investors. As historical background, it is worth mentioning that the French Guiana municipality of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni was once the gateway to France’s notorious penal colonies.
https://nordictimes.com/world/pro-nato-candidate-wins-dramatic-re-election-in-romania/
Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan, an outspoken supporter of the EU and NATO, has won the Romanian presidential election after an intense and polarized campaign. With just over 54 percent of the vote, he defeated his national conservative challenger George Simion.
The re-election was held after Romania’s Constitutional Court annulled the original election last fall. The independent candidate Calin Georgescu initially led by a large margin, but the election was later declared invalid due to alleged Russian interference, accusations that have not yet been proven.
The ensuing political crisis has been described as the deepest in Romania in decades. George Simion (AUR), who has spoken out against further military support for Ukraine and suggested appointing Georgescu as prime minister, won the first round of the re-election with a clear lead.
Nicusor Dan, an independent centrist liberal with a strong EU profile and advocate for NATO, has received support from, among others, Moldovan President Maia Sandu and a majority of pro-EU leaders.
According to preliminary official results, Nicusor Dan has won with approximately 54 percent of the vote. George Simion congratulated his opponent and commented that the election “reflects the will of the Romanian people”, even though he had previously questioned the election process.
Nicusor Dan thanked his supporters for their “outstanding mobilization” and promised to work for a “united and honest Romania” with respect for the law and citizens’ rights.
Mulțumesc!
Ne vedem în câteva minute la Cișmigiu! pic.twitter.com/uxwfTzYPmN— Nicușor Dan (@NicusorDanRO) May 18, 2025
Allegations of an illegitimate election process and influence campaigns from both the West and the East have characterized the election campaign, contributing to a sense of mistrust and uncertainty among voters.
George Simion has also accused Moldovan authorities and media of conducting an illegal campaign to favor Dan among voters with dual Moldovan and Romanian citizenship, something Moldova has denied. At the same time, Romania’s security services have warned of Russian influence, particularly in connection with the disqualified candidate Georgescu, allegations that Moscow has rejected.
A Western European government (guess which ) approached Telegram asking us to silence conservative voices in Romania ahead of today’s presidential elections. I flatly refused. Telegram will not restrict the freedoms of Romanian users or block their political channels.
— Pavel Durov (@durov) May 18, 2025
Completely unfounded allegations are circulating on Telegram and Twitter regarding alleged French interference in the Romanian presidential election.
France categorically rejects these allegations and calls on everyone to exercise responsibility and respect for Romanian… pic.twitter.com/PxFO7KnzDm
— France Diplomacy (@francediplo_EN) May 18, 2025
Telegram founder Pavel Durov also recently claimed that France had attempted to silence conservative voices in Romania ahead of the re-election by pressuring the platform to block political channels. Durov stated that they had refused and called the attempt a threat to freedom of speech.
https://nordictimes.com/world/joe-biden-diagnosed-with-aggressive-prostate-cancer/
Former US President Joe Biden, 82, has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones, his staff said in a statement.
Biden experienced urination problems, which led doctors to discover a lump on his prostate. The diagnosis was confirmed on Friday after a pathological examination, which found cancer cells in bone tissue.
– While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management. The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians, Biden’s spokesperson said.
Prostate cancer is graded on the Gleason scale from 6 to 10, with 8–10 indicating higher aggressiveness. Biden’s cancer has been graded as a 9. When prostate cancer has spread to the bones, treatment becomes more complicated, but hormone-suppressing therapies can be effective.
– It’s very treatable, but not curable. Most men in this situation would be treated with drugs and would not be advised to have either surgery or radiation therapy, said Dr. Matthew Smith of Massachusetts General Brigham Cancer Center.
As is customary when a political leader falls ill or is injured, tributes and wishes for a speedy recovery poured in from both allies and political opponents.
“Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis. We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery”, Donald Trump wrote on social media.
“Joe is a fighter – and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership”, declared Biden’s former running mate and vice president, Kamala Harris.
Michelle and I are thinking of the entire Biden family. Nobody has done more to find breakthrough treatments for cancer in all its forms than Joe, and I am certain he will fight this challenge with his trademark resolve and grace. We pray for a fast and full recovery.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) May 18, 2025
Former President Barack Obama also expressed his support: “Nobody has done more to find breakthrough treatments for cancer in all its forms than Joe, and I am certain he will fight this challenge with his trademark resolve and grace”.
Biden’s faltering physical and mental health was a recurring topic of debate during his presidency, when, after appearing extremely confused and almost senile during a debate against Trump in 2024, he was finally forced to suspend his re-election campaign. Harris later took over as the Democratic candidate but lost to Trump.
According to the book Original Sin by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, Biden’s aides systematically concealed the extent of his ill health during his term in office – something that Biden himself has dismissed as false.
It should be noted that Biden has previously been treated for basal cell carcinoma (a common form of skin cancer) in 2023 and a potentially precancerous polyp in his colon in 2021.
In 2022, he also launched the Cancer Moonshot initiative, with the goal of halving cancer mortality within 25 years – a follow-up to his work as vice president after the death of his son Beau from brain cancer in 2015.