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- Fire at Dominican Republic hotel claims life of Francesca Valentino, guest evacuated with 1,700 others
- Begoña Gómez to stand trial for corruption and banned from leaving Spain
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A Black Lives Matters protest in London regarding Chris Kaba.
Looks like the white, middle class organisers forget to invite any black people.
In the wake of death of UK political prisoner, Peter Lynch, who was fast tracked into prison for essentially shouting in the street.
The grandfather was ultimately sentenced to death.
Pakistani family who attacked police at Manchester Airport, STILL haven't even been charged.
Tiny ‘Black Lives Matter’ crowd gathers outside the Old Bailey courtrooms to protest the not guilty verdict of the police officer who shot violent criminal Chris Kaba.
Kaba rammed his car repeatedly into armed police officers’ cars.
BLM is finished in the UK.
UK public borrowing exceeds official forecast in September
Government borrowing overshot official projections in September, which is a sign of the difficult fiscal position that the Chancellor faces as she puts the finishing touches on her first tax and spending budget.
June 21, 2026
9:00 am
Get you up to speed: Mum who starred in TV show killed in luxury beach resort fire | News World
A fire at the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach hotel in Bayahíbe, Dominican Republic, resulted in the death of Francesca Valentino, a holidaymaker from Italy. Approximately 1,700 guests were evacuated, and the fire has since been brought under control, with three individuals requiring medical attention.
The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing, with preliminary findings suggesting the hotel’s palm roof and windy conditions may have contributed to the rapid spread. The hotel, which has undergone recent renovations, is closed until further notice and has cancelled all bookings until at least Sunday.
The Dominican Republic’s Emergency Operations Center (COE) confirmed that tourist activities in Bayahibe remain safe and normal, as investigations into the fire’s cause continue. Wyndham Hotels and Resorts announced that the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach Hotel will remain closed until further notice, cancelling all bookings up to and including Sunday.
What remains unclear — The investigation into the precise cause of the fire is ongoing and results are pending.
Fire at Dominican Republic hotel claims life of Francesca Valentino, guest evacuated with 1,700 others
At least one holidaymaker has died in a fire which engulfed a popular hotel in the Dominican Republic.
Some 1,700 guests were evacuated from the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach hotel in the southeastern resort of Bayahíbe.
Francesca Valentino, an Italian mother-of-two, was killed in the blaze, two months before what would have been her 46th birthday.
The dance teacher had starred in several TV programmes including one entitled Mollo Tutto e Cambio Vita (I’m quitting everything and changing my life) which aired on Sky Uno, on which she announced she was relocating to Santo Domingo.
Victim Francesca Valentino had appeared in a Sky Uno programme to announce she was moving to the Dominican Republic (Picture: Facebook)
Nearly 1,700 guests were evacuated from the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach hotel after it became engulfed in flames on Friday (Picture: Reuters)
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La Repubblica reported she had since returned to her home town of Caserta in the region of Campania, southern Italy and was in Bayahíbe on holiday.
She had been married for ten years and had two children, aged four and 10.
Three people were taken to medical centres, while another six were treated on site.
Helicopters brought in by the country’s air force also helped tackle the fire.
The inferno has been brought under control.
The cause of the blaze is unknown, but preliminary findings from emergency officials pointed to the flammable nature of the hotel’s palm roof and windy conditions as catalysts for the rapid spread of the fire.
Francesca Valentino with family (Picture: Facebook)
Guests have since been relocated to nearby hotels, including sister hotel Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace, which did not suffer any damage.
The Dominican Republic’s Emergency Operations Center (COE) said: ”Tourist activities in Bayahibe and the surrounding area remain unaffected and continue to take place safely and as normal.’
Director Juan Manuel Mendez added: ‘The causes that caused the fire remain under investigation, and it will be the relevant technical commission in charge of establishing them once the emergency and evaluation work on site are completed.’
The most popular tourist destination in the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic received some 5.6 million visitors in the first five months of this year alone.
Wyndham Beach, which charges £350-a-night has recently undergone renovation and boasts a large pool near the sand.
Early evidence suggests the hotel’s palm straw roof may have contributed to the rapid spread of the blaze (Picture: Reuters)
In a letter to partners, the hotel said it had cancelled all bookings up to and including Sunday.
‘We will keep you informed as soon as we have more information or relevant updates regarding the situation and the hotel’s operations’, the note added.
‘Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation.’
A spokesperson for Wyndham Hotels and Resorts said the property had been closed until further notice.
They said in a statement: ‘Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach Hotel experienced a fire yesterday. The Emergency Operations Center (COE) in conjunction with various regional fire departments contained the fire. Hotel teams safely evacuated guests and staff.
‘However, we are saddened that one guest perished, and we send our thoughts to the family while we await autopsy results to determine the cause.
‘At this time the hotel, which is independently owned and operated, is closed and will remain so until further notice.’
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June 21, 2026
9:00 am
June 21, 2026
8:00 am
Begoña Gómez to stand trial for corruption and banned from leaving Spain
Legal Proceedings
Begoña Gómez, wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, has been ordered to stand trial for corruption and is banned from leaving Spain while proceedings are underway.
Begoña Gómez, wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, has been ordered to stand trial for corruption and is banned from leaving Spain while proceedings are underway.
Legal Restrictions
Begoña Gómez is required to report to court bi-monthly and surrender her passport, highlighting the stringent legal measures accompanying serious corruption charges against her.
Begoña Gómez is required to report to court bi-monthly and surrender her passport, highlighting the stringent legal measures accompanying serious corruption charges against her.
Official Statement
“Begoña Gómez will appeal the precautionary measures and challenge the confiscation of her passport,” stated sources close to the Prime Minister’s wife.
“Begoña Gómez will appeal the precautionary measures and challenge the confiscation of her passport,” stated sources close to the Prime Minister’s wife.
Wife of Spanish PM Pedro Pedro Sánchez has passport revoked as court orders corruption trial
A Spanish court has ordered the wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Begoña Gómez, to stand trial by jury for corruption and banned her from leaving the country, according to a court order released Saturday.
Judge Juan Carlos Peinado ordered Gomez to hand in her passport and to appear before the court twice a month until a verdict is reached in the case, the ruling said.
Peinado in April formally charged Gomez with embezzlement, influence peddling, corruption in business dealings and misappropriation of funds.
The court has imposed these precautionary measures on Gómez and on Cristina Álvarez, an adviser at the Moncloa Palace. It said “instructions shall be issued to all border posts and civilian and military airports” to ensure Gómez complies with the ban on leaving the country.
The third defendant in the case, businessman Juan Carlos Barrabés, is not subject to these restrictions.
According to sources close to her, Begoña Gómez will appeal the precautionary measures. One of the measures she intends to challenge is the confiscation of her passport.
The ruling comes after a preliminary hearing held this week, at which the accusing parties requested that the defendants be tried by a jury and called for restrictions to prevent any potential flight risk.
Intense legal and political controversy
The Public Prosecutor’s Office and the defence teams, by contrast, asked for the case to be dismissed, arguing that there is insufficient evidence to support criminal charges.
The case centres on the creation and management of a chair at Madrid’s Complutense University that was co-directed by Gómez, as well as the alleged use of public resources and personal connections to advance private interests.
It was opened in April 2024 to determine whether Gómez had exploited her position as Sanchez’s wife for private gain, which she and the prime minister deny.
“The chair served as a means of private professional development for the person under investigation,” the judge wrote when he charged Gómez.
The proceedings have been marked by intense political and legal controversy. While the accusing parties maintain that there is enough evidence to take the case to trial, both the Prosecutor’s Office and Gómez’s defence have repeatedly challenged the investigation and alleged irregularities in the way it has been conducted.
The case originated from a complaint filed by an anti-corruption group with far-right ties, and Sánchez has dismissed the allegations against his wife as an attempt by the right wing to undermine his government.
It is one of several corruption affairs that have embroiled the Socialist leader’s family and former allies, threatening to topple his minority coalition government.
Sánchez has rejected opposition calls to step down and call early elections over the mounting corruption scandals.
Additional sources • AFP
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