International

Prosecutor José Domingo Pérez reinstated in Fujimori corruption case

José Domingo Pérez, Peru’s top anti-corruption prosecutor who leads the case against political figure Keiko Fujimori for the alleged illegal financing of her 2011 and 2016 presidential campaigns, will resume his duties on Tuesday after successfully appealing a suspension imposed in April.

The National Control Authority of the Public Ministry (ANC) nullified the six-month suspension, according to local media reports citing the official resolution.

The decision, issued Monday by the ANC’s General Appeals Directorate, partially upheld Pérez’s appeal and ordered his reinstatement to the Special Team investigating the Lava Jato and Odebrecht corruption cases in Peru.

Pérez was suspended on April 7 for six months, during which time he was barred from carrying out his role as provincial prosecutor of the Special Lava Jato Team, due to alleged administrative misconduct.

The resolution noted that “preventive removal from prosecutorial duties is reserved for exceptional and severe circumstances that compromise the dignity of the role and damage the prosecutor’s public reputation.”

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

Pérez had called the suspension “unjust and abusive,” adding that Peruvian prosecutors are enduring “difficult and resistant times.”

Meanwhile, on April 3, the Peruvian judiciary upheld a decision to annul the trial against Fujimori regarding alleged irregular campaign financing, affirming a ruling by the Constitutional Court.

As a result, Pérez’s previous appeal was rejected, and the Public Ministry must now rework parts of the investigation and file new charges—a process legal experts say could take between one year and 18 months.

A judge will then determine whether to proceed to trial against Fujimori and 32 other individuals connected to her political party, Fuerza Popular, over alleged illegal contributions from companies like Brazil’s Odebrecht and several Peruvian conglomerates.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

International

IEA warns Middle East conflict could spark worst energy crisis in decades

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East could trigger the worst energy crisis in decades, warned Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency (IEA), who described the situation as “very serious.”

Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra, Birol compared the current scenario to the oil crises of the 1970s, noting that during those events the world lost around five million barrels of oil per day in each crisis.

“Today, we have lost 11 million barrels per day—more than the two major oil shocks combined,” he said.

The Turkish economist referred to the conflict that began on February 28, following attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran, which have significantly disrupted global energy markets and driven oil prices higher.

Birol warned that the global economy is facing a “very, very serious threat” and expressed hope that the crisis will be resolved soon.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

“No country will be immune to the effects of this crisis if it continues in this direction. Global efforts are urgently needed,” he emphasized.

International

Colombian Air Force Hercules plane crashes during takeoff with troops onboard

A Lockheed C-130 Hercules operated by the Colombian Air Force was involved in a “tragic accident” while taking off from Puerto Leguízamo, in the Putumayo department of southern Colombia, as it was transporting troops, Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez reported on Monday.

The minister stated on social media that the exact number of victims and the causes of the crash have not yet been determined. He also extended his condolences to the families affected and urged the public to avoid speculation until official information is confirmed.

“This is a deeply painful event for the country. Our prayers are with the victims and their families,” Sánchez said, adding that emergency protocols have been activated and an investigation is underway.

Meanwhile, President Gustavo Petro expressed hope that there would be no fatalities in what he described as a “horrific accident that should not have happened.”

Petro also highlighted ongoing efforts to modernize the country’s air fleet and reiterated the need to acquire new helicopters and transport aircraft to strengthen military mobility, particularly in remote regions.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

According to local media reports, approximately 110 soldiers were on board the aircraft. So far, at least 20 injured military personnel have been rescued.

International

Paris prosecutors alert U.S. over alleged deepfake strategy linked to Elon Musk

The Paris Prosecutor’s Office said on Saturday that it had alerted authorities in the United States over suspicions that tech entrepreneur Elon Musk may have encouraged the spread of sexualized deepfake content on the social platform X to artificially boost the company’s valuation.

According to prosecutors, the controversy surrounding explicit AI-generated videos—reportedly linked to Grok, the platform’s artificial intelligence system—may have been deliberately triggered to increase the market value of X and X AI.

The office added that the alleged strategy could be tied to the planned June 2026 public listing of a new entity formed through the merger of SpaceX and X AI.

French authorities said they contacted the U.S. Department of Justice as well as legal representatives at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) earlier this week to share their concerns.

Responding on X in French to a report about the case, Musk referred to French prosecutors using an offensive term.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

When contacted, X’s legal representative in France did not immediately comment.

Grok, the platform’s AI system, has its own account on X, allowing users to interact with it or request content generation. For a period, users were able to tag the bot in posts to generate or edit images, a feature that may have facilitated the spread of such material.