International
No signs of influence peddling in the case that made António Costa resign in Portugal
The Lisbon Court of Appeal did not appreciate signs of influence peddling in ‘Operation Influencer’, the judicial case that led to the resignation of former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa, and rejected the appeal filed by the Prosecutor’s Office to the precautionary measures applied to the suspects.
The facts investigated “are not, by themselves, integrative of any type of crime,” which means that he has not appreciated indications of a crime of influence peddling, according to a statement from the Court cited this Wednesday by local media.
The Court rejected the appeal filed by the Portuguese Prosecutor’s Office and agreed with the two main suspects in the case, Vítor Escária – former chief of staff of Costa – and Diogo Lacerda Machado, businessman and friend of the former socialist prime minister.
In that sense, he annulled the preventive measures applied against both, including a bail of 150,000 euros and the prohibition of leaving the country, considering that there is no type of risk that justifies them.
The judges considered that “none of the facts advanced resulted in the commission of crimes and the development of the functions of each of the interveners was not overcome, since all of them acted within the scope of them.”
The ‘Operation Influencer’ jumped in November 2023 and revolves around irregularities in lithium and hydrogen projects and in the construction of a data center.
The Prosecutor’s Office then reported that several suspects spoke of Costa’s involvement in the case for “unblocking procedures” and that these allegations would be analyzed in an autonomous investigation.
That same day, Costa submitted his resignation, although he assured that he had not committed illegal acts.
Since the resignation of the Prime Minister, the country’s attorney general, Lucília Gago, and the body she heads have been criticized for not having given further explanations about Costa’s alleged involvement in those irregularities and not having made public evidence against him.
Following Costa’s resignation, legislative elections were held in Portugal on March 10, which resulted in the coming to power of a center-right government headed by Luís Montenegro.
Earlier this month, after ceding the witness to the new Government, Costa told the press that, after leaving office, he had asked his lawyer to send a petition to be heard before Justice.
International
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.
All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.
The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.
The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.
“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
International
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.
“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.
Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.
According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.
International
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.
The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.
Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.
Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.
The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.
Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.
Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.
In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
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