International
The Prosecutor’s Office asks to prevent Peru’s departure from the suspended attorney general Patricia Benavides
The Prosecutor’s Office of Peru sued before a supreme court the impediment of leaving the country for the suspended attorney general, Patricia Benavides, investigated for allegedly leading a network of influence trafficking.
The request presented by the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office Specialized in Crimes Committed by Public Officials before the Supreme Court of Preparatory Investigation is based on a procedural danger due to the probable belonging to the criminal organization of the investigated, backed by “numerous elements of conviction,” the Public Prosecutor’s Office said in its social network X account.
This request from the Prosecutor’s Office is known after a team of anti-corruption prosecutors arrested seven people and intervened 21 properties in Lima. The above as part of the investigation of the alleged corrupt network in the Prosecutor’s Office for which Benavides has been suspended from charge.
The Public Ministry reported that the operation was carried out by the Special Team of Prosecutors against Corruption in Power (Eficcop). It had the support of 23 prosecutors and more than 100 police officers.
The operation began at 03:40 am (08:40 GMT) and resulted in the preliminary arrest of seven people for the alleged commission of the crimes of criminal organization, aggravated collusion, influence peddling and others, in addition to 21 raided homes.
The intervention is carried out within the framework of the investigations by prosecutor Christian Niño Torres, against Jaime Villanueva, Miguel Girao, José Luis Castillo and others who, according to official information, have been linked to Benavides.
Benavides described the operation as a “coarse maneuver” made to “force” his dismissal.
“I reject the crude maneuver, evidently agreed to set up a psychosocial with prosecutors and police to impress the authorities and public opinion and thus force the unjust dismissal,” he said in a video shared on social networks of his lawyer Jorge Del Castillo.
At the end of November, the National Board of Justice (JNJ) opened a lawsuit in Benavides. For the investigation that Eficcop follows him following the complaint of an alleged influence trafficking network in the Prosecutor’s Office.
Benavides, who was suspended from office for six months, said that he is a victim of “an arbitrariness” motivated “by political interests.”
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.
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