International

The Brazilian Supreme Court opens trial against six others accused of leading the coup attempt

The Supreme Court of Brazil approved on Tuesday the opening of a trial against six former senior officials of the government of former President Jair Bolsonaro, accused of participating in the organization of the coup attempt after the 2022 elections.

Among the defendants is Reserve General Mário Fernandes, who then served as executive secretary of the General Secretariat of the Presidency, and is considered by the Police as the mastermind of a plan to assassinate current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and other authorities.

The complaint against the six defendants, for crimes of coup d’état, violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, qualified damage and deterioration of the protected heritage, was unanimously accepted by the five judges of the First Chamber of the Supreme Court, made up of magistrates with a progressive profile.

That same room decided last month to try Bolsonaro and seven other close collaborators of the far-right leader, who according to the investigation constituted the core of the coup plot.

Bolsonaro himself has admitted that he discussed with the military leadership the possibility of decreeing a state of emergency after the October 2022 elections, which Lula won, although he defends himself by arguing that it is a mechanism provided for in the Constitution.

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A week after Lula’s inauguration, on January 8, 2023, thousands of Bolsonaro’s followers violently assaulted the seats of the Government, the National Congress and the Supreme Court, calling for military intervention.

The riots were controlled and for those events, so far, about 500 people were sentenced to up to 17 years in prison for crimes such as a coup d’état and violent abolition of the democratic rule of law.

Another 532 people, accused of less serious crimes, have signed non-prosecution agreements.

The extreme right, with the support of some center parties, is trying to promote a bill to grant amnesty to the condemned, but the Chamber of Deputies has not yet admitted it to processing.

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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.

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“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.

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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.

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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.