International
Lula has soldiers removed from presidential residence after riots
January 17 | By AFP |
Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva had 40 soldiers removed from the detail at his presidential residence after vowing a staffing cleanup following anti-government riots on January 8.
Just days after the attack on the presidential palace, Supreme Court and Congress by backers of far-right ex-president Jair Bolsonaro, Lula said the rioters likely had inside help.
He ordered a thorough staffing review, saying he was “convinced that the door of the Planalto (presidential) palace was opened for people to enter because there are no broken doors.”
In a notice published in the official gazette Tuesday, it was announced that 40 soldiers have been removed from the presidential detail at Alvorada palace, where Brazil’s presidents live.
Leftist Lula beat Bolsonaro by a razor-thin margin in October elections that followed a vitriolic and divisive campaign.
As he marked a week in office, thousands broke into the seats of power on January 8, smashing furniture, damaging priceless works of art and leaving behind graffiti messages calling for a military coup against Lula.
The president said last week that any “radical bolsonarista” found still working for the government would be dealt with, and cited media reports of alleged threats made by staffers inherited from the previous administration.
“How can I have a person outside my office who might shoot me?” asked Lula, who said members of the security services may have been involved in the uprising.
Bolsonaro, who left Brazil two days before Lula’s inauguration and is in the United States, is being investigated on suspicion of instigating the uprising.
He has denied any link to the riots.
In a video published Monday, Bolsonaro expressed “regret” over the events, which he described as “unbelievable.”
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.
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.
International
Netanyahu vows to target Iran’s leadership after missile strikes in southern Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Sunday to target Iran’s leadership directly, escalating rhetoric amid ongoing hostilities between Israel and Iran.
Speaking during a visit to the southern city of Arad, which was struck by an Iranian missile a day earlier, Netanyahu said Israel would intensify its response against Tehran.
“We are going after the regime. We are going after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, that gang of criminals,” he told reporters while standing among the debris left by the தாக்க.
He added that Israel intends to strike “personally” at Iran’s leadership, as well as its facilities and economic assets.
In addition to Arad, Iranian missiles also hit the city of Dimona on Saturday. The area is widely believed to host Israel’s undeclared nuclear facilities. The strike caused significant damage following a direct impact.
Netanyahu also visited Dimona, where he urged residents to strictly follow military instructions and seek shelter whenever warning sirens are activated.
“The entire nation is a front line, and the home front is also a front line. And when we are on the front line, we follow these instructions,” he said.
International
US panel backs Trump-themed coin amid controversy
The United States Department of the Treasury confirmed to AFP that the Commission of Fine Arts approved the design of a new collectible coin featuring Donald Trump, with members of the commission appointed by the current administration.
According to the proposal, the coin will feature an image of Trump standing with clenched fists over a desk on the obverse, while the reverse will display an eagle, a traditional symbol of the United States.
The sale price of the collectible has not yet been disclosed, although the United States Mint typically offers similar items for more than $1,000.
“There is no more iconic portrait for the front of these coins than that of our president Donald Trump,” U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach said in a statement sent to AFP. He added that two additional coins — a $1 piece and a one-ounce gold coin — are also under consideration.
However, the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC), another body responsible for reviewing new coin proposals, declined to discuss the Trump design in late February.
“Only nations governed by kings or dictators place the image of a sitting leader on their currency,” said Donald Scarinciat the time. “No country in the world has minted coins featuring a democratically elected leader during their term in office,” he added.
When contacted by AFP, the Treasury Department did not immediately respond to requests for further comment.
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