Benfica's early lead erased as Qarabag stuns with 3-2 victory
Benfica squandered a two-goal advantage, falling 3-2 at home to Qarabag in their Champions League opener. Oleksiy Kashchuk's late strike secured a his...
Belgian authorities conducted searches at the Brussels headquarters of Chinese tech giant Huawei and at 21 homes across Belgium—and even in Portugal—as part of a fresh corruption probe into alleged bribery of members of the European Parliament.
According to investigative reports from Follow the Money, Le Soir, and Knack, lobbyists working for Huawei are suspected of paying bribes to influence EU decision-making. Sources claim that around 15 current and former MEPs might be implicated in the case. The police operation, described as covert, targeted potential evidence of crimes including bribery, forgery, money laundering, and criminal organization, with documents and electronic devices being confiscated during the searches.
A 41-year-old lobbyist, Valerio Ottati, identified as a central figure in the investigation, is said to have joined Huawei six years ago after previously working for Italian MEPs on China dossiers. Belgian authorities have indicated that if the investigation implicates current MEPs, they will request that the European Parliament waive their immunity. A spokesperson for the Parliament affirmed that the institution “always cooperates fully with the judicial authorities.” To date, however, no searches have been conducted at the European Parliament itself, and no immunity waivers have been requested.
This latest probe comes at a time when the European Parliament is still grappling with the fallout from the 2022 Qatargate scandal, which exposed corruption involving cash and other benefits exchanged by some MEPs for influencing EU policies. The new allegations risk further damaging the institution’s reputation, with far-right and Eurosceptic politicians once again alleging systemic corruption within the EU.
As the investigation unfolds, authorities continue to examine the extent of Huawei’s lobbying activities and their potential influence on European policy-making, underscoring growing concerns about foreign interference in EU affairs.
AnewZ has learned that India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent decision to consider diplomatic relations with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku as part of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda.
A day of mourning has been declared in Portugal to pay respect to victims who lost their lives in the Lisbon Funicular crash which happened on Wednesday evening.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
At least eight people have died and more than 90 others were injured following a catastrophic gas tanker explosion on a major highway in Mexico City’s Iztapalapa district on Wednesday, authorities confirmed.
Benfica squandered a two-goal advantage, falling 3-2 at home to Qarabag in their Champions League opener. Oleksiy Kashchuk's late strike secured a historic comeback for the Azerbaijani side.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said on Tuesday its team at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant heard shelling close to the site and observed black smoke rising from three nearby locations.
U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Britain late on Tuesday for his second state visit, where the UK and US plan to announce major investment deals and strengthen their “special relationship,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.
Protesters gathered outside Windsor Castle on Tuesday ahead of Donald Trump’s state visit, unfurling banners as police stepped up security around the royal residence.
Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro was taken to the hospital on Tuesday after feeling unwell, according to CNN Brasil. The 70-year-old has a history of health problems linked to a 2018 stabbing attack.
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