Eurotopics.net

Moderate socialist António José Seguro will be Portugal's next president after defeating his right-wing populist rival André Ventura (Chega party) in the runoff election and securing around 67 percent of the vote. Conservative Prime Minister Luís Montenegro congratulated him on his victory and said he hoped they would be able to collaborate effectively. The constitution gives the president the right to veto laws, dissolve parliament and call new elections.

Hong Kong democracy activist and media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. The guilty verdict for "collusion with foreign forces" and "sedition" was already handed down in December. Now the court in the Chinese special administrative region has issued the sentence. Lai has already served two years, and will have to serve 18 more, the judges ruled.

Top skier Lindsey Vonn has crashed and suffered a serious injury in the women's downhill event at the Winter Olympics. The 41-year-old American decided to compete in Cortina d'Ampezzo despite a torn cruciate ligament and a partial prosthesis in her knee. Commentators discuss whether the criticism this decision triggered was justified.

Negotiators from the US and Iran held indirect talks in Oman on Friday. Both sides lauded the start of negotiations, but at the same time upped the pressure: US President Donald Trump threatened to impose additional punitive tariffs on countries that do trade with Iran, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that attacks on his country would be met with attacks on US bases in the region.