International
Release hearing for Peru’s ousted president begins
| By AFP |
Peru’s supreme court on Thursday opened a hearing to decide whether to free ousted president Pedro Castillo or extend his detention for 18 months.
Castillo was arrested last week after he was impeached by Congress following his attempt to dissolve parliament and rule by decree.
He was initially detained provisionally for seven days, but prosecutors have requested he be held in pre-trial detention for another 18 months.
Castillo stands accused of rebellion and conspiracy and could be jailed for up to 10 years if found guilty, according to public prosecutor Alcides Diaz.
His arrest has sparked a week of violent protests between his supporters and the security forces that have left seven people dead and around 200 injured.
Dozens of Castillo’s supporters have camped outside the prison where he is being held in Lima to demand his release.
Dina Boluarte, the former vice-president who was quickly sworn in after Castillo’s arrest, on Wednesday declared a nationwide state of emergency for 30 days.
Four airports have been shut down due to the protests.
Meanwhile, hundreds of tourists have been left stranded at Peru’s most popular attraction, the 15th-century Inca citadel Machu Picchu, after the train service to the site was suspended.
Protest leaders have said they will stage new demonstrations on Friday, demanding Castillo’s release, Boluarte’s resignation, Congress’s closure and new elections.
Boluarte has vowed to bring forward elections slated for July 2026 to December 2023, insisting that constitutionally it is not possible to hold them any earlier.
Castillo and his attorneys will not be present at his virtual release hearing.
The judge said Castillo refused to accept the summons, so his case was assigned to a public defense lawyer.
The hearing was supposed to take place on Wednesday when Castillo’s initial seven-day detention expired but was postponed by 24 hours after the former leader’s lawyers argued they had not received the necessary documents related to his case from prosecutors.
Judge Juan Checkley then ordered Castillo remain in prison for another 48 hours.
Castillo has called his arrest unjust and arbitrary and called on the security forces to “stop killing” protesters.
International
U.S. strike in Caribbean kills three suspected drug traffickers
A U.S. strike on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in the Caribbean killed three people on Saturday, according to Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth, marking the latest in a series of attacks in international waters.
The United States has deployed ships to the Caribbean and sent fighter jets to Puerto Rico as part of a large military force that Washington says is aimed at curbing drug trafficking.
“This vessel, like all the others, was known to our intelligence for being involved in illicit narcotics smuggling,” Hegseth stated on X. “Three narcoterrorists were aboard the vessel during the attack, which took place in international waters,” he added.
Experts argue that the attacks, which began in early September, amount to extrajudicial executions, even if the targets are known traffickers.
Washington has yet to publicly provide evidence that the targeted individuals were actively smuggling drugs or posed a threat to the United States.
Hegseth said the U.S. would continue “hunting… and killing” suspected traffickers. He also shared video footage of the strike, showing the vessel being hit and engulfed in flames. As in previous videos, sections of the ship were blurred, making it impossible to verify the number of people on board.
The United Nations called on Friday for Washington to halt its attacks.
International
At least 23 killed in Sonora supermarket blast, including minors
At least 23 people were killed and 11 others injured in an explosion at a supermarket in Hermosillo, in the northern Mexican state of Sonora, local authorities reported on Saturday.
“So far, there are 23 confirmed deaths and 11 injured, including minors,” said Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo in a video message. He added that the injured are receiving treatment in various hospitals across the city.
“I have ordered a thorough and transparent investigation to determine the causes of the incident and assign responsibility where appropriate,” Durazo said.
The explosion occurred at a Waldo’s store in downtown Hermosillo. Local authorities confirmed that the incident was not an attack nor related to any violent act against civilians.
Meanwhile, Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her condolences on X, offering sympathy to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives.
International
Floods in Central Vietnam leave 28 dead, thousands displaced
The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in central Vietnam has risen to 28, with six people reported missing and 43 injured, local newspaper VnExpress reported Friday night.
More than 22,100 homes remain flooded, primarily in the cities of Hue and Da Nang. Floods and landslides have destroyed or swept away 91 houses and damaged another 181, the report added.
Around 245,000 households are still without electricity, particularly in Da Nang, where over 225,000 homes are affected.
Additionally, 80 stretches of national highways are blocked or disrupted due to landslides. Authorities expect the flooding to continue for another day or two in the region.
U.S. strike in Caribbean kills three suspected drug traffickers
At least 23 killed in Sonora supermarket blast, including minors
Floods in Central Vietnam leave 28 dead, thousands displaced
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
International3 days agoHurricane Melissa kills over 30, leaves thousands displaced in the Caribbean
-
International2 days agoFloods in Central Vietnam leave 28 dead, thousands displaced
-
International4 days agoMelissa leaves path of destruction in Caribbean, 735,000 evacuated in Cuba
-
International4 days agoHurricane Melissa leaves Jamaican residents homeless as recovery efforts begin
-
International2 days agoU.S. considering airstrikes on military sites in Venezuela, reports say
-
International4 days agoArgentina’s Milei opens dialogue with parties to push “Second-Generation Reforms”
-
International4 days agoUS Deputy Secretary criticizes Mexico’s call to end Cuba trade embargo at UN
-
International3 days agoTrump orders immediate U.S. nuclear testing, ending 30-year moratorium
-
International4 days agoVenezuela warns citizens who call for invasion risk losing nationality
-
International3 days agoTrump sets historic low refugee cap at 7,500, prioritizes white South Africans
-
International4 days agoMexico advances continental shelf claims at UN Commission in New York
-
International4 days agoBrazilian president defends coordinated anti-drug operations after deadly Rio raid
-
International3 days agoUNICEF: Over 700,000 children affected by Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean
-
International2 days agoFBI foils ISIS-Inspired attack in Michigan, arrests five teens
-
International2 days agoPope Leo XIV revives Global Compact on Education to confront cultural crisis
-
International2 days agoU.S. warns China over Taiwan during high-level defense talks in Kuala Lumpur
-
International4 days agoSimeón Pérez Marroquín, ‘El Viejo,’ detained for role in Miguel Uribe Turbay assassination plot
-
International9 hours agoAt least 23 killed in Sonora supermarket blast, including minors
-
International9 hours agoU.S. strike in Caribbean kills three suspected drug traffickers