International
Peruvian Congress to decide on Friday on the suspension of the JNJ
December 14 |
The Peruvian Congress will debate on Friday a motion that proposes the dismissal of the members of the National Justice Board (JNJ) for having suspended Judge Patricia Benavides as Attorney General of the Republic.
The motion was promoted by legislators Jorge Montoya and Alejandro Muñante, from the ultra-conservative Renovación Popular party.
The motion seeking the dismissal of the members of the JNJ counted with 69 votes in favor, 30 against and 17 abstentions.
However, for the dismissal of the members of the JNJ, who accused Attorney General Patricia Benavides of managing a corruption network within the Public Prosecutor’s Office, a minimum of 87 votes of the 130 Peruvian congressmen is required.
After the acceptance, the president of the Congress, Alejandro Soto, called a meeting of the Board of Spokesmen of the different benches to establish the terms of the debate.
At the end of that meeting, Soto informed the plenary that the members of the JNJ will be summoned to appear to exercise their right to defense from 15:00 local time (20:00 GMT) on Friday.
Prior to the vote, two hours of debate have been scheduled where the parliamentarians will engage in discussions before taking the final decision via a vote.
From the other side of the aisle, the JNJ responded that this vote in Congress “would mean a breakdown of the democratic order in Peru and an attack against the constitutional legitimacy of the Legislative Branch itself, with unforeseeable consequences”.
“The JNJ demands once again the respect for its constitutional competences, the independence of powers in Peru and the defense of democratic institutionality, the basis for the wellbeing and progress of Peruvians,” the organization remarked.
It is worth noting that the board suspended the Prosecutor last week and Patricia Benavides responded by filing a request to revoke the decision before the congress, achieving the aforementioned response of the Assembly before the JNJ.
International
Japan lifts tsunami alert after strong 7.6-magnitude earthquake hits northern coast
A powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck Japan’s northern coast on Monday, triggering several tsunami waves of up to 70 centimeters, authorities said. The tsunami alert was lifted in the early hours of Tuesday.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the quake occurred at 11:15 p.m. local time (14:15 GMT) off the coast of Misawa, at a depth of 53 kilometers. Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA) immediately issued a tsunami warning. The first wave reached a port in Aomori Prefecture at 11:43 p.m. (14:43 GMT), followed by others measuring up to 70 centimeters.
Public broadcaster NHK reported that an employee at a hotel in the city of Hachinohe confirmed that several people were injured. Live footage showed shattered glass scattered across roads, while many residents evacuated to the city hall seeking shelter.
The strong tremor was also felt in Sapporo, where emergency alerts were sent to residents’ mobile phones. A reporter in Hokkaido described a horizontal shaking that lasted around 30 seconds, making it difficult to stay standing.
Before the alert was lifted, the JMA had warned of the possibility of tsunami waves up to three meters high along Japan’s Pacific coast. Government spokesperson Minoru Kihara urged residents to remain in safe areas until the warning was officially lifted.
International
Interior Dept. redefines 2026 Patriotic Days, sparking criticism over removed civil rights holidays
A statement from the Department of the Interior announced that there will be eight designated “patriotic” days in 2026, most of them different from those recognized in the previous two years.
In addition to June 14, 2026—which marks both Flag Day and Donald Trump’s 80th birthday—the calendar includes Presidents’ Day on February 16, Memorial Day on May 5 in honor of U.S. soldiers killed in combat, Independence Day weekend from July 3–5, Constitution Day on September 17, and Veterans Day on November 11, which honors former service members.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 19, 2026) and Juneteenth (June 19)—a holiday commemorating the end of slavery—are typically included among free-entry days but have now been removed.
Critics argue that the changes are designed to promote the president while downplaying the nation’s history of slavery and the civil rights struggle.
“The president didn’t just add his own birthday to the list; he removed the two holidays that commemorate the African American fight for civil rights and freedom. Our country deserves better,” lamented Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto on X.
Starting in 2026, free admission on these eight selected days will apply only to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. “Non-residents will pay the regular entrance fee and the applicable non-resident rates,” the National Park Service (NPS) stated.
The cost of an annual entry pass will rise to $80 for residents and $250 for non-residents. Those without an annual pass will be required to pay $100 per person to enter 11 of the most visited national parks, in addition to the standard entrance fee.
Earlier this year, Trump marked his 79th birthday—which coincided with the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army—by organizing an unusual military parade in downtown Washington.
The United States has 63 national parks, federally protected areas designated by Congress. Last year, they received more than 330 million visitors.
International
Five laboratories investigated in Spain over possible African Swine Fever leak
Catalan authorities announced this Saturday that a total of five laboratories are under investigation over a possible leak of the African swine fever virus, which is currently affecting Spain and has put Europe’s largest pork producer on alert.
“We have commissioned an audit of all facilities, of all centers within the 20-kilometer risk zone that are working with the African swine fever virus,” said Salvador Illa, president of the Catalonia regional government, during a press conference. Catalonia is the only Spanish region affected so far. “There are only a few centers, no more than five,” Illa added, one day after the first laboratory was announced as a potential source of the outbreak.
Illa also reported that the 80,000 pigs located on the 55 farms within the risk zone are healthy and “can be made available for human consumption following the established protocols.” Therefore, he said, “they may be safely marketed on the Spanish market.”
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