International
Peru’s President Boluarte demands answers from prime minister over alleged irregular contract
Peruvian President, Dina Boluarte, has ordered the early return of Prime Minister Alberto Otárola from an official trip to Canada to demand explanations regarding an audio in which he allegedly offered a job to a young woman with whom he apparently had a relationship before she was hired at the Ministry of Defense.
“We have been informed in the Cabinet that the president has ordered the early return of the premier to become aware of the situation and take the necessary actions,” said Minister of Women, Nancy Tolentino, in a press conference.
In the audio, aired on Sunday by the Panorama program, Otárola is purportedly heard speaking very familiarly to a woman identified as Yaziré Pinedo, asking her to send her resume immediately and then inquiring about when he can see her.
Congress members demand the Prime Minister’s resignation
Congress members from various political groups called on Monday for the resignation of Peru’s Prime Minister, Alberto Otárola, after the release of an alleged audio in which he offered a job to a young woman before her hiring at the Ministry of Defense.
The first vice president of Parliament, Arturo Alegría, told local media that “what is appropriate for the peace of mind of Peruvians is to take action.”
“When private matters cross the line and become public actions, decisions must be made,” Alegría said about the apparent familiarity Otárola displayed in the phone conversation with 25-year-old Yazire Pinedo, after previously denying knowing her.
The legislator added that “for that simple lie, there must be a decision” by President Dina Boluarte.
The Prime Minister’s troubles
In turn, legislator Carlos Zeballos, from the Podemos Perú party, said the Prime Minister “must offer his resignation” to Boluarte, as soon as he returns to the country from his trip to Canada to attend a mining convention, because it is a “very serious situation.”
“It involves state funds being used for personal matters,” said the congressman.
Zeballos added that “when an entire cabinet falls, several ministries need to be reshuffled.”
Meanwhile, the progressive bloc of Change Democratic-Together for Peru said on its social media account that “Otárola’s tenure at the PCM (Presidency of the Council of Ministers) is unsustainable.”
They announced that they will present “a motion of interpellation for the premier to answer for the acts of corruption attributed to him” and added that “the cycle of the Fujimori group’s operator and the right in the Government Palace has ended.”
Likewise, independent congressman Carlos Anderson also announced a motion of interpellation against the Prime Minister, “in response to public outrage over the audios” of Otárola.
“Being a ‘sugar daddy’ with state resources. This not only constitutes an ethical violation but also warrants exemplary punishment, if necessary,” he pointed out.
In the audio, aired on Sunday by the Panorama program, Otárola is purportedly heard speaking very familiarly to Pinedo and asking her to send her resume immediately, then inquiring about when he can see her.
Pinedo received two service orders last year for 18,000 and 35,000 soles (about 4,700 or 9,200 dollars) at the Ministry of Defense, a portfolio that Otárola held before becoming Prime Minister.
The Presidency of the Republic rejected in a statement “any action that goes against the interests of the State” and “any possible irregular hiring in exchange for favors.”
It announced that it will wait for Otárola’s return from abroad to “request the pertinent explanations and make the necessary decisions.”
Otárola himself commented on his social media account that “for months they have been trying to spread an audio whose content must be verified.”
He reiterated that in his administration, “there has been and will be no irregular hiring” and that he is not corrupt.
International
Trump signs order to end federal funding for NPR and PBS
U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to halt federal funding for two public media outlets, PBS television and NPR radio, accusing them of being biased.
NPR and PBS are partially funded by American taxpayers but rely heavily on private donations.
Trump has long maintained a hostile relationship with most media outlets, which he has referred to as the “enemy of the people.”
An exception is the conservative Fox News channel, some of whose hosts have played important roles in the administration of the Republican magnate.
“National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) receive taxpayer funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB),” Trump said.
“Therefore, I direct the CPB board and all executive departments and agencies to cease federal funding for NPR and PBS,” he added.
The Republican leader argued that “neither of these entities provides a fair, accurate, or impartial portrayal of current events to the taxpayer citizens.”
At the end of March, Donald Trump called on Congress to end public funding for these two “horrible and completely biased networks.”
International
Man arrested after deliberately driving into seven children in Osaka
Japanese police arrested a man on Thursday after he rammed his car into a group of seven schoolchildren in an apparent deliberate attack in the city of Osaka.
The children, who were on their way home from school, sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital. All seven remained conscious, according to local authorities.
An Osaka police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the suspect is a 28-year-old man from Tokyo. The officer shared statements the man made after his arrest: “I was fed up with everything, so I decided to kill people by driving into several elementary school children,” the suspect reportedly said.
The man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
The injured children, aged between seven and eight, included a seven-year-old girl who suffered a fractured jaw. The six other children—all boys—suffered minor injuries such as bruises and scratches and were undergoing medical evaluation.
Witnesses described the car as “zigzagging” before hitting the children. One witness told Nippon TV that a girl was “covered in blood” and the others appeared to have scratches.
Another witness said the driver, who was wearing a face mask, looked to be in shock when school staff pulled him from the vehicle.
Violent crimes are rare in Japan, though serious incidents do occur from time to time. In 2008, Tomohiro Kato drove a two-ton truck into pedestrians in Tokyo’s Akihabara district, then fatally stabbed several victims. Seven people were killed in that attack.
Internacionales
Clashes erupt during may day protests across France amid calls for better wages
May Day protests in France were marked by a heavy police presence and clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement in several cities.
In Paris, Lyon, and Nantes, thousands took to the streets to demand better wages, fairer working conditions, and to voice their dissatisfaction with President Emmanuel Macron’s government.
While the majority of the demonstrations remained peaceful, isolated confrontations broke out in some areas. Protesters threw objects at the police, prompting the use of tear gas and resulting in several arrests.
Videos showing police crackdowns circulated widely on social media, drawing criticism from labor unions and human rights advocates, who denounced the authorities’ response to the protests.
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