International
Starmer asks Sunak to call elections after the Labour advance in the municipal elections
The head of the opposition in the United Kingdom, Labour Keir Starmer, urged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday to immediately call general elections that allow the country to “sturn the page,” after the collapse of the conservative vote in the by-elections held yesterday.
In an intervention in Blackpool (northwest), where Labour snatched the seat of that constituency from the ‘tories’, Starmer described that result as “historic” and considered that he sends a direct message – since a deputy was chosen in the House of Commons – to Sunak.
The opposition leader stressed that the transfer of vote from conservatives to Labour has exceeded 20% for the fifth time in the last by-elections to choose seats that have been left vacant due to the resignation of their occupants during this legislature.
For his part, the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, called the first results declared so far of the municipal elections “disappointing” although he warned that there are still “many to be announced.”
However, the British conservatives scored a relevant victory that will alleviate their lousy result in the municipal elections, by managing to keep Ben Houchen as mayor of the metropolitan area of Tees Valley, in the northeast of England.
According to the provisional results, Houchen, one of the most popular ‘tories’ councilors, obtained 53.6% of the votes, compared to 41.3% of his Labour opponent, Chris Mcean, and 5% of the Liberal Democrats.
In a slow count, which will continue throughout the weekend, the triumph in Tees Valley is presented as one of the few bright moments for the conservatives of the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, who faces a historic collapse in these partial local elections.
Despite everything, the percentage of Houchen, mayor since 2017 of that metropolitan area that includes cities such as Middlesbrough, Darlington or Hartlepool, plummets compared to the 72.8% support he obtained in the elections in 2021.
For his part, the president of the Conservative Party, Richard Holden, said that “there is no doubt” that the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, will lead that formation in the next general elections, scheduled for this year, although he predicted “a few hard days” before the first results of the municipal elections in England.
Citizens elected their representatives in 107 out of a total of 318 consistories in England, the most populous region of the United Kingdom, which were last chosen in 2021. There were also elections for the mayor of London and 9 other mayor’s offices and 37 police commissioners were elected.
The final results are not expected to be known until tomorrow, Saturday.
One of the most painful for the ‘tories’ was the result achieved in the by-election that was held in the constituency of Blackpool South (northeast England) to elect the new deputy to occupy that seat in the House of Commons after the resignation of conservative Scott Benton due to accusations of alleged influence peddling.
In it, Labour deputy Chris Webb prevailed, who snatched the seat from the ‘tories’ with 10,825 votes – a majority of 7,607 -, above the conservative David Jones, with 3,218 votes.
The ‘tories’ barely avoided falling to third position in that constituency, with only 117 votes above the candidate of the nationalist Reform UK party, Mark Butcher.
The Labour leader, Keir Starmer, called the triumph in that consistory “really historic” for his formation.
For his part, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson forgot to carry a document with an identification photo when going to vote in the municipal elections, a mandatory requirement that, ironically, introduced by his Government in 2022.
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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