International
Trump begins his first day in power with a mass in Washington Cathedral
US President Donald Trump began his first day in power on Tuesday with an interreligious service in the National Cathedral of Washington, an event that marks the closing of the acts of his inauguration, and later he will meet with leaders of Congress and make a “big announcement” on infrastructure.
Trump attended the ceremony with the first lady, Melania Trump. From the front row, both listened in silence and with a solemn gesture to the prayers, the melodies of the organ and the songs, including a ‘Hail Mary’. Next to him were the vice president, JD Vance and his wife, Usha.
This type of service has been a tradition since 1993, when the new president attends a prayer ceremony the morning after his inauguration.
Less than two weeks ago, Trump was in that same cathedral for the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter (1977-1981), where he was seen talking animatedly with Barack Obama (2009-2017). At that event, Trump sat in the second row, while the first was reserved for the then president, Joe Biden.
In addition to religious service, Trump plans to meet this Tuesday afternoon at the White House with important Republican legislators, including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, and the leader of the majority in the Senate, John Thune, to discuss his legislative agenda.
Later, around 16.30 local time (21.30 GMT), he will make statements at the White House and make a “great announcement about infrastructure,” according to his press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, in an interview with Fox News.
At 27 years old, Leavitt has become the youngest spokesperson in the history of the White House. Before her, Ron Ziegler held that record, assuming office at the age of 29 during the presidency of Richard Nixon (1969-1974).
Leavitt explained to the Fox network that there will be no press conference today, since Trump himself will appear before the journalists.
During the Biden Administration (2021-2025), press conferences were held almost daily, as were in the Obama (2009-2017) and George W. governments. Bush (2001-2009).
However, Trump, who has maintained a tense relationship with the press and has described the media as “enemies of the people” and “fake news”, ordered to drastically reduce the frequency of these appearances in his first term (2017-2021).
As a result, the press conferences became sporadic, depending on the acting press secretary, and a record of more than 300 days without appearances was set between March 2019 and January 2020.
It remains to be seen if in this new stage he will choose to maintain that strategy or if the spokesmen will have more frequent contact with the media.
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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