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Peru’s Congress Moves Towards Impeachment Debate Against President Boluarte
Peru’s Congress voted on Thursday to open debate on the impeachment of President Dina Boluarte, one of the world’s least popular leaders. The late-night session followed calls from political groups across the spectrum demanding her removal from office.
Boluarte, 63, is deeply disliked, with approval ratings between 2% and 4%, following accusations she has illicitly profited from her office and is responsible for lethal crackdowns on protests in favor of her predecessor.
She denies any wrongdoing.
Should she be removed from her post, it would continue a revolving door of leaders in the Andean nation, which has had six presidents since 2018. Three ex-leaders are currently behind bars.
Motions To Remove Boluarte
Earlier on Thursday, lawmakers from across the political spectrum presented four motions to remove Boluarte, the latest in a series of so far unsuccessful motions that come as the country prepares for elections next April.
Separate votes on the four motions gathered between 108 and 115 votes in favor – more than double the 52 votes that were required to move forward with the debate. At least 87 votes will ultimately be needed to impeach her.
Lawmakers then voted to summon the president to defend herself before Congress an hour later at 11.30 p.m. (0430 GMT).
The latest push to remove Boluarte is notable for the participation of conservative parties that have historically supported her. These include Rafael Lopez’s Popular Renewal and Keiko Fujimori’s Popular Force. Both political heavyweights are expected to stand for president in 2026.
“The only way of moving forwards is Dina Boluarte’s impeachment,” Congresswoman Susel Paredes said in a post on X. “Various blocs agree and that’s why the motion has now been presented.”
A History Of Turmoil
Should Boluarte leave before her term ends next July, she is expected to be succeeded by the head of Peru’s also deeply unpopular Congress, Jose Jeri. Peru does not currently have a vice president.
She came to power in December 2022 as her predecessor President Pedro Castillo, under whom she had served as vice president, was ousted and arrested after he attempted to dissolve Congress.
Castillo’s removal was met with months of widespread, deadly protests particularly in rural Andean and Indigenous communities, and rights groups have accused Boluarte’s government of using excessive force to repress the protests.
She also became embroiled in allegations of illicit enrichment involving undeclared assets and Rolex watches. In July, she decided to double her salary.
(With inputs from Reuters)
7.5 Earthquake Hits Southern Philippines, Tsunami Alert Issued
A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern coast of the Philippines on Friday morning, prompting tsunami warnings across multiple countries and urging residents in nearby coastal areas to evacuate to higher ground, according to the country’s seismology agency.
The Phivolcs agency warned of damage and aftershocks from the strong quake, which struck in waters off Manay town in Davao Oriental in the Mindanao region.
It revised down the magnitude from an initial reading of 7.6 to 7.5, and put the depth of the quake at 20 km (12 miles).
The U.S. Tsunami Warning System issued a tsunami threat, saying hazardous waves were possible for coasts within 300 km (186 miles) of the earthquake’s epicenter.
Rescue Teams Being Prepared
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said authorities were assessing the situation on the ground, and said search-and-rescue teams would be deployed when it was safe to do so.
“We are working round the clock to ensure that help reaches everyone who needs it,” Marcos said in a statement.
Local authorities in the affected region could not immediately be reached.
Phivolcs called on people in coastal towns in the central and southern Philippines to immediately evacuate to higher ground or move further inland, saying wave heights of more than one metre above normal tides could be expected.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said waves of 1 to 3 metres above tide level were possible in the Philippines.
The earthquake came two weeks after the Philippines experienced its deadliest quake in more than a decade, with 72 people killed on the island of Cebu. That was a magnitude of 6.9 and also struck offshore.
The Philippines sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and experiences more than 800 quakes each year.
Tsunami Warning For Indonesia, Palau
A tsunami warning was issued in Indonesia for its northern Sulawesi and Papua regions, and the PTWC said some coasts in Indonesia and the Pacific island nation of Palau could see waves of up to 1 metre.
The governor of Davao Oriental in the Philippines said people panicked when the earthquake struck.
“Some buildings were reported to have been damaged,” Edwin Jubahib told Philippine broadcaster DZMM. “It was very strong.”
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre put the quake’s magnitude at 7.4 and its depth at 58 km (36 miles).
(With inputs from Reuters)
Kim Jong Un Hails Rising Global Status Of North Korea
At a high-profile event on Thursday marking the founding of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party, leader Kim Jong Un claimed the country’s global stature was rising steadily, as reported by state media on Friday. The event was attended by several visiting foreign heads of state.
Kim honoured the legacy of the party that he said had made “not a single mistake or error” in its 80-year history, leading the country on a path of ascent riding on the wisdom and strength of the people, KCNA state news agency said.
“Today, we stand before the world as a mighty people with no obstacles we cannot overcome and no great achievement we cannot accomplish,” he said at a speech at May Day stadium in Pyongyang attended by high-level foreign delegations, KCNA reported.
The events come after Kim’s visit to Beijing last month for China’s 80th anniversary of World War Two victory, standing with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a massive military parade in his first public appearance on the multilateral diplomatic stage.
Concealed Guest List
KCNA did not name the guests attending Thursday’s events. Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Vietnamese leader To Lam and Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev had arrived in Pyongyang to attend anniversary celebrations, state media had reported.
Mass games and art performances were held at the stadium with Kim accompanied by guests whom the large crowd gathered greeted with cheers “that shook the capital’s night sky,” KCNA said.
State media made no mention of a large-scale military parade the country was expected to stage to mark the anniversary.
Strengthening Bilateral Ties
Kim held talks with China’s Li, where they said the visit marked a “new chapter” in advancing the two countries’ ties under their supreme leaders and pledged to expand strategic dialogue and high-level exchanges, KCNA said.
Kim separately received Vietnam’s To Lam with an honour-guard welcome and held talks on advancing cooperation to meet global challenges, it said.
Medvedev held talks with senior North Korean officials and attended a reception held in his honour, KCNA added.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Indian Air Force Rafales In Hasimara And The Roads To Tawang
IAF Rafales In Hasimara
In ‘Eastern Front Airpower’, Season 2, ‘Season Finale’, we document the Indian Air Force (IAF) Rafales in Hasimara in West Bengal. Air Force Station Hasimara is a crucial base for the Indian Air Force, due to its strategic location near the sensitive borders with Bhutan, China occupied Tibet and Bangladesh. It is also close to the critical Siliguri Corridor. Often called the “Chicken’s Neck,” it is a narrow strip of land in West Bengal connecting the country’s northeastern states to the rest of the country. This geographical bottleneck, only about 22 kilometres at its narrowest, holds immense strategic significance for several reasons.
Watch in 4k
This documentary is shot in 4k. Change your YouTube setting on the gear icon to 4k or the maximum possible for best viewer experience.
Editor’s Note: This documentary, published on December 30, 2024 hit 100,000+ Views on January 3, 2025. 200,000+ Views on January 21. 300,000+ views on March 19, 2025. And 400,000+ on May 14. The Season Finale crossed 500,000+ Views on June 6. And 600,000+ on October 9.
StratNews Global Ground Report
A StratNews Global team of Amitabh P. Revi, Rohit Pandita and Aryaman Singh Negi along with Motion Graphics Producer Deepankar Verma brings you this ground report. We highlight the importance of this region for India’s national security in a deep dive into the Eastern Air Command’s (EAC) area of responsibility.
Eastern Air Command
We film Rafale operations from Hasimara and speak to key officers including the then Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOCinC), the current Vice Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal S.P. Dharkar. The former AOCinC, EAC, Air Marshal D.K. Patnaik (Retd) explains key regional developments and their implications for a potential China-Pakistan-Bangladesh nexus.
Eastern Front Airpower
In Eastern Front AirPower, Season 2, Part 1, we spoke to Air Marshal S.P. Dharkar, the then Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C), EAC. On October 3, 2024, he took over as the Vice Chief of the Air Force. In Episode 2, we had a conversation with Group Captain Abhishek Tripathi, Commanding Officer (CO) of the 101 Squadron (Sqn) at the Hasimara AFS. In Episode 3, we interviewed Air Commodore Ashish Kumar, the Air Officer Commanding (AOC) AFS Hasimara. You can also click here to watch Season 1. Episode 2 from the Tezpur AFS in Season 1 has over one million views.
Road Axes To Tawang
In the ‘Season Finale’, we also travel on two crucial road axes to Tawang. The journey takes us through two game-changing tunnels- Nechipu and Sela. We document the changes since we last traveled there in 2023. Both routes now offer reliable and all-weather access to Tawang. This improved connectivity facilitates faster troop movement, logistical support, and enhances overall military preparedness in the region. The roads also boost socioeconomic development by improving connectivity for local communities and promoting tourism. The Border Roads Organisation has also built connecting arterial roads that are crucial for both civilian and military use.
Palestinian NGO Appeals To Overturn UK Ruling On F-35 Parts to Israel
A Palestinian rights group on Thursday sought to overturn a ruling that the UK lawfully allowed F-35 fighter jet components to be indirectly exported to Israel, despite accepting they could be used to breach international humanitarian law.
Al-Haq, a group based in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, unsuccessfully challenged Britain’s Department for Business and Trade over its decision last year to exempt F-35 parts when it suspended export licences for arms that could be used in the conflict in Gaza.
The group asked the Court of Appeal for permission to challenge a lower court ruling that found Britain’s decision was lawful and dismissed Al-Haq’s challenge.
Al-Haq’s case was heard as Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas signed an agreement to cease fire and free Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, the biggest step yet to end two years of war in which over 67,000 Palestinians have been killed.
Exemption of F-35 Parts
When it suspended export licences in 2024, the United Kingdom had assessed that Israel was not committed to complying with international humanitarian law in its military campaign in Gaza.
However, Britain did not suspend licences for British-made F-35 components, which go into a pool of spare parts Israel can use on its existing F-35 jets.
London’s High Court rejected the challenge in June, saying in its ruling that business minister Jonathan Reynolds was “faced with the blunt choice of accepting the F-35 carve out or withdrawing from the F-35 programme and accepting all the defence and diplomatic consequences which would ensue”.
Lawyers for Al-Haq, however, said while Britain had assessed the risks of suspending the export of F-35 parts, it failed to properly assess the risks of continuing to do so.
James Eadie, a lawyer for the British government, argued the only certain way to ensure F-35 parts did not reach Israel was by withdrawing from the international F-35 programme, which would have had “extraordinarily serious impacts for the UK and international peace and security”.
The Court of Appeal is expected to give its ruling at a later date.
(with inputs from Reuters)
Trump Tariffs Take A Toll On U.S. Container Imports In September
U.S. container imports dropped 8.4% in September compared with a year earlier, while shipments from China plunging 22.9%, according to data released on Thursday. The decline came amid persistent global trade disruptions from President Donald Trump’s tariff measures.
U.S. seaports handled 2.31 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of container cargo last month, the third-highest September volume on record despite being a decline from last year, supply chain technology and data provider Descartes said.
With most holiday merchandise delivered earlier than usual and tariffs continuing to rise, monthly import cargo volume at the nation’s major container ports is forecast to fall below the 2 million TEU mark for the remainder of the year, the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates said.
“This year’s peak season has come and gone, largely due to retailers frontloading imports ahead of reciprocal tariffs taking effect,” said Jonathan Gold, NRF’s vice president for supply chain and customs policy.
More tariffs — 25% on upholstered furniture regardless of country and the same rate on kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities — are set to take effect next week and increase in January, NRF said. A tariff increase on imports from China, delayed by 90 days in August, also is scheduled for November 10, unless a deal is reached or Trump decides on another delay.
“Ongoing volatility in U.S. tariff policy is creating significant economic uncertainty,” Hackett Associates founder Ben Hackett said.
Reflecting market demand, the Drewry East-West Contract Rate Index – an average of contract rates paid by more than 100 multinational shippers, including retailers like Walmart, on 17 major ocean routes – fell 3% in the 12 months to September, the first year-on-year reduction since July 2024.
Tariff Pressure On U.S. Imports
To be sure, U.S. imports have held up generally well under unprecedented tariff pressures.
Year-to-date volume through September was 1.9% ahead of the same period in 2024.
Still, China’s share of total U.S. imports slid to 33% in September from 34.5% in August, Descartes said.
China-origin imports tumbled to 762,772 TEUs in September – with aluminum, footwear and electric machinery logging the steepest drops. Toys and sporting goods, as well as footwear and apparel were also down.
The overall result marks a reversal from the short-lived rebound in July and August, and highlights importer sensitivity to tariff policy, Descartes said.
Imports from South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Germany and Italy also notched year-over-year declines last month, Descartes said.
Meanwhile, several Southeast and South Asian countries expanded market share, the firm said.
Imports from Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and India all increased.
Nevertheless, month-over-month data showed a nearly across-the-board slowdown in Asian trade momentum, Descartes said.
(With inputs from Reuters)
PM Modi Says ‘Good Progress’ On Trade Talks With Trump
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that he spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump, adding that they “reviewed good progress achieved in trade negotiations”. He added that the leaders agreed to stay in close touch over the coming weeks.
Commerce ministry officials have said that after the latest meetings of trade officials in Washington, another round of trade negotiations is expected soon in either country.
Ongoing Negotiations
Last month, Trump also publicly stated that negotiations with India were progressing and voiced optimism about a successful outcome.
“I am pleased to announce that the United States of America and India are continuing discussions to address trade barriers between our two nations. I look forward to speaking soon with my very good friend, Prime Minister Modi. I am confident that reaching a mutually satisfactory conclusion will be straightforward for both of our great countries!” Trump posted on Truth Social.
PM Modi also echoed this sentiment on X, stressing the natural partnership between the two nations.
“India and the U.S. are close friends and natural partners. I am confident our trade discussions will unlock the immense potential of the India-U.S. partnership. Our teams are working diligently to conclude these talks swiftly. I also look forward to speaking with President Trump, as together we will ensure a brighter, more prosperous future for our peoples,” the PM wrote.
Highest Tariffs on India
Trump imposed a 50% tariff on most exports from India, among the highest for any U.S. trading partner. This move impacts about $50 billion of Indian exports to the U.S., mainly hurting labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, gems and jewellery and the shrimp industry.
A 25% penalty was also imposed on India by the Trump government for New Delhi’s continued imports of Russian oil.
Washington earlier said that India’s purchase of Russian oil helped fund Moscow’s war in Ukraine and that New Delhi also profits from it. India had rejected the accusation as a double standard, pointing to U.S. and European trade links with Russia.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has labelled the tariffs as unjustified and expressed confusion over the rationale, pointing out that China remains the largest buyer of Russian crude.
To offset the impact of tariffs, PM Modi has cut taxes on everything from shampoos to cars last month in the biggest tax overhaul since 2017, even as India continues to spend aggressively on infrastructure projects.
About one-fifth of India’s total exports in 2024 went to the United States. The new tariffs affect about three-quarters of all Indian goods exported there.
(with inputs from Reuters)
Google Flags Major Hack Targeting Oracle Products
In a concerning development, Google revealed on Thursday that over 100 companies may have been impacted by a sophisticated and far-reaching hacking campaign targeting Oracle’s widely used suite of business products — an early assessment that suggests the potential for extensive and long-lasting damage across industries.
Google, a unit of Alphabet, said in a statement that “mass amounts of customer data” were stolen in an operation it said may have begun as early as three months ago.
“This level of investment suggests the threat actor(s) responsible for the initial intrusion likely dedicated significant resources to pre-attack research,” the email said.
CL0P
Google, which has a vast cybersecurity practice alongside its better known search, email and video offerings, noted in a blog post that the group believed to be at the center of the intrusions, CL0P, has a long history of wide-ranging compromises against third party software or service providers.
In a separate statement to Reuters, Google analyst Austin Larsen said that “we are aware of dozens of victims, but we expect there are many more. Based on the scale of previous CL0P campaigns, it is likely there are over a hundred”.
Google said the hackers targeted Oracle’s E-Business Suite of applications, which Oracle clients use to manage customers, suppliers, manufacturing, logistics, and other business processes.
Oracle did not immediately return an email seeking comment. Previously, the company had confirmed that there was extortion activity aimed at its clients.
CL0P did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Previously, the hacker group said it would soon be clear that Oracle had “bugged up their core product.”
Gemini Enterprise
Meanwhile, Google on Thursday launched a new AI platform for business customers called Gemini Enterprise, as the tech giant ramps up efforts to capture more corporate clients with its artificial intelligence tools.
Gemini Enterprise will be powered by the company’s most advanced artificial intelligence models, and will act as a conversational platform where employees can chat with their companies’ data, documents and applications, Google said.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Cuba: Protests Erupt In Havana Over Gaza War As Israel And Hamas Agree To Ceasefire
Thousands of Cubans gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Havana on Thursday to denounce the war in Gaza, as Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire and hostage releases aimed at ending the two-year old conflict.
The event, led by Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and organized by the communist-run government, filled a plaza along Havana’s waterfront Malecon boulevard and prompted the U.S. Embassy on the island to halt services on Thursday.
Cubans waved Palestinian flags and cheered for peace, denouncing Washington for providing weapons and diplomatic support to its ally Israel during the conflict. Many said they were skeptical of the deal brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump.
“We don’t believe this peace will last because the same thing will happen as in Ukraine: President Trump promised peace, promised an end to the war, and it didn’t happen,” said 20-year-old university student Leanet Rodriguez.
“So we’re here (promoting) a peace that respects Palestine, its borders, its sovereignty, and above all, its people, who have been suffering for so many years.”
Trump-Brokered Peace Deal
If fully adopted, the Trump-brokered accord would bring the two sides closer than any prior effort to halt a regional war that drew in neighbours Iran, Lebanon and Yemen, deepened Israel’s international isolation and changed the Middle East.
Gaza authorities say more than 67,000 people have been killed and much of the enclave flattened since Israel began its military response to the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
Cuba has consistently condemned Israel’s military actions, accused it of genocide and urged respect for Palestinian sovereignty and international humanitarian law.
Crisis-racked Cuba – suffering severe shortages of fuel, medicine, and food – transported thousands of Havana residents, members of the armed forces and government supporters to the protest early Thursday morning.
The U.S. embassy in Havana announced the closure of its visa services on Thursday due to the protests, delaying scheduled interviews, document review, and passport issuance.
(With inputs from Reuters)
European Commission Chief Von der Leyen Survives Parliament No-Confidence Votes
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen successfully withstood two attempts to oust her as the European Parliament on Thursday rejected no-confidence motions brought by hard-right and left-wing groups.
EU lawmakers rejected the two motions of censure with 378 members of the 720-strong parliament expressing support for von der Leyen in the first vote and 383 in the second.
Von der Leyen said in a post on X that she deeply appreciated the support and that her team of commissioners would work closely with the parliament to tackle Europe’s challenges.
The results were slightly better for the EU executive chief than in July, when 360 lawmakers voted against a motion brought by mainly far-right lawmakers, although below the 401 votes for von der Leyen’s re-election for a second term in July 2024.
Although the motions of censure had almost no chance of reaching the two-thirds majority required to unseat von der Leyen, some lawmakers said they could expose more general disquiet over her leadership and destabilise the EU assembly, whose backing is required to pass legislation.
Parties outside the mainstream have realised that previously seldom-used censure motions are easy to trigger after the 2024 elections swelled the far right to more than 100 lawmakers, with only 72 required to back one.
Both censure motions criticised von der Leyen for accepting an unbalanced tariff deal with the United States and proposing a trade agreement with the South American bloc Mercosur, which critics say threatens farmers and the environment.
The U.S. and Mercosur deals will be put to votes in the European Parliament in the coming months, with the outcomes unclear.
(With inputs from Reuters)