Peru Gets First Female President As Ex-President Is Arrested
Dina Boluarte became the president of Peru on Wednesday after Ex-President Pedro Castillo was arrested for “rebellion“. Ms. Boluarte is the country’s first female president. The rapid change came as a shock even in Peru, which has had five presidents since 2020.
Mr. Castillo is an ex-teacher who became president in July, 2021. He had great difficulty leading the country. In the short time he was president, Mr. Castillo was impeached several times and had four different Cabinets.
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Ex-President Pedro Castillo tried to end congress on Wednesday to avoid being impeached. Instead, Peru’s congress impeached Mr. Castillo, removing him from office. Later that day, Mr. Castillo (above, center) was arrested for breaking the country’s constitution.
Recently, Peru’s congress moved to impeach Mr. Castillo again. To avoid that, he tried to end congress on Wednesday, saying he would run the country by himself. But instead, Peru’s congress impeached Mr. Castillo, removing him from office. Later that day, he was arrested for rebellion and for breaking the country’s constitution.
Ms. Boluarte, who was the country’s vice president, was sworn in as president. She says that she will finish the rest of Mr. Castillo’s five-year term, and that new elections will be held in 2026.
Nation-Wide Strike in Iran
Nearly three months after the death of Mahsa Amini, protests continue across Iran despite a harsh government crackdown. A three-day strike across the country began on Monday.
Businesses of all different kinds closed their doors for the strike and told their workers to stay home. Normally busy areas in cities were largely empty and quiet. In the main shopping area in the capital, Tehran, roughly one-third of stores were closed.
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Nearly three months after the death of Mahsa Amini, protests continue across Iran. A three-day strike across the country began on Monday. Businesses of all different kinds closed their doors for the strike and told their workers to stay home. Above, closed shops in Tehran.
Protests Over Mahsa Amini
In Iran, women are expected to wear head scarves, known as hijabs. Hijabs are supposed to cover the head, neck, and hair, but usually leave the face uncovered. Iran’s “morality police” are in charge of making sure people follow the country’s strict religious rules.
On September 16, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was arrested by the morality police because of the way she was wearing her hijab. Three days later, she had died.
Protests broke out across the country. Many women stopped wearing their hijabs, and others cut their hair in public as a protest. Students and other groups have held strikes and boycotts.
Iran’s religious government cracked down extremely harshly on the protests. Over 400 protesters have been killed. Many more have been injured. More than 14,000 people have been arrested.
The protests are no longer just about the hijab. Protesters are demanding serious changes. Many want to completely get rid of the country’s religious government.
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The protests are no longer just about the hijab. Many protesters want to completely get rid of Iran’s religious government. During the strike, normally busy areas in cities were largely empty and quiet (above). In the main shopping area in Tehran roughly one-third of stores were closed.
Recently, the government has been sending mixed signals. Earlier this week, one government leader said that Iran’s morality police had been shut down. But later, government news sources said the leader’s statement had been misunderstood. In any case, the country’s hijab rule and other religious rules have not been changed.
Another sign that Iran’s government hasn’t changed its position came on Thursday. The government punished Mohsen Shekari, who was arrested during the protests, by killing him. Mr. Shekari was accused of blocking a street and injuring a member of Iran’s security forces. Some people expect the death of Mr. Shekari to make the protest movement stronger.
Eight Teams Remain in World Cup
After two and a half weeks of matches, this year’s World Cup has reached the quarter-finals. Just eight teams remain – the other 24 teams have been forced out. The teams no longer in the contest include some powerful sides, like Spain and Germany.
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After two and a half weeks of matches, this year’s World Cup has reached the quarter-finals. Just eight teams remain. Today, Netherlands will take on Argentina, and Croatia will face Brazil. Tomorrow, England will play against France, and Morocco will challenge Portugal.
Germany’s early exit from the contest was one of the big surprises. Another came when Saudi Arabia beat Argentina 2-1 in the first round. But Argentina improved after that, and managed to win in its group.
Today, Netherlands will take on Argentina, and Croatia will face Brazil. Tomorrow, England will play against France, and Morocco will challenge Portugal. By late Saturday, only four teams will be left.