Peru
Peru is to declare a state of emergency in its capital Lima as youth-led protests continue despite the impeachment of President Dina Boluarte. Thirty-three-year-old rapper Eduardo Ruiz was shot dead on Wednesday night and dozens wounded as thousands of demonstrators clashed with police outside the congress building. The protests, over escalating crime rates and corruption, forced the replacement of the woefully unpopular Boluarte, with house speaker Jose Jeri taking over as interim president. Though Jeri immediately pledged a war on crime, protesters are now also calling for him to go. Peru, where a normal presidential term is five years, has had a staggering seven presidents in under a decade.
More from DW here.
Afghanistan-Pakistan
Pakistan has launched air strikes against Afghanistan, Taliban officials said, just hours after a 48-hour ceasefire was declared following days of fighting. The truce, reported by Reuters, was to facilitate talks between the neighbors in Qatar’s capital Doha. Pakistani officials were reported to have already arrived, with Afghan representatives due to land on Saturday. Pakistani officials said an Afghanistan-based armed group used a bomb-laden vehicle to ram an army base inside their territory overnight, killing seven soldiers and wounding 13. Tensions between the two have been high since Pakistan’s government accused the Taliban of sheltering armed groups opposed to it. The Taliban denies that and says Pakistan gives safe haven to its bitter enemies in an ISIS-affiliated group.
More from Reuters here.
China
Nine senior military officials have been expelled from the ruling Communist Party and the army, as part of a crackdown China says is targeting corruption. Among them were He Weidong, China’s number two general, and navy admiral Miao Hua, the army’s former top political officer. The men were suspected of financial crimes, a defense ministry statement said. Some critics, though, say the expulsions are part of an ongoing politically-motivated purge. Several Chinese officials, including at the civilian level, have disappeared from view in recent years, most notably former foreign minister Qin Gang in 2023.
More from BBC here.
You would think the frequent purges of top loyalists by dictators, through the ages, and continuing in China and Russia this week, would cause Bessent, Rubio, Patel, and Bondi to preserve an ounce of self-preservation, but they all believe they're indispensable...until they're not.
Same story with American oligarchs, who think they can buy off Trump, and ensure impunity. It works until it doesn't...and they all think they're the exception.