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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, April 19th 2024 - 22:15 UTC

Stories for September 21st 2015

  • Monday, September 21st 2015 - 08:34 UTC

    Argentina's top Electoral Court announces measures or ensure transparency

    The Electoral Court (CNE) called on electoral parties to deliver more ballots to polling stations than usual and to regularly check if any ballots are missing

    After considering the proposals made by opposition parties and NGOs, and “irregularities” during the recent election for governor in the province of Tucumán, Argentina's top electoral court has announced more than 20 measures aimed at reinforcing the transparency of the October 25 general elections.

  • Monday, September 21st 2015 - 08:19 UTC

    Barrick Gold cyanide spill in Argentine mine analyzed by UN team of experts

    Barrick Gold admitted that at least 224,000 liters of a “cyanide solution” have been spilled and said it was waiting on laboratory results over the substance.

    A group of United Nations experts have started to analyze water samples in the Argentine northeastern province of San Juan where a spill from a malfunctioning cyanide pipeline in a gold mine belonging to Canada's multinational Barrick Gold has caused a water emergency. The Veladero mine in San Juan is one of the largest in Argentina and apparently the spill reached the rivers Jachal, Las Taguas and Blanco.

  • Monday, September 21st 2015 - 08:07 UTC

    Francis meets Fidel Castro and warns Cubans of the dangers of ideology

    Spokesperson Father Lombardi said the meeting, which included Castro's wife and other family members, was “very relaxed, fraternal and friendly.”

    Pope Francis met Cuba's revolutionary leader Fidel Castro on Sunday hours after warning Cubans to beware the dangers of ideology and the lure of selfishness as the island enters a new era of closer ties with the United States. Latin America's first pope and Castro, the region's last surviving revolutionary icon of the 20th century, discussed religion and world affairs at the home of the 89-year-old retired president for about 40 minutes.

  • Monday, September 21st 2015 - 08:03 UTC

    Dissidents arrested in Havana as they tried to approach Pope Francis

    Photos showed some of the dissidents dragged away by security personnel at Havana's Revolution Square, where they reportedly tried to approach the pope

    Dissidents opposed to Cuba’s regime were arrested when they tried approaching Pope Francis in Havana on Sunday, an activist group reported. The Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba identified the dissidents as Patriotic Union of Cuba members Zaqueo Baéz, Boris Reni, Aymara Nieto Muñoz and Maria Josefa Acon Sardiña, who is also a member of the Ladies in White, a peaceful protest group founded by female relatives of Cuban political prisoners.

  • Monday, September 21st 2015 - 07:53 UTC

    Che's daughter refuses to attend Pope Francis mass at Revolution Square

    “I did not go to the mass because it would be hypocritical of me. What was I to do standing there for hours? No, no” said Aleida Guevara

    The Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara’s daughter, Aleida Guevara refused to go to a mass Pope Francis conducted on Sunday during his historic Cuban trip, saying it would be “hypocritical” of her to be present.

  • Monday, September 21st 2015 - 07:38 UTC

    Cristina Fernandez attends Havana mass and meets with Pope Francis

    This time, the seventh was mostly a protocol meeting, but Cristina Fernandez takes every opportunity possible to join the Argentine born Pope

    Argentine president Cristina Fernández took part in Pope Francis' Sunday's mass from Havana's Plaza de la Revolucion, as she watched the pontiff in the company of her Cuban counterpart Raul Castro. Sitting next to the Cuban president, CFK followed Francis' services as he called for society to “protect the most fragile,” in a service witnessed by more than 100,000 worshippers at the Havana landmark.

  • Monday, September 21st 2015 - 07:18 UTC

    Brazil Justices ban corporate contributions to political campaigns and parties

    “The influence of economic power turns the electoral process into a political game of marked cards, an odious pantomime”, said Justice Rosa Weber

    Brazil's Supreme Court banned corporate contributions to political campaigns and parties, a hot issue as investigators in the country's biggest corruption scandal say such financing was used by businesses to win lucrative contracts with state-run oil company Petrobras.