Politics

• Thursday, January 29th 2015 - 06:53 UTC

  Fidel Castro in “good health and feels great admiration for Pope Francis”

  

  Fidel Castro is in good health and feels “deep admiration” for Pope Francis, Brazilian intellectual Frei Betto said on Wednesday a day after meeting with Cuba's former president. He and Fidel discussed a wide range of subjects and the 88-year-old leader of the Cuban Revolution remains “very optimistic,” Betto told reporters in Havana.

• Thursday, January 29th 2015 - 06:32 UTC

  Raul Castro demands the return of Guantanamo and compensation for US trade embargo

  

  Cuban President Raul Castro demanded on Wednesday that the United States return the U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay, lift the half-century trade embargo on Cuba and compensate his country for damages before the two nations re-establish normal relations.

• Thursday, January 29th 2015 - 06:15 UTC

  Only family and friends at AMIA prosecutor Nisman's wake

  

  A wake for Argentina's AMIA special prosecutor Alberto Nisman was held Wednesday afternoon in a ceremony with his family and friends. His body will be buried Thursday at the Tablada Israeli Cemetery, the Jewish News Agency (AJN) reported.

• Wednesday, January 28th 2015 - 08:04 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez speech was made to 'distract attention' claims Argentine opposition

  

  Argentina's Lower House opposition caucus leaders have rejected the proposed dissolution of the Intelligence Secretariat (SI, formerly known as SIDE), announced Monday evening by President Cristina Fernández, as they consider it was made to “distract attention” from the death of AMIA special prosecutor Alberto Nisman.

• Wednesday, January 28th 2015 - 07:53 UTC

  Argentine Jewish community demand the true causes of Nisman's death be investigated

  

  The leaders of Argentina's main Jewish organizations, AMIA and DAIA strongly criticized the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with Iran by the administration of President Cristina Fernandez and demanded that “the true causes” of special prosecutor Alberto Nisman be thoroughly investigated.

• Wednesday, January 28th 2015 - 07:47 UTC

  Relief for Bachelet: Chilean Congress passes ambitious education reform

  

  Chile's President Michelle Bachelet said on Tuesday her government was preparing the second phase of an ambitious education reform, hours after Congress approved the first set of changes.

• Wednesday, January 28th 2015 - 07:40 UTC

  Rousseff calls on fractious cabinet to embrace belt-tightening to restore growth

  

  Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff has urged her cabinet to embrace fiscal belt-tightening and other measures aimed at restoring business confidence and growth in her second term.

• Wednesday, January 28th 2015 - 07:33 UTC

  Argentina's current import restrictions forecasted to continue during 2015

  

  A decrease in Argentina's trade surplus this year would make it difficult for the federal government to end the current restrictions on imports, which force companies to file an affidavit in order to obtain authorization, the Argentine Importers Chamber (CIRA) said this week, only days after the country’s 2014 trade data was revealed to be the worst since 2001.

• Wednesday, January 28th 2015 - 07:21 UTC

  US moves into the Caribbean to replace Venezuela as cheap gas supplier

  

  The United States Monday rolled out a new initiative for Caribbean countries to ensure energy security in a move widely seen as distancing the Caribbean from Venezuela for their oil and energy needs.

• Wednesday, January 28th 2015 - 07:11 UTC

  Spain's 'Podemos' party said relations with Gibraltar should not fall victim to “political opportunism”

  

  With the triumph on Sunday in Greece of the Syriza anti austerity party, Spain's version, Podemos under the leadership of Pablo Iglesias, and ahead in the opinion polls for the next national election, celebrated and addressed the issue of Gibraltar saying relations between the Rock and neighboring La Línea should not fall victim to “political opportunism”.