Politics

• Monday, October 22nd 2012 - 04:10 UTC

  “Fidel is alive and well”, says Venezuelan politician who allegedly met with him

  

  Cuban leader Fidel Castro is alive and well, according to Elias Jaua, a former Venezuelan vice president who says he met with Castro over the weekend.

• Monday, October 22nd 2012 - 03:11 UTC

  Spain wants to ban photos and filming of security forces ‘on exercise of their functions’

  

  The Spanish government challenged by growing protests and street demonstrations and a possible national strike next month is considering a ban on photographing, filming or reproducing images of police and state security forces that are on duty, according to officials.

• Monday, October 22nd 2012 - 03:04 UTC

  Landslides for Rajoy in Galicia but Basques raise the question of ‘independence’

  

  Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy conservative Popular Party on Sunday retained power in his home region of Galicia despite recession and biting austerity measures, official results showed.

• Sunday, October 21st 2012 - 06:19 UTC

  Massive protest in central London against public spending cuts and higher taxes

  

  Thousands of British protesters marched through central London on Saturday against public spending cuts and tax rises enacted by a government fighting accusations it is run by an upper-class elite that ignores the plight of recession-hit voters.

• Sunday, October 21st 2012 - 06:11 UTC

  Argentina evacuates impounded frigate; Monday Timerman begins lobbying at the UN

  

  The Argentine government ordered on Saturday the evacuation of the naval training frigate ARA Libertad impounded in Ghana by international creditors, following the warning made on Friday that complaints would be taken to the UN over the controversy.

• Saturday, October 20th 2012 - 06:17 UTC

  Argentina calls on Ghana to “assume its responsibility” in the release of ARA Libertad

  

  Argentina demanded that Ghana “assumes its responsibility” of freeing the Navy flagship ARA Libertad, which remains impounded in the African country’s port Tema over claims of US funds and warned Argentina could take the case to the United Nations, because negotiating with ‘vulture funds’ is not an option.

• Saturday, October 20th 2012 - 06:06 UTC

  NML-Capital offers to pay for repatriation of ARA Libertad crew members

  

  In a PR stunt the US fund NML-Capital offered to fly back free of charge all crew members of the Argentine training frigate ARA Libertad retained in Ghana, but reiterated that to release the vessel Argentina must deposit a 20million dollars bail.

• Saturday, October 20th 2012 - 05:18 UTC

  First exchange of blows as Colombian peace talks take off

  

  Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos defended his signature law that returns land seized by illegal armed groups to peasants after leftist rebels assailed the measure at the start of peace talks.

• Saturday, October 20th 2012 - 04:56 UTC

  Second Argentine Navy vessel retained in Africa

  

  A second Argentine Navy vessel remains retained in Africa, although this time because of mechanical problems. So far this month the Argentine navy has suffered the ‘loss’ of three of its units: two corvettes and the training frigate ARA Libertad.

• Saturday, October 20th 2012 - 04:40 UTC

  Middle class Brazil looks itself in a soap opera and breaks audience records

  

  A soap opera which depicts the recent upsurge of Brazil into a consumer society has trapped the country breaking audience records and even forcing President Dilma Rousseff to modify her agenda.