Cuba
Havana rejects US claims over Cuban fighters in Russia's ranks in Ukraine
Cuba's Foreign Ministry has denied allegations from Washington regarding Cuban military participation in Ukraine, as diplomatic tensions ratchet up over recruitment schemes that have allegedly sent thousands of nationals to fight for Russia.
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World Bank nudges up Latin America growth forecast to 2.3% but warns of skills shortage
The World Bank expects Latin America and the Caribbean’s economy to expand 2.3% in 2025, a slight uptick from 2.2% in 2024, with growth projected to reach 2.5% in 2026.
COMMENT: Behind Venezuela's phantom cartel, Trump's endgame remains unclear
The US Navy deployment near Venezuela uses a fabricated drug cartel narrative to justify potential military action. But competing agendas between regime-change hawks and America First pragmatists leave the administration without a coherent strategy.
China rejects US "bullying" over Latin American partnerships
China has once again rejected American efforts to pressure Latin American nations into reducing ties with Beijing, with a foreign ministry spokesperson asserting the region's right to choose its own development partners independently.
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Latin America's development gains under threat as one in four live in poverty, UN report finds
UNDP warns of stagnation and rising vulnerability across the region amid "overlapping crises".
INTERVIEW: Former US official on America's lost authority as Global South acts on Gaza
As Gaza's death toll passes 61,000, nations meeting in Bogotá pledge concrete measures to halt arms flows to Israel. Ex-US official Annelle Sheline, who resigned over Washington's Gaza policy, calls it a turning point for the Global South.
ECLAC raises Latin America growth forecast to 2.2% but warns of prolonged slowdown
The UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean has lifted its 2025 regional growth estimate to 2.2% from a previous 2.0% projection, whilst acknowledging that economic expansion remains constrained by global volatility
Cuba’s fragile communist system could collapse at any moment, analyst warns
Deepening economic hardship, crumbling infrastructure and dwindling external support raise questions over how long the government can maintain stability, says Oxford Analytica analyst.
COMMENT: Can BRICS deliver beyond the rhetoric? experts weigh in
BRICS has evolved from an emerging economies club into a coalition Trump sees as threatening enough to warrant tariffs. Experts reveal tensions between China's dominance and multipolar goals, with institutional gaps but growing Global South support.
COMMENT: Bogotá summit marks Global South’s legal break with the West over Gaza
At the Bogotá summit, the Global South takes charge – no longer waiting for Western permission to enforce international law. From South Africa’s ICJ case to Colombia cutting ties with Israel, countries are defying US pressure over Gaza.