News from South America
MercoPress South Atlantic News Agency
- Situation in Iran critical; Washington may also step in
on January 12, 2026Over 500 people have been reported dead during this past weekend in the Islamic Republic of Iran as groups supporting the return to power of a monarchy under Mohamed Reza Pahlavi II (son of the shah deposed in 1979) took to the streets, women taking off their religious clothing and appearing uncovered, challenging Islamic morals.
- More than 800 political prisoners remain jailed as Venezuela signals partial openness
on January 12, 2026The Venezuelan interim government of caretaker President Delcy Rodríguez has allowed some relatives to visit political prisoners still held by Caracas at the Rodeo I detention facility. Among them is Argentine Border Guard (Gendarmería Nacional) NCO Nahuel Gallo, about whom nothing concrete has been heard.
- Delcy Rodríguez vows to rescue Nicolás Maduro through diplomacy
on January 12, 2026Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, has vowed to secure Nicolás Maduro's return while simultaneously opening a fragile diplomatic "exploratory process" with the United States.
- Argentina's Embassy in Caracas to be placed under Italian protection
on January 12, 2026Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva pulled his country's diplomats from the building that was once Argentina's Embassy in Caracas, but which had been placed under Brasilia's care when Javier Milei severed all ties with the Nicolás Maduro totalitarian regime.
- Maduro down, Trump aims at Cuba
on January 12, 2026US President Donald Trump has issued a total oil embargo and a diplomatic ultimatum to Cuba, signaling a Venezuela-style transition coming up. It was even rumored that US Secretary of State could be Cuba's next President.
- Managua releases political prisoners as Trump's democratization drive has far left rulers on their toes
on January 12, 2026Nicaragua's Sandinista regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo announced on Saturday that Managua would be releasing a series of political prisoners in a gesture marking the 19th anniversary of the far left administration, never admitting it could also play out as a concession to Washington, as the Donald Trump government embarked on a crusade to rid […]
- How Academic Workload Affects Student Well-Being
on January 12, 2026Academic life is often described as a time of growth, discovery, and opportunity. For many students, however, it is also a period marked by intense pressure, constant deadlines, and high expectations. Coursework, exams, projects, and extracurricular commitments can quickly accumulate, turning academic ambition into chronic stress. Understanding how academic […]
- How Does Technology Impact Student Learning Outcomes?
on January 12, 2026Walk into a modern classroom or open a student's laptop, and the shift is impossible to miss. Lecture recordings replace missed classes. AI tools suggest outlines. Digital platforms track progress in real time. Technology has quietly rewritten how learning happens, often without pausing to ask whether outcomes are actually improving.
- Italian PM Giorgia Meloni given Margaret Thatcher Award by EU Conservatives
on January 10, 2026“I am a soldier in the service of an idea,” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on receiving the Margaret Thatcher Awards, an event in mid- December organized at the Roman Aquarium by New Direction, the think tank of the European Conservative and Reformist family.
- Falklands celebrates Margaret Thatcher Day to honor the Islands’ Liberator
on January 10, 2026Today January 10th is Margaret Thatcher Day in the Falkland Islands. The date remembers and celebrates when the former Prime Minister and victorious in the Falklands War spent a four-day visit to the Islands beginning precisely on 10 January 1983 only eight months after the end of the conflict with Argentina.