International

Registration of alliances for elections in Argentina concludes

Photo: Radio 3

June 15 |

The registration of electoral alliances that will participate in the presidential elections in Argentina, scheduled for next October 22, concluded on Wednesday.

According to local media, both the ruling party and the opposition negotiated until the last minute which parties to include or exclude from the coalitions, their electoral strategies and other details.

For the justicialism (officialism), Unión por la Patria was registered, which replaces Frente de Todos, winner of the 2019 elections, of which the Partido Justicialista, Frente Renovador, Kolina, Nuevo Encuentro, Partido de la Victoria, Frente Grande, Partido Comunista and Partido Solidario, among others, are part of.

Meanwhile, for the opposition, Juntos por el Cambio (Together for Change) was registered, formerly led by the right-wing former President Mauricio Macri (2015-2019).

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According to the electoral calendar, the political alliances must register ten days before the official registration of the presidential pre-candidates, which will take place on June 24, and 60 days before the primary elections or PASO (Primarias, Abiertas, Simultáneas y Obligatorias), to be held on August 13, which will define the presidential candidates to be voted for on October 22.

Within the Peronism, the debate continues between two tendencies: to choose the presidential candidate through the PASO, an idea defended by President Alberto Fernández, or that Vice-President Cristina Fernández -who will not run in the elections- designates a single candidate and transfers her political wealth to him.

Among the candidates are the current Minister of Economy, Sergio Massa, the Minister of the Interior, Eduardo “Wado” de Pedro, the governor of the province of Buenos Aires, Axel Kicillof, and the Argentine ambassador in Brazil, Daniel Scioli, former vice-president (2003-2007) and candidate for president for Peronism in 2015.

In the case of Juntos por el Cambio, it was formed by the Unión Cívica Radical (UCR), the Coalición Cívica and Propuesta Republicana (PRO). Now, Encuentro Republicano Federal, Partido Demócrata Progresista, Partido Unión Popular, Generación para un Encuentro Nacional (GEN), Partido Unir and Movimiento de Integración y Desarrollo (MID) have joined.

Within these forces, the former Minister of Security, Patricia Bullrich (supported by Macri), as well as the head of the Government of the city of Buenos Aires, Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, and the governor of the province of Jujuy (north), Gerardo Morales, stand out as candidates.

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Days before the closing of alliances, Rodríguez Larreta tried to include in the coalition a group of Peronists who define themselves as non-Kirchnerists, led by the governor of Córdoba, Juan Schiaretti, but this was rejected by Bullrich.

In view of this, Schiaretti registered the alliance Hacemos por Nuestro País, which includes the Socialist Party, the Christian Democratic Party, the Autonomist Party and other forces of Córdoba.

International

Florida judge sets 2027 trial in Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against BBC

A federal judge in Florida has scheduled February 2027 for the trial in the lawsuit filed by U.S. President Donald Trump against the BBC, in which he is seeking $10 billion in damages for defamation.

Trump accuses the British broadcaster of airing a misleading edit of a speech he delivered on January 6, 2021, which, he says, made it appear that he explicitly urged his supporters to attack the U.S. Capitol in Washington.

The president filed the suit in December in federal court in Florida, alleging defamation and violations of a law governing business practices when the program was broadcast ahead of the 2024 election.

Trump is seeking $5 billion in damages for each of the two claims.

Lawyers for the BBC unsuccessfully asked the court to dismiss the case, arguing that Trump had not suffered a “legally recognizable harm,” since the investigative program Panorama, which included the edited footage, aired outside the United States.

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International

Head-of-state diplomacy key to guiding China–U.S. ties, Beijing says

Head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role in China–United States relations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday during a regular press briefing, when asked about high-level exchanges between the two sides.

Lin added that in a recent phone call, U.S. President Donald Trump once again expressed his intention to visit China in April, while Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated his invitation.

Both sides remain in communication regarding the matter, the spokesperson said.

Lin noted that the essence of China–U.S. economic and trade ties lies in mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.

“Both parties should work together to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, injecting greater certainty and stability into China–U.S. economic and trade cooperation, as well as into the global economy,” he said.

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International

Trump administration to end special immigration operation in Minnesota

The administration of Donald Trump is bringing to a close its special operation targeting illegal immigration in the northern state of Minnesota, border czar Tom Homan announced Thursday, following weeks of unrest and the fatal shootings of two activists by federal agents.

Thousands of federal officers had been deployed to Minnesota in December to carry out large-scale raids against undocumented immigrants.

The operations triggered strong reactions from residents and advocacy groups, leading to daily confrontations and the deaths of two people who were shot by federal agents.

“I proposed, and President Trump agreed, that this special operation should end in Minnesota,” Homan said during a press conference in the state capital, Minneapolis.

“A significant drawdown began this week and will continue into next week,” he added.

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Homan indicated that similar enforcement efforts could be launched in other cities.

“Next week we will redeploy the agents currently here back to their home stations or to other parts of the country where they are needed. But we will continue to enforce immigration laws,” he said.