International

Why do retirees protest in Argentina?

Retirees from Argentina, one of the groups most affected by the economic adjustment carried out by the Government of Javier Milei, protest every Wednesday in front of the headquarters of Congress in demand for an increase in their pensions, full coverage of their medication and the continuity of the social security moratorium, which ends on March 23.

About 7.5 million older adults receive a retirement credit in Argentina, that is, 15.7% of the population.

63.5% of Argentine retirees receive the minimum retirement, which in this month of March is 279,121 pesos (256 dollars), an income that reached 349,121 pesos for the reinforcement bonus that social security grants since September 2022 due to the economic emergency situation that the country is experiencing.

About 5.4 million retirees receive less than 400,000 pesos ($357), well below the basic basket of retirees calculated by the Ombudsman for the Elderly taking official data as a reference and estimated at 1,200,523 pesos (1,120 dollars) for April of this year.

Eugenio Semino, defender of the Third Age of the City of Buenos Aires, recently warned EFE that there is a “humanitarian crisis in the elderly sector.”

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According to the Mirador de Actualidad del Trabajo y la Economía (MatE), each retiree lost since Milei assumed the Argentine Presidency more than 2.2 million pesos in 14 months.

In addition, more than eleven trillion pesos were no longer transferred to retirees, slightly less than what the Government spent on debt payments: 14 billion dollars (about 14 trillion pesos).

The vast majority of older adults cannot afford health expenses, the cost of which skyrocketed by 119% in 2024.

The Milei government ended the policy of free medicines for retirees.

Since last December, only members of the PAMI (Comprehensive Medical Assistance Program) have access to 100% coverage of medicines, that is, those with incomes below 418,682.56 pesos.

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Between two and three million retirees and pensioners would be left out of total drug coverage.

Retirees demand the continuity of the social security moratorium, which ends next Sunday, March 23, and the Government has already said that it will not extend it.

This measure, which has been maintained for more than 20 years in Argentina, allows those who reach the required minimum age without having gathered the amount of contributions required by the social security law (30 years) to access a retirement immediately through a payment plan.

From March 23, people who turn 60 or 65, the retirement age of women and men, respectively, will no longer be able to access a pension if they do not have at least 30 years of contributions or contributions.

On the other hand, those over 65 years of age may receive a Universal Pension for the Elderly (PUAM) for an amount equivalent to 80% of a minimum retirement, which is updated by the Mobility Law.

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Between 2022 and 2024, on average, about 425,000 people per year retired, about 70% did so with moratoriums, 17% in the general regime, 9% with a PUAM and the other 4% by some special regime. Without further moratoriums, it is estimated that almost 80% will have a PUAM.

This Wednesday’s retirement mobilization is once again supported by unions and social movements.

International

ICE to remain at airports amid DHS shutdown, Homan says

The U.S. “border czar,” Tom Homan, said Sunday that agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will remain deployed at airports until operations return to “100% normal,” as the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues.

“We will maintain ICE presence until airports feel they are fully back to normal operations,” Homan said during an interview on Face the Nation on CBS.

Homan justified the deployment on security grounds, noting that the measure was ordered by President Donald Trumpamid widespread absenteeism among agents of the Transportation Security Administration, who have gone without pay for over six weeks due to the DHS shutdown.

According to acting TSA administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill, at least 460 TSA agents have resigned during the shutdown, while daily absenteeism has averaged 11%, exceeding 50% at some airports.

Homan warned that if TSA staffing levels do not recover after the shutdown, ICE agents will continue filling the gap. “ICE is there to support our TSA brothers and sisters. We will remain as long as needed to ensure airport security,” he said.

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The DHS shutdown reached 44 days on Sunday, making it the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The impasse stems from disagreements between Democrats and Republicans over ICE funding.

A recent bipartisan Senate proposal to fund DHS without including ICE failed after being blocked by House Republicans, who insist on full funding for the agency.

Amid the deadlock, Trump signed an executive order directing Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to immediately pay TSA agents to address what he called an “emergency situation” and restore order at airports, with payments expected to begin Monday.

International

Oil prices surge again as Middle East tensions persist

Oil prices climbed again on Friday for a second consecutive session, as markets remained concerned about a prolonged conflict in the Middle East with no tangible diplomatic progress.

North Sea Brent crude for May delivery rose 4.22% to close at $112.57 per barrel.

Meanwhile, U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) approached the $100 mark, settling at $99.64, up 5.46%.

The decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to delay by ten days his ultimatum for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz failed to reassure market participants.

“It means there will be ten additional days of disruptions in the Middle East for crude and refined product flows,” said Andy Lipow, of Lipow Oil Associates.

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“For prices to come down, a resolution to the conflict is necessary,” Lipow added. “And even in the event of a ceasefire, it is not certain that Iran would allow oil shipments to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.”

International

Young Spanish Woman Receives Euthanasia After Legal Battle, Sparking Debate

A 25-year-old Spanish woman, Noelia Castillo, received euthanasia on Thursday following a prolonged legal dispute with her father.

She passed away at a care center in Sant Pere de Ribes, about 40 kilometers from Barcelona, where she had been living for some time, according to Spanish media reports.

In an interview broadcast a day earlier on Antena 3, Castillo expressed her exhaustion after enduring prolonged suffering. She indicated that her decision was influenced by a combination of personal circumstances and health-related challenges, including family conflicts and a condition of paraplegia following a previous incident that left her with lasting physical consequences.

Spain legalized euthanasia in 2021, becoming one of the few countries that allow patients under strict conditions to seek medical assistance to end their lives in order to avoid what the law defines as unbearable suffering.

The case has reignited debate in Spain over the ethical, legal, and family dimensions surrounding euthanasia, as well as the broader issue of support for individuals in vulnerable situations.