Raul Castro Names Likely Successor

Fidel Castro, left, Raul Castro, right

On Sunday, President Raul Castro was granted another five year term, by the Cuban parliament.

Eighty-one year old Raul accepted his second term, with his eighty-six year old brother and former president, Fidel, at his side.

Raul stated that this term will be his last and named a vice president, Miguel Diaz-Canel.

At fifty-two Diaz-Canel is seen as one of the rising stars of Cuban politics.

His placement as vice president, suggests he will be the next national leader after Castro.

Since taking power, Raul Castro has put through economic and social reforms, stating that they were necessary not to end Cuban socialism, but to bring into the future.

He plans to continue them during his second term, including age and term limits for politicians.

Protests Continue in Bulgaria

Protests continued in Bulgaria, on Sunday, with over twenty thousand marching through Varna.

Thousands more protested in various cities across the nation.

At least ten thousand marched through the capital of Sofia, and booed the President when he tried to speak to them.

President Rosen Pleveliev offered to meet with leaders of unions and civil rights groups, in order to see a peaceful conclusion to the current circumstances.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Boris Borisov resigned in the face of violent protests against his leadership.

Some protesters are now demanding that the entire government resign.

Anger has been growing for some time over rising costs of living, specifically electrical bills, and frozen wages.

23 Chadian Soldiers Killed in Mali

In a three day battle, Chad has finally claimed victory against an Al Qaeda stronghold, in Mali.

During the battle, twenty-three Chadian soldiers were killed, thirty injured, and ninety-three militants were killed.

It was the heaviest casualties that have been since in the war.

They were fighting in the mountains of Mali's north, as part as the international forces freeing the country from Al Qaeda's invasion.

Two thousand Chadians have come to the fight, as well as thousands more from other countries.

Anastasiades Wins Runoff Election in Cyprus

As expected Nico Anastasiades won the runoff election, in Cyprus.

He won with won with 57.48%, compared to his opponent Stavros Malas who only gained 42.51%.

Now Anastasiades has the chore of keeping the Cypriot economy in existence.

Anastasiades hopes to convince the EU to bail out his country.

Either way he will have to begin austerity measures which will likely see his popularity crash.

Italian Elections Begin

Italians began hitting the polls on Sunday for the parliamentary elections.

Voting will continue through Monday, but who's going to win is pretty much set in people's minds.

Center left leader Pier Luigi Bersani is expected to see his party gain thirty-five percent of the vote.

Silvio Berlusconi's center right party is in second place, with expectations of twenty-eight percent.

Current interim Prime Minister Mario Monti has had to watch his centrist alliance surpassed by the other two main parties, looking at being limited to fifteen percent.

Meanwhile, comedian Beppe Grillo's anti political movement, which was only founded four years ago, looks likely to take twenty percent of votes.

Concerns are that with everything so split that no effective government will be possible.

Denver Day of Resistance

Photo by Scott Jacobsen

Across the US, in at least one hundred and twenty cities rallies took place, on Saturday.

They were part of the Day of Resistance, which was organized to show support for the Second Amendment.

For Coloradans, the rally comes at a time when their state government is trying to change their gun rights.

Four to five hundred people showed up for Denver's rally.

Those gathered sent a clear message of their displeasure with the proposed laws.

Speakers pointed out the importance of the Second Amendment, what it was meant to cover, and what the passage of the bills will mean for Colorado.

Among the speakers were Mike Holler, Evan Todd, District 23 Senator Vicky Marble, Rod Brandenburg, District 63 Representative Lori Slaine, Matt Arnold, Zachary Ramsli, and Jonathan D. Sangster.

NASCAR Crash Injures 33 Spectators

Thirty-three spectators were injured at a NASCAR race, when parts of a car went flying into the crowd, on Saturday.

During the last lap at Daytona, Florida a crash caused a twelve car wreck.

One of the cars slammed into the fence and broke apart.

Pieces from the car when through and over the fence, striking those watching.

Fourteen of those injured had to be taken to the hospital, two of whom are in critical condition.

The crash has brought into question safety features that protect the crowd.

Radioactive Waste Leaking From the Hanford Nuclear Reservation

The US Department of Energy has admitted that there is a leak at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, in Washington.

At least six, of the one hundred and seventy-seven, tanks are leaking radioactive waste, in the soil.

Estimates are that at least three hundred gallons a year, have been leaking.

While they say the waste hasn't reached ground water yet, it is only a matter of time.

Nearly a million tons of nuclear waste is kept at the facility, near the Oregon border.

Spaniards Protest Austerity Measures

Thousands of Spaniards protested all over the country, on Saturday.

They were continuing their protests of the government's austerity measures.

Spending cuts and tax hikes have driven unemployment over twenty-six percent.

Spain's recession has been going for a year and a half now and has been the cause of many business closures.

Organizers chose February 23 as it is the anniversary of an attempted coup.

Moris Moves Date for Egypt's Election

President Morsi has already changed the dates of the Egyptian election.

Just days ago he decreed that the first round of the election would be held on April 27.

On Saturday, he moved them up to April 22, after complaints that the original date was too close to Easter.

The elections will take place in four rounds, with the last one happening on June 19 and 20.

Some opposition groups are threatening to boycott the elections.

Other groups point out that doing so would just guarantee that they wouldn't win.