The popular Argentine singer-songwriter Piero, one of the central figures of Latin American popular music, passed away this Wednesday at the age of 81 in Buenos Aires, friends and family of the renowned artist—who lived in Spain and Colombia—reported.

"With deep sorrow, we communicate the passing of our beloved Piero, at 81 years old. His voice, his songs, and his message of peace remain with us forever. His light will continue to shine in every corner where his music continues to reach," declared his family and friends in a statement published on social media.

Piero Antonio Franco De Benedictis was born in Gallipoli, Italy, on April 19, 1945. At 3 years old, he arrived in Argentina with his mother and sister, following his father, who had settled in the Buenos Aires town of Banfield.

In 1951, he moved with his family to the city of Allen, in the southern Argentine province of Río Negro, where he began his music career.

He entered a seminary, but in 1963 he abandoned his training for the priesthood and moved to Buenos Aires, where he debuted as a singer in January 1964 on the television program 'Remates musicales'.

In 1968, he met composer José Tcherkaski, forming a duo that produced hits across the Americas and Europe, such as 'Mi viejo' and 'El jardín de los sueños'.

In early 1976, following the military coup in Argentina, Piero was forced into exile after releasing two of his most popular protest songs—'Para el pueblo lo que es del pueblo' and 'Que se vayan ellos'.

In Spain, he purchased an abandoned mill surrounded by a small estate near Madrid to live.

He later moved to Bogotá, initiating a close bond with Colombia, a country that granted him citizenship in 1994.

In late 1981, he returned to Buenos Aires and released the album 'Calor humano', a proposal focused on inner peace, love, and solidarity.

Later, he created the Buenas Ondas Foundation, dedicated to supporting children and adolescents, and stepped back from the stage to concentrate on that mission.

In 2000, he resumed his work as a singer-songwriter, and in 2001 he released the album 'Canciones blindadas', embarking on a tour through the United States and several Latin American countries, performing for nearly 150,000 spectators.

In 2008, Piero supported the march for victims of paramilitarism and state crimes in Colombia. During the 2010 electoral process, he campaigned for leftist politician Gustavo Petro, doing so again for the 2018 and 2022 elections, when Petro was ultimately elected President of Colombia.

He also campaigned for the "Yes" vote in the referendum on the Peace Accord launched by then-Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos.

This week, as the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature is revealed, cultural events are stacking up with offerings for every taste—ranging from Roy Lichtenstein exhibitions at the Whitney to the Busan Film Festival and a new series adaptation of "Carrie."

Who Will Win the Nobel Prize in Literature?

Following last year's unexpected victory by Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai and South Korean writer Han Kang's win in 2023, predictions for the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature remain wide open. The Swedish Academy will announce the laureate this Thursday during an event drawing immense interest from readers worldwide.

Predictions leading up to the announcement continue to highlight authors who have been rumored contenders for years: from China's Can Xue and Japan's Haruki Murakami to American writer Thomas Pynchon and Australian author Gerald Murnane. Other prominent names in discussion include Mexico's Cristina Rivera Garza, Spain's Enrique Vila-Matas, and Portugal's Lídia Jorge.

Lichtenstein's Pop Art and a Look Back at the '90s

The art world is expanding its offerings in the final quarter of the year with two major exhibitions opening this week: "Roy Lichtenstein: Like New," running from October 11 through May 10, 2027, at the Whitney Museum in New York, and "The 90s: Art and Fashion" at Tate Britain from October 8 through February 14.

The Lichtenstein retrospective features 130 works tracing the full career of the Pop Art master from the 1940s through the 1990s. Meanwhile, the Tate exhibition explores a decade characterized by "its bold creativity and rebellious spirit"—offering two strong reasons to visit both cultural capitals.

The Horror of 'Carrie' Returns

Sissy Spacek's blood-soaked face in Brian De Palma's "Carrie" remains an iconic cinematic image and an enduring milestone in horror. It stood as a legendary adaptation of Stephen King's acclaimed debut novel.

Now, the story returns as an eight-episode television series starring young Canadian actress Summer H. Howell, set to premiere October 7 on Prime Video for viewers ready for thrills from the comfort of their couch.

Almodóvar, Cuarón, and Michelle Yeoh at the Busan Film Festival

The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has grown significantly in stature in recent years, with its winning film now entering directly into the Oscar race for Best International Feature Film alongside winners from Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Sundance, and Toronto.

Beyond the main competition, this year's attendees will experience masterclasses from directors like Mexico's Alfonso Cuarón and South Korea's Na Hong-jin, view new works from filmmakers such as Pedro Almodóvar ("Amarga Navidad") and Mike Leigh ("Tender Loving Care"), and watch Michelle Yeoh receive the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award for her exceptional contributions to Asian cinema.

U.S. President Donald Trump is losing support among registered Latino voters, according to a Telemundo and NBC News poll released this Sunday showing that 69% disapprove of his performance, just one month ahead of the midterm elections in which the Republican Party risks its majority in Congress.

According to the poll, 59% of the Latino electorate—a demographic where Trump made significant gains during the 2024 presidential election—would prefer Democrats to control Congress, compared to 35% who would opt for Republicans.

A total of 78% of Latino voters disapprove of Trump's handling of the cost of living, 74% disapprove on the economy, 68% on foreign policy, and 69% regarding immigration policy.

The survey, conducted between September 21 and 28 with a sample of 800 registered Latino voters, indicates that 58% disapprove of the border security management promoted by Trump, who has made immigration control a central pillar of his administration.

While 83% support the deportation of all undocumented immigrants who have committed serious crimes, only 37% back the expulsion of all undocumented residents, and two-thirds believe immigration enforcement measures have gone too far.

Respondents expressed concern over the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with 31% stating that they or someone close to them have started carrying identification at all times, and 27% reporting that they know someone who has been deported or detained in the past two years.

Nearly two-thirds of Latino voters consider that the president's policies have hurt their economic conditions, compared to 23% who believe they have benefitted them. The sampling reflects that inflation and the cost of living are the primary issues for the majority (52%).

Latino voters who consider the cost of living as the single most important issue also prefer Democratic control of Congress, giving them a 22-point advantage over Republicans.

The result represents a shift from the 2024 poll, when Republicans led Democrats by four points among that group, NBC News noted.

NBC highlights the reversal of support for Trump among Latino voters, but points out that backing for Democrats appears to stem from rejection of the president's policies and the economic climate, rather than an improved image of the Democratic Party itself.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will begin a diplomatic tour this Monday visiting Iceland, Greece, and Portugal, featuring an agenda focused on security and economic cooperation.

Rubio will start his trip in Iceland, a strategic North Atlantic nation, where he will meet in its capital, Reykjavik, with "officials to address collaboration on economic and security matters," according to an official statement.

Subsequently, the chief of U.S. diplomacy will travel to Greece leading an American delegation to participate in the sixth Strategic Dialogue between the two countries, the primary bilateral political coordination mechanism established in 2018.

The meeting will seek to "deepen" cooperation in defense, regional security, and energy, the statement added.

Rubio will conclude his tour, which will extend through Thursday, October 8, in Portugal, where he is scheduled to advance a cooperation agenda spanning defense, economics, and technology, the State Department noted in the release.

The trip takes place within the framework of Washington's coordination with European NATO allies, with whom Rubio will discuss regional and energy security as well as military cooperation.