SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices eased on Friday, pulled down by a technical sell-off following two sessions of strong rises and on caution ahead of a gathering of OPEC ministers next week in Algeria to discuss possible production cooperation to rein in global oversupply.

HAVANA (Reuters) - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the first Japanese leader to visit Communist-ruled Cuba, called for a strong and unified international response to North Korea's nuclear program in rare talks with former Cuban leader Fidel Castro on Thursday, a Japanese foreign ministry spokesman said.

MANAGUA (Reuters) - Nicaragua on Thursday criticized a proposal by U.S. lawmakers that would require the Central American country, which will hold elections in November, to make political changes in order to receive international loans.

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazilian police arrested former Finance Minister Guido Mantega on Thursday as a sweeping corruption investigation struck further at the heart of the Workers Party (PT) that ran the country for 13 years.

CARACAS, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Foes of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro vowed on Thursday to push for a recall referendum against him this year, defying the country's election authority which said any vote to remove the unpopular socialist leader could not take place until early 2017.

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales gave a fiery speech against corruption at the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, a week after a judge barred his son and brother from leaving the country due to a pending fraud investigation.