Stories for October 2012

Saturday, October 20th 2012 - 05:18 UTC
First exchange of blows as Colombian peace talks take off

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos defended his signature law that returns land seized by illegal armed groups to peasants after leftist rebels assailed the measure at the start of peace talks.
Saturday, October 20th 2012 - 04:56 UTC
Second Argentine Navy vessel retained in Africa

A second Argentine Navy vessel remains retained in Africa, although this time because of mechanical problems. So far this month the Argentine navy has suffered the ‘loss’ of three of its units: two corvettes and the training frigate ARA Libertad.
Saturday, October 20th 2012 - 04:40 UTC
Middle class Brazil looks itself in a soap opera and breaks audience records

A soap opera which depicts the recent upsurge of Brazil into a consumer society has trapped the country breaking audience records and even forcing President Dilma Rousseff to modify her agenda.
Friday, October 19th 2012 - 17:29 UTC
UK sees Security Council with “no appetite” to address Falklands/Malvinas issue

The United Kingdom said it did not see ‘any appetite’ from the UN Security Council members to address the Falklands/Malvinas issue, following the election of Argentina as one of the five new non permanent members to the council on Thursday.
Friday, October 19th 2012 - 17:22 UTC
“Political mission” sent to Ghana for release of ARA Libertad returns empty handed

The Argentine tight-lipped ‘political’ delegation sent to Ghana to try and achieve the release of the Navy’s flagship ARA Libertad impounded by a US based fund and confirmed by an Accra court, is returning to Buenos Aires empty handed not before experiencing a tense incident with the crew of the vessel docked in Tema.
Friday, October 19th 2012 - 05:25 UTC
Strong message from Lula da Silva to victorious Chavez: prepare your succession

Former Brazilian President Lula da Silva said he believes it is time for Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, recently re-elected for another six years, “to begin preparing his succession”
Friday, October 19th 2012 - 05:19 UTC
Argentina’s flagship trapped in Ghana by creditors with no political solution in sight

The saga of the Argentine Navy flagship ARA Libertad retained in Ghana seems to have no short term political solution as the government of President Cristina Fernandez was expecting, while in Buenos Aires the head of military strategic intelligence resigned and there is mounting pressure on the Ministry of Defence.
Friday, October 19th 2012 - 02:23 UTC
Environmental groups call for more protected zones off East Antarctica

Thirty environmental groups on Thursday issued a joint appeal for upcoming talks on establishing protected zones in the seas off East Antarctica to widen the scope of the marine haven.
Friday, October 19th 2012 - 01:35 UTC
Chilean lawmaker wants Chiloé students to learn English in the Falklands

Chilean lawmaker Gabriel Ascencio is promoting a program of scholarships for students from his constituency in the south of Chile to travel to the Falkland Islands to learn English and become proficient in the language.
Friday, October 19th 2012 - 00:48 UTC
Argentine military governor of the Falklands arrested for human rights violations

The military governor of the Falkland Islands during Argentina’s brief occupation of the archipelago in 1982 was detained for his alleged role in human rights abuses at a notorious torture center in the 1970s, prosecutors said Thursday.