Stories for July 2014

Monday, July 21st 2014 - 07:25 UTC
Colombian president inaugurates the “Congress of peace” to end 50 years of war

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos opened a new session of Congress on Sunday, calling on lawmakers to back government efforts to strike a peace deal with the FARC rebels to end 50 years of war. Members of Congress were sworn in during the ceremony in central Bogota.
Monday, July 21st 2014 - 07:14 UTC
Mujica recalls Uruguay's participation in the Triple Alliance major genocide

President Jose Mujica underlined the strong identity of Uruguay with the Paraguayan people, but also recalled no the “immense debt that we never settled or will we ever be able to settle for having participated in the War of the Triple Alliance”.
Monday, July 21st 2014 - 07:06 UTC
Guyana offshore oil exploration hampered by neighboring Venezuela

Guyana’s offshore exploration for oil in areas being contested by neighboring Venezuela is being faced with setbacks. Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud in making the revelation said this is linked to the expulsion and temporary seizure of the Malaysian seismic research vessel, RV Teknik Perdana, by Venezuela’s Navy last year.
Monday, July 21st 2014 - 06:39 UTC
“An intense week” of negotiations in a world that “becomes multi-polar again”

President Cristina Fernández used her Twitter account on Sunday to comment on last week’s heavy agenda with the visit of Russia’s and China’s presidents and the BRICS-UNASUR summit in Brazil. “It has been an important week for Argentina,” she said.
Monday, July 21st 2014 - 06:31 UTC
Falklands/Malvinas: strong support from China in joint declaration with Argentina

Daniel Filmus head of the Argentine Foreign ministry office on Issues related to the Question of Malvinas, underlined the support from China to Argentina' sovereignty claim over the disputed Islands, which was “clearly expressed” in a joint declaration signed by Presidents Cristina Fernandez and Xi Jinping, currently on a visit to several Latin American countries.
Monday, July 21st 2014 - 06:18 UTC
Gaza violence suits both Israeli leadership and Hamas

By Gwynne Dyer - Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, said something cryptic last Friday, shortly after the Israelis began their latest round of attacks on the Gaza Strip. Condemning Hamas’ conditions for accepting a ceasefire as “exaggerated and unnecessary,” he offered his condolences “ to the families of the martyrs in Gaza who are fuel to those who trade in war. I oppose these traders, on both sides.”
Monday, July 21st 2014 - 04:29 UTC
Germany honors military officers who 70 years ago attempted to kill Hitler

Ceremonies have been held in Germany to mark the 70th anniversary of a failed 20 July 1944 attempt by military officers to kill Adolf Hitler. The conspirators are now regarded as German patriots for their actions.
Saturday, July 19th 2014 - 08:16 UTC
China extends a 'financial' hand to dollar and credit strapped Argentina

Argentina signed deals on Friday to borrow 7.5 billion dollars from China at a time when Buenos Aires cannot access global capital markets because of disputes over unpaid debt. Beijing also extended a three-year agreement for an 11bn swap operation between the central banks of Argentina and China.
Saturday, July 19th 2014 - 08:00 UTC
Argentine Jewish community lash out at the government over 1994 attack

Thomas Saieg, the vice president of the Argentine AMIA Jewish community centre, the target of a terrorist attack which left 85 people killed back on 18 July 1994, demanded on Friday “a new trial as soon as possible to know what happened.”
Saturday, July 19th 2014 - 07:51 UTC
Pope sends message demanding justice on 20th anniversary of AMIA bombing

On the 20th anniversary of the AMIA Jewish community center bombing, the Argentine pontiff sent a message for “justice” to Argentina’s Israeli community and relatives of the 85 victims that resulted dead in the attack.