(Vatican Radio) One of the senior negotiators of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, better known as the FARC, warns that a final peace settlement with the Colombian Government can't be reached by March 23rd deadline. Listen to James Blears' report: The announcement that the March peace dealine isn't going to be met, comes from Jesús Santrich, one of the FARC's senior negotiators. The talks towards a settlement have been dragging on for three years in Havana Cuba.Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos who's politically staked everything on peace, had insisted on that dealine - physically going there and shaking hands to supposedly set it - with the FARC's leadership.Now the FARC tells Colombian media that it's simply not practically possible in the given time frame, blaming the Goverment side of negotiators for backtracking on firm accords, which had already been agreed upon. The government teams deny this...
(Vatican Radio) One of the senior negotiators of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, better known as the FARC, warns that a final peace settlement with the Colombian Government can't be reached by March 23rd deadline.
Listen to James Blears' report:
The announcement that the March peace dealine isn't going to be met, comes from Jesús Santrich, one of the FARC's senior negotiators. The talks towards a settlement have been dragging on for three years in Havana Cuba.
Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos who's politically staked everything on peace, had insisted on that dealine - physically going there and shaking hands to supposedly set it - with the FARC's leadership.
Now the FARC tells Colombian media that it's simply not practically possible in the given time frame, blaming the Goverment side of negotiators for backtracking on firm accords, which had already been agreed upon. The government teams deny this.
Resulting disappointment and disillusionment, but perhaps not surprise coming out of this, will deal a significant, but hopefully not lasting blow to the quest for peace.
This conflict, which is the oldest in the Americas, started back in 1964.
It's killed thousands, displaced millions, critically holding back deveopment in a country, which has also known great heartache due to the scourge of cocaine.
(Vatican Radio) Al-Shabab militants in Kenya on Monday attacked a passenger bus in the northeastern Mandera region, yet relented after Muslim passengers refused to separate from their Christian connationals.Listen to our report: Muslims in the bus helped dress non-Muslim passengers in Islamic garb before refusing orders from the militants to separate into two groups so Al-Shabab insurgents could kill the Christians of the group.The Kenyan passengers told the militants "to kill them together or leave them alone", a local governor said.The militants showed signs of frustration and decided to leave after the group’s show of unity.Two people were killed in the attack, one a non-Muslim who decided to run and was shot in the back.
(Vatican Radio) Al-Shabab militants in Kenya on Monday attacked a passenger bus in the northeastern Mandera region, yet relented after Muslim passengers refused to separate from their Christian connationals.
Listen to our report:
Muslims in the bus helped dress non-Muslim passengers in Islamic garb before refusing orders from the militants to separate into two groups so Al-Shabab insurgents could kill the Christians of the group.
The Kenyan passengers told the militants "to kill them together or leave them alone", a local governor said.
The militants showed signs of frustration and decided to leave after the group’s show of unity.
Two people were killed in the attack, one a non-Muslim who decided to run and was shot in the back.
BEERSHEBA, Israel (AP) -- When Avihay Marciano completed his schooling, he didn't know how to use a computer or speak English and had only elementary math skills. Now, Marciano and 50 others who left the insular ultra-Orthodox community are suing the state, claiming they were denied a basic education and left lagging far behind secular Israelis....
BEERSHEBA, Israel (AP) -- When Avihay Marciano completed his schooling, he didn't know how to use a computer or speak English and had only elementary math skills. Now, Marciano and 50 others who left the insular ultra-Orthodox community are suing the state, claiming they were denied a basic education and left lagging far behind secular Israelis....
BEIJING (AP) -- After months behind bars, one of China's most prominent human rights lawyers left a detention center Tuesday after receiving a suspended prison sentence in a case involving online comments critical of the ruling Communist Party....
BEIJING (AP) -- After months behind bars, one of China's most prominent human rights lawyers left a detention center Tuesday after receiving a suspended prison sentence in a case involving online comments critical of the ruling Communist Party....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Support for legal abortion in the U.S. has edged up to its highest level in the past two years, with an Associated Press-GfK poll showing an apparent increase in support among Democrats and Republicans alike over the last year....
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Support for legal abortion in the U.S. has edged up to its highest level in the past two years, with an Associated Press-GfK poll showing an apparent increase in support among Democrats and Republicans alike over the last year....
WAVELAND, Miss. (AP) -- When Hurricane Katrina's punishing storm surge plowed ashore, it swamped seven of Coast Electric Power Association's substations, vital to powering thousands of Mississippi homes and businesses. The facilities have long since been repaired, but a decade after the storm they remain at the same elevation, and just as vulnerable to catastrophic hurricanes....
WAVELAND, Miss. (AP) -- When Hurricane Katrina's punishing storm surge plowed ashore, it swamped seven of Coast Electric Power Association's substations, vital to powering thousands of Mississippi homes and businesses. The facilities have long since been repaired, but a decade after the storm they remain at the same elevation, and just as vulnerable to catastrophic hurricanes....
HEMPSTEAD, Texas (AP) -- A grand jury decided that neither sheriff's officials nor jailers committed a crime in the treatment of a black woman who died in a Texas county jail last summer, but has not yet determined whether the state trooper who arrested her should face charges, a prosecutor said....
HEMPSTEAD, Texas (AP) -- A grand jury decided that neither sheriff's officials nor jailers committed a crime in the treatment of a black woman who died in a Texas county jail last summer, but has not yet determined whether the state trooper who arrested her should face charges, a prosecutor said....
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- Britain's Ministry of Defense says British troops are being sent to south Afghanistan's Helmand province where Afghan forces are battling the Taliban for control of a strategic district....
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- Britain's Ministry of Defense says British troops are being sent to south Afghanistan's Helmand province where Afghan forces are battling the Taliban for control of a strategic district....
