Colombia signs contested new peace deal

Yahoo – AFP, Alina Dieste, November 25, 2016

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos signs the historic peace agreement
 between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of
Colombia in Bogota, on November 24, 2016 (AFP Photo/Luis Robayo)

Bogota (AFP) - Colombia's government and FARC rebels signed a controversial revised peace accord to end their half-century conflict, set to be ratified in Congress despite bitter opposition.

President Juan Manuel Santos and guerrilla leader Rodrigo "Timochenko" Londono signed the new deal with a pen made from a spent bullet, in a low-key ceremony in the capital Bogota.

The original deal -- signed with great fanfare in September -- was rejected by voters in a referendum last month, a shock upset that sent negotiators back to the drawing board.

The new plan bypasses a vote by the Colombian people, against bitter opposition from critics.

They say the revisions are only cosmetic and will still grant impunity for war crimes committed by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

Santos, who won this year's Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end the conflict, said the new deal was better than the original.

"It includes the hopes and observations of the vast majority of Colombians," he said after signing it.

"We all know in our souls that the cost of the armed conflict is too high."

President Juan Manuel Santos (L) and head of the FARC guerrilla Timoleon 

Jimenez, aka Timochenko, shake hands during the second signing of the peace

 agreement at Colon Theater in Bogota, Colombia, on November 24, 2016 (AFP

Photo/Luis Robayo)

Fragile ceasefire

The deal was immediately sent to Congress, where it is expected to pass after being debated next week. Santos and his allies hold a majority in the legislature.

The government and FARC both say they are under pressure for fear that their fragile ceasefire could break down.

A recent wave of alleged assassinations in conflict zones has added to calls to seal a deal fast.

But an aftermath of discord and uncertainty appears likely as opponents promised to keep resisting the peace plan, including with street protests.

"The country has spoken. It has said, 'Yes to peace, but without impunity,'" said top opponent Alvaro Uribe, a conservative ex-president and senator.

"What we have here remains total impunity," he told RCN television.

Speaking later in the Senate, he called for another referendum on some of the contested "basic issues" in the deal.

Opposition objections

The government and FARC negotiators' redrafted version of the deal includes concessions from the rebels on issues such as reparations for victims.

But Uribe complains it still ignores key demands, notably on punishing FARC leaders for the killings and kidnappings blamed on the group.

Under the deal, the Marxist rebels would disarm and become a political party.

The deal allows non-custodial sentences for convicted FARC members.

Uribe and his allies demand tougher punishments and say rebel leaders guilty of war crimes should not be allowed to run for office before completing their sentences.

A survey by pollster Datexco published on Wednesday found that 58 percent of people want more revisions to the deal.

Bypassing voters

Congress will open a live televised debate on the deal from next Tuesday.

On the streets of Bogota, passerby Overnis Diaz welcomed the agreement.

"We have lived through a war of more than 50 years. We want no more bloodshed," he said.

But another local, Dayanna Gil, said: "It should be approved through a popular vote... We should all have a say."

Disarmament in months

Santos said that five days after the deal is approved, the FARC rebels will begin gathering in demobilization zones and will hand over their weapons to the United Nations within five months.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon hailed Thursday's deal.

"The violent incidents that have taken place recently in conflict-affected areas underscore the relevance of many of the commitments contained in the agreement and the urgency of putting them into effect," his spokesman said in a statement.

The Colombian conflict has killed at least 260,000 people and displaced seven million since it erupted in 1964, according to the authorities.

It has drawn in various left- and right-wing armed groups, state forces and gangs.

Recent efforts by the government to start talks with the second-biggest rebel group, the leftist ELN, have failed due to disputes over hostages.

Colombia signs revised peace deal pic.twitter.com/mZdgYtKizn

— AFP news agency (@AFP) November 25, 2016

Related Articles:

FARC, Colombian government strike new peace deal

Juan Manuel Santos: Colombia rebels' archfoe turned peacemaker

After poncho mockery, world leaders tone it down in Peru with shawls

Yahoo – AFP, Sam Reeves,  November 20, 2016

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group has a decades-old tradition of
getting presidents and prime ministers to don traditional garments of the host
country for their annual get-together (AFP Photo/Brendan Smialowski)

Lima (AFP) - After sparking ridicule several years ago by dressing world leaders in baggy ponchos, Peru toned it down Sunday by getting dignitaries at a major summit to wear shawls made from the fine wool of a mountain-dwelling creature called the vicuna.

From Chinese tunics to Philippine pineapple shirts, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group has a decades-old tradition of getting presidents and prime ministers to don traditional garments of the host country for their annual get-together.

And Peru was not going to disappoint as heads of APEC nations gathered in the capital Lima, with leaders appearing for the traditional "family photo" with long, brown shawls made from the coveted wool of the vicuna -- a llama-like animal -- draped over their shoulders.

The global power players, among them US President Barack Obama, China's Xi Jinping and Japan's Shinzo Abe, looked relaxed, smiling and waving as they lined up in alphabetical order according to their countries.

By opting for shawls rather than ponchos, the attire generally associated with the South American nation, Peru may have been seeking to avoid the mockery that accompanied its hosting of the 2008 APEC summit.

On that occasion, world leaders appeared in voluminous ponchos, leading some to poke fun at the unflattering, shapeless garments for resembling potato sacks.

The wool of the vicuna, an animal found in the Andes mountains, is among the rarest natural fibers in the world, making it extremely costly and prized by fashion designers.

It was a relatively modest APEC fashion parade compared to previous editions, 

which have sometimes led to awkward moments (AFP Photo/Brendan Smialowski)

A businesswoman working in the fashion industry in Peru told AFP the price of such a shawl would be "between $1,500 and $3,000, depending on the quality."

The vicuna, which as the national animal of Peru appears in the country's coat of arms, was revered by the Incas, whose ancient empire stretched over a large part of South America. Only members of royalty were permitted to wear its wool.

This year's was a relatively modest APEC fashion parade compared to previous editions, which have sometimes led to awkward moments.

When Vietnam hosted the summit several years ago, world leaders looked visibly uncomfortable as they shuffled onto the stage for a photo-op wearing the tight-fitting traditional "ao dai" tunics, which are now most commonly worn by women.

The tradition harks back to 1993, when US President Bill Clinton put his APEC colleagues in macho-looking leather bomber jackets -- the kind worn by World War II fighter pilots.

A look back #APECsummit traditional fashion as Peru chooses vicuna wool shawls after 2008 poncho mockery https://t.co/5hQDxxgqV8 pic.twitter.com/o8S01KOMdx

— AFP news agency (@AFP) November 20, 2016

Related Article:

China takes the driver's seat on free trade

Asia-Pacific leaders pose for the traditional family photo at the APEC summit in Lima

FARC, Colombian government strike new peace deal

Yahoo – AFP, Hector Velasco with Carlos Rodriguez in Bogota, November 13, 2016

FARC-EP leftist guerrilla commander Ivan Marquez (C) and the head of the
Colombian delegation for peace talks Humberto de la Calle (R) shake hands
after signing a new peace agreement on November 12, 2016 (AFP Photo/Yamil Lage)

Havana (AFP) - Colombia's government and Marxist FARC rebels announced a revised peace deal to end 52 years of armed conflict, after voters rejected a prior peace accord in a referendum.

"We have reached a new final agreement to end the armed conflict, which incorporates changes, clarifications and some new contributions from various social groups, which we have gone through one by one," said a joint statement read out by diplomats from Cuba and Norway, the peace process guarantors.

"Building a stable, lasting peace must be the shared commitment of all Colombians, and one that helps polarization be overcome while including all social and political voices," the statement added.

Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos stressed that the new peace deal "is a better agreement."

"We made adjustments, tweaks and changes in 56 of the 57 issues that were addressed," Santos said, so "we can build a deeper and broader peace."

The modified agreement leaves intact the accord's major tenets, including the FARC laying down its arms and becoming a political party.

However, it includes a number of "innovations" to several of the key points in the original peace deal, according to the government's lead negotiator Humberto de la Calle.

In Bolivar Square at the heart of historic Bogota, dozens of people celebrated the news with white balloons and Colombian flags.

The new accord was fine-tuned after the groups that opposed the original deal submitted proposed changes as starting points for negotiations.

"The tweaks and clarifications we have made do not undermine the issues we agreed on, which shaped the first peace deal," De la Calle said.

Santos acknowledged that a suggestion seeking to bar rebel leaders involved in serious crimes from elections was not part of the re-worked peace deal.

He also hinted that the new accord would maintain the provision that FARC rebels could avoid prison time by confessing and carrying out acts of reparation to victims.

FARC-EP leftist guerrilla commander Ivan Marquez (R) said the only thing a 

new peace accord with the government needed was "to be put into effect"

 (AFP Photo/Yamil Lage)

'Total peace'

But he added that there would be specifications concerning the "effective restriction of their freedom."

The agreement also states that foreign magistrates will not be allowed on special tribunals to hear cases about those involved in the conflict.

An upbeat chief rebel negotiator Ivan Marquez said "the only thing the new accord needs now is to be put into effect."

At the moment, neither side has made any mention of the new peace deal being put before a new referendum vote.

The United States hailed the agreement, and pledged continuing US support in implementing a peace under which the guerrillas would demobilize and become a political party.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement that the new accord "constitutes an important step forward on Colombia's path to a just and durable peace."

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and Santos' government had been meeting since October 22 to try to rescue a peace deal that has taken four years to negotiate.

In an October 2 referendum, voters unexpectedly rejected the peace agreement, deeming it too soft on the country's largest rebel group.

The development was a blow to Santos, who won the Nobel Peace Prize last month for his efforts to bring "total peace" to Colombia.

Meanwhile, talks with the smaller ELN (National Liberation Army) have been on hold over government demands it first free all hostages.

Founded in 1964, the FARC and the ELN are the last two leftist guerrilla groups involved in a messy, multi-sided conflict that has killed more than 260,000 people, left seven million displaced and 45,000 more people missing.

Santos's government had been due to open peace talks with the ELN, Colombia's second-largest rebel group, on October 27.

But he called them off when the rebels failed to release ex-congressman Odin Sanchez, which he had set as a precondition.

El Salvador arrests ex-president over graft accusations

Yahoo – AFP, Carlos Mario Marquez, October 30, 2016

Elias Antonio Saca was president of El Salvador from 2004 to 2009

(AFP Photo/Jim Watson)

San Salvador (AFP) - Police in El Salvador arrested the country's ex-president Elias Antonio Saca and six other suspects including three serving government officials on Sunday for alleged embezzlement and money laundering, authorities said.

Saca, 51, and six other former officials from his government were detained in the early morning "on charges of various crimes," it said on Twitter.

Saca is a member of the conservative Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA). He was president of El Salvador from 2004 to 2009.

He is accused of embezzlement, money laundering and links to illegal groups, the prosecutors' office said.

It give no further details of the accusations for the time being.

A self-made businessman, Saca was a well-known journalist before becoming president.

He was seen as a strong ally of the United States during his time in power.

The other suspects arrested include former public waterworks official Cesar Funes, 46, and ex-presidential communications chief Julio Rank, 65.

Police said those two were detained along with Saca in an exclusive restaurant.

Salvadoran media reported that the three were there to celebrate the wedding of one of Saca's sons.

Official sources said the suspects were in custody in the premises of the anti-drugs squad in the capital San Salvador.

Elmer Charlaix, ex private secretary of former Salvadorean President Antonio Saca

 (2004-2009), is transferred to the division of narcotics of the police National Civil, 

where Saca is also detained in San Salvador on October 30, 2016 (AFP Photo/

Marvin Recinos)

'US pressure'

El Salvador is a Central American country of six million people, bordered by Guatemala and Honduras.

It is stricken by poverty and violent crime involving drug gangs.

The other three detained suspects are Pablo Gomez, Francisco Rodriguez Artega and Jorge Alberto Harrera.

They worked in Saca's government and are currently financial officials in the government of leftist President Salvador Sanchez.

The suspects could face sentences of up to 15 years in jail for embezzlement and money laundering, according to El Salvador's penal code.

Saca was already facing charges dating to early this year, when he was accused of embezzling some four million dollars.

His leftist successor as president, Mauricio Funes, faces similar charges. He obtained political asylum in Nicaragua in September, after saying he feared for his life in El Salvador.

Political analyst Juan Ramon Medrano said the corruption investigations were likely partly due to pressure from the United States.

Washington has demanded action on corruption in return for financial aid to boost development and fight crime in El Salvador and its two poor neighbors.

"It is good that pressure from the United States is succeeding in cleaning up suspected corruption in the country," Medrano told AFP.

"But pressure should also be applied to those who evade taxes and have drowned the country fiscally."

Deal struck for world's biggest marine reserve in Antarctica

Yahoo – AFP, Martin Parry, October 28, 2016

Antartica is considered critical for scientists to study how marine ecosystems
function and to understand the impacts of climate change on the ocean
(AFP Photo/Rodrigo Arangua)

Sydney (AFP) - The world's largest marine reserve aimed at protecting the pristine wilderness of Antarctica will be created after a "momentous" agreement was finally reached Friday, with Russia dropping its long-held opposition.

The deal, sealed by the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) at an annual meeting in Hobart after years of negotiations, will see a massive US and New Zealand-backed marine protected area established in the Ross Sea.

It will cover more than 1.55 million square kilometres (600,000 square miles) -- roughly the size of Britain, Germany and France combined -- of which 1.12 million square kilometres will be a no fishing zone.

"The proposal required some changes in order to gain the unanimous support of all 25 CCAMLR members and the final agreement balances marine protection, sustainable fishing and science interests," New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully said.

"The boundaries of the MPA, however, remain unchanged."

'Just the start'

The Ross Sea is one of the last intact marine ecosystems in the world, home to penguins, seals, Antarctic toothfish, whales and huge numbers of krill, a staple food for many species.

It is considered critical for scientists to study how marine ecosystems function and to understand the impacts of climate change on the ocean.

Antarctic sanctuaries (AFP Photo/Laurence CHU, Gal ROMA)

Moscow was the last government opposing the move, largely due to concerns over fishing rights, after China offered its support last year.

"We had a lot of talks with them. Secretary (John) Kerry reached out to Russian President (Vladimir) Putin and (Foreign Minister Sergei) Lavrov and I think that helped a great deal to convince Russia to come on board," Evan Bloom, head of the US delegation at the meeting, told AFP.

"This decision is very important not just for the Antarctic but for efforts to promote world marine conservation."

Moscow has signalled more commitment to conservation in recent times, designating 2017 as the Year of Ecology. It moved in August to significantly increase the size of a protected zone around Franz Josef Land in the Arctic.

While the Ross Sea plan got the go-ahead, time ran out at the meeting to reach agreement on a second proposed protected area -- the Australia and France-led East Antarctica sanctuary covering another one million square kilometre zone.

Antarctica is home to penguins, seals, Antarctic toothfish, and whales

(AFP Photo/Eitan Abramovich)

Both reserve proposals have been on the table since 2012 with CCAMLR -- a treaty tasked with overseeing conservation and sustainable exploitation of the Antarctic Ocean, also known as the Southern Ocean.

Consensus is needed from all 24 member countries and the European Union.

A third German-proposed plan is also in the works to protect the Weddell Sea, which extends from the southeast of South America over an area of some 2.8 million square kilometres.

"For the first time, countries have put aside their differences to protect a large area of the Southern Ocean and international waters," said Mike Walker, project director of the Antarctic Ocean Alliance, calling the outcome "momentous".

"Although there was not a decision on the proposed protection of the Weddell Sea and the East Antarctic this year, we are confident that these areas will be protected in the coming years, adding to the system of marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean."

A humpback whale jumps out of the water in the western Antarctic peninsula

(AFP Photo/Eitan Abramovich)

The Ross Sea is named after British explorer Sir James Ross and his great, great, great granddaughter Phillipa Ross said the family was thrilled it was safeguarded.

"The Ross family are euphoric that our family legacy has been honoured in the 175th anniversary year since James first discovered the Ross Sea, thanks to the individuals and organisations who have poured their hearts and souls into campaigning for its protection," she said.

It culminates years of pressure by conservationists, including a campaign by the global civic movement Avaaz which was kickstarted by Hollywood superstar Leonardo DiCaprio.

"There’s massive momentum in the world right now to protect our oceans," said Avaaz campaign director Luis Morago. "The Ross Sea is just the start."

Obama establishes world's largest marine reserve in Hawaii https://t.co/iiHtWPZ7gj by @kerrsheridan pic.twitter.com/sO3e45v90i

— AFP news agency (@AFP) August 28, 2016

Related Articles:

Obama establishes world's largest marine reserve in Hawaii

Barack Obama to create world's largest ocean reserve in the Pacific

The existing boundaries of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument

 are outlined in light blue. The other Monuments, outlined in purple and green, are

not being changed. Photograph: Noaa

DiCaprio unveils free technology to spy on global fishing

"Around the Horn" - (a message from Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll)

“… Now, in the process of all of this, there's going to be renewed interest in Antarctica, and you're going to find some interesting things about the land under the ice. The topography of the land under the ice does not match the topography of the ice above. Some astonishing shapes will be revealed when you map the actual land under the ice. Points of mountains are going to be revealed, giving an entire different idea of what Antarctica might have been and what its purpose really is. The continent that is uninhabitable by Human Beings may very well be the engine of life for Human Beings. And I will leave it at that. …”

US abstains for first time in UN vote against Cuba embargo

Yahoo – AFP, Carole Landry, October 26, 2016

Cuban students listen to Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez delivering his
 speech at the United Nations in New York calling for an end to the US embargo
against Cuba on October 26, 2016 at the University of Havana, in the Cuban
capital (AFP Photo/Adalberto Roque)

United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The United States on Wednesday abstained for the first time in 25 years from a vote at the United Nations calling for an end to the US embargo against Cuba.

The UN General Assembly adopted the annual resolution by an overwhelming vote of 191 votes in favor -- with only the United States and Israel abstaining in the 193-nation forum.

Washington's abstention was in line with calls from President Barack Obama for the opposition-controlled Congress to lift the decades-old embargo as part of a historic normalization of relations.

"The United States has always voted against this resolution. Today the United States will abstain," US Ambassador Samantha Power told the assembly, drawing loud applause.

"After 55-plus years of pursuing the path of isolation, we are choosing to take the path of engagement."

The United States restored diplomatic ties with Cuba in July 2015 and a month later re-opened its embassy in Havana. Obama made a landmark visit to the communist-ruled island in March.

But restoring full trade and financial ties with Cuba would require legislative action by Congress, where the Republican majority has said human rights concerns must first be addressed.

Power recalled that the US policy aimed at isolating Cuba "was not working" 

and had instead isolated the United States (AFP Photo/Don Emmert)

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez welcomed the US shift as positive, but said that Washington must take concrete steps that go beyond the "vote of one delegation in this forum."

"The blockade continues to be a massive, flagrant and systematic violation of the human rights of all Cuban men and women and qualifies as an act of genocide," Rodriguez said.

Economic damage suffered by Cuba from the US embargo between April 2015 and March 2016 -- coinciding with the time of Obama's first meeting with President Raul Castro to his historic Havana visit -- is estimated at more than $4.68 billion, Rodriguez said.

Over the past six decades, the damage from "this genocidal policy" amounts to $753.688 billion, he added.

Cuba still suffering

Embargo restrictions have prevented the sale of US medical equipment to treat Cubans suffering from Parkinson's disease and blocked a deal by a Cuban pharmaceutical company that would have allowed it to produce drugs locally, said the foreign minister.

"There isn't any Cuban family or sector in our country that has not suffered from its effects," he said.

This year's resolution takes note of steps taken by the Democratic Obama administration to ease the embargo, describing them as positive but "still limited in scope."

Students of the University of Havana in the Cuban capital on October 26, 2016 

celebrate after the the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling for an 

end to the US embargo against Cuba (AFP Photo/Adalberto Rpque)

The measure calls on all UN member states to refrain from applying the embargo and to "reaffirm the freedom of trade and navigation."

Last year, the United States and Israel were the only two countries that voted against the non-binding resolution, but 191 voted in favor -- the highest level of support yet for the measure at the United Nations.

Power recalled that the US policy aimed at isolating Cuba "was not working" and had instead isolated the United States.

"Abstaining on this resolution does not mean that the United States agrees with all of the policies and practices of the Cuban government. We do not," said Power.

After praising Cuba for sending hundreds of doctors to West Africa to fight the Ebola virus outbreak, Power said the United States and Cuba must continue to find ways to engage, despite differences.

"Today, we have taken another small step to be able to do that. May there be many more -- including, we hope, finally ending the US embargo," she said.

The assembly has voted each year since 1992 to approve the resolution criticizing the embargo that was imposed in 1960, at the height of the Cold War.

The United States broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba in 1961 after Fidel Castro rose to power and aligned himself with the then-Soviet Union.

Pope grants Venezuela president private audience

Yahoo – AFP, October 24, 2016

Pope Francis met Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro in a private capacity,
 because the pontiff's heart was with the Venezuelan people (AFP Photo/
Vincenzo Pinto)

Vatican City (AFP) - Pope Francis on Monday granted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro a surprise private audience at the Vatican in the midst of a deep political crisis in the South American country.

A statement from the Holy See said Francis had met Maduro because the pontiff's heart was with the Venezuelan people.

Maduro is accused by the opposition-majority legislature of committing a coup d'etat by blocking a referendum on removing him from power.

"The meeting took place in the context of the worrying situation of political, economic and social crisis which the country is going through and which has had severe repercussions on the daily life of the entire population," the statement said after the encounter.

"In this way, the pope, who has the wellbeing of all Venezuelans in his heart, wanted to offer his contribution in support of constitutionality in the country and to every step that could help to resolve the open questions and create greater trust between the parties.

"He urged (the parties) to show courage in pursuing the path of sincere and constructive dialogue, to alleviate the suffering of the people, particularly of the poor, and to promote renewed social cohesion, which will allow the nation to look to the future with hope."

Opposition lawmakers in Venezuela on Sunday passed a resolution declaring "the breakdown of constitutional order" and "a coup d'etat committed by the Nicolas Maduro regime".

The measure came during an emergency session on the crisis gripping the resource-rich but recession-hit South American state.

Maduro visited the pope on his way back from the Middle East, where he was lobbying for cuts to oil production to help crude prices improve and stem the free-fall of his country's economy.

The heir to Hugo Chavez, socialist Maduro has seen his political support crumble of late with a recent poll finding that 75 percent of Venezuelan voters disapprove of him.

Brazil charges 21 over deaths in mine dam collapse: prosecutor

Yahoo – AFP, Sebastian Smith, October 20, 2016

A firefighter walks in the mud in Bento Rodrigues, three days after an avalanche
 of mud and mining sludge buried the town in southeastern Brazil, on
November 8, 2015 (AFP Photo/Chirstophe Simon)

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - Brazilian federal prosecutors announced homicide charges Thursday against 21 people, including senior mining executives, allegedly responsible for the deadly collapse of the Samarco iron-ore mine dam last year.

The lead prosecutor in the case, Jose Leite Sampaio, made the announcement in a televised news conference in Belo Horizonte, near Mariana, the site of the disaster, where on November 5, 2015, the failed dam unleashed a torrent of muddy water down the River Doce, killing 19 people.

It was branded Brazil's worst environmental disaster, drawing comparisons with the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion which killed 11 workers and triggered a devastating spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

In a statement, prosecutors denounced the mining companies for reckless policies in pursuit of greater profits that amounted to "qualified homicide," which in Brazilian law is more serious than ordinary manslaughter.

"Security was always of secondary importance. The increase in production at Samarco sought to compensate for the falling value of the ore in order not only to maintain but also to boost profits and dividends," Sampaio said. "It should have taken steps to promote the safety of the dam."

Prosecutors said Samarco -- which operated the mine and is owned 50-50 by Brazil's Vale and Anglo-Australian giant BHP Billiton -- ignored basic responsibilities.

They accused the mining companies of not taking into account the fate of communities downstream or even their own employees, saying there were not even "sirens or warning lights" in case of disaster.

The accused included the chief executive of Samarco at the time of the tragedy, Ricardo Vescovi, as well as operations managing director Kleber Terra, and three operations managers.

Aerial view of damages after a dam burst in the village of Bento Rodrigues,

in Mariana, Minas Gerais state, Brazil (AFP Photo/Christophe Simon)

They could face sentences of "up to 54 years," prosecutors said in the statement.

The three companies themselves also face charges for a total of 12 different environmental crimes, prosecutors said.

Vehement rejection

Vale said in a statement that it "vehemently rejects the charges presented by the federal prosecutor's office."

BHP also issued a statement, saying it "rejects outright the charges against the company and the affected individuals. We will defend the charges against the company, and fully support each of the affected individuals in their defense."

The charges still need to be approved by a judge before a jury trial would start.

The breaking of the tailings dam unleashed a massive flood of sludge into the River Doce, reaching the Atlantic Ocean.

Drinking water supplies were cut for hundreds of thousands of people, a village was flattened, and local fishing and tourist businesses were badly impacted. According to prosecutors, 14 tons of dead fish were collected in the aftermath.

The mining companies have agreed to pay billions of dollars in compensation but in May prosecutors filed a civil lawsuit against Vale, BHP and Samarco seeking 155 billion reais ($49 billion).

Argentine women protest rape and murder of teenager

Argentine women have taken to the streets in protest after the savage rape and murder of a 16-year-old-girl. Organizers said their goal was to protest a macho culture and system that values women less than men.

Deutsche Welle, 20 Oct 2016

Women from across the country marched in memory of Lucia Perez, who died earlier this month, in the latest demonstration to take place after more than a year of mass protests.

Many who part in the Buenos Aires protest wore black, to mourn victims of gender-based violence.

The demo took place under the banner "Black Wednesday," and was organized by the collectives "Ni Una Menos" (Not One Fewer) and MuMaLa. There were no official attendance figures.

There was an eruption of anger in June last year after a series of gruesome killings, but the murder of Perez in the city of Mar del Plata has led to particular outrage.

"If you touch one of us, we all react," said signs carried by many of the protesters, who staged an hour-long strike at 1 p.m. (1400 UTC). Solidarity protests were held in other countries, including Spain and Mexico.

'Sobering and planned' murder

Perez, a high school student, died on October 8 after she was allegedly raped and impaled on a spike.

Prosecutor Maria Isabel Sanchez said last week that Perez had been drugged with cocaine and had suffered "inhumane sexual aggression" that resulted in cardiac arrest. The perpetrators were then said to have washed the body in an effort to make the death appear accidental.

Two men, known for selling drugs outside a school, were being held on Sunday in connection with the rape and homicide.

"The brutality of this crime reveals a sobering, planned and sophisticated violence," said Florencia Minici, spokeswoman for Ni Una Menos. Minici said the event would serve as a visual reminder of the violence, which she said was "beyond any statistic."

'Gather strength, shout together'

Perez' brother, Matias, said the demonstration could help prevent more deaths like that of his sister. "We have to gather strength - now more than ever - and get out onto the street to shout together - 'Not one more (life lost)!'" he said.

MuMaLa coordinator Raquel Vivanco told the news agency EFE that the state was "absent" from dealing with the problem, with figures showing that a woman was murdered in Argentina every 30 hours.

However, Argentine Justice Minister German Garavano, who met Perez' family last week, said the government was committed to dealing with the problem.

rc/jr (AFP, AP, EFE)

Related Article:

"Listening to the Voice of Spirit" (2) - Feb 20, 2016 (Kryon Channelling by Lee Carroll) - (DNA Efficiency is on average at 35 percent now) - (Text version)

“… With free choice, the percentage of DNA efficiently started to go down as humanity grew. As soon as the DNA started to lose percentage, the gender balance was dysfunctional. If you want to have a test of any society, anywhere on the planet, and you want to know the DNA percentage number [consciousness quota] as a society, there's an easy test: How do they perceive and treat their women? The higher the DNA functionality, the more the feminine divine is honored. This is the test! Different cultures create different DNA consciousness, even at the same time on the planet. So you can have a culture on Earth at 25 percent and one at 37 - and if you did, they would indeed clash. …”

“… You're at 35. There's an equality here, you're starting to see the dark and light, and it's changing everything. You take a look at history and you've come a long way, but it took a long time to get here. Dear ones, we've seen this process before and the snowball is rolling. There isn't anything in the way that's going to stop it. In the path of this snowball of higher consciousness are all kinds of things that will be run over and perish. Part of this is what you call "the establishment". Watch for some very big established things to fall over! The snowball will simply knock them down. …”