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Latin America Monitor FARC names 'political' team for peace talks

The team slated to represent the FARC in peace talks with the Colombian government is largely made up of political – not military – leaders. Their past experience with negotiations could be a sign of commitment.
Change Agent Activists urge nations to strengthen global cluster bomb treaty

A meeting in Oslo, Norway, seeks to strengthen an international agreement to ban cluster bombs. There’s 'no good reason' for any country 'not to come on board and to sign up to the convention,' says the Cluster Munition Coalition, a disarmament group.
Latin America Monitor Hope for peace in Colombia, despite obstacles

Talks between Colombia's government and the FARC guerrillas are official, and there are reasons for optimism.
Briefing Colombia - FARC peace talks: 4 things you need to know

Colombia has ample experience holding peace talks – though over the past 50 years, it’s seen little peace. But in early September, President Juan Manuel Santos announced peace talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. Here are four things you need to know about the landmark peace process.
Will the Colombian government make peace with FARC rebels? (+video)

With the aim of ending five decades of war, Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos announced exploratory talks with leftist FARC rebels on Monday. A peace agreement would conclude a conflict that has killed tens of thousands over the years.
Breivik's acceptance of prison sentence brings relief to Norway (+video)

Anders Behring Breivik, who was convicted of twin terror attacks last summer that killed 77 people, announced he would not appeal his sentence of 21 years in prison.
Greenpeace activists storm Russian oil platform

Sitting on the side of an oil platform in the Russian Arctic with enough supplies for several days the activists protest Gazprom's plans to drill in a fragile area, the group says.
As Ethiopia looks beyond strongman Meles, fears of instability (+video)

Ethiopia was an economic success story under Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who died Monday. His two-decade authoritarian grip may complicate a peaceful political transition.
Germany debates plan to pay stay-at-home moms

Germany's conservative coalition is pushing to pay moms who stay home to care for children ages 1 to 3. Opposition parties are outraged, calling the plan an antiquated take on family politics.
Global News Blog In Norway, calls for the prime minister to step down

The calls come in the wake of condemnatory findings by the July 22 commission, which investigated last year's Breivik massacre.
For Somali pirates, July was a very bad month

Private guards and international naval patrols – and some rough seas – have prevented successful high-seas hijackings by Somali pirates since June 19, the first zero-attack month since 2007.
Double Cross

The wonderfully entertaining story of the spies who made D-Day possible is both improbable and true.
Global News Blog Olympics 2012: Among the top gold winners in London ... Kazakhstan?

One of the world's least populated countries at around 15 million, Kazakhstan is No. 8 in gold medals at the London Olympic Games.
London 2012 javelin preview: Beijing veterans look to grab gold again

London 2012 javelin: In the men's and women's competitions later this week, Norway's Andreas Thorkildsen and Barbora Spotakova from the Czech Republic, both gold medal-winners from Beijing, will try to stay on top.
2012 London Olympics: Don’t blink or you’ll miss the speeding objects

At the London Games, a radar gun might be more valuable than a program in enjoying how fast things are traveling.
When did modern culture begin? (+video)

Researchers have found new evidence of modern culture's beginnings in a cave in South Africa. These findings may indicate that 'modern behavior as we know it' has existed for longer than previously thought.
Will the UN reverse its ivory ban?

Delegates overseeing a worldwide endangered species treaty have adopted a plan to allow ivory to be legally traded on the global market.
What is subtropical plankton doing in Arctic waters?

The subtropical plankton in Arctic waters are likely the result of an isolated pulse of water that carried them outside their natural habitat, say scientists.
A year after Breivik's massacre, Norway tightens antiterror laws

Norway's prime minister tells the Monitor that, despite the new laws, the country will maintain its open and democratic character.
Nigerian military plans major operation after Jos attacks

Nigerian military will launch sweeping operations in villages around the city of Jos, where suspected insurgents responsible for last weekend's deadly ethnic attacks are thought to be hiding.
Thanks to North Dakota, US waste of natural gas grows rapidly

The United States is posting rapid growth in the waste of natural gas in new oil fields where the fuel is either burned or vented into the atmosphere. Experts say the process damages the environment and fails to maximize the return to investors.
Stocks fall for a fourth day as tech profits slump

Stocks dropped over one hundred points for the fourth straight day Tuesday, following a profit slump at technology companies and steep decline in oil prices. The bad news even outweighed hopeful developments in Europe.
Gas prices creep upward as oil soars

Gas prices rose 2.4 cents over the weekend to a national average of $3.38 per gallon,, but oil spiked nearly 2 percent as Norwegian oil workers prepared to strike. Gas prices are up six cents from last week, but remain well below prices seen at the same time last year.
Stefan Karlsson Spain wins UEFA Euro 2012. Does good soccer mean a bad economy?

As the UEFA Euro 2012 draws to a close, we wonder: Is there a negative correlation between a country's economic health and its success in soccer? Spain and Italy met in the UEFA Euro 2012 final last night, just as both nations are dealing with monetary struggles.
Gas prices lowest since January, but oil soars

Gas prices hit a $3.35 national average – the lowest since Jan. 6. But oil prices soared Friday, hinting that gas prices may be back on the way up.