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31 August 2009. The Trial Court of Chimaltenango ordered the immediate arrest of Felipe Cusanero Coj, the ex military commissioner responsible for the disappearance of six people from the village of Choatalum during the “internal armed conflict”, and sentenced him to 25 years in prison for each person disappeared. This legal ruling is a landmark in the history of Guatemala.

Sarah Onyango “Obama”, grandmother of the US President endorsed the World March for Peace and Nonviolence, welcoming the idea behind it, she prevailed upon others to support the initiative. She wishes everyone to “come together and take responsibility for transforming the world into a world without wars and a world with abundant openings of reconciliation and prosperity”.

The United Nations (UN) is en route to its renovation because its current structure doesn’t respond to worldwide reality, declared to the ABI the president of this organization, Miguel D’Escoto, who was in Bolivia to hand to President Evo Morales a parchment in which he was declared by the international organization “World Hero of Mother Earth”.

The United Nations General Assembly awarded President Evo Morales a medal and scroll, naming him “Global Defender of Mother Earth”. The ceremony took place at the Palacio Quemado, the presidential palace in La Paz. The honor was bestowed after the Bolivian president’s tireless efforts before the United Nations defending the environment and natural resources.

Noam Chomsky speaks about the future and predicts difficult situations for China and India. On the other hand he analyzes the appearance of progressiveness in Latin America as very important. For the first time in 500 years, LA is moving towards a degree of independence and a kind of integration and also is beginning to face some of its massive internal problems.

On August 5, Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey lit a Nuclear Abolition Torch from the Peace Flame in Hiroshima in preparation for its being carried around the world on the World March for Peace and Nonviolence. Mayor Harvey was in Japan for the annual assembly of Mayors for Peace – an international movement of 3000 cities calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons.

On Sunday, LDP party, in power since 1955, suffered a historic defeat in parliamentary elections. Japanese voters shifted to the left. According to the official results, the centre-left Democratic Party of Japan has won 308 out of a total of 480 seats in parliament. A record 54 women have won seats in the new Japanese parliament, where women generally are under-represented.

Miramar is a coastal resort where thousands of Argentinians choose to spend their summer vacations. It is located 50 km from the world-renowned city of Mar del Plata. Its Mayor, Patricio Hogan, recently joined in supporting the proposals of the World March for Peace and Nonviolence and committed to promote the global initiative against violence throughout his municipality.

Crisis talks to end months of political instability in Madagascar have collapsed as the parties failed to agree who should hold key posts in a transitional government. Ousted president Marc Ravalomanana and his successor Andry Rajoelina remained deadlocked over who should occupy the presidency in the interim government, the African Union – which is brokering the talks – said.

Antiwar activist Cindy Sheehan arrived in Martha’s Vineyard to lead a protest near the home where President Obama is vacationing. Sheehan made international headlines four years ago when she led large protests outside President Bush’s home in Crawford, Texas. On Thursday, Sheehan criticized Obama for expanding the war in Afghanistan.