The state of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/washington-privately-warned-pakistan-against-usage-of-f-16-to-combat-india-sources-267833">Washington</a> on Thursday proposed bans on the sale of "assault weapons" and high capacity magazines, part of a package of gun laws meant to address a rising wave of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-six-killed-in-shooting-in-new-york-267550">US&nbsp;mass shootings</a>.

If successful, Washington would become the seventh US&nbsp;state to ban assault weapons, which it defines as semi-automatic rifles with at least one military feature, and the ninth to limit the capacity of ammunition magazines.

"We should be making it harder for those who want to inflict mass violence and destruction upon innocent people," Governor Jay Inslee said in announcing the gun-control push. "By limiting magazine capacity and banning assault weapons, we can work toward a day where no one in Washington state loses a friend or family members to senseless gun violence," Inslee said.

A study led by a researcher at Columbia University's Teachers College in New York found that gun attacks using large-capacity magazines typically had a higher death toll.

But it also discovered that even in states where high-capacity magazines are banned, more than half of shooters used them, apparently buying them elsewhere or obtaining them illegally. Large-capacity magazines are defined as those that hold more than 10 bullets. In 1994, Congress enacted a federal assault weapons ban, limiting these types of magazines, but it expired a decade later.

Today, nine states and the District of Columbia restrict possession of large-capacity magazines, but statutes vary in terms of maximum bullets allowed and applicable firearms.

Representatives for the National Rifle Association, which typically opposes efforts by US&nbsp;states to enact stricter gun control laws, could not be reached for comment on Thursday.

Gun control is expected to be a major issue in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-donald-trump-impeachment-debate-opens-with-fiery-partisan-battle-267790">2020 US&nbsp;presidential election</a>. Most of the candidates for the Democratic nomination have said they would support renewing the federal ban on assault weapons and some have called for buyback programs.

Fully automatic weapons, sometimes called machine guns, are illegal under US&nbsp;law unless they were manufactured before 1986. Perhaps because they are difficult to obtain, they have rarely, if ever, been used in shooting rampages.

A 64-year-old man who opened fire on a country music festival from a hotel overlooking the Las Vegas strip in October 2017, killing 58 people, used so-called bump stocks with his semi-automatic rifles, allowing him to fire rounds at a rapid rate similar to a machine gun.

The Trump administration issued a rule banning the sale or possession of bump stocks in December 2018.

The state of Washington on Thursday proposed bans on the sale of "assault weapons" and high capacity magazines, part of a package of gun laws meant to address a rising wave of US mass shootings.

The state of Washington on Thursday proposed bans on the sale of "assault weapons" and high capacity magazines, part of a package of gun laws meant to address a rising wave of US mass shootings. If successful, Washington would become the seventh US state to ban assault weapons, which it defines as semi-automatic rifles with at least one military feature, and the ninth to limit the capacity of ammunition magazines. "We should be making it harder for those who want to inflict mass violence and destruction upon innocent people," Governor Jay Inslee said in announcing the gun-control push. "By limiting magazine capacity and banning assault weapons, we can work toward a day where no one in Washington state loses a friend or family members to senseless gun violence," Inslee said. A study led by a researcher at Columbia University's Teachers College in New York found that gun attacks using large-capacity magazines typically had a higher death toll. But it also discovered that even in states where high-capacity magazines are banned, more than half of shooters used them, apparently buying them elsewhere or obtaining them illegally. Large-capacity magazines are defined as those that hold more than 10 bullets. In 1994, Congress enacted a federal assault weapons ban, limiting these types of magazines, but it expired a decade later. Today, nine states and the District of Columbia restrict possession of large-capacity magazines, but statutes vary in terms of maximum bullets allowed and applicable firearms. Representatives for the National Rifle Association, which typically opposes efforts by US states to enact stricter gun control laws, could not be reached for comment on Thursday. Gun control is expected to be a major issue in the 2020 US presidential election. Most of the candidates for the Democratic nomination have said they would support renewing the federal ban on assault weapons and some have called for buyback programs. Fully automatic weapons, sometimes called machine guns, are illegal under US law unless they were manufactured before 1986. Perhaps because they are difficult to obtain, they have rarely, if ever, been used in shooting rampages. A 64-year-old man who opened fire on a country music festival from a hotel overlooking the Las Vegas strip in October 2017, killing 58 people, used so-called bump stocks with his semi-automatic rifles, allowing him to fire rounds at a rapid rate similar to a machine gun. The Trump administration issued a rule banning the sale or possession of bump stocks in December 2018.

Washington state seeks to ban sale of 'assault weapons,' high capacity magazines

This segment of WION brings to you top stories of the morning from across the globe. Watch this video to get updated with the latest information.

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - November 28th, 2019

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - November 27th, 2019

The Colombian military is on alert in response to Venezuelan armed forces exercises along the two nations` border that Colombia considers an open threat, a senior military commander said on Wednesday.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ordered a series of military drills that began on Tuesday in response to what he called Colombia`s planned aggression against the OPEC nation.

"As for the exercises that the Venezuelan regime is carrying out ... we are on a special alert," General Luis Navarro told reporters. "We have been openly threatened."

Maduro accused Colombia of preparing an attack after President Ivan Duque said that the socialist leader was protecting members of the ELN guerilla group and dissident members of the FARC, some of who recently took up arms again.

Maduro has repeatedly warned of an invasion by Colombia coordinated by the US government.

Washington, which has levied several rounds of sanctions against Maduro`s government, says it wants a peaceful resolution to Venezuela`s crisis in which Maduro voluntarily resigns.

Most western nations consider Maduro illegitimate after he secured a second term last year in a vote widely viewed as fraudulent. The United States instead says Venezuela`s rightful head of state is opposition leader Juan Guaido, who Maduro accuses of seeking a coup.

The Colombian military is on alert in response to Venezuelan armed forces exercises along the two nations` border that Colombia considers an open threat, a senior military commander said on Wednesday.

The Colombian military is on alert in response to Venezuelan armed forces exercises along the two nations` border that Colombia considers an open threat, a senior military commander said on Wednesday. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ordered a series of military drills that began on Tuesday in response to what he called Colombia`s planned aggression against the OPEC nation. "As for the exercises that the Venezuelan regime is carrying out ... we are on a special alert," General Luis Navarro told reporters. "We have been openly threatened." Maduro accused Colombia of preparing an attack after President Ivan Duque said that the socialist leader was protecting members of the ELN guerilla group and dissident members of the FARC, some of who recently took up arms again. Maduro has repeatedly warned of an invasion by Colombia coordinated by the US government. Washington, which has levied several rounds of sanctions against Maduro`s government, says it wants a peaceful resolution to Venezuela`s crisis in which Maduro voluntarily resigns. Most western nations consider Maduro illegitimate after he secured a second term last year in a vote widely viewed as fraudulent. The United States instead says Venezuela`s rightful head of state is opposition leader Juan Guaido, who Maduro accuses of seeking a coup.

Colombia's armed forces on alert over Venezuela military exercises

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday ordered the armed forces to be on alert for a potential attack by Colombia's government and announced military exercises on the border amid the rearmament of a group of former guerrilla commanders.

Former FARC guerillas on Thursday announced a rearmament in a video that Colombian authorities believe was filmed in Venezuela, spurring concern of a worsening of the Colombian armed conflict and expansion of armed groups in Venezuela.

"I've ordered the strategic operations commander of the Bolivarian Armed Forces and all the military units on the border to declare an alert ... in the face of the threatened aggression by Colombia toward Venezuela," Maduro said in a televised broadcast.

A set of military exercises that are carried out each year will be held between September&nbsp;10 and September. 29 in the states of Zulia, Tachira, Apure and Amazonas, which border Colombia, Maduro said. They are the third such exercises this year.

Despite the dramatic rhetoric, the statements are consistent with frequent disputes between the two nations for over a decade that at times included troop movements for political effect. Previous spats have ended in grudging reconciliation.

Colombia's Foreign Ministry declined to comment. Colombian authorities have repeatedly denied planning to attack Venezuela.

The United States, which has launched a broad set of sanctions against Maduro's government in efforts to hasten his departure, says Venezuela's government provides a safe haven to Colombian armed groups.

Earlier, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido backed the use of satellites to help locate guerrilla groups that have crossed into Venezuela.

"We are going to authorize the use of satellite technology to facilitate the location of these irregular groups, of camps within the country's borders," Guaido said in a televised presentation.

"We are going to collaborate with the Colombian government on intelligence activities."

Venezuela's Information Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Guaido in January invoked the constitution to assume an interim presidency after declaring Maduro's 2018 re-election a farce. He has been recognised by more than 50 countries, including the United States and Colombia, as Venezuela's legitimate president, but does not control state institutions.

Colombian President Ivan Duque has promised to persecute the rebel group, whose leaders said they were returning to armed struggle because Duque had betrayed the 2016 peace accord that lead to the FARC's demobilization.

(Reporting by Corina Pons and Vivian Sequera; additional reporting by Julia Symmes Cobb; writing by Brian Ellsworth; editing by Richard Chang and Leslie Adler)

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday ordered the armed forces to be on alert for a potential attack by Colombia's government and announced military exercises on the border amid the rearmament of a group of former guerrilla commanders.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday ordered the armed forces to be on alert for a potential attack by Colombia's government and announced military exercises on the border amid the rearmament of a group of former guerrilla commanders. Former FARC guerillas on Thursday announced a rearmament in a video that Colombian authorities believe was filmed in Venezuela, spurring concern of a worsening of the Colombian armed conflict and expansion of armed groups in Venezuela. "I've ordered the strategic operations commander of the Bolivarian Armed Forces and all the military units on the border to declare an alert ... in the face of the threatened aggression by Colombia toward Venezuela," Maduro said in a televised broadcast. A set of military exercises that are carried out each year will be held between September 10 and September. 29 in the states of Zulia, Tachira, Apure and Amazonas, which border Colombia, Maduro said. They are the third such exercises this year. Despite the dramatic rhetoric, the statements are consistent with frequent disputes between the two nations for over a decade that at times included troop movements for political effect. Previous spats have ended in grudging reconciliation. Colombia's Foreign Ministry declined to comment. Colombian authorities have repeatedly denied planning to attack Venezuela. The United States, which has launched a broad set of sanctions against Maduro's government in efforts to hasten his departure, says Venezuela's government provides a safe haven to Colombian armed groups. Earlier, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido backed the use of satellites to help locate guerrilla groups that have crossed into Venezuela. "We are going to authorize the use of satellite technology to facilitate the location of these irregular groups, of camps within the country's borders," Guaido said in a televised presentation. "We are going to collaborate with the Colombian government on intelligence activities." Venezuela's Information Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Guaido in January invoked the constitution to assume an interim presidency after declaring Maduro's 2018 re-election a farce. He has been recognised by more than 50 countries, including the United States and Colombia, as Venezuela's legitimate president, but does not control state institutions. Colombian President Ivan Duque has promised to persecute the rebel group, whose leaders said they were returning to armed struggle because Duque had betrayed the 2016 peace accord that lead to the FARC's demobilization. (Reporting by Corina Pons and Vivian Sequera; additional reporting by Julia Symmes Cobb; writing by Brian Ellsworth; editing by Richard Chang and Leslie Adler)

Venezuela's Maduro warns of Colombia attack, orders military exercises

A former senior commander of the dissolved FARC rebel army in Colombia announced Thursday he is taking up arms again along with other guerrillas who have distanced themselves from a historic peace accord signed with the government.

"We are announcing to the world that the second Marquetalia has begun," Ivan Marquez, dressed in green military fatigues, said in a video posted on YouTube, referring to a rural enclave considered a birthplace of the FARC in the 1960s.

Colombia's conservative President Ivan Duque responded by saying he would send a special army unit to hunt down Marquez and other holdouts, who he said were backed by Venezuela's socialist President Nicolas Maduro.

The Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP), a court tasked with judging crimes committed during Colombia's half-century of armed conflict, later announced that arrest warrants for Marquez and others -- which were suspended as part of the peace process -- were now back in effect.

Marquez accused the government of betraying the hard-fought accord under which most of the FARC's 7,000 fighters had laid down their weapons after half a century of armed conflict.

The whereabouts of Marquez, the Marxist FARC's number two leader and chief negotiator of the 2016 peace agreement, had been unknown for more than a year.&nbsp;

"It's a very worrying announcement," the Colombian government's peace commissioner Miguel Ceballos said.

"There is no surprise for the national government. Unfortunately, these people had already made clear, by their behavior, that they turned their backs on the peace accord," Ceballos told Colombia's Blu Radio.

In the 32-minute video, Marquez appears in the Colombian jungle flanked by 17 men and women holding rifles. Behind them is a yellow FARC banner.

Marquez said the government had cheated in the implementation of the accord, unilaterally changed its wording and failed to provide legal guarantees for former fighters, among other offenses.

All this, he said, "forced us to return to the field," Marquez said.

"We were never defeated ideologically. Therefore, the fight continues," said Marquez.

The FARC will coordinate with Colombia's last active rebel group, the National Liberation Army, "and those comrades who have not folded up their flags," he said.

- 'Special unit' -

Duque said he had ordered a special military unit "with reinforced intelligence, investigation and mobility capabilities" be set up to track down the group.

"Colombians must be clear that we are not facing a new guerrilla, but facing the criminal threats of a gang of narco-terrorists who have the shelter and support of the dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro," the Colombian president said.

Duque's comments were backed by Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaido, who accused Marquez of using Venezuelan territory and Maduro's protection "to threaten our sovereignty", following a phone conversation with the Colombian leader.

Caracas pushed back against the allegations, with Maduro's right-hand man Diosdado Cabello saying: "What does Venezuela have to do with it?"

Marquez and a fugitive rebel colleague, Jesus Santrich, have distanced themselves from the 2016 peace agreement.

Santrich, who went underground earlier this year after the United States sought to have him extradited on drug charges, also appeared in the video.&nbsp;

Although most of the FARC fighters laid down weapons to return to civilian life, around 2,300 have refused to do so.&nbsp;

These rebels get by mainly through drug trafficking and illegal mining, according to Colombian military intelligence.

Duque said Thursday the group was cloaking its criminal activity with "false ideological clothing."

With United Nations support, the peace accord ended the insurrection by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and turned it into a political party called the Common Alternative Revolutionary Force, which uses the same FARC acronym.

- 'Low blow' -

While it hasn't ended violence in the country -- other left-wing rebels, right-wing paramilitaries and drug traffickers are still waging their battles -- it has helped to reduce it.

Duque was elected last year with a promise to modify the accord, which he considers too lenient on ex-fighters guilty of serious crimes.

The FARC political party, meanwhile, has denounced delays in the application of the accord as well as a lack of legal guarantees and security for its members.

It has pointed to what it says are the murders of 140 former guerrillas, and 31 of their family members, since the agreement was signed.

The new FARC political party that arose from the rebel army under the peace accord said it regretted the announcement from Marquez.

Party president Rodrigo Londono, who used to go by the nom de guerre Timochenko during the war, called it a "low blow."

He said most former FARC soldiers still believe in the peace accord. But others are wavering and might buy into what Marquez is doing, Londono said.

"It could hurt us," he said on Colombian radio.

Former president Juan Manuel Santos, who won the Nobel peace prize for bringing about the accord, defended it and insisted most former FARC members still believe in it.

"We must come down hard on deserters. The battle for peace does not stop," Santos tweeted.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

A former senior commander of the dissolved FARC rebel army in Colombia announced Thursday he is taking up arms again along with other guerrillas who have distanced themselves from a historic peace accord signed with the government.

A former senior commander of the dissolved FARC rebel army in Colombia announced Thursday he is taking up arms again along with other guerrillas who have distanced themselves from a historic peace accord signed with the government. "We are announcing to the world that the second Marquetalia has begun," Ivan Marquez, dressed in green military fatigues, said in a video posted on YouTube, referring to a rural enclave considered a birthplace of the FARC in the 1960s. Colombia's conservative President Ivan Duque responded by saying he would send a special army unit to hunt down Marquez and other holdouts, who he said were backed by Venezuela's socialist President Nicolas Maduro. The Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP), a court tasked with judging crimes committed during Colombia's half-century of armed conflict, later announced that arrest warrants for Marquez and others -- which were suspended as part of the peace process -- were now back in effect. Marquez accused the government of betraying the hard-fought accord under which most of the FARC's 7,000 fighters had laid down their weapons after half a century of armed conflict. The whereabouts of Marquez, the Marxist FARC's number two leader and chief negotiator of the 2016 peace agreement, had been unknown for more than a year. "It's a very worrying announcement," the Colombian government's peace commissioner Miguel Ceballos said. "There is no surprise for the national government. Unfortunately, these people had already made clear, by their behavior, that they turned their backs on the peace accord," Ceballos told Colombia's Blu Radio. In the 32-minute video, Marquez appears in the Colombian jungle flanked by 17 men and women holding rifles. Behind them is a yellow FARC banner. Marquez said the government had cheated in the implementation of the accord, unilaterally changed its wording and failed to provide legal guarantees for former fighters, among other offenses. All this, he said, "forced us to return to the field," Marquez said. "We were never defeated ideologically. Therefore, the fight continues," said Marquez. The FARC will coordinate with Colombia's last active rebel group, the National Liberation Army, "and those comrades who have not folded up their flags," he said. - 'Special unit' - Duque said he had ordered a special military unit "with reinforced intelligence, investigation and mobility capabilities" be set up to track down the group. "Colombians must be clear that we are not facing a new guerrilla, but facing the criminal threats of a gang of narco-terrorists who have the shelter and support of the dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro," the Colombian president said. Duque's comments were backed by Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaido, who accused Marquez of using Venezuelan territory and Maduro's protection "to threaten our sovereignty", following a phone conversation with the Colombian leader. Caracas pushed back against the allegations, with Maduro's right-hand man Diosdado Cabello saying: "What does Venezuela have to do with it?" Marquez and a fugitive rebel colleague, Jesus Santrich, have distanced themselves from the 2016 peace agreement. Santrich, who went underground earlier this year after the United States sought to have him extradited on drug charges, also appeared in the video. Although most of the FARC fighters laid down weapons to return to civilian life, around 2,300 have refused to do so. These rebels get by mainly through drug trafficking and illegal mining, according to Colombian military intelligence. Duque said Thursday the group was cloaking its criminal activity with "false ideological clothing." With United Nations support, the peace accord ended the insurrection by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and turned it into a political party called the Common Alternative Revolutionary Force, which uses the same FARC acronym. - 'Low blow' - While it hasn't ended violence in the country -- other left-wing rebels, right-wing paramilitaries and drug traffickers are still waging their battles -- it has helped to reduce it. Duque was elected last year with a promise to modify the accord, which he considers too lenient on ex-fighters guilty of serious crimes. The FARC political party, meanwhile, has denounced delays in the application of the accord as well as a lack of legal guarantees and security for its members. It has pointed to what it says are the murders of 140 former guerrillas, and 31 of their family members, since the agreement was signed. The new FARC political party that arose from the rebel army under the peace accord said it regretted the announcement from Marquez. Party president Rodrigo Londono, who used to go by the nom de guerre Timochenko during the war, called it a "low blow." He said most former FARC soldiers still believe in the peace accord. But others are wavering and might buy into what Marquez is doing, Londono said. "It could hurt us," he said on Colombian radio. Former president Juan Manuel Santos, who won the Nobel peace prize for bringing about the accord, defended it and insisted most former FARC members still believe in it. "We must come down hard on deserters. The battle for peace does not stop," Santos tweeted.

Former Colombian rebel leader announces return to arms

'One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind': 50 years of historic Apollo 11 mission

Lionel Messi has long craved a suitable strike partner so that he can win a major trophy with Argentina and the return of his friend <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/lionel-messi-still-driven-to-win-with-argentina-insists-sergio-aguero-223110&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiXhvCz4-DiAhVh7nMBHfBgCNcQFjABegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2vLSmTKr7TrCRkeUUa479k">Sergio Aguero</a> has given the nation renewed hope of winning the Copa America.

Even though he is third on Argentina's list of all-time top scorers and has a prolific record with Manchester City, Aguero has started only 14 games in major tournaments since making his World Cup debut in 2010.

But with Gonzalo Higuain retired, he is set to play a central role in Brazil.

Aguero played his part in memorable triumphs for his country at youth level, twice winning the under-20 World Cup as well as claiming an Olympic gold medal alongside Messi at the 2008 Beijing Games.

But he is desperate to win a major international trophy, above all for Messi, who has lost four finals with the national team, missing out on the last two Copa America finals with painful penalty shootout defeats to Chile.

"I'm more excited about winning for Leo than for myself because he has played for so long and he has suffered so much," Aguero told Fox Sports.

"Whenever I talk with Leo, we always say 'Pray that one day it happens for us'. It's what he wants and it's what we all want. I put myself in his shoes and I want to do the best," Aguero said

Just as <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/lionel-messi-broke-down-in-dressing-room-after-barcelonas-humiliating-defeat-to-liverpool-217028&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjwqY2g4-DiAhVK6nMBHW0zClgQFjACegQIDxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw15Hbae0VU2MWfGomU-GTV_">Messi </a>has been unable to replicate his glut of trophies with Barcelona on the international stage, <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/funny-twitter-reactions-after-sergio-aguero-misses-penalty-against-tottenham-hotspur-in-champions-league-clash-209187&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiXhvCz4-DiAhVh7nMBHfBgCNcQFjAAegQIBBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2EcRrRprAD6q3d184eUW26">Aguero </a>also showed a desire to balance his considerable success at City with a prize with Argentina after winning a domestic treble.

"I'm feeling fit and I finished the season well, I have no injuries and I want to do the same for Argentina as I do with City," he added.

Argentina face a daunting opening game in Group B against Colombia but should be confident of beating Paraguay and Qatar to progress to the quarter-finals.

Coach Lionel Scaloni was not the most glamorous of choices to succeed Jorge Sampaoli after their woeful World Cup campaign.

However, the former defender, who was an assistant to Sampaoli, has earned six wins in nine friendly games with the team.

He has picked a side largely lacking in experience but containing exciting young players such as Real Betis midfielder Giovani Lo Celso and Inter Milan forward Lauturo Martinez.

Messi has admitted that unlike previous Copa America tournaments, his side are no longer the favourites, but that should not affect their ambition.

"We go there with the same excitement and hope as always but the reality is we are in a period of transition and are not candidates," Messi said.

"There are many new players with few games but we're going to try and win it as we always have done. A Copa America is so important, whether it's in Brazil or anywhere else. It's been a long time since Argentina won it," Messi said.

Argentina won the last of their 14 Copa America titles in 1993.

Lionel Messi has long craved a suitable strike partner so that he can win a major trophy with Argentina and the return of his friend Sergio Aguero has given the nation renewed hope of winning the Copa America.

Lionel Messi has long craved a suitable strike partner so that he can win a major trophy with Argentina and the return of his friend Sergio Aguero has given the nation renewed hope of winning the Copa America. Even though he is third on Argentina's list of all-time top scorers and has a prolific record with Manchester City, Aguero has started only 14 games in major tournaments since making his World Cup debut in 2010. But with Gonzalo Higuain retired, he is set to play a central role in Brazil. Aguero played his part in memorable triumphs for his country at youth level, twice winning the under-20 World Cup as well as claiming an Olympic gold medal alongside Messi at the 2008 Beijing Games. But he is desperate to win a major international trophy, above all for Messi, who has lost four finals with the national team, missing out on the last two Copa America finals with painful penalty shootout defeats to Chile. "I'm more excited about winning for Leo than for myself because he has played for so long and he has suffered so much," Aguero told Fox Sports. "Whenever I talk with Leo, we always say 'Pray that one day it happens for us'. It's what he wants and it's what we all want. I put myself in his shoes and I want to do the best," Aguero said Just as Messi has been unable to replicate his glut of trophies with Barcelona on the international stage, Aguero also showed a desire to balance his considerable success at City with a prize with Argentina after winning a domestic treble. "I'm feeling fit and I finished the season well, I have no injuries and I want to do the same for Argentina as I do with City," he added. Argentina face a daunting opening game in Group B against Colombia but should be confident of beating Paraguay and Qatar to progress to the quarter-finals. Coach Lionel Scaloni was not the most glamorous of choices to succeed Jorge Sampaoli after their woeful World Cup campaign. However, the former defender, who was an assistant to Sampaoli, has earned six wins in nine friendly games with the team. He has picked a side largely lacking in experience but containing exciting young players such as Real Betis midfielder Giovani Lo Celso and Inter Milan forward Lauturo Martinez. Messi has admitted that unlike previous Copa America tournaments, his side are no longer the favourites, but that should not affect their ambition. "We go there with the same excitement and hope as always but the reality is we are in a period of transition and are not candidates," Messi said. "There are many new players with few games but we're going to try and win it as we always have done. A Copa America is so important, whether it's in Brazil or anywhere else. It's been a long time since Argentina won it," Messi said. Argentina won the last of their 14 Copa America titles in 1993.

Sergio Aguero's return lifts Messi's hopes of Copa America glory for Argentina

Several thousand Venezuelans, desperate for food and medicine, packed a border crossing to Colombia on Saturday, hours after President Nicolas Maduro partially reopened it.

Maduro had the day prior ordered the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/venezuela-partially-opens-border-with-colombia-that-was-shut-in-february-225365"> reopening of the Venezuelan border </a>in the western state of Tachira, near the location in Colombia where the international community had massed humanitarian aid that Maduro's government refused to take.

Early Saturday, thousands of people rushed to the border bridges between the two countries, and crowds in long queues stretched throughout the day.

"My two daughters have dengue. They have a fever, and I had to come get care in Colombia," says Belky Rangel, 34, about to burst into tears after waiting three hours with her two daughters, five and eight, to cross to Cucuta.

At midday, 18,000 people had crossed the border from Venezuela and 8,000 from Colombia, the head of the Migration Service in Colombia, Christian Krueger, told AFP.

Before the border closed in February, about 30,000 people crossed the Simon Bolivar International Bridge every day, from San Antonio del Tachira, Venezuela, to Cucuta, official data show.

But containers deposited on the Venezuelan side to prevent any entry of humanitarian aid, considered by the government a potential pretext for foreign military intervention, were still in place.

"They have not moved the containers at all. It is so hard getting across. There are so many people" on the Venezuelan side, says Carlos Julio Perez, 55. He waited hours to go to a medical appointment on the Colombian side.

When the border was closed, many Venezuelans crossed via hidden trails linking the two countries, putting themselves at the mercy of smugglers and armed groups.

The economically-devastated South American nation is suffering from shortages of food, medicine and other essentials amid a power struggle between socialist Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has been recognized as interim president by more than 50 countries including the United States.&nbsp;

Announcing the reopening of the frontier on Twitter, Maduro said: "We are a people of peace that strongly defends our independence and self-determination."

The leader, however, did not say if other key border bridges, closed since August 2015 after two Venezuelan soldiers were wounded by suspected smugglers, would be unblocked.

More than three million Venezuelans have left their country since 2015 to flee the worst economic crisis in the oil-rich country's recent history.

Several thousand Venezuelans, desperate for food and medicine, packed a border crossing to Colombia on Saturday, hours after President Nicolas Maduro partially reopened it.

Several thousand Venezuelans, desperate for food and medicine, packed a border crossing to Colombia on Saturday, hours after President Nicolas Maduro partially reopened it. Maduro had the day prior ordered the reopening of the Venezuelan border in the western state of Tachira, near the location in Colombia where the international community had massed humanitarian aid that Maduro's government refused to take. Early Saturday, thousands of people rushed to the border bridges between the two countries, and crowds in long queues stretched throughout the day. "My two daughters have dengue. They have a fever, and I had to come get care in Colombia," says Belky Rangel, 34, about to burst into tears after waiting three hours with her two daughters, five and eight, to cross to Cucuta. At midday, 18,000 people had crossed the border from Venezuela and 8,000 from Colombia, the head of the Migration Service in Colombia, Christian Krueger, told AFP. Before the border closed in February, about 30,000 people crossed the Simon Bolivar International Bridge every day, from San Antonio del Tachira, Venezuela, to Cucuta, official data show. But containers deposited on the Venezuelan side to prevent any entry of humanitarian aid, considered by the government a potential pretext for foreign military intervention, were still in place. "They have not moved the containers at all. It is so hard getting across. There are so many people" on the Venezuelan side, says Carlos Julio Perez, 55. He waited hours to go to a medical appointment on the Colombian side. When the border was closed, many Venezuelans crossed via hidden trails linking the two countries, putting themselves at the mercy of smugglers and armed groups. The economically-devastated South American nation is suffering from shortages of food, medicine and other essentials amid a power struggle between socialist Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has been recognized as interim president by more than 50 countries including the United States. Announcing the reopening of the frontier on Twitter, Maduro said: "We are a people of peace that strongly defends our independence and self-determination." The leader, however, did not say if other key border bridges, closed since August 2015 after two Venezuelan soldiers were wounded by suspected smugglers, would be unblocked. More than three million Venezuelans have left their country since 2015 to flee the worst economic crisis in the oil-rich country's recent history.

Thousands of Venezuelans cram border with Colombia

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Friday announced a partial opening of the country's border with Colombia, which his government closed in February as opposition leaders prepared an ultimately failed effort to bring aid into the country.

Maduro had closed borders with Colombia, Brazil and Dutch Antilles islands as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/venezuelan-opposition-leader-guaido-renews-call-for-maduro-to-step-down-after-norway-talks-223364">opposition leader Juan Guaido</a> prepared to bring in US-backed humanitarian aid. His government last month opened the border with Brazil and the island of Aruba, but the Aruba authorities said the border would remain closed.

Maduro said on Friday via Twitter that Colombia border crossings in the western state of Tachira would be open as of Saturday. "We are a people of peace who firmly defend our independence," he wrote.

The closures caused economic problems for border towns that have increasingly come to rely on Colombian cities for basic goods and services.

Many citizens have resorted to illegal crossings over backroads, at times paying tolls to criminals who controlled passage, in order to get groceries or basic medical treatment.

Venezuela is suffering a hyperinflationary economic collapse resulting from the unravelling of its socialist system.

Guaido, who has been recognised by dozens of countries as Venezuela's legitimate head of state, attempted to bring food and hygiene supplies into the country in February. Troops and police pushed back the aid trucks, two of which went up in flames.

Watch: US suspends flights to Venezuela, accused of violating International law

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Maduro says Venezuela is victim of an "economic war" led by the opposition with the help of Washington, which has levied several rounds of sanctions against his government.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Friday announced a partial opening of the country's border with Colombia, which his government closed in February as opposition leaders prepared an ultimately failed effort to bring aid into the country.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Friday announced a partial opening of the country's border with Colombia, which his government closed in February as opposition leaders prepared an ultimately failed effort to bring aid into the country. Maduro had closed borders with Colombia, Brazil and Dutch Antilles islands as opposition leader Juan Guaido prepared to bring in US-backed humanitarian aid. His government last month opened the border with Brazil and the island of Aruba, but the Aruba authorities said the border would remain closed. Maduro said on Friday via Twitter that Colombia border crossings in the western state of Tachira would be open as of Saturday. "We are a people of peace who firmly defend our independence," he wrote. The closures caused economic problems for border towns that have increasingly come to rely on Colombian cities for basic goods and services. Many citizens have resorted to illegal crossings over backroads, at times paying tolls to criminals who controlled passage, in order to get groceries or basic medical treatment. Venezuela is suffering a hyperinflationary economic collapse resulting from the unravelling of its socialist system. Guaido, who has been recognised by dozens of countries as Venezuela's legitimate head of state, attempted to bring food and hygiene supplies into the country in February. Troops and police pushed back the aid trucks, two of which went up in flames. Watch: US suspends flights to Venezuela, accused of violating International law × Maduro says Venezuela is victim of an "economic war" led by the opposition with the help of Washington, which has levied several rounds of sanctions against his government.

Venezuela partially opens border with Colombia that was shut in February

At least 17 people were killed and 13 others were missing due to&nbsp;a mudslide that buried eight houses early Sunday in southwestern Colombia, authorities said.

The national risk management agency gave the updated toll after rescue efforts in Rosas, in the department of Cauca, were halted at nightfall.&nbsp;

Reducing by two an earlier toll of 19 killed that was given by firefighters, it added that five people had also been injured.

Meanwhile, the estimated number of missing was confirmed by an agency official speaking on condition of anonymity.

A search had been underway for people who might be trapped under rubble. The injured were treated at hospitals near the scene of the disaster, the agency said.

It attributed the mudslide to the heavy rains that have battered the country for several weeks.

Mudslides are common during Colombia's rainy season.

At least 17 people were killed and 13 others were missing due to a mudslide that buried eight houses early Sunday in southwestern Colombia, authorities said. The national risk management agency gave the updated toll after rescue efforts in Rosas, in the department of Cauca, were halted at nightfall.

At least 17 people were killed and 13 others were missing due to a mudslide that buried eight houses early Sunday in southwestern Colombia, authorities said. The national risk management agency gave the updated toll after rescue efforts in Rosas, in the department of Cauca, were halted at nightfall. Reducing by two an earlier toll of 19 killed that was given by firefighters, it added that five people had also been injured. Meanwhile, the estimated number of missing was confirmed by an agency official speaking on condition of anonymity. A search had been underway for people who might be trapped under rubble. The injured were treated at hospitals near the scene of the disaster, the agency said. It attributed the mudslide to the heavy rains that have battered the country for several weeks. Mudslides are common during Colombia's rainy season.

Mudslide kills 17 in Colombia

The Venezuelan government completely closed its border with Colombia in the face of alleged threats to its sovereignty from the neighboring country, from where the opposition plans to take in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-threatens-new-sanctions-on-venezuela-if-aid-convoys-blocked-top-official-199117">humanitarian aid from several countries</a> that is currently stored in Cucuta city, the authorities said.

The step was taken hours after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ordered communications to be shut off with Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao islands and closed the border with Brazil, to stop the entry of humanitarian aid amassed there.

"The government informs the people that, due to the serious and illegal threats attempted by the Government of Colombia against the peace and sovereignty of Venezuela, it has taken the decision of a temporary total closure of the Simon Bolivar, Santander and Union bridges!" Vice President Delcy Rodriguez tweeted.

She said that the Colombian government of Ivan Duque is acting against the rights of Venezuelans to live in peace and sovereignty at the orders of the President of the United States, Donald Trump.

She added that the border normality will be restored as soon as the gross acts of violence - which Caracas has alleged were generated from Bogota - is controlled.

The shutdown was expected after Maduro said on Thursday that closing the Venezuelan border with Colombia was being contemplated, where billionaire Richard Branson has organized a solidarity concert aimed at raising millions in donations to fund humanitarian assistance in Venezuela.

Moreover, Maduro has frequently accused the Colombian government of scheming in war plans along with the US to take down the socialist policies which were implemented in 1999, and ordered a special deployment of armed forces to secure the region.

The opposition has said that it will take the humanitarian aid contributed by several countries to Venezuela on Saturday despite Maduro's attempts to block its entry.

Miguel Pizarro, the opposition leader in charge of bringing in the humanitarian aid, said on Friday that the opposition is ready to take in the donations through several corridors that join Colombia and Venezuela.

But Maduro has said that he will not accept the aid, called it "rotten donations" and alleged that it carries "the venom of humiliation".

The aid has been gathered in the Colombian border city of Cucuta, the Brazilian state of Roraima and the island of Curaçao.

Venezuela's long-simmering political crisis moved into a more acute phase on January&nbsp;23 with Guaido's claim to be the country's legitimate leader after calling Maduro's election illegitimate following his re-election on May 20, 2018.

A large part of the international community - including the US, several European and Latin American countries - supports Guaido and is pressing for fresh elections in the country.

The Venezuelan government completely closed its border with Colombia in the face of alleged threats to its sovereignty from the neighboring country, from where the opposition plans to take in humanitarian aid from several countries that is currently stored in Cucuta city, the authorities said.

The Venezuelan government completely closed its border with Colombia in the face of alleged threats to its sovereignty from the neighboring country, from where the opposition plans to take in humanitarian aid from several countries that is currently stored in Cucuta city, the authorities said. The step was taken hours after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ordered communications to be shut off with Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao islands and closed the border with Brazil, to stop the entry of humanitarian aid amassed there. "The government informs the people that, due to the serious and illegal threats attempted by the Government of Colombia against the peace and sovereignty of Venezuela, it has taken the decision of a temporary total closure of the Simon Bolivar, Santander and Union bridges!" Vice President Delcy Rodriguez tweeted. She said that the Colombian government of Ivan Duque is acting against the rights of Venezuelans to live in peace and sovereignty at the orders of the President of the United States, Donald Trump. She added that the border normality will be restored as soon as the gross acts of violence - which Caracas has alleged were generated from Bogota - is controlled. The shutdown was expected after Maduro said on Thursday that closing the Venezuelan border with Colombia was being contemplated, where billionaire Richard Branson has organized a solidarity concert aimed at raising millions in donations to fund humanitarian assistance in Venezuela. Moreover, Maduro has frequently accused the Colombian government of scheming in war plans along with the US to take down the socialist policies which were implemented in 1999, and ordered a special deployment of armed forces to secure the region. The opposition has said that it will take the humanitarian aid contributed by several countries to Venezuela on Saturday despite Maduro's attempts to block its entry. Miguel Pizarro, the opposition leader in charge of bringing in the humanitarian aid, said on Friday that the opposition is ready to take in the donations through several corridors that join Colombia and Venezuela. But Maduro has said that he will not accept the aid, called it "rotten donations" and alleged that it carries "the venom of humiliation". The aid has been gathered in the Colombian border city of Cucuta, the Brazilian state of Roraima and the island of Curaçao. Venezuela's long-simmering political crisis moved into a more acute phase on January 23 with Guaido's claim to be the country's legitimate leader after calling Maduro's election illegitimate following his re-election on May 20, 2018. A large part of the international community - including the US, several European and Latin American countries - supports Guaido and is pressing for fresh elections in the country.

In face of alleged threats, Maduro government 'completely' shuts Venezuela's border with Colombia

Colombia' s government declared three days of mourning after at least 21 people died in a car bomb at a Bogota police cadet training academy, and 68 were wounded -- the worst such incident in the city in 16 years.

Authorities said they identified the bomber and that he had no known links to armed guerrilla groups.

The defense ministry said the "terrorist act" was carried out using a vehicle packed with 80 kilograms (around 175 pounds) of explosives.

"Unfortunately, the preliminary toll is 21 people dead, including the person responsible for the incident, and 68 wounded," Colombian police said in a statement, adding 58 of those injured had been discharged from hospital.&nbsp;

"All Colombians reject terrorism and we're united in fighting it," President Ivan Duque tweeted in the aftermath.

Later in a statement to the nation, he said he had ordered reinforcements to Colombia's borders and routes in and out of cities.

The bomber -- who authorities confirmed was killed in the attack -- struck at the General Francisco de Paula Santander Officer's School in the south of Bogota during a promotion ceremony for cadets.

No group has claimed responsibility, but public prosecutor Nestor Humberto Martinez named suspect Jose Aldemar Rojas Rodriguez as the "material author of this abominable crime."

Martinez said Rojas Rodriguez entered the school compound at 9:30 am (1430 GMT) driving a grey 1993 Nissan Patrol truck, but gave no details about the explosion.

He said the truck underwent an inspection in July in the Arauco department on the border with Venezuela -- a traditional stronghold of ELN Marxist guerrillas.

'Brutal act of terrorism'

Ecuador's President Lenin Moreno said one of the dead was an Ecuadoran cadet, while a second suffered light injuries.

"The brutal act of terrorism in Bogota took the life of a compatriot," Moreno said on Twitter.

"My sincerest thoughts go to the family, friends and companions of Erika Chico."

Meanwhile, Panama's President Juan Carlos Varela said that 45 Panamanian cadets were present during the attack, with two injured.

Fanny Contreras, the Colombian armed forces' health inspector, told local radio that the truck "entered (the school compound) suddenly, almost hitting the police, and then there was the explosion."

Carol Oviedo said her brother Jonathan, a cadet, told her on the phone he had been injured, before the connection was cut.

"In two years since he joined the police, he's never had to face a situation like this," she said.

Like other families, she was lingering in the vicinity of the academy hoping to hear some news.

United States assistant secretary of state in charge of Latin America, Kimberly Breier condemned the attack and said: "Our condolences and sympathies go to the victims and family members of those killed."

The US embassy in Bogota offered its "help in investigating this reprehensible attack."

'Horrible, horrible'

Rosalba Jimenez, 62, was opening her confectionary store near the school when the bomb went off.

"When we turned to look at the school the sky was grey with smoke. People were running, sirens... horrible, horrible, it seemed like the end of the world," Jimenez told AFP.

Authorities sealed off the area to the press and increased security service patrols in the south of the city, AFP reporters said.

Right-wing Duque, who assumed power in August, has peddled a tough line against Marxist rebels and drug traffickers in the largest cocaine producer in the world.

Peace talks with ELN guerrillas -- who in the past have claimed responsibility for bomb attacks on police -- stalled before Duque replaced Juan Manuel Santos as president, and have not been restarted.

Duque has made several demands, including the release of all hostages, as prerequisites to kick-starting the peace process, but the ELN has dismissed those as unacceptable.

After the 2016 peace accord signed by Santos and FARC guerrillas, turning the former rebels into a political party, the ELN is considered the last active rebel group in a country that has suffered more than half a century of conflict.

That cycle of violence has also involved paramilitaries, drug traffickers and other Marxist rebels, including FARC dissidents.

A year ago, six police died and 40 were injured in an attack on a police station in the Caribbean city of Barranquilla that was claimed by the ELN.

In February 2017, the ELN claimed responsibility for an attack on a police patrol in the Macarena neighbourhood of Bogota that left one officer dead and several seriously wounded.

In June, three people -- including a Frenchwoman -- were killed and nine others wounded in an attack on a Bogota shopping mall that authorities blamed on a fringe left-wing group called the Revolutionary People's Movement (MRP).

Colombia' s government declared three days of mourning after at least 21 people died in a car bomb at a Bogota police cadet training academy, and 68 were wounded -- the worst such incident in the city in 16 years.

Colombia' s government declared three days of mourning after at least 21 people died in a car bomb at a Bogota police cadet training academy, and 68 were wounded -- the worst such incident in the city in 16 years. Authorities said they identified the bomber and that he had no known links to armed guerrilla groups. The defense ministry said the "terrorist act" was carried out using a vehicle packed with 80 kilograms (around 175 pounds) of explosives. "Unfortunately, the preliminary toll is 21 people dead, including the person responsible for the incident, and 68 wounded," Colombian police said in a statement, adding 58 of those injured had been discharged from hospital. "All Colombians reject terrorism and we're united in fighting it," President Ivan Duque tweeted in the aftermath. Later in a statement to the nation, he said he had ordered reinforcements to Colombia's borders and routes in and out of cities. The bomber -- who authorities confirmed was killed in the attack -- struck at the General Francisco de Paula Santander Officer's School in the south of Bogota during a promotion ceremony for cadets. No group has claimed responsibility, but public prosecutor Nestor Humberto Martinez named suspect Jose Aldemar Rojas Rodriguez as the "material author of this abominable crime." Martinez said Rojas Rodriguez entered the school compound at 9:30 am (1430 GMT) driving a grey 1993 Nissan Patrol truck, but gave no details about the explosion. He said the truck underwent an inspection in July in the Arauco department on the border with Venezuela -- a traditional stronghold of ELN Marxist guerrillas. 'Brutal act of terrorism' Ecuador's President Lenin Moreno said one of the dead was an Ecuadoran cadet, while a second suffered light injuries. "The brutal act of terrorism in Bogota took the life of a compatriot," Moreno said on Twitter. "My sincerest thoughts go to the family, friends and companions of Erika Chico." Meanwhile, Panama's President Juan Carlos Varela said that 45 Panamanian cadets were present during the attack, with two injured. Fanny Contreras, the Colombian armed forces' health inspector, told local radio that the truck "entered (the school compound) suddenly, almost hitting the police, and then there was the explosion." Carol Oviedo said her brother Jonathan, a cadet, told her on the phone he had been injured, before the connection was cut. "In two years since he joined the police, he's never had to face a situation like this," she said. Like other families, she was lingering in the vicinity of the academy hoping to hear some news. United States assistant secretary of state in charge of Latin America, Kimberly Breier condemned the attack and said: "Our condolences and sympathies go to the victims and family members of those killed." The US embassy in Bogota offered its "help in investigating this reprehensible attack." 'Horrible, horrible' Rosalba Jimenez, 62, was opening her confectionary store near the school when the bomb went off. "When we turned to look at the school the sky was grey with smoke. People were running, sirens... horrible, horrible, it seemed like the end of the world," Jimenez told AFP. Authorities sealed off the area to the press and increased security service patrols in the south of the city, AFP reporters said. Right-wing Duque, who assumed power in August, has peddled a tough line against Marxist rebels and drug traffickers in the largest cocaine producer in the world. Peace talks with ELN guerrillas -- who in the past have claimed responsibility for bomb attacks on police -- stalled before Duque replaced Juan Manuel Santos as president, and have not been restarted. Duque has made several demands, including the release of all hostages, as prerequisites to kick-starting the peace process, but the ELN has dismissed those as unacceptable. After the 2016 peace accord signed by Santos and FARC guerrillas, turning the former rebels into a political party, the ELN is considered the last active rebel group in a country that has suffered more than half a century of conflict. That cycle of violence has also involved paramilitaries, drug traffickers and other Marxist rebels, including FARC dissidents. A year ago, six police died and 40 were injured in an attack on a police station in the Caribbean city of Barranquilla that was claimed by the ELN. In February 2017, the ELN claimed responsibility for an attack on a police patrol in the Macarena neighbourhood of Bogota that left one officer dead and several seriously wounded. In June, three people -- including a Frenchwoman -- were killed and nine others wounded in an attack on a Bogota shopping mall that authorities blamed on a fringe left-wing group called the Revolutionary People's Movement (MRP).

21 dead in car bomb attack on Colombian police academy

In pics: All decked up, countries gear for New Year celebrations

Right-winger Ivan Duque, who wants to overhaul a peace deal with Marxist rebels, won Colombia's first-round presidential election on Sunday, setting up a runoff next month with leftist Gustavo Petro, who has pledged to confront privileged elites.

The first election since the peace accord was signed with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in 2016 now heads for a June 17 runoff to select the successor to President Juan Manuel Santos, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for ending the five-decade-old conflict.

Duque, 41, has pledged to toughen the terms of the peace deal and ensure former rebels pay for their war crimes, while Petro has provoked alarm among investors with pledges to overhaul Colombia's orthodox economic policy and redistribute wealth from the rich to the poor.

With almost all polling stations having reported results, Duque led with 39.1 percent of the vote, as expected, while Petro was a distant second with 25.1 percent.

It was the first time in Colombia's modern history that a leftist candidate has reached the second round of a presidential poll.

Centre-left mathematician Sergio Fajardo came a close third, with 23.8 percent, but he declined to endorse either candidate for the second round, saying his voters would make up their own minds.

Campaigning in the traditionally conservative South American nation has been marked by acrimonious accusations that Duque and Petro - from opposite ends of the political spectrum - risked dragging the country back to the battlefield or collapse the economy with socialist policies.

But with Fajardo and the other losing candidates committed to the peace process, Duque may need to soften his stance against the FARC to attract wavering voters, while emphasizing the dangers he says Petro poses for the economy.

Petro, 58, in turn, may seek to allay concerns that his economic policies would lead to a crisis of the kind unfolding across the border in socialist-run Venezuela.

"I'm worried ... Populism is strengthening," said Nicolas Goyeneche, a 28-year-old student, wearing a Duque hat at the candidate's celebration party in the capital Bogota. "But in the second round, we'll beat populism."

Business-friendly Duque was handpicked by hardline former President Alvaro Uribe, who is seen as the power behind his campaign. As well as impose tougher punishments on former FARC fighters, Duque has promised to cut corporate taxes and support oil and mining projects.

"We don't want to shatter the agreement, we want to make it clear that a Colombia of peace is a Colombia where peace meets justice," he said as supporters waved balloons and chanted his name.

"Those most responsible must truly make amends to Colombia ... because if we don't have that, peace will never be lasting."

Under the terms of the 2016 peace deal, thousands of rebels demobilized and the group became a political party. But the accord angered many who believe FARC commanders should be in prison and not in Congress.

Some areas abandoned by the FARC have suffered an increase in fighting between criminal gangs and a remaining guerrilla group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), over valuable illegal mining and drug trafficking territories.

Colombia's production of coca, the raw material for cocaine, has risen sharply, stirring concern in Washington.

Specter of Venezuela

"Mathematically there's a fact - the advantage Duque had over us has diminished," said Petro, surrounded by his family as supporters cheered. "Have certainty that we're going to win, that Colombia's history can be changed."

Petro, a combative populist who was once a member of the now defunct M19 rebel group, supports the peace deal. But some of his economic policies spook investors and have prompted rivals to compare him to former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

A flood of hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans streaming across the border to flee shortages of food and rising crime has alarmed many Colombians and prompted Santos' outgoing government to appeal for international aid.

Petro has promised to take power away from political and social elites who he says have stymied progress, as well as carry out a complete economic overhaul.

At his election night party in the capital, communist party militants waved red flags above the crowd.

"When we talk about defeating poverty, we're not talking about impoverishing the rich, but about enriching the poor," Petro said.

In a country where oil and coal are the top export earners, Petro's pledges to end extractive industries and shift the focus of state-run oil company Ecopetrol to renewable energy have dismayed business leaders.

Petro voters are excited by the possibility the right-wing status quo could be overhauled and a leftist president installed for the first time in Colombia's history.

Polls suggest the end of the FARC conflict has shifted voters' priorities to inequality and corruption from security issues - opening the door to the left for the first time.

"I'm very happy," said Diego Rodriquez, a 38-year-old sociologist. Not only for the passage of Petro to the second round, but because the center-left represented by Petro and Fajardo has more votes than the candidate of the right."

The first election since the peace accord was signed with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in 2016 now heads for a June 17 runoff to select the successor to President Juan Manuel Santos

Right-winger Ivan Duque, who wants to overhaul a peace deal with Marxist rebels, won Colombia's first-round presidential election on Sunday, setting up a runoff next month with leftist Gustavo Petro, who has pledged to confront privileged elites. The first election since the peace accord was signed with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in 2016 now heads for a June 17 runoff to select the successor to President Juan Manuel Santos, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for ending the five-decade-old conflict. Duque, 41, has pledged to toughen the terms of the peace deal and ensure former rebels pay for their war crimes, while Petro has provoked alarm among investors with pledges to overhaul Colombia's orthodox economic policy and redistribute wealth from the rich to the poor. With almost all polling stations having reported results, Duque led with 39.1 percent of the vote, as expected, while Petro was a distant second with 25.1 percent. It was the first time in Colombia's modern history that a leftist candidate has reached the second round of a presidential poll. Centre-left mathematician Sergio Fajardo came a close third, with 23.8 percent, but he declined to endorse either candidate for the second round, saying his voters would make up their own minds. Campaigning in the traditionally conservative South American nation has been marked by acrimonious accusations that Duque and Petro - from opposite ends of the political spectrum - risked dragging the country back to the battlefield or collapse the economy with socialist policies. But with Fajardo and the other losing candidates committed to the peace process, Duque may need to soften his stance against the FARC to attract wavering voters, while emphasizing the dangers he says Petro poses for the economy. Petro, 58, in turn, may seek to allay concerns that his economic policies would lead to a crisis of the kind unfolding across the border in socialist-run Venezuela. "I'm worried ... Populism is strengthening," said Nicolas Goyeneche, a 28-year-old student, wearing a Duque hat at the candidate's celebration party in the capital Bogota. "But in the second round, we'll beat populism." Business-friendly Duque was handpicked by hardline former President Alvaro Uribe, who is seen as the power behind his campaign. As well as impose tougher punishments on former FARC fighters, Duque has promised to cut corporate taxes and support oil and mining projects. "We don't want to shatter the agreement, we want to make it clear that a Colombia of peace is a Colombia where peace meets justice," he said as supporters waved balloons and chanted his name. "Those most responsible must truly make amends to Colombia ... because if we don't have that, peace will never be lasting." Under the terms of the 2016 peace deal, thousands of rebels demobilized and the group became a political party. But the accord angered many who believe FARC commanders should be in prison and not in Congress. Some areas abandoned by the FARC have suffered an increase in fighting between criminal gangs and a remaining guerrilla group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), over valuable illegal mining and drug trafficking territories. Colombia's production of coca, the raw material for cocaine, has risen sharply, stirring concern in Washington. Specter of Venezuela "Mathematically there's a fact - the advantage Duque had over us has diminished," said Petro, surrounded by his family as supporters cheered. "Have certainty that we're going to win, that Colombia's history can be changed." Petro, a combative populist who was once a member of the now defunct M19 rebel group, supports the peace deal. But some of his economic policies spook investors and have prompted rivals to compare him to former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. A flood of hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans streaming across the border to flee shortages of food and rising crime has alarmed many Colombians and prompted Santos' outgoing government to appeal for international aid. Petro has promised to take power away from political and social elites who he says have stymied progress, as well as carry out a complete economic overhaul. At his election night party in the capital, communist party militants waved red flags above the crowd. "When we talk about defeating poverty, we're not talking about impoverishing the rich, but about enriching the poor," Petro said. In a country where oil and coal are the top export earners, Petro's pledges to end extractive industries and shift the focus of state-run oil company Ecopetrol to renewable energy have dismayed business leaders. Petro voters are excited by the possibility the right-wing status quo could be overhauled and a leftist president installed for the first time in Colombia's history. Polls suggest the end of the FARC conflict has shifted voters' priorities to inequality and corruption from security issues - opening the door to the left for the first time. "I'm very happy," said Diego Rodriquez, a 38-year-old sociologist. Not only for the passage of Petro to the second round, but because the center-left represented by Petro and Fajardo has more votes than the candidate of the right."

Columbia: Right-winger Ivan Duque wins first-round presidential election

Colombia, which will hold presidential elections in May, on Wednesday blocked access to a cell phone application it said might be connected with Cambridge Analytica, the political consultancy that has been accused of violating Facebook users' privacy to influence elections in Britain and the United States.

Lawmakers in the United States and Europe are demanding to know more about Facebook's privacy practices after a whistleblower said Cambridge Analytica improperly accessed data to target US&nbsp;and British voters in close-run elections.

Colombia's commerce regulator said in a statement it would block an application called Pig.gi, which gives users free top-ups in exchange for receiving ads and recommending their friends. The app has more than a million downloads in Colombia and Mexico combined, the regulator said.

The app, which users download via the Google Play store and sign into using their Facebook account, is administered by Farrow Colombia SAS and Farrow Mexico SAPI&nbsp;de CV, the statement said.

Attempts to reach Farrow for comment were unsuccessful. A number listed for Farrow in Colombia belongs to another company. There is no listed number for the Mexico branch of the company.

"As a preventative measure and taking into account the potential risk of a wrongful and massive illegal use of the personal data of thousands of Colombians collected via the download of the Pig.gi application, the application Pig.gi is temporarily blocked while appropriate investigations are undertaken and definitive decisions adopted," the regulator said.

The regulator did not specify what evidence it had of a connection between Cambridge Analytica and Farrow. The application will be blocked on the Google Play app store and on social media, as will websites where it can be downloaded.

The regulator added it has requested cooperation and information from its counterparts in the United States, United Kingdom, European Union and Mexico.

Facebook announced a series of changes on Wednesday to give users more control over their data, after the scandal wiped more than $100 billion from its stock market value.

Cambridge Analytica has said it did not use Facebook data in US&nbsp;President Donald Trump's campaign, and that it had deleted all Facebook data it obtained from a third-party app in 2014 after learning the information did not adhere to data protection rules.

Colombia will hold presidential elections on May 27.

Colombia on Wednesday blocked access to a cell phone application saying might be connected with Cambridge Analytica

Colombia, which will hold presidential elections in May, on Wednesday blocked access to a cell phone application it said might be connected with Cambridge Analytica, the political consultancy that has been accused of violating Facebook users' privacy to influence elections in Britain and the United States. Lawmakers in the United States and Europe are demanding to know more about Facebook's privacy practices after a whistleblower said Cambridge Analytica improperly accessed data to target US and British voters in close-run elections. Colombia's commerce regulator said in a statement it would block an application called Pig.gi, which gives users free top-ups in exchange for receiving ads and recommending their friends. The app has more than a million downloads in Colombia and Mexico combined, the regulator said. The app, which users download via the Google Play store and sign into using their Facebook account, is administered by Farrow Colombia SAS and Farrow Mexico SAPI de CV, the statement said. Attempts to reach Farrow for comment were unsuccessful. A number listed for Farrow in Colombia belongs to another company. There is no listed number for the Mexico branch of the company. "As a preventative measure and taking into account the potential risk of a wrongful and massive illegal use of the personal data of thousands of Colombians collected via the download of the Pig.gi application, the application Pig.gi is temporarily blocked while appropriate investigations are undertaken and definitive decisions adopted," the regulator said. The regulator did not specify what evidence it had of a connection between Cambridge Analytica and Farrow. The application will be blocked on the Google Play app store and on social media, as will websites where it can be downloaded. The regulator added it has requested cooperation and information from its counterparts in the United States, United Kingdom, European Union and Mexico. Facebook announced a series of changes on Wednesday to give users more control over their data, after the scandal wiped more than $100 billion from its stock market value. Cambridge Analytica has said it did not use Facebook data in US President Donald Trump's campaign, and that it had deleted all Facebook data it obtained from a third-party app in 2014 after learning the information did not adhere to data protection rules. Colombia will hold presidential elections on May 27.

Colombia blocks app it says possibly linked to Cambridge Analytica

More than a million Americans flooded the streets of cities nationwide for emotional protests demanding tighter gun control on Saturday, protests spearheaded by teenagers from a Florida high school where 17 people were shot dead last month.

&quot;Politicians, either represent the people or get out,&quot; Cameron Kasky, a 17-year-old from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, told the crowd at a huge rally in Washington.

&quot;Stand for us or beware -- the voters are coming,&quot; said Kasky, one of the leaders of a dynamic and passionate student movement which has emerged following the February 14 shooting at his school. 
Large crowds also turned out for demonstrations in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Seattle and other cities -- more than 800 in all according to the organizers of the &quot;March For Our Lives.&quot;

Mayor Bill de Blasio said 175,000 people took part at the New York rally, tweeting: &quot;These students WILL change America.&quot;

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Amazing! Final NYC tally: 175,000 joined <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MarchForOurLives?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MarchForOurLives</a>. And this is a movement that has JUST BEGUN. These students WILL change America!
&mdash; Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYCMayor/status/977641564171272192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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This movement is going to make a huge change in our country. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MarchForOurLives?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MarchForOurLives</a> <a href="https://t.co/hknTXcVfTK">pic.twitter.com/hknTXcVfTK</a>
&mdash; Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYCMayor/status/977605992350285824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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You have to know when a revolution is starting... Today in NYC already 150,000 have taken to the streets for PEACE <a href="https://t.co/j5y0y0L3IT">pic.twitter.com/j5y0y0L3IT</a>
&mdash; Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYCMayor/status/977598947412926465?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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But the largest protest was in Washington, where organizers told NBC News the crowd was estimated at more than 800,000 people, the largest gun control rally in the United States since the Million Mom March in 2000.

The main stage for the event in Washington was set up near the US Capitol and lawmakers were the target audience as speakers delivered blistering warnings that the time has come for stricter gun laws.

&quot;The people demand a law banning the sale of assault weapons,&quot; Kasky said. &quot;The people demand we prohibit the sale of high-capacity magazines. The people demand universal background checks.&quot;

March organizers included a link for people to register to vote on their MarchForOurLives.com website as they seek to transform their nascent movement into a potent political force.Signs carried by protestors lambasted lawmakers who oppose tougher laws and the National Rifle Association (NRA), the powerful US gun lobby.

&quot;These kids are right,&quot; said Jeff Turchin, a 68-year-old retired garment manufacturer who came to Washington from New York to attend the rally.

&quot;They`re basically saying the NRA is paying off these Republicans,&quot; Turchin said of the party of President Donald Trump, which also controls Congress.

The Washington rally kicked off with Andra Day singing &quot;Rise Up&quot; and also featured performances by Jennifer Hudson, whose mother, brother and seven-year-old nephew were shot dead in 2008. 
But the most riveting appearances were by the Stoneman Douglas students.

Emma Gonzalez, 17, took the stage wearing a green military-style jacket and ripped jeans and delivered a eulogy for the 14 students and three adults slain by 19-year-old gunman Nikolas Cruz. 
Tears rolling down her face, she then stood in silence at the podium for a full four and half minutes as the crowd fidgeted and some cried out &quot;We`re with you Emma.&quot;

&quot;Since the time that I came out here, it has been six minutes and 20 seconds,&quot; Gonzalez finally said -- the exact amount of time Cruz spent spraying bullets inside her school before fleeing.

&quot;Fight for your lives before it`s someone else`s job,&quot; Gonzalez said. &quot;Get out there and vote.&quot;

Yolanda Renee King, the nine-year-old granddaughter of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. brought many to tears with a surprise appearance.

&quot;My grandfather had a dream that his four little children will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character,&quot; she told a rapt crowd.

&quot;I have a dream that enough is enough,&quot; she said, referencing her grandfather`s famous 1963 &quot;I Have a Dream&quot; speech on ending racism.

&quot;And that this should be a gun-free world -- period.&quot;In New York, former Beatle Paul McCartney showed up at a march and spoke of the December 1980 murder of his bandmate John Lennon. 
&quot;Every week you hear about a new shooting and nothing is done about it,&quot; McCartney told AFP. &quot;But I think maybe after this something will be done about it.&quot;

On the other side of the country in Los Angeles, comedian Amy Schumer delivered a passionate plea in front of hundreds of thousands.

&quot;You are killing children,&quot; she said, of the gun lobby. &quot;And they call people like me `Hollywood liberals` like there`s something in it for us.

&quot;Well, what`s in it for us is knowing we`re doing our part to keep our children alive.&quot;

Demonstrations of solidarity also took place around the world, including across cities in Canada, which unveiled stricter gun laws earlier this week including enhanced background checks.

In Scotland, some relatives of those killed in a school shooting in the town of Dunblane in 1996 attended a protest in Edinburgh.

Thousands meanwhile gathered in Parkland to pay tribute to those slain in the city on Valentine`s Day.

&quot;I March Because I Was Almost Silenced,&quot; read a sign carried by Samantha Mayor, 17, who was shot in the knee and wears a heavy brace.

Samantha`s mother, Ellyn, held a sign reading &quot;I`m Marching So No Other Parent Has to Hear `Mom, I`ve Been Shot.`&quot;

Trump was in Florida as marchers gathered in Washington but the White House issued a statement.

&quot;We applaud the many courageous young Americans exercising their First Amendment rights today,&quot; it said. &quot;Keeping our children safe is a top priority of the President`s.&quot;

The protests were spearheaded by teenagers from the Florida high school where 17 people were shot dead last month

More than a million Americans flooded the streets of cities nationwide for emotional protests demanding tighter gun control on Saturday, protests spearheaded by teenagers from a Florida high school where 17 people were shot dead last month. "Politicians, either represent the people or get out," Cameron Kasky, a 17-year-old from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, told the crowd at a huge rally in Washington. "Stand for us or beware -- the voters are coming," said Kasky, one of the leaders of a dynamic and passionate student movement which has emerged following the February 14 shooting at his school. Large crowds also turned out for demonstrations in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Seattle and other cities -- more than 800 in all according to the organizers of the "March For Our Lives." Mayor Bill de Blasio said 175,000 people took part at the New York rally, tweeting: "These students WILL change America." Amazing! Final NYC tally: 175,000 joined #MarchForOurLives. And this is a movement that has JUST BEGUN. These students WILL change America! — Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) March 24, 2018 × This movement is going to make a huge change in our country. #MarchForOurLives pic.twitter.com/hknTXcVfTK — Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) March 24, 2018 × You have to know when a revolution is starting... Today in NYC already 150,000 have taken to the streets for PEACE pic.twitter.com/j5y0y0L3IT — Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) March 24, 2018 × But the largest protest was in Washington, where organizers told NBC News the crowd was estimated at more than 800,000 people, the largest gun control rally in the United States since the Million Mom March in 2000. The main stage for the event in Washington was set up near the US Capitol and lawmakers were the target audience as speakers delivered blistering warnings that the time has come for stricter gun laws. "The people demand a law banning the sale of assault weapons," Kasky said. "The people demand we prohibit the sale of high-capacity magazines. The people demand universal background checks." March organizers included a link for people to register to vote on their MarchForOurLives.com website as they seek to transform their nascent movement into a potent political force.Signs carried by protestors lambasted lawmakers who oppose tougher laws and the National Rifle Association (NRA), the powerful US gun lobby. "These kids are right," said Jeff Turchin, a 68-year-old retired garment manufacturer who came to Washington from New York to attend the rally. "They`re basically saying the NRA is paying off these Republicans," Turchin said of the party of President Donald Trump, which also controls Congress. The Washington rally kicked off with Andra Day singing "Rise Up" and also featured performances by Jennifer Hudson, whose mother, brother and seven-year-old nephew were shot dead in 2008. But the most riveting appearances were by the Stoneman Douglas students. Emma Gonzalez, 17, took the stage wearing a green military-style jacket and ripped jeans and delivered a eulogy for the 14 students and three adults slain by 19-year-old gunman Nikolas Cruz. Tears rolling down her face, she then stood in silence at the podium for a full four and half minutes as the crowd fidgeted and some cried out "We`re with you Emma." "Since the time that I came out here, it has been six minutes and 20 seconds," Gonzalez finally said -- the exact amount of time Cruz spent spraying bullets inside her school before fleeing. "Fight for your lives before it`s someone else`s job," Gonzalez said. "Get out there and vote." Yolanda Renee King, the nine-year-old granddaughter of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. brought many to tears with a surprise appearance. "My grandfather had a dream that his four little children will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character," she told a rapt crowd. "I have a dream that enough is enough," she said, referencing her grandfather`s famous 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech on ending racism. "And that this should be a gun-free world -- period."In New York, former Beatle Paul McCartney showed up at a march and spoke of the December 1980 murder of his bandmate John Lennon. "Every week you hear about a new shooting and nothing is done about it," McCartney told AFP. "But I think maybe after this something will be done about it." On the other side of the country in Los Angeles, comedian Amy Schumer delivered a passionate plea in front of hundreds of thousands. "You are killing children," she said, of the gun lobby. "And they call people like me `Hollywood liberals` like there`s something in it for us. "Well, what`s in it for us is knowing we`re doing our part to keep our children alive." Demonstrations of solidarity also took place around the world, including across cities in Canada, which unveiled stricter gun laws earlier this week including enhanced background checks. In Scotland, some relatives of those killed in a school shooting in the town of Dunblane in 1996 attended a protest in Edinburgh. Thousands meanwhile gathered in Parkland to pay tribute to those slain in the city on Valentine`s Day. "I March Because I Was Almost Silenced," read a sign carried by Samantha Mayor, 17, who was shot in the knee and wears a heavy brace. Samantha`s mother, Ellyn, held a sign reading "I`m Marching So No Other Parent Has to Hear `Mom, I`ve Been Shot.`" Trump was in Florida as marchers gathered in Washington but the White House issued a statement. "We applaud the many courageous young Americans exercising their First Amendment rights today," it said. "Keeping our children safe is a top priority of the President`s."

Over 1 million Americans pour onto streets, demand tighter gun control

Google today is celebrating the 91st birth anniversary of celebrated Colombian writer Gabriel Gracia Marquez. Born in Aracataca, Colombia, Marquez is identified as one of the most notable writers of the 20th century and among the forerunners of the Magic Realism style of writing.&nbsp;

In 1982, Marquez received the Nobel Prize in Literature. Apart from deploying the technique of Magic Realism in his work, Marquez is also known to explore solitude as the central theme in most of his works.&nbsp;

Love in the Time of Cholera, One Hundred Years of Solitude, Chronicles of a Death Foretold are some of his highly acclaimed works.&nbsp;

Gabriel Marquez left behind a wide expanse of novellas, short stories, novels on 17 April 2014 when he died of pneumonia at the age of 87.&nbsp;

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<h5>&quot;Life is not what one lived, but rather what one remembers, and how it is remembered to tell the tale.&quot;</h5>
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Juan Manuel Santos, the President of Colombia, called Marquez &quot;the greatest Colombian who ever lived&quot;.

Marquez&#39;s body of literary work encompasses a beautiful marriage between realism, magic realism and the circumstances he lived in. His writing evokes deepest emotions and understanding of human life, something that was relevant, is today and will continue to be for the coming years.

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On his 91st birth anniversary, we leave you with some of the most loved quotes penned down by Marquez.&nbsp;

&quot;No, not rich. I am a poor man with money, which is not the same thing.&quot;

&quot;Life is not what one lived, but rather what one remembers, and how it is remembered to tell the tale.&quot;

&quot;Nobody deserves your tears, but whoever deserves them will not make you cry.&quot;

&quot;It is not true that people stop pursuing dreams because they grow old, they grow old because they stop pursuing dreams.&quot;

&quot;I would not have traded the delights of my suffering for anything in the world.&quot;

Juan Manuel Santos, the President of Colombia, called Marquez 'the greatest Colombian who ever lived'

Google today is celebrating the 91st birth anniversary of celebrated Colombian writer Gabriel Gracia Marquez. Born in Aracataca, Colombia, Marquez is identified as one of the most notable writers of the 20th century and among the forerunners of the Magic Realism style of writing. In 1982, Marquez received the Nobel Prize in Literature. Apart from deploying the technique of Magic Realism in his work, Marquez is also known to explore solitude as the central theme in most of his works. Love in the Time of Cholera, One Hundred Years of Solitude, Chronicles of a Death Foretold are some of his highly acclaimed works. Gabriel Marquez left behind a wide expanse of novellas, short stories, novels on 17 April 2014 when he died of pneumonia at the age of 87. "Life is not what one lived, but rather what one remembers, and how it is remembered to tell the tale." × Juan Manuel Santos, the President of Colombia, called Marquez "the greatest Colombian who ever lived". Marquez's body of literary work encompasses a beautiful marriage between realism, magic realism and the circumstances he lived in. His writing evokes deepest emotions and understanding of human life, something that was relevant, is today and will continue to be for the coming years. On his 91st birth anniversary, we leave you with some of the most loved quotes penned down by Marquez. "No, not rich. I am a poor man with money, which is not the same thing." "Life is not what one lived, but rather what one remembers, and how it is remembered to tell the tale." "Nobody deserves your tears, but whoever deserves them will not make you cry." "It is not true that people stop pursuing dreams because they grow old, they grow old because they stop pursuing dreams." "I would not have traded the delights of my suffering for anything in the world."

Google celebrates 91st birth anniversary of celebrated Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez

At least 14 people were killed and 35 injured when the bus they were traveling in plunged down a ravine in rural northwestern Colombia, officials said Sunday.

The bus skidded off the road when the driver swerved in an attempt to avoid hitting a motorcycle rider, Sabanalarga Mayor Cesar Cuadros told reporters.

The Sabanalarga hospital could not cope with the sudden influx of victims, most of whom were local farmers, so many of the survivors were rushed to nearby towns for treatment.

&quot;We are going through a cold period and it has rained heavily,&quot; Cuadros said.

&quot;We are not clear how many people traveled aboard the bus, but we know that there were a lot,&quot; he said.

Sabanalarga is located in the department of Antioquia, some 500 kilometers (310 miles) northwest of the capital Bogota.

The bus skidded off the road when the driver swerved in an attempt to avoid hitting a motorcycle rider, Sabanalarga Mayor Cesar Cuadros told reporters

At least 14 people were killed and 35 injured when the bus they were traveling in plunged down a ravine in rural northwestern Colombia, officials said Sunday. The bus skidded off the road when the driver swerved in an attempt to avoid hitting a motorcycle rider, Sabanalarga Mayor Cesar Cuadros told reporters. The Sabanalarga hospital could not cope with the sudden influx of victims, most of whom were local farmers, so many of the survivors were rushed to nearby towns for treatment. "We are going through a cold period and it has rained heavily," Cuadros said. "We are not clear how many people traveled aboard the bus, but we know that there were a lot," he said. Sabanalarga is located in the department of Antioquia, some 500 kilometers (310 miles) northwest of the capital Bogota.

14 killed in Colombia bus accident

Tens of thousands of Venezuelans rushed across the border to neighbouring Colombia, taking advantage of a 12-hour temporary border opening to buy much-needed food and medicine, in short supply in their home country where a severe economic crisis has caused critical shortages. 
 
Venezuelan homemaker Ada Marquez was moved by the scene. 
 
&quot;I was crying as I crossed the bridge when I saw the avalanche of people. It&#39;s unbelievable to me that all of Venezuela wants to come here, to this neighbouring country, to look for the things we can&#39;t get over there. Everyday, there are fewer things,&quot; she said. 
 
Although Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ordered the border with Colombia to close last year to crack down on smuggling, Tachira Governor Jos? Vielma said the president authorised the opening of the border crossings on Sunday. 
 
Nearly 35,000 Venezuelans crossed the border: Columbian governor 
 
Thousands of Venezuelans spent the night outside the San Antonio del Tachira customs office in anticipation of the opening. Some travelled hours for the opportunity to buy much-needed food, medicine and basic goods. 
 
Venezuelan homemaker Bernarda Oliveros said she was grateful they could buy products in Colombia. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s a relief to be able to come here to find our products, our medicines, that we really cannot get over there,&quot; she said. 
 
Colombian governor William Villamizar of Norte de Santander estimated that about 35,000 Venezuelans crossed the border into nearby Colombian cities like La Parada and Cucuta. 
 
Since Venezuelans crossed the three border bridges on foot, the Colombian government provided bus transportation to take shoppers to buy food and medicine. 
 
&#39;We don&#39;t have food. We don&#39;t have cooking oil&#39;&nbsp; 
 
Colombian shops accepted the depreciating currency Venezuelan bolivar, and a Reuters witness reported that many Colombian businesses&#39; shelves were empty by midmorning. 
 
Millions of people spend much of their day in long lines at supermarkets and shops to try to buy basic items amid shortages caused by a decline in oil revenues in Venezuela, a country that imports almost everything it consumes, and tightly controls exchange and price. 
 
Venezuelan Carmen Velazco said the situation is drastic. 
 
&quot;We don&#39;t have food. We don&#39;t have cooking oil. We don&#39;t have flour. So that is why we have to come here,&quot; she said. 
 
Shortages have been so great and prices so high that looting has increased in Venezuela. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

Thousands of Venezuelans spent the night outside the San Antonio del Tachira customs office in anticipation of the temporary border opening

Tens of thousands of Venezuelans rushed across the border to neighbouring Colombia, taking advantage of a 12-hour temporary border opening to buy much-needed food and medicine, in short supply in their home country where a severe economic crisis has caused critical shortages. Venezuelan homemaker Ada Marquez was moved by the scene. "I was crying as I crossed the bridge when I saw the avalanche of people. It's unbelievable to me that all of Venezuela wants to come here, to this neighbouring country, to look for the things we can't get over there. Everyday, there are fewer things," she said. Although Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ordered the border with Colombia to close last year to crack down on smuggling, Tachira Governor Jos? Vielma said the president authorised the opening of the border crossings on Sunday. Nearly 35,000 Venezuelans crossed the border: Columbian governor Thousands of Venezuelans spent the night outside the San Antonio del Tachira customs office in anticipation of the opening. Some travelled hours for the opportunity to buy much-needed food, medicine and basic goods. Venezuelan homemaker Bernarda Oliveros said she was grateful they could buy products in Colombia. "It's a relief to be able to come here to find our products, our medicines, that we really cannot get over there," she said. Colombian governor William Villamizar of Norte de Santander estimated that about 35,000 Venezuelans crossed the border into nearby Colombian cities like La Parada and Cucuta. Since Venezuelans crossed the three border bridges on foot, the Colombian government provided bus transportation to take shoppers to buy food and medicine. 'We don't have food. We don't have cooking oil' Colombian shops accepted the depreciating currency Venezuelan bolivar, and a Reuters witness reported that many Colombian businesses' shelves were empty by midmorning. Millions of people spend much of their day in long lines at supermarkets and shops to try to buy basic items amid shortages caused by a decline in oil revenues in Venezuela, a country that imports almost everything it consumes, and tightly controls exchange and price. Venezuelan Carmen Velazco said the situation is drastic. "We don't have food. We don't have cooking oil. We don't have flour. So that is why we have to come here," she said. Shortages have been so great and prices so high that looting has increased in Venezuela. (Reuters)

In midst of crisis, tens of thousands Venezuelans rush to border to buy essentials

The District of Columbia&#39;s mayor has signed a $15-an-hour minimum wage into law, a rate adopted by a growing number of US&nbsp;cities and states seeking to battle income inequality.

Mayor Muriel Bowser signed the measure late on Monday. The bill boosts minimum hourly wage to $15 by 2020, with subsequent hikes tied to inflation.

&quot;Three months ago, I said we would take up the #FightFor15 inDC and I am so excited to sign it into law today!&quot; Bowser, a Democrat, said on her Twitter feed.

The bill had been unanimously approved by the city council. It was opposed by business owners who argued that it would raise costs and lead to automation, and would make the city less competitive with neighboring suburbs.

Washington joins California and New York in making $15 the hourly minimum. At least eight cities, including Seattle, have also approved the $15 base.

Supporters had said that Washington&#39;s robust economy and growing population meant it could support a higher minimum wage.

The District of Columbia&#39;s base wage is $10.50, and will go&nbsp;up by $1 on July 1 under existing law. The federal minimum is&nbsp;$7.25 an hour.

President Barack Obama cheered Washington&#39;s move and called on Congress to hike the federal base wage. 
 
&quot;America deserves a raise,&quot; he said in a statement.

The $15 minimum is estimated to raise wages for 114,000&nbsp;workers, or about 14 percent of the District of Columbia&#39;s&nbsp;workforce, according to an analysis by the non-profit Economic Policy Institute. 
 
(Reuters)

Eight US cities including Seattle have also agreed in making $15 as the base

The District of Columbia's mayor has signed a $15-an-hour minimum wage into law, a rate adopted by a growing number of US cities and states seeking to battle income inequality. Mayor Muriel Bowser signed the measure late on Monday. The bill boosts minimum hourly wage to $15 by 2020, with subsequent hikes tied to inflation. "Three months ago, I said we would take up the #FightFor15 inDC and I am so excited to sign it into law today!" Bowser, a Democrat, said on her Twitter feed. The bill had been unanimously approved by the city council. It was opposed by business owners who argued that it would raise costs and lead to automation, and would make the city less competitive with neighboring suburbs. Washington joins California and New York in making $15 the hourly minimum. At least eight cities, including Seattle, have also approved the $15 base. Supporters had said that Washington's robust economy and growing population meant it could support a higher minimum wage. The District of Columbia's base wage is $10.50, and will go up by $1 on July 1 under existing law. The federal minimum is $7.25 an hour. President Barack Obama cheered Washington's move and called on Congress to hike the federal base wage. "America deserves a raise," he said in a statement. The $15 minimum is estimated to raise wages for 114,000 workers, or about 14 percent of the District of Columbia's workforce, according to an analysis by the non-profit Economic Policy Institute. (Reuters)

District of Columbia mayor signs $15 per hour minimum wage into law

SRH vs GT, IPL 2024: Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Gujarat Titans (GT) will lock horns in match 66 of the IPL 2024 on Thursday. The match is slated for May 16 at 7:30 pm IST and will be played at the home ground of SRH at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.

SRH, having won seven out of 12 matches, will likely qualify for the playoffs if they win this match. Pat Cummins-led Hyderabad has won two out of their last five matches. GT has won five of their 12 matches. Gujarat, led by Shubman Gill, has been eliminated. GT has won one out of their last five matches, while one match was washed out. They are eight on the points table.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2024-will-there-be-reserve-day-for-rcb-vs-csk-league-match-at-chinnaswamy-721832">IPL 2024: Will there be reserve day for RCB vs CSK league match at Chinnaswamy?</a>

This is going to be a crucial game for the hosts as a win here would nearly seal their spot in the playoffs. However, there are chances of rainfall and it might affect the play. Gujarat is already out of the playoffs race and they would surely look to spoil Hyderabad's chance.

<h2>SRH vs GT, IPL 2024: Head-to-head stats</h2>

In a head-to-head battle, Gujarat Titans have an advantage as the Sunrisers have won only one game against GT in the Indian Premier League. The teams have never met at the Hyderabad pitch, but at the Gujarat pitch, both sides have played two matches with Titans leading by 2-0.

Total matches played: 4

Matches won by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH): 1

Matches won by Gujarat Hyderabad (GT): 3

<h2>SRH vs GT, IPL 2024: Pitch report</h2>

Hyderabad’s pitch is known as a batter’s paradise. In the history of IPL, the wicket at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium has seen the highest-ever score of the tournament, the highest aggregate in an IPL match, and the highest team score in the second innings of an IPL during the match between SRH and Mumbai Indians (MI).&nbsp;

<h2>SRH vs GT, IPL 2024: Weather forecast</h2>

The weather in Hyderabad on Thursday will remain pleasant on May 16. The humidity level will be around 57 per cent, and the temperature will hover around 35 degrees Celsius with an 8 per cent chance of rain. The wind speed at the venue will be close to 8 km/h.

<h2>SRH vs GT, IPL 2024: Predicted playing XI</h2>

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH):&nbsp;Sanvir Singh, Abhishek Sharma, Pat Cummins (C), TM Head, Shahbaz Ahmed, Jaydev Unadkat, T Natarajan, B Kumar, K Nitish Kumar Reddy, H Klaasen (wk), M Markande

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/rishabh-pant-is-an-instinctive-captain-sourav-ganguly-backs-dc-star-to-get-better-with-time-721710">‘Rishabh Pant is an instinctive captain’: Sourav Ganguly backs DC star to get better with time</a>

Gujarat Titans (GT):&nbsp;MS Wade (wk), Shubman Gill (C), DA Miller, Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, R Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kartik Tyagi, Noor Ahmad, MM Sharma, UT Yadav

<h2>SRH vs GT, IPL 2024: Prediction</h2>

According to Google’s win probability, the Sunrisers have a 60 per cent chance of beating Gujarat in their 13th league match. Based on Hyderabad’s performance this season, the Pat Cummins side has a better chance of winning this match to beat GT and qualify for the playoffs. At this point, 16 points should be enough for SRH to qualify.

<h2>SRH vs GT, IPL 2024: Match details</h2>

Match: IPL 2024, Match 66, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) vs Gujarat Titans (GT)

Venue: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium

Live streaming: JioCinema app and website

Live broadcast: Star Sports Network channels

(With inputs from agencies)

'May this be the last day of the war,' said FARC commander Londono after shaking hands with Colombian President Juan Santos

SRH vs GT, IPL 2024: Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Gujarat Titans (GT) will lock horns in match 66 of the IPL 2024 on Thursday. The match is slated for May 16 at 7:30 pm IST and will be played at the home ground of SRH at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. SRH, having won seven out of 12 matches, will likely qualify for the playoffs if they win this match. Pat Cummins-led Hyderabad has won two out of their last five matches. GT has won five of their 12 matches. Gujarat, led by Shubman Gill, has been eliminated. GT has won one out of their last five matches, while one match was washed out. They are eight on the points table. Also Read | IPL 2024: Will there be reserve day for RCB vs CSK league match at Chinnaswamy? This is going to be a crucial game for the hosts as a win here would nearly seal their spot in the playoffs. However, there are chances of rainfall and it might affect the play. Gujarat is already out of the playoffs race and they would surely look to spoil Hyderabad's chance. SRH vs GT, IPL 2024: Head-to-head stats In a head-to-head battle, Gujarat Titans have an advantage as the Sunrisers have won only one game against GT in the Indian Premier League. The teams have never met at the Hyderabad pitch, but at the Gujarat pitch, both sides have played two matches with Titans leading by 2-0. Total matches played: 4 Matches won by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH): 1 Matches won by Gujarat Hyderabad (GT): 3 SRH vs GT, IPL 2024: Pitch report Hyderabad’s pitch is known as a batter’s paradise. In the history of IPL, the wicket at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium has seen the highest-ever score of the tournament, the highest aggregate in an IPL match, and the highest team score in the second innings of an IPL during the match between SRH and Mumbai Indians (MI). SRH vs GT, IPL 2024: Weather forecast The weather in Hyderabad on Thursday will remain pleasant on May 16. The humidity level will be around 57 per cent, and the temperature will hover around 35 degrees Celsius with an 8 per cent chance of rain. The wind speed at the venue will be close to 8 km/h. SRH vs GT, IPL 2024: Predicted playing XI Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH): Sanvir Singh, Abhishek Sharma, Pat Cummins (C), TM Head, Shahbaz Ahmed, Jaydev Unadkat, T Natarajan, B Kumar, K Nitish Kumar Reddy, H Klaasen (wk), M Markande Also Read | ‘Rishabh Pant is an instinctive captain’: Sourav Ganguly backs DC star to get better with time Gujarat Titans (GT): MS Wade (wk), Shubman Gill (C), DA Miller, Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, R Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kartik Tyagi, Noor Ahmad, MM Sharma, UT Yadav SRH vs GT, IPL 2024: Prediction According to Google’s win probability, the Sunrisers have a 60 per cent chance of beating Gujarat in their 13th league match. Based on Hyderabad’s performance this season, the Pat Cummins side has a better chance of winning this match to beat GT and qualify for the playoffs. At this point, 16 points should be enough for SRH to qualify. SRH vs GT, IPL 2024: Match details Match: IPL 2024, Match 66, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) vs Gujarat Titans (GT) Venue: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium Live streaming: JioCinema app and website Live broadcast: Star Sports Network channels (With inputs from agencies)

After 5 decades of fighting, Colombia signs ceasefire with FARC rebels

Colombia beat Peru 4-2 in a penalty shootout today to progress to the semi-finals of the Copa America after the two sides played to a dull scoreless draw in New Jersey. 
 
Both teams scored their first two kicks in the shootout but while substitutes Dayro Moreno and Sebastian Perez scored Colombia&#39;s third and fourth, Miguel Trauco and Christian Cueva missed for Peru. 
 
The result, which came after a dour 0-0 draw that was short on excitement for the 80,000 fans, takes Colombia through to a semi-final date against either Mexico or Chile in Chicago next Wednesday. 
 
&quot;It was a very intense game,&quot; said Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina, who saved Trauco&#39;s kick with his legs. 
 
&quot;This team have played well, we have a great staff and now we need to enjoy the moment before thinking about what&#39;s next.&quot; 
 
&quot;You need to be calm at these moments. This stadium is filled with Colombians and they enjoyed it. So now we need to enjoy it.&quot; 
 
Neither side could dominate a game that had 30 fouls but Colombia came closest to scoring through James Rodriguez, who strode forward from midfield in the first half before hitting the post with a shot from 25 yards. 
 
Colombia also had an appeal for a penalty ignored after 53 minutes when Carlos Bacca was bundled over in the box by Renato Tapia. 
 
Peru almost broke the deadlock in the dying seconds but Ospina tipped over a powerful header from Christian Ramos. 
 
The other two semi-finalists will be decided on Saturday when Argentina face Venezuela in Foxborough and Chile take on Mexico in Santa Clara. 
 
The winner of the first game will face the United States in Houston on Tuesday. 
(Reuters)

Will play semis against either Mexico or Chile on Wednesday

Colombia beat Peru 4-2 in a penalty shootout today to progress to the semi-finals of the Copa America after the two sides played to a dull scoreless draw in New Jersey. Both teams scored their first two kicks in the shootout but while substitutes Dayro Moreno and Sebastian Perez scored Colombia's third and fourth, Miguel Trauco and Christian Cueva missed for Peru. The result, which came after a dour 0-0 draw that was short on excitement for the 80,000 fans, takes Colombia through to a semi-final date against either Mexico or Chile in Chicago next Wednesday. "It was a very intense game," said Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina, who saved Trauco's kick with his legs. "This team have played well, we have a great staff and now we need to enjoy the moment before thinking about what's next." "You need to be calm at these moments. This stadium is filled with Colombians and they enjoyed it. So now we need to enjoy it." Neither side could dominate a game that had 30 fouls but Colombia came closest to scoring through James Rodriguez, who strode forward from midfield in the first half before hitting the post with a shot from 25 yards. Colombia also had an appeal for a penalty ignored after 53 minutes when Carlos Bacca was bundled over in the box by Renato Tapia. Peru almost broke the deadlock in the dying seconds but Ospina tipped over a powerful header from Christian Ramos. The other two semi-finalists will be decided on Saturday when Argentina face Venezuela in Foxborough and Chile take on Mexico in Santa Clara. The winner of the first game will face the United States in Houston on Tuesday. (Reuters)

Copa: Dull draw for 90 minutes, then Columbia beat Peru 4-2 on penalities

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