US President George W. Bush decided earlier to disburse 59 million US dollars in the next two years to launch measures aimed to reduce the money remitted by Cuban emigrants to their families in the island country, and other actions seeking to drown Cuba's national economy and support the opposition.

On Wednesday, Cuban Parliament Speaker Ricardo Alarcon termed the anti-Cuba measures as "the offspring of an incredible interventionist conception."

He said the international public attention has focused on the measures that brutally damage the family relations between Cubans

Colombian Government, guerrillas open peace talks
The Colombian government and the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) started peace talks in a safe haven in Santafe de Ralito, Cordoba state, in the north of the country Thursday afternoon.

Attending the opening ceremony were Peace Commissioner Luis C. Restrepo, Interior and Justice Minister Sabas Pretelt de la Vega and AUC's top leader Salvatore Mancuso and 600 guests including representatives of the Organization of American States (OAS).

In his opening speech, Bishop Julio C. Vidal appealed to AUC to comply with the compromises to be reached in the peace talks.

Meanwhile, Peace Commissioner Restrepo invited other illegal armed groups, such as the left-wing guerrilla organizations Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and the National Liberation Army, to participate in the peace process.

The Colombian army and police have taken tight security measures in Santafe de Ralito.

President Alvaro Uribe has set a six-month time limit to reach a deal with the paramilitaries. Within the 368-square-km safe haven, the paramilitary troops keep their weapons. The president warned them, however, that they would lose their privileges if they commit any crimes, including drug trafficking.

AUC, mainly funded by landowners and drug dealers, was founded in April 1997 to fight left-wing guerrillas who also try to control plantations and sales of coca leaves, the raw material for cocaine.

Under the mediation of the OAS, it held talks with the Colombian government in July last year and agreed to disarm by the end of 2005.
 

At least 2 dead in clash in Peru
At least two persons were killed and 35 injured Thursday in a clash between police and teachers in Huamanga, capital of the southern Andean department of Ayacucho.

Reports said the situation is uncontainable and uncertain, when the demonstrators, armed with stones and clubs, burned buildings of the Judicial Branch and the residence of Mayor Gerardo Ludela. They also attempted to set fire on buildings of regional government and the city council.

Riot police used tear gas to repress hundreds of striking teachers who had occupied the Huamanga central square.

According to reports, three unidentified professors and a policeman were seriously injured, while 40 others received treatment in hospitals.

Several teachers have taken control of the municipal palace, the Regional Education Direction and the Education Administration Unit since last Saturday. In early Thursday, violence broke out after the police tried to drive them away.

"I denounce all these acts of violence in Ayacucho and blame the president (Alejandro Toledo) and the interior minister (Javier Reategui) for this chaos," Mayor Ludela told Peruvian media.

The Peruvian Education Workers Union, an organization representing 280,000 public school teachers, has been on strike since June 21, demanding higher wages and accusing the government of trying to privatize public schools.