Argentina has recognized an independent Palestinian State within the pre-1967 borders, the government announced 6 December. Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman said, “the time has come to recognize Palestine as a free and independent state” in a letter to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas he read out to the press.
An Israeli foreign ministry spokesman noted that “this regrettable decision will not help at all to change the situation between Israel and the Palestinians.” A statement released later said: “Recognition of a Palestinian state is a violation of the interim agreement signed by Israel and the Palestinian Authority in 1995, which established that the status of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip will be discussed and solved through negotiations.”
US polititicians have called the decision “regrettable” and “severely misguided”. The move comes as part of a Palestinian strategy to gain UN support for an independent State. Peace talks between Israel and Palestine have bogged down amid Israel’s refusal to stop building settlements in the territories it occupied in the 1967 war.
The decision follows an similar announcement by Brazil. Uruguay and Paraguay are expected to follow suit in the new year.
Links to other sites: ABC News, Jerusalem Post
Scores have died in the southern cone of South America in a wave of Antarctic cold, and schools and some highways have closed. In Bolivia, 18 people were reported to have perished due to the cold, and in Argentina, nine homeless people died in the capital Buenos Aires. It has snowed in the main wine growing region, Mendoza, and on the coast, in Mar del Plata – the Argentines’ main summer holiday playground. Deaths have also been reported in neighbouring Uruguay and in Paraguay.
Consumers in Argentina have been complaining of low gas pressure for domestic gas, and a dearth of gas supplies. Distributors deny low pressure to domestic consumers, but up to 400 industrial plants throughout the country have had their supplies cut, as have service stations that supply liquified natural gas to the country’s car drivers.
Dutch fan ecstatic - Photo 2010 FWCLOC
Dutch fan ecstatic - Photo 2010 FWCLOC
International sports, World Cup football
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch.com) - Uruguay is out, after The Netherlands won 3-2 Tuesday night 6 July. This is the third time Holland will fight for the World Cup title.
Now all eyes are focused on the next semi-final match, Germany against Spain tonight at 20:30.
Here’s the squad list and background; Fifa wants to know who you think will win.
Follow GenevaLunch’s daily recap of the 2010 World Cup.
Links to other sites: Fifa World Cup, Guardian on the Dutch in the finals
International sports, World Cup football roundup
Swiss coach to stay on until 2012
Honduras' Mauricio Sabillon fights for the goal against Swiss Xherden Shaqiri - Photo 2010 FWCLOC
South Africa (GenevaLunch.com) – Switzerland’s inability to qualify for the Group of 16 didn’t seem to take all of their fans by surprise, but it was nevertheless a sad day for Swiss football fans. The French-speaking press noted that the Swiss squad went from knowing victory to defeat in just three games.
Swiss coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said his team had tried hard and their loss was also his. For his part, Tranquilo Barnetta said the Swiss squad “lacked quality,” while Hakan Yakin seconded Barnetta’s opinion, “We’ve come up short due to our own limitations,” he said.
Hitzfeld, who is often described by the sports press as a “tactical genius” confirmed on 26 June that he will continue to head the Swiss squad until his contract ends in 2012.
With Switzerland out of the top two spots Spain and Chile qualified to the following round.
Uruguay to quarter-finals for the first time in 40 years
Luis Suarez celebrates his victory goals - Photo 2010 FWCLOC
Uruguay beat South Korea after an incredible match in which the South Americans took advantage of the few defense mistakes the South Koreans made.
The Korean coach said his team played well but meeting squads from other parts of the world is something they need to do more, to help their game.
In addition to the Koreans’ mistakes, Huh Jung-Moo believed luck just wasn’t on their side, an opinion shared by Uruguayan coach Oscar Tabarez. “Korea played a great game, but that slice of luck went our way not theirs this time—that’s football,” he said.
This is the first time since 1970, when Uruguay took the World Cup home, that the team has been able to qualify to quarter-finals.
Uruguay will meet Ghana who beat the USA 2-1 in extra time.
Soccer is a cruel game sometimes
Ghana fans celebrates - Photo 2010 FWCLOC
US football star, Landon Donovan expressed better than anyone what the US squad was feeling after being eliminated by Ghana: “We were a little naive tonight and at this level you can’t do that which is frustrating considering all the work we have done. I’m proud of what I have done and proud of what the team has done. Soccer is a cruel game sometimes. One minute you are on top of the world and the next minute you are bottom of the mountain,” he said.
USA coach, Bob Bradley said his team had gone down once too many times. “There was some chances for us but early in the overtime we went down again, and at that point, with everything we had put in physically we just didn’t have enough after that. At the moment it is just a stinging tough defeat.”
After beating the US Asamoah Gyan who helped Ghana to qualify to quarter-finals said he’s the “happiest man in the world.” Gyan said Ghana’s brings pride not only to his country but to “the whole of Africa.”
Follow GenevaLunch’s daily recap of the 2010 World Cup.
International sports, World Cup football
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch.com) – Mexico walked away with a well-deserved win over France Thursday evening 17 June, with two goals to zero for the French.
Mexican substitutes Javier Hernandez and Cuauhtemoc Blanco were the heroes of the day, putting Mexico and Uruguay well ahead of France and South Africa in the standings, with the two Latin American countries itching to play each other.
Other results: Greece 2 Nigeria 1, and Argentina 4 South Korea 1.
Photo: 2010 FWCLOC
Follow GenevaLunch’s daily recap of the 2010 World Cup.
Zurich, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The international football federation, Fifa, has handed Argintina’s football coach and former superstar Diego Maradona a CHF25,000 fine and a two month ban on participating in any football-related activities. Maradona’s outburst at the qualifying match between Uruguay and Argentina 14 October 2009 in Montevideo. Maradona, who was interviewed for 40 minutes by Fifa’s disciplinary committee, apologized to Fifa and the football world. The ban runs from 15 November-15 January 2010.
