Page 12 - atoday mrch 16

A12

WORLD NEWSWednesday 16 March 2016

Academics in Puerto Rico debate future of Spanish language

Associated Press territory to discuss in part ers of a language that is alized language of immi- the island’s dominating
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) the challenges the Span- spread across four conti- grants and has integrated language. “We’re a place
— The king and queen of ish language faces during nents.” itself as a social language that with 117 years of po-
Spain flew to the former a weeklong conference The use of Spanish has and one of culture in Amer- litical ties with the United
colony of Puerto Rico to organized by the Royal grown by 800 percent in ican society,” he said. It is States keeps talking, keeps
help launch on Tuesday Spanish Academy. The or- the past decade, and the first time the academy writing, keeps praying,
what is considered the ganization meets every King Felipe VI noted that it holds its conference in a keeps dreaming and lov-
world’s most important three years and regulates a is the most studied foreign place where English is so ing in Spanish,” he said to
event involving the Spanish language spoken by more language. He also said the widely spoken, although robust applause. Academ-
language. than 500 million people. United States is expected Gov. Alejandro Garcia Pa- ics also applauded the
The royal couple joined “This congress is for all of to become a Spanish- dilla — who joked about creation of a new online
more than 200 writers, us,” said Dario Villanueva, speaking country by the his rural Puerto Rican ac- system that will certify the
academics and experts the academy’s director. year 2050. “Spanish has cent in which R’s are gut- degree to which someone
who traveled to the U.S. “We are all together own- stopped being a margin- teral — said Spanish is still dominates Spanish.

Argentina contemplates debt deal with US creditors

Argentine opposition legislator Axel Kicillof sits in Congress during the debate about the deal to long fight that has kept the economy minister in the
resolve the long legal fight over debt default, between Argentina’s government and a group of South American nation on previous administration
creditors in the U.S., in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tuesday, March 15, 2016. Reached late last month, the margins of international and is now a congressman,
the tentative agreement must be approved by Argentina’s Congress. credit markets. didn’t see it that way. He
The agreement reached said the new government
(AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) late last month must be ap- negotiated a bad deal
proved by both houses of and did it “in hasty condi-
A. CALATRAVA (AP) — Argentine legisla- ment’s proposed deal with Argentina’s Congress. tions.” President Mauricio
Associated Press tors on Tuesday began a group of U.S. creditors As members of the lower Macri assumed power in
house debated the deal, December after cam-
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina considering the govern- that is intended to end the protesters gathered out- paigning on promises to
side Congress to voice dis- modernize Latin America’s
approval. It was unclear third-largest economy in
whether the chamber part by solving the dispute.
would vote on the legisla- Former President Cristina
tion Tuesday. If it passed, it Fernandez refused to ne-
would then go to the Sen- gotiate, calling the credi-
ate for consideration. tor groups “vultures” while
“It’s not about assigning arguing it was an issue of
blame for the debt but national sovereignty.
rather finding solutions right Under the deal, Argentina
now,” Luciano Laspina, a would pay $4.653 billion to
lower house deputy and resolve all related claims,
president of the budget including those from billion-
commission, said as the de- aire Paul Singer’s group in
bate got started. New York and other credi-
Axel Kicillof, who served as tors around the world.

Venezuela recovers remains of 17 missing miners

FABIOLA SANCHEZ gold claim where the min- The circumstances behind were involved, a claim the Brazil in protest, President
Associated Press ers disappeared a week the massacre remain un- government denies. Nicolas Maduro’s govern-
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) ago, clear. Ortega said she be- The crime last week ment dispatched hundreds
— The number of bodies re- Attorney General Luisa lieves 21 people were killed shocked Venezuelans ac- of soldiers and Cabinet of-
covered from a mass grave Ortega said late Monday by a criminal gang led by customed to morbid tales ficials to search for the miss-
in southeastern Venezuela on Twitter that investiga- an Ecuadorean. But op- of violence in a country with ing miners.
near where a group of min- tors concluded their work in position lawmakers investi- one of the world’s highest One person linked to the
ers went missing has risen to the jungle where the bod- gating the massacre and homicide rates. Fearing un- gang’s ringleader has al-
17. ies were found wrapped relatives who have said rest after the state’s gover- ready been taken into
Police investigating the in black plastic bags and they witnessed the attack nor denied the killings took custody and several more
massacre made the grisly dumped in a 5-meter deep put the number higher place and outraged rela- arrests are expected soon,
discovery near a wildcat hole in the ground. and contend local officials tives blocked a highway to Ortega said.