El Tiempo, Bogota, Colombia

President’s new term

President Juan Manuel Santos will take the oath for his second term Thursday, promising to redouble his efforts to end the nation’s half-century war with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. He said it would be his main objective even though the rebels continue to carry out attacks.

Editor’s note: Santos, a 62year-old economist, narrowly defeated a conservative challenger to win another four-year term by framing their June runoff as a choice between war and peace. Analysts agree that the negotiations that began in 2012 in Cuba offer the best chance in decades for striking a deal to end the bloody conflict, which has killed more than 200,000 people, the majority of them civilians. The leftist rebel group has been fighting to overthrow the government since 1964. Court bars rebels

The Constitutional Court ruled Wednesday that rebels who have committed atrocious war crimes won’t be allowed to hold office after handing over their weapons. The ruling could complicate current negotiations to end the conflict.