Latin America

• Tuesday, February 2nd 2016 - 06:05 UTC

  Zika virus declared an international public health emergency

  

  The World Health Organization has declared the mosquito-borne Zika virus to be an international public health emergency due to its link to thousands of suspected cases of birth defects in Brazil.

• Tuesday, February 2nd 2016 - 05:49 UTC

  FARC will enter politics once peace deal is signed, announces top guerrilla leader

  

  Colombia’s FARC rebel guerrillas will enter politics and seek alliances with other parties after it signs a peace deal with the government, its secretive leader said, despite rebel fears they may be targeted by right-wing armed groups..

• Tuesday, February 2nd 2016 - 05:42 UTC

  Zika cancellations to be waived by cruise lines in the Caribbean

  

  Cruise lines have followed the lead of major airlines and begun waiving cancellation penalties for some customers booked on voyages to the Caribbean and other destinations affected by the fast-spreading Zika virus.

• Saturday, January 30th 2016 - 11:05 UTC

  OAS Special mission to Haiti to help reach an understanding following suspension of elections

  

  The Special Mission of the Organization of American States (OAS) to Haiti is scheduled to arrive in Port-au-Prince on Sunday, headed by the Chair of the OAS Permanent Council Representative of Antigua and Barbuda, Ronald Sanders.

• Friday, January 29th 2016 - 03:45 UTC

  WHO admits as possible four million cases of Zika; emergency meeting Monday

  

  The World Health Organization (WHO) expects the Zika virus, which is spreading through the Americas, to affect between three million and four million people, a disease expert said on Thursday. WHO's director-general said the spread of the mosquito-borne disease had gone from a mild threat to one of alarming proportions.

• Friday, January 29th 2016 - 03:28 UTC

  Maduro claims he will not rest until a Celac summit is held in Malvinas Argentinas

  

  Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro was the only leader to take time during the recent Celac summit, to make a public statement on the Falklands/Malvinas pledging full support for Argentina's sovereignty claim over the Islands and promising not to rest until “the dream of Malvinas Argentinas comes true”.

• Wednesday, January 27th 2016 - 07:59 UTC

  Infantino secures support from CONCACAF for his FIFA presidency bid

  

  Gianni Infantino has won the support of the seven-member Central American Football Union in his bid for the FIFA presidency. Leaders of the UNCAF federations, which are part of CONCACAF, endorsed the UEFA general secretary in a letter on Monday that Infantino posted on his Twitter page.

• Tuesday, January 26th 2016 - 08:23 UTC

  Falklands' opportunities for Caribbean residents, promoted by MLA Hansen

  

  Falkland Islands are well on their way to mining oil and member of the Legislative Assembly Ian Hansen said there are possible opportunities for locals to consider relocating to the Britain territory, according to a report from Antigua's Daily Observer.

• Tuesday, January 26th 2016 - 08:06 UTC

  Pan American Health Organization statement on Zika virus transmission and prevention

  

  Zika is a mosquito-borne virus that is new to the Americas. Since Brazil reported the first cases of local transmission of the virus in May 2015, it has spread to 21 countries and territories* of the Americas (as of 23 January 2016).

• Tuesday, January 26th 2016 - 07:34 UTC

  Venezuela could lose UN voting rights because of US$ 3m in arrears

  

  St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic are among nine countries that have lost their voting rights at the United Nations because of arrears in their annual contributions to the world body.