Latin America

• Saturday, February 6th 2016 - 05:33 UTC

  Africa's decisive 54 votes pledged to Sheikh Salam's bid for FIFA presidency

  

  The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is backing Sheikh Salman in the Bahraini royal’s bid to replace Sepp Blatter as FIFA president. Africa’s 54 members represent a large portion of the total of 209 FIFA voters who are eligible to cast a ballot. Not surprisingly, it’s believed that the candidate who gets the support of Africa will be a big favorite.

• Thursday, February 4th 2016 - 07:59 UTC

  Santos at the White House will ask for help to implement Colombia's peace accord

  

  Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos has said he will ask President Obama to help implement a peace accord that his government expects to sign with the Farc rebel group next month. The two presidents will meet at the White House on Thursday.

• Tuesday, February 2nd 2016 - 12:07 UTC

  Havana Club rum war: Bacardi appeals US decision to let Cuba have the trademark

  

  Bacardi filed suit on Monday against the United States demanding an explanation of its decision to let Cuba sell Havana Club rum in the United States once the U.S. trade embargo against the Castro brothers' island is lifted.

• 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.