Latin America

Decriminalization of abortion in rape cases fails to pass Ecuadoran Parliament

A demonstrator speaks to the police after the Ecuadoran Parliament's decision to not decriminalize abortion for victims of rape, cases of incest, stupor or unconsented insemination, in a street in…

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Colombia’s armed forces on alert over Venezuela military exercises

The Colombian military is on alert in response to Venezuelan armed forces exercises along the two nations’ border that Colombia considers an open threat, a senior military commander said on…

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First Saab Gripen E fighter handed over to Brazil

The first Saab Gripen E fighter was handed over to Brazil during a ceremony at Saab in Linkoping, Sweden. Brazil has ordered 28 Gripen E and eight Gripen F fighters…

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Human bones found in Paraguay in house of former dictator Alfredo Stroessner

Forensic experts will carry out tests on bones found in a house believed to have been the summer retreat of former Paraguayan military ruler Gen Alfredo Stroessner. Squatters came across…

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Model charged with fraud in Neymar rape case

The Brazilian police said that Najila Trindade and her former partner are to be charged over her rape allegation against football star Neymar. Trindade, a Brazilian model, faces charges of…

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Photo Story: Forest fires in Colombia

Firefighters work to extinguish a forest fire at Cristo Rey hill in Cali, Colombia, on the night of the 10 September 2019. About 150 firefighters have been deployed to try…

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Photo Story: Fires still burning in the Amazon forest in Brazil

A firefighter, who is part of an Ibama forest brigade formed by indigenous people of the Tenhari ethnic group, participates in firefighting efforts fire in an indigenous reserve located in…

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Photo Story: Aftermath of the Amazon fires

A view of burnt tree trunks as a consequence of a forest fire in the municipality Apui, in the south of the Amazonas, Brazil, 04 September 2018 (issued on 05…

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Brazil makes U-turn on international aid offer for Amazon

Brazil appears to have backtracked on its rejection of G7 funds to fight the Amazon forest fires, saying it will accept as long as it has control over how the…

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Fires continue to burn in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil

A handout satellite image made available by Maxar Technologies shows a fire burning in the upper Amazon River basin near Porto Velho, state of Rondonia, in Brazil. Seven Brazilian states…

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Bolivia also under threat from rapidly spreading fires

While the world's attention has been focused on the destruction to the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, neighbouring Bolivia is struggling with fires raging through the Robore region. The fires have…

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The fires in the Amazon rainforest from space

Thousands of fires are ravaging the Amazon rainforest in Brazil - the most intense blazes for almost a decade. The northern states of Roraima, Acre, Rondônia and Amazonas have been…

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Ireland to try block Mercosur trade deal because of concerns over Amazon fires

As wildfires rage through the Brazilian Amazon, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has said Dublin will vote against a trade deal between the European Union and South American trade bloc…

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Growing international dismay as large parts of the Amazon go up in flames

Fires are raging at a record rate in Brazil's Amazon rainforest and scientists warn it could strike a devastating blow to the fight against climate change. An area of Amazon…

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Secret talks between USA and Venezuela confirmed

The US and Venezuelan leaders have confirmed for the first time that their governments are talking behind the scenes. No mention of the opposition was made. US President Donald Trump…

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UNICEF seeks $70 million to aid 900,000 children in Venezuela

The UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has appealed for help to provide life-saving assistance to 900,000 youngsters in Venezuela. As the country continues to face a dire economic crisis, more than three million children need…

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Hijacker shot dead in bus hijack drama in Brazil

A hijacker armed with what turned out to be a toy gun was shot dead by police in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday after he held a busload of passengers…

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Banana under threat from dangerous fungus

An ominous scenario for the most popular type of banana, Cavendish banana, may be unfolding in Latin America. A strong and incredibly hard to stop fungus has been spotted in…

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Brazil threatens Mercosur exit

Brazil's economy minister has said the country could leave the Mercosur trade bloc if Argentina's opposition wins presidential elections later this year. He also questioned how dependent Brazil's economy was…

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Transfer of Russian oil to Venezuela off Maltese coast

Various transfers of Russian oil products bound for Venezuela, had taken place off Malta’s coast during the first half of last year, media reports and data reveal. Media outlets Bloomberg…

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US condemns Venezuela aircraft’s ‘unsafe approach’

The United States military has accused a Venezuelan fighter aircraft of endangering the crew of a US navy plane in international airspace. The Venezuelan plane made an "unsafe approach" and…

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Architect behind the Petronas Towers in Malaysia, dies aged 92

César Pelli, the Argentine designer behind the iconic Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia, has died aged 92, marking the passing of one of the contemporary architectural greats. Pelli, who grew…

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How Samsung is Bringing Meaning to Children in a Crime-Ridden Brazilian District

On the outskirts of the southeastern Brazilian city of Campinas sits the crime-afflicted township of Itatinga, where many children grow up without access to proper education. Without the foundation of…

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Pope appeals for political dialogue in Venezuela

“Once again”, Pope Francis said on Sunday, “I would like to express my closeness to the beloved people of Venezuela, who have been particularly hard hit by the continuing crisis”.…

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Venezuela opposition to meet Maduro envoys in Norway-mediated talks in Barbados

Venezuela’s opposition will meet with representatives of President Nicolas Maduro’s government in Barbados for talks mediated by Norway, as part of efforts to resolve an ongoing political crisis. Opposition…

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Venezuela foils alleged attempt on President Maduro’s life

An attempt to assassinate Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has failed the country's government said. Maduro has accused the United States of being behind an alleged coup plot. Venezuelan Communications Minister…

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Canadian family man killed in Chile

A Canadian citizen was stabbed to death on Friday evening in the Chilean port of Valparaiso. The murder happened while he was strolling with his family in one of the…

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Argentina not ruling out cyber-attack after ‘unprecedented’ power blackout

Argentina said it is not ruling out a cyber-attack after what President Mauricio Macri called an "unprecedented" power blackout struck five South American countries - Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Chile…

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Massive blackout hits Argentina and Uruguay

A massive failure in the electrical interconnection system left Argentina and Uruguay without power, according to reports on local media. The power failure brought chaos in Argentina, which has been…

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Photo Story: Angelina Jolie in Colombia

A handout photo made available by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) shows Special Envoy Angelina Jolie speaking with children, who fled Venezuela, in Riohacha, Colombia. Jolie is on…

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Photo Story: The aftermath of the 8.0 magnitude earthquake in Peru

One person was killed and at least 11 people have been injured in Peru after an 8.0 magnitude earthquake struck the north of the country on Sunday. There were a…

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Brazil’s Supreme Court votes to make homophobia a crime

A majority of judges in Brazil's supreme court has voted to make homophobia and transphobia crimes like racism. Six of the Supreme Federal Tribunal's 11 judges voted in favour…

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Photo Story: Peru restricts access in the historic Inca city of Machu Picchu

A view of the citadel of Machu Picchu, South-Andean region of Cusco, Peru. Peru has announced that it will be restricting access to three major attractions in the historic Inca…

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Photo Story: Four killed in explosion in Bogota

Photos from the site of an explosion which killed four and wounded eight at La Estrada neighborhood, in Bogota, Colombia. The incident took place at a house where gunpowder for…

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Venezuelan lawmakers seek refuge in embassies

Two Venezuelan lawmakers sought refuge at foreign embassies in Caracas on Thursday, as the government of President Nicolas Maduro cracked down on allies of opposition leader Juan Guaido who supported…

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Photostory: Exhibition for the 25th anniversary of Senna’s death

Fans take pictures of racing suits that belonged to Brazilian Formula One driver Ayrton Senna. The racing suits are part of an exhibition at the Interlagos race track in Sao…

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Guaidó vows crippling strikes in Venezuela… tension rising between Moscow and Washington

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó has called for an escalating series of strikes to force President Nicolás Maduro to relinquish power. Guaidó urged public employees to act on Thursday, saying…

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Wikileaks founder sentenced to 50 weeks in prison

Julian Assange, 47, was sentenced to 50 weeks in prison for breaching his bail conditions The Wikileaks founder was arrested in London last month for skipping bail in 2012…

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Tense atmosphere in Venezuela in the wake of new protests

Juan Guaidó has appealed for his supporters to take to the streets of Venezuela again on Wednesday, after a day of violent clashes on Tuesday. His call followed a…

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Photostory: Brazilian model dies on the catwalk during Sao Paulo Fashion Week

A firefighter is seen helping model Tales Cotta (L) during a presentation from fashion label Ocksa during Sao Paulo Fashion Week, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 27 April 2019. Cotta ,…

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Strong quake hits Chile

A strong earthquake of the intensity of 5.2 in the area Maule, Chile. Initial reports indicate that the earthquake happened at a depth of 88km. So far there…

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Peru’s ex-president Alan Garcia dies after shooting himself (Updated)

Peru's former president Alan Garcia has died after shooting himself in the head as police arrived at his home to arrest him as part of a bribery scandal. Garcia shot…

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U.S. slaps sanctions on four shipping firms, including Italy-based PB Tankers S.P.A., for carrying oil from Venezuela

The United States blacklisted four shipping companies and nine vessels, for transporting oil from Venezuela. The U.S. Treasury identified the firms as Liberia-based Jennifer Navigation Ltd, Lima Shipping Corp and…

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UPDATED: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange arrested in London…US files charges

U.S. prosecutors announced that they had charged Julian Assange, founder of the WikiLeaks website, with conspiracy in trying to access a classified U.S. government computer with former U.S. Army intelligence…

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Assange to be expelled from Ecudaorian embassy

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is to be expelled from Ecuador’s London embassy within hours or days, according to a “high level” source quoted by WikiLeaks. In a tweet, WikiLeaks claims…

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Red Cross set to begin crucial aid distribution in Venezuela

The Red Cross said it would begin impartially distributing aid in Venezuela in two weeks, brushing aside the threat of political interference amid the power struggle in the country. The…

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Chapecoense plane crash survivor dies after football game

Rafael Henzel, one of the only six survivors of the plane crash that killed most of the Brazilian football team Chapecoense in 2016, has died after suffering a heart attack…

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Russian military planes in Venezuela raise suspicions

The media in Venezuela is claiming that two Russian air force planes at Venezuela's main airport landed with a Russian defence official and nearly 100 troops. The two planes left…

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Pope Francis accepts resignation of Chilean cardinal caught up in sex abuse scandal

A Vatican statement on Saturday said Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati, the archbishop of Santiago, Chile, who has been caught up in the country's sex…

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New regional bloc created in South American region

The Presidents of Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Peru signed a declaration to create a regional bloc of nations they say is open to any country, regardless of…

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Former Brazilian President Temer arrested

Michel Temer, the former Brazilian President, has been arrested as part of a wide-ranging corruption investigation. Numerous Brazilian politicians and business executives have been convicted or are being charged as…

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Convoy carrying nuclear fuel attacked in Brazil

A convoy of trucks carrying uranium fuel to a nuclear power plant near the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro was targeted by gunmen. Brazilian security officials said convoy…

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Maduro blames US for massive power outage

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro blamed the United States for a prolonged power outage which affected most of the South American country. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo denied Washington…

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American journalist released from custody in Venezuela

Venezuela’s government released an American journalist and his local colleague after they spent more than 12 hours in custody. A move that drew further international condemnation of President Nicolas…

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Venezuela expels German Ambassador

German Ambassador Daniel Kriener (right in photo above) has been told to leave Venezuela within 48 hours. He has been accused by the Nicolas Maduro government of meddling in Venezuela's…

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Pictorial Slideshow: Carnival in Brazil

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Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival celebrations kick off

Deutsche Welle (DW) reports that Brazil's world-famous Rio de Janeiro's Carnival celebrations officially began on Friday. This year's celebration is of particular interest as it is the first festival since…

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