World
South America
Venezuela's Juan Guaido defies travel ban to woo support abroad
After meeting with the Colombian President and US Secretary of State, Guaido plans to travel to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
- by Julie Turkewitz and Anatoly Kurmanaev
Latest
Prisons
Mass escape in tunnel jailbreak at Paraguayan prison
Paraguay's Justice Minister says the operation would have taken days and it was obvious that the escape was a "paid plan".
Middle East tensions
Could Iran and Hezbollah really strike in Latin America?
The task of assessing the current danger took on new urgency as Iran vowed retaliation for the US killing of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani.
- by Kate Linthicum
Gender
Brazil lowers age for gender reassignment surgery
The Brazilian Federal Council of Medicine also dropped the age requirement for hormone therapy
- by Oscar Lopez
Techno-nationalism
Brazil rejects pressure to ban Huawei 5G
Marcos Pontes, minister for technology and Brazil's first and only astronaut, won't veto any company. The final decision would be based purely on merit, he said.
- by Martha Beck and Simone Iglesias
Venezuela crisis
Venezuela's Guaido forces his way into parliament, takes oath in darkness
The opposition leader and his supporters pushed through rows of National Guardsmen blocking Congress, holding a swearing-in ceremony after power was cut.
- by Fabiola Sanchez and Christine Armario
Venezuela crisis
New would-be congress leader doesn't yet know who voted for him
Luis Parra insisted rules were followed when he was elected head of the National Assembly when Maduro security forces blocked many in opposition from voting.
- by Fabiola Sanchez and Joshua Goodman
Venezuela crisis
Chaos in Venezuela as military blocks MPs from parliament
Political rivals of US-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido swore in their own leader while opposition MPs were blocked from the chamber.
- by Fabiola Sanchez and Joshua Goodman
Protest
Chilean economy takes a dive on the back of protests, mining
Protests have rocked Chile, the world's top copper producer, for two months, causing 26 deaths and billions in losses for private businesses and public infrastructure.
- by Dave Sherwood
Religion
Film company that portrayed Jesus as gay targeted in firebomb attack
The Brazilian company has been criticised over the Netflix comedy 'The First Temptation of Christ', in which Jesus brings home a male partner on his 30th birthday.
- by Ernesto Londoño and Letícia Casado
Bushfires
Christmas blaze leaves 200 families homeless
The fire was doused in urban areas but remains active in the woods.
- by Deanna Paul