All Americas
Ho hum: US and Brazil deepen ties, but pundits want big dealsPundits don't care about detailed US-Brazil cooperation agreements, writes guest blogger Bosworth. They want big announcements on free trade deals and nuclear issues.- In Venezuelan barrios, fences make good neighborsWealthy communities across Latin America put up gates and fences to fend off criminals. In Venezuela, rising crime has led poor neighborhoods to do the same, dividing the country further.
Colombia to reassess policy of extraditing drug traffickers to USMany think extradition to the US is a trafficker's worst nightmare, but many negotiate with US law enforcement for more lenient sentences resulting in dramatically reduced jail time, says a blogger.
Brazil's President Rousseff meets with Obama: 5 topics for talks As the two largest economies in the Western Hemisphere, Brazil and the US have a lot of shared interests, but there are still areas of contention. Here are 5 possible topics on today's presidential agenda:
Cover StoryHome again in Mexico: Illegal immigration hits net zeroTiny Tamaula is the new face of rural Mexico: Villagers are home again as the illegal immigration boom drops to net zero
As tide of illegal immigrants goes home, will US economy suffer?The illegal immigrant boom has fizzled; and as Mexican migrants go home, the question is whether it will drain the labor pool and hurt the US economy.
Brazil neglecting culture in quest for power?One of Brazil's greatest assets is its culture and people, and they'll be there no matter what happens to the economy or in international politics, writes guest blogger Rachel Glickhouse.聽
Report: US should minimize military aid to Central America, strengthen courts, policeA new Council on Foreign Relations report examines criminal violence in Central America.- Heading to Summit of the Americas: Obama, Ch谩vez 鈥� and robotsSome 32 police agencies representing 27 countries are sharing security technology like robots for the Summit of the Americas in Colombia, a good sign for regional integration, writes a blogger.
Why some Rio residents yearn for an iron-fisted druglordAfter the police occupation of a large Rio de Janeiro favela last year, there is a new spike in crime, the result of poor police coordination, says guest blogger Julia Michaels.
For FARC hostages, a combined hundred years of solitudeThe FARC released 10 hostages yesterday, each held for over a decade. The release was a step in the right direction, says Colombia's president, but a peace deal is not imminent.
FARC hostage release: Peace agreement ahead in Colombia?10 police and military hostages of the FARC were released yesterday, some seeing their family for the first time in 14 years. Though a positive sign, this may not mean immediate peace in Colombia.
'Chile's Matthew Shepard': country rallies around gay rights after murderThe brutal murder of 24-year-old Daniel Zamudio has sent support for gay rights soaring in Chile, which has lagged behind many of its neighbors in addressing discrimination.
Falklands War: Why the battle continues 30 years laterSome 30 years after the Falklands War, Prince William's deployment and the recent discovery of oil have increased attention on the battle between Argentina and the UK for control of the islands.
FARC hostage release raises hopes for Colombia peace talksThe release of all hostages is a condition for opening talks with the FARC to end decades of internal conflict in Colombia, but analysts say peace talks won't begin any time soon.
Guatemala's president surprises critics by renewing UN commission on impunityThe International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala has proved effective in the struggle to fix Guatemala鈥檚 justice system, but many had feared President Perez would dismiss its work.
Pollution threatens South America's Lake TiticacaGrowing urbanization is threatening Lake Titicaca along the Boliva-Peru border, and endangering those who depend on it for agriculture and drinking water.
The pope in Cuba: a reporter's notebookBeyond the frustrations of reporting in Havana lies the real story: Cuba, for all its romance and beauty, remains an authoritarian state, writes Girish Gupta.- Follow the money: Government influence on private media in ArgentinaThe Argentine government was the largest ad buyer for private media in 2010, and some say their financial influence damages the potential for independent reporting.
- Indicted: US soldiers offer to serve as hired guns for Mexican gangsFour former and current members of the US military offered training, supplies, and assassinations-for-hire to DEA agents posing as Zetas, writes guest blogger Geoffrey Ramsey.