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TAM: Jet forced to return to JFK
TAM Airlines says one of its jets took off from New York's JFK airport but was forced to return 20 minutes into the flight because of a mechanical problem. (AP, 3:31 p.m.)
Ida spurs tropical-storm warnings in Caribbean
Officials readied storm shelters along Mexico's Caribbean coast Saturday and told fishermen and tour operators to pull in their boats amid warnings that Tropical Storm Ida could become a hurricane as it neared the resort city of Cancun. (Associated Press Writer, 2:32 p.m.)
US tourist dies 'car surfing' in Puerto Rico
Police say a U.S. tourist who was pretending to be surfing on the hood of a friend's moving car was killed when he fell and broke his neck in a popular Puerto Rican beach town. (AP, 12:41 p.m.)
Guyana: US 'mastermind' behind arson attacks
Recent arson attacks and shootings in this violence-wracked South American nation are the work of a mastermind living in the United States, Guyanese President Bharrat Jagdeo alleged. (AP, 11:21 a.m.)
Air France crash memorial in Rio amid criticism
Scores of relatives of the 228 people killed in the June 1 Air France jet crash dedicated a memorial in an upscale beach neighborhood Saturday amid strong criticism that the airline has failed to provide them with the answers or compensation they were promised. (Associated Press Writer, 3:11 p.m.)
Fighting the odds to keep Indian tongues alive
In his first year at San Marcos University, Hermenegildo Espejo barely spoke, and certainly not in class. (Associated Press Writer, 10:41 a.m.)
Guard arrested for torture in Tijuana prison riots
Mexican police caught a prison official who spent a year on the run from charges of killing a 19-year-old inmate, whose beating death sparked riots that left nearly two dozen dead, including two American prisoners. (AP, 8:31 a.m.)
Cuban blogger says she is briefly detained
A Cuban blogger who has gained international attention for her searing commentary about life on the communist island said she was briefly detained Friday and warned by state security agents about her opposition activity. (Associated Press Writer, 6:12 a.m.)
Paraguay president explains military shake-up
Paraguay needed a military shake-up to create opportunities for young officers with a proven commitment to democracy, President Fernando Lugo said Friday in his first explanation for removing his top commanders this week. (AP, 6:12 a.m.)
Vatican official seeks more access to Cuban media
A senior Vatican official said Friday he has asked Cuba's government to allow the Roman Catholic Church more access to mass media, saying Cubans are a religious people and should be given broadcast access to their pastors. (AP, 6:12 a.m.)
Venezuelans struggling with water shortages
While a drought has put Caracas under widespread water rationing for the first time in years, for Venezuelans in this hillside slum it's just more of the same. (Associated Press Writer, 6:12 a.m.)
Tens of thousands of homes flooded in Mexico
A week of torrential rain has flooded the homes of more than 200,000 people along Mexico's Gulf coast, officials said Friday. Residents in some towns complained that no help had arrived. (AP, 6:12 a.m.)
Guard arrested for torture in Tijuana prison riots
Mexican police caught a prison official who spent a year on the run from charges of killing a 19-year-old inmate, whose beating death sparked riots that left nearly two dozen dead, including two American prisoners. (AP, 11/6/09)
Paraguay president explains military shake-up
Paraguay needed a military shake-up to create opportunities for young officers with a proven commitment to democracy, President Fernando Lugo said Friday in his first explanation for removing his top commanders this week. (AP, 11/6/09)
Vatican official seeks more access to Cuban media
A senior Vatican official said Friday he has asked Cuba's government to allow the Roman Catholic Church more access to mass media, saying Cubans are a religious people and should be given broadcast access to their pastors. (AP, 11/6/09)
Tens of thousands of homes flooded in Mexico
A week of torrential rain has flooded the homes of more than 200,000 people along Mexico's Gulf coast, officials said Friday. Residents in some towns complained that no help had arrived. (AP, 11/6/09)
Cuban blogger says she is briefly detained
A Cuban blogger who has gained international attention for her searing commentary about life on the communist island said she was briefly detained Friday and warned by state security agents about her opposition activity. (Associated Press Writer, 12:01 a.m.)
Danish man dies from wound in Guatemala mugging
A Danish tourist died Friday, two days after being shot by robbers who tried to steal his camera while he visited a cemetery. Police said two suspected gang members had been arrested. (AP, 11/6/09)
3 Colombians die in anti-personnel mine blasts
Colombian officials say three adults have been killed and two children wounded in two related anti-personnel mine blasts in the country's northwest. (AP, 11/6/09)
Nominee for Haitian PM clears first hurdle
Haitian senators have taken a key first step toward replacing the prime minister they ousted a week ago. (AP, 11/6/09)
News group: Latin American gov'ts restrict press
Populist leaders around Latin America are increasingly making legal and political moves to silence their media critics, the president of the Inter American Press Association said Friday. (Associated Press Writer, 11/6/09)
Former Panamanian leader Manuel Solis dies at 91
Manuel Solis, who served briefly as president during Manuel Noriega's military regime, died Friday. He was 91. (AP, 11/6/09)
Cuba cuts back on rationed products
Cuba has cut two staple foods from the monthly ration books that most islanders depend on, edging closer to a risky full elimination of the decades-old subsidies. (Associated Press Writer, 11/6/09)
Ida drenches Central America, might approach US
Former Hurricane Ida drenched Central America as a tropical depression Friday and edged back out over the Caribbean, where forecasters said it had some chance of regaining force and heading toward the United States. (AP, 11/6/09)
Honduras leadership in limbo as accord dissolves
They can't both be right. Ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya says a deal that could have returned him to power is defunct. Roberto Micheletti, who took power after a coup, says the same deal has been successfully accomplished. (Associated Press Writers, 11/6/09)
Police commander slain in Mexico's deadliest city
Authorities say gunmen have killed a police commander in Mexico's deadliest city, where a dismembered, decapitated body was found hours before. (AP, 11/6/09)
Mexican mother reunited with allegedly sold baby
A 1-year-old girl is back with her mother a year after the Mexico City doctors who delivered her allegedly sold her to another woman. (AP, 11/5/09)
Mexican environmentalists denounce beach ruling
Environmentalists expressed outrage Thursday after a Mexican judge upheld a requirement that they post a $1.1 million bond to pursue a suit against a project to rebuild Cancun beaches with tons of sand extracted from the Caribbean. (Associated Press Writer, 11/5/09)
Peru rebels attack army outpost, killing 1 soldier
Peru's defense minister says Shining Path rebels attacked a military outpost in the country's coca-producing highlands, killing one soldier and wounding three. (AP, 11/5/09)
Venezuela sends 15,000 troops to Colombia border
President Hugo Chavez's government is sending 15,000 soldiers to the border with Colombia, saying the military buildup is needed to increase security, combat drug trafficking and root out paramilitary groups. (Associated Press Writer, 11/5/09)