Latin America

Plans for the transcontinental canal to be built across Nicaragua have been placed on hold. Opposition is growing and the main Chinese backer has lost a large percent of his wealth in the downturn of the stock exchange.

The president is being impeached, the economy is in a great recession, jobs are scarce. This holiday season Brazilians have little to be happy about. But as one observer says, it's better to laugh than cry, and all the bad news is causing an explosion online and in the media of satire.

It has been a year since President Obama and Raul Castro set relations on a new course. The U.S. and Cuba now have reopened embassies, but they're still testing each other on key disputes.

From Argentina to Mexico, well over half of all births are to unwed mothers. The change had occurred rapidly in the past generation, and it's taking place at all economic levels.

Venezuela's opposition won a landslide victory in Dec. 6 legislative elections, raising new hopes for the release of dozens of political prisoners — including opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez.

In Brazil, health authorities suspect the mosquito-borne Zika virus is tied to a severe birth defect. They've urged women in certain regions to avoid getting pregnant.