SANTIAGO, Chile (AFP) — A strong 6.3-magnitude earthquake jolted central Chile on Tuesday, though there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage to property, the US Geological Survey reported. The quake struck at 7:33 pm (0033 GMT Wednesday) 326 kilometers (203 miles) north-northwest of Santiago, according to USGS. It had a depth of 31.5 kilometers. The quake’s strength and depth however were not powerful enough for a tsunami alert to be issued, the navy’s Water and […]
South America
More than 3,100 pregnant women in Colombia have Zika virus -gov’t
(Reuters) — More than 3,100 pregnant Colombian women are infected with the mosquito-borne Zika virus, President Juan Manuel Santos said on Saturday (February 6), as the disease continues its rapid spread across the Americas. The virus has been linked to the devastating birth defect microcephaly, which prevents fetus’ brains from developing properly. There is no vaccine or treatment. There are so far no recorded cases of Zika-linked microcephaly in Colombia, Santos said. “Today, there […]
Colombia confirms first three Zika deaths
(Reuters) — Colombia’s Ministry of Health on Friday confirmed the first three deaths from the Zika virus at a press conference. “We have studied six suspected cases, and have confirmed three of them to be caused by the Zika virus. These three deaths are the first ones confirmed by us; other cases are still under review,” said Martha Lucia, director of National Health Institute. The three cases include one man and one woman who died […]
Unsanitary conditions in slums provide breeding grounds for mosquitos spreading Zika virus
Unsanitary conditions in Brazil’s slum areas are provided potential breeding grounds for Aedes mosquitoes that can transmit viruses including Zika and dengue. In the city of Recife, capital of the northeastern Brazilian state of Pernambuco, ditches are found with waste water and even other garbage discharged by local residents, with foul smells given out from time to time. Algae and weeds have grown in the water, and rat carcasses as well as other floating garbage […]
Scuffles in Ecuador as pro-Kurdish protesters turn out against Erdogan
Violent scenes in Ecuador’s capital of Quito on Thursday (February 04) as Kurdish supporters turned out to protest Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who is in the South American country on an official visit. The protest started out peacefully outside the country’s National Higher Studies Institute before Erdogan was due to arrive. Security was high with police and soldiers trying to keep back protesters. Scuffles later erupted when some protesters found their way into the […]
Turkey’s Erdogan and Peru’s Humala sign bilateral accords
TURKISH President Tayyip Erdogan and Peruvian President Ollanta Humala signed bilateral accords on Tuesday (February 2) to increase bilateral economic and social cooperation. Accompanied by Peruvian Foreign Minister Ana Maria Sanchez and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, the two presidents held a private meeting at the Salon de Embajadores (Ambassadors’ Hall) in the presidential palace. The foreign ministers signed bilateral agreements for cooperation among the two countries’ Chambers of Commerce and official news agencies. The agreements […]
Ecuadorian and Venezuelan FMs meet opposition as President Martelly’s term nears end with no successor
Representing CELAC (The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States), the Ecuadorian and Venezuelan foreign ministers met with opposition parties on Tuesday (February 02) as the international community seeks to resolve political deadlock in the Caribbean nation after presidential elections were cancelled late last month amidst violence and accusations of fraud. Government supporters took to the streets as Haiti’s opposition rejected a proposal by outgoing President Michel Martelly to form a temporary government to organise […]
Ecuador confirms first pregnant woman with Zika
ECUADORIAN authorities confirmed 22 cases of Zika, including the first reported case of a pregnant woman with the virus in the Andean nation. According to Ecuador’s National Institute of Public Health Investigations (INSPI) the woman is 19-years-old and is in the 27th week of her pregnancy. The institute has said the woman’s condition is stable and they do not believe the baby is at risk of microcephaly because the mother is at the end of her […]
Forest fires in Colombia send smoke plume over Bogota
The Colombian capital city of Bogota was covered in haze on Tuesday (February 2) as strong winds blew smoke and ash from forest fires into the city. Firefighters using helicopters have been battling the flames for nearly two days in the Aguas Claras reserve located south of Bogota. Bogota Mayor Enrique Penaloso said the fire began at a military base. “Unfortunately, despite the great work of the military, the fire department, the civil defence, the […]
Mexico steps up prevention as Zika infection count tops 30
(Reuters) — Mexico’s infection rate of the Zika has topped 30 as the Latin American country steps up preventative measures against an outbreak of the mosquito-borne virus amidst fears it will spread across the region. Zika has been linked to brain damage in thousands of babies in Brazil, leading health authorities in Colombia and El Salvador to advise women against getting pregnant for anywhere up to two years. Last week, Mexico reported 18 cases […]
INC members attend worship service despite snowstorm, conduct clean-up drive afterwards
(Eagle News) — In the first month of year 2016, while snow storm Jonas bombarded the Mid-Atlantic States, all New York and New Jersey could do was wait. So when Wednesday came, some people already began to prepare. But, in spite of all the warnings broadcast on the television, radio and internet, people weren’t prepared for the ferocity of the storm. At around Friday evening, January 22, snow fell and became more frequent, winds became […]
Tourists in Rio exercise caution but show little fear of Zika outbreak
The mosquito-borne Zika virus may be running rampant throughout Brazil, but many tourists in Rio de Janeiro for the world famous Carnival remain undaunted. The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday (January 28) the Zika virus, linked to severe birth defects in thousands of babies in Brazil, is “spreading explosively” and may infect 3 to 4 million people in the Americas, including 1.5 million in Brazil. Still, all seemed calm in a rainy Rio […]
