Latin America

The left-wing candidate in Colombia’s presidential run-off, Iván Cepeda, has conceded defeat three days after a record number of Colombians cast their vote. Preliminary results released hours after the polls closed showed Cepeda had been beaten by less than a percentage point by his rival, right-wing businessman Abelardo de la …

Venezuelan crude’s return coincides with growing concerns about supply disruptions in the Middle East and uncertainty around the Strait of Hormuz. “However, the timing of the initial cargoes suggests they were likely secured well before the recent disruptions, highlighting a longer-term sourcing strategy rather than a purely reactive response,” Sumit …

Some of the expanding growth, though, is likely to be double edged – it may be at the expense of environmental damage in other locations. In many countries, including Brazil, new mangrove forests have taken hold along rivers and coastlines with an abundant supply of nutrients in the sediments. But …

The BBC’s Will Grant got access inside the renovated venue ahead of the first game of the tournament. BBC News

Global temperatures are expected to rise in the coming months as El Niño begins. BBC News

Thousands of football fans descended on Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium for the opening match of the 2026 Fifa World Cup. Mexican fans told the BBC they were excited for the tournament to kickoff at home. Mexico began the tournament with a 2-0 victory over South Africa. BBC News

There were wild celebrations in host nation Mexico, as their team kicked off their World Cup campaign with a 2-0 win over South Africa. BBC News

Officers from the Peruvian National Police’s Green Squad disguised themselves as 2026 World Cup mascots during a dramatic drug raid in Peru. Two of the police officers dressed up as Maple the Moose and Clutch the Bald Eagle, before entering the home of a suspected drug dealer in a Lima …

The World Cup officially kicked off this week – but alongside the football, there are questions around heat, cost, the environmental impact and travel restrictions. The BBC Analysis Editor Ros Atkins takes a look at the challenges facing this year’s tournament. BBC News

Bolivia says it has signed a new co-operation deal with the US to combat drug trafficking. The foreign ministry said that under the agreement, the US would provide up to $20m (£15m) to train and equip Bolivian forces as part of a joint fight against drug smuggling. The deal is …

An Ecuadorean man, who police accuse of leading a faction of one of the country’s most feared criminal gangs, has been shot dead as he was leaving the airport in Ecuador’s largest city, Guayaquil. Security footage shows two young men waiting outside the arrivals terminal holding stuffed toys and flowers …

A family’s pet duck called Merlin has become Mexico’s “ambassador” for the Fifa World Cup. Merlin went viral after videos were shared showing the two-year-old duck waddling through the streets of Mexico City wearing the Mexican team’s jersey and custom socks. The BBC’s Will Grant was amongst the fans who …

African and Caribbean countries have called for a formal apology and reparations from countries that benefited from the transatlantic slave trade. The demands come at the end of a three-day conference in Ghana which looked to advance the push for reparatory justice. It follows a landmark UN resolution in March …

Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz has declared a state of emergency after weeks of protests demanding his resignation. The move would give Paz broader powers to clear road blocks by demonstrators, which have caused serious shortages of basic goods and paralysed large parts of the nation. In a statement, the president …

A huge fire at a luxury beach resort in the Dominican Republic killed one woman and forced nearly 1,700 guests to be evacuated on Friday. The woman was a 46-year-old Italian tourist, the DAEH emergency services said in a statement to local media. It added that three people were taken …

As Ecuador forward Enner Valencia raced through on Curacao’s goal inside the opening three minutes, the outcome seemed inevitable. About 10 yards out and with just the keeper to beat, he looked certain to score. It would give Curacao a mountain to climb – and, as it did in the …

Right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella has narrowly won Colombia’s presidential election, an initial vote count shows, marking a dramatic shift in how the government will tackle the country’s internal armed conflict and violence. De la Espriella, who was endorsed by Donald Trump, has pledged a military crackdown on illegal …

After the game ended with the now famous 2-1 Argentinian victory, my mother and I left the stadium and walked towards our car. At that moment, what stayed with me wasn’t the match but the overwhelming feeling of having been inside the Azteca itself – this vast, iconic place that …

The body of US singer-songwriter Oliver Tree has been returned home to California, with an Instagram post on his account saying “he can finally rest”. Tree and five others died in a helicopter crash over Rio de Janeiro last week, when it collided with another helicopter. The social media post …

When Lionel Messi swept home a trademark left-footed curler in Argentina’s second World Cup match against Austria, he was not just getting his team off to a strong start. The 38-year-old was also making history, becoming the World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer, and demonstrating that he still lays claim to …