Yup, a rival to Panama’s canal. And he's breaking ground this year. Here are 7 things you should know. Read more»

As the net flow of immigrants from Mexico nears zero, violent and impoverished Central American countries have emerged as the fastest-rising source of illegal immigrants to the U.S. Fleeing violence as well as poverty, they journey through a gantlet of predators, crossing Mexico's southern frontier in an area that has become a U.S. national security concern. Read more»

The final component of a trade pact between the U.S. and three non-border countries is set to launch on Wednesday, with proponents promising that the agreement with Panama will create thousands of jobs and domestic revenue in an economy that can desperately use both. Read more»

Forget the horny Secret Service agents and their Colombian hookers. It was U.S. diplomacy that really got screwed at this weekend's Summit of the Americas in Cartagena. Read more»

The growing backlash against the U.S.-led drug war, including bold new talk of drug decriminalization from some Latin American countries, will likely be chatter at this weekend's Summit of the Americas. Read more»

Guatemalan President Otto Perez has invigorated the drug legalization debate in Central America, where leaders are under pressure to contain staggering crime rates and battle violent drug cartels. Read more» 2

Former military dictator Manuel Noriega is heading to jail back home in Panama. The onetime ruler had been serving time in a French prison, and before that in the United States for drug trafficking and money laundering. Read more»

A French court has granted a request to return former dictator Manuel Noriega to his native Panama, where he is wanted for crimes committed during six years of military rule between 1983 and 1989. Read more»