Ecuador

The family of Alba Maruri were informed of her death last month and later sent what they were told were her ashes.

But Ms Maruri awoke from a three-week coma in hospital on Thursday and asked doctors to call her sister.

Her family were overjoyed at the news - but are unclear whose ashes they have in their home.

The hospital has apologised for the mix-up. Ms Maruri lives in the city of Guayaquil, the epicentre of Ecuador's Covid-19 outbreak.

Ecuador has been badly affected by the pandemic, with more than 22,000 cases and nearly 600 reported deaths.

The group were found during an army operation in a remote northern region, in which at least 12 rebel fighters were captured.

The ELN has been fighting the government for more than five decades.

Proposed peace talks broke down in October when the rebels failed to release a hostage they were holding.

A fresh attempt to arrange talks is due to take place in neighbouring Ecuador this month.

According to the ministry the operation took place in the municipality of Montecristo in the northern department of Bolivar.

But most surprisingly, it was Ecuador who was behind the act.

WikiLeaks has confirmed that its founder Julian Assange's Internet access was cut down in its London embassy by the government of Ecuador on Saturday.

The move was in response to the organization's publication of another batch of leaked emails related to US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
 

Neymar will make his return to Barcelona following the September international break after he was named in Brazil's squad for the World Cup qualifying matches against Ecuador and Colombia.

The 24-year-old forward captained the home nation to glory at the Rio Olympics, netting a stunning free-kick in Saturday's final before scoring the winning penalty to defeat Germany and prompt delirious celebrations at the Maracana.

There have been desperate scenes as rescuers and family members searched for survivors, often with bare hands.

Teams from Switzerland, Spain and several Latin American countries have arrived to join the search effort.

More than 2,000 people were injured in the quake, Ecuador's most powerful in decades, which hit its Pacific coast.

Earlier, President Rafael Correa warned that the death toll was likely to rise, and said there were still people alive under the rubble of collapsed buildings. He said it was the biggest tragedy to hit Ecuador in the past seven decades.

The declaration gives authorities more flexibility in using government funds to address the situation.

Officials evacuated several hundred people from nearby villages after the volcano began to erupt on Friday.

Cotopaxi is among the world's most dangerous volcanoes and is prone to fast-moving rock and mud flows.

Small eruptions have already shot ash more than 5km (two miles) into the sky, spreading fine gray powder over as far as the capital 50km (30 miles) to the north.

People are hoping for a glimpse of Latin America's first pope returning to his home soil for a Mass dedicated to the family.

Many pilgrims spent the night outdoors, and some walked for miles to reach the park on Guayaquil's northern outskirts where the crowd sang hymns and sought pockets of shade to keep cool amid the scorching sun and high humidity.

"I'm tired. I'm hungry, I haven't slept but I'm also full of emotion and joy in my heart," said Vicente Huilcatoma, a 47-year-old retired police officer who walked 25 miles (40 kilometers) to reach Samanes Park.