Colombia and FARC sign historic ceasefire accord, peace within sight

HAVANA (Reuters) - Colombia's government and the FARC rebels signed a historic ceasefire deal in Havana on Thursday, bringing them tantalisingly close to ending the last major leftist insurgency in Latin America after more than five decades of war. The accord, which caps three years of talks, paves the way for a final peace deal to end a conflict born in the 1960s out of frustration with deep socio-economic inequalities and that outlived other major uprisings in the Americas. Mediating countries said Colombia and the FARC had agreed to lay down arms within 180 days of a final peace deal. (Reporting by Sarah Marsh and Nelson Acosta)