Americas Now

September 13, 2023

Surviving Inflation: How Venezuelans Cope in a Dollarized Economy

For a country with a troubled relationship with the United States, you might be surprised to learn that Venezuela uses the U.S. dollar for more than 70 percent of all retail transactions. Dollarization helped stabilize Venezuela’s economy. But as Stephen Gibbs tells us from Caracas, […]

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September 13, 2023

A Community in Arizona Struggles to Access Clean Water

In the United States, nearly 165 million people rely on groundwater for drinking. But today, some of those sources are drying up. Alternative options to obtain water can be expensive or unaffordable. Mike Kirsch visited a community in Arizona where an entire neighborhood is living […]

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August 11, 2023

A Look into the Lives of Emerald Miners in Colombia

The emerald is one of the world’s top-selling gemstones. Colombia is, by far, the largest producer of the green gem. The country’s most valuable deposits are located outside the town of Muzo. While the area may be rich in emeralds, poverty remains a problem. Michelle Begue has the story.  […]

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August 11, 2023

Argentineans Getting Used to Living with High Levels of Inflation

Argentina is experiencing triple-digit inflation. The South American country reached one of the world’s highest inflation rates surpassing 100 %. Most of the prices in the country have doubled. Joel Richards reports on the soaring cost of living Argentineans are confronting.        

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July 17, 2023

The Behind the Scenes of the Colorful Guatemala Chicken Buses

  Famous worldwide for its colorful display, Guatemala’s public intercity buses have a unique personality. They are known as chicken buses for the occasional bird that flies out of a passenger’s basket. They started as yellow school buses in the United States. They were later […]

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July 17, 2023

Monitoring Dangerous Volcano Activity in Colombia

Almost four decades ago, the eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz in Colombia killed some 25,000 people. Now, the same volcano has triggered alarms after increasing activity. Authorities fear another deadly event can occur, but some locals refuse to evacuate. Michelle Begue has more.  

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July 17, 2023

Aquaculture as a Way to Feed the World

As the world population keeps growing, we need to produce more food. Some studies estimate that, by the year 2050, the demand for protein will increase at least 50%. One of the solutions is aquaculture. John Zarrella reports.  

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July 17, 2023

Life After Lake in Bolivia Dried Up

When it comes to climate change, experts focus mainly on future events. But higher temperatures already have very noticeable consequences in the Andes Mountains. Harris Whitbeck went to Bolivia to report on how the country’s second-largest lake dried up in a blink of an eye […]

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July 3, 2023

Americas Now: Today in Technology

Over the last few years, the city of Toronto has become a global center when it comes to tech and innovation. It is the third largest technological hub in North America, with 24,000 companies that employ nearly 300,000 workers.

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June 30, 2023

The Controversy of Mexico’s Bullfight Tradition

Mexico’s tradition of bullfighting goes back five centuries. The largest bullfighting venue in the world…is located in Mexico City. Despite its enormous popularity, it is banned in several states for cruelty. Armando Guerra brings us the story of this controversial Hispanic tradition.  

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June 30, 2023

Climate Change Threatens Life on Colombia’s San Andres Island

San Andres and Providencia are two Colombian Islands in the Caribbean Sea. Tourists travel from around the world…to experience this tropical paradise.  But in November 2020, Hurricanes Eta and Iota destroyed or damaged most of their infrastructure.  And it’s been challenging to recover. Michelle Begue […]

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May 31, 2023

The Rise of Women into the Mezcal World

  Mezcal is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from the agave plant. It includes a large family of spirits like world-famous tequila, a type of mezcal. In the south of Mexico, women are making history as they have moved to the forefront of mezcal production […]

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May 31, 2023

Bird Flu Detected in Mammals in Peru

Since 2022 some parts of the world have experienced the worst avian influenza outbreak ever. From Condors in California to seabirds in Gambia, the avian flu is killing birds all over. But it’s also begun to spread to mammals. Dan Collyns tells us how the […]

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May 17, 2023

Canada and Portugal on How to do Better with Technology

Americas Now’s Elaine Reyes moderated a panel about how technology reshapes trade, migration, and relations among countries at the Web Summit Rio. She invited Portugal’s Secretary of State for Internationalization, Bernardo Ivo Cruz, and Canada’s chief Trade Commissioner, Sara Wilshaw, to talk about how quickly […]

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May 17, 2023

How to Become a Unicorn in the Crowded Startup World

Americas Now’s Elaine Reyes met Argentinean entrepreneur Silvina Moschini after one of her sessions at the Web Summit in Rio. She has made a career in technology and the digital economy. One of her fields of expertise is raising capital and attracting startup investors.  Take […]

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May 17, 2023

Taking  Advice from a Digital Marketing Mastermind 

Americas Now’s Elaine Reyes moderated a discussion on the central stage of the Web Summit in Rio, Rio de Janeiro, with Sean Kim, the former head of product at social media sensation TikTok. They talked about the new rules for building a personal brand. She […]

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May 3, 2023

Riding Ecuador’s Political Instability

Latin America has seen a wave of political instability lately, with violent street protests in early 2023. There have also been fierce confrontations between presidents and legislature. What happens to countries when a president is fighting for survival and political friction interferes with his ability […]

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May 3, 2023

A Look Into a Favela of Peace 

We’re in the capital of Brazil, the largest county in Latin America, and we’ve been talking about science and technology. How they can help fight poverty, but our next story is about improving the quality of life with a strong sense of community. Miuda Valls […]

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May 3, 2023

Brazil Targeting the Inequality Gap with Science

Brazil has the largest economy in Latin America, but at the same time, its poverty rate remains high. According to the official statistics agency, in 2021, Brazil had over 62 million people experiencing poverty and almost 20 million enduring extreme poverty. Can science, innovation, and […]

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April 12, 2023

Plastic Waste

In 2017, a dispute erupted between Honduras and Guatemala over tons of plastic trash that was washing up on beaches of the Atlantic Ocean. Both countries share the Motagua River. But Honduras accused Guatemala of not doing enough to control its huge waste management problem. […]

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April 12, 2023

Sharks Attacks

The United States is by far the country with the most shark attacks recorded in modern history. And Florida is where most of these attacks, bites and fatalities occur. Correspondent John Zarrella talked with some scientists about the recent uptick in shark encounters. He also […]

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April 12, 2023

Mexico’s Wealth Gap

In a time of rising inflation and higher costs of living, wealth inequality is a growing concern. And Latin America is one of the most unequal regions in the world. Correspondent Alasdair Baverstock brings us the case of Mexico, where the extremely rich live alongside […]

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April 11, 2023

Colonia Tovar

It’s a village that has houses built in the German architectural style, locals speaking German on the streets and a brewer producing Bavarian beer. But it’s not located in Europe. It’s two hours outside Caracas, in Venezuela. Colonia Tovar was founded in the 1840´s by […]

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March 31, 2023

U.S. Summit for Democracy

  The controversial second Summit for Democracy, hosted by the United States has wrapped up with many nations involved not signing on to all the commitments pushed by Washington. Differences between the invited nations and regions on everything from the internet to international justice emerged […]

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March 31, 2023

Deadly fungus spreading across the U.S.

  Health officials in the U.S. are warning the public about a deadly, drug-resistant fungus spreading in care facilities across the country. According to a new study, screened cases of Candida auris tripled from 2020 to 2021, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention […]

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March 26, 2023

Migrants Rerouted

Every year tens of thousands of migrants attempt the dangerous journey from their homes in El Salvador and Honduras to the United States. Some make it the US border, only to be turned back. Others don’t even make it that far. But a program in […]

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March 26, 2023

Amazon Tower Lab

Brazil is by far the most biologically-diverse country in the world. It’s home to over 130,000 living species of flora and fauna. Correspondent Maria Valls reports on how scientists study and protect one of Nature’s greatest sanctuaries: the Amazon rainforest.

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March 26, 2023

Food Waste In the U.S.

According to the US Environment Protection Agency, almost one third of the food that is produced, shipped or sold is wasted. And most of it is uneaten. Mike Kirsch tells us about the efforts underway in California to prevent food from being thrown away.

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March 20, 2023

US Train System, Moving Bombs?

The derailment of a train carrying hazardous chemicals in February has caused what many call an environmental disaster. The accident occurred in the US state of Ohio, raising many questions regarding safety. How often do trains transport these toxic materials? And are they adequately supervised? […]

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March 15, 2023

Water is Precious and Scarce in Chile

Santiago, Chile, is Latin America’s fourth most populated capital city. It’s home to over six million people. But a prolonged drought has the metropolis on the verge of unprecedented water rationing. Joel Richards has the story.     

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March 15, 2023

Meet the Best Front-Line Workers in Fire Prevention: Goats

Every year in the US, thousands of hectares, entire neighborhoods, and even small towns are lost to wildfires. Preventing these blazes has become a significant challenge for firefighters and authorities. Mike Kirsch introduces us to a unique idea to combat fires that are proving highly […]

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February 17, 2023

Climate Change is Changing the Face of Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone is the oldest national park in the Americas and the largest in the US. For decades, scientists have studied its geysers, many species, and volcanic activity. But now they’re closely monitoring something else that’s having an impact—climate change. John Zarrella has the story.     

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February 17, 2023

Brazilian Gang Pushing Paraguay on the Verge of a Narco-State Status

Drug cartels continue to expand their reach across Latin America. The latest example is Paraguay. Once a relatively quiet country, it has become an international transit hub for drug dealing as foreign crime organizations have settled in and caused chaos. Correspondent Maria Valls reports.    

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January 24, 2023

The Sky is Not the Limit for These Spaniard Scientists

One of them commands a spaceship taking tourists to space, and the other is a scientist tracking ice bodies on the solar system’s edge. What does it take to make a career in Astrophysics? John Zarrella met with two Spaniards who made the stars their […]

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January 24, 2023

A Dangerous Drive for a Better Life

It was a tragic end for 53 migrants who died inside a poorly ventilated truck outside San Antonio, Texas. While two men have been indicted for those deaths, the wounds in their communities are still open. Harris Withbeck reports from Central Guatemala, where many victims […]

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January 23, 2023

When Reopening Borders Isn’t Enough

Venezuela and Colombia have had contentious relations for over a decade.  But now, with a new Colombian government in place, diplomatic and economic relations are starting again. Where there was uncertainty, now there is hope. Michelle Begue reports.     

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January 13, 2023

A Brazilian Take on Solutions to Traffic and Climate Change

They’re sophisticated, electric-assisted tricycle taxis. They’re manufactured in Shanghai and assembled in Brazil. Many believe they’re precisely what Rio de Janeiro hopes will help its commitment to eliminate fossil fuels by 2050. Lucrecia Franco has more on the trikes that are providing employment and bringing […]

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