Americas Now

January 18, 2024

Argentina’s Lithium Potential for Clean Energy

Lithium is critical in developing advanced batteries crucial for the movement of clean energy. As a result, the price of this metal rises every year, and Argentina is a significant source of it. The question is, can Argentina capitalize on this opportunity to maximize its […]

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January 11, 2024

Alberto Santos Dumont: The Brazilian Aviation Pioneer

Maria Valls shares with us the fascinating story of Alberto Santos Dumont, a Brazilian inventor and aviation pioneer who is often referred to as the “father of aviation”. He lived between Brazil and France and his legacy has been an inspiration for Brazilians for decades. 

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January 11, 2024

Communities in Colombia Combat Illegal Mining with Environment-Friendly Industry

Illegal mining, mainly through small-scale operations, poses a severe environmental threat. In Colombia, unregulated gold and other minerals extraction are causing significant harm to certain rainforest areas. However, some communities are taking action by transitioning to another profitable and eco-friendly industry. Michelle Begue has covered […]

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January 11, 2024

International Cartels Bring Violence and Crime to Ecuador

Ecuador is a small country situated in South America, sharing its borders with Colombia and Peru – two of the world’s largest cocaine producers. Despite having no prior history of drug production, Ecuador has recently become a target for international cartels, which has led to […]

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November 15, 2023

The Threat to Xochimilco Gardens: Overuse and Climate Change

The Xochimilco Gardens in Mexico City have been a popular destination for centuries. Initially, the Aztecs utilized these gardens to provide water and produce for the city’s residents, and today they continue to play a crucial role in the ecosystem. However, according to Harris Whitbeck, […]

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November 15, 2023

Oregon Decriminalizes Recreational Drug Use

An Alternative Approach to the War on Drugs? In 2020, the US state of Oregon decriminalized recreational drug use. As a result, individuals are now allowed to carry small amounts of drugs like heroin, meth, cocaine, and fentanyl without fear of arrest. This policy was […]

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September 13, 2023

Was an authentic drawing by Frida Kahlo burnt?

Is burning priceless artwork a good idea if it can make you money? Harris Whitbeck reports on a controversy in Mexico’s art world.  It involves a businessman interested in cryptocurrency and a drawing by legendary artist Frida Kahlo. 

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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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