During the last U.S. presidential campaign, the elimination or reduction of private “for-profit” prisons was promised, but little has been done since. Now, private corporations also own several immigrant detention centers.
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According to the United Nations Environment Program, more than 20 million tons of plastic waste seep into the world’s aquatic ecosystems yearly. Most plastic waste comes from land-based sources and enters oceans through rivers. Central America is one of the most affected regions regarding plastic […]
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Dozens of children in western Venezuela begin their daily journey to school before 5 a.m. But this is no ordinary school – it is located across the border in Colombia. Join Michelle Begue as she takes us along with the children on their adventurous daily […]
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In developing nations, housing scarcity is a problem. Yet in Mexico, millions of new homes remain entirely abandoned. Alasdair Baverstock explains how these neighborhoods, intended to flourish with residents, have become ghost towns.
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Jackson Hole, located in the American state of Wyoming, boasts luxurious ski resorts and breathtaking scenery. It is also home to some of the wealthiest citizens in the country. However, the area has faced a significant issue of skyrocketing rents over the last decade, […]
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El Salvador was once considered one of the most dangerous countries in the world. However, after the election of a new president, the crime rate considerably dropped. This improved the quality of life and brought back tourists to the country. It even attracted tech entrepreneurs. […]
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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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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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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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In the mountains of rural Central America, the rainy season has become shorter and more unpredictable. Farmers cannot produce like they used to a decade ago. The situation is causing poverty and migration. Alasdair Baverstock reports.
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Earlier this year, Ecuadorean President Guillermo Lasso declared illegal mining a threat to national security, linking it to organized crime. But with gold prices at an all-time high, that has done little to stop the miners. Dan Collyns visited an indigenous village where residents formed […]
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The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 is underway in New Zealand and Australia. Thirty-two nations are competing. Nine represents the Americas. Dan Williams followed the current competition champions as they trained before the tournament.
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Guatemala is one of the world’s top sugarcane producers and its derivatives. One of those derivatives from the sugar production process is clean energy. Harris Whitbeck examines the pros and cons of a very important industry in the region.
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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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Taking down or removing controversial monuments has been a hot topic in the United States. For some, it is a necessary course correction of what needs to be remembered. Others view it as changing the past. Alasdair Baverstock has more.
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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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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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Since 1989, over 3,000 people have been exonerated from prison sentences in the United States after evidence proved they were innocent. But how hard is it for wrongfully convicted people to rebuild their lives? Dan Williams reports.
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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One of the most beautiful lakes in the world is Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. But in recent years, it has faced severe environmental threats. It comes from pesticides, inadequate sewage systems in the surrounding communities, and an influx of trash and cooking oil. But a group […]
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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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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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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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Euthanasia is intentionally ending a life to avoid pain and suffering. Colombia is the only country in Latin America – one of a few worldwide – to allow it in terminal cases. Michelle Begue got close to a young patient who chose the path to […]
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Two images that don’t go together. Mountains of discarded clothing from retailers piled in the middle of the driest desert on Earth. Harris Whitbeck tells us how the Atacama Desert has become a fashion graveyard.
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The Choco rainforest extends from south Panama to northern Ecuador. It’s one of the most biodiverse regions in the world. Colombia gets the most significant portion of it, and Michelle Begue brings us stories of how locals go the extra mile to protect vulnerable and […]
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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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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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