Americas Now

A prisoner is seen across a protective glass wall. She is wearing white overalls, has dark, short hair and her hands are crossed in front of her.
August 3, 2022

A Latina Is Sentenced To Death. Was Race A Factor?

In 2008, a Latino mother of fourteen was sentenced to Death Row in Texas for the murder of her two-year-old daughter. She says her toddler fell down the stairs and died. The state says she beat her to death.

Her execution was scheduled for April 27, […]

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A classroom full of students. A teacher in front of them.
August 3, 2022

Peru Returning to School

Children are back to school in Peru after two years out of classrooms due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The country was one of the hardest-hit in the world by the coronavirus and children were no exception. Thousands lost parents or grandparents and – despite innovative […]

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Two bathers in Rio De La Plata.
August 3, 2022

Argentina’s Summer of Discontent

The heat in Argentina was so extreme last summer that the country came close to being the hottest place on earth. The searing heat, combined with an acute drought, greatly affected the crops and cattle on the countryside. Buenos Aires saw daily energy shortages.

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July 27, 2022

More guns, fewer guns, Texas’ dilemma

The state of Texas has a long tradition of gun ownership.  It has the most significant number of registered firearms in the country. This gun culture has remained intact despite some shocking mass shootings – like the one in May at a school in Uvalde, […]

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July 27, 2022

How a community is recovering from gun violence’s trauma

It was a massacre that targeted Latinos. One day in El Paso, Texas — 23 people were killed and more than a dozen injured. What triggered such a high level of violence? Dan Williams met with some survivors who reflected on hate, racism, and reconciliation.     […]

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July 27, 2022

How teachers in the U.S. cope with mass shootings

Since the Columbine High School massacre in Colorado in 1999, more than 300 school shootings have occurred. So what is the role of a modern-day teacher in the US? And how are they dealing with the threat of a potential shooting happening anywhere and anytime? […]

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June 16, 2022

Celebrating Juneteenth, the Emancipation of African Americans

  It’s a day many activists have worked to raise awareness about for decades. Last year, the U.S. made history when U.S. President Joe Biden officially designated Juneteenth a federal holiday. The holiday is celebrated on June 19th and celebrates the emancipation of African-Americans from […]

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June 8, 2022

Gun violence victims plead for stricter gun control in testimony

Emotional testimony from family members of victims and survivors of gun violence was delivered to a congressional committee in the US capital ​Wednesday, in the wake of the latestU.S. mass shootings. Families of victims pleaded with members of ​the House panel for stricter gun control, as Senate talks […]

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May 13, 2022

What does it Take to be a Migrant Farmhand? 

It’s been a crusade for decades, but farmworkers in the US still struggle to get adequate healthcare or better salaries. Mike Kirsch met with legendary labor activist Dolores Huerta.  They spoke about the progress that’s been made in protecting almost 3 million farmers. And what still […]

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May 13, 2022

What Does it Take for a Cocoa Country to Become a Chocolate One?

The most refined and expensive chocolates are produced in Europe. But to concoct the perfect truffle, chocolatiers need cocoa. And cocoa comes from Latin America and Africa. Gerry Hadden reports on how cocoa-producing countries are now trying to compete in chocolate’s global market.  

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May 9, 2022

Mexico’s migrant massacre

An elaborate scheme of bad actors with networks stretching over the territories of multiple countries, including El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua, controls the illegal passage of people to the U.S., preying on their desperate circumstances.

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May 9, 2022

Most dangerous neighborhoods

According to data collected by the CDC, between 2019 and 2020 the murder rate in the country went up by 30%, the largest increase in more than a century. Out of the 10 more dangerous neighborhoods in the country, 7 are in or around Los Angeles.

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May 9, 2022

Panama’s water problem

One hundred years after the completion of the Panama Canal, Panamanian authorities are facing new challenges posed by human-made climate change and the deforestation in the surrounding areas.

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May 2, 2022


Stuck in Tijuana: The Migrants Last Refuge

The San Isidro port of entry lies between Tijuana and San Diego. It’s one of the busiest land-border crossings in the world. But on the Mexican side, large flows of migrants cannot cross. And that’s led to a fast-growing homeless population. Franc Contreras reports on […]

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May 2, 2022

The Supply Chain Crisis is Still Ongoing

A shortage of truck drivers has led to a blockage at ports in the United States. Containers can “sit” on the docks when goods arrive for weeks. The lack of truck drivers has heavily contributed to a supply chain crisis across the U.S. John Zarrella […]

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April 11, 2022

Peru’s Marine Ecosystem is Under Threat

Peru has one of the most productive marine ecosystems in the world. But in Chimbote, the city at the heart of the fishing industry, people say the industry pollutes the air and water, is making their children sick. Dan Collyns reports.

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March 27, 2022

Repsol Oil Spill is Devastating Peru’s Delicate Ecosystems

In mid-January, 2022, an oil spill covered Peru’s coast just north of the capital Lima. Peru has called it “The worst environmental disaster in recent history.” It happened when an oil tanker was discharging oil into the La Pampilla refinery controlled by the Spanish energy […]

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March 27, 2022

Preserving the Mayan-Era Melipona Bee

Bees have been around for literally thousands of years, producing sweet honey but, more importantly, helping keep our planet sustainable.  In Guatemala, one particular species of the honey bee harks back to the time of the ancient Mayan civilization, more than three thousand years ago.  […]

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March 27, 2022

Brazil’s efforts to Rethink Energy Models Have Sugar in Mind

Brazil is the world’s fifth-largest nation, and one of the world’s leaders in renewable energy. Nearly 12% of the planet’s freshwater flows in Brazil, so hydropower generates 61% of the country’s electricity.  So, when climate phenomena like La Nina -a warming of the Pacific Ocean- are associated […]

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March 27, 2022

An Ecuadorean Town Is Sinking Because of Illegal Mining

A town in Ecuador, aspiring to become a United Nations World Heritage Site, is slowly being destroyed by illegal gold mining.  Zaruma, in the country’s south, is collapsing. Huge sinkholes, created by mine shafts below, have swallowed the local school and brought down homes.  No […]

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March 21, 2022

The ancestral crops of Peru

The Peruvian Andes is home to one of the most diverse food systems in the world. Dan Collyns tells us about the importance of Peru´s agro-bio-diversity.  

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March 6, 2022

Mechatronic Reforestation could be a Weapon to Fight Climate Change 

Brazilian entrepreneur, Marcelo Guimaraes, has invented what he claims is the fastest tree-planting machine on earth. Fast enough, he says, to realistically address climate change.  His third-generation version of the planting machine, called Forest Bot, can plant multiple species of trees at a speed of up […]

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March 6, 2022

Migrants are dying along the route to their American Dream

As the migration crisis continues along the U.S. southern border, the dangers facing those seeking to enter the United States aren’t only in Mexico. Some of the most perilous parts of the journey are on the U.S. side of the border. The crackdown by migration […]

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March 6, 2022

Jack Wallace: When Tragedy Hit, Hockey Came to the Rescue

It was July 2008 when 10-year-old Jack Wallace had a waterskiing accident in which he lost his leg. He descended into a deep depression and, at his young age, couldn’t envision himself living without a limb. But the discovery of a program specializing in disability […]

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March 6, 2022

When Being Poor Co-exists with Dangers

In the Caribbean and Latin America, 1 out of every 5 people are living in slums. These slums are also often referred to as “informal settlements” within cities. For a poverty-stricken population, the low cost of living in these neighborhoods and the chance to make […]

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January 31, 2022

Former Guerilla Fighters Bring Tourism to the Jungle 

The rainforest and mountains in southern Colombia are home to stunning scenery and unique species. But for decades tourists weren’t able to go there because of the armed conflict. Now former FARC guerrillas have become tour guides and are teaching others about the land that […]

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January 31, 2022

Mexico’s COVID-19 Collateral Damage: Orphanhood

Mexico’s COVID death toll was one of the world’s highest. And according to official data, roughly 1.5 million children lost at least one parent since March of 2020. Alasdair Baverstock reports on Mexico’s pandemic orphans.   

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January 31, 2022

Cruise Industry Recovery Hindered by Omicron

After months of suspended operations, cruises are making a comeback. The multi-billion-dollar industry was pummeled during the pandemic. But bookings for 2022 are already higher than in 2019. John Zarrella tells us how cruise companies and passengers are adapting to new protocols.     

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