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 their b...

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 ...

The largest country in South America, the giant emerging economy of the Americas. Brazil owns different titles but what does it really mean to be Brazilian? We had to find out for ourselves.

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 bl...

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. The Americas Now team attended Toronto’s Collision Tech Conference to...

Rio de Janeiro is home to Latin America's most significant technology conference: The Web Summit. Over 100 experts worldwide and in multiple fields shared their secrets with 21 thousand attendees this year. The big questions are how technology can create more opportunities, improve efficiency and...

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 technolog...

There are currently close to 600-thousand homeless people in the United States. While all ethnic groups in the US experience homelessness. One of them is experiencing very little: Asian Americans.
Then, Living Under El Salvador Draconian Abortion Laws
Dozens of women have been convicted and sent...

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 met with some victim...

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. Harris Whitbeck follo...

t'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 German immigrants. The town e...

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 those who earn very little, ...

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 Guatemala is offering them hope that is not so far fro...

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.

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.

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? ...

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 of ex-pat Bitcoin dev...

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.   

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 effective....

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 his final journey.  

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.     

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. 

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 unique species.    

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