A drug overdose epidemic has exploded in the United States. Nearly 100 thousand people overdosed and died in 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's an average of 256 Americans dying each day.

During a large portion of 2021 Peru had the highest COVID-19 death rate per capita in the world. New variants of the deadly virus have emerged as the country races to vaccinate its population.

The Ancient Mayans were one of the most advanced civilizations of their time, with their greatest period, a thousand years ago. Their descendants still inhabit the Yucatan Peninsula in southeast Mexico and they defend their roots and culture.

When it comes to unemployment in the U.S., the numbers for black Americans far exceed the numbers for whites. As of November 2021, over 7 million African Americans were unemployed, that’s twice as many as white Americans.

In this digital era, there’s a growing trend of economies going cashless. But in places like Mexico, cash is still king. Especially for residents who receive money from relatives abroad. 2021 was a record year for remittances with tens of billions wired from workers in the U.S.

While Mexico is not a country traditionally associated with winter sports, it will be sending one of its largest teams ever to Beijing 2022. Among the athletes is Donovan Carrillo. He’s Mexico’s first Olympic figure skater in many years.

After Cuba, Brazil is the Latin American country with the most Olympic medals. But those are Olympic medals from the Summer Games. When it comes to the Winter Games, Latin America hasn’t won any. A veteran bobsledder in Brazil hasn’t given up trying to win one, and his teammates say they’re ready...

Shaun White has been considered by many the greatest snowboarder of all time. He has three Olympic gold medals to prove it. But the road to Beijing 2022 was not easy for him.

“Luge” is the French word for “sled.” And it’s a very popular sport in the Winter Olympics. It’s all about riding a flat sled down the mountain while remaining supine, lying face up and feet first. The lugers can go as fast as 130 kilometers per hour.

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.   

The winter Olympic games of 2022 will be memorable for the U.S. Speed skating team. These athletes arrived in Beijing with high medal hopes for both long and short track events. And for one U.S. skater in particular, a return to China has extra significance.

Declarations of love can be romantic, over the top and sometimes cheesy. Some people are capable of taking it to the limit. And when it comes to the love of a sport, some fans go the distance as well. John Zarrella met with one fan who has followed his passion for the Olympics around the world fo...

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 sports made him fall in love al...

The Peruvian Andes is home to one of the most diverse food systems in the world. In many places, ancient farming techniques are still used. And a large variety of native vegetables are still grown, like potatoes.

Laron Syndrome is such a  rare disorder that only a handful of people have been diagnosed with it worldwide. The largest single group that is "affected" by it, live in a town in the south of Ecuador.

Gerry Hadden has the story. 

El Salvador adopted the U.S. dollar as its own currency. The government said it would be a good fit for its economy, fueled mainly by remittances, which have costly commissions. Now the Central American nation is embarking on another bold change. Bitcoin. Harris Whitbeck explains.  

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 reports.    
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This record label in Buenos Aires is exploring the sounds of the ‘Barrio’ and connecting its emerging artists to a wider public and, also, brands. Joel Richards talks to the people behind this experiment and the young men and women the label intends to showcase.
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In the 1950´s Colombia, education in rural areas faced several challenges including an early dropout rate and a scarcity of teachers. Four decades of armed conflict in remote areas was a factor, but there also was the socio-economic reality that children were leaving school to work on their famil...

The Coronavirus pandemic has left no country unscathed. The World Health Organization describes Latin America as one of the regions hit the hardest.
Brazil leads the pack with a record-breaking 5 million cases as of October.
Several other countries in the region also suffered greatly. Peru and E...

Of all the countries in Central America, Belize has reported the lowest number of COVID-19 cases and deaths. That’s mainly due to its small population and geographic location. And that's attracted a large number of foreigners interested in moving to Belize to escape the deadly coronavirus. Harri...

Over 50 indigenous languages are spoken in Mexico City. But when it comes to cultural inclusion, the capital’s pre-Hispanic cultures are often ignored.

Brazil is the only country that has won the football World Cup five times. It has more clubs and professional players than any other country, and some say midfielder Pele is the best player the sport has ever seen. COVID-19 took football away from Brazilians for months. But as Maria Valls reports...

A Jewish immigrant to Bolivia is responsible for saving 10 times as many lives during the Holocaust than Oskar Schindler, who became the inspiration for the Oscar-winning Hollywood blockbuster "Schindler's List."

That's according to Bolivian journalist and writer Veronica Ormachea.

Ormachea say...