Americas Now

August 10, 2021

Antonio Diaz’s First And Last Olympic Games

He’s an icon in the world of karate. He’s won more medals than anyone else in the martial art during a career that’s lasted more than three decades. But there’s one prize that Venezuelan Antonio Díaz has never won: an Olympic medal. And that’s because […]

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August 10, 2021

Guatemalans Learn to Coexist With Active Volcanoes

Guatemala’s Pacaya volcano has been erupting for the last three weeks. Its 3,500 meter-long lava flow is now threatening two rural communities and countless agricultural fields. While the economic impact on agriculture is strong, there are those who are benefitting from an increase in tourists […]

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August 10, 2021

Labor Shortage Threatens Service Industry

During the height of the pandemic with everything in Lockdown/Shutdown, millions of people lost their jobs. Now, as nations are reopening, the restaurant and hospitality industries are struggling to find employees. Restaurants in Florida are closing one and two days a week because they don’t […]

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August 10, 2021

Anger Overflowing Into Colombia’s Streets

As Colombia reached its first month since anti-government protests erupted, correspondent Michelle Begue tried to find out the reason why people are so frustrated. She talked to parents, artists, teachers and young professionals who explained what’s behind the rage. The emotionally-explosive and conflictive situation has […]

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August 9, 2021

COVID-19 and the new traveling trend

COVID-19 vaccinations are starting to increase in most Latin American countries. But for months there was a scarcity of vaccines. Thousands traveled north looking for inoculations. Airports were full and airfares rose to pre-pandemic levels.

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May 17, 2021

Brazil Favelas Create Their Own Banking System

The economic toll of the coronavirus pandemic has hit Brazil’s favelas (slums) hard.  But they’ve emerged from the crisis with a plan for the future: launching their own bank.  The “G10 Bank,” offers micro-loans to small business owners and debit cards to favela dwellers excluded […]

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May 17, 2021

Police Brutality Victims Call For Police Reform 

People across the United States celebrated when former policeman Derek Chauvin was found guilty of three charges for the murder of George Floyd.  Police brutality cases have sparked a national debate about what needs to be done to stop them.  Dan Williams takes a deep […]

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May 17, 2021

Argentinean Youth Commit To The Climate Fight 

A group of young adults in their early 20s and late teens have set in motion a youth movement focused on climate activism. Americas Now went to meet four members of Jovenes por el Clima – Youth for Climate. Since that day, the group has been […]

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May 2, 2021

Florida Scientists Breed Coral To Restore The Damaged Reef

It’s the third largest coral reef in the world but it’s the closest to a high-density population that can potentially cause coral disease. But a group of scientists from Miami University and the Florida Aquarium are embarking on a two-day restoration effort to monitor previously transplanted corals. They will also […]

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May 2, 2021

Panama Could Get Herd Immunity For COVID-19 With Vaccinations

Panama, with a population of 3 million, has acquired 5.5 million doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. It’s become the first in the region to start a mass vaccination campaign that could make them the first country to achieve herd immunity.  The early negotiations with […]

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April 25, 2021

The reasons behind a crime drop in El Salvador

For several years, El Salvador, has been on the list of most dangerous countries in the world mainly due to street gangs like MS-13. But in 2020 the crime rates went down significantly. Harris Whitbeck has the answer. 

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April 6, 2021

Severe crisis is forcing Venezuelans to reinvent themselves

It’s in its seventh year of recession – one of the steepest ever recorded in the world. Its economy is partially sanctioned by the U.S. and it’s also had to contend with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. The last 12 months have been exceptionally tough for […]

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April 6, 2021

Vaccination in the Galapagos Islands will bring back tourism

They serve as a treasure trove to scientists and a paradise for nature tourists. The Galapagos Islands. Located 1000 kilometers off the coast of Ecuador, they feature plant and animal life found nowhere else in the world. On these islands, tourism has been the main industry […]

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April 6, 2021

Living on minimum wage

A national debate is underway in the United States over whether to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour from the current $7.25 an hour today, as more than 30 million U.S. citizens now live below the poverty line. The last time the U.S. […]

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March 18, 2021

Profile: Nobel Prize Laureate, Juan Manuel Santos

The Nobel Prize is considered one of the world’s highest honors. But in its 100-year-history, only 16 Latin Americans have received it. Michele Begue interviewed former Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, the latest laureate from the region. He reflected on receiving this important global award.  […]

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March 18, 2021

Monarch’s Migration Undisturbed by Humans in COVID-19 Lockdown

As the pandemic continues to rage around the world, nature, it seems, hasn’t noticed much of a difference.  While human society lives through the upheaval of the global COVID-19 pandemic, nature has continued here unperturbed.  And when it comes to massive migrations, perhaps none is […]

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March 18, 2021

COVID-19 Pandemic Worsens Hunger in Central America

Some of the poorest communities in the Western hemisphere are located in Central America. For years, severe droughts have been causing widespread hunger. The COVID-19 pandemic made things worse when shutdowns severely cut back on economic growth. It’s a situation that’s repeated across Latin America. […]

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March 18, 2021

Politics Challenge COVID-19 Vaccinations in Brazil

By February of 2021, more than a quarter million Brazilians had died due to COVID-19. That made Brazil the second country in the world with the largest death toll after the US. Scientists also located a new virus strain. But the country’s overall health has […]

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March 7, 2021

Food insecurity in the United States

According to the World Food Program, 150 million people faced food insecurity across 79 countries prior to the pandemic. John Zarrella reports on food scarcity in the United States.  

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March 7, 2021

Saving money without going to a bank

The majority of low-income Latino families in the U.S. have limited access to banks, loans or credit cards. Mike Kirsch tells us about some informal female bankers using this system in the U.S.

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February 9, 2021

Violence in Mexico is forcing people out of their homes

In Mexico, the issue of migration goes beyond Central Americans crossing the country to reach the U.S. Border. Drug cartel violence is forcing thousands of Mexicans to flee their homes and towns. Since the start of Mexico’s War on Drugs in 2006, more than 150,000 […]

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February 9, 2021

Riding horses helps youngsters stay out of trouble in California

During one of the most racially-divided times in US history – there’s some positive news about race relations coming out of Southern California.  Nowadays, young Black and Hispanic men – rather than fighting each other over gang turf – can sometimes be seen riding on horseback […]

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February 9, 2021

Eduardo Kobra: Expressing his feelings through art

Brazilian artist Carlos Eduardo Fernandes, AKA Kobra, is one of the most recognized muralists in the world. His works are featured in over 17 countries.  His latest work of art is a mural painted in his studio in Sao Paulo, which depicts five children of […]

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January 10, 2021

Costa Rica’s centenarians vs. COVID-19

Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula is home to the largest concentration of people over 100 years old in the Americas. A team of psychologists, nurses, nutritionists, and social workers are being vigilant to protect them from the pandemic.

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