South America

Charred forest lands near cleared properties in Brazil's Amazon region.

Fires In Brazil Stoke Clash Between Economic Gain And Preservation

In Brazil, forest clearing can produce quick riches But a rash of fires stirs debate over short-term economic gains vs. the life of the rainforest.

 | Peter Hecht

Txana Siã walks among charred land in the Huwã Karu Yuxibu Center

Views From The Amazon: A Source Of Livelihood

Newsy spoke with people on several sides of the issue about what the massive blaze means for their livelihoods.

 | Johannah Grenaway

President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro

Brazil's President Might Miss A Meeting On Rainforest Fires He Called

President Jair Bolsonaro has faced international pressure to address the Amazon Rainforest fires.

 | Caitlin Baldwin

A fire burns in a section of the Amazon rain forest.

No, The Amazon Rainforest Doesn't Produce 20% Of The World's Oxygen

There are plenty of reasons to be worried about the blazes burning in the Amazon rainforest, but our oxygen supply isn't one of them.

 | Briana Koeneman

Amazon rainforest

A Look At The Amazon Fund, A Key Money Source For The Rainforest

The Amazon Fund is one key entity focused on the health of the basin, and it started in 2009 as an agreement between Norway and Brazil.

 | Stephanie Liebergen

Wildfire in the Amazon rainforest.

G-7 Leaders Promise To Send $22 Million In Aid To The Amazon

Details of the package will be worked out in the coming weeks, and the initiative will officially launch at the United Nations General Assembly.

 | Stephanie Liebergen

Firefighter battles fire in the Amazon.

Wildfires In The Amazon Are Uniquely Difficult To Fight

There are hundreds of fires burning in the Amazon rainforest, and trying to contain the flames has become an international focus.

 | Stephanie Liebergen

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro

Trump Confirms Secret Talks With Top Venezuelan Officials

President Donald Trump told reporters, "I don't want to say who, but we are talking at a very high level."

 | Caitlin Baldwin

Fire near grazing land in the Amazon basin

Rainforest Fires Fill Brazil's Skies With Smoke, Fanning Climate Fears

Brazil's space agency reports a record of more than 72,000 fires this year, up 80 percent from 2018.

 | Peter Hecht

A U.N. refugee camp for Venezuelan refugees in Colombia

U.N. Calls For More Humanitarian Aid For Venezuelan Refugees

U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi is asking its neighboring countries help more than 4 million Venezuelan refugees.

 | Caitlin Baldwin

People attend a candlelight prayer vigil for victims of a shooting in El Paso

Countries Issue U.S. Travel Advisories After 2 Mass Shootings

Venezuela and Uruguay warned their citizens about traveling to the U.S. after shootings in El Paso and Dayton.

 | Caitlin Baldwin

A person kneels next to a memorial for victims of the El Paso shooting.

Death Toll In El Paso Shooting Rises

Two more victims of the shooting in El Paso, Texas, died Monday.

 | Caitlin Baldwin

Caracas, Venezuela

Venezuela Says 'Electromagnetic Attack' Led To Blackout

Preliminary indications suggested the so-called attack was aimed at the country's main hydroelectric generation system.

 | Katie Cammarata

Dead tress leftover in a deforested section of the Amazon rainforest.

Brazil's President Claims Rain Forest Deforestation Report Is False

The space agency — which monitors deforestation via satellite — said its accuracy rate is over 95 percent.

 | Ethan Weston

Mexicans protest "invasion" of Central American migrants

Poll Shows Mexican Residents Are Losing Their Tolerance For Migrants

The continued influx of people from Central America has Mexican citizens on edge, says a Washington Post/Reforma poll.

 | Peter Hecht

A Venezuelan wears ribbons of Venezuelan colors to cover her mouth in a demonstration.

Venezuelan Leaders Agree To Negotiations In Barbados

Norway will mediate negotiations between Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido.

 | Caitlin Baldwin

Amazon forest

Monthly Deforestation Up More Than 88% In Brazil's Amazon

Deforestation totaled 355 sq miles for the month of June, according to data from Brazil's space agency.

 | Stephanie Sandoval

The entrance to the headquarters of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

UN Report: Venezuelan Forces Have Killed Thousands Extrajudicially

A new United Nations report alleges security forces manipulated crime scenes to make it look like those killed had resisted arrest.

 | LeeAnne Lowry

A darkened restaurant in Buenos Aires

Nearly 50M People Affected By Massive Power Outage In South America

The failure of two Argentine hydroelectric plants led to a system-wide meltdown that affected Uruguay and Paraguay.

 | Peter Hecht

Venezuelan migrants wait outside a shelter for food and other necessities.

Trump Considering Temporary Asylum For Venezuelan Migrants

Under temporary protection status, Venezuelan migrants would be able to stay in the U.S. until it's safe to go back home.

 | Caitlin Baldwin

People line up at a Venezuela-Colombia border crossing

Venezuela Reopens Border With Colombia

The Venezuela-Colombia border had been closed since February.

 | Ethan Weston and Caitlin Baldwin

Law enforcement officer in Rio de Janeiro

Police In Rio De Janeiro Killed 558 People Between January And April

According to state statistics, police in Rio killed 469 people over the same period last year.

 | Katie Cammarata

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaidó

Norway Might Be Brokering Negotiations Between Maduro And Guaidó

Venezuela has been engulfed in a political crisis for months, and now the opposing sides might be talking to each other with the help of Norway.

 | Stephanie Liebergen

U.S. and Venezuelan flags

Venezuela's Juan Guaidó Formally Requests Meeting With US Military

Guaidó asked for "direct communication" with the U.S. military over the weekend.

 | Katie Cammarata

Venezuela protesters

Venezuelans Hold Out Hope For Guaido In May Day Protests

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is still holding on to power, but demonstrators are rallying to opposition leader Juan Guaidó's calls to oust him.

 | Matt Picht

Venezuela opposition leader Juan Guaidó

Venezuela's Guaidó Claims To Have Military Support. Does He?

The success of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó's call for an uprising will depend on whether he gain the support support of the military.

 | Matt Picht

Julian Assange.

Ecuador Hit By Millions Of Cyberattacks After Julian Assange's Arrest

Ecuador's government institutions have reportedly faced more than 40 million cyberattacks.

 | Briana Koeneman

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin

US Imposes More Sanctions On Venezuela — This Time Targeting Cuba

The U.S. is sanctioning ships owned by Venezuela's state-run oil company, as well as two international companies.

 | LeeAnne Lowry

An American Airlines plane

American Airlines Stops All Venezuela Flights Indefinitely

American Airlines won't fly to Venezuela until the country's conditions improve.

 | LeeAnne Lowry

​Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó

Venezuela Bars Guaidó From Holding Public Office For 15 Years

​Venezuela's comptroller cited inconsistencies in opposition leader Juan Guaidó's financial records as the reason for the ban.

 | Ahmed Jawadi