2009 NOVEMBER
Nov. 6, 2009

Political Pact in Honduras Appears to Fall Apart
A U.S.-brokered deal meant to mend the political crisis in Honduras by forming a unity government has fallen apart, ousted President Manuel Zelaya said Friday.

OCTOBER
Oct. 30, 2009

Honduras' Rivals Resolve Leadership Dispute
Representatives of deposed Honduran President Manuel Zelaya and his rival, interim President Roberto Micheletti, signed an agreement late Thursday that could lead toward reinstating Zelaya four months after he was forcibly removed by the military.

Oct. 21, 2009

Brazil Works to Clamp Down on Drug Violence Ahead of Olympics
A firefight between drug gangs and the downing of a police helicopter in Rio de Janeiro last weekend heightened concerns about the city hosting the Olympic Games in 2016. Seth Kugel of GlobalPost provides an update in this Reporter's Podcast.

Oct. 20, 2009

Reporter's Notebook: Opponents View Zelaya as Polarizing Figure
Marcelo Ballve of New America Media has been reporting in Honduras on efforts to resolve political turmoil over the ouster of President Manuel Zelaya. In this dispatch, he explores the roots of the opposition to Zelaya's governance.

Oct. 16, 2009

Tensions Surround Honduras Leadership Talks
With presidential elections just weeks away, negotiators in Honduras continue to work on an agreement that would temporarily return ousted president Manuel Zelaya to power. Ray Suarez reports.

  

Oct. 15, 2009

Reporter's Notebook: World Cup News Turns Political in Honduras
The news that Honduras qualified for next year's World Cup brought a welcome respite from the country's recent political unrest -- but just briefly. Marcelo Ballve of New America Media reports from the capital Tegucigalpa.

Oct. 14, 2009

Gustavo Santaolalla, Making Music For Both Stage and Screen
The first thing Argentine musician Gustavo Santaolalla wants people to know about him is that he is an artist: one who works with a guitar rather than an easel. The 57-year-old has spent the last four decades recording, producing and composing music for his various labels, bands and movies.

Oct. 13, 2009

Honduras in Turmoil Three Months After Coup
More than three months after a coup removed him from office, Honduran President Manuel Zelaya and his rival, interim President Roberto Micheletti, remain at loggerheads. Ray Suarez speaks with Marcelo Ballve of New America Media about the situation.

  

Oct. 13, 2009

In Honduras, Elections Pose Test for Diplomats
With presidential elections just weeks away, diplomats are struggling to resolve the standoff in Honduras between deposed president Manuel Zelaya, and his ouster, Roberto Micheletti.

  

Oct. 13, 2009

Zelaya Forecasts Dim Prospects for Honduras Negotiations
Manuel Zelaya, who Hondurans elected president in 2005, has now been out of office for more than 100 days. Marcelo Ballve of New America Media spoke with him Monday night in the Brazilian Embassy there, where the deposed leader has taken refuge.

Oct. 12, 2009

Reporter's Notebook: Negotiators to Renew Talks in Honduras
Honduras' political crisis deepened this week as negotiators for ousted President Manuel Zelaya and interim President Roberto Micheletti prepared to resume talks Tuesday, and candidates revved up for elections without a political solution in sight.

Oct. 10, 2009

Reporter's Notebook: Protesters in Honduras Criticize U.S. Response to Crisis
In late June, Honduran President Manuel Zelaya was ousted in the middle of the night by an opposition angered by his efforts to extend presidential terms. Marcelo Ballve of New America Media reports from Honduras on tensions within the country.

Oct. 2, 2009

Rio de Janeiro to Host 2016 Olympics
Chicago's Olympic hopes were dashed Friday when it was eliminated in the first round of voting for the 2016 host city, following a star-studded bid that featured personal appeals by President Barack Obama, the first lady and Oprah Winfrey.

SEPTEMBER
Sept. 29, 2009

Welcome Home: A Look at Living in Slums
A multimedia exhibition from Norwegian photographer Jonas Bendiksen on display at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., documents the experiences of families living in unplanned, off-the-grid slums in Nairobi, Mumbai, Caracas and Jakarta.

Sept. 24, 2009

U.N. Passes Resolution on Nuclear Disarmament
The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved a U.S.-sponsored resolution Thursday aimed at ridding the world of nuclear weapons.

Sept. 24, 2009

Extended Interview: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the G-20
In an interview with Paul Solman from the G-20 meeting in Pittsburgh, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva clarifies his infamous remarks on 'blue-eyed' bankers and weighs in on where emerging markets like Brazil fit in the global economy. Read the full version of their conversation here.

Sept. 23, 2009

President Obama Tells U.N. World Can't 'Wait for America' to Lead
In his first address to the U.N. General Assembly, President Barack Obama bluntly said world leaders who once accused the United States of acting alone must now join with him to solve global crises rather than "wait for America" to lead.

Sept. 21, 2009

News Wrap: Deposed Leader Zelaya Returns to Honduras
In other news, Manuel Zelaya, the deposed president of Honduras, announced Monday he has returned to the country, and AIG repaid the federal government $60 billion.

  

Sept. 16, 2009

Conversation: Considering Clarice
A major literary celebrity in Brazil, Clarice Lispecter's work ran the gamut from articles in women's magazines to compelling, philosophical novels.

  

Sept. 3, 2009

Clock Ticks as U.S. Mulls Solution to Honduran Stalemate
With less than three months until presidential elections in Honduras, the White House is running out of time to resolve a coup that resulted in the ouster of the nation's now deposed president, Manuel Zelaya. The dispute has also strained U.S.-Honduran ties.

  

Sept. 3, 2009

U.S. Cuts Millions in Aid to Honduras in Support of Ousted Leader
After meeting with exiled President Manuel Zelaya on Thursday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the termination of millions of dollars in non-humanitarian aid to Honduras that had been suspended after Zelaya was deposed in June.

Sept. 2, 2009

Reporter's Podcast: U.S.-Colombia Military Deal Raises Hackles at Summit
An agreement that would give U.S. troops access to bases in Colombia stirred fiery opposition at a summit of South American leaders over the weekend. NewsHour senior producer of foreign affairs Michael Mosettig gets two perspectives in this report.

  

AUGUST
Aug. 24, 2009

Weekly Poem: 'Physical Portrait / Retrato fisico'
Cecilia Vicuna's visual work has been exihibited at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, the Whitney Museum of American Art and MoMA. She is also co-editor of the Oxford Book of Latin American Poetry, which was published this month.

  

Aug. 21, 2009

Peru Land Dispute Mobilizes Indigenous Effort
A dispute over oil and logging development in the Peruvian Amazon, which at times has erupted into violent protests, has also spurred an organization of indigenous Amazonian communities not previously seen in Peruvian politics.

Aug. 7, 2009

Radio Shutdowns in Venezuela Raise Controversy
The ongoing tug-of-war between Venezuela's government and private media organizations has flared anew with the recent decision by President Hugo Chavez's administration to revoke the licenses of dozens of radio stations.

JULY
July 6, 2009

Diplomats Search for Political Solution to Honduras Standoff
Amid continuing protests in support of deposed Honduran President Manuel Zelaya, diplomats are attempting to negotiate a peaceful resolution with the country's new leader. A New York Times reporter gives an update on the situation.

  

July 6, 2009

Ousted President Attempts Return to Honduras Amid Continued Protests
Gwen Ifill reports on the ongoing political standoff in Honduras, where protests continued following the ouster of President Manuel Zelaya, who made an unsuccessful attempt to return Sunday.

  

July 2, 2009

In Honduras, Controversy Grows over Questions that Presidential Ouster is a Coup
In Honduras, the controversy grows over the question: was the presidential ouster a classic coup, or simply an attempt to uphold the Constitution? Experts debate over the issues.

  

July 2, 2009

New Honduran President Tries to Restore Order as Opposition Mounts
Supporters of ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya took to the streets of Tegucigalpa, as the new president began appointing Cabinet members and boosted efforts to maintain order.

  

JUNE
June 30, 2009

Ousted Honduras President Vows to Return as Protests Continue
Ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya said Tuesday that he would return to the capital of Tegucigalpa Thursday, as the country's interim government continued to battle street protestors supporting Zelaya.

June 29, 2009

Leaders Call for Honduras to Reinstate Ousted President
Honduras' newly appointed leader vowed Monday to resist pressure from world leaders to reinstate ousted President Manuel Zelaya, as protesters burned tires and clashed with police near the presidential palace.

June 10, 2009

American Couple Faces Charges of Spying for Cuba
A former U.S. State Department official and his wife are accused of spying for Cuba for nearly 30 years. A Washington Post reporter updates the story.

  

June 1, 2009

Missing Air France Plane Presumed to Have Crashed
An Air France jet carrying 228 people from Rio de Janeiro to Paris ran into lightning and strong thunderstorms over the Atlantic Ocean and went missing Monday, according to officials.

MAY
May 15, 2009

Conversation: Boden, Fleck Discuss Their New Film 'Sugar'
Anyone who's followed baseball over the last decade or so has noticed the rising number and rising prominence of players from Latin America, particularly from the Dominican Republic. The new film, 'Sugar,' is a dramatic telling of the story of one young Dominican-born player as he learns some lessons about baseball and life.

  

APRIL
April 22, 2009

On MoMA's Menu: 'Tangled Alphabets' Soup
"Tangled Alphabets," on display now at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, is a dual retrospective of Argentine Leon Ferrari and Brazilian Mira Schendel, and the first major exhibition of their work in the United States.

April 17, 2009

Bolivia's Lithium Resources May Prove Hot Commodity
Bolivian leaders are debating whether the country's vast natural reserves of lithium -- a key ingredient powering electric cars -- should be nationalized in order to boost the nation's struggling economy. ITN's Channel 4 news correspondent Lindsey Hilsum reports.

  

April 17, 2009

Cuba Open to Diplomatic Talks With United States
In a significant policy shift, Cuban leader Raul Castro signaled that Havana is open to new diplomatic talks with the United States. Analysts examined the move as President Obama arrived in Trinidad and Tobago for the Summit of the Americas.

  

April 17, 2009

Global Recession, Drug Violence Top Summit of the Americas Agenda
The pressing issues of the global recession, Mexico's drug war and Cuba's conspicuous absence are expected to emerge during the fifth Summit of the Americans, which begins Friday in Trinidad and Tobago.

April 13, 2009

White House Fact Sheet on U.S.-Cuba Policy
The White House announced a change to U.S.-Cuba policy Monday, including the easing of some travel and telecommunications restrictions. Following is the text of an official fact sheet on the policy change, as released to reporters by the White House.

April 13, 2009

Obama Eases Some Travel, Policy Restrictions on Cuba
Signaling a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy, President Obama announced plans Monday to lift some travel restrictions to Cuba for Cuban-Americans and to improve telecommunications with the island. A reporter details the decision.

  

April 8, 2009

Possible Cuba Policy Changes Spark Debate
The Obama administration is expected to ease travel and financial embargoes with Cuba in broad policy changes that have sparked debate between those in favor of starting a dialogue with Cuban leaders and those who advocate continuing the restrictions. Analysts probe the policy issues.

  

April 8, 2009

Lawmakers Eager for Cuba Policy Changes Meet with Fidel and Raul Castro
Several members of the Congressional Black Caucus met with Cuban President Raul Castro and former leader Fidel Castro this week to discuss proposed relaxations in travel and financial restrictions. Calif. Rep. Barbara Lee, just back from Havana, talks about the conversations.

  

MARCH
March 26, 2009

Borders and Mexico's Drug War
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano recently announced plans to boost personnel and surveillance equipment at the U.S.-Mexico border and coordinate more with Mexican authorities to help contain Mexico's increasingly deadly drug war.

March 17, 2009

What Is Global Warming?
The Earth maintains an average temperature of about 60 degrees Fahrenheit or 16 degrees Celsius -- temperatures that enable people, plants and animals to live safely within its atmosphere.

March 17, 2009

Emissions Trading Ins and Outs
Greenhouse gases harm the environment equally regardless of where they originate, so to slow climate change, it doesn't matter which region of the world cuts back on emissions as long as the global amount falls.

March 16, 2009

Leftist Wins Presidency in El Salvador
Former television anchor Mauricio Funes, a leftist from the former rebel group Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, won presidential elections in El Salvador on Sunday, ending two decades of conservative rule.

  

March 13, 2009

Latin American Countries Worlds Apart in Economic Downturn
With the global economy in a tailspin, some Latin American countries are feeling the effects of slumping trade and a drop in remittances from people in the United States, while others appear to have been spared for now.

FEBRUARY
Feb. 16, 2009

Referendum Results Empower Chavez to Continue 'Socialist Revolution'
Venezuelans voted to lift a two-term constitutional limit on the presidential term, allowing Hugo Chavez to run for office again in 2012. Analysts discuss what this means for the future of Venezuelan politics.

  

Feb. 16, 2009

Chavez Wins Referendum to Eliminate Term Limits
Venezuelan voters passed a referendum Sunday to lift a two-term constitutional limit on the presidential office, allowing Hugo Chavez to run again in 2012 to continue what he calls the country's socialist revolution.

Feb. 12, 2009

The Many Faces of Che
In the mainstream, Ernesto "Che" Guevara -- the communist thinker, doctor and guerilla -- is a free-floating symbol of counterculture. But in the art world, a more nuanced and complex portrait has emerged.