One in four children in Haiti suffers from chronic malnutrition. It's the leading cause of death for children under 5 years old. In early 2024, CGTN correspondent Jason Motlagh deployed in Haiti and visited refugee camps and hospitals to uncover why food insecurity and poor living conditions are rapidly worsening. Motlagh joins host Elaine Reyes on this podcast conversation to give details about the crisis and what is being done to try to contain it. This episode includes testimonies of parents, medical experts and grassroots leaders.

Haiti has been gripped by increasing gang violence ever since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. Nearly 1.3 million people have been forced to flee and seek refuge. More than half of them are women and children. Over a dozen UN entities operate in Haiti, which is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Haiti suffers from multiple crises, including infant malnutrition and severe deforestation. UN Insider’s host Elaine Reyes interviews Maria Isabel Salvador, who is the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti and Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in the Caribbean country. This is the premiere episode for the UN Insider Podcast which will be launched later this summer.

For years, countless migrants have risked everything trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. But some never make it and meet a tragic ending. A number of those who die during the journey do not carry ID. But there is a group of scientists devoted to identifying the nameless. They also help bring closure to their grieving families.  Correspondent John Zarrella –who traveled to Texas to meet these dedicated forensic anthropologists- shares with Elaine Reyes the insights of this story of hope, humanity and science.  

Hispanic communities in the U.S. are on edge, bracing for raids by federal authorities looking to deport undocumented immigrants. For decades, the flow of migration in the Americas has followed a familiar direction: North. Fueled by dreams of safety, opportunity, and a better life, migrants from across Latin America and the Caribbean have journeyed toward the United States. But now, a striking and largely overlooked shift is underway. Americas Now podcast host Elaine Reyes talks to three CGTN correspondents who have intensively covered deportations and migrants’ stories during the first half of 2025. Chicago-based Dan Williams shares the concerns of one of the largest Mexican communities in the United States, Alasdair Baverstock focuses on the situation of migrants at the Mexico-U.S. border, while Michelle Begue reports on the "reverse migration" occurring in Panama, from where hundreds of people take buses and boats as they travel back to their home countries.

Her debut novel “The House of the Spirits” sold over 70 million copies and was translated to more than 20 languages. Chilean best-selling author Isabel Allende has enchanted readers around the world since the early 1980s. CGTN correspondent Mike Kirsch visited the legendary writer at her home in California and shared all the insights of that captivating conversation with Elaine Reyes. This Americas Now podcast episode includes soundbites by Isabel Allende delving into her past, discussing her creative process and revealing her hopes for the future of literature. 

Since 1989, over 3,000 people have been exonerated from prison sentences in the United States after evidence proved they were innocent. But how hard is it for those who are wrongfully convicted to rebuild their lives? Americas Now Podcast host Elaine Reyes talks to correspondent Dan Williams who followed several cases and produced a special report on this issue.

Imagine a choir where some singers cannot see and others cannot hear. That’s the concept of a unique project in Venezuela, which shows how - when pre-conceptions are put aside -- music can be made. Americas Now Podcast host Elaine Reyes talks to Stephen Gibbs who deployed in the city of Barquisimeto to meet and interview these talented musicians and artists. 

Navajo Nation people are being forced out. The same is happening in Central America, where the rainy season has become shorter and unpredictable. Farmers, most of whom are indigenous, can’t produce like they used to a decade ago, so they migrate north.
Americas Now Podcast host Elaine Reyes talks to award winning correspondent Alasdair Baverstock who has covered this story extensively.

Every morning...dozens of kids in western Venezuela leave their homes before 5-am -- to embark on an adventurous journey to school. And it’s not just any school… it’s on the other side of the border, in Colombia. Americas Now Podcast host Elaine Reyes talks to correspondent Michelle Begue who followed students and visited schools for several days to produce a special report.

Peruvian cuisine is a mix of many influences and cultures, including Asian. Two restaurants in Lima have been among the best in the world for few years now but great local food with fresh ingredients and low prices can be found literally in any neighborhood market or eatery. Correspondent Dan Collyns has been reporting how Peruvians have managed to master the art of combining highland Andean products like local potatoes with seafood from the Pacific Ocean.  

The US-Mexico border has long been an area of treacherous terrain. And with the number of migrants trying to illegally cross into the US increasing, the number of migrant deaths has risen as well. Since 2020, migrants have been choosing more dangerous routes to the US to avoid apprehension. Hundreds perish from heat exposure and dehydration in the desert. Others drown trying to cross rivers and canals. On this episode of the Americas Now Podcast, correspondent Alasdair Baverstock shares insight, with host Elaine Reyes, from his deployments to the border to cover the migration story.  

Illegal mining is a big problem in South America. Thousands of small-time miners are digging up and destroying parts of the Amazon in different countries. The police and the army seem to be a step behind as the miners keep operating. Correspondent-Producer Armando Guerra shares his experience, with host Elaine Reyes, covering illegal gold mines in Peru and Ecuador.  

Vallenato is likely Colombia's most popular musical genre and part of the country's identity. Played with an accordion, it's a combination of African, Indigenous and European sounds. Traditionally, the genre has been dominated by male musicians but lately it's female performers who are making themselves heard. Correspondent Michelle Begue discusses the Women of Vallenato with Anchor Elaine Reyes.

Colombia is the world's largest cocaine producer and the cultivation of coca plants, the main ingredient of the drug, is increasing. Elaine Reyes talks to correspondent Toby Muse, who recently reported on the Gulf Clan, the leading drug cartel in Colombia. Muse, who is based in the South American country, deployed to the epicenter of cocaine production and met with coca growers and drug smugglers.

Pirates and robbing ships at sea may seem like a thing from the past. But in Mexico, a country that has been attacked by pirates for centuries, the practice continues. Elaine Reyes talks to correspondent Alasdair Baverstock who has reported on modern-day pirates targeting oil platforms and vessels in the Gulf of Mexico.  

Most people associate chocolate with the chocolatiers of Europe. But the main ingredient for chocolate, cacao, comes from Latin America and Africa. Director-Producer Armando Guerra joins anchor Elaine Reyes to recount his journey to Ecuador to interview farmers and producers of cacao.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA, 2022 was one of the hottest years on record. Some scientists believe Florida is among the most vulnerable states when it comes to climate change. How are higher temperatures impacting our oceans and their marine life? Elaine Reyes talks with Americas Now Correspondent John Zarrella, who has covered climate change extensively in the southern US and the Caribbean.

On this week's Americas Now podcast, Anchor Elaine Reyes talks to Correspondent John Zarrella about the inland risk of climate change on parks and lakes in the U.S. They discuss the life-altering changes being seen at Yellowstone National Park and Utah's Great Salt Lake, both of which may not be recognizable in the not-too-distant future.

The drought and flooding being observed may foreshadow future climate change disasters to come.

Crime is a significant problem in Venezuela. Politicians and experts have yet to find a solution. So when a company became the victim of gang violence, the owner took matters into his own hands. He offered jobs to gang members and created a Rugby league for prisoners to train, play and learn about values such as teamwork and respect.
Elaine Reyes talks to Venezuelan correspondent Stephen Gibbs about this inspiring story that has changed hundreds of lives.    

Euthanasia is the practice of intentionally ending life to avoid pain and suffering. Colombia is the only country in Latin America, and one of only several worldwide, to allow it in non-terminal cases.
Elaine Reyes talks to correspondent Michelle Begue, who followed a patient who chose the path to his final journey.