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Uruguay

The Big Fix: Lessons from Uruguay

The Big Fix

The small, South American country of Uruguay is an energy transition success story. Once importing most of its fuel, the country now generates almost all of its electricity from renewable resources. The World’s Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Ramón Méndez Galain, the man behind the success story.

Low water levels are seen at the Paso Severino dam, which supplies water to the city of Montevideo and adjacent metropolitan areas, Uruguay, May 15, 2023.

Uruguayans protest over government attempts to supplement public drinking water from salty reservoirs amid historic drought

Delegates began to share their concrete visions on what they believe the future plastic treaty could look like at the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-1).

Negotiators meet in Uruguay to map out global plastics treaty

Environment
Jorge Drexler poses in the press room with his Grammys at the 23rd annual Latin Grammy Awards at the Mandalay Bay Michelob Ultra Arena on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, in Las Vegas. 

Uruguayan musician Jorge Drexler wins big at Latin Grammy Awards

Music
Before the pandemic, each student in the Uruguayan public system already had a personal computer under Plan Ceibal, which started in 2007. 

Uruguay’s virtual education was ahead of the curve when the pandemic hit

Education
Man with oxygen mask lies face down on a stretcher with a green blanket on top and two people in the distance

COVID downward spiral in Latin America disrupts life-saving services

COVID-19

Brazil’s experience is a cautionary tale of what happens when infections go unchecked and vaccination rates lag, said Marcia Castro, a Brazilian demographer and chair of global health and population at the T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

A pregnant person wearing a red shirt holds her belly, wearing a face mask and gloves.

For pregnant women, getting the COVID-19 jab is a challenging choice

Commentary

Information on vaccines for pregnant women differs, depending on the country. Making the choice to get the shot while pregnant can get complicated, explains Valerie Fernández, who faced the decision herself in Arizona.

uruguay

Around the world, Uruguayan wool is known to be cool

Economics

Nestled between Brazil and Argentina, Uruguay boasts a population of 3.5 million and nearly twice as many sheep — 6.6 million.

peru

Medical marijuana legalized in Peru

Global Politics

The proposal at first was controversial because of the thriving illegal drug trade: Peru is the world’s second largest producer of coca leaves — the source plant for cocaine — and some worried that drug gangs would branch into the marijuana business.

Marijuana plants are seen in an indoor marijuana plantation of a marijuana smokers club in the outskirts of Montevideo, Uruguay, July 16, 2017.

Uruguay finally rolls out legal marijuana sales — and it’s doing it from pharmacies

Global Politics

It’s been four years since Uruguay became the first country to legalize the manufacture, use and sale of marijuana at all levels. But the final phase of implementation just happened Wednesday.

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