Inside the Americas

As the US faces a new deadline for another government shutdown, pressure is growing on Donald Trump to accept a tentative deal put together by both sides of the political fence. But that would only give Trump a fraction of the money he's demanding to build his border wall with Mexico. The US president held a rally this week to fight for the wall in El Paso, Texas - with a competing rally by rising Democratic star Beto O'Rourke, a possible challenger in 2020, just nearby.

In Bolivia, dinosaur remains attract tourists from across the globe. A stone's throw from the city of Sucre, a cliffside features the largest concentration of dinosaur footsteps in the world. But concerns over erosion have led park officials to seek UNESCO World Heritage site recognition, in order to help carry out much-needed conservation work. We take a closer look.

Venezuela saw more mass protests this week against the government of President Nicolas Maduro. He's in a standoff with National Assembly President Juan Guaido, who declared himself acting president and is calling for new elections. Guaido has been hit with a travel ban and a bank freeze from the Supreme Court. But that hasn't kept his followers from doing all they can to bring down Maduro. We take a closer look.

In this week's show we begin in Brazil, where new president Jair Bolsonaro has used his visit to Davos to appeal to big business and push his far-right agenda. Next, we head to California where Senator Kamala Harris has launched her presidential campaign. She is one of many Democratic hopefuls to throw her hat into the 2020 ring. Finally, the American remake of French hit "The Intouchables" has just hit screens in the US. We take a look at the success and controversy surrounding "The Upside."

In the US, many students rack up tens of thousands of dollars in debt to attend the school of their dreams. But some young athletes manage to obtain a full scholarship to pay their way. Now, parents across America's richest neighbourhoods are looking at new ways to give their kids the best possible start in professional sports by building actual stadiums at home. We take a closer look.

A new term is starting this week for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. His re-election last year sparked controversy after the opposition boycotted the vote and Western countries condemned it as being neither free nor fair. Maduro is now facing unprecedented pressure at both home and abroad, as hundreds of Venezuelans continue to flee the country every day. We take a closer look.

On January 1, Jair Bolsonaro will be sworn in as Brazil’s new president. The firebrand far-right leader tapped into a well of resentment in a country devastated by rising crime and two years of political and economic turmoil. His victory signals Brazil's most radical political change in 30 years, with the nation already divided. And the future president has chosen an eclectic mix for his cabinet. In this special edition, Brazil specialist Alfredo Valladao gives us his analysis.

After dozens of complaints before American courts, the US-Canadian National Hockey League has agreed to pay out $22,000 to 318 former players as compensation for head injuries from their days on the ice. But the players say that's not enough. Many of them consider that amount an insult coming from the NHL, an organisation worth $4.5 billion. Our reporters have more from Canada, where ice hockey is the national sport.

Cuba has announced that 3G internet access is now available for mobile phone users across the country. The small Caribbean island lags behind in terms of online connectivity, a legacy of government control of communications. Public access to the web in Cuba was limited to tourist hotels until 2013, when the government finally decided to open wifi hotspots and internet cafés. While mobile internet access will be very expensive to use, it's set to help a vibrant community of vloggers.

Bolivia is the only country in the world where child labour is legal. It's also South America's poorest nation. Almost one in four Bolivian children work to provide essential income for their families. We take a closer look at this catch-22 situation.