Once a month, an unconventional mix of churchgoers — devotees, drug addicts and thieves — convene in a church on the outskirts of Mexico City to praise the saint of lost causes. Read more»

PIRATA TV, a collaborative project by 50 local cinematographers, writers, journalists, artists and educators, is part journalism, part documentary and part artistic statement. And it uses bootleg DVDs to bypass the traditional media channels. (with video) Read more»

For a climate change conference that began with universally low expectations, the Cancun meeting achieved surprisingly concrete progress, including an agreement to help preserve tropical forests. Read more»

Coming from all over the world, activists are demanding a greater voice in solving a problem they believe is of the utmost importance - climate change. Read more»

Balaclava-clad faces adorn the walls of cafes and bars in San Cristobal, where vendors hawk dolls of Subcomandante Marcos, the mysterious frontman of the Zapatista movement. But emotions are mixed about whether the scramble for tourist dollars is legitimate, or whether it takes advantage of a movement fighting against, among other things, commercialism. Read more»

In San Juan Copala, paramilitaries from nearby towns violently rebuff would-be visitors. A blockade of large rocks prevents anyone from crossing into town. Residents speak in strained voices about conditions under the blockade. They describe kidnappings, the constant threat of violence and rape and the vacuum of life in their town. Read more»

Once a sleepy fishing village, Puerto Escondido is known for one thing in the international surf community: perfect — if bone-crushing — barreling waves. Nicknamed "The Mexican Pipeline" as a tribute to Oahu's infamous pipeline-style wave, it's one of the most powerful in the world. Read more»

With little knowledge of the history of slavery in the region, Afro-Mexican culture slips away. Read more»