An Amazon river dries up, creating hellish crossing for villagers

Residents of the village of Paraizinho -- or "Little Paradise" -- usually cross the river by canoe to reach the larger city of Humaita, a vital link to buy food and water, get healthcare and send their children to school. In drier times, this typically involves a short walk along a beach that appears as water levels drop. But as Brazil grapples with its worst drought in 70 years, the waters have continued to shrink, leaving a stretch of almost a kilometer (about 0.6 miles) of sand baking under...