Our guest has made history for several reasons. Ruth E Carter is the first woman of colour to receive an Oscar for costume design for the iconic film "Black Panther", where among other things she transformed Chadwick Boseman into the King of Wakanda. She made history again earlier this year when she got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, making her the first Black costume designer to receive the distinction and only the second costume designer ever to have a star.

Here are a few reasons to pick up a copy of The Guardian on Thursday. Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Thursday.

The region, which includes hard-hit Brazil, has recorded almost 30% of all global fatalities. Meanwhile, US states are lifting lockdown restrictions as the rate of vaccination increases. Follow DW for the latest.

Santiago Andres Cafiero, Argentina's Chief of Cabinet of Ministers, says that his country "tried to keep its commitment" to hosting the Copa America but that the "the epidemiological situation made it impossible for Argentina to do so," as it endures a record virus surge.

The World Health Organization's emergencies chief Michael Ryan voices deep concern at the Covid-19 situation in South America, warning that outbreaks in the already hard-hit region are once again worsening.

Peru has released new statistics showing that its COVID deaths number well over double the original figure given. And the pandemic holds sway over the rest of the continent as well.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni says it is "alarming" and "worrisome" that the Copa America is now slated to be hosted in Brazil amid the pandemic.

Chile inaugurates Latin America's first-ever thermosolar energy plant, a vast complex dubbed Cerro Dominador in the Atacama desert that gives a boost to the country's quest for carbon-neutrality by 2050.

The Supreme Court is ruling on three cases where the plaintiffs argued that the South American football tournament posed an unacceptable health risk amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Watching on from a bar in Buenos Aires, Argentina fans react after their side was held to a 1-1 draw by Chile in their opening Copa America Group A match. Superstar Lionel Messi scored a stunning free-kick but Eduardo Vargas equalised in the second half.

Latin America, which accounts for one-third of the total global COVID-19 deaths, is struggling to secure vaccines. The region's ambivalence toward a patent waiver for vaccines has left many perplexed.

Neymar says he and Lionel Messi are "rivals" now, as Brazil and Argentina prepare for Saturday's Copa America final. Like Brazil's Pele and Diego Maradona of Argentina before them, neither Messi nor Neymar has ever won the Copa. That statistic will change for one of them in the dream final at Rio de Janeiro's iconic Maracana stadium.