Conflict & Justice
Living on Earth
June 25, 2017
Narcotics smuggling through Central America has led to the loss of as much as 1 million acres of forest over the past decade. Illegal cash from cocaine trafficking is sometimes laundered by clearing forests for cattle ranching and other legitimate ventures.
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Health & Medicine
How Costa Rica became the epicenter of the black market in kidneys
The Takeaway
August 19, 2014
A year-long investigation by the New York Times shows the huge unmet need for kidney transplants across the world, and how Costa Rica has become a key place for people willing to buy themselves off of massive waiting lists.
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Conflict & Justice
Why some people seeking asylum in the US are afraid of going to court
PRI's The World
August 01, 2017
The fates of Central American families seeking asylum in the United States are particularly stark.
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Science, Tech & Environment
Shark finning proves tough to eradicate, even in 'green' Costa Rica
PRI's The World
December 17, 2013
The practice of catching sharks and cutting off their fins for soup and other products is lucrative business, and regulated. But illegal "finning" is tough to stop: Exhibit A is Costa Rica, which claims to be a global leader in environmental sustainability.
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Science, Tech & Environment
China's American canal could sacrifice Nicaragua's great lake
PRI's The World
February 19, 2015
Updated
China's $50 billion plan for a new Central American canal connecting Atlantic and Pacific may damage the freshwater Lake Nicaragua, changing the environment for those who depend upon it. The plan faces opposition in parts of the country.
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Conflict & Justice
Why would any parent send their kids on the deadly trip to cross the Mexico-US border? Here's why.
PRI's The World
August 18, 2014
Updated
A young couple from El Salvador explains why they crossed illegally into the US and how rising danger in their homeland forced their children on the dangerous trip north to join them.
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Conflict & Justice
Protests spread north over unaccompanied migrant children coming to 'our town'
PRI's The World
July 21, 2014
At first, there were isolated protests in border states like California and Arizona over relocating migrant children to detention centers while they awaited immigration proceedings. This weekend, anger and protests spread across the US, reaching New Hampshire, Maine, Minnesota and even Alaska.
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Science, Tech & Environment
We need phosphate to grow food. But should we be digging it up from the sea floor?
PRI's The World
October 04, 2016
Most of the phosphorus used for crop fertilizer currently comes from phosphate rock on land, but those supplies are dwindling. An plan in Mexico for the world’s first underwater phosphate mine dredges up questions about priorities.
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Conflict & Justice
Families that are deported after crossing the border say they return home feeling hopeless and desperate
PRI's The World
September 04, 2014
This year, an increasing number of Central American attempted to enter the US illegally. Now, as many are deported back home, there are concerns that due process was not served while they were held in detention facilities in the United States.
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Arts, Culture & Media
How the US is trying to deter migrants from Central America — with music
PRI's The World
July 17, 2014
A catchy song is getting plenty of play on Central American airwaves, but not everyone knows it was funded by the US government.
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Conflict & Justice
Here's why Salvadorans don't reach for their cellphones to record police abuse
PRI's The World
July 07, 2016
Many Salvadorans say they're harassed and worse by heavily armed police patrolling poor neighborhoods. But few dare to use the latest technology to hold security forces accountable.