VICE NewsSeason 2015
Current affairs channel, producing daily documentary essays and video through its website and YouTube channel.
Hvor å se VICE News • Season 2015
213 episoder
- A City Divided: Jerusalem's Most Contested NeighborhoodE1
A City Divided: Jerusalem's Most Contested Neighborhood Throughout the past several months, Jerusalem has been a scene of clashes and violent attacks. Silwan, a Palestinian neighborhood just steps away from Jerusalem's Old City, has been at the heart of the unrest, and is becoming one of the most contentious neighborhoods in the most contested city in the world. As settlement expansion into East Jerusalem continues, Israeli authorities have ramped up their practice of demolishing homes built without proper permits — permits which are near impossible for Palestinians to acquire. In addition to the demolitions due to lack of permits, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced in early November the reinstatement of the policy of demolishing terrorists' homes, which Palestinians claim is a form of collective punishment. VICE News traveled to Silwan and met with Palestinians and Israelis living in this contested neighborhood at a time when Jerusalem is more divided than ever. - Guns in Puerto Rico: Locked and Loaded in the TropicsE2
Guns in Puerto Rico: Locked and Loaded in the Tropics At 91 percent, Puerto Rico has the world’s highest overall percentage of homicides by firearms. But this statistic hasn’t stopped the NRA from setting up shop, establishing their 51st chapter in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico’s sky-high murder rates and extremely strict gun laws have only encouraged the association to fight for their constitutional rights, and arm the island with more and more guns. In 2014 alone, gun permit applications doubled, possession of guns tripled, and licenses for shooting ranges quadrupled the previous year's numbers. VICE News traveled to Puerto Rico to look at the rising tide of firearms that are changing the commonwealth and the culture. We met up with street thugs, the Puerto Rican SWAT team, pro-gun advocates, a gun control politician, and a women’s gun group, to find out how the NRA’s 51st and newest testing ground is working out. - Crime Reporting in the Murder Capital: San Pedro Sula NightsE3
Crime Reporting in the Murder Capital: San Pedro Sula Nights San Pedro Sula, Honduras, has made it to the top of the list of the world’s most dangerous cities (outside of war zones) for three consecutive years, with an annual homicide rate of 187 per 100,000 people. Reporting crime in Honduras is considered a high-risk job — according to the Honduran National Human Rights Committee, at least 47 journalists and media executives have been murdered between 2003 and 2014. VICE News spent four nights alongside Orlin Castro, a young reporter who covers the crimes that occur in the streets of San Pedro — which often result from the never-ending turf war between the 18th Street and MS-13 gangs, two of the city's most notorious criminal groups. - France Grieves for Charlie Hebdo: Paris Gun Attack (Dispatch One)E4
France Grieves for Charlie Hebdo: Paris Gun Attack (Dispatch One) The first week of 2015 turned tragic when three masked gunmen stormed the Paris offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo killing 12 people, including some of France’s most prominent cartoonists, and injuring many more. Despite the perpetrators remaining at large, and France raising its terror alert to the highest level, more than 100,000 people across France took to the streets in solidarity with the victims of the country's worst terror attack in decades. VICE News went to Place de la République following the attack, where grieving Parisians from all groups of society have gathered. We spoke to people who either knew the cartoonists personally, were fans of Charlie Hebdo, or were attending to stand up for freedom of expression in the face of deadly intimidation tactics. - Supporters, Demonstrators, and Libération: Paris Gun Attack (Dispatch Two)E5
Supporters, Demonstrators, and Libération: Paris Gun Attack (Dispatch Two) The first week of 2015 turned tragic when three masked gunmen stormed the Paris offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo killing 12 people, including some of France’s most prominent cartoonists, and injuring many more. In this dispatch, VICE News correspondent Milène Larsson speaks to Hassen Chalghoumi, imam of Drancy mosque, who joins the chorus condemning the attack, and visits Place de la Bourse, where a demonstration by far-right group Riposte Laïque was planned. - Were Gitmo Murders Covered Up As Suicides? - Interview with Joseph HickmanE6
Were Gitmo Murders Covered Up As Suicides? - Interview with Joseph Hickman What really happened at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility on the night of June 9, 2006? According to the US government, three detainees — all imprisoned as part of the global war on terror — hung themselves in their cells that night. But Army Staff Sergeant Joseph Hickman, who was on guard that night at Camp Delta, came to believe something very different: that the three men were murdered in a secret CIA black site at Guantanamo. After leaving the Army, Hickman spent years looking into the deaths. His investigation has led him to write a new book, Murder at Camp Delta. Hickman sat down for the first time on camera with VICE News to tell the story of his investigation and what he learned about what happened that night in 2006. - Millions March in Unity: Paris Gun Attack (Dispatch Three)E7
Millions March in Unity: Paris Gun Attack (Dispatch Three) Nearly four million people took to the streets across France on Sunday — in what officials have called the biggest march in the country’s history — to commemorate the 17 people who were killed in the terror attacks in the country the previous week. In this dispatch, VICE News correspondent Milène Larsson attended the demonstration in Paris, where more than one million attendees had gathered in and around Place de la République in a display of unity and strength against terrorism. - Settlers, Olives, and Occupation: Voices from the West BankE8
Settlers, Olives, and Occupation: Voices from the West Bank In response to last year's Gaza conflict, the Israeli government announced the construction of further settlements in the West Bank — a move condemned by the international community for escalating tensions that were already highly fraught. The expansion of the settlements has consumed privately owned Palestinian land, causing the destruction of Palestinian homes, produce, and livelihoods. Despite Israeli settlements taking up only one percent of land in the West Bank, they now exert control over 42 percent, with settlement boundaries often 10 times larger than the settlements themselves. VICE News traveled to the West Bank to speak to displaced Palestinians and activists who are trying desperately to address the grievances that boiled over with such horrific consequences in 2014. - The European Union vs. Russia: Talking HeadsE9
The European Union vs. Russia: Talking Heads In this episode of Talking Heads, George Soros discusses his essay "A New Policy to Rescue Ukraine." Soros wrote the essay this month, calling on members of the European Union to behave as countries indirectly at war with Russia and to provide Ukraine with $50 billion to defend itself and kick-start political reforms. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s imperial ambition has unintentionally brought into being a new Ukraine that is adamantly opposed to endemic corruption and inefficient government. By offering assistance, Europe can foster an open society in Ukraine and protect itself from Russian aggression. - Revolution in Burkina Faso: The Fall of CompaoréE10
Revolution in Burkina Faso: The Fall of Compaoré In late October, the landlocked African nation of Burkina Faso saw the end of its president’s 27-year-long reign. A popular revolution terminated Blaise Compaoré’s term after he tried to change the constitution so that he could run for a fifth consecutive term. Cornered by an angry mob in his presidential palace, "Beau Blaise" fled the country along with his entourage as protesters torched the National Assembly and other symbols of the old regime. Now in exile, Compaoré is rumored to be living in luxury on the Ivory Coast. In Burkina Faso, a new transitional government has emerged, led by President Michel Kafando and his prime minister, Lieutenant-Colonel Yacouba Isaac Zida. VICE News went to the streets of Burkina Faso’s capital of Ouagadougou in the midst of the revolution to document the final hours of Compaoré’s reign. - The Human Cost of War in the Central African RepublicE11
The Human Cost of War in the Central African Republic In 2013, a Muslim rebel group named the Seleka led a coup in the Central African Republic (CAR), overthrowing the Christian President Francois Bozize and bringing the country into an ethno-religious civil war. Later that year, VICE News traveled to the CAR to cover the conflict which has left over 5,000 dead and nearly a million displaced. VICE News returned to the CAR in 2014 to further document the ongoing conflict and to meet those living through the prevailing chaos. Producer's Note: This documentary was filmed in July and August 2014 An earlier version of the documentary cited statistics regarding internally displaced people (IDPs) in CAR — namely that 100,000 IDPs are living in a camp near the M'Poko International Airport. According to a January 2015 report by ACAPS, these figures have become outdated. They have been removed from this version of the documentary. Approximately 20,000 IDPs are currently living in the camp, according to the ACAPS report. - Toxic Tanneries Poisoning Workers in BangladeshE12
Toxic Tanneries Poisoning Workers in Bangladesh Bangladesh’s leather industry is worth a billion dollars a year, but that value comes at a significant human cost to the many workers employed in the country’s leather tanneries. The process of tanning leather hides is highly toxic. Workers face appalling conditions and are exposed to dangerous chemicals that also pollute surrounding waterways. VICE News correspondent Tania Rashid traveled to Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital, and visited the tannery district in the city’s Hazaribagh neighborhood — ranked by international research organizations as one of the most polluted places on Earth — to investigate the conditions in which workers produce leather that is exported and sold all over the world. - 25,000 March Against Islam: Hate in EuropeE13
25,000 March Against Islam: Hate in Europe Every Monday since the beginning of October, protesters have taken to the streets of Dresden, Germany, under the banner of “Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the Occident” (PEGIDA). While the initial protests in early October saw 350 demonstrators in attendance, the numbers have risen week by week, reaching 25,000 on January 12. Up until very recently, PEGIDA demonstrators have largely refused to speak to the media, who they accuse of manipulating their message. In spite of this, VICE News traveled to Dresden to witness one of the continent’s largest anti-Islamic movements and to discover what PEGIDA's aims are for Germany and for Europe as a whole. - The End of the Umbrella Revolution: Hong Kong SilencedE14
The End of the Umbrella Revolution: Hong Kong Silenced In September 2014, VICE News documented the birth of the so-called Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong. When students organized a weeklong strike to protest China’s handling of the local election process, the government responded with tear gas. Thousands of Hong Kong residents took to the city’s streets in solidarity with the students and the protesters occupied several major roads for weeks on end. Nearly two months into the occupation, the demands and resolve of the protesters remained unchanged. They started to become fatigued and divided against each other, however, and public support for their cause began to decline. The movement was under immense pressure to either escalate their action, or to retreat and give back the streets. When VICE News returned to Hong Kong near the end of 2014 to check in on the protesters, we witnessed the final days of the Umbrella Movement’s pro-democracy demonstrations. - Six Months in Jail for a Tweet: Bahrain UpdateE15
Six Months in Jail for a Tweet: Bahrain Update On January 20, Bahrain sentenced its most prominent human rights activist to six months in jail — for a tweet. Nabeel Rajab, president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, was convicted of insulting the Bahraini government under Article 216 of the country’s strict penal code. VICE News was with Nabeel at his home, when he received his verdict. He had some harsh words for Britain, one of Bahrain’s closest foreign allies. In December, the UK announced a landmark agreement to build a new naval base in Bahrain at the cost of 15 million pound sterling ($22.8 million). In a statement to VICE News, a spokesperson at the UK Foreign Office said, "The UK government is supporting the government of Bahrain in its reform program, including work to help Bahrain strengthen its human rights and justice sector." - Blood Diamonds and Religious War In The Central African RepublicE16
Blood Diamonds and Religious War In The Central African Republic The Central African Republic is one of the poorest countries in the world, but it is also rich in natural resources. One of the official mining sectors has collapsed amid the country’s ongoing conflict, and now both sides are benefitting from the illicit trade of gold and diamonds. Clashes over control of the many mines have also created religious tension in places where there previously had been none. VICE News traveled to mines located in the heart of the Central African Republic to see how the battle over natural resources is playing out in one of the world’s most violent conflicts. - Life After the Massacre: Terror in PeshawarE17
Life After the Massacre: Terror in Peshawar On the morning of December 16, armed members of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan entered the Army Public School in Peshawar, the largest city in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The men moved from classroom to classroom, telling the schoolchildren to say their prayers before shooting them at point-blank range. According to the military, the massacre left 141 people dead, including 132 children. VICE News traveled to Peshawar to meet with survivors, paramedics, and relatives of victims of the attack, and to learn how the region is coming to terms with the massacre. - Exclusive Interview with 'Charlie Hebdo' Cartoonist LuzE18
Exclusive Interview with 'Charlie Hebdo' Cartoonist Luz In an exclusive interview, VICE News meets Luz, the surviving Charlie Hebdo cartoonist behind the magazine’s controversial Prophet Muhammad covers. Speaking with us in his sniper-proof Paris apartment, Luz describes the scene he witnessed after gunmen attacked the magazine's offices, explains the ideas behind the magazine's latest cover, and addresses the mixed reactions it has sparked. He also discusses how things can quickly spiral out of control when breaking taboos in the internet age, and offers his surreal sense of becoming an unwitting icon of free expression. - Sex, Slavery, and Drugs in BangladeshE19
Sex, Slavery, and Drugs in Bangladesh Bangladesh is one of the few Muslim nations where prostitution is legal, and the country’s largest brothel is called Daulatdia, where more than 1,500 women and girls sell sex to thousands of men every day. Daulatdia is infamous for drug abuse and underage prostitution, and many of its sex workers are victims of sexual slavery who were trafficked into the area and sold to a pimp or a madam. They are forced to work off the fee that was paid for them, a debt that takes years to clear because they receive as little as a dollar for sex. VICE News correspondent Tania Rashid visited the notorious Bangladeshi brothel — where human trafficking, underage prostitution, and drugs are commonplace — and met the traffickers and the trafficked, as well as the clientele. - Intolerance After The Violence: Paris Gun Attack (Dispatch 4)E20
Intolerance After The Violence: Paris Gun Attack (Dispatch 4) Terrorism has aggravated anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and social segregation across France. VICE News correspondent Milène Larsson travelled to Paris to see how the attacks on the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and a kosher supermarket in early January have impacted its disparate communities. Larsson meets the French branch of controversial political organization Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West (PEGIDA), which has gained support across Europe on the back of its anti-Islamization rhetoric. She also visits a Jewish school in Paris under heavy security, and speaks to activists from Muslim Students of France about the stigmatization of young muslims. Finally, she travels to the Paris suburb Villiers-sur-Marne — where a girlfriend of one of the attackers once lived — to find out what pushes young people towards radicalization. - Reversing Female Circumcision: The Cut That HealsE21
Reversing Female Circumcision: The Cut That Heals VICE News saw the result of the severest form of FGM first-hand in Dr. Marci Bowers' operating room in San Mateo, California, and watched as she performed a defibulation procedure — the re-opening of genitalia that had been sewn shut — and clitoroplasty, the reconstruction and restoration of sexual function to the clitoris. - Parents Storm a Military Base: Mexico's Missing Students (Dispatch 2)E22
Parents Storm a Military Base: Mexico's Missing Students (Dispatch 2) Four months after 43 students from the Ayotzinapa Normal School were forcefully disappeared by the local police and a drug gang, the Mexican authorities are ready to close the case. The Mexican federal prosecutor said that the version of the events in which the students were killed, incinerated in a dump, and their remains disposed of in a river is a "historical truth." But the parents of the missing are firm on their doubts about what authorities have said. They still believe that federal forces participated in the disappearance, and plan to continue escalating their protests until their sons are returned alive — even if it means confronting the army themselves. - The Battle for Iraq: Shia Militias vs. the Islamic StateE23
The Battle for Iraq: Shia Militias vs. the Islamic State VICE News traveled to Iraq in December to witness firsthand how Shia militias are taking the fight to the Islamic State, and to document the fallout of their controversial rise to power. - PKK Youth Fight for Autonomy in TurkeyE24
PKK Youth Fight for Autonomy in Turkey On January 6, a 14-year-old Kurdish boy named Ümit Kurt was shot dead by Turkish special forces in the Syrian border town of Cizre in southeast Turkey. Ümit Kurt was killed as he walked home through an area controlled by the Patriotic Revolutionary Youth Movement (YDG-H), the militant youth wing of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The YDG-H has been acting as a paramilitary force in Cizre for the past few months and has closed off several Kurdish neighborhoods with their armed checkpoints and patrols. VICE News gained exclusive access to members of the YDG-H, mostly in their teens and early twenties, who give their story on why gun battles broke out between them and the Turkish security forces, leading to some of the worst fighting in Cizre since the 1990s. - Albino Activism in Tanzania: VICE News Meets Josephat TornerE25
Albino Activism in Tanzania: VICE News Meets Josephat Torner VICE News traveled to Tanzania to meet with Josephat Torner, an albino activist who has dedicated his life to raising awareness and acceptance towards albinos in his country, while debunking the widespread myths and superstitions surrounding the congenital disorder. - Toxic Waste in the US: Coal AshE26
Toxic Waste in the US: Coal AshCoal ash, which contains many of the world's worst carcinogens, is what's left over when coal is burnt for electricity. An estimated 113 million tons of coal ash are produced annually in the US, and stored in almost every state — some of it literally in people's backyards. With very little government oversight and few safeguards in place, toxic chemicals have been known to leak from these storage sites and into nearby communities, contaminating drinking water and making residents sick. VICE News travels across the US to meet the people and visit the areas most affected by this toxic waste stream. Since coal production is predicted to remain steady for the next few decades, coal ash will be a problem that will affect the US for years to come. - Copenhagen Killings: The AftermathE27
Copenhagen Killings: The Aftermath On February 14, a gunman opened fire on a café in Copenhagen, killing one man and injuring three police officers. The café was hosting a debate on free speech — featuring the controversial cartoonist Lars Vilks, famous for his 2007 drawing of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad as a dog. Hours later, the shooter, who had fled the scene of the crime, reappeared outside of Denmark’s central synagogue, where he shot and killed a Jewish volunteer guard and wounded two more police officers. The shooter again fled the scene, sparking a citywide manhunt. - On The Line: Henry Langston Discusses Iraq's Shia MilitiasE28
On The Line: Henry Langston Discusses Iraq's Shia MilitiasLast summer, with Iraq's army weakened, and the Islamic State advancing on Baghdad, the country's Iran-backed Shia militias were called on halt the militants’ progress. While successful in combat, their growing influence has led many to fear that the militias threaten the country's sectarian and political balance. Henry Langston traveled to Iraq for VICE News to witness firsthand how Shia militias are taking the fight to the Islamic State, and to document the fallout of their rise to power. - A Look Back At The Violence In Ferguson: Talking HeadsE29
A Look Back At The Violence In Ferguson: Talking Heads VICE News and the New York Review of Books have partnered to create Talking Heads, a series about the big issues of the day as seen by the Review's distinguished contributors. In this episode, Darryl Pinckney discusses his essay "In Ferguson." He visited Ferguson, Missouri, in November, when a grand jury decided not to indict Darren Wilson, the white police officer who shot and killed unarmed black teenager Michael Brown. The dissatisfaction Pinckney felt as he followed news coverage of events in the area compelled him to visit and bear witness. Once on the ground, he discovered that despite sometimes violent expressions of anger within the community, the danger he felt was always from the police. - Freezing and Fighting for Aid: Syrian Refugees in LebanonE30
Freezing and Fighting for Aid: Syrian Refugees in Lebanon As Syria’s civil war has raged over the past four years, more than a million refugees have fled into neighboring Lebanon. The Bekaa Valley, which serves as the main passageway between Damascus and Beirut, is now home to the largest concentration of Lebanon’s Syrian refugees. Currently in Lebanon there is one Syrian for every four Lebanese citizens — a population growth that has created a strain on the small villages and towns that bear the responsibility of hosting the refugees. Al Marj, a small city of about 15,000 in the southern end of the Bekaa Valley, is home to a refugee camp where approximately 400 families are living. VICE News traveled to the Bekaa Valley to see how the refugee population is faring as winter fully sets in, and found that the freezing temperatures are only one of their problems. - Fallout in Gaza: Six Months OnE31
Fallout in Gaza: Six Months OnDuring the devastating 50-day war in Israel and Gaza this past summer, around 18,000 homes in Gaza were destroyed or severely damaged, leaving around 120,000 residents homeless. Now, with trouble in neighboring Sinai and infighting between Palestinian factions, reconstruction efforts in the beleaguered Gaza Strip are moving slowly. With the UN warning of a growing humanitarian crisis for the people of Gaza, many fear that another armed conflict is imminent. - On The Line: Neha Shastry Discusses Toxic Coal AshE32
On The Line: Neha Shastry Discusses Toxic Coal Ash An estimated 113 million tons of coal ash - the toxic byproduct of coal-fired power plants - are produced annually in the US. Coal ash is stored in almost every state with little government oversight and few safeguards in place. When spills occur, nearby communities and ecosystems pay the price. Neha Shastry traveled across the US for VICE News to meet the people and visit the areas most affected by this toxic waste. - Thousands Attend Pro-Putin Rally in MoscowE33
Thousands Attend Pro-Putin Rally in Moscow Bikers, teachers, teenagers, veterans, and pro-Vladimir Putin political organizations from all over Russia gathered February 21 in downtown Moscow to mark the one-year anniversary of what they see as a bloody coup of the Yanukovych regime in Ukraine. The rally, which referenced the iconic Euromaidan protests last year in Kiev, were partly organized by Alexander Zaldostanov, the leader of Russia's Night Wolves biker gang and public ally of Putin. VICE News was in Moscow to witness tens of thousands of Russians protesting in support of a unified Russian Federation and against any possible Orange Revolution in their country. - Anti-Fascists Clash with Pegida Movement in Vienna: Hate in EuropeE34
Anti-Fascists Clash with Pegida Movement in Vienna: Hate in Europe Founded in Germany in 2014, the far right, anti-Islamic movement Pegida has since spread throughout western Europe, with organizers planning demonstrations in Switzerland, Spain, and Belgium. On February 2, the movement held a rally in Vienna, Austria, but was met with opposition from anti-fascist activists in the city center. Despite being separated by heavy police presence, tension between the two groups escalated. VICE News went to the rally to find out what motivated Pegida supporters, as well as anti-Pegida demonstrators, to take to the streets. - Anti-Islamists Demonstrate in Britain: Hate in EuropeE35
Anti-Islamists Demonstrate in Britain: Hate in Europe Founded in Germany in 2014, the far-right, anti-Islamic movement Pegida — which stands for “Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West” — has since spread throughout western Europe. On February 28, VICE News traveled to Newcastle in northeast England for the inaugural demonstration of spinoff organization Pegida UK. Demonstration organizers told VICE News that they were mobilizing against the imminent rise of Sharia in Britain — and that they feared a future in which British women were forced to wear burkas on British streets. - The Assassination of Boris Nemtsov: Kremlin's Biggest CriticE36
The Assassination of Boris Nemtsov: Kremlin's Biggest Critic Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was shot dead on the evening of February 27 as he was walking with his Ukrainian girlfriend along Bolshoi Moskvoretsky Bridge in central Moscow, just feet away from the Kremlin. Nemtsov, a co-chair of the Republican Party of Russia-People's Freedom Party and outspoken critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was reportedly shot four times in the back by an unknown assassin. In the days after the shooting, theories on the identity and motivation of the killer have continued to swirl. Tens of thousands of mourners laid flowers and lit candles at the assassination site over the weekend and marched through the streets of Moscow in one of Russia’s largest opposition marches in recent memory. VICE News attended the site of Nemtsov’s death shortly after the incident and spoke to those still coming to terms with the murder of the beloved opposition leader. - The Kremlin's Secret War: Russia's Ghost Army in UkraineE37
The Kremlin's Secret War: Russia's Ghost Army in UkraineVICE News travels to Russia to investigate the mysterious deaths of dozens — possibly hundreds — of active-duty Russian servicemen who are believed to have been killed in Ukraine. Accounts gathered from soldiers’ families, human rights workers, and government officials cast doubt on the Kremlin narrative, revealing the unacknowledged sacrifices borne by Russia’s ghost army. - Japan vs. The Islamic StateE38
Japan vs. The Islamic State The brutal beheadings of Japanese nationals Kenji Goto and Haruna Yukawa by the Islamic State in January have shocked the island nation and lent momentum to an effort to expand the limitations imposed on its constitution and military after its defeat by the United States in World War II. Leftists in Japan fear that the incident will encourage a departure from the country's pacifist constitution, whose Article 9 states that "the Japanese people forever renounce… the threat or use of force as a means of settling international disputes." Right-wingers, meanwhile, see an opportunity to allow Japan to assert itself as a truly sovereign state. VICE News reports from Japan as its prime minister and right wing are pushing for re-militarization of the pacifist nation, amid protests from the left who staunchly oppose any changes to Article 9 of the constitution. - Michoacan’s Most Wanted Drug Kingpin: Mexico’s Hot Land (Dispatch 1)E40
Michoacan’s Most Wanted Drug Kingpin: Mexico’s Hot Land (Dispatch 1) Mexico has nabbed the leader of the infamous Knights Templar drug gang, and now the territory he once controlled is up for grabs. VICE News travels to the contested Mexican state of Michoacan to find out whether the power balance will shift following his arrest. - Peshmerga Fighters Closing in on Mosul: The Battle for Iraq (Dispatch 9)E41
Peshmerga Fighters Closing in on Mosul: The Battle for Iraq (Dispatch 9) With the timeline unclear for a forthcoming US-led coalition assault on the Islamic State (IS) stronghold of Mosul, Kurdish peshmerga fighters continue to man the trenches at the strategic junction of Keske, just outside the northern Iraqi city. VICE News traveled to Keske to meet with peshmerga fighters and to learn their thoughts on the coalition’s mulled offensive, as they continue to cut off IS's vital supply lines from Syria. - The Fortress of the Knights Templar: Mexico's Hot Land (Dispatch 2)E42
The Fortress of the Knights Templar: Mexico's Hot Land (Dispatch 2) While he was the leader of Mexico's Knights Templar cartel, the late Nazario Moreno González lived in his heavily-guarded ranch, “Fortress Anunnaki.” It was from here that he operated the cartel, as well as a casino and massive rodeo. VICE News traveled to "Fortress Anunnaki” in Tepalcatepec to find out what has become of the Knights Templar stronghold a year after the death of its leader. - How “The Viagras” Got Their Name: Mexico's Hot Land (Dispatch 3)E43
How “The Viagras” Got Their Name: Mexico's Hot Land (Dispatch 3) Since the arrest of one of Mexico's most wanted drug lords — Knights Templar leader Servando Gómez Martinez, a.k.a. La Tuta — authorities have continued to crack down on the drug gangs seeking to fill the power vacuum created by La Tuta's arrest. One of these gangs is the Viagras. VICE News exclusively obtained the first interview with Viagras leader Nicolás "El Gordo" Sierra since he went into hiding in December. Viagras members say they're simply a vigilante group, but Mexican authorities have found them to be involved in drug trafficking. We asked Sierra about the group and its origins. - From Prison to Politics: Mexico's Hot Land (Dispatch 4)E44
From Prison to Politics: Mexico's Hot Land (Dispatch 4) The former leader of a group of vigilantes in Mexico has just been released from prison, and is now eyeing a career in politics. Hipólito Mora was imprisoned on murder charges following a December 2014 shootout in Michoacán between his and another vigilante group led by Luis Antonio Torres, a.k.a. “El Americano.” The clash resulted in 11 deaths — including Mora's son. VICE News met with Mora in Michoacán to find out what his political goals are following his release from prison, and whether the release of “El Americano” means another shootout can be expected. - Leading The Fight Against The Islamic State: The Battle for Iraq (Dispatch 10)E45
Leading The Fight Against The Islamic State: The Battle for Iraq (Dispatch 10) Masrour Barzani, chancellor of Kurdistan's Security Council and son of Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani, is one of the most important figures in the international coalition fighting Islamic State (IS) militants across Iraq and Syria. In an exclusive interview with VICE News conducted in northern Iraq, the chancellor discusses the limitations of Western support to the Kurdish forces fighting IS, and the challenges that will be faced when attempting to retake Mosul this summer. - On The Line: Claire Ward Discusses Female CircumcisionE46
On The Line: Claire Ward Discusses Female CircumcisionFemale genital mutilation (FGM) is a cultural tradition that affects millions of women worldwide. Sometimes referred to as female circumcision or female genital cutting, FGM can have life-long complications. - A Roundtable with President Barack Obama: The Cost of EducationE48
A Roundtable with President Barack Obama: The Cost of Education The biggest financial issue currently facing young Americans is not the decline of manufacturing jobs or the housing collapse, but mounting student debt. To tackle this issue, VICE hosted a roundtable discussion, moderated by VICE founder Shane Smith, with President Barack Obama and five students who discussed the challenges surrounding student debt and the pursuit of higher education in the US. - Launching Balloons into North Korea: Propaganda Over PyongyangE49
Launching Balloons into North Korea: Propaganda Over Pyongyang North and South Korea are, both legally and philosophically, in a state of war. While the guns may be silent, the conflict between the two countries has now become one of propaganda. With the assistance of the Human Rights Foundation, North Korean defectors now in South Korea have been launching hydrogen-filled balloons across the 38th parallel — carrying both money and propaganda. In late 2014, a balloon launch sparked a brief exchange of gunfire between North and South Korean soldiers, and even more recently, Pyongyang has promised that hellfire will rain on South Korea if any copies of the controversial Hollywood comedy The Interview make it across the border. - Cursed by Coal: Mining the Navajo NationE50
Cursed by Coal: Mining the Navajo Nation There's a resource curse on the Navajo Nation. The 27,000-square-mile reservation straddling parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah has an extremely high abundance of many energy resources — particularly coal. That coal is what's burned to provide much of the Southwest with electricity, and it creates jobs for the Navajo. But the mining and burning have also caused environmental degradation, serious health issues, and displacement. VICE News travels to the Navajo Nation to find out how its abundance of coal is affecting the future of the Navajo people. - Pipeline Nation: America’s Broken IndustryE51
Pipeline Nation: America’s Broken Industry A pipeline network more than 2.5 million miles long transports oil and natural gas throughout the United States — but a top official in the federal government's pipeline safety oversight agency admits that the regulatory process is overstretched and "kind of dying." A recent spike in the number of spills illustrates the problem: the Department of Transportation recorded 73 pipeline-related accidents in 2014, an 87 percent increase over 2009. Despite calls for stricter regulations over the last few years, the rules governing the infrastructure have largely remained the same. Critics say that this is because of the oil industry's cozy relationship with regulators, and argue that violations for penalties are too low to compel compliance. VICE News traveled to Glendive, Montana, to visit the site of a pipeline spill that dumped more than 50,000 gallons of oil into the Yellowstone River, to find out why the industry has such weak regulatory oversight. - On The Line: Michael Moynihan on the Information War Between South and North KoreaE52
On The Line: Michael Moynihan on the Information War Between South and North Korea The shooting war between North and South Korea has been replaced with a propaganda war. With the assistance of an American human rights group, defectors in South Korea have launched hydrogen-filled balloons across the 38th parallel--carrying money, propaganda, and copies of The Interview. VICE News went to Seoul, South Korea to meet frontline soldiers in the information war--and to attend a clandestine launch of propaganda balloons into the Hermit Kingdom. - Should the US Send Lethal Aid to Ukraine?E53
Should the US Send Lethal Aid to Ukraine? The shooting war between North and South Korea has been replaced with a propaganda war. With the assistance of an American human rights group, defectors in South Korea have launched hydrogen-filled balloons across the 38th parallel--carrying money, propaganda, and copies of The Interview. VICE News went to Seoul, South Korea to meet frontline soldiers in the information war--and to attend a clandestine launch of propaganda balloons into the Hermit Kingdom. - Under Siege From The Islamic State In RamadiE54
Under Siege From The Islamic State In Ramadi In early March, while the world was watching Iraqi government forces advance on the Islamic State (IS) in Tikrit, IS was launching a series of assaults on what little remains of the Government-held parts of the provincial capital, Ramadi, which has been under siege for over a year. On the morning of 11 March alone — the first day VICE News spent in Ramadi — nearly two dozen IS car bombs were detonated, killing 10 and injuring 60. In a series of interviews, Iraqi officials told VICE News that they fear Islamic State fighters will overrun what remains of Government-held Ramadi if the US did not intervene with air support. According to police in Ramadi, more than 2,000 officers have been killed since January 2014, when the Islamic State — then known mainly as ISIS or ISIL — first announced its presence in the city. VICE News spent three days in Ramadi documenting civilian life and interviewing Iraqi officials, as the town remains under siege from the Islamic State. - Austerity and Anger: Protests Against Syriza's EU DealE55
Austerity and Anger: Protests Against Syriza's EU Deal On January 25, the leftist party Syriza emerged victorious in Greece’s national elections. Days later, Alex Tsipras, the new 40-year-old prime minister, formed a coalition government with a strong mandate to renegotiate Greece’s bailout terms and reduce its large debt pile, built up over the five-year financial crisis. - Ex-CIA Officer John Kiriakou: "The Government Turned Me Into a Dissident"E56
Ex-CIA Officer John Kiriakou: "The Government Turned Me Into a Dissident" In 2007, John Kiriakou became the first Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) official to publicly confirm that agency interrogators waterboarded a high-value detainee, terrorism suspect Abu Zubaydah — a revelation that had previously been a closely guarded secret. Five years after this unauthorized disclosure to ABC News, the veteran CIA officer pleaded guilty to leaking to journalists the identity of certain individuals who were involved with the CIA's rendition, detention, and interrogation program. He was sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison. VICE News caught up with Kiriakou for a wide-ranging interview just a few days after he was released from prison. He detailed how his CIA training became a technique for survival behind bars, and how the government turned him into a “dissident.” - On The Line: Jason Leopold Discusses Uncovering Government SecretsE57
On The Line: Jason Leopold Discusses Uncovering Government Secrets Jason Leopold joined 'On the Line' to answer your questions about his reporting, and how he leverages the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to reveal government secrets. - Institutionalized: Mental Health Behind BarsE58
Institutionalized: Mental Health Behind Bars America’s relationship with its mentally ill population continues to suffer as a result of inadequacies in the country’s mental health care system. For the mentally ill in Chicago, the effects of this inadequacy are felt on a magnified scale, as budget cuts and a lack of community-based mental health resources have left these individuals with minimal support. More often than not, this means being repeatedly swept up into the criminal justice system for low-level, non-violent crimes. VICE News takes an immersive look at this issue by going inside the Cook County Jail and speaking with community members on Chicago's south side. - Trapped in Iraq Between the Islamic State and Government ForcesE59
Trapped in Iraq Between the Islamic State and Government Forces Days before the US launched airstrikes on Tikrit in late March, VICE News traveled to the front lines of the northern Iraqi city, where Iraqi government forces and volunteer militiamen are continuing to battle the so-called Islamic State militant group. The presence of the volunteer militiamen Hashd al Shaabi, also known as the Popular Mobilization Forces, has raised fears among civilians of retributive attacks. VICE News spoke to refugees from Tikrit who were detained while attempting to flee the fighting, some of whom accused Hashd al Shaabi of carrying out abductions, forced conscription, and looting. - Shane Smith Interviews Justin Trudeau: The VICE News InterviewE60
Shane Smith Interviews Justin Trudeau: The VICE News Interview VICE founder Shane Smith sits down with Canadian prime ministerial candidate Justin Trudeau to talk about his campaign, and the most pressing issues facing Canada today, from the controversial anti-terrorism bill to climate change. - The War Against Boko HaramE61
The War Against Boko HaramSince 2009, the militant Islamist group known as Boko Haram has wreaked havoc in northern Nigeria. Instilling terror through bombings, abductions, and beheadings, Boko Haram is fighting to create an Islamic state in the most populous country in Africa. VICE News traveled to Nigeria to embed with the country's army as it ramped up its fight against Boko Haram, whose rise has caused a state of emergency. As the only journalists on the front line in northern Nigeria, we witnessed the beginning of the largest military insurgency to date. - On The Line: Danny Gold Discusses Chicago's Mental Health CrisisE62
On The Line: Danny Gold Discusses Chicago's Mental Health Crisis America’s relationship with its mentally ill population continues to suffer as a result of inadequacies in the country’s mental health care system. For the mentally ill in Chicago, the effects of this inadequacy are felt on a magnified scale, as budget cuts and a lack of community-based mental health resources have left these individuals with minimal support. More often than not, this means being repeatedly swept up into the criminal justice system for low-level, non-violent crimes. Danny Gold traveled to Chicago for VICE News, to speak with community members on Chicago's south side, and get a first-hand look inside Cook County Jail. - Peru’s War on DrugsE63
Peru’s War on Drugs Despite the United Nations confirming in 2013 that Peru has overtaken Colombia as the world's top coca and cocaine producer, the country’s place atop the drug supply chain has — at least so far — not included the levels of violence seen in Colombia, Mexico, and other international narcotics hubs. The frontlines of Peru’s war on cocaine are restricted to remote coca-producing basins, where drug laboratories and illegal landing strips are abundant. But the government’s campaign of crop eradication and efforts to destroy narco runways risk further igniting a larger social conflict, alienating the coca farmers whose livelihoods depend on growing the illicit crop. VICE News traveled to the heart of Peru’s coca-producing region to witness how the government is waging a war on drugs with the aim of putting an early end to its reign as the world’s new king of cocaine. - Illegal Loggers: The Tribe Waging War in the AmazonE64
Illegal Loggers: The Tribe Waging War in the Amazon On the Alto Rio Guamá reserve in Brazil, the Tembe tribe has been battling for decades to save its land from illegal loggers and settlers. As tension escalates, the Tembe people have now been forced to take up arms and confront the loggers, sparking violent clashes deep within the jungle. With the odds stacked against the tribe, VICE News traveled to the northern Brazilian state of Para to meet the Tembe and witness the tribe’s struggle to protect its land. - Bahrain's Grand Prix Sparks Human Rights ProtestsE65
Bahrain's Grand Prix Sparks Human Rights Protests Formula 1’s annual Bahrain Grand Prix opened April 17 to global fanfare, but demonstrators in the small Gulf kingdom off the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia have been protesting the motorsports event for weeks, accusing Formula 1’s management of ignoring longstanding human rights abuses in the country. - On The Line: Kaj Larsen Discusses the War Against Boko HaramE66
On The Line: Kaj Larsen Discusses the War Against Boko Haram Since 2009, the militant Islamist group known as Boko Haram has wreaked havoc in northern Nigeria. Instilling terror through bombings, abductions, and beheadings, Boko Haram is fighting to create an Islamic state in the most populous country in Africa. Kaj traveled to Nigeria for VICE News to embed with the country's army as it ramped up its fight against Boko Haram. As the only journalists on the front line in northern Nigeria, VICE News witnessed the beginning of the largest military incursion to date. - Why are Canadians Joining the Islamic State? - Homegrown Radicals with Suroosh AlviE67
Why are Canadians Joining the Islamic State? - Homegrown Radicals with Suroosh Alvi Canadian authorities have reported that at least 130 citizens are involved extremist activities abroad, with 30 in Syria alone. In Calgary, five youths who attended the 8th & 8th Musallah mosque are known to have joined the Islamic State, leading the Canadian media to emphatically label Calgary a hotbed of terrorism. In response to two so-called "lone wolf" attacks last year, Canada’s Conservative government introduced controversial anti-terrorism legislation, which some fear will only further marginalizethe country’s Muslim population. VICE founder Suroosh Alvi traveled to Calgary to investigate allegations of radicalization among the city’s Muslim youth, speaking with the imam of the 8th & 8th Musallah, as well as the mother of Damian Clairmont, who died in Syria fighting for the Islamic State. - How the CIA Waged War in AfghanistanE68
How the CIA Waged War in Afghanistan Robert Grenier is a former CIA station chief for Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the man who was tapped by the CIA and White House to direct the first America-Afghan war following the attacks of 9/11. In his new book, 88 Days to Kandahar, Grenier discusses how he forged alliances with warlords and Pakistani intelligence operatives to execute a campaign that defeated the Taliban in Afghanistan’s southern region. Following his work in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Grenier returned to Washington, DC, and was tasked with overseeing the CIA’s intelligence operations and analysis in Iraq prior to the 2003 US invasion. - World Bank President Jim Yong Kim: The VICE News InterviewE69
World Bank President Jim Yong Kim: The VICE News Interview Twenty years ago, Jim Yong Kim was an activist calling for the abolition of the World Bank. Today, he’s its president. VICE News met with Kim to discuss the World Bank’s past efforts to fight poverty and its struggle to stay relevant in a changing world. - On The Line: Kayla Ruble Discusses the Ebola Outbreak in West AfricaE70
On The Line: Kayla Ruble Discusses the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa Kayla Ruble joined On The Line to discuss the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, and the global response to the spread of the virus. Since the outbreak began, the contagion has infected more than 25,000 people and claimed more than 10,000 lives — mostly in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. Although transmission rates have slowed, new cases continue to be reported, and the economies of the hardest-hit nations remain at risk. VICE News reporter Kayla Ruble has been following the global effort to combat the disease - both on the ground in Liberia, and from our newsroom - and answered your questions live. - Silencing Dissent in Russia: Putin’s Propaganda MachineE72
Silencing Dissent in Russia: Putin’s Propaganda MachineDespite sanctions, a plummeting economy, and isolation from the world as a result of its actions in Ukraine, a wave of patriotic fervor is spreading across Russia. Thousands of Russians have attended rallies in support of President Vladimir Putin, whose popularity ratings remain sky-high, while voices of the opposition are increasingly stifled. On the streets and in the media, the Kremlin has tightened its grip on power. State-controlled television channels spin facts to bolster the government line, whipping up anti-Western sentiment and paranoia about internal enemies. Independent broadcasters are struggling to make themselves heard as the country grows more dangerous for journalists and popular figures who are critical of the authorities. VICE News traveled to Moscow to find out how the Russian government has suppressed dissent and fostered fear among Putin’s critics. - First Night of Baltimore's Curfew: State of Emergency - Baltimore, Maryland (Dispatch 1)E73
First Night of Baltimore's Curfew: State of Emergency - Baltimore, Maryland (Dispatch 1) On April 19, Freddie Gray died from injuries he sustained while in the custody of Baltimore police. In the wake of his funeral on April 27, peaceful protests erupted into vandalism and looting across the city. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake instituted a curfew, effective Tuesday, April 28 at 10pm. - Anger in Kathmandu: Earthquake in Nepal (Dispatch 2)E74
Anger in Kathmandu: Earthquake in Nepal (Dispatch 2) On Saturday, April 25, a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal, leveling historic sections of Kathmandu, killing more than 5,200 people, and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless. Four days later, a protest erupted outside the main bus station in Kathmandu near the Nepalese parliament. People were reportedly told that the government planned to send a fleet of buses to take them out of the city, and they became irate when they were told there weren’t enough busses for everyone. - The Worst Internship Ever: Japan’s Labor PainsE75
The Worst Internship Ever: Japan’s Labor Pains Japan is facing a serious labor shortage, a problem that can be traced back to an aging population and a prevailing fear that immigrants will dilute the country’s pure gene pool. In order to keep the world’s third-largest economy afloat, the Japanese government offers an internship program that attracts foreign workers from China, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The program, which allows workers to stay for three years, is advertised as providing laborers with transferrable new skills for when they return home. VICE News recently traveled to Japan to investigate the internship program. We found that many interns are underpaid, saddled with insurmountable debt, and forced into a form of indentured servitude. Many are illegally placed as oyster shuckers, construction workers, and other unskilled positions. And, despite international condemnation, Japan plans to use thousands of new foreign interns to build the infrastructure for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. - Protesters Demand Police Accountability: State of Emergency - Baltimore, Maryland (Dispatch 2)E76
Protesters Demand Police Accountability: State of Emergency - Baltimore, Maryland (Dispatch 2) VICE News speaks to residents of Baltimore as they wait for an official announcement regarding the investigation into the case of Freddie Gray, the 25-year-old who died from a severed spine while in police custody on April 12. Protests calling for accountability for Gray's death have been largely peaceful. Protesters are also calling for police reform — Gray's is not the first death occurring in the custody of Baltimore police, and the city has paid more than $10 million in compensation and legal fees since 2011 to settle cases of police abuse. - Baltimore Reacts to State’s Attorney’s Announcement: Baltimore, Maryland (Dispatch 3)E78
Baltimore Reacts to State’s Attorney’s Announcement: Baltimore, Maryland (Dispatch 3) On Friday morning, the Baltimore State's Attorney's office announced that Freddie Gray's death following his arrest by city police had been deemed a homicide, and that it had issued warrants for the arrest of six officers on various charges related to the murder. VICE News spoke with residents of Baltimore following the State’s Attorney’s announcement, including Kevin Moore, the man who filmed footage of Freddie Gray’s arrest. The six Baltimore police officers who have been charged in the death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray turned themselves in on Friday afternoon. They have since posted bond. - The Area Hardest Hit: Earthquake in Nepal (Dispatch 4)E79
The Area Hardest Hit: Earthquake in Nepal (Dispatch 4) Sindhupalchowk, a district three hours from Kathmandu, is in the opposite direction of the earthquake's epicenter, but is one of the hardest hit areas, and one where aid has only recently arrived. In this dispatch, VICE News visits the district to speak with residents trying to recover their belongings, and a family whose sole breadwinner was killed when a building collapsed on him, as they wait for his body to be recovered from the rubble. - Behind the Political Spin: The British ElectionE80
Behind the Political Spin: The British Election This election is the closest in decades, so winning over an increasingly disillusioned electorate matters. But instead of actually facing the public, the risk-averse party leaders are stuck on a grim carousel of predictable press conferences and stage-managed photocalls. Politicians are aided in their cause by an army of spin-doctors that minimize unscripted interactions with journalists and the public alike. These media buffers, crowd fluffers, and party cheerleaders help the campaign stay on message, but in doing so they keep politicians evasive, and the public at arm's length. VICE News joined the campaign trail to confront the journalists, spin-doctors, and leaders who all have a part to play in the evolution of this Pyongyang press junket that serves to lock out the great, unvetted public. - Buddhists Deliver Relief in Lieu of International Aid: Earthquake in Nepal (Dispatch 5)E81
Buddhists Deliver Relief in Lieu of International Aid: Earthquake in Nepal (Dispatch 5) In this dispatch, VICE news visits Bhaktapur, where the Nepal Buddhist Federation is cleaning up the area, while international aid is yet to arrive. In Kathmandu, we speak with Kunda Dixit, editor of the Nepali Times, about how Nepalis are responding to the earthquake’s aftermath, and how they feel about the government’s response. - Who Would Migrants Vote For? - The British ElectionE82
Who Would Migrants Vote For? - The British Election British politics hasn't been this concerned with immigration for decades. As the general election looms, UKIP, a controversial right-wing political party, is predicted to woo one in 10 voters due to its uncompromising anti-immigration policy — which includes only accepting Christian refugees. Even the left-leaning Labour party has made controls on immigration a central point of its manifesto. For more than 10 years, Calais, a port town in the north of France, has been a stop off point for migrants and refugees seeking a better life in the UK. Surviving in shantytowns and squats, they risk their lives scrambling onto moving trucks in an effort to get into Britain illegally. VICE News travelled to Calais to see what life is like in this limbo overlooking the English Channel — and find out who the migrants and refugees would vote for if they could participate in the election. - The Fight for the Muslim Vote: The British ElectionE83
The Fight for the Muslim Vote: The British Election Ahead of the UK general election on May 7, VICE News explores voter apathy within the British Muslim community and finds out if issues such as the country's counterterrorism policy and Islamophobia are pushing young Muslims into disenfranchisement. In the 2010 general election, a lower percentage of British Muslims voted than any other religious group. Despite being the fastest growing religion in the UK and boasting more young adherents than any other religion, it appears young Muslims are becoming more and more dissatisfied with the government. VICE News speaks with Islamists who are rejecting voting and British society, those trying to get Muslims to vote, and those trying to win those votes. We meet with young Muslims to hear their opinions on the election and explore what influences them at a time when they are facing numerous challenges. - Milan is Burning: The No Expo MovementE84
Milan is Burning: The No Expo Movement On May 1, the No Expo activist group took to Milan’s streets to protest Expo 2015. Known as the “Universal Exhibition,” the event is dedicated to food, technology, and innovation. But activists have been longtime critics of the event, which they say is rife with corruption, and say does not help Italy, but benefits big corporations. VICE News attended a series of rallies held by the No Expo group in the days leading up to the launch of Expo 2015, and spoke with activists about rebuilding the group’s credibility after their recent protest ended with tear gas and burning cars. - Will Britain Bring Back the Hunt? - The British ElectionE85
Will Britain Bring Back the Hunt? - The British Election Just weeks before the UK's general election, Prime Minister David Cameron pledged that if re-elected, he would work to overturn the 2004 Hunting Act, which made it illegal to hunt wild animals with large packs of hounds. With that, Conservative Party leader Cameron thrust the issue of hunting onto Britain’s election agenda — kicking up a heated debate that can seem to pitch rich against poor, tradition against modernity, and city against countryside. Labour, the main opposition party has in turn vowed to defend the hunting ban. On both sides of the line, activists now speak of a reignited "class war." VICE News traveled across the British countryside, meeting with hunters, activists, balaclava-clad “hunt saboteurs,” and everyday Brits who say that urban politicians just don't get their country way of life. - The Student Debt Sentence: The British ElectionE86
The Student Debt Sentence: The British Election The reform to higher education in England, which among other things tripled annual university tuition fees, sparked mass protests in 2010. In the lead up to the general election on May 7, only 0.3 percent of the policy debates dealt with the contentious issue of higher education. VICE News follows students who feel let down by those in power and are once again taking to the streets and occupying their campuses. They are taking direct action against the new loan-backed fees system, which they fear is a ticking debt bomb, and their universities being turned into profit-driven corporations, rather than places to expand the mind. - On The Line: Ryan Faith Discusses National Security and DefenseE87
On The Line: Ryan Faith Discusses National Security and Defense VICE News’ Defense and National Security Editor Ryan Faith joined On The Line to discuss emerging threats, the latest military tech, and security challenges in the 21st century. - Troops and Tanks in Moscow: Russia’s Victory DayE88
Troops and Tanks in Moscow: Russia’s Victory Day On May 9, Russia commemorated the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War with a military parade held in Moscow’s Red Square. In addition to approximately 16,000 troops, the newest military technology in Russia’s arsenal also participated, including the T-14 Armata battle tank. VICE News correspondent Simon Ostrovsky attended the weekend's celebrations in Moscow, speaking with attendees who came out to display their patriotism for the motherland. - On The Line: Andrew Glazer Discusses Labor ExploitationE89
On The Line: Andrew Glazer Discusses Labor Exploitation VICE News' Senior Producer Andrew Glazer joined 'On The Line' to discuss exploitative labor practices in Japan and Cambodia. For workers at the lowest rungs on the economic ladder, things aren't always as they seem. Although it was designed to rescue and rehabilitate sex workers, many Cambodian women say the country's anti-trafficking campaign is forcing them into a trade where conditions and pay are even worse: making clothing for Western brands. The Japanese government offers an internship program that attracts foreign workers. Advertised as providing laborers with transferrable new skills for when they return home, many interns are underpaid, saddled with insurmountable debt, and forced into a form of indentured servitude. - Rearming Iraq: The New Arms Race in the Middle EastE90
Rearming Iraq: The New Arms Race in the Middle East As violence escalates across the Middle East and North Africa, the United States remains the largest exporter of weapons to the region, and private US defense companies and contractors have opened local offices as the demand shows no sign of abating. VICE News traveled to this year's International Defense Exhibition and Conference in the United Arab Emirates capital of Abu Dhabi to examine the competition between arms manufacturers vying for a greater portion of the lucrative market. From Abu Dhabi we traveled to Iraq, where US weapons have fallen into the hands of non-state actors such as the so-called Islamic State militant group, Kurdish Peshmerga, and militias aligned with the Iraqi government. Rather than block sales, the US government and others actively promote them — ensuring there will be enough arms to fuel the region's wars and revolts for years to come. - Shane Smith Interviews Ashton Carter: The VICE News InterviewE91
Shane Smith Interviews Ashton Carter: The VICE News InterviewVICE founder Shane Smith interviews US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter about Putin's nukes, the rise of the Islamic State, Afghan tumult, and repairing the NSA's reputation. - Inside War-Torn Yemen: Sanaa Under AttackE92
Inside War-Torn Yemen: Sanaa Under Attack For more than six weeks, nine countries led by Saudi Arabia have been carrying out airstrikes on Yemen, the Arab world's poorest nation. Whole neighborhoods have been destroyed and communities reduced to rubble. According to the United Nations, the strikes, targeting Iranian-backed Houthi rebel positions in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, have killed over 1,400 people, many of them civilians. With international media unable to enter the besieged capital, Yousef Mawry, a local journalist, recorded the devastation of his home city for VICE News. He meets the survivors and victims, getting the inside view of life in Yemen. - Talking Heads: Who's Supporting Assad?E93
Talking Heads: Who's Supporting Assad? VICE News and the New York Review of Books have partnered to create Talking Heads, a series about the big issues of the day as seen by the Review's distinguished contributors. In this episode, Charles Glass discusses his essay "In the Syria We Don't Know." He drove through Syria in October 2014 to see how the country's civil war had impacted daily life. With Bashar al-Assad benefiting from US-led airstrikes on the Islamic State, and large areas of the country under his regime's control, Glass found people carrying on at a relatively normal pace amid the conflict. But signs of death and personal loss were inescapable, as resentment mounted among citizens who feel they have no choice but to support Assad or be slaughtered at the hands of Sunni radicals. VICE News sat down with Glass to discuss America's uncertain foreign policy in the region and the underlying forces propping up Assad's government. - Jihadists vs. the Assad Regime: Syria's Rebel AdvanceE95
Jihadists vs. the Assad Regime: Syria's Rebel Advance In just a few short weeks, a newly-united rebel coalition has captured almost all of northwest Syria's Idlib province from government forces, overturning assumptions over the war's course, and threatening the regime's ability to defend its heartland. VICE News filmmaker Salam Rizk secured rare access to the jihadist fighters at the spear tip of the battle for the strategic city of Jisr al-Shughour. - The Future of Crude in the Texas of the NorthE96
The Future of Crude in the Texas of the North Canada is the fifth-largest producer of oil in the world. But when the price of oil plummeted in late 2014, the country’s oil-rich western province of Alberta began hurtling toward a recession, with widespread layoffs and historic reductions in drilling activity. The impact was felt across Canada, too. Crude oil is the country’s number one export, and 99 percent of it is sold to the United States. But in recent years, the US has emerged as a major oil producer in its own right, following a revolution in controversial fracking technology that has increased US oil production and contributed to a global oversupply of oil. Now, Canada's energy sector faces the difficult question of how to meet new markets in a changing global energy landscape. VICE News visited Alberta, known as Canada’s “Texas of the North," in what is normally high season for drilling — just before the frozen ground thaws — to explore how the bitter sting of low oil prices is affecting the region’s the economy. - On The Line: David Enders Discusses IS, Iraq, Syria, and the Middle EastE97
On The Line: David Enders Discusses IS, Iraq, Syria, and the Middle East From front lines, to refugee camps, and arms bazaars, VICE News correspondent David Enders has been covering conflict in the Middle East for VICE News. David joined 'On The Line' to discuss reporting on the Islamic State, the latest from Iraq, and Syria, and hot spots in the Middle East. - Rebranding the AK-47: A Weapon of PeaceE98
Rebranding the AK-47: A Weapon of Peace With sales of Kalashnikov’s firearms severely impacted by sanctions imposed by the US last summer against the Russia-based company, the gunmaker has since rebranded its firearms as “weapons of peace." VICE News traveled to Kalashnikov’s headquarters in Moscow to speak with its new CEO Alexey Krivoruchko about the impact of sanctions on his company. We also met with the public relations agency heading up the campaign to find out more about the rebranding of its famous assault rifles. - A Dangerous Occupation: Doctors in BaghdadE99
A Dangerous Occupation: Doctors in Baghdad According to the medical journal the Lancet, more than 2,000 doctors have been killed in Iraq since 2003. Ever-present violence in the country affects everyone, but when patients die while under medical care, doctors face the added dangers of kidnapping, robbery, and revenge killings at the hands of bereaved families. The Iraqi government's fight against the Islamic State has diverted resources from the Ministry of Health to the war effort, and doctors say the country's medical facilities are inadequate for its growing population. The situation is prompting medical professionals to leave Iraq, making things even worse. VICE News spoke with doctors at two Baghdad hospitals about the challenges they face, and about promises from the US to rebuild Iraq's health system. - A Year On From The Caliphate: The UK's Fight Against The Islamic StateE100
A Year On From The Caliphate: The UK's Fight Against The Islamic State One year on since the Islamic State (IS) announced a so-called caliphate across swathes of Iraq and Syria, a 60-nation anti-IS coalition meets for a second time in Paris on Tuesday, against the backdrop of recent territorial gains and new reports of atrocities by the group. On the eve of the conference, VICE News spoke to UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond to discuss the country's contribution to the coalition and the progress in the fight against IS. - The All-Girl Soldier Club: Child Warriors of DonetskE101
The All-Girl Soldier Club: Child Warriors of Donetsk Once a relic of the Soviet era, patriotic youth clubs in the Donetsk region of Ukraine are gaining new popularity, offering military training to their members. As young people practice assembling guns, marching, and military drills, a strong sense of allegiance flows through the ranks, with some members holding high aspirations of joining the Russian Federation army. Up to 15 of these clubs compete in the annual Future Warrior Contest held in a local military academy, which is judged by the academy's members and former Russian military. The contestants battle each other in displays of military prowess, vying for the prize of a visit to a training camp near Moscow. VICE News follows the Vityaz Squad as they compete against other patriotic youth clubs at the Future Warrior Contest in Donetsk. - California’s Sea Lion Die-OffE102
California’s Sea Lion Die-Off VICE News spoke with the California Wildlife Center in Malibu about the challenges of keeping up with the thousands of sick and starving sea lion pups washing up along the coast, as well as what this crisis means for the overall health of the ocean, and the future of the sea lion population. - On The Line: Charlie LeDuff Discusses Inequality in AmericaE103
On The Line: Charlie LeDuff Discusses Inequality in America It wasn't too long ago that American power and the wealth of the nation was created by cities like Baltimore, Detroit, and Newark. Now, as wealth has been concentrated among the elite, these and many American cities are in decline. Infrastructure is crumbling, the middle class is struggling, and the effects of urban poverty are becoming harder to ignore. - Peshmerga vs. the Islamic State: The Road to MosulE104
Peshmerga vs. the Islamic State: The Road to MosulA year after the Islamic State's lightning conquest of Iraq's second-largest city of Mosul, the poorly-trained and equipped Kurdish peshmerga forces are the international coalition's only reliable boots on the ground in northern Iraq. The Pentagon's hopes of recapturing the city by spring 2015 have been dashed by the military failures of the Iraqi Army further south, leaving the peshmerga to defend a 600-mile long frontline almost encircling Mosul, fending off constant Islamic State (IS) assaults with insufficient supplies of ammunition and modern weapons. For one month, VICE News embedded with the peshmerga fighters on the Mosul frontline, gaining an insight into the coalition's faltering war against IS through the eyes of the Kurdish volunteers bearing the brunt of the fighting. - The Russians Are Coming: Lithuania's Operation Lightning StrikeE105
The Russians Are Coming: Lithuania's Operation Lightning Strike In May, VICE News followed the Lithuanian army during Operation Lightning Strike — a four-day wargames exercise. The drill marked the first nation-wide test of Lithuania’s new 2,500-strong “Rapid Reaction Force,” set up in the wake of the Ukraine crisis to deal with hybrid warfare threats, such as armed protests, airfield and weapons stockpile seizures, and the sudden appearance of “little green men” who seem to take orders from far away. - Who Killed Alberto Nisman? - In Search of Truth in ArgentinaE106
Who Killed Alberto Nisman? - In Search of Truth in Argentina A political scandal has erupted in Argentina over the mysterious death of special prosecutor Albert Nisman. The 52-year-old was found dead in his apartment on January 18, the day before he was scheduled to testify before Congress that Argentina’s President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner — along with members of her government — had attempted to cover-up a deal that protected the perpetrators of the 1994 bombing of a Buenos Aires Jewish cultural center. As theories regarding Nisman’s death continue to swirl, VICE News traveled to Buenos Aires to investigate the mystery. - Selfie Soldiers: Russia Checks in to UkraineE107
Selfie Soldiers: Russia Checks in to Ukraine As the conflict in Ukraine continues, so too does Russian President Vladimir Putin’s denial of any Russian involvement. But a recent report from think tank the Atlantic Council used open source information and social media to find evidence of Russian troops across the border. Using the Atlantic Council’s methodology, VICE News correspondent Simon Ostrovsky follows the digital and literal footprints of one Russian soldier, tracking him from eastern Ukraine to Siberia, to prove that Russian soldiers are fighting in Ukraine. - The Deadline for Citizenship: Dominican Deadlock (Dispatch 1)E108
The Deadline for Citizenship: Dominican Deadlock (Dispatch 1) Thousands of Dominican Haitians have been waiting — some for days — to enter the Ministry of the Interior to complete a "regularization" process in order to avoid deportation. A 2013 ruling by the Dominican Republic's top court rendered hundreds of thousands of people in the country effectively stateless by revoking their citizenship. After an outcry from the international community, the Dominican government passed a law allowing residents a pathway to naturalization. Wednesday, June 17 was the deadline for those registering for naturalization at government bureaus around the country, the busiest of which was in the capital, Santo Domingo. VICE News was at the Ministry of the Interior in the capital on the day leading up to the deadline, where thousands of Dominican Haitians were waiting to register for citizenship. - Poaching, Drugs, and Murder in Costa Rica: Shell GameE109
Poaching, Drugs, and Murder in Costa Rica: Shell GameSince sea turtle conservation in Costa Rica began in the 1950s, conservationists and poachers have peacefully shared the beach. But the murder of the environmentalist Jairo Mora Sandoval in 2013 shocked the eco-friendly country and brought attention to a violent overlap between conservationism and drug trafficking in Costa Rica’s abundant national parks and untouched coastlines. With five per cent of the world’s biodiversity, the unique geography of Costa Rica is a hotspot for eco-tourism and conservation work. However, it is that same geography that makes the country so vulnerable to the violent drug trade that surrounds its borders. Costa Rica has become a major transshipment point for drug traffickers, with deadly consequences for those caught in the middle. VICE News travels to Costa Rica to commemorate the two-year anniversary of environmental activist Jairo Mora Sandoval’s tragic death and meet with conservationists, poachers, drug dealers, and law enforcement about the interse - Citizenship Limbo for Dominican Haitians: Dominican Deadlock (Dispatch 2)E110
Citizenship Limbo for Dominican Haitians: Dominican Deadlock (Dispatch 2) A 2013 ruling by the Dominican Republic's top court rendered hundreds of thousands of Dominican Haitians in the country effectively stateless by revoking their citizenship. After an outcry from the international community, the Dominican government passed a law allowing residents a pathway to naturalization. The deadline for those registering for naturalization at government bureaus around the country was Wednesday, June 17. VICE News traveled to Batey Naranjo, a small rural village on the outskirts of Santo Domingo that is primarily populated by Haitians or Dominican Haitians, and spoke to residents about their confusion and concerns as to the ramifications of the naturalization deadline. - Families Are Deporting Themselves to Haiti: Dominican Deadlock (Dispatch 3)E111
Families Are Deporting Themselves to Haiti: Dominican Deadlock (Dispatch 3) In the latest dispatch, VICE News rides across Dajabon border crossing with two families self-deporting back to Haiti after they failed to apply for residency, and gets an up-close look at the new detention centers set up by Dominican immigration authorities to enforce the new law. - On The Line: Danny Gold on Drug Trafficking and Conservationism in Costa RicaE112
On The Line: Danny Gold on Drug Trafficking and Conservationism in Costa RicaVICE News correspondent Danny Gold joined On The Line to discuss the violent overlap between drug trafficking and conservationism in Costa Rica. With five percent of the world's biodiversity, the unique geography of Costa Rica is a hotspot for eco-tourism and conservation work. However, it is that same geography that makes the country so vulnerable to the drug trade. Costa Rica has become a major transshipment point for drug traffickers, with deadly consequences for those caught in the middle. In ‘Shell Game,’ VICE News traveled to Costa Rica to commemorate the two-year anniversary of environmental activist Jairo Mora Sandoval's tragic death and meet with conservationists, poachers, drug dealers, and law enforcement about the intersecting criminality across the country. - The Femicide Crisis in the State of MexicoE113
The Femicide Crisis in the State of MexicoA wave of homicides targeting female victims — labeled as femicides — has been sweeping the State of Mexico, the sprawling suburb that engulfs Mexico City. While government officials have not provided exact figures, the National Citizen Femicide Observatory estimates six women are murdered a day, and a United Nations body has described the situation as a pandemic. VICE News investigates the murder of women in the region, and meets relatives of the victims who continue to fight for justice, from authorities who seem incapable or unwilling to help. - A Haitian Halfway House for Deportees: Dominican Deadlock (Dispatch 4)E114
A Haitian Halfway House for Deportees: Dominican Deadlock (Dispatch 4) VICE News visited the Fond Bayard school in Haiti to see firsthand what conditions are like at what has become a halfway house for those deported under the Dominican Republic's new naturalization law. - Former CIA Deputy Director Apologizes for Flawed Iraq War IntelE115
Former CIA Deputy Director Apologizes for Flawed Iraq War Intel When al Qaeda terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, Michael Morell was with President George W. Bush at an elementary school in Florida as the CIA’s daily briefer. The events that unfolded on that fateful day are just some of the many national security disasters that Morell, the former acting director of the CIA, has been at the center of since 9/11. The veteran intelligence official has spent much of his 30-year career out of the public eye, but he’s stepping out of the shadows to talk about his new book The Great War of Our Time: The CIA's Fight Against Terrorism — From al Qa'ida to ISIS. - On The Line: Liz Fields Discusses America’s Crisis of Untested Rape KitsE117
On The Line: Liz Fields Discusses America’s Crisis of Untested Rape Kits VICE News editor Liz Fields joined 'On The Line' to discuss her new piece on the issues that arise as states clear the backlog of untested rape kits. America has a rape kit crisis. Hundreds of thousands of shoebox-sized kits containing forensic evidence lie gathering dust in a police warehouses nationwide. The exact number of untested kits remains unknown. Now, an influx of money and new technology are allowing states to clear this backlog. Cold cases are being closed, and the wrongfully convicted exonerated. But, for survivors for sexual assault, revisiting the past can be traumatic. - Tear Gas and Rubber Bullets Disrupt Istanbul Gay Pride ParadeE118
Tear Gas and Rubber Bullets Disrupt Istanbul Gay Pride Parade Turkish police officers disrupted this year's Istanbul gay pride march, violently dispersing peaceful crowds as they gathered at the city's iconic Taksim Square. Istanbul's annual march has been taking place in the city for over a decade, and the numbers of those attending have increased throughout the years. The police actions on Sunday were an apparent response to the sudden banning of the event by Istanbul governor's office, which reportedly decided to outlaw the march as it coincided with the holy month of Ramadan. Undeterred, crowds began congregating on nearby streets, only to be fired upon with tear gas, rubber bullets, and water cannons by the police. Marchers told VICE News how they were attacked and injured by the heavy-handed police actions. Despite this, pride marchers continued to gather on the streets until the early hours of Monday morning. - Yes or No? Greece Again on the Brink: Greek Debt Crisis (Dispatch 1)E119
Yes or No? Greece Again on the Brink: Greek Debt Crisis (Dispatch 1) For the past five years, Greece has been struggling with a financial crisis that has led the country to the brink of an exit from the euro and an economic collapse. A huge bailout program of 240 billion euros ($266bn), borrowed from European countries and the International Monetary Fund, has let Greece survive for now, yet cuts and austerity measures have ensued. Since last January, the new Syriza government has pledged to renegotiate the terms of the bailout program with its international creditors, promising an end to austerity. On June 26, after five months of negotiations, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras announced a referendum, calling the country to vote on whether or not to accept the new bailout proposal by its lenders. Given the expiry date of the funding program just a few days later — and a lack of cash in the country — Greek banks were temporarily shut, a capital control was imposed, and people started queuing at ATMs to withdraw cash with a limit of 60 euros per day. - On The Line: Sam Oakford Discusses International Crises and UN DiplomacyE120
On The Line: Sam Oakford Discusses International Crises and UN Diplomacy VICE News' UN Correspondent Samuel Oakford joined 'On The Line' to discuss some of the world's most pressing crises and the diplomatic response from the UN. - Experimenting on Animals: Inside The Monkey LabE121
Experimenting on Animals: Inside The Monkey Lab VICE News gets rare access to Europe’s largest primate testing facility, the Biomedical Primate Research Center (BPRC) in the Netherlands, where scientists try to find cures for the worst human diseases, while claiming to provide unparalleled care for the monkeys in the hope they live the most animal friendly life before and during testing. Once selected, inside the laboratories, monkeys are shaved, anesthetized, and experimented on for research purposes. Yet the center remains controversial. Protestors gather regularly in front of its gates and there are calls in the Dutch parliament to close the site and switch to alternatives for testing on primates. But as the BPRC explains to VICE News, modern science isn't there yet. In the meantime, it still uses about 200 monkeys a year for a slew of experiments to find cures, and even replacements for primate testing in the future. - Chad's Fight Against Boko HaramE122
Chad's Fight Against Boko Haram Boko Haram’s terror has spread beyond Nigeria’s borders. In mid-June the recently declared Islamic State-affiliate staged two suicide attacks in the Chadian capital N’djamena, killing 23 people. The expanding threat posed by the militant group was answered earlier this year by a regional coalition of forces from Chad, Niger, and Cameroon who agreed to assist Nigeria’s own beleaguered army. Chad’s contingent of 5,000 soldiers has advanced the furthest into Nigeria. One of the most experienced fighting forces in the region, Chad says they’ve killed hundreds of Boko Haram militants while losing few of their own troops. Meanwhile, thousands of refugees and displaced people have sought shelter in Chad’s Lake Region, which houses some of most destitute communities in one of the poorest countries in the world. VICE News reported from across the region, speaking to soldiers and refugees. - Fleeing to Rwanda: Burundi On The Brink (Dispatch 1)E123
Fleeing to Rwanda: Burundi On The Brink (Dispatch 1) Over 150,000 people have fled the small Eastern African nation of Burundi since political strife, intimidation, and unrest have plagued the country in recent months. Many of those migrants have sought refuge in neighboring Rwanda. Nearly 30,000 civilians are now living in Mahama refugee camp, one of the largest UNHCR camps built since the crisis began in April 2015. A large number of activists, journalists, politicians, and opposition leaders have also fled Burundi for their own personal safety, settling in Rwanda's capital, Kigali. VICE News stops through Rwanda en route to Burundi and speaks with young men at Mahama camp and an activist in Kigali about what life is like amid the current political crisis. - Inside a Bujumbura Opposition Stronghold: Burundi on the Brink (Dispatch 2)E124
Inside a Bujumbura Opposition Stronghold: Burundi on the Brink (Dispatch 2) The Buterere neighborhood of Burundi's capital city Bujumbura is a stronghold of support for the National Forces of Liberation, one of the main opposition parties currently campaigning against President Pierre Nkurunziza. Buterere is also the site of many demonstrations and clashes between protesters and police since Nkurunziza announced his candidacy for a highly contested third term in April. On the morning of Thursday July 9, VICE News arrived at the entrance of Buterere to find sporadic but consistent gunfire and a roadblock built by protesters. After the gunfire settled, police officers forced the demonstrators to tear down the barricade. Once clear of the police, VICE News entered Buterere to hear testimony from residents about what it's like inside one of Bujumbura's opposition strongholds. - On The Line: Henry Langston Discusses Ukraine, Russia, and the Baltic StatesE125
On The Line: Henry Langston Discusses Ukraine, Russia, and the Baltic States VICE News correspondent Henry Langston joined 'On The Line' to discuss his recent trips to Ukraine and the Baltic States. As fighting between government forces and pro-Russian rebels continues in eastern Ukraine, Russia’s neighbors are keeping a wary eye on Moscow. Henry Langston has been following the story for VICE News and has traveled to Lithuania to see the country’s new “Rapid Reaction Force,” and to the front lines of the conflict in Ukraine. On Thursday he’ll join On The Line to take your questions. - Firebombed Media: Burundi on the Brink (Dispatch 3)E126
Firebombed Media: Burundi on the Brink (Dispatch 3) Burundi once enjoyed a vibrant media scene, with many independent journalists and radio stations operating freely. Yet when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced his bid for a highly contested third term in office in April, it sparked mass protests. Since then, authorities and pro-government bodies have intimidated and arrested journalists. The attempted coup d'etat in capital Bujumbura on May 13 was the tipping point for free media in Burundi. The offices of independent radio stations were firebombed for reporting information about the coup and fierce fighting broke out over control of the state media headquarters. Most of the offices remain shuttered to this day, and access to information has been suppressed in the weeks since, as rumors of a civil war run rampant throughout the city. VICE News goes on a tour of media offices that have been firebombed, and visits the last standing independent newspaper in Bujumbura. - The Spoils Of War: Burundi On The Brink (Dispatch 4)E127
The Spoils Of War: Burundi On The Brink (Dispatch 4) Burundi's crisis deepens following last week’s reported clashes between an unidentified rebel group and the Burundi Defense Force in the northwestern region of Burundi. The Burundian military killed over 30 militants and captured 170, according to the army's spokesman. While the presidential vote is still scheduled for July 21, it appears President Pierre Nkurunziza now faces an apparent armed rebellion. VICE News attended the Burundian army's press conference in the Cibitoke province, where the military showed off the weapons seized after the conflict, as well as their captives, alleged to be the rebels responsible for attacking the Burundian military. - Throwing Stones & Molotov Cocktails: Greek Debt Crisis (Dispatch 2)E128
Throwing Stones & Molotov Cocktails: Greek Debt Crisis (Dispatch 2) Clashes broke out in Greece on July 15 during demonstrations in Syntagma Square that were organized by labor unions, anarchist groups, the Greek Communist Party, and the youth wing of the governing leftist party, Syriza. The protests took place as the Greek parliament was set to vote on a $96 billion deal that the country's government had negotiated with its European creditors. Tensions flared when demonstrators began throwing stones and Molotov cocktails toward policemen, at which point officers responded by deploying stun grenades and tear gas. Authorities later reported that more than 50 protesters were arrested. - Forced Out of the Forest: The Lost Tribe of UgandaE129
Forced Out of the Forest: The Lost Tribe of Uganda Removed from their forest dwellings by government authorities in order to establish the Mgahinga and Bwindi Impenetrable National Parks in Uganda, the Batwa pygmies now live in slums around Kisoro, a town which sees tourists stream through each year to visit the parks, which were created to protect the country's endangered mountain gorillas. While conservation tourism booms, however, most Batwa are considered ultra poor, have extremely low life expectancy, and have been struggling to have their rights recognized for three decades. Over recent years, a Batwa organization called UOBDU has sought legal recourse, arguing that the land for the national parks was unlawfully seized from the indigenous people. This is yet to be resolved. VICE News films with the Batwa pygmies, where they struggle against discrimination and poverty to survive in Uganda. - Nighttime Violence in Bujumbura: Burundi On The Brink (Dispatch 5)E130
Nighttime Violence in Bujumbura: Burundi On The Brink (Dispatch 5) In the past several weeks, gunfire and explosions have pierced the night in Bujumbura, Burundi's capital. The identity of the shooters has remained a mystery, although many suspect the police, in conjunction with the Imbonerakure, the youth wing of the ruling party. Considered by some to be an armed militia, the Imbonerakure have been accused of helping police quell dissidents. In neighborhoods where residents are opposed to Burundi's ruling party and therefore subject to the night raids, people have organized to protect themselves — destroying entrances to neighborhoods, creating a communication system that notifies residents when an intruder has entered the community. - Schoolgirls for Sale in JapanE131
Schoolgirls for Sale in Japan Japan’s obsession with cutesy culture has taken a dark turn, with schoolgirls now offering themselves for “walking dates” with adult men. Last year the US State Department, in its annual report on human trafficking, flagged so-called joshi-kosei osanpo dates (that’s Japanese for “high school walking”) as fronts for commercial sex run by sophisticated criminal networks. In our exclusive investigation, VICE News host Simon Ostrovsky will bring you to one of Tokyo’s busiest neighborhoods, where girls solicit clients in their school uniforms, to a concert performed by a band of schoolgirls attended by adult men, and into a café, where teenage girls are available to hire by the hour. But the true revelations come behind closed doors, when schoolgirls involved in the rent-a-date industry reveal how they’ve been coerced into prostitution. - On The Line: Nilo Tabrizy Discusses the Business of WeedE132
On The Line: Nilo Tabrizy Discusses the Business of Weed VICE News correspondent Nilo Tabrizy joined 'On The Line' to discuss the rapidly expanding legal marijuana industry. Marijuana is America's fastest growing industry. Last year, the legal market was valued at 2.7 billion dollars. But, marijuana is still illegal on the federal level, which has led to conflicting state laws, restrictive regulations, and endless problems for cash-only marijuana business owners and operators. Nilo Tabrizy traveled to Colorado and Canada for VICE News to explore the promises and perils of the bud business. - Rally Of The Ruling Party: Burundi On The Brink (Dispatch 6)E133
Rally Of The Ruling Party: Burundi On The Brink (Dispatch 6) Thousands of jubilant supporters attended a campaign rally for Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza and his CNDD-FDD party in Cibitoke Province on July 17, in what is expected to be one of his last public appearances ahead of Tuesday’s controversial election. Nkurunziza has been pushing ahead with his controversial bid for a third term — despite pressure from regional leaders, the international community, months of deadly violence in the capital of Bujumbura, and an aborted coup d’etat led by the his former ally, Godefroid Niyombare. VICE News attended the rally, and spoke with a former high-ranking official of Burundi’s ruling party, who is now living in exile in Rwanda. - Violence and Protests on Polling Day: Burundi On The Brink (Dispatch 7)E134
Violence and Protests on Polling Day: Burundi On The Brink (Dispatch 7) Following a night of intense gunfire and explosions in Burundi's capital of Bujumbura that left at least one civilian and one police officer dead, voters turned out in low numbers for the country's controversial presidential election, in which President Pierre Nkurunziza is seeking a third term that critics charge is unconstitutional. The body of an opposition member was found dead in the commune of Nyakabiga, and residents have accused supporters of the ruling party of planting the body as an act of intimidation. As Red Cross workers removed the body from the neighborhood, anti-Nkurunziza songs, dances, and chants erupted from a crowd of residents, delivering one of the most open displays of defiance against the president that the capital has seen in many weeks. - The Republic's Dissident Youth: Ireland's Young WarriorsE135
The Republic's Dissident Youth: Ireland's Young Warriors Earlier this year, VICE News filmed with a republican youth movement in Ireland called Na Fianna Éireann (“Warriors of Ireland” in English), a small group of around 30 boys considered to be hardline dissidents. They support a violent IRA splinter group known as the Continuity IRA, and believe that a renewed armed struggle is needed to free Ireland from British occupation in the North. Considered “junior terrorists” by some, the Na Fianna sees itself simply as Ireland’s true republican boy scouts, training with the main aim of being ready for a new resistance — a fight that they believe is inevitable. VICE News followed Na Fianna members as they carried out "bush training" in the mountains, and attended their Easter Rising march through Dublin, to get an idea of what the young face of dissident republicanism looks like, in an age where support for political violence in Ireland has all but ended. - The Russians Are Coming: NATO's FrontierE136
The Russians Are Coming: NATO's Frontier In the wake of events in Ukraine, NATO has turned its attention towards countries that border the Russian Federation — attempting to boost its quick-response capabilities in Europe. In September, the alliance agreed to create a 5,000-strong rapid reaction Spearhead Force, which will be capable of deploying across the continent within 48-hours of a military incursion. VICE News joined several thousand NATO troops in western Poland, for the first deployment test of the "Very High Readiness Joint Task Force." - Inside El Chapo’s Escape TunnelE137
Inside El Chapo’s Escape Tunnel Infamous drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who daringly escaped prison on July 11, utilized a tunnel leading from the only “supermax” maximum-security prison in Mexico, where he'd been held. At least that's the explanation Mexican authorities have given as to how the leader of the Sinaloa cartel escaped prison for the second time. In the aftermath of the escape, VICE News went to Almoloya de Juarez to inspect the exit of the tunnel that “El Chapo" allegedly used, and spoke with an activist and former inmate of Altiplano prison who claims to have discovered flaws in the authorities’ version of events. - On The Line: Daniel Hernandez Discusses the Escape of "El Chapo" And The Latest From Latin AmericaE138
On The Line: Daniel Hernandez Discusses the Escape of "El Chapo" And The Latest From Latin America VICE News' Mexico City Bureau Chief Daniel Hernandez joined On The Line to discuss drug lord El Chapo’s prison break, and the latest news from Mexico and Latin America. - Election Results and Post-Poll Violence: Burundi On The Brink (Dispatch 8)E139
Election Results and Post-Poll Violence: Burundi On The Brink (Dispatch 8) Though the presidential elections in Burundi have concluded, political violence surrounding the controversial vote has not simmered. On the night of July 22, members of the Imbonerakure, the youth wing of the African nation’s ruling party, are alleged to have murdered a member of the FNL opposition party in the capital of Bujumbura. On July 24, the results of the election were announced and as was widely expected, Pierre Nkurunziza was declared the winner of a third five-year term as president. Following the announcement, VICE News visited opposition and pro-Nkurunziza neighborhoods in Burundi’s capital, where residents have vastly different opinions about the legitimacy of his third term. - The Siege Of AdenE140
The Siege Of Aden VICE News filmmaker Medyan Dairieh spent two weeks in Yemen’s seaport city of Aden. Surrounded by Houthi militia rebels and under siege "from air, land, and sea," Adenis the focal point of the Yemeni Southern Resistance. Amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis, enduring the chaos of near-constant shelling and menace of snipers, he films with refugees, local politicians, and a training camp teaching young Yemenis to continue fighting the Houthi forces. Dairieh also visits the frontlines, where his group comes under incoming fire. The conflict is also taking its toll on innocent children and in a Médecins Sans Frontières hospital we witness the graphic cost of war. - The Girls Who Fled To Syria: Groomed By The Islamic StateE141
The Girls Who Fled To Syria: Groomed By The Islamic State In February 2015, three teenage schoolgirls left the comfort of their homes in East London and traveled to Syria to join the self-styled Islamic State (IS). Around 60 women and girls are thought to have made the same journey from Britain. The story of their disappearance dominated the UK press for weeks and the blame game inevitably began to hunt out whose fault it was. When the families of Amira Abase, Shamima Begum, and Kadiza Sultana found out that the police had been interviewing the trio about another girl from their school who had already joined IS, the case was picked up for investigation by the government. But soon certain sections of the press would turn on the families themselves. VICE News gained intimate access to the father of one girl, Amira, and joined him as he dealt with the press and parliament to find out what it's like for those left behind by the tragic choices of their loved ones. - VICE News Meets Anthony Small: The Islamist BoxerE142
VICE News Meets Anthony Small: The Islamist Boxer Former professional boxer Anthony Small, has been cleared of plotting to leave Britain to join Islamic State militants in Syria. Small's flourishing boxing career came to an end when he converted to Islam at the age of 24. Now known as Abdul-Haqq, he decided the sport's lifestyle was incompatible with his hardline practice of the religion and took up preaching instead. An associate of the infamous Islamic preacher Anjem Choudary and his banned organization Al-Muhajiroun, Haqq used social media to share his fundamentalist views of Islam. He regularly posted controversial videos filmed in his home, justifying IS beheadings and terror attacks such as the public killing of UK soldier Lee Rigby in 2013. Haqq's views have led to multiple police raids on his house, as well as accusations of trying to join IS in the Middle East. VICE News spoke to Haqq on the run up to his arrest about police raids, Western foreign policy, and his faith. We then caught up with him again outside London's Old - On The Line: Simon Ostrovsky and Jake Adelstein Discuss 'Schoolgirls for Sale in Japan'E143
On The Line: Simon Ostrovsky and Jake Adelstein Discuss 'Schoolgirls for Sale in Japan' In our exclusive investigation, VICE News host Simon Ostrovsky went to one of Tokyo's busiest neighborhoods, where girls solicit clients in their school uniforms. Last year the US State Department, in its annual report on human trafficking, flagged so-called joshi-kosei osanpo dates (that's Japanese for "high school walking") as fronts for commercial sex run by sophisticated criminal networks. In our report, schoolgirls involved in the rent-a-date industry reveal how they've been coerced into prostitution - Pushing Back the Islamic State: The Battle for Rojava (Dispatch 1)E144
Pushing Back the Islamic State: The Battle for Rojava (Dispatch 1) The northeastern city of Hasakah is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse in Syria. Its population of Kurds, Sunni Arabs, and Christians was until recently politically divided between equal zones of Kurdish and Assad regime control. Immediately following the fall of the strategic border town of Tal Abyad from Islamic State (IS) fighters to Kurdish YPG forces in June, however, IS hit back with a sudden shock offensive on the regime-held half of Hasakah, causing regime forces to crumble in a matter of days. - Talking Heads: The Murder of the Young in MexicoE145
Talking Heads: The Murder of the Young in Mexico In this episode, Alma Guillermoprieto discusses her article “Mexico: The Murder of the Young,” in which she follows the story of 43 students from a teacher's college in the Mexican state of Guerrero who disappeared last year at the hands of corrupt police and a local drug gang. She describes how the search for their bodies revealed that much of the state is a gravesite, and reflects on what distinguished this event from the many thousands of murders that preceded it. - On The Line: Danny Gold Discusses Burundi’s Controversial Presidential ElectionsE146
On The Line: Danny Gold Discusses Burundi’s Controversial Presidential Elections VICE News correspondent Danny Gold joined On The Line to discuss the Burundi’s controversial presidential election. In April, Burundi’s incumbent president, Pierre Nkurunziza, announced plans to run for a third term in office — a move many claimed was unconstitutional. The political maneuver sparked violent clashes between Nkurunziza's supporters and those opposed to his third term, triggering a wave of government-sponsored repression and intimidation. Danny Gold traveled to Burundi for VICE News where he spoke to citizens on both sides of the political divide for “Burundi on the Brink.” - The Smartest Guy in the Sea: Privatized Migrant Rescue with MOASE147
The Smartest Guy in the Sea: Privatized Migrant Rescue with MOAS More than 2,000 migrants have drowned while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea already in 2015, according to the International Organization for Migration. As the Mediterranean migrant crisis continues in the face of apparent government inaction, a private organization has stepped in to help. Founded by American millionaire Christopher Catrambone and his Italian wife Regina Catrambone, the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) aims to provide search and rescue assistance to the thousands of people fleeing conflict and economic hardship in the Middle East and Africa. VICE News went to meet the team behind MOAS before it launched its operation from Malta. - Night Operation Against the Islamic State: The Battle for Rojava (Dispatch 2)E148
Night Operation Against the Islamic State: The Battle for Rojava (Dispatch 2) VICE News followed a YPG detachment on a night operation, providing support from Hasakah's Red Villas district to advancing Kurdish forces against IS fighters trying to defend the strategic al-Zuhor neighborhood, under waves of constant airstrikes from both the coalition and the Syrian regime's air force. - Kurds Assert Control of Hasakah: The Battle for Rojava (Dispatch 3)E149
Kurds Assert Control of Hasakah: The Battle for Rojava (Dispatch 3) The northeastern city of Hasakah is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse in Syria. Its population of Kurds, Sunni Arabs, and Christians was until recently politically divided between equal zones of Kurdish and Assad regime control. Immediately following the fall of the strategic border town of Tal Abyad from Islamic State (IS) fighters to Kurdish YPG forces in June, however, IS hit back with a sudden shock offensive on the regime-held half of Hasakah, causing regime forces to crumble in a matter of days. As the Syrian army and loyalist militias relinquished control to IS, the YPG entered the battle, first encircling IS positions and then launching a ground offensive supported by pounding coalition airstrikes. Despite IS using their elite forces in the offensive, the combination of airstrikes and YPG ground troops proved too much and IS fled its recent gains in the city, leaving behind only ruined buildings and mangled bodies. With IS pushed back from Hasakah's southern - The Fruits of Mexico's Cheap LaborE150
The Fruits of Mexico's Cheap Labor In northern Mexico, farm workers who pick produce bound for US supermarkets earn as little as $7 a day. They follow the harvest, traveling between the states of Sinaloa and Baja California as internal migrants in their own country. With daycare not an option, children join their parents on the job, sometimes working in 100-degree heat. VICE News travels to northern Mexico and heads into the fields with the laborers to see their working conditions, then meets the organizer leading the fight in the Baja town of San Quintín for better pay and conditions. - Seeking Refuge in Djibouti: Escape From YemenE151
Seeking Refuge in Djibouti: Escape From Yemen According to UN estimates, nearly 100,000 people have fled Yemen since violence erupted there in March. Of those escaping the conflict, over 20,000 have sought refuge in the tiny East African nation of Djibouti, an authoritarian state located between Eritrea and Somalia seen as a beacon of stability in the region, largely due to its hosting of a US military base. The Markazi refugee camp, located in the arid and dusty Obock region, plays host to many of those fleeing Yemen. Refugees can live in the tented camp, where the average June temperature varied between 111 and 122 degrees Fahrenheit (44 - 50 degrees Celsius). Otherwise they can pay cripplingly high rental costs for substandard living conditions in Djibouti City. Following on from our coverage of the conflict in Aden, VICE News travels to Djibouti to discover the effects of the war on those forced to flee their homes and start anew. - On The Line: Simon Ostrovsky Discusses “The Smartest Guy in the Sea”E152
On The Line: Simon Ostrovsky Discusses “The Smartest Guy in the Sea” VICE News correspondent Simon Ostrovsky joined On The Line to discuss the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS), and his new documentary “The Smartest Guy in the Sea.” More than 2,000 migrants have drowned while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea already in 2015, according to the International Organization for Migration. As the Mediterranean migrant crisis continues in the face of apparent government inaction, a private organization has stepped in to help. Founded by American millionaire Christopher Catrambone and his Italian wife Regina Catrambone, the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) aims to provide search and rescue assistance to the thousands of people fleeing conflict and economic hardship in the Middle East and Africa. VICE News went to meet the team behind MOAS before it launched its operation from Malta. - On The Line: Jason Leopold On “The Google Search That Made The CIA Spy On The US Senate”E153
On The Line: Jason Leopold On “The Google Search That Made The CIA Spy On The US Senate” VICE News correspondent Jason Leopold joined On The Line to discuss his new report, “The Google Search That Made the CIA Spy on the US Senate.” - Louisiana’s Coastal Crisis: Oil And WaterE154
Louisiana’s Coastal Crisis: Oil And Water Louisiana is currently losing around a football field's worth of land every hour to the encroaching ocean. The erosion is due to an array of factors, from an ill-conceived historic levee system, the legacy of oil and gas drilling and, of course, the area's susceptibility to hurricanes. VICE News travels to the site of one of the largest man-made environmental and economic disasters in US history to see what can be done as the situation continues to deteriorate. - 'You Stink': Rally in BeirutE156
'You Stink': Rally in Beirut Protesters gathered in Beirut’s Riad al-Solh Square on Saturday under the rallying cry “You stink!” — a reference to the city’s ongoing waste management crisis — a slogan which has since expanded to represent the population’s frustration with the government’s failure to provide basic services, including water and electricity. - Flooding Fields in California’s DroughtE157
Flooding Fields in California’s Drought Faced with a severe drought, California enacted mandatory water conservation rules in early April for the first time in the state’s history. But the agriculture industry — which consumes 80 percent of the state’s water — was exempt from the new restrictions. The drought has caused surface water sources such as reservoirs, rivers, and streams to dry up. Consumers have increasingly turned to groundwater supplies, putting an enormous strain on the state’s aquifers. Drilling companies are punching so many holes in the ground that the number of requests for new wells in one recent week surpassed the entire total for some previous years, when water was plentiful. VICE News went to California to witness the proliferation of water-intensive crops, and to find out why the industry that consumes the overwhelming majority of the state’s water has continued to operate during the historic drought. - On The Line: Robert Eshelman Discusses This Year's Record-Breaking TemperaturesE158
On The Line: Robert Eshelman Discusses This Year's Record-Breaking Temperatures On Thursday at 12pm EDT VICE News environment editor Robert Eshelman joins On The Line to discuss this year's record-breaking temperatures, as well as the Obama administration’s response to climate change. - The Battle for Syria's SouthE159
The Battle for Syria's South Daraa is where Syria's revolution began four years ago. Now it's the scene of a forgotten war, in which largely secular Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebels — marginalized elsewhere in Syria — continue to lead the struggle against Bashar al-Assad's regime. The FSA are fighting a bitterly hard battle under a virtual media blackout to change the course of Syria's civil war. If they can take Daraa, they will stand at the beginning of the road to Damascus, the seat of Assad's government. VICE News followed the Fallujah Horan brigade of the FSA and their charismatic commander Abu Hadi Aboud as they fight to push the regime out of Daraa's eastern suburbs. - On The Line: Nilo Tabrizy Discusses California’s DroughtE160
On The Line: Nilo Tabrizy Discusses California’s Drought VICE News journalist Nilo Tabrizy ( / ntabrizy ) joined On The Line to discuss California’s drought, and her documentary, "Race To The Bottom." In California, protracted drought has caused surface water sources such as reservoirs, rivers, and streams to dry up. The state enacted mandatory water conservation rules in early April for the first time in the its history. But the agriculture industry — which consumes 80 percent of the state's water — was exempt from the new restrictions. VICE News went to California to witness the proliferation of water-intensive crops, and to find out why the industry that consumes the overwhelming majority of the state's water has continued to operate during the historic drought. - On The Line: Jake Hanrahan On His Detention In Turkey, And Why Mohammed Rasool Must Be ReleasedE161
On The Line: Jake Hanrahan On His Detention In Turkey, And Why Mohammed Rasool Must Be Released VICE News journalist Jake Hanrahan joined On The Line to discuss reporting in Turkey, his detention, and why Mohammed Rasool must be released. In late August, VICE News reporters Jake Hanrahan, Philip Pendelbury and Mohammed Rasool, were arrested outside their hotel in Diyarbakir, Turkey and charged with supporting a terrorist organization. Prior to their arrest, the trio had been reporting on the conflict between Turkish forces and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). After 11 days in detention, Jake and Phil were released. Mohammed Rasool, however, remains wrongfully imprisoned, and the investigation into all three reporters is “ongoing.” VICE News maintains that the charges against Jake, Phil, and Mohammed are baseless and absurd. We call on the Turkish authorities to continue their positive course of action in freeing Jake and Philip, and release Rasool immediately. - Heritage and Hate: Mississippi’s State FlagE162
Heritage and Hate: Mississippi’s State Flag Mississippi’s state flag is the last in the US containing the Confederate battle flag. VICE News and Kal Penn travel to the Magnolia State for a lesson on race relations, barbecue, and the meaning of southern heritage for black and white residents of Mississippi. - On The Line: Avi Asher-Schapiro on Cop WatchE163
On The Line: Avi Asher-Schapiro on Cop Watch VICE News journalist Avi Asher-Schapiro joined On The Line to discuss his new piece about Cop Watch. Over the past year-and-a-half, police violence in places like New York, Baltimore, and Ferguson grabbed headlines, sparked mass protest, and drove down public confidence in law enforcement to a 22 year low. In response, people across the country have been fashioning makeshift uniforms, arming themselves with cameras, and patrolling streets to document police misconduct. It's an explosion of a movement that has been around for many years. This is Copwatch. - Locked Up and Forgotten: India’s Mental Health CrisisE164
Locked Up and Forgotten: India’s Mental Health Crisis India is currently suffering a mental health crisis. With only 43 government-run mental hospitals serving a population of 1.2 billion, resources are spread thin. What's more, mental illness is highly stigmatized in India, especially among women, who are typically committed to mental health facilities with no legal rights, receiving involuntary treatment, and sometimes without a proper diagnosis. VICE News travels to Maharashtra to investigate what it’s like to be deemed a woman with mental illness in India today. - Jailed for Life for Minor Crimes: The UK's Forgotten PrisonersE166
Jailed for Life for Minor Crimes: The UK's Forgotten Prisoners In a three-month investigation, VICE News uses Freedom of Information laws, exclusive interviews, and prison reports to uncover the scandal of the 4,612 prisoners serving life sentences under abolished legislation — some for relatively minor crimes. From 2005, judges in England and Wales started giving out a new kind of life sentence for offenses such as shoplifting, minor criminal damage, and affray (fighting in public). Indeterminate Sentences for Public Protection (IPPs) were found to breach the European Convention on Human Rights, and the government scrapped the sentence in 2012. But nobody did anything about the prisoners already inside. Three-quarters of them have completed their mandatory minimum sentence, but still have no release date, at a cost to the taxpayer of $180 million a year. Sixteen inmates have killed themselves since the sentence's abolition. Speaking to inmates, their families, lawyers, and a Parole Board veteran, VICE News exposes the UK's forgotten prisoners. - The Dangerous Rise of K2: America's Cheapest HighE167
The Dangerous Rise of K2: America's Cheapest High K2 — the street name for plant matter sprayed with synthetic chemicals, designed to mimic the effects of marijuana’s active ingredient — is currently America's cheapest way to get high. The drug is often sold at corner stores, labeled as potpourri and unfit for human consumption. A bag of K2 sells for $5 to $10, while a joint goes for just $1. But the drug's dangerous side effects have taken a toll on a wide variety of communities across the country, particularly in New York City. US poison control centers received more than 6,000 K2 calls in the first nine months of 2015, around a quarter of those calls came from NYC. VICE News gets a glimpse of the challenges New York City is facing with K2 through the lens of volunteer ambulance corps and harm reduction specialists in its outer boroughs. - Clashes in the West Bank: Intifada 3.0 (Dispatch 1)E168
Clashes in the West Bank: Intifada 3.0 (Dispatch 1) The latest spasm of violence in Israel has left seven Israelis and at least 30 Palestinians dead. On Wednesday, a day when at least two stabbing attacks on Israeli Jews were reported, VICE News correspondent Aris Roussinos traveled to the West Bank to see if the apparently leaderless youth-led revolt has spiraled into the Third Intifada. - Life After Guantanamo: Exiled In KazakhstanE169
Life After Guantanamo: Exiled In Kazakhstan What happens after detainees are released from the Guantanamo Bay detention facility? The answer to that question has, for the most part, been shrouded in secrecy. When five former Guantanamo detainees were resettled to Kazakhstan in late December 2014, a senior official in the Obama administration was quoted as saying the ex-captives were now "free men". But what does that actually mean? VICE News traveled to Kazakhstan to find out. - Locking Down Jerusalem: Intifada 3.0 (Dispatch 2)E170
Locking Down Jerusalem: Intifada 3.0 (Dispatch 2) The Holy City is on high alert after a series of seemingly random stabbings of Israeli Jews by young Palestinians. In recent days, authorities have imposed a series of new checkpoints to put the city's Jewish community at ease. But the new security measures have made life very difficult for ordinary Palestinians. VICE News visits Jerusalem's Old City to find out the impact of these security measures on both communities. - Death of a Stone-Thrower: Intifada 3.0 (Dispatch 4)E172
Death of a Stone-Thrower: Intifada 3.0 (Dispatch 4) Tension builds in Israel and the West Bank with three new stabbing attacks on Israelis reported on Saturday, and the funeral for a young Palestinian stone-thrower killed by Israeli forces in Nablus. VICE News attends the funeral, where grief turns to rage and calls for revenge. - On The Line: Neha Shastry Discusses India's Mental Health CrisisE173
On The Line: Neha Shastry Discusses India's Mental Health Crisis VICE News journalist Neha Shastry joined On The Line to discuss her new piece, 'India's Mental Health Crisis.’ India is currently suffering a mental health crisis. With only 43 government-run mental hospitals serving a population of 1.2 billion, resources are spread thin. What's more, mental illness is highly stigmatized in India, especially among women, who are typically committed to mental health facilities with no legal rights, receiving involuntary treatment, and sometimes without a proper diagnosis. - The Heart of the Conflict: Intifada 3.0 (Dispatch 5)E174
The Heart of the Conflict: Intifada 3.0 (Dispatch 5) VICE News visits one of the most disputed pieces of land in the world, a holy site for Jews and Muslims in Jerusalem's Old City that's become the focal point of the latest wave of violence. - Caught Between the Islamic State and the Kurds: Exiled From Tal AbyadE175
Caught Between the Islamic State and the Kurds: Exiled From Tal Abyad In June 2015, Kurdish forces — supported by the Free Syrian Army and US-led coalition airstrikes — drove out the Islamic State (IS) from the northern Syrian town of Tal Abyad — a strategically important gain in the battle against the jihadists. Yet the fighting also forced waves of refugees to cross the border into the Turkish town of Akcakale. The advance on Tal Abyad, containing a diverse population of Arabs, Turkmen, and Kurds, provoked the Turkish government and a coalition of rebel groups to accuse Kurdish forces of “ethnic cleansing” and displacing Arabs and Turkmen — an accusation strongly denied by the Kurdish forces. Yet allegations of forcible displacement persist among refugees, with some telling VICE News that their hometown is now under another hostile occupation, and others stating that life under IS rule was better. Many refugees in Akcakale have had to set up camp in parks, or rent overcrowded housing. There is a lack of food and a number of children require - Ex-CIA Officer Speaks Out: The Italian JobE178
Ex-CIA Officer Speaks Out: The Italian Job Sabrina De Sousa is one of nearly two-dozen CIA officers who was prosecuted, convicted, and sentenced by Italian courts in absentia in 2009 for the role she allegedly played in the rendition of a radical cleric named Abu Omar. It was the first and only criminal prosecution that has ever taken place related to the CIA's rendition program, which involved more than 100 suspected terrorists and the assistance of dozens of European countries. But De Sousa, a dual US and Portuguese citizen, said she had nothing to do with the cleric's abduction and has been wrongly accused. For the past decade, she has been on a global quest to clear her name. VICE News met up with De Sousa in Lisbon, Portugal--and other key figures connected to the case--for an exclusive interview about the steps she's now taking in an effort to hold the CIA accountable for one of the most notorious counterterrorism operations in the history of the agency. - The Russians Are Coming: Georgia's Creeping OccupationE179
The Russians Are Coming: Georgia's Creeping Occupation In July 2015, Russia-backed forces moved the boundary fence between Russian-occupied South Ossetia and Georgia — placing more Georgian territory under Russian control. Georgians refer to this as the creeping occupation, and several people who unfortunately live in the area now have a different citizenship. - Embedded in Northern Afghanistan: The Resurgence of the TalibanE180
Embedded in Northern Afghanistan: The Resurgence of the Taliban In late September, the Taliban launched an offensive against Kunduz, a provincial capital in northern Afghanistan, capturing key buildings and freeing hundreds of prisoners from the city’s jail. The offensive sparked a fierce battle between the militants and government forces, supported by US airstrikes. After several days of fighting, Afghan troops recaptured the city, and took down the Taliban's flag from the central square. American planes targeted Taliban positions, but at the beginning of October, a hospital run by medical charity Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) was hit, killing 22 hospital staff and patients, with many seriously injured. The Pentagon later admitted that the strike was a mistake. Gaining exclusive access to the Taliban, VICE News filmmaker Nagieb Khaja spoke to fighters that briefly took control of Kunduz — the first major city to fall to the group since it was ousted from power in 2001. - On The Line: Nilo Tabrizy and Allie Conti Discuss Synthetic MarijuanaE181
On The Line: Nilo Tabrizy and Allie Conti Discuss Synthetic Marijuana VICE News journalist Nilo Tabrizy and VICE staff writer Alli Conti joined On The Line to discuss “The Dangerous Rise of K2: America's Cheapest High.” K2 — the street name for plant matter sprayed with synthetic chemicals, designed to mimic the effects of marijuana's active ingredient — is currently America's cheapest way to get high. But the drug's dangerous side effects have taken a toll on a wide variety of communities, particularly in New York City. In “The Dangerous Rise of K2: America's Cheapest High,” VICE News gets a glimpse of the challenges New York City is facing with K2 through the lens of volunteer ambulance corps and harm reduction specialists in its outer boroughs. - On The Line: Simon Ostrovsky and Claire Ward Discuss "Life After Guantanamo"E183
On The Line: Simon Ostrovsky and Claire Ward Discuss "Life After Guantanamo" VICE News journalists Simon Ostrovsky and Claire Ward joined On The Line to answer your questions on their new piece “Life After Guantanamo: Exiled In Kazakhstan.” The lives of former detainees after they are released from the Guantanamo Bay detention facility has, for the most part, been shrouded in secrecy. When five former Guantanamo detainees were resettled to Kazakhstan in late December 2014, a senior official in the Obama administration was quoted as saying the ex-captives were now "free men". But what does that actually mean? Simon and Claire traveled to Kazakhstan to meet a former detainee, and see the challenges of integration and the mysterious circumstances surrounding former detainees' basic rights and freedoms after being released from Guantanamo. - Fear And Tolerance: France At War (Dispatch 1)E184
Fear And Tolerance: France At War (Dispatch 1) On Friday evening, eight heavily armed gunmen wearing suicide vests opened fire and detonated bombs at locations across Paris, killing at least 129 people and injuring more than 300 in Europe’s deadliest terrorist attack in over a decade. Soon after, the French government declared a state of emergency and put the capital city on lockdown. Residents of Paris were warned not to leave their homes. Hours after the attack, VICE News went out into the streets and witnessed a city in mourning. At the Place de la République, reaction to the mass killings was mixed. Some French citizens issued pleas for tolerance and unity in the days ahead. Many expressed fear about future Islamic State attacks. And others argued the shootings would inspire a backlash against the ongoing flow of refugees into Europe. - Battling the Backlash: France At War (Dispatch 2)E185
Battling the Backlash: France At War (Dispatch 2) The streets of Paris remain tense in the aftermath of Friday’s terror attack by the Islamic State that killed at least 129 people. The French government has declared a state of emergency and put the capital city on lockdown. On Sunday, police evacuated a memorial mass at the Notre Dame cathedral following reports of loud bangs that sounded like gunshots. Hundreds of onlookers flooded into the streets in a panic — but the incident turned out to be a false alarm. Some French Muslims are also on edge over the possibility of a backlash against their community following the attacks. VICE News met with an imam, a hospital chaplain who is currently treating injured attack victims, and several young Muslims who are speaking out after Friday's tragic events. - Odessa's Georgian Leader: The GovernorE186
Odessa's Georgian Leader: The Governor Ukraine's government has found a novel way of trying to deal with corruption. They've hired a number of foreigners to head government agencies, ministries and even an entire region, in the hopes that their status as outsiders will make them less susceptible to the temptation to award contracts to their best friends, who presumably are not in Ukraine. In the port of Odessa, Mikheil Saakashvili has been appointed governor of the city and the surrounding region. Saakashvili was once the president of Georgia, but fled the country when a new government pressed charges of corruption against him. VICE News' Simon Ostrovsky spent a day with with the president-turned-governor to find out how he was handling his new job. - Raid in Saint-Denis: France At War (Dispatch 3)E187
Raid in Saint-Denis: France At War (Dispatch 3) Five days after Islamic State militants killed 129 people in a series of coordinated terror attacks across Paris, the French capital remains on edge. On Tuesday, the Eiffel Tower was evacuated because of a bomb scare, police on the scene told VICE News. Heavily armed cops and soldiers cordoned off the area for several hours, while tourists took selfies and watched from surrounding buildings. Early Wednesday morning, security forces raided a building in the north Paris suburb of Saint-Denis in search of the suspected architect of the attacks. Seven people were arrested in the operation and two killed, including a female suicide bomber blew herself up. Nevertheless, life in Paris continues. VICE News spoke with Parisians who had gathered to watch the France-England soccer match — in a pub just around the corner from one of Friday night’s bloody attack sites. - Reclaiming Sinjar: Pushing Back the Islamic StateE188
Reclaiming Sinjar: Pushing Back the Islamic State Islamic State (IS) fighters swept into the Iraqi city of Sinjar in August 2014, forcing Kurdish peshmerga forces to retreat. The city, primarily made up of Yazidis, a religious minority with roots going back thousands of years in the region, was soon overran with IS militants. They then set about terrorizing the Yazidis, who they see as apostates and devil worshippers who need to be cleansed. Over the course of two days in mid-November, VICE News embedded with peshmerga forces as they retook the city in a massive push involving 7,500 troops, with the hopes of cutting off the resupply routes between IS territory in Syria and Iraq. Snaking through the desert in large convoys with heavy artillery and tanks, and backed by international coalition air strikes, they faced little resistance besides snipers, mortars, and IEDs as IS fled and the city was taken back. - What's Next For Paris?: France At War (Dispatch 4)E189
What's Next For Paris?: France At War (Dispatch 4) The streets of Paris remain tense in the aftermath of last Friday’s terror attacks, which killed 129 people and wounded more than 300 others. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the coordinated assaults, and the French government declared a state of emergency. A week later, the conversation in France is shifting to questions surrounding the tragedy: How did the suspects slip by French intelligence? What would lead a young French man to terrorize the public? How will the violence affect upcoming regional elections? In this dispatch, VICE News meets a French senator with the far-right National Front party and is later accompanied by the mayor of Paris's 10th district on a walk through an area where some of the attacks took place. - On The Line: Jason Leopold and Kaj Larsen on Intelligence Agencies and The War on TerrorE190
On The Line: Jason Leopold and Kaj Larsen on Intelligence Agencies and The War on Terror VICE News journalists Kaj Larsen and Jason Leopold join On The Line to the role of intelligence agencies in the clandestine war on terror, and their new piece “The Italian Job,” In "The Italian Job," VICE News met up with De Sousa in Lisbon, one of nearly two-dozen CIA officers who was prosecuted, convicted, and sentenced by Italian courts in absentia in 2009 for the role they allegedly played in the rendition of a radical cleric named Abu Omar. It was the first and only successful criminal prosecution that has ever taken place related to the CIA's rendition program, which involved more than 100 suspected terrorists and the assistance of dozens of European countries. - What Happens When Cities Make Homelessness a Crime: Hiding The HomelessE191
What Happens When Cities Make Homelessness a Crime: Hiding The Homeless A growing number of American cities are ticketing or arresting homeless people for essentially being homeless. The new laws ban behavior commonly associated with homelessness like reclining in public, sharing food or sitting on a sidewalk. Supporters argue these measures are necessary to push homeless people into the shelter system and maintain public safety. Critics say the laws violate the rights of homeless people and ignore the more complicated drivers of homelessness like mental illness. We found homeless people camping in the woods to escape police harassment, a homelessness consultant opposed to feeding homeless people and a city that uses solitary confinement to force homeless people into shelters. VICE News began its investigation in Boise, ID, where a group of homeless people have filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of these laws. Their case could change the way homeless people are treated across the country. - Living Without Water: Contamination NationE192
Living Without Water: Contamination Nation There are tens of thousands of Americans living without clean, running water on the Navajo Nation today. This is because decades of uranium mining have contaminated the majority of water sources on the reservation. VICE News travels to New Mexico to find out how people are coping, and if there is hope for the future. - Occupy Academia: Protests at PrincetonE193
Occupy Academia: Protests at Princeton A black student group at Princeton occupied the university president's office this month and demanded the Ivy League college change the name of its renowned Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs because of the former US president's stance on segregation. Princeton is just the latest in a series of American colleges facing a backlash from minority protest groups alleging widespread institutional racism. Demonstrations have hit campuses at Yale, Harvard, and Smith College, as well as many others. The president of the University of Missouri — where a number of overtly racist incidents have taken place — resigned under pressure from students and admitted to not doing enough to fight racism on campus on November 9. - Gangs of El SalvadorE194
Gangs of El SalvadorEl Salvador is set to eclipse Honduras as the country with the highest homicide rate in the world. There have already been over 5,700 murders this year in a country with a population of just over six million. El Salvador’s murder rate is now the highest it’s been since the end of the country’s brutal civil war — there is on average around one murder an hour. The staggering death toll follows the breakdown of a truce between powerful, rival gangs and the government. Police and military are now combatting the gangs head-on and, as part of its so-called "iron fist" strategy, gang members are being charged with a new crime — membership of a terrorist organization. VICE News correspondent Danny Gold headed to El Salvador to investigate what many are now calling a war between the street gangs and the government. - Police Clash With Protesters in Paris: COP21 - Climate Emergency (Dispatch 1)E195
Police Clash With Protesters in Paris: COP21 - Climate Emergency (Dispatch 1) VICE News follows activist collective Brandalism as it takes over key advertising spaces to highlight the links between consumerism, fossil fuel dependency and climate change. We meet young climate activists finding creative ways of circumventing the protest ban, and we’re on the scene at Place de la Republique as frustrated protesters get teargassed by police after defying the state of emergency rules. - United in Hate: The Fight for Control in CARE196
United in Hate: The Fight for Control in CAR VICE News travels to Carnot, a mining town at the heart of the Central African Republic's diamond region controlled by the anti-balaka, where 500 Muslims are hiding in a church to stay alive. On the other side of the country in Bambari, ex-Seleka rebels are terrorizing the Christian population, with thousands forced to seek shelter in a cotton factory following renewed fighting. - The Russians Are Coming: Estonia's National MilitiaE199
The Russians Are Coming: Estonia's National Militia VICE News follows 800 members of the Estonian Defense League on a combat training exercise to find out how they are preparing for a possible confrontation. We also meet with US NATO air support and speak to ethnic Russians in the Estonian border city of Narva. - Climate Activism Under Attack: COP21 - Climate Emergency (Dispatch 2)E200
Climate Activism Under Attack: COP21 - Climate Emergency (Dispatch 2) At the COP21 Paris Climate Talks, the prospect of nations reaching an agreement preventing irrevocable climate change is looking bleak, and discontent is growing among the activists on the ground. Environmentalists feel particularly targeted under the state of emergency imposed after the terror attacks. Squats are being raided by police, climate activists are being put under house arrest around France without committing any crime, and hundreds of people who defied the protest ban to attend a mass demonstration were tear gassed and arrested. In this dispatch, VICE News hears from United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon at a chic COP21 opening party, visits the COP21 to talk to an expert to find out why we’ve had 20 summits and still no agreements, while carbon emission levels continue to rise. We visit one of the 24 climate activists under house arrest, and we attend an international climate justice conference hoping to achieve what it believes the UN can’t. - On The Line: Danny Gold Discusses the Islamic State and the Liberation of SinjarE201
On The Line: Danny Gold Discusses the Islamic State and the Liberation of Sinjar VICE News correspondent Danny Gold joined On The Line to take your questions on the liberation of Sinjar, and the fight against the Islamic State. - Toxic Tours and Civil Disobedience: COP21 - Climate Emergency (Dispatch 3)E202
Toxic Tours and Civil Disobedience: COP21 - Climate Emergency (Dispatch 3) Activists at the COP21 conference in Paris are outraged by the fossil fuel industry’s influence over the talks, claiming that big business is hijacking the pivotal climate negotiations by providing official sponsorships that allow them to get away with tax evasion and “greenwash” their continued use of dirty energy. VICE News attended the Solutions COP21 exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris, where energy companies, car manufacturers, and other corporate groups displayed what climate activists consider to be false solutions for the future. There, we witnessed plainclothes police officers corralling and suppressing demonstrators, along with members of the international press and unsuspecting visitors. - Banning Syrian Refugees: Unsettled in AmericaE203
Banning Syrian Refugees: Unsettled in America Following the deadly attacks in Paris on November 13, 2015, 31 US state officials declared that they would deny entry to Syrian refugees, citing security concerns. The refugee resettlement program has already been under scrutiny in the US for a few months, and by December 11, Congress will make a decision on the 206 federal budget, which includes deciding on the contentious issue of whether the refugee resettlement program will get the funding it needs to operate. VICE News spends a day with a Syrian refugee family in New Jersey, to learn about their journey to America, life as refugees, and their outlook on the future. - Cop-Outs and Denial: COP21 - Climate Emergency (Dispatch 4)E204
Cop-Outs and Denial: COP21 - Climate Emergency (Dispatch 4) As international ministers arrive in Paris for the final week of the COP21 conference to reach an agreement intended to define the future of human existence on the planet, the climate justice movement is stepping up its critique of the UN climate talks. Meanwhile, climate change deniers are holding a counter conference with the ambition of stopping an agreement, hosted by some of those named as the worst "climate criminals" at COP21 by global advocacy group Avaaz. VICE News talks to Kumi Naidoo, head of Greenpeace, to find out what influence the world’s biggest environmental NGO has over the UN talks, and attends a climate change deniers conference. - Adam Driver Brings Monologues to the Military: Arts in the Armed ForcesE205
Adam Driver Brings Monologues to the Military: Arts in the Armed Forces “We’re hoping to show that language is a powerful tool, that self-expression is a powerful tool — it’s just as valuable as any rifle you carry or any tool you can put in your pack.” Those are the words of Marine-turned-actor Adam Driver (Girls, Star Wars: The Force Awakens) introducing a US military audience to the theatrical performance they were about to see. Driver is the founder of Arts in the Armed Forces, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing thought-provoking and impactful contemporary theater to American military personnel currently “in theater.” VICE News followed Driver and his fellow actors (including Joanne Tucker, Natasha Lyonne, Eric Bogosian, Peter Scolari, Sasheer Zamata, and many more) on their first trip to the Middle East, where they struggle to broaden the offerings of on-base entertainment beyond country-western cover bands and the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders. - On The Line: Neha Shastry Discusses the Navajo Nation’s Contaminated WaterE206
On The Line: Neha Shastry Discusses the Navajo Nation’s Contaminated Water VICE News journalist Neha Shastry joined On The Line to answer your questions on the Navajo nation’s contaminated water crisis. Decades of uranium mining have contaminated the majority of water sources on Navajo Nation land. As a result, tens of thousands of Americans are living without clean, running water. In “Living Without Water: Contamination Nation,” VICE News traveled to New Mexico to find out how people are coping, and if there is hope for the future. - This is Only the Beginning: COP21 – Climate Emergency (Dispatch 6)E208
This is Only the Beginning: COP21 – Climate Emergency (Dispatch 6) On Saturday December 12, the UN climate negotiations between nearly 200 countries finally resulted in what world leaders called a historic agreement marking the end of the fossil fuel era. To put pressure on decision makers before the final announcement of the deal, thousands of civilians and climate activists in Paris mobilized to form giant "red lines" in the center of Paris, to symbolize the boundaries that negotiators must not cross. VICE News finds out why the French authorities lifted the ban on protests for the end of the COP21, why people are protesting when the climate deal is being celebrated as a ‘turning point’, and meets a UN Climate Summit observer and former key negotiator to find out what the deal really means. - On The Line: Danny Gold Discusses El Salvador’s War on GangsE209
On The Line: Danny Gold Discusses El Salvador’s War on Gangs El Salvador has now eclipsed neighboring Honduras as the most murderous peacetime country in the world. To combat the violence, the government has given police and military permission to shoot first, and ask questions later. The country's supreme court has ruled that gangs should be defined as terrorist organizations, and gang members can face terrorism charges. Danny Gold traveled to El Salvador for VICE News to investigate what many are now calling a war between the street gangs and the government. - Retaking Ramadi From the Islamic State: The Battle for Iraq (Dispatch 11)E210
Retaking Ramadi From the Islamic State: The Battle for Iraq (Dispatch 11) Iraqi security forces recaptured a large part of the city of Ramadi this week in one of their most significant military victories over the Islamic State (IS) to date. Backed by warplanes from the US-led coalition, Baghdad's troops have been fighting to secure territory around Ramadi, the capital of Iraq’s vast western province of Anbar, since it fell to IS in May. VICE News embedded with Iraq’s Special Operations Forces, also known as the Golden Division, who have been leading operations to recapture the city. - Displaced in Sinaloa: The Hunt For 'El Chapo'E211
Displaced in Sinaloa: The Hunt For 'El Chapo' As the Mexican Navy continues the hunt for fugitive Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman, hundreds of people have been forced to flee the Golden Triangle, the Sinaloa Cartel’s stronghold in Northern Mexico. While refugees claim they fled helicopter gunfire, the navy denies their operation to hunt the most wanted drug lord are out of control. VICE News heads to the mountainous region of Sinaloa to meet the refugees of the hunt for 'El Chapo.' - Crystal Meth and Cartels in the Philippines: The Shabu TrapE212
Crystal Meth and Cartels in the Philippines: The Shabu Trap At the start of 2015, Mexican national Horacio Hernandez Herrera, allegedly third in command of the infamous Sinaloa Cartel, was arrested in the Philippines’ capital, Manila, at the center of a 12 million peso ($255,000) drug bust. So, as Herrera awaits trial in the capital, VICE News takes a look at the Philippines drug trade. We visit the Tondo district of Manila, a port area overwhelmed by shabu, to speak to dealers defending their turf and police officers trying to contend with porous borders, stunted judiciary power, and – their most challenging enemy – corruption within their own forces.