war on drugs

A Mexican soldier stands guard next to marijuana packages in Tijuana following the discovery of a tunnel under the U.S.-Mexico border in 2010.

'Narconomics': How The Drug Cartels Operate Like Wal-Mart And McDonald's

12:47pm February 16, 2016

The cartels' business models are similar to those of big-box stores and franchises, says Tom Wainwright, former Mexico City bureau chief for The Economist. His new book is Narconomics.

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D. Watkins' work has appeared in The Baltimore Sun and Salon. He will start teaching English at Goucher College in the spring.

Baltimore Author Discusses 'Living (And Dying) While Black'

9:01am October 02, 2015

Author D. Watkins says that crack destroyed his East Baltimore neighborhood, and he explains how the real day-to-day of selling drugs is nothing like the movies. His new book is The Beast Side.

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National

Probe Finds $70 Million Money-Laundering Bust Might Have Been Dirty Itself

2:07pm July 15, 2015

by Kenny Malone

An by the Miami Herald raises questions about a Florida task force that busted a huge money-laundering ring. Did the unit help catch criminals, or just enrich two small law enforcement departments?

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Obama Shortens Prison Terms For 46 Drug Offenders, Vows More Commutations

7:03pm July 14, 2015

by Carrie Johnson

All of those whose sentences were commuted would have gotten lighter prison terms under new sentencing guidelines. The White House says the they aren't hardened criminals and deserve a second chance.

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Kurt Schmoke, former mayor of Baltimore, is now the president of the University of Baltimore.

National

Former Baltimore Mayor: City Must Confront The 'Rot Beneath The Glitter'

7:58am June 05, 2015

by NPR Staff

As the city struggles with a surge in violence and the aftermath of Freddie Gray's death, Kurt Schmoke says that the roots of the problems run deep.

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Bluefields sits along Nicaragua's Caribbean Coast. It's a place where six in 10 people live in extreme poverty.

World News

Nicaragua Follows Its Own Path In Dealing With Drug Traffickers

5:25pm October 27, 2014

by Eyder Peralta

Unlike its Central American neighbors, Nicaragua hasn't waged a head-on military battle with the cartels. The country suffers less violence, but critics says it effectively tolerates trafficking.