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Vice News
United Nations correspondent for Vice News
PROFILE
Samuel Oakford
Guest
FROM Samuel Oakford
To the Point
The Global War on Drugs Is Dead This week the United Nations General Assembly took on global drug policy . The widespread consensus is that the hardline policies of the 1990’s war on drugs have failed. In the past decade 25 countries have passed some kind of decriminalization for drug possession. Here in the US the original architect of the global war on drugs four states have legal marijuana markets, and 20 others are considering some form of legalization this year. Now the global conversation about drugs focuses on reducing harm to individuals and communities, and decreasing the ranks of users, but nations remain divided on whether to pursue decriminalization or outright legalization.
To the Point
Alleged Silk Road Mastermind on Trial as an Online Drug "Kingpin" The admitted founder of Silk Road, which became an Internet marketplace for illegal drugs, went on trial today in New York for drug trafficking, hacking and money laundering. Federal prosecutors claim Ross Ulbricht, who was arrested using a computer in the San Francisco Public Library, is the person who calls himself "the Dread Pirate Roberts." Silk Road was part of the so-called "dark web"-- accessible only via the Tor network, which hides users' real IP addresses. It was once called the most sophisticated and extensive haven for online crime. Samuel Oakford is covering the story for Vice News .
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President Trump: US to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord Trump says he was elected to serve Pittsburgh, not Paris.
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Trump plays scolder-in-chief with NATO allies At the opening of NATO’s dramatic new headquarters in Brussels today, President Trump acknowledged that Article 5 — promising that “an attack on one nation is an attack on all” -- has only been invoked one time: in the aftermath of September 11. But the President failed to provide what 27 other Alliance members have been waiting for: a re-commitment by America’s new leader to Article 5. Instead, they got a scolding.
To the Point
What is Trump's plan for Middle East peace? On his first foreign tour, President Trump has promised "peace" between Israel and the Palestinians. Are there any details for re-starting talks that have been stalled for the past three years?
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Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.