The U.S. Army has bombed, burned and desecrated sacred Hawaiian land in the name of national security since World War II. The military acquired much of this land decades ago for just $1. Dena Takruri gets rare access into the U.S. Army’s Pōhakuloa Training Area on the Big Island of Hawaii, and speaks to Native Hawaiians about the years-long battle to get their land back.
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How Israel Killed Journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, Then Spun Her Death
After Israeli forces killed Shireen Abu Akleh’s, Israel started a “PR blitz” to manipulate mainstream media coverage of the shooting. Headlines changed in a matter of hours, as Israel first blamed Palestinians and then tried walked back the claim. But that was exactly what Israel wanted. Dena Takruri explores how the Western news media covers Israel’s wrongdoings, as well as her personal relationship to her Al Jazeera colleague Shireen Abu Akleh.
How The Navy Poisoned Hawaii Families With Jet Fuel
The U.S. Navy has poisoned the drinking water in Hawai‘i with its jet fuel. After 19,000 gallons of fuel stored underground leaked into O‘ahu’s main aquifer, thousands of residents were displaced from their homes and reported health symptoms. The Navy is promising to shut down the underground facility, but many are concerned about long-term health consequences, and how long this has really been going on. Dena Takruri went to O‘ahu to investigate.
The Secret, Toxic Oil Wells Underneath Los Angeles
Before Los Angeles had Hollywood, it had oil – a lot of it. And the toxic legacy of that oil boom still lingers below the city streets. Hundreds of deserted, unplugged oil wells are scattered underneath neighborhoods like Echo Park, potentially leaking toxic gases. Dena Takruri goes to L.A. to investigate this hidden plight.
Why California Isn’t As Green As You Think
As California moves to phase out fossil fuels, its top oil-producing county is fighting to keep petroleum pumping. Dena Takruri heads to Kern County, where in one in seven workers has a job tied to oil. She attends a major oil festival called Oildorado to find out just how much the industry props up the community. Can this oil-reliant county ever break up with fossil fuels?
The Racist Border You Don’t Hear About
U.S. border agents have long been criticized for abuses along the Mexican border, but there’s trouble up north too. Officers stationed on the U.S.-Canada border are under fire for racially profiling and harassing people of color. Dena Takruri speaks to the latest people to blow the whistle – officers within Customs and Border Protection
‘I Felt Like A F*cking Nazi’: An Ex-Border Patrol Agent Speaks Out
Jenn Budd is a former senior U.S. Border Patrol agent turned migrant rights activist. She spoke to Dena Takruri about what she calls a racist, sexist and corrupt culture inside the agency.
We Embedded With Border Patrol To See How They Treat Migrants
Dena Takruri went on a ride-along with Border Patrol agents on the U.S.-Mexico border to get a firsthand look at how people who have just crossed into the U.S. experience their first encounter with U.S. law enforcement.
Is Going To Work Sick An American Problem?
America is experiencing the largest increase in unemployment in history. But why are so many Americans paying the price for the COVID-19 pandemic? It’s no coincidence that no other country is experiencing the number of layoffs that America is facing. Much of the crisis boils down to the U.S. having inadequate worker protections including insufficient paid sick leave and unemployment benefits. We explain to you how the failure to provide benefits to all workers exposes the U.S. to a greater spread of COVID-19 — and will create long-lasting damage to the economy. #Coronavirus #COVID19 #PaidLeave
Is Elephant Tourism As Bad As We Think?
Dena Takruri traveled to Thailand to explore the complicated world of elephant tourism by hearing from the folks most familiar with the elephants and the industry: local Thais.
It was interesting to hear them respond to popular Western conceptions and also make the case for how tourism offers the best chance of survival for these endangered animals.
Dena Takruri 