Russia is trying to reclaim a former deep-cover spy, Sergey Cherkasov, from a Brazilian jail by accusing him of being a hardened criminal on the run from Russian justice. However, Bellingcat has revealed that the Russian indictment documents provided to the Brazilians are full of inconsistencies and contradict travel data which shows that Cherkasov was not in Russia during the period of his alleged criminal activity. This is not the first time Russia has attempted to use bogus criminal charges to reclaim its agents abroad, and Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court is now set to decide whether to approve Cherkasov’s extradition. Read full article here
Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
