“Better to die than be a coward.” In the hill villages of Nepal live the mighty Gurkhas, heralded as the world’s famous mercenaries. Although the average Gurkha man stands at five-foot and three-inches tall, their determination knows no limits. The prestige associated with the Gurkha name is so immense that thousands of young Nepalese men clamour for a spot in foreign Gurkha-only military units, of which the British army is the largest ’employer’.
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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
