General Hugo Carvajal was accused of narco-terrorism. His legal team is currently working to prove that the witnesses against him lied to obtain legal benefits, according to interviews and court records. Regardless of the outcome, this case will have far-reaching implications.
National Report
Thousands of Data Have Been Processed. Now Prosecutors Plan to Reveal More Pandemic Fraud
“We don’t know the full scale of fraud yet, and it’s important to note that money is still being spent. But our members have hundreds of ongoing audits and investigations,” said Robert A. Westbrooks, director of the federal Pandemic Response Accountability Committee.
Reports and investigations from Itempnews in 2022
A variety of topics of national interest were covered in 2022, including gun violence, Governor Ron DeSantis's pro-gun policies, inflation, immigration, the Ukraine war, the labor market, recycling, drug trafficking, and money laundering.
Illinois Muslim Students Struggle to Find Halal Food
Despite a growing Muslim population in the Chicago area, few public schools offer students halal food options.
Transnational
China Used To Disguise Its Dictatorship; Xi Jinping Put an End to That
In the eyes of the world, a dictator in complete control of the world's second-largest economy encourages current and emerging authoritarian regimes to maintain official repression to retain power.
Behind the Resale of Cellebrite Technology That Can Hack Your Phone
While most of Cellebrite’s devices that are for resale are not new-gen, such practice demonstrates the vulnerabilities, insofar as repressive governments access the product and licensing upgrades through third parties for a few dollars, found an investigation by Itempnews. There are no limits for Venezuela, Cuba, or China to also buy this technology.
Russia Allies in Latin America Addopt the “Puttin’s Model” Against NGOs
Russian diplomats in Venezuela collected ample information about nongovernmental organizations that receive foreign funds and they also provided advice to the Venezuelan regime amidst a crusade to silence opposition groups, according to the findings of an investigation
Florida
Itempnews wins its first Sigma Delta Chi Award
The winning piece focused on Miami-Dade’s cardboard collectors, who earn their living by breaking down each piece of cardboard by hand, with no guaranteed income or labor protections.
Firefighters Couldn’t Determine the Cause of the Miami Flea Market Fire, Report Says
Initially, it was thought that a portable burner caused the flames on the day of the accident. The firefighters did not confirm this hypothesis, but it wasn’t ruled out either. Another report estimated $1 million in property damage.
Recycling in Obscurity on the Streets of Miami
Invisible but essential to the global recycling industry, the cardboard collectors of Miami-Dade earn a living by breaking down each piece of cardboard by hand, with no guaranteed income or labor protections.
