RT @FbdnStories: In Paraguay, 19 journalists have been killed—and their stories buried—in the last 30 years. Seven of them were murdered in….

Together with our partners from @FbdnStories , @revistapiaui , @cuestion_p , @LANACION , @ladiaria , @IrpiMedia we will be publishing investigations on Paraguay. Three of the stories seek to continue the leads that murdered Paraguayan journalists were following #AlianzaParaguay.

Read more about Misha’s analysis and how to reproduce it here:.

This difference map shows the change more clearly, with dark areas representing where vegetation increased between 2022 and 2025. The airstrip appears almost entirely dark, suggesting the clearing had not been maintained and that the site was no longer in active use.

Look at these two files from February 2022 (left) and February 2025 (right). In 2022, the airstrip stands out as a light-coloured area free of vegetation, but in 2025 the image showed a strong shift towards green, indicating forest growth.

Misha used the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) — a scientific metric to detect changes in plant cover by measuring visible red light and near-infrared light. This could reveal whether the clearing around the airstrip was maintained, or if nature had reclaimed it.

Here’s how OCCRP Researcher Misha Gagarin got on the case, using open-source methods:. He started by checking satellite images using Google Earth Pro, but the quality and angle were not optimal. So he turned to something more measurable: vegetation regrowth.

In June 2024,OCCRP journalist Aldo Benitez visited a secret airstrip used by drug traffickers in Paraguay’s dense Chaco forest. Months later, he had a question: could satellite imagery determine whether it was still in use?. (Photo: Sandino Flecha & Elisa Marecos)

U.S. President Donald Trump’s director of personnel, who has been called “maybe the most powerful man you’ve never heard of,” repeatedly refused to reveal where he was born. OCCRP and @TheTimesofMalta revealed his birthplace - the former Soviet Republic of Uzbekistan.

A wave of accusations of corruption, arrests, and unexplained deaths among Russia’s top officials appears to be an internal purge. Former deputy defense minister Pavel Popov faces charges including fraud and abuse of office.

RT @johnsweeneyroar: “Mr. Gor had no meetings, and any implications otherwise would be malicious and defamatory.”. Oh dear. Exclusive: To….

⚡Exclusive: Top Trump Advisor Sergio Gor Was Born In the Soviet Union.

The dense forests of Paraguay’s Chaco region have become a prime location for secret runways built by narcotraffickers to fly cocaine across the continent. Read about an OCCRP journalist’s expedition to find one of these hidden airstrips.

RT @theparaguaypost: Forensic @elsurti / @OCCRP investigation into the estimated 1500 narco airstrips dotted across Paraguay, mainly in the….

Extreme heat, scarce water: the Paraguayan Chaco is a harsh environment for humans — but an ideal location for cocaine traffickers running secret airstrips away from the eyes of authorities. Journalists set out on an expedition to find one of these hidden runways:.

RT @DW_GMF: Recap: In "Navigating New Horizons: The future of independent media and media development post-USAID," Francisca Skoknic (@robo….

The new U.S. tax bill threatens to weaken years of efforts to reduce money flows linked to crime, critics warn. A new tax on money transmitted abroad will be collected by money-transfer firms— potentially incentivizing some to use informal networks.

Provision in US tax mega-bill could boost illicit finance: it threatens to weaken years of efforts to reduce the flow of money through informal networks linked to drug cartels and terrorism supporters:.

A senior Russian defense official will spend 13 years in prison after embezzling nearly $3m in a ferry purchasing scheme and laundering nearly $50m stolen from a now-defunct bank. Timur Ivanov’s conviction appears to be part of an anti-corruption drive.

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