4th May 2019
US APPROVES WAIVERS FOR UK, CHINA, FRANCE, RUSSIA OVER IRAN NON-PROLIFERATION
Devdiscourse on 3rd May reported that the US had granted the waivers to allow the UK, China and Russia to continue non-proliferation work with Iran on the facility at Arak, permitting them to maintain projects designed to make it harder to develop a nuclear weapon – but shortened the length of the waiver from 180 to 90 days.
CHINESE SPIES ARE STEALING US MILITARY SECRETS, PENTAGON WARNS
American Military News on 3rd May reported that China is using espionage to acquire US secrets and bolster its own military, a new Pentagon report says, which outlined espionage as one of the components linked with China’s major military and security that has allowed them to make major strides in their progress. The Pentagon report says that China obtains foreign technology through imports, foreign direct investment, the establishment of foreign research and development (R&D) centres, joint ventures, research and academic partnerships, talent recruitment, and industrial and cyberespionage; and a cornerstone of China’s strategy includes appealing to overseas Chinese citizens or ethnic Chinese citizens of other countries to advance CCP objectives through soft power or, sometimes, coercion and blackmail.
The Report is at –
FOREIGN BUYERS OF CAMBODIAN GOODS SEE RISK IN LOOMING TRADE SANCTIONS
On 4th May, The Cambodian Daily reported that importers of Cambodian textiles and footwear voiced concern in a letter that threatened EU and US sanctions over human rights violations may disrupt trade preferences supporting the country’s economy, and the companies urged government action to address international criticism of its human rights record.
HAMAS MONEY MOVEMENT SCHEMES DETAILED IN ISRAELI DEFENCE FORCES’ REPORT
On 3rd May, Kenneth Rijock in his blog reproduced extracts from a public statement made by the Economic Warfare department of the Israel Defense Force Central Command. The extracts are concerned with how Hamas gets funds into the West Bank to bankroll its terrorist operations.
http://rijock.blogspot.com/2019/05/hamas-money-movement-schemes-detailed.html
JORDANIAN WHO HID TERRORISM CONVICTION TO GET US CITIZENSHIP, LOSES CITIZENSHIP, SENTENCED TO PRISON AND TO BE DEPORTED
On 27th April, Homeland Security Today reported that Vallmoe Shqaire, 51, an admitted member of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO), a Jordanian national who was sentenced to prison in Israel after admitting he acted at the direction of a terrorist organisation to detonate a roadside bomb in an attempt to blow up a civilian bus in Israel has been ordered to serve a 9-month prison sentence for lying to immigration authorities to obtain US citizenship and, as a result of his conviction, will be deported to Jordan.
SOME HURDLES FOR FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY: BAD PHOTOS, AGEING FACES, TWINS
An article on Homeland Security Today on 2nd May reported that facial recognition technology has to account for many real-world variables that can throw off accurate matching, underscoring the need for rigorous testing and continued development, government researchers told a conference in Washington.
BROTHER OF IRAN’S PRESIDENT ROUHANI SENTENCED FOR GRAFT
Deutsche Welle on 4th May reported that Hossein Fereidoun, brother and close aide of Iran’s president, has been sentenced on unspecified corruption charges, according to the IRNA news agency. The president’s supporters believe the case is politically motivated.
https://www.dw.com/en/brother-of-irans-president-rouhani-sentenced-for-graft/a-48602460
RUSSIA: HALF THE SENTENCES FOR BRIBERY IMPOSED INVOLVED AMOUNTS LESS THAN 10,000 ROUBLES
Profile magazine in Russia on 2nd May reported the half of the sentences for taking bribes handed down in Russian courts involve small sums of less than 10,000 roubles ($160). It is said that Russian courts convicted 5,300 people for bribery in the last year, with 3,000 more convicted of bribery together with other crimes, and figures show that 2,640 were charged with taking less than 10,000 roubles ($160). More than a third of those charged under the bribery laws were government or municipal employees and about 40% more were in the police.
SEIZURES OF ILLEGALLY IMPORTED MEDICINES TRIPLE IN SWITZERLAND
Customs Today on 4th May reported that the Federal Customs Administration seized 3,203 shipments of illegally imported medicines in 2018 – triple the amount of the previous year. These were followed by sleeping, diet and hair growth pills, the statement added. Like in 2017, the majority of illegal shipments were from India (42%), followed by Eastern Europe (32%) and Asia (mainly Singapore, 17.5%).
http://www.customstoday.com.pk/seizures-of-illegally-imported-medicines-triple-in-switzerland/
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