Panama Covid-19 update – it has been reported that school buses must only operate at 80% capacity, face masks are mandatory and face shields are recommended (only other public transport both are required). Meanwhile, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) reported that yes 25 new infections among its workforce of the institution meant that it had a total of 74 active cases.
Today statistics show another 420 new cases and 8 new fatalities; with 4,685 active cases – 82 in ICU and 233 in other wards.
Any modest contributions for my time and ongoing expenses are welcomed! I have a page where you can do so, and where one-off contributions start as low as $3, at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/KoIvM842y
11 SEPTEMBER 2021
ESG IN 2021 SO FAR: AN UPDATE (PART I)
On 11 September, the Compliance and Enforcement blog from the Program on Corporate Compliance and Enforcement at the New York University School of Law published the first of a 3-part series of posts which takes stock of predictions made in an earlier post in February, discusses new issues that have emerged over the year and identifies the trends we think will be prominent during the remainder of 2021. Part 2 will continue to examine previous ESG predictions for companies based in the UK and Europe in 2021, and Part 3 will discuss new areas of interest in the ESG field and make new predictions.
https://wp.nyu.edu/compliance_enforcement/2021/09/10/esg-in-2021-so-far-an-update-part-i-of-iii/
CRUISE MISSILES IN THE MIDDLE EAST
On 3 September, a report from the International Institute for Strategic Studies provides a technical analysis of current national inventories and development programmes in the Middle East. Considering these programmes, this paper also assesses what drives regional states to develop cruise-missile technology and what the potential implications of this are for regional stability. It says that while both the proliferation and combat use of ballistic missiles in the Middle East have attracted a lot of attention, cruise missiles remain an often-overlooked regional proliferation challenge. Iran and Turkey have joined Israel in the club of nations developing and producing their own cruise missiles, with the UAE appearing to take first steps in this direction. Other countries, such as Algeria, Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, have already purchased cruise missiles from abroad or appear intent on doing so in the near future. In addition, Yemen’s Houthi rebels have employed cruise missiles in their ongoing missile and UAVcampaign against the Saudi-led coalition.
https://www.iiss.org/-/media/files/research-papers/cruise-missiles-in-the-middle-east.pdf
WARNINGS OVER ILLICIT WEAPONS IN AFGHANISTAN FLOWING TO TERROR GROUPS
On 9 September, Metro reported that smuggling networks may exploit the rise of the Taliban to supply weaponry to terrorists and other armed groups, an international arms research group has warned. Conflict Armament Research (CAR) raised concerns about the already ‘well established’ supply chain of black market weaponry throughout Afghanistan and the wider region.
USING VIRTUAL REALITY TO PREPARE MARITIME CREWS FOR TERRORIST AND PIRACY ATTACKS
On 6 September, an article from CIMSEC proposes that the leisure industry should exploit new training technologies, in particular virtual reality (VR), to prepare maritime crews for terrorist and piracy attacks. Simulated environments have been demonstrated to be effective in facilitating the development of intuitive, implicit, and functional knowledge. It says that existing training and guidance aimed at enabling crew members to mount a quick and effective response is arguably inconsistent and limited, with drone attack, attempted boarding, threat from radicalized passengers and crew, environmental damage, IED, remote weapon assault, and cyber-attack just some of the diverse areas of concern.
https://cimsec.org/use-virtual-reality-to-prepare-maritime-crews-for-terrorist-and-piracy-attacks/
EXPECT CHINA’S COAST GUARD TO CONDUCT COUNTER-DRUG PATROLS OFF LATIN AMERICA
On 8 September, an article from CIMSEC says that the China Coast Guard (CCG) is growing in capability, capacity, and confidence, and the possibility of additional long-distance deployments by the CCG should be seen as a matter of when and not if – where Chinese interests and citizens are threatened but the cooperative look of the CCG white hulls presents a more appealing optic than the more confrontational appearance of China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) grey hulls. The article highlights the west coast of Latin America in the Eastern Pacific on counter-narcotic patrols due the increasing problem of illegal drugs from Latin America making their way across the Pacific to Chinese consumers.
https://cimsec.org/expect-chinas-coast-guard-to-conduct-counter-drug-patrols-off-latin-america/
IS ETHIOPIA FLYING IRANIAN-MADE ARMED DRONES?
On 17 August, an article from Bellingcat posed this question and says that it has obtained new satellite imagery from Planet SkySat and MAXAR, as well as evidence from social media, to further analyse the claims.
NEED FOR VIGILANCE ON E-BILL RISKS FOR SHIPPING
On 11 September, Hellenic Shipping News reported that the acceleration of adoption of e-bills of lading and the enabling legislative framework has ramifications for shipowners and insurers. The disadvantages of relying on paper-based processes to regulate the delivery of cargo from a ship are said to be well known.
https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/need-for-vigilance-on-e-bill-risks/
UAE REVIEWS PROGRESS ON AML STRATEGY
On 11 September, The National reported that UAE has reviewed its ongoing efforts to tackle money laundering and terrorist financing ahead of the country’s submission of a post-observation report to FATF in October.
AML/CFT ASSESSMENTS; GAFILAT ON-SITE VISIT TO PARAGUAY
On 11 September, the FATF-style regional body for Latin America said that an on-site visit was made to Paraguay from 23 August to 3 September. In addition to the face-to-face evaluators and the technical support of the Executive Secretariat of GAFILAT, there was the remote participation of 3 evaluators.
SINGAPORE: BUSINESSMAN SENTENCED FOR FUNDING TERRORIST ACTS IN SYRIA
On 9 September, the Straits Times reported that a Singaporean businessman Mohamed Kazali Salleh, now 51, gave a Malaysian man cash totalling more than $1,000 to facilitate the latter’s journey to Syria to become a fighter for the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in 2013 and 2014. He has been sentenced to 3 years and 10 months’ jail.
UK TRYING TO FIND WAY TO SEND AID TO AFGHANISTAN WITHOUT VIOLATING SANCTIONS
On 9 September, the Guardian reported that the Foreign Office is to hold urgent meetings with banks, financial institutions and NGO to clarify how to provide humanitarian aid. The takeover by the Taliban presents a legal minefield for charities trying to provide aid to the population. The UN has imposed 2 sets of sanctions resolutions against more than 130 members of the Taliban and 5 Taliban “entities” including the entire Haqqani network.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/09/afghanistan-humanitarian-aid-sanctions-uk
FATF AND AN EFFECTIVE AML STRATEGY: A SMALL COUNTRY PERSPECTIVE
A guest post on the Global Anticorruption Blog on 8 September says that smaller states are often thought to be more vulnerable to money laundering: less resources, fewer personnel, a lackadaisical attitude towards others’ problems. However, the post from the head of bank and trust company supervision for the Central Bank of The Bahamas, including AML supervision says that even the smallest jurisdictions can prevent money laundering if there is the will to do so. It outlines a suggested strategy for small states to engage in the international money laundering movement.
LEBANON’S NEW GOVERNMENT
On 11 September, the Center for Strategic and International Studies provided a Q&A, saying that after 13 months of political stalemate in Lebanon, President Najib Mikati has announced the formation of a government at the presidential palace. It explains why a government has finally come together after more than a year, whether it will gain popular support, and what the immediate effects and longer-term challenges will be.
https://www.csis.org/analysis/lebanons-new-government
ABIMAEL GUZMÁN, LEADER OF PERU’S SHINING PATH, DIES AGED 86
On 11 September, the Guardian reported that the founder of Maoist insurgents that terrorised Peru in 1980s and 1990s dies in military prison where he was serving life sentence.
SAN FRANCISCO GARBAGE COMPANIES ADMIT TO BRIBERY – $36 MILLION IN FINES
On 11 September, NTD reported that 3 waste disposal companies in San Francisco were charged with bribery and have agreed to pay $36 million in fines.
https://www.ntd.com/san-francisco-garbage-companies-admit-to-bribery_674265.html
CONTAINER SECTOR IS SO HOT THAT SHIPS RENT FOR $200,000 A DAY
On 10 September, American Shipper reported that you can buy a brand-new Ferrari starting at $250,000. However, to rent a 12-year-old container ship for a mere 3 months, it could cost you a lot more than that: as much as 68 new Ferraris. This comes as a shipper revealed that had it chartered a 2009-built, 4,250 TEU container ship for 60-85 days at a gross rate of $195,000-$202,000 per day starting in the second half of October. This rate is at the all-time high in the short-term market, matching the rate on a 6-month charter of a larger 8,500-TEU ship in July as a special transaction.
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/container-sector-is-so-hot-that-ships-rent-for-200000day
Any modest contributions for my time and ongoing expenses are welcomed! I have a page where you can do so, and where one-off contributions start as low as $3, at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/KoIvM842y
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