Day: December 31, 2021

Panama Covid-19 – well, ending 2021 in an illustrative way – with 2 of the 4 people in our household isolating with Omicron. All 4 of us were tested on 30 December, with the 2 kids (actually grown-ups now, of course) testing positive, and my wife and I negative (for now at least). No-one, positive or negative, has any symptoms…I just hope our son is OK by the time of his rearranged flight back to UK (I originally came for 3 months to sort out things here and, thanks to Covid, never got back).

Yesterday’s figures, which were too late to comment on, showed an expected big rise. New cases showed an almost doubling to 2,664 (but only 2 new fatalities), but active cases soared by over 2,000 to 11,064. 23 patients are in ICU and 145 in other wards (actually an overall fall in numbers, though with 5 more of the patients being in ICU).

As for today, another 2,213 new cases and 1 new fatality. Like yesterday, a large number of tests (well over 20,000) with a high proportion of positive results (over 10%). Active cases are up again, at 12,868 (up 1,804 on yesterday) – but so far only 25 in ICU (up 2) and 148 in other wards (up 3).

31 DECEMBER 2021

UK ANTI-CORRUPTION STRATEGY: YEAR 3 UPDATE

On 31 December, the Home Office published this update which highlights the action taken in the 3^rd year of the UK anti-corruption strategy 2017-22, and covers the period up to and including 31 December 2020.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1041398/2021.12.15_Year_3_Update_to_the_Anti-Corruption_Strategy.pdf

KENYAN POLICE ARRESTED MAN WANTED BY INTERPOL FOR ALLEGEDLY SMUGGLING DOZENS OF MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN TO EUROPE

A news release from INTERPOL on 29 December advised that Kenyan police had arrested John Habeta in Nairobi on 16 December as part of a sting operation coordinated between authorities in the Netherlands and Kenya.  Sent to the Netherlands, the Dutch national remains in custody until trial where, if convicted, he faces a sentence of up to 8 years in prison.

https://www.interpol.int/News-and-Events/News/2021/People-smuggling-sting-operation-Kenya-Netherlands-cooperation-lands-renowned-fugitive-in-jail

US LOSING WAR ON CORRUPTION IN CENTRAL AMERICA

An article from Insight Crime on 30 December says that the US, under the Biden administration, was supposed to help curb corruption, but for corrupt officials in Central America, life has rarely looked better. This past year, the justice systems of both El Salvador and Guatemala have been hollowed out.

https://insightcrime.org/news/gamechangers-2021-us-losing-war-corruption-central-america/

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.buymea3coffee.com/KoIvM842y

On 30 December, the UN added ASHRAF AL-QIZANI and JUND AL-KHILAFAH IN TUNISIA (JAK-T) to its ISIL (Da’esh)/Al-Qaida sanctions lists.  The former is a senior member of Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).  The latter was formed in November 2014, and is associated with ISIL.

https://www.un.org/press/en/2021/sc14755.doc.htm

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.buymea3coffee.com/KoIvM842y

A news release from the WCO announced that HS 2022, which is the seventh edition of the Harmonized System (HS) nomenclature, and which is used worldwide for the uniform classification of goods traded internationally, shall enter into force on 1 January. The HS serves as the basis for Customs tariffs and for the compilation of international trade statistics in 211 economies. The new HS2022 edition makes some major changes to the Harmonized System with a total of 351 sets of amendments covering a wide range of goods moving across borders – and the news release identifies some of the highlights, including –

• Electrical and electronic waste (with specific provisions for its classification);
• New provisions for novel tobacco- and nicotine-based products (which resulted from the difficulties of the classification of these products, lack of visibility in trade statistics and the very high monetary value of this trade);
• Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), commonly referred to as drones, also gain their own specific provisions;
• Major reconfigurations for the subheadings for glass fibres and articles thereof, and for heading for metal forming machinery;
• Many new subheadings have been created for dual-use goods that could be diverted for unauthorised use (such as radioactive materials and biological safety cabinets, as well as for items required for the construction of IED, such as detonators);
• Flat panel display modules;
• Infectious disease outbreaks has led to changes (such as for diagnostic kits, placebos and clinical trial kits for medical research);
• A number of new provisions specifically provide for various dual use items – these range from toxins to laboratory equipment;
• Goods specifically controlled under various Conventions have also been updated (Chemical Weapons Convention, for certain hazardous chemicals controlled under the Rotterdam Convention and for certain persistent organic pollutants (POP) controlled under the Stockholm Convention); and
• New subheadings have been introduced for the monitoring and control of fentanyls and their derivatives as well as 2 fentanyl precursors.  

The amendments also include clarification of texts to ensure uniform application of the nomenclature. 

http://www.wcoomd.org/en/topics/nomenclature/instrument-and-tools/hs-nomenclature-2022-edition/amendments-effective-from-1-january-2022.aspx

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.buymea3coffee.com/KoIvM842y

Panama Covid-19 update – speaking on TV news the Health Minister has said that the issue of compulsory vaccination “is being discussed”. Meanwhile, the executive director of Health Services and Benefits of the Social Security Fund (CSS) has told the institutional directors, hospitals, polyclinics and other care units of the entity to make sure that the health facility “does not prescribe” Ivermectin and Hydroxychloroquine for the management of patients with Covid-19.

Not surprising anyone, the health ministry has also confirmed that Panama is now seemingly in a “fourth wave” os the pandemic, and that so far 46 Omicron (apparently it is officially SARS-CoV-2 virus (B.1.1.529)) cases have been confirmed.

No data on new cases today yet…

30 DECEMBER 2021

HMRC FRAUD SQUAD TAKES BACK £1 BILLION FROM OFFENDERS

A news release from HMRC on 30 December advised that more than £1 billion has been recovered from the proceeds of crime and tax offenders since the formation of a specialist HMRC fraud squad – launched in April 2016, as the department’s Fraud Investigation Service (FIS).

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hmrc-fraud-squad-takes-back-1-billion-from-offenders

GARUDA INDONESIA INVESTIGATED FOR ALLEGED AIRPLANE LEASE CORRUPTION

On 30 December, Tempo reported that the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) is reportedly investigating a suspected corruption case within Garuda Indonesia, which involves aircraft lease.

https://en.tempo.co/read/1544892/garuda-indonesia-investigated-for-alleged-airplane-lease-corruption

VIETNAM: FORMER HANOI LEADER BROUGHT TO TRIAL OVER POWER ABUSE

On 28 December, the Phnom Penh Post reported that former Hanoi People’s Committee chairman Nguyen Duc Chung was brought to trial on December 27 on a charge of “abusing position and power while performing duties”.  The case involved illegal interference in bidding activities, enabling the Nhat Cuong company to win contracts.  Chung is said to have abused his position and power to illegally interfere in bidding activities for a deal on the digitisation of business registration documents in 2016 at the Vietnamese capital’s Department of Planning and Investment.

https://www.phnompenhpost.com/international/former-hanoi-leader-brought-trial-over-power-abuse

SYRIAN PRIVATE AIRLINES COMPANY “CHAM WINGS” INCREASES ACTIVITY DESPITE SANCTIONS

On 28 December, Enabbaladi reported that sanctions imposed on the Syrian Cham Wings Airlines company have failed to limit its apparent activity.

https://english.enabbaladi.net/archives/2021/12/syrian-private-airlines-company-cham-wings-increases-activity-despite-sanctions/

ASSUNTA MARESCA, FIRST FEMALE BOSS IN CAMORRA MAFIA, DIES AGED 86

On 30 December, the Guardian reported that a former beauty queen who shot to fame when she killed her husband’s killer in Naples at the age of 18 and went on to become the first female boss in Italy’s powerful Camorra mafia clan has died aged 86.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/30/assunta-maresca-first-female-boss-in-camorra-mafia-dies-aged-86

MALTA: MAGISTRATE SAYS THERE IS SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO INDICT 2 LIBYAN MEN AND 5 COMPANIES ACCUSED OF USING HAWALA MONEY TRANSFER SYSTEM TO LAUNDER MONEY

On 30 December, Malta Today reported that a magistrate has decreed that there is sufficient evidence to indict, noting they had declared zero income to the authorities, whilst depositing hundreds of thousands in their respective bank accounts and registered 25 luxury vehicles in their names.

https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/court_and_police/114095/hawala_money_laundering_magistrate_rules_there_is_a_case_to_answer#.Yc42FGDMKUk

“ECONOMIC COERCION”—NEW EU JARGON FOR LOBBYING BY THIRD COUNTRIES

An article from Dentons on 30 December asks if the European Commission’s proposed Regulation to prevent foreign government economic coercion measures ever work in practice?

https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/economic-coercion-new-eu-jargon-for-6932549/ 

INDIAN NUCLEAR MISSILE PROLIFERATION: EFFECT ON SOUTH ASIAN STRATEGIC STABILITY

On 30 December, an Opinion piece from Eurasia Review says that the proliferation of supersonic and hypersonic weapons is echoing in South Asia which could be disastrous for the regional peace and stability.

https://www.eurasiareview.com/30122021-indian-nuclear-missile-proliferation-effect-on-south-asian-strategic-stability-oped/

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.buymea3coffee.com/KoIvM842y