Day: May 9, 2023

Panama’s famous Gorgas Institute is to participate in trials of the efficacy of the monkeypox vaccine.

Re the recent row over a newspaper being censured over inclusion of a photo of a local politician in a news report, the Reports Without Borders organisation warns of judicial harassment of journalists in Panama, saying that Defamation lawsuits against journalists are very frequent, and conclude, most of the time, with economic sanctions, thus representing an obstacle to freedom of information.

A small indication of the effect of the current drought in this, the rainy season, at the Summit Park today, the water level in the pool that used to hold Onsho, the one-eyed crocodile, when my wife was a young girl, was some 12 inches lower than usual, or so it seemed to me.

9 MAY 2023

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/KoIvM842y

On 9 May, the Guardian reported that Cyprus has received an 800-page dossier from the US Government detailing sanctions breaches by local individuals and entities that are alleged to have enabled the Russian billionaire, Alisher Usmanov, to conceal his immense wealth.  At least 2 other dossiers are expected to follow.  Leader Nikos Christodoulides has vowed to push ahead with the prosecution of law and audit firms that had aided the oligarch.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/09/cyprus-handed-800-page-us-dossier-on-russia-sanctions-breaches

On 9 May, OFAC advised that it had designated Joaquin Guzman Lopez — a son of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman Loera and the fourth member of Los Chapitos — as well as 3 Sinaloa Cartel members and 2 Mexico-based entities.  Those sanctioned today are part of a Sinaloa Cartel network overseen by Los Chapitos and responsible for a significant portion of the illicit fentanyl and other deadly drugs trafficked into the US.

https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20230509

https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1467

On 9 May, Eversheds Sutherland published its latest Horizon Scanner which summarises key financial crime related legal and regulatory changes expected over the next 18 months to 2 years, as well as providing electronic links to key resources.  It was updated as of 4 May.

https://www.eversheds-sutherland.com/documents/services/litigation/US_Financial_Crime_Horizon_Scanner_May_2023.pdf