Qatargate Is a Warning to Europe

The bloc’s vulnerability to corruption has been dramatically exposed.

#brussels-belgium, #corruption-institutional, #european-parliament, #european-union, #kaili-eva, #legislatures-and-parliaments, #panzeri-pier-antonio, #qatar

The Sordid Secrets of Cities

Machine politics, corruption and violence.

#books-and-literature, #central-park-manhattan-ny, #central-park-jogger-case-1989, #corruption-institutional, #davis-mike-1946, #didion-joan, #gage-beverly, #hoover-j-edgar, #internal-sub-only-nl, #organized-crime, #politics-and-government, #urban-areas

Mexico’s Ex-Top Security Official Is Convicted of Cartel Bribery

A Brooklyn jury found Genaro García Luna guilty of taking millions of dollars from the Sinaloa drug cartel when he was in charge of Mexico’s bloody war on organized crime.

#barragan-villarreal, #bribery-and-kickbacks, #brooklyn-nyc, #corruption-institutional, #decisions-and-verdicts, #drug-abuse-and-traffic, #drug-cartels, #garcia-luna-genaro, #mexico, #sinaloa-cartel, #united-states-international-relations, #zambada-garcia-ismael, #zambada-garcia-jesus

Why Did a Turkish City Withstand the Quake When Others Crumbled?

Erzin survived last week’s 7.8-magnitude quake with no casualties and little damage. The mayor credited his enforcement of building standards, but scientists say it is likely be more about geology.

#building-construction, #corruption-institutional, #engineering-and-engineers, #erdogan-recep-tayyip, #erzin-turkey, #hatay-province-turkey, #turkey, #turkey-earthquake-feb-6-2023

Corruption Trial of Mexican Ex-Lawman Ripples Beyond Courtroom

As prosecutors close their case against Genaro García Luna, the eventual verdict will be felt by Mexican officials and among U.S. agents who work there.

#bribery-and-kickbacks, #corruption-institutional, #drug-abuse-and-traffic, #drug-cartels, #garcia-luna-genaro, #guzman-loera-joaquin, #mexico, #politics-and-government, #sinaloa-cartel

South African President Declares ‘State of Disaster’ Over Power Crisis

President Cyril Ramaphosa, facing rising public wrath, on Thursday declared a “state of disaster” and pledged to end an energy crisis that threatens economic and political stability.

#african-national-congress, #corruption-institutional, #electric-light-and-power, #eskom, #power-failures-and-blackouts, #ramaphosa-cyril, #south-africa

How Earthquakes Test Our Souls and Our Governments

What I lived through as a boy in Mexico City and what it could foretell for Turkey and Syria.

#corruption-institutional, #disasters-and-emergencies, #earthquakes, #mexico-city-mexico, #politics-and-government, #syria, #turkey, #turkey-earthquake-feb-6-2023

Felipe Calderón, Former Mexican President, Accused of Supporting Sinaloa Cartel

The accusation, which was quickly denied, was made by a former Mexican official at the trial in Brooklyn of Mexico’s former top security chief.

#brooklyn-nyc, #calderon-felipe, #corruption-institutional, #drug-abuse-and-traffic, #drug-cartels, #garcia-luna-genaro, #lopez-obrador-andres-manuel, #mexico, #sinaloa-cartel

Four Takeaways From Corruption Trial of Genaro Garcia Luna, Former Mexican Lawman

Jurors at the trial of Genaro García Luna have heard about murders, kidnappings, drug shipments and accusations of bribes paid by the Sinaloa drug cartel.

#barragan-villarreal, #bribery-and-kickbacks, #corruption-institutional, #drug-abuse-and-traffic, #drug-cartels, #garcia-luna-genaro, #guzman-loera-joaquin, #mexico, #sinaloa-cartel, #united-states, #valdez-villarreal-edgar

‘Bad Apples’ or Systemic Issues?

From the police to academia, we often see what we want to see.

#academic-freedom, #colleges-and-universities, #conservatism-us-politics, #corruption-institutional, #freedom-of-speech-and-expression, #immunity-from-prosecution, #memphis-tenn, #nashville-tenn, #nichols-tyre-d-2023, #police, #police-brutality-misconduct-and-shootings, #suits-and-litigation-civil, #trump-donald-j

E.U. Vows More Help for Ukraine but Tamps Down Membership Talk

European Union leaders met in Kyiv with President Volodymyr Zelensky, who said Ukraine would not give up on Bakhmut, the eastern city caught in a fierce battle with Russian forces.

#bakhmut-ukraine, #corruption-institutional, #donbas-ukraine, #european-union, #international-trade-and-world-market, #north-atlantic-treaty-organization, #putin-vladimir-v, #russian-invasion-of-ukraine-2022, #ukraine, #von-der-leyen-ursula, #zelensky-volodymyr

Pope Francis Visits South Sudan to Highlight Young Nation’s Troubles

The soaring hopes at South Sudan’s creation in 2011 have been cruelly dashed. Pope Francis arrives there with other religious leaders on Friday to highlight its plight.

#corruption-institutional, #floods, #francis, #kiir-mayardit-salva, #machar-riek, #oil-petroleum-and-gasoline, #refugees-and-displaced-persons, #south-sudan, #vis-photo, #welby-justin

In High-Profile Raids, Zelensky Showcases Will to Tackle Corruption

President Volodymyr Zelensky is eager to highlight his crackdown on corruption, ahead of E.U. accession talks and possible Western investigations of war aid.

#brussels-belgium, #corruption-institutional, #european-union, #house-of-representatives, #kolomoisky-igor-v, #russian-invasion-of-ukraine-2022, #ukraine, #zelensky-volodymyr

Ukraine Corruption Scandal Stokes Longstanding Aid Concerns in U.S.

A top State Department official said the ouster of several Ukrainian officials this week after corruption charges “sends a very strong signal.”

#biden-joseph-r-jr, #corruption-institutional, #embezzlement, #humanitarian-aid, #international-relations, #kyiv-ukraine, #russian-invasion-of-ukraine-2022, #united-states-international-relations, #zelensky-volodymyr

The Beleaguered Queen of New Orleans

As mayor, LaToya Cantrell has a grip on the city. Whether she’s holding it by the hand or by the throat depends on whom you talk to.

#black-people, #cantrell-latoya, #content-type-personal-profile, #corruption-institutional, #democratic-party, #federal-bureau-of-investigation, #mayors, #new-orleans-la, #news-and-news-media, #police, #politics-and-government

A Tale of Two Jewish Leaders

Zelensky is waging a campaign to kick the crooks out of government. Netanyahu is waging a campaign to keep the crooks in.

#appointments-and-executive-changes, #corruption-institutional, #israel, #legislatures-and-parliaments, #netanyahu-benjamin, #politics-and-government, #ukraine, #zelensky-volodymyr

Ukraine Fires Officials Amid Corruption Scandal, as Allies Watch Closely

As it fights Russia’s invasion, Ukraine depends for its survival on aid from Western nations, which have concerns about endemic graft and how the money is used.

#biden-joseph-r-jr, #corruption-institutional, #defense-and-military-forces, #russian-invasion-of-ukraine-2022, #scholz-olaf-1958, #ukraine, #zelensky-volodymyr

When Being European Parliament President Includes Aiding Police Raids

Roberta Metsola, the youngest person to become president of the European Parliament, is seeking to expand the assembly’s role while guiding it through the aftermath of major bribery accusations.

#brussels-belgium, #corruption-institutional, #european-parliament, #giorgi-francesco, #international-relations, #kaili-eva, #metsola-roberta, #politics-and-government, #qatar

NY Lawmakers to Request House Ethics Investigation of George Santos

Two Democrats will file an official complaint about Mr. Santos’s financial disclosures with the House’s bipartisan ethics committee.

#campaign-finance, #corruption-institutional, #ethics-and-official-misconduct, #goldman-daniel-s, #house-committee-on-ethics, #house-of-representatives, #new-york-state, #santos-george-1988, #torres-ritchie-1988, #united-states-politics-and-government

Will the African National Congress Buy President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Alibi?

A bizarre scandal threatens to topple President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa from leadership of the African National Congress, which begins its party conference on Friday. Will A.N.C. members buy his astonishing account?

#african-national-congress, #corruption-institutional, #elections, #fraser-arthur, #impeachment, #politics-and-government, #ramaphosa-cyril, #robberies-and-thefts, #south-africa

Biden Courts African Leaders, but Some Are Skeptical of Big Promises

President Biden faced a challenge in winning the confidence of a continent where the circumstances of its leaders vary so dramatically.

#african-union, #ahmed-abiy, #biden-joseph-r-jr, #china, #corruption-institutional, #eritrea, #ethiopia, #food-insecurity, #humanitarian-aid, #sall-macky, #united-states-international-relations, #united-states-politics-and-government

South Africa Rejects Impeachment Inquiry of President Cyril Ramaphosa

A.N.C. lawmakers showed unity in rejecting the call for hearings against their president, giving him a political lift after he failed to report the theft of huge sums of U.S. currency from his game farm.

#african-national-congress, #corruption-institutional, #fraser-arthur, #impeachment, #politics-and-government, #ramaphosa-cyril, #south-africa

What to Know About the Political Turmoil in Peru

An impeachment vote, an arrest, a new president. A day of political drama presented another challenge for the South American democracy.

#boluarte-dina, #castillo-pedro-1969, #corruption-institutional, #coups-detat-and-attempted-coups-detat, #democracy-theory-and-philosophy, #fujimori-alberto-k, #impeachment, #peru, #politics-and-government

El presidente de Perú es destituido luego de solicitar la disolución del Congreso

Pedro Castillo anunció la medida poco antes de que el Congreso votara para destituirlo. Buena parte de su gobierno renunció en protesta por lo que los líderes políticos calificaron como un intento de golpe de Estado.

#castillo-pedro-1969, #corruption-institutional, #fujimori-keiko, #impeachment, #peru, #vizcarra-martin

Peru’s President, Facing Impeachment, Says He Will Dissolve Congress

The president, Pedro Castillo, imposed a national curfew and said an emergency government would rule by decree. Critics said the president was staging a coup.

#castillo-pedro-1969, #corruption-institutional, #fujimori-keiko, #impeachment, #peru, #vizcarra-martin

South Africa’s President Is Unlikely to Face Impeachment

Executives of the governing party, the African National Congress, said on Monday they would instruct their legislators to reject a report suggesting Cyril Ramaphosa might have broken the law.

#african-national-congress, #corruption-institutional, #elections, #impeachment, #legislatures-and-parliaments, #politics-and-government, #ramaphosa-cyril, #robberies-and-thefts, #south-africa

Ramaphosa Vows to Fight Impeachment Report and Seek Re-election

The South African president had considered resigning after Parliament released a report last week accusing him of violating his oath of office by obscuring details about a 2020 robbery at his game farm.

#african-national-congress, #corruption-institutional, #impeachment, #legislatures-and-parliaments, #politics-and-government, #ramaphosa-cyril, #south-africa

Isabel dos Santos, Daughter of Angola’s Ex-President, Faces Arrest on Corruption Charges

Isabel dos Santos, the daughter of Angola’s former president, was accused of enriching herself with state resources during her time in control of the country’s oil company.

#angola, #corruption-institutional, #dos-santos-isabel, #lourenco-joao, #oil-petroleum-and-gasoline

Will Mexico Be the Next Venezuela?

López Obrador is systematically dismantling his country’s democracy.

#corruption-institutional, #drug-cartels, #elections, #lopez-obrador-andres-manuel, #mexico, #morena-mexican-political-party, #national-electoral-institute-mexico, #politics-and-government

Jack Smith, the New Special Counsel, Is Schooled in Corruption Cases

A veteran public corruption and war-crimes prosecutor, Jack Smith will take over two Trump-related criminal investigations.

#citizens-for-responsibility-and-ethics-in-washington, #corruption-institutional, #decisions-and-verdicts, #edwards-john, #ethics-and-official-misconduct, #garland-merrick-b, #hague-netherlands, #international-criminal-court, #justice-department, #mcdonnell-robert-f, #smith-john-l, #special-prosecutors-independent-counsel, #trump-donald-j, #united-states-attorneys

The Far Right Rises in Israel

A look at the improbable return of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the arrival of the nation’s most right-wing government.

#audio-neutral-informative, #corruption-institutional, #israel, #netanyahu-benjamin, #politics-and-government, #right-wing-extremism-and-alt-right

A Vatican Auditor Says He Dug Up Too Much Dirt, and Was Buried

Libero Milone is suing the Vatican for wrongful dismissal after he said he found cardinals siphoning off funds. The Vatican has hit him with a criminal investigation of its own.

#accounting-and-accountants, #compensation-for-damages-law, #corruption-institutional, #embezzlement, #ethics-and-official-misconduct, #francis, #italy, #libero-milone, #priests, #roman-catholic-church, #rome-italy, #suits-and-litigation-civil, #the-vatican

Netanyahu’s Corruption Charges in Israel: What to Know

Benjamin Netanyahu is on track to once again lead Israel as prime minister — while facing a corruption trial.

#corruption-institutional, #elections, #israel, #netanyahu-benjamin, #politics-and-government

Threat to Democracy? Start With Corruption, Many Voters Say

In a Times/Siena survey, respondents’ concerns about democracy often diverged from typical expert analysis.

#corruption-institutional, #democracy-theory-and-philosophy, #internal-sub-only-nl, #midterm-elections-2022, #polls-and-public-opinion, #storming-of-the-us-capitol-jan-2021, #trump-donald-j, #united-states-politics-and-government

Lula Is Back From Prison and Could Be Brazil’s Next President, Again

Former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is trying to cap a stunning political comeback by defeating the incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil’s elections on Sunday.

#bolsonaro-jair-1955, #brazil, #corruption-institutional, #da-silva-luiz-inacio-lula, #elections, #politics-and-government, #prisons-and-prisoners, #workersparty-brazil

Zambia and Its New President Are Still on Their Honeymoon

Hakainde Hichilema is hailed as a miracle worker for turning around the fortunes of the southern African country. But with his opposition neutralized and a corruption drive focused on his predecessors, some are uneasy.

#appointments-and-executive-changes, #corruption-institutional, #economic-conditions-and-trends, #elections, #hichilema-hakainde-1962, #international-monetary-fund, #lungu-edgar-c, #politics-and-government, #zambia

Betrayal and Blackouts in Puerto Rico

It is our own people who rob and abuse us.

#corruption-institutional, #hurricane-fiona-2022, #luma-energy, #politics-and-government, #power-failures-and-blackouts, #puerto-rico

In Mississippi, Welfare for the Well-Connected as a Scandal Spreads

Millions earmarked for the needy in the nation’s poorest state instead went to projects that benefited the well-to-do, the state alleges, including a volleyball stadium at Brett Favre’s alma mater.

#bryant-phil, #colleges-and-universities, #corruption-institutional, #favre-brett, #federal-aid-us, #mississippi, #university-of-southern-mississippi, #volleyball, #welfare-us

Hermès Bags and Millions in Cash: The Fall of Malaysia’s Najib Razak

The former prime minister and his wife were once seen as untouchable. Now, both have been found guilty in connection with the 1MDB financial scandal.

#1malaysia-development-berhad-1mdb, #corruption-institutional, #low-jho-1981, #malaysia, #mansor-rosmah, #money-laundering, #najib-razak, #politics-and-government, #prisons-and-prisoners

Mexico’s Leader Vowed ‘Hugs Not Bullets,’ but the Carnage Continues

The president disbanded the Federal Police and created the National Guard to tackle soaring violence, but three years later, criminal cartels have expanded their reach.

#calderon-felipe, #corruption-institutional, #guanajuato-mexico, #jalisco-new-generation-cartel, #lopez-obrador-andres-manuel, #mexico, #organized-crime, #police

A New Generation of Voters Will Test Angola’s Longtime Governing Party

The election may not change the country’s government, but the contest reflects the growing discontent of young voters, many of whom are unemployed.

#angola, #corruption-institutional, #dos-santos-jose-eduardo, #elections, #lourenco-joao, #national-union-for-the-total-independence-of-angola, #politics-and-government, #popular-movement-for-the-liberation-of-angola

No One Will Get Rid of Vladimir Putin

Terror is always more persuasive than anything else.

#corruption-institutional, #mishustin-mikhail-v, #navalny-aleksei-a, #putin-vladimir-v, #russia, #russian-invasion-of-ukraine-2022, #ukraine

Guatemala’s Corrupt Officials Train Their Sights on the Press

José Rubén Zamora, an award-winning journalist and president of the elPeriódico newspaper, arrests marks an escalation of the government’s assault on democratic values.

#corruption-institutional, #freedom-of-the-press, #guatemala, #illegal-immigration, #international-commission-against-impunity-in-guatemala-cicig, #prisons-and-prisoners

Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro Is Afraid of Going to Jail, and He’s Right to Be

It’s getting hard to keep track of all the charges against Brazil’s president.

#bolsonaro-jair-1955, #brazil, #corruption-institutional, #elections

Will an Investigation of a Former Mexican President Lead to Charges?

After years of promises, many Mexicans fear that the announcement of a corruption probe into Enrique Peña Nieto might be nothing more than a political tactic.

#bribery-and-kickbacks, #corruption-institutional, #gertz-manero-alejandro, #institutional-revolutionary-party-mexico, #lopez-obrador-andres-manuel, #mexico, #morena-mexican-political-party, #pena-nieto-enrique, #politics-and-government, #transparency-international

United Auto Workers Seek to Shed a Legacy of Corruption

After his predecessors’ imprisonment, the union’s president is being challenged for re-election in the first direct vote by its membership.

#automobiles, #corruption-institutional, #curry-ray, #elections, #labor-and-jobs, #organized-labor, #united-automobile-workers

Bill J. Allen, Alaska Businessman at the Center of Scandal, Dies at 85

He was one of the state’s most powerful figures, but his extensive corruption schemes brought him down — and took several politicians with him.

#alaska, #allen-bill-j, #bribery-and-kickbacks, #corruption-institutional, #deaths-obituaries, #oil-petroleum-and-gasoline, #politics-and-government, #stevens-ted, #veco-corp

What a New Supreme Court Review May Mean for Albany’s Culture of Graft

Joseph Percoco and Alain Kaloyeros, former aides to Andrew Cuomo, could benefit if the court is more skeptical of what constitutes a bribe.

#bruno-joseph-l, #corruption-institutional, #cuomo-andrew-m, #kaloyeros-alain-e-1956, #new-york-state, #percoco-joseph, #supreme-court-us

In South Africa’s Farmgate Scandal, a Theft and Then a Silence

Namibian investigators tracing money transfers by men suspected of stealing wads of cash from President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa say their cross-border calls for help went unanswered.

#african-national-congress, #corruption-institutional, #fraser-arthur, #fugitives, #informers, #namibia, #politics-and-government, #ramaphosa-cyril, #robberies-and-thefts, #south-africa

For South Africa’s Leader, Being a Burglary Victim Spells Trouble

After a fortune in cash was stolen from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s farmhouse, he kept it secret. Now that word is out, critics ask what he was hiding.

#african-national-congress, #corruption-institutional, #ramaphosa-cyril, #robberies-and-thefts, #south-africa, #zuma-jacob-g