AP-INTACT

[ap-intact] INFO: UNDP using apps to fight corruption, pollution in Asia-Pacific   AP-INTACT (Asia-Pacific Integrity in Action) ap-intact; An app that helps manage electronic waste in China and a text messaging system for monitoring corruption in Papua New Guinea are just some new ways social innovations are helping tackle the world's big problems Read the story by Pia Ranada, in Rappler. http://www.rappler.com/move-ph/social-good-summit/107161-undp-apps-social-innovations-asia-pacific AP-INTACT is the Asia-Pacific Integrity in Action network, a moderated mailing list facilitated by the Bangkok Regional Hub, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The message in this email is shared for your information. It does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations, UNDP, or UNODC. You are welcome to contribute news, an event, publica...

[ap-intact] INFO: Tech-savvy courts less prone to corruption, says Philippine chief justice AP-INTACT (Asia-Pacific Integrity in Action) ap-intact; The Philippine Chief Justice wants every activity in a court trial to be 'captured electronically' – from the issuance to the execution of a trial judge’s order Read the story by Buena Bernal, in Rappler. http://www.rappler.com/move-ph/social-good-summit/927-sgs2015/107179-sereno-technology-courts-less-corruption AP-INTACT is the Asia-Pacific Integrity in Action network, a moderated mailing list facilitated by the Bangkok Regional Hub, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The message in this email is shared for your information. It does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations, UNDP, or UNODC. You are welcome to contribute news, an event,...

[ap-intact] INFO: Pakistan anti-corruption agency lays out methods and strategies AP-INTACT (Asia-Pacific Integrity in Action) ap-intact; The establishment of standard operating procedures, a 10-month maximum limit from complaint verification, to inquiry, to investigation, to a reference in the accountability court, and an anti-corruption network for SAARC countries are among the approaches being taken by Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau in its anti-corruption fight. Read the story in The Tribune. http://tribune.com.pk/story/956244/gaining-public-trust-nab-devises-strategy-to-weed-out-corruption-from-society/ AP-INTACT is the Asia-Pacific Integrity in Action network, a moderated mailing list facilitated by the Bangkok Regional Hub, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The message in this email is shar...

28 September 2015 Today's top story Kenya: Kenya arrests two Chinese construction company executives for bribes FCPA Blog Two senior managers of the China Roads and Bridge Construction Company were arrested in Kenya for allegedly giving bribes to highway authority officials to cover up the use of overloaded trucks. More news Argentina: Argentine voters focused on economy, not corruption US News & World Report Brazil: Rolls-Royce faces second investigation in Brazil corruption scandal...

WSJ - Corruption Currents: Obama Threatens China, Announces Cyber Agreement (25 Sept 2015). By Samuel Rubenfeld. http://blogs.wsj.com/riskandcompliance/2015/09/25/corruption-currents-obama-threatens-china-announces-cyber-agreement/

United States: Google faces renewed U.S. antitrust scrutiny, this time over Android Published on Sep 28, 2015 11:30 pm     World: Volkswagen emissions scandal: Switzerland bans sale of some models Published on Sep 28, 2015 11:00 pm     United States: Bill Gates foundation trust sues Brazil’s Petrobras Published on Sep 28, 2015 10:30 pm     Brazil: Rolls-Royce faces second investigation in Brazil corruption scandal Published on Sep 28, 2015 10:00 pm     World: Analysis: US-China agreement on cybertheft a first step Published on Sep 28, 2015 09:30 pm     Switzerland: FIFA’s Sepp Blatter faces Swiss criminal investigation Published on Sep 28, 2015 09:00 pm     World: Bankers not only ones pushing ethical boundaries Published on Sep 28, 2015 08:30 pm     China: U.S. to use chartered flights to deport Chinese fugitives, illegal immigrants Published on Sep 28, 2015 08:00 pm ...

A news story in The Globe and Mail says some Canadian banks allow wealthy Asian investors to skirt Chinese law by helping them bring in large amounts of money that is often used to buy real estate in Vancouver. Read the story by Kathy Tomlinson, in The Globe and Mail. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/canadian-banks-helping-clients-bend-rules-to-move-money-out-of-china/article26246404/?click=sf_globe

Vietnamese and Italian inspection officials reviewed a draft memorandum of understanding (MoU) on anti-corruption cooperation for the signing of the document by 2016 at a recent meeting in Rome. Read the story in Vietnam Net Bridge. http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/government/141610/italy--vietnam-intensify-cooperation-in-corruption-prevention.html

Radio Free Asia reported that the World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators ranked North Korea the lowest across dimensions of governance, including in the areas of press freedom and rule of law. Read the story by Elizabeth Shim, in UPI. http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2015/09/23/World-Bank-North-Korea-ranks-lowest-for-fairness-of-government/2331443060421/

Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party has called for reforms and a stepped-up fight against corruption as it prepares for an upcoming party congress. Read the story in Morning Star. http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-ddb1-Vietnamese-Communist-Party-wants-stepped-up-fight-against-corruption#.VfpYIs5fSf4

The Independent Commission Against Corruption of Hong Kong has officially opened an inquiry to investigate whether corruption or the abuse of power have played a part in the scandal of excessive lead in water that has affected housing estates and schools throughoutthe territory. Read the story by Ryan Kilpatrick, in Hong Kong Free Press. https://www.hongkongfp.com/2015/09/22/corruption-watchdog-starts-probe-into-lead-in-water-scandal/

People in Pakistan support the death sentence for those found guilty of corruption, according to a Pakistan Awami Tehreek survey of over 100,000 Pakistanis in the country and overseas on the topic ‘Life imprisonment or death sentence for corruption.’ Read the story in The News. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-5-339036-PAT-survey-supports-death-to-the-corrupt

The world's leading lawyers have questioned the ability of the Australian Federal Police to investigate serious corporate crime and called for a new "dedicated agency" to have responsibility for complex financial cases, including foreign bribery. Read the story by James Thomas, in Australia Broadcasting Corporation. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-06/lawyers-call-for-changes-to-foreign-bribery-laws-enforcement/6751160

According to a story in The Guardian, United States investigators have launched probes into corruption allegations that hundreds of millions of dollars linked to a Malaysian state fund had dropped into the Malaysian prime minister's personal bank accounts. Read the story by Oliver Holmes, in The Guardian. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/22/us-investigators-launch-probes-into-scandal-hit-malaysian-pm-najib-razak

As a new market with a developing architecture, the carbon market has proven susceptible to corruption and other integrity risks; this paper examines these risks and the carbon market’s vulnerability in terms of both its environmental and financial integrity. Access the paper in U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre (Chr. Michelsen Institute). http://www.u4.no/publications/carbon-market-corruption-risks-and-mitigation-strategies/#sthash.khHjx71T.dpuf

[Facilitator’s note: Thank you to Annika Wythes, Luisa Senibulu, and Samita Singh of the joint UNDP-UNODC Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption Project for sharing these updates.] Fiji: $218m fund. Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has clarified that the expenditures of Head 50 of the Government's Budget is a contingency fund for all Government departments. http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=322855 Call for wider consultation on mine. The Bua Urban Youth Network has called for wider consultations for the proposed bauxite mine in Wainunu, Bua. http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=322333 The $100m question. Seventeendays after the Ministry of Finance was to respond to the Public Accounts Committee on the use of $100million, there is still no response from the Finance Ministry. http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?ref=archive&id=322058 11 former PWD workers in court on graft charges . Former Public Works Department workers who were charged by the ...

This Friday, over 190 world leaders are scheduled to gather at the UN headquarters in New York City for the UN Sustainable Development Summit to endorse a new set of “Sustainable Development Goals” (SDGs) to be achieved over the next 15 years. The SDGs are a follow-up to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) , but the SDGs are much more expansive and cover a wider range of topics. Most relevant to the anticorruption community is Goal 16 (“Promote Peaceful and Inclusive Societies for Sustainable Development, Provide Access to Justice for All and Build Effective, Accountable and Inclusive Institutions at all Levels”), and in particular SDG “Target” 16.5 (“substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms”). There seems to be a lot of excitement among anticorruption activists and reformers about Goal 16 and Target 16.5 (see here , here , and here )—but to be honest, I’m not sure why. Indeed, I tend to think that the formal endorsement of anticorruption as part of th...

24 September 2015 Today's top story Global: Cricket anti-corruption chief admits the game will never be clean AFP The head of worldwide cricket’s anti-fraud body has admitted that corruption will never be totally driven out of the game. More news Global: UK, France and Germany lobbied for flawed car emissions tests, documents reveal The Guardian Brazil: Brazil Supreme Court votes to spin off part of corruption probe Reuters Ghana: Ghana’s top undercover journalist masters disguise to exp...

Germany: Volkswagen scandal threatens ‘Made in Germany’ image Published on Sep 23, 2015 11:30 pm     United States: Private Prisons Embrace Corruption to Boost Profits Published on Sep 23, 2015 11:00 pm     United States: U.S. SEC fines advisory firm for shoddy controls after cyber attack traced to China Published on Sep 23, 2015 10:30 pm     Australia: HSBC cleared to hand over ‘suspicious reports’ to US investigator Published on Sep 23, 2015 10:00 pm     Russia: ‘Kremlin’s banker’ sues Moscow for $12bn Published on Sep 23, 2015 09:30 pm     France: French prosecutor wants dismissal of IMF chief negligence probe Published on Sep 23, 2015 09:00 pm     Singapore: Former Resorts World Sentosa director charged with corruption Published on Sep 23, 2015 08:30 pm     Italy: Italy prosecutors probe top execs at bank Popolare di Vicenza Published on Sep 23, 2015 08:00 pm  ...