Rule of Law index / Japan cryptocurrency laundering / Myanmar's controversial partner

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World Justice Project Rule of Law Index 2019 (Resource).  The second largest decline over last year was seen in the area of “Criminal Justice,” followed by “Open Government” and “Fundamental Rights." On a positive note, more countries improved in “Absence of Corruption” than declined for the second year in a row.

World Justice Project: https://worldjusticeproject.org/our-work/research-and-data/wjp-rule-law-index-2019

 

Cases of money laundering linked to cryptocurrency in Japan up tenfold in 2018.  According to the National Police Agency, over 7,000 cases of suspected money laundering linked to cryptocurrencies were reported to police in 2018, more than a tenfold jump from the 669 cases reported in a shorter period between April and December in 2017, when it became mandatory for cryptocurrency exchange operators to report transactions suspected to be linked to the movement of illegally obtained cash.

The Japan Times: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/02/28/national/crime-legal/cases-money-laundering-linked-cryptocurrency-japan-tenfold-2018/#.XHzlzYgzaUk

 

Chinese Firm Involved in New Yangon City Has Long List of Controversies Abroad (Analysis).  China Communications Construction Co., Ltd., Chinese state-owned company, which has signed a framework agreement with the Yangon government to draw up a proposal for the infrastructure projects of the New Yangon City project across the Yangon River expected to be twice the size of Singapore, has been embroiled in a number of controversies for its involvement in alleged fraud, corruption and bribery in many other countries where it implemented similar development projects.

Nan Lwin/The Irrawaddy: https://www.irrawaddy.com/opinion/analysis/chinese-firm-involved-new-yangon-city-long-list-controversies-abroad.html

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