NICOSIA, Cyprus — The United States and Cyprus said Tuesday they’re formalizing their collaboration in fighting money laundering, sanctions evasion and other financial crimes with an agreement offering Cypriot law enforcement authorities U.S. expertise. The FBI and Cypriot police will sign an agreement in the coming days that includes the U.S. Department of Justice offering … Read more
HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s leader said Tuesday that prisoners convicted for serious national security crimes would not likely be granted early release under the tightened rules of a new national security law, signaling a hardening government stance against jailed political activists. Chief Executive John Lee said the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance stipulates that people … Read more
VATICAN CITY — Several prominent lawyers have published stinging academic critiques and legal opinions about the Vatican’s recently concluded “trial of the century,” highlighting violations of basic defense rights and rule of law norms that they warn could have consequences for the Holy See going forward. The opinions cite Pope Francis’ role in the trial, … Read more
Prosecutors in New York asked a court on Friday to sentence crypto fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried to between 40 and 50 years in prison for defrauding crypto investors and extracting billions of dollars from his companies FTX and Alameda Research. FTX imploded in 2022, turning a high-flying company once valued at $32 billion into a worthless … Read more
Are you a billionaire in trouble? Why not try coming out as a Republican and fully pivoting into very public complaints about the “woke agenda?” That’s precisely what Sam Bankman-Fried was thinking, according to newly released notes made by the crypto fraudster after FTX’s stunning collapse in 2022. Will More Celebs Continue to Join Crypto? … Read more
DHAKA, Bangladesh — A court in Bangladesh on Sunday granted bail to Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus in a $2.3 million embezzlement case. Yunus, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for pioneering the use of microcredit to help impoverished people, was sentenced to six months in prison in January on a separate charge … Read more
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Appeals judges at the International Criminal Court ruled Friday that an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity committed by Venezuelan security forces under President Nicolás Maduro’s rule during a crackdown on anti-government protests in 2017 may proceed. Appeals panel Presiding Judge Marc Perrin de Brichambaut said that the court “rejects the … Read more
RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil’s finance minister told his peers Thursday at a G20 meeting in Sao Paulo that countries should implement a global tax on the super-rich in an effort to tackle rampant tax evasion. Fernando Haddad said tax evasion can be resolved through international cooperation so that “these few individuals make their contribution … Read more
TEHRAN, Iran — With flashy celebrity ads and promises of deep discounts, a shop in Iran’s capital had offered consumers in the Islamic Republic one of the hottest products in the country — an iPhone that came out in 2021. But instead of getting their hands on the handsets, police and prosecutors in Iran allege … Read more
JERUSALEM — When the Biden administration imposed sanctions this month against Israeli settler Yinon Levi for allegedly assaulting Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank, his supporters quickly sprang into action. Within days, an online fundraiser collected over $140,000 for Levi and his unauthorized settler outpost from over 3,000 donors worldwide. Now, those contributions may … Read more