Showing posts with label corruption. Show all posts
Showing posts with label corruption. Show all posts
World Corruption Index Has Been Released
Forbes: Where Corruption Is Rampant Worldwide [Infographic]
No country on earth is deemed totally free of corruption, according to Transparency International. Earlier this week, the Berlin-based lobbying group reported that 69 percent of the 176 countries on its latest Corruption Perceptions Index scored below 50 on a scale between 0 (perceived as highly corrupt) and 100 (perceived as very clean). It called on governments to urgently introduce deep-rooted systemic reforms to eliminate corruption and address the growing imbalance of power and wealth.
Somalia, South Sudan and North Korea were the world’s three worst nations for perceived public sector corruption. Many others saw their scores tumble over the past 12 months with Brazil a notable example. It experienced a spate of huge corruption cases last year, including Petrobras and Odebrecht, leading to a significant decline in its score. Denmark and New Zealand were the best performers in 2016, followed by Finland and Sweden.
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Update #1: Report: Populist leaders often add to corruption they vow to remove from governments (Amanda Hoover, CSM)
Update #2: There’s more to measuring corruption than Transparency International’s annual index, just released (Dan Hough, Washington Post)
Update #3: Watchdog Says US Transparency Rating May Be Endangered (VOA)
WNU Editor: The International Transparency "Corruption Perceptions Index" report is here.
Everybody Is Corrupt In Iraq
A corrupt political class has led a 13-year pillage on public money in the pursuit of power. As oil prices fall, further jeopardising the country’s revenues, there is little hope that governance will improve.
Iraq’s anti-corruption chief sat in his office, waving his hands in exasperation. “There is no solution,” he said. “Everybody is corrupt, from the top of society to the bottom. Everyone. Including me.”
Coming at the start of a conversation about Iraq’s ailing governance, and what was being done to turn things around, Mishan al-Jabouri’s admission was jarring. “At least I am honest about it,” he shrugged. “I was offered $5m by someone to stop investigating him. I took it, and continued prosecuting him anyway.”
Jabouri heads one of two anti-graft agencies tasked with protecting public monies in post-war Iraq. Both have more work than they can ever hope to deal with – even if they wanted to.
Now, with plunging oil prices leaving Iraq’s revenues in more jeopardy than at any time since the US invasion, attention is shifting to what the custodians of public funds have done over more than a decade with tens of billions of dollars that could otherwise be a buffer from such a budget shock.
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WNU Editor: The Iraqi government .... and one can say Iraq society itself .... are completely dependent on oil revenues. With prices now at a fraction of what it use to be .... I can easily see a free-for-all occurring ..... and soon. My hat goes off to Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani who understands how dangerous this is .... but when it comes to money and/or listening to the senior cleric saying not to do it .... money wins most of the time.
How Corruption Cripples America's Military
America’s military budget is roughly 7.2 times that of Russia ($610 billion compared to $84.5 billion), but even Western news-accounts are saying that the weaponry produced in Russia is superior overall to the weaponry produced in the United States.
Compare the top-of-the-line fighter jets of the two countries: that's the F-35 fighter-jet produced by the U.S. corporation Lockheed Martin, versus the Su-35 fighter jet produced by the Russian government (its wholly owned Sukhoi Company). The F-35 costs around $100 million per plane. The Su-35 costs around $65 million per plane.
The weaponry-expert David Majumdar headlined on 15 September 2015, “America's F-35 Stealth Fighter vs. Russia's Su-35: Who Wins?” He concluded: "Basically, an F-35 pilot should avoid a close in fight at all costs. It is highly unlikely that a U.S. Joint Force Air Component Commander (JFACC) would assign an air superiority mission to an F-35 unit if alternatives were available. But given the tiny fleet of [F-22] Raptors and dwindling F-15C fleet, it is possible that the JFACC could be forced to use the F-35 as an air superiority asset.”
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WNU Editor: A lot of venting in this post.
Here Is The Latest List On The World's Most Corrupt Countries
USA Today: Double-dealing: World's most corrupt countries
BERLIN — Denmark may not have a lot in common with North Korea and Somalia but all three nations placed first in their respective categories on the 2015 Corruption Perceptions Index released Wednesday by Transparency International, a Berlin-based organization that tracks perceived levels of public sector fraud and dishonesty worldwide.
For the second year running Denmark, the index showed, is the country with especially "high levels of press freedom; access to budget information so the public knows where money comes from and how it is spent; high levels of integrity among people in power; and judiciaries that don’t differentiate between rich and poor, and that are truly independent from other parts of government."
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WNU Editor: Transparency International's website is here. Its annual Corruption Perceptions Index is here.
More News On The World's Most Corrupt Countries
Corruption Perceptions Index 2015: Corruption still rife but 2015 saw pockets of hope -- Transparency International
These are most corrupt countries in the world -- CNBC
Report Lists Somalia, North Korea as World's Most Corrupt Countries -- VOA
Report: Denmark is least corrupt; Somalia, N.Korea the most -- AP
Where does your country rank in latest corruption index? -- Euronews
Brazil, Turkey Among Top Decliners in Global Corruption Ranking -- Bloomberg
Billions locked in poverty by public sector corruption, report shows -- The Guardian
Brazil sees worst decline in global corruption rankings -- Reuters
Brazil in steep slide on corruption index: Transparency International -- AFP
Russia’s Corruption Levels See Biggest Decrease Since 2012 – Watchdog -- Sputnik
Australia continues slide down International Corruption Index, perceived as 'more corrupt' -- ABC News (Australia).
Here’s this year’s (flawed) Corruption Perception Index. Those flaws are useful. -- Washington Post
How Corrupt Is Russia?
Jason Thomson, CSM: How corrupt is Russia?
The US Treasury has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of being corrupt, while Putin has been encouraging his cabinet to work harder against corruption. Is there any way of knowing where the corruption lies?
Russian President Vladimir Putin is corrupt, according to a US Treasury official’s comments Monday to the BBC.
The country as a whole needs to do a better job of tackling corruption at all levels, President Putin in turn told his cabinet Tuesday.
Russia has long been plagued by allegations of corruption, but how much of a problem is it, and how does Russia compare with other countries?
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WNU Editor: Corruption exists everywhere .... it is part of the human condition. I guess it is a question to what degree and on how deep the culture of corruption exists. In case of Russia .... there will be an accounting one day on the wealth that Putin, his family, and his friends have accumulated over the years. I do not know when will that day happen .... but I know that it will happen, and it will be handled internally without any input from the US Treasury Department. And as for the US Treasury Department .... instead of focusing on Putin they should focus more on Washington's political elite and their families ... specifically on how they have accumulated their wealth over the years. But .... my prediction is that it is not going to happen.
How Did Russia's Minister Of Defense Get To Own An $18 Million Mansion
Radio Free Europe: Russian Defense Chief Shoigu Accused Of Owning $18 Million Mansion
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has long been one of Russia’s most-popular government figures, due in part to years of lavish state television coverage of him as emergency situations minister, a ministry he headed for nearly two decades.
He has also been largely unscathed by corruption scandals of the sorts that plagued his predecessor as defense minister, who was sacked in 2012 after facing fraud investigations.
That relatively squeaky-clean reputation now looks to have been dented with revelations by opposition leader Aleksei Navalny, whose team of muckrakers have accused Shoigu of hiding an $18 million mansion that he purportedly controls by registering it in the name of family members.
WNU Editor: Here is a photo of his "palace". I first heard about this last year from my cousins (they are in the real estate and development business in Moscow) .... but it looks like the West has finally caught up to the story. I am very familiar with this neighborhood, my parents home is also in Barvikha .... about a kilometer away from Defense Minister Shoigu's home (and no .... my parents home is not worth $18 million).
More News On How Did Russia's Minister Of Defense Get To Own An $18 Million Mansion
Russia's defence minister 'secretly builds £12 million palace', say campaigners -- The Telegraph
Revealed: How Vladimir Putin's defense minister has secretly built a $16MILLION oriental palace on the outskirts of Moscow (despite his paltry $120,000 salary) -- Daily Mail
Russian Defense Chief Shoigu Accused Of Owning $18 Million Mansion -- WN
Russian defence chief lives in a £12m ‘family’ mansion -- The Times
China's Military Has A Corruption Problem
Richard Macauley, Quartz: China accounts for 30% of the world’s secretive military spending
China is responsible for 30% of the world’s secretive defense spending, reports Transparency International (TI), a Berlin-based anti-corruption NGO. Secretive spending, defined by TI as “military expenditure where no meaningful details are released either to the public or parliament,” is leading to corruption at home and mistrust in the Asia-Pacific region that could destabilize the area, the organization says.
“No information is available on acquisition planning, and only broad details are disclosed on actual and planned purchases,” TI wrote about China’s defense spending in its Asia-Pacific Government Defense Anti-Corruption Index, adding: “The Chinese public would gain more knowledge about their nation’s defense capabilities through reading foreign press reporting.”
Update: China accounts for more than a third of the world's 'secret' military spending
WNU Editor: My best Chinese General corruption story is this one .... The Rise And Fall Of China's Top General.
Can Corruption In Ukraine Be Defeated?
How Ukraine’s most European city forged a popular movement against corruption and bad governance.
Ukraine’s 2014 Euromaidan revolution produced many memorable images, but some of the most striking came out of Mezhyhirya, the opulent country estate of deposed President Viktor Yanukovych. When activists stormed the grounds, they found luxury on a scale that was almost beyond parody: a vast collection of classic cars, fake ancient ruins, a restaurant shaped like a pirate ship. Most infamously, a two-kilogram loaf of bread made of solid gold came to represent the personal corruption that had characterized Yanukovych’s rule. Ukrainians reacted to these revelations with anger, bitterness, and dark humor. The last emotion anyone felt was surprise.
WNU Editor: I wish them luck .... but my experience with corruption in Ukraine is that it is deeply rooted in the culture and accepted by many as a way of life.
Three U.S. Navy Admirals Removed From The Navy Because Of Links To A Bribery Scandal
From left, Adms. Terry Kraft, Michael Miller, David Pimpo. Official U.S. Navy portraits
L.A. Times: Three admirals forced out because of links to bribery scandal
Three Navy admirals forced into retirement after being linked to a bribery scandal had enjoyed fancy dinners and cigars, sightseeing trips, shopping binges and high-value hotel accommodations from the key figure in the case: colorful Singaporean businessman Leonard Glenn Francis.
The censure letters meted out by Navy Secretary Ray Mabus were announced in February, along with the retirement of the three admirals: Vice Adm. Michael Miller, Rear Adm. Terry Kraft and Rear Adm. David Pimpo.
But the details behind what Mabus called “poor judgment and a failure of leadership” were not known until news stories were published this weekend based on redacted documents received through the Freedom of Information Act.
“You used your relationship with Mr. Francis to secure tour services and hotel rooms for you” and other senior officers, Mabus wrote in a letter of censure to Pimpo, who was demoted to captain.
Update #1: Three U.S. Navy admirals censured in bribery scandal -- Reuters
Update #2: Navy Releases Documents in 'Fat Leonard' Case -- Military.com
WNU Editor: These admirals should have known better .... but I suspect that this is a bigger problem in the Pentagon than what they are letting us know.
The Growing Problem Of Fraud In The U.S. Military
Over 3,000 American have been killed protecting fuel convoys, so the Pentagon has a strategy to get serious about efficiency. CNN
Julia Harte, Slate: The Fraud of War
U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have stolen tens of millions through bribery, theft, and rigged contracts.
U.S. Army Specialist Stephanie Charboneau sat at the center of a complex trucking network in Forward Operating Base Fenty near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border that distributed daily tens of thousands of gallons of what troops called “liquid gold”: the refined petroleum that fueled the international coalition’s vehicles, planes, and generators.
A prominent sign in the base read: “The Army Won’t Go If The Fuel Don’t Flow.” But Charboneau, 31, a mother of two from Washington state, felt alienated after a supervisor’s harsh rebuke. Her work was a dreary routine of recording fuel deliveries in a computer and escorting trucks past a gate. But it was soon to take a dark turn into high-value crime.
She began an affair with a civilian, Jonathan Hightower, who worked for a Pentagon contractor that distributed fuel from Fenty, and one day in March 2010 he told her about “this thing going on” at other U.S. military bases around Afghanistan, she recalled in a recent telephone interview.
WNU Editor: Thousands of U.S. soldiers have been killed or wounded protecting fuel convoys in Afghanistan and Iraq .... so fuel theft is a serious offense. But I suspect that this crime is just the tip of the iceberg.
Update: As I said .... the tip of the iceberg .... Too Big To Prosecute: Army Struggles To Cope With Rampant Fraud In The Military (FDL). Hat tip to reader Jay for this link.
Latest Global Corruption Index Report Released
Corruption A 'Problem For All,' Latest Global Index Shows -- Deutsche Welle
No country in the world has managed to achieve a perfect score of 100 in the 2014 Corruption Perceptions Index. The study by Transparency International urges failing states to adopt radical anti-corruption measures.
According to the Corruption Perceptions Index 2014, published by Transparency International on Wednesday, corruption is a problem "for all economies." To prevent the growing problem, the anti-corruption group said leading financial centers in the EU and US need to "act together with fast-growing economies."
"Poorly equipped schools, counterfeit medicine and elections decided by money," were just some of the consequences of corruption listed by the Index.
Read more ....
More News On The Latest Global Corruption Index Report Being Released
Transparency International reports little progress in corruption fight -- L.A. Times
Officials hiding ill-gotten gains undermine corruption fight-watchdog -- Reuters
Mapped: The world's most corrupt officials -- The Telegraph
Which Countries Are The Most Corrupt? -- NPR
Most and Least Corrupt Countries in the World -- Sputnik
Transparency Study Shows Corruption Widespread In Ex-Soviet States, Balkans -- Radio Free Europe
Italy seen as corrupt as Greece, Romania and Bulgaria -- EU Observer
India Ranked Less Corrupt Than China for the First Time in 18 Years -- WSJ
Some African countries 'very slow' in battling corruption, survey says -- Deutsche Welle
North Korea, East Africa Rank High on Corruption Scale -- VOA
China and Turkey fall behind in global corruption index -- Reuters
China and Turkey Among Biggest Losers in Corruption Ranking -- Bloomberg
China Slips in Corruption Perceptions Report -- NYT
China slips down corruption perception index, despite high-profile crackdown -- CNN
The 17 Most Corrupt Countries In The World -- Business Insider
WNU Editor: The Transparency International website is here.
Here Are The 18 Countries That Operate More Cleanly Than The U.S
The 2013 Corruption Perceptions Index as compiled by Transparency International
WNU Editor: Scroll down for the list.
The World's Corruption Index Has Been Released
Which Countries Are The Most And Least Corrupt? -- NBC
The bloody civil war in Syria is having yet another impact: The nation is now considered one of the most corrupt in the world, according to newly released data from the anti-corruption group Transparency International.
The organization's annual "Corruption Perceptions Index," first published in 1995, is one of the most closely watched barometers of the issue. The group surveyed experts on public sector corruption in 177 countries, grading each nation on a scale of zero to 100, with zero being "highly corrupt" and 100 being "very clean."
Syria has never been considered particularly virtuous, but growing attention to the business dealings of President Bashar al-Assad and his associates helped its score plunge to 17 from 26 in 2012. The country now ranks near the bottom—tied with Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan for 168th place. It ranked 144th last year.
But no nation has a monopoly on corruption, according to the study, which found that 70 percent of the countries scored 50 or below.
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More News On Global Corruption
Transparency International looks at global corruption levels -- Deitsche Welle
Corruption worsens in world's conflict areas, 2013 survey finds -- L.A. Times
Somalia, N. Korea, Afghanistan Lead Corrupt State Index -- Voice of America
Perceived Corruption High in Sub-Saharan Africa -- Voice of America
Survey: Corruption Grows in Mideast Hot Spots -- AP
The 18 Most Corrupt Countries In The World -- Houston Chronicle/Business Insider
Corruption Rising at Public Institutions in the Middle East, North Africa -- Wall Street Journal
Transparency International Says Corruption Rampant In CIS -- Radio Free Europe
Scandal-hit Spain plummets 10 places in global corruption index -- Reuters
Scandals force Spain down global corruption index -- The Guardian
Israel among most corrupt developed states, study finds -- Times of Israel
US Still Perceived As One Of The Most Corrupt Countries Among Major Developed Peers: Transparency International -- IBTimes
Russia Takes 127th Place in Corruption Survey -- RIA Novosti
Corruption in India as bad as last year: Transparency International -- Business Standard
You’ll Never Guess the Most Corrupt Nation on Earth! (And if You Do, Somalia Will Execute You) -- Juli Weiner, Vanity Fair
Is Transparency International's measure of corruption still valid? -- Claire Provost, The Guardian
Where is the world's most corrupt nation? -- Sophie Brown, CNN
Factbox: Transparency International's global corruption index -- Reutesr
WNU Editor: Transparency International's website is here.
Corruption 'Canadian Style'
Montreal Mayor Arrested In Latest Canadian Scandal -- Reuters
(Reuters) - Montreal's new mayor, who pledged to stamp out corruption when he took office last November, was arrested and charged with fraud on Monday in another blow to the reputation of Canada's biggest cities.
Michael Applebaum, whose predecessor resigned under pressure, faces 14 charges linked to two real estate deals, police said during a morning news conference.
Applebaum's arrest is the latest in a string of municipal scandals that have undermined Canada's reputation as staid and law-abiding. Toronto Mayor Rob Ford is resisting calls to quit after two media outlets said they viewed a video that appeared to show him smoking crack cocaine.
Ford says he does not use crack cocaine, and Reuters has not been able to verify the existence of the video.
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My Comment: I know that this is not a war/defense/intelligence news story .... but I live in Montreal, and this is a story that impacts all of us who live in this city. For long time suffering Montreal residents .... this is just one more story on top of another story that reveals the level of political corruption that exists in this city/province. Everyone that I know who has a business and who is involved in government contracts tell me the same thing .... the same people/companies always get the lucrative contracts .... and everyone else gets the crumbs. Now we know why .... but then again .... everyone always knew why. So much for Canada's reputation as a staid and law-abiding society.
Defense Sector Corruption Is Widespread On A Global Level
U.K. Group Releases Global Defense Sector Corruption Index -- Defense News
LONDON — Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Egypt have been ranked among the countries most susceptible to defense sector corruption, according to a report published Jan. 29 by a leading U.K. nongovernmental organization.
The Government Defence Anti-Corruption Index released by Transparency International UK says that 70 percent of the countries investigated lacked adequate means to prevent corruption.
Of the 82 countries studied, only Australia and Germany were classified as very low risk.
Global corruption in the defense sector costs a minimum of $20 billion a year, said Transparency International.
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More News On Transparency International Defence's Report on Defense Sector Corruption
Defence sector corruption rife, new survey claims -- BBC
Transparency International Says Corruption Widespread In Defense Sector -- Radio Free Europe
Governments fall short in fighting defense corruption: survey -- Reuters
Defence corruption survey gives worrying signs -- Radio Australia
Survey: Global failings in defence corruption -- Al Jazeera
Australia and Germany top defence transparency survey -- Radio Australia
China's military at 'high risk' on corruption: Transparency International -- Straits Times
China's military at 'high risk' on corruption: watchdog -- AFP
GCR: Israel at risk for 'defense corruption' -- YNet News
Report: Israeli defense sector tagged as high risk for corruption -- Washington Times
Saudi Arabia Leads Major Weapons Markets in Corruption Ranking -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Watchdog: Corruption Widespread in Defense Sectors Globally -- RIA Novosti
Transparency International: Ukraine has a high level of corruption in defense sector -- Kyiv Post
Russian Defense Ministry Gets 'D' for Corruption -- Moscow Times
WNU Editor: Transparency International's report is here.
More Fraud And Waste In Afghanistan
$7.3 Million Camp For Afghan Police Found Nearly Empty: Inspectors -- Reuters
(Reuters) - A $7.3 million base camp built to house 175 Afghan Border Police was sitting virtually empty two months after it was handed over to Afghan authorities, and some equipment like wood-burning stoves had been dismantled, U.S. inspectors reported on Tuesday.
The facility, located in Kunduz Province, consisted of 12 buildings, including a dining hall, that were contracted by the Army Corps of Engineers and completed September 3, 2012, according to a report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.
Inspectors who visited the site to ensure construction by Omran Construction, Consulting and Engineering Co was carried out according to contract found only a dozen Afghan personnel at the camp and nearly all of the buildings locked, SIGAR reported.
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My Comment: I would like to believe that this is just an isolated incident .... but knowing that Afghanistan is one of the most corrupt countries in the world .... I suspect that this is more the rule rather than the exception.
Did EADS Bribe Officials To Sell Fighter Jets To Austria?
New Allegations Haunt EADS Fighter Jet Deal -- Spiegel Online
In the corruption scandal surrounding the sale of Eurofighter jets to Austria, more and more information suggests that European defense giant EADS may have played a role in bribery aimed at securing the lucrative contract. The affair has the potential to damage the company's image and its bottom line.
When Tom Enders receives mail from Vienna these days, he doesn't expect it to contain good news. And so it was again last week, when the CEO of European aerospace and defense group EADS read with some trepidation a letter from Austrian Economics Minister Reinhold Mitterlehner.
In his missive, Mitterlehner spoke of doubts and suspicions -- and he had a concrete demand. He urged Enders to personally clear up the matter as quickly as possible
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My Comment: Huge sums of money .... politicians eager to have some in their pocket .... a company eager to give some (or so it appears) .... not a good recipe.
Transparency International Has Released It's 2012 Corruption Perceptions Index
Report: Corruption Remains Widespread Global Problem -- Voice of America
WASHINGTON — Anger over corruption has sparked mass demonstrations and even toppled governments in the past few years. But a global study published Wednesday by Transparency International finds the problem remains widespread.
In Pakistan, teacher Bashir Bulti says it takes a bribe to get a job.
Cambodian motorcycle taxi driver Chum Van says police sometimes put the blame for accidents on poor people, regardless of who is at fault.
Pakistan and Cambodia are among 176 nations studied by the anti-corruption group Transparency International.
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More News On Transparency International's 2012 Corruption Perceptions Index
Transparency International points to rampant corruption -- Deutsche Welle
Corruption 'Ravages' Two-Thirds of the World's Countries -- HETQ Online
Most corrupt European Union countries are also the most indebted… no prizes for guessing who’s number one then? -- Daily Mail
Corruption seen as pervasive in crisis-hit EU states -- EUObserver
Greece 'most corrupt' EU country, new survey reveals -- BBC
Greece Plunges in Global Corruption Rankings -- Spiegel Online
Ukraine 144th On Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index 2012 -- Ukrainian News
France rated 22nd in corruption list -- The Connexion
Russia ranked 133 in Corruption Index 2012 -- Russia & India Report
Finland shares top spot on transparency list -- YLE
Global corruption remains high in 2012 despite Arab Spring - Transparency International -- Trust Law
UAE leads GCC as the least corrupt country -- Emirates 24/7
Egypt slips in corruption index despite Arab Spring -- Reuters
Singapore 5th least corrupt in the world, least corrupt in Asia -- Channel News Asia
China lower in corruption index -- The Standard
India ranks 94 in list of corrupt nations -- Two Circles
Which Country Is Most Corrupt, and Which Is Least? -- CNBC
And the most corrupt nation this year is.... -- Whitney Eulich, Christian Science Monitor
WNU Editor: Transparency International's website is here.
A Culture Of Corruption
Combating Corruption -- Roger Bate, The American
Corruption threatens freedom and economic growth around the world.
Frank Vogl has spent more than half his life exposing and fighting corruption — first as a journalist, then with the World Bank, and finally with Transparency International, which he cofounded. His book about his experiences, Waging War on Corruption, does not disappoint.
The book is a history of both those who have fought corruption — the dangers they faced and the obstacles they overcame — and of the people exposed. From Watergate to the Arab Spring, Vogl was either directly writing about or otherwise exposing the corruption involved.
Vogl explains the problem thus:
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My Comment: In my travels I have always found that societies that have a greater portion of their GDP dependent on government is where the corruption is the worst. Free economic policies replaced by a political economy is a guarantee that a culture of corruption will flourish and grow.