Category: Organized crime
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Are Albania and Montenegro on the fast track to EU membership?
July 1 will mark a dozen years since Croatia joined the the European Union (EU), the most recent country to do so. In the years after Croatia’s accession, the bloc’s eastern enlargement process stalled almost entirely. The EU’s enthusiasm for admitting new members waned, driven by rising anti-EU sentiment within member states and fears that…
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Israel’s Next Strategic Vector: Building Up National Strengths
Perspectives Paper No. 2,347, June 3, 2025 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Since October 2023, Israel’s primary strategic vector has been a campaign against its enemies in the region. This campaign is nearing its end. In the coming months, the open security issues of Gaza and Iran will be decided. The next strategic vector should be a reorientation…
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Telegram’s Durov says French spy chief asked him to ban conservative Romanian voices
PARIS – Pavel Durov, the founder of the Telegram messaging app, has accused the head of France’s foreign intelligence agency Nicolas Lerner of asking him to ban Romanian conservative voices ahead of the country’s elections, adding he refused the request. Russian-born Durov is currently under judicial supervision in France, holed up in Paris’ glitzy Crillon…
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Iran seeks removal from FATF blacklist amid legislative efforts
Politics Materials 17 May 2025 11:46 (UTC +04:00) Follow Trend on BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 17. Iran is working to be removed from the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) list of non-cooperative jurisdictions, also known as the “blacklist,” Trend reports, citing Iran’s Financial Intelligence Unit. The ratification of two key international conventions—the Convention against Transnational Organized…
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Report: Tehran global hit squads targeting dissidents
Western intelligence agencies have reported a surge in Iranian regime-led plots to abduct or assassinate dissidents and political opponents residing overseas, with a notable escalation in such activities since 2022, according to a BBC investigation. Among the most concerning developments, US President Donald Trump was reportedly a target of one such foiled plot. In the…
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Iran ratifies transnational crime convention under financial action task force framework
Politics Materials 15 May 2025 10:18 (UTC +04:00) Follow Trend on BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 15. Iran’s Guardian Council has approved the Palermo Convention on combating transnational organized crime under the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an intergovernmental body focused on anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing measures, Hadi Khani, Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance…
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A SMALL Balkan nation with crystal-clear waters and rugged mountains is rapidly becoming a favourite with tourists – with over 120,000 Brits visiting each year. But while the resorts in “Europe’s Maldives” may look idyllic, holidaymakers are being warned of mafia groups who allegedly own luxury hotels to launder vast fortunes from organised crime. 11…
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Press call: Our experts outline what to expect from Donald Trump’s first major trip abroad during his second presidency
Ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, the Atlantic Council held a press call on May 9, where experts discussed what to expect from the president’s first major trip abroad during his second administration. Below is a transcript of the conversation, moderated by Atlantic Council Senior…
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Your primer on Albania’s parliamentary election
A prime minister seeking an unprecedented fourth term, a deeply entrenched opposition, and a crop of new parties angling for influence—Albania’s parliamentary election on May 11 comes amid deep domestic polarization. Voters will head to the polls at a strategically pivotal moment for the Western Balkan nation, which remains among the most staunchly pro-US countries…
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How the State Department’s Travel Advisory System Works
Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT The U.S. assigns safety rankings to many countries, giving guidance to Americans considering trips abroad. Here is how that information is compiled and updated. This screenshot of a world map from the State Department’s travel advisories website shows the government’s assessment of risk for travel to each place.Credit…U.S. State Department May 6,…
