Paraguay

Customs authorities in Germany and Belgium have seized a record of more than 23 tonnes of cocaine that was destined for the Netherlands. German officials discovered 16 tonnes in five shipping containers that had arrived in the port of Hamburg from Paraguay earlier this month. Police in the Netherlands were notified and a further 7.2 […]

This article Belgium, Germany Seize Cocaine Worth Billions appeared first on St. Lucia Times News.

The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce’s efforts to close a $797 million sale that would see it unload FirstCaribbean banks in the Virgin Islands and 15 other Caribbean locations was abruptly scuttled last week after regional regulators stopped the proceeding, CIBC announced.

CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank’s regulators have not approved GNB Financial Group Limited’s purchase of a majority stake in the bank, after GNB made a bid more than a year and a half ago for control of the bank, valued at $2 billion.

CIBC, which owns a majority share of FirstCaribbean, made the announcement in a press statement yesterday. CIBC FirstCaribbean Chief Executive Officer Colette Delaney said in the statement that the transaction would have 

supported the bank’s long-term growth, but explained that is it not the only option for the bank.

Santo Domingo, DR

According to the Corruption Perception Index of the Transparency International organization, the Dominican Republic is for the second time in a row among the countries with the highest levels of corruption.

The index report, released this Thursday by Citizen Participation, highlights that the country remained in 2020 with the same score on the perception of corruption of the previous year with 28 points out of 100 when occupying the 137th place of the 180 participating nations.

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic maintained in 2020 the same Corruption Perception Index of the previous year, 28 points out of 100, occupying the 137th place in the ranking of 180 participating countries.

The civic movement and Dominican chapter of Transparency International, Participación Ciudadana, on Thur. released the results of the Corruption Perception Index 2020, which places special emphasis on corruption related to the COVID-19 crisis.

The Virgin Islands will receive about $362,000 in funding from the United Nations Covid-19 Response and Recovery Multi-Partner Trust Fund, government announced Tuesday.

The funds will contribute to the income support programme established by the government to assist vulnerable residents affected by the pandemic, according to Government Information Services.

It will be accompanied by technical assistance provided by the International Labour Organisation, the World Food Programme, and UNICEF to enhance residents’ employability and boost social protection.

FORMER FIFA vice-president and special adviser of the TTFF (now TT Football Association) Jack Warner, has refuted claims made by ex-TT goalkeeper Shaka Hislop that shirts which were intended for members of the Soca Warriors at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany were used by players of his domestic club Joe Public.

SOURCE: BBC News – UK-bound arrivals from South America and Portugal will be banned from Friday over concerns about the Brazilian coronavirus variant.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the change would come into force from 04:00 GMT.

British and Irish citizens and foreign nationals with residence rights will still be able to travel but must isolate for 10 days, he said.

The decision was announced following a meeting of ministers on Thursday.

Paris, France, Jan 13 – More than 43 million hectares of forest — an area bigger than Germany — have been lost in a little over a decade in just a handful of deforestation hotspots, conservation organisation WWF said Wednesday.

Swathes of forest continue to be flattened each year — mainly due to industrial-scale agriculture — as biodiversity-rich areas are cleared to create space for livestock and crops.