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The Beat<\/strong><\/p>\n Transnational crime and the Panama Papers <\/em><\/p>\n The Panama Papers<\/a> had their first birthday on 3 April<\/a> and most pundits are thankful for the public attention the leaks brought. However, as the Global Financial Integrity organisation notes<\/a>, policymakers are still grappling with the global \u2018shadow financial system.\u2019 The Panama Papers revealed how a subset of anonymous companies work in the much larger ecosystem of opaque financial structures. The lack of transparency in these kind of constructs is a critical enabler of transnational crime\u2014an issue that\u2019s addressed in a recent report from the organisation, titled \u2018Transnational Crime and the Developing World<\/a>.\u2019 The report estimated the combined global business value of 11 transnational criminal industries to be between US$1.6 and US$2.2 trillion annually.<\/p>\n Transparency International<\/a> has timed two studies to coincide with the anniversary<\/a>, highlighting the role that opaque financial institutions play in facilitating the movement of illicit assets. One report looks at money laundering in luxury markets<\/a>, finding that \u2018little due diligence is done on luxury goods buyers and where there are laws, there is little enforcement.\u2019 The second considers how \u2018glaring legal loopholes\u2019 enable corruption in the real estate markets<\/a> of Australia, Canada, the UK and the US.<\/p>\n MS13 gang members discuss Trump<\/em><\/p>\n Members of the infamous street gang Mara Salvatrucha or MS13<\/a>\u2014a designated<\/a> \u2018transnational criminal organization\u2019\u2014have been interviewed<\/a> by InSight Crime for thoughts on the new US administration. The recurrent narrative in the frank responses is the poverty of those drawn to the gang and their perceived exploitation for \u2018cheap propaganda.\u2019<\/p>\n CT Scan<\/strong><\/p>\n Are we missing the root causes of terrorism?<\/em><\/p>\n In an interview with the ABC<\/em><\/a> concerning terrorism, Dr Clarke Jones, argues that Western society\u2019s obsession with religion and politics often leads to us missing the root cause of terrorist attacks. According to Clarke, because society doesn\u2019t engage with local communities enough, \u2018we do not fully understand the different perspectives that exist\u2019 when it comes to why individuals perpetrate terrorist attacks. Clarke recommends community engagement and greater understanding of cultural issues surrounding young populations who are disengaged from society.<\/p>\n The link between terrorism and sex<\/em><\/p>\n As policymakers try to understand why young men are so susceptible to recruitment by terrorist groups, are they missing something fundamental? According to Valeria Hudson they are\u2014and that something is sex<\/a>. Hudson\u2019s research highlights\u00a0the \u2018gender blind spot\u2019 in security and foreign policy studies.\u00a0Her recent research examines the \u2018causal relationship between brideprice<\/a> and the ease of recruitment into insurgent groups\u2019. For Hudson, the link between gender issues and national security has never been fully understood \u2018because its seen as some type of lesser, woman-related issue.\u2019<\/p>\n The mother of deradicalisation<\/em><\/p>\n Those fortunate enough to attend the ANU\u2019s Women in National Security Conference<\/a> this week were treated to a speech by Dr Feriha Peracha\u2014a clinical psychologist who, for the past eight years has worked with the Pakistani Army to deprogram and reintegrate 192 former young radicals<\/a>. Peracha describes herself<\/a> as a \u2018mother or grandmother to radicalised children\u2019 and credits her success to \u2018using empathy to understand what has happened to them\u2019. Perhaps it\u2019s time to learn from people like Peracha considering that Australian experts have begun questioning<\/a> the effectiveness of deradicalisation programs.<\/p>\n Checkpoint<\/strong><\/p>\n Malaysia\u2019s new land border agency<\/em><\/p>\n The Malaysian government is proposing to establish a new land border security agency<\/a>, which will be armed and tasked with countering smuggling and other illegal operations. The proposal comes under the Malaysian Border Security Agency Act 2017, which was tabled on Tuesday<\/a>. Interestingly, the bill provides full protection for informers, and will deem uncorroborated evidence<\/a> from agent provocateurs as credible.<\/p>\n \u20182 pair shoes\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n Never a dull moment at the ABF\u2014this week, they\u2019ve uncovered<\/a> the attempted smuggling of 11 snakes, nine tarantulas and four scorpions (view the full list and their exotic varieties here<\/a>) in a box marked \u20182 pair shoes\u2019 in a Melbourne international mailroom. The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources is also claiming the find as a small victory following a recent surge<\/a> in biosecurity failures.<\/p>\n Trump\u2019s border wall bidding closes<\/em><\/p>\n The deadline<\/a> to submit prototype designs for Trump\u2019s border wall closed on Tuesday. The US Customs and Border Protection agency called for proposals in March, and will announce the names of shortlisted companies in June. The contenders will then have 30 days to construct their prototypes, costing $200,000 to $500,000 each, on state-owned land in San Diego. According to the CEO of the American Council on Engineering Companies, some of the \u2018larger, more experienced\u2019<\/a> firms remained absent from the bid, perhaps wanting to steer clear of any political repercussions.<\/p>\n First Responder<\/strong><\/p>\n Disaster in Colombia<\/em><\/p>\n At least 262 people have died<\/a> after a mudslide in Colombia, in one of the country\u2019s biggest ever<\/a> natural disasters. Torrential rains swelled three rivers, sending a deluge of mud, water and debris through the town of Mocoa in Putumayo province. Electricity and water supply is limited and the hospital network has collapsed<\/a>; President Santos has declared an \u2018economic, social and ecological emergency\u2019<\/a>. The FARC rebel group<\/a> has offered to join relief efforts, but hasn\u2019t received approval from the government.<\/p>\n Tornado of criticism <\/em><\/p>\n A group of storm chasers is copping some flak after deliberately driving into a Louisiana tornado. Some in their community believe<\/a> they set a poor example by getting too close to the twister, calling them \u2018irresponsible\u2019 and accusing them of bragging about their antics. Hoping to further a conversation about \u2018chaser \u201cethics\u201d\u2019, Forbes <\/em>weather contributor Marshall Shepherd interviews one of the storm chasers here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Water winners and losers<\/em><\/p>\n An essay by David Owen in The New Yorker<\/em><\/a> this week provides an intro into his new book, \u2018Where the Water Goes\u2019<\/a>. It traces the interconnected economy of the Colorado River and entertains the consequences of the river\u2014which supplies water to over 36 million people\u2014running dry.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Beat Transnational crime and the Panama Papers The Panama Papers had their first birthday on 3 April and most pundits are thankful for the public attention the leaks brought. However, as the Global Financial …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":596,"featured_media":31241,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[952,1669,728,102,1178,127],"class_list":["post-31240","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","tag-deradicalisation","tag-financial-crime","tag-hacking","tag-malaysia","tag-natural-disaster","tag-terrorism"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n