Washington Post article on the alleged Madoff fraud, which appears to be affecting UK banking this morning. Here’s the story of the impact on Jewish charities in the US

Transparency International publishes Bribe Payers Index.

University of Queensland has launched a new website on human trafficking in Australia in collaboration wiyh University of British Columbia, Canada.

FT article with links to other pieces on emerging losses from European banks in connection with alleged fraud

FT website tallying reports on losses admitted by banks investing in Madoff.

Apologies for the absence. Your blogger has been having his wrist dewired. Normal service should now resume. This case involves Bernard Madoff, former chair of Nasdaq and later of a hedge fund, unidentified in this BBC piece. It is claimed he admitted his hedge fund was a giant pyramid selling scheme. We shall find out … $50 BILLION FRAUD CHARGE AT HEDGE FUND

This has happened in Glasgow. I heard a US expert say on 5Live this morning: you cant arrest your way out of this problem. They just come back out onto the streets a year later and take up where they left off. The model is the Boston Ceasefire Project.

I wonder whether cause and effect are being confused here. Time for some research funding?

This blog has noted how gang culture is expanding throughout the UK. This is intimidation worthy of the Congo or Darfur. But we have also seen how gang culture can expand in jails, particular examples coming from the U.S., but parallels beginning to appear under the aegis of jihadist groups in UK jails. So send … GANG RAPISTS OF GIRL, 14, NAMED

A word of warning on this, in that it is a story that only the Guardian is pursuing seriously over here. Your blogger was not allowed to use BAE- pinochet deals as a case study in a report to a client. So it is all “alleged” m’lud. If you go to the December 5th story … BAE ACCUSED OF £100M SECRET PAYMENTS TO SECURE SOUTH AFRICAN ARMS DEAL