"Thieves of State": Sarah Chayes on Afghanistan

Afghanistan is in the new once again. With the lightning collapse of the Afghanistan Government and the return of the Taliban we offer you a replay of this podcast, originally published in June 2017 on Bribe, Swindle or Steal.

Sarah Chayes, author of Thieves of State, draws on her time in Afghanistan to explain the systemic corruption that contributed to the rapid crumbling of the state. 

Click HERE to access this Podcast.

Bribe, Swindle or Steal explores the world of financial crime—corruption, fraud, money laundering and sanctions—and what motivates people to break the law, how wrongdoers cover their tracks and what can be done to put a stop to the looting through interviews with experts in the field.

“TOP READS OF THE WEEK” (for week ending 13 August)

This week’s top reads in banking, fintech, payments, cybersecurity, AI, IoT, risk management and much more

In this weeks selection;

Top Reads

• Banks delay return to office as delta variant surges
• Insider risk surges as resignations mount
• Chinese Threat Actors Use Webdav-O Virus to Exploit Federal Agencies in Russia
• Billions of Dollars Later, the U.S. Government Remains as Hackable as Ever
• SEC Brings and Settles First Case in Crypto-Linked DeFi Sector
• Circle seeks national charter to start digital currency bank
• ZenBusiness launches money-management app
• Plaid settles class-action lawsuit for $58 million
• How human instinct can interfere with cyber crisis response
• A Look Into Brazil's Booming Fintech Scene
• Behind the scenes: A day in the life of a cybersecurity "threat hunter"
• Should healthcare organizations pay to settle a ransomware attack?
• Web hosting cybersecurity concerns
• Citi requires vaccines for employees returning to offices
• Amazon strikes back at Visa fees with surcharge
• How ‘Single-Platform’ Tech Solutions Are Shaping the Future of Banking
• Ares CFO-COO fired for inappropriate conduct
• JPMorgan Piloting Real-Time Payment Service
• 55% of the world’s top 100 banks reportedly have crypto and blockchain exposure
• Chinese Cyberattack Targeted Dozens of Israeli Public and Private Organizations
• Citi seeks to pair banks and small businesses
• Banks, finance firms brace for 'recharged' U.S. consumer bureau; fintech, pandemic abuses are priorities
• BlackBerry teams with Car IQ for in-vehicle payments
• Ex-director seeks to stall $2 billion Paytm IPO, company calls it harassment

From our Blog

• Should we be worried about technology?
• ESG may sound like a PR spin, but you can't dismiss it
• Could digital currencies put banks out of business?
• An Introduction to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Criteria - New Online Course
• What if bitcoin went to zero?

New Online Course - Understanding Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) has gained increasing attention over the past few years. Today many institutional investors will only invest in those companies that provide ESG performance reporting. ESG provides a set of standards for a company’s operations that today’s socially conscious investors use to screen potential investments in terms of how a company treats the environment, manages social issues (relationships with employees, suppliers, customers, and the communities where it operates), and deals with governance issues.

This course has a three-fold focus;

• Provide the participant with an understanding of ESG. Here we look at what ESG is, its evolution and why it matters. We illustrate this, using examples of three ESG incidents (the Deepwater Horizon oil spill; the Volkswagen emissions scandal and the Facebook – Cambridge Analytica debacle).
• Show how an ESG framework supports a company’s overall risk management strategy/structure. Here we explore issues like; • Key ESG factors, • Sustainable Investing, • Corporate Pressure, • Stakeholder Expectations, • ESG Risks and Opportunities, • Unique Risks in Corporate Supply Chains, • ESG Investing Trends, and • Information Needs and Sources.
• Provide the hands-on knowledge you need to conduct more effective ESG due diligence, and to make better investment decisions. Here we present a step-by-step guide on the actions you need to take to ensure that your company becomes ESG compliant. We conclude by examining some current ESG myths.

ESG is an increasingly popular way for investors to evaluate companies in which they might want to invest. On the flipside, ESG can also help investors avoid companies that could pose a greater financial risk due to below par environmental or other practices.

ESG is relevant to analysts and investors, consumers and employees, and has become a major topic of discussion at Board meetings.

To register CLICK HERE

Should we be worried about technology? - The Economist

The covid-19 pandemic has reinforced humanity’s dependence on modern tech, but the same tools that enable remote working are also being used to spread disinformation and perpetuate cybercrime. Ambivalence towards technology is nothing new.

ESG may sound like a PR spin, but you can't dismiss it - Moral Money

 

Companies today must care about shareholders, but their behavior methods and culture matter too. Employees, customers, investors and the wider public are watching companies to see how they are cultivating for long-term gain. 'ESG' concerns have exploded over the course of the pandemic as shareholders look to more than just the balance sheet.

Could digital currencies put banks out of business? - The Economist

Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have been billed as a major disruptor to finance. But digital currencies issued by governments might be even more radical—they may even threaten the future of traditional banking

 

“TOP READS OF THE WEEK” (for week ending 5 August)

This week’s top reads in banking, fintech, payments, cybersecurity, AI, IoT, risk management and much more

In this weeks selection;

Top Reads

• NY regulator asks financial institutions to share diversity data
• 7 big banks sign on for SWIFT's low-value cross-border offering
• Clearing House urges caution on CBDCs
• Bank of America Calls CBDCs 'More Effective' Than Cash in Research Note
• QR Codes Are Here to Stay. So Is the Tracking They Allow
• Neobank launches real-time cryptocurrency conversion
• The convenience of buy now, pay later creates risks: Fitch
• Why JPMorgan wants to hire Olympic-level athletes as bankers
• Future of Fintech: Investment Trends
• Now Is the Time for SaaS Businesses to Channel the Power of Open Banking
• Good News, Bad News: Automated Fraud Business is Booming
• How To Survive A Cybersecurity Attack
• Payments in 2021 and Beyond: Making the Complex Simple
• 3 Data Strategies Fintech Companies Need to Succeed with Instant Payments
• Don't ask whether to pay a ransom — ask how attackers could get in
• A security expert's guide to the top-exploited vulnerabilities
• Where is Artificial Intelligence (AI) Going in 2021?
• Viruses, Malware, or Spyware: What's More Dangerous?
• Inside MoneyLion's quest to become a financial 'super app'
• Citigroup gets regulatory nod for fund custody business in China
• Clearing House urges caution on CBDCs
• New bank-fraud malware called Vultur infects thousands of devices

From our Blog

• What if bitcoin went to zero?
• An Introduction to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Criteria - New Online Course
• The 'Net-Zero' trend
• Adding social issues to the corporate balance sheet
• Welcome to the Era of the Activist Accountant
• The Fed Pushing For CBDC, "Can't Wrap Their Head Around Not Having It"
• Consumers’ Preferred Method of Depositing Checks