by KS
AFRICA: Child Traffickingon the Rise
Child trafficking is rising in Mali, along with forced labor and forced recruitment by armed groups, due to conflict, insecurity and the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Dec. 1.
Some 230 cases of child recruitment were reported during the first half of the year, compared with 215 cases for the whole of 2019, according to a UNHCR-backed study.
Armed groups are also trafficking children to work in gold mines, with the profits being used to fuel the arms trade and finance violence, the agency added. Meanwhile, adults operating in the mines are subjected to extortionate “taxes.”
“As a result of conflict and socio-economic deterioration worsened by the pandemic, we are seeing some of the most egregious human rights violations in the Sahel,” said Gillian Triggs, UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Protection.
“Children are being forced to fight by armed groups, trafficked, raped, sold, forced into sexual or domestic servitude, or married off. Many more children are at risk in the Sahel, a region which is becoming the fastest-growing humanitarian crisis in the world.”
Overall, an estimated 6,000 children, mainly boys, were found working across eight mining sites in Mali, according to UNHCR child protection assessments. These youngsters are exposed to the worst forms of child labor, economic exploitation, and physical, sexual and psychological abuse.
Some children arrived at the mine sites on “credit,” meaning a third party had financed their transport and food, while others said they worked for days without being paid. They are expected to work for an unspecified time until they pay of their “debt.”
Additionally, UNHCR said reports of communities of women and girls being abducted, sexually assaulted and raped, have been received from the Mopti region in central Mali, with more than 1,000 cases recorded so far this year. The agency fears child marriage will also inevitably increase in a country where an estimated 53 percent of girls are married before they turn 18.
The victims of these crimes are Malians, but also refugees, asylum seekers and migrants.
Despite the conflict, and COVID-19 movement restrictions, UNHCR said Mali remains a key transit country for people attempting to reach northern Africa and Europe.
Some of these “people on the move” are trafficked for forced labor in the agriculture sector, while others, particularly women, are trafficked on the way to promised jobs in North Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Others are diverted to the capital, Bamako, or to mining or agricultural areas where they are forced to engage in so-called survival sex.
UNITED STATES: Not So Fast, Intuit
The Department of Justice announced Nov. 25 that it is requiring Intuit Inc. and Credit Karma Inc. (Credit Karma) to divest Credit Karma’s tax business, Credit Karma Tax, to Square Inc. in order for Intuit, the creator of TurboTax, to proceed with its $7.1 billion acquisition of Credit Karma. The department said that without this divestiture, the proposed transaction would substantially lessen competition for digital do-it-yourself (DDIY) tax preparation products, which are software programs used by American taxpayers to prepare and file their federal and state returns.
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division filed a civil antitrust lawsuit today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to block Intuit’s acquisition of Credit Karma. At the same time, the department filed a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the competitive harm alleged in the department’s complaint.
“Intuit’s TurboTax has long led the market for digital do-it-yourself tax filing services, but disruptive competition from Credit Karma Tax has brought substantial benefits to American taxpayers,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Today’s divestiture to Square, another highly successful and disruptive fintech company, ensures that taxpayers will continue to both benefit from this competition and benefit from new innovative financial service offerings from both Intuit and Square.”
According to the complaint, Intuit’s TurboTax has enjoyed a dominant position in the market for DDIY tax preparation products for more than a decade. Since entering four years ago, Credit Karma Tax has become a disruptive competitor with a significant competitive impact. Unlike other providers, including Intuit, Credit Karma Tax never charges for its products, regardless of the complexity of an individual’s tax preparation needs.
This always-free business model has enabled Credit Karma Tax to compete aggressively for filers who pay for TurboTax, which helps constrain TurboTax prices and push Intuit to improve TurboTax offerings. The combination of Intuit and Credit Karma would eliminate this competition, likely resulting in higher prices, lower quality, and less choice for consumers of DDIY tax preparation products.
Under the terms of the proposed settlement, Intuit and Credit Karma must divest the assets that comprise Credit Karma Tax to Square, Inc., including relevant software and intellectual property. Square is also expected to hire certain key Credit Karma employees that today support Credit Karma Tax. Intuit and Credit Karma have agreed to provide certain transition support services to Square while Square integrates Credit Karma Tax into its Cash App platform.
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed consent decree, along with a competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement during a 60-day comment period to Robert Lepore, Chief, Transportation, Energy, and Agriculture Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 8000, Washington, D.C. 20530. At the conclusion of the 60-day comment period, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia may enter the final judgment upon a finding that it serves the public interest.
CANADA: Not Ellen, But Elliot Page
On Dec. 1, the world was introduced to Elliot Page – formerly known as Ellen Page. The actor now uses he/they pronouns, and considers himself a transgender, non-binary person.
“Hi friends, I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they and my name is Elliot,” Page wrote in a social media post. “I feel lucky to be writing this. To be here. To have arrived at this place in my life. I feel overwhelming gratitude for the incredible people who have supported me along this journey. I can’t begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self. I’ve been endlessly inspired by so many in the trans community. Thank you for your courage, your generosity and ceaselessly working to make this world a more inclusive and compassionate place. I will offer whatever support I can and continue to strive for a more loving and equal society.
“I love that I am trans. And I love that I am queer. And the more I hold myself close and fully embrace who I am, the more I dream, the more my heart grows and the more I thrive. To all the trans people who deal with harassment, self-loathing, abuse, and the threat of violence every day: I see you, I love you, and I will do everything I can to change this world for the better.”
In 2008, Page was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in “Juno” – but was robbed in many people’s opinion by Marion Cotillard, who won for her performance in “La Vie en Rose.” Two years later, bot Page and Cotillard starred in the Christopher Nolan directed “Inception.” Page currently stars in the Netflix show, “The Umbrella Academy” as Vanya Hargreeves.
Among the many celebrities supporting Page is his wife Emma Portner, who has been Page’s partner since 2018.
CORONAVIRUS: COVID-19 Vaccine Threats
The INTERPOL Orange Notice outlines potential criminal activity in relation to the falsification, theft and illegal advertising of COVID-19 and flu vaccines, with the pandemic having already triggered unprecedented opportunistic and predatory criminal behavior.
It also includes examples of crimes where individuals have been advertising, selling and administering fake vaccines.
As a number of COVID-19 vaccines come closer to approval and global distribution, ensuring the safety of the supply chain and identifying illicit websites selling fake products will be essential.
The need for coordination between law enforcement and health regulatory bodies will also play a vital role to ensure the safety of individuals and wellbeing of communities are protected.
“Criminal networks will also be targeting unsuspecting members of the public via fake websites and false cures, which could pose a significant risk to their health, even their lives.
“It is essential that law enforcement is as prepared as possible for what will be an onslaught of all types of criminal activity linked to the COVID-19 vaccine, which is why INTERPOL has issued this global warning,” concluded Secretary General Stock.
As well as targeting COVID-19 vaccines, as international travel gradually resumes it is likely that testing for the virus will become of greater importance, resulting in a parallel production and distribution of unauthorized and falsified testing kits.
With an increasing amount of COVID-related frauds, INTERPOL is also advising members of the public to take special care when going online to search for medical equipment or medicines.
In addition to the dangers of ordering potentially life-threatening products, an analysis by the INTERPOL’s Cybercrime Unit revealed that of 3,000 websites associated with online pharmacies suspected of selling illicit medicines and medical devices, around 1,700 contained cyber threats, especially phishing and spamming malware.
To avoid falling victim to online scams, it is important to be vigilant, be skeptical and be safe, as offers which appear too good to be true usually are. Always check with your national health authorities or the World Health Organization for the latest health advice in relation to COVID-19.
