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Interpol crackdown on illegal mining, logging and wildlife trafficking leads to 233 arrests

Interpol crackdown on illegal mining, logging and wildlife trafficking leads to 233 arrests

Interpol has announced a major crackdown on environmental crime in Latin America and the Caribbean, leading to 233 arrests

Interpol Operation Leads to 233 Arrests in Environmental Crime Crackdown Across Latin America

Interpol Operation Leads to 233 Arrests in Environmental Crime Crackdown Across Latin America

Interpol announced that an international operation targeting environmental crime across Latin America and the Caribbean resulted in 233 arrests. The two-month operation, named Madre Tierra VIII, focused on illegal logging, gold mining, and wildlife trafficking across nine countries: Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama. Investigators identified approximately 60,000 hectares of illegally cleared forest, an area ten times the size of Manhattan. The operation also uncovered extensive links between large-scale Amazon deforestation and companies operating across several continents. Authorities recovered over 1,000 live animals, including endangered species like Bengal tigers, lions, jaguars, ocelots, parrots, and macaws. Additionally, 165 kilograms of dried shark fins, valued at an estimated $280,000, were seized. The investigation extended beyond individuals directly involved in illegal activities to target the financial networks, shell c...

Interpol Operation Leads to 233 Arrests in Latin American Environmental Crime Crackdown

Interpol Operation Leads to 233 Arrests in Latin American Environmental Crime Crackdown

Interpol coordinated 'Operation Madre Tierra VIII' from June 1 to July 31, targeting environmental crime networks across nine countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. The operation resulted in 233 arrests and the identification of 312 individuals suspected of involvement in environmental crimes. Authorities recovered over 1,000 live animals, including endangered species like Bengal tigers, lions, ocelots, and jaguars, and seized 165 kilograms of dried shark fins. The crackdown also identified 60,000 hectares of illegally cleared forest and disrupted illegal mining activities, leading to the seizure of 4.6 tonnes of cyanide and 11 containers of mercury. Investigators uncovered links to 161 additional companies and 65 individuals operating across multiple continents, revealing widespread permit fraud, the use of shell companies, and foreign investment mechanisms to facilitate these illicit activities. The operation built on intelligence from previous efforts, connecting information across countries to i...

Cape Verde's World Cup hangover, Portugal wins without Ronaldo & more: Takeaways from FIFA international window

Cape Verde's World Cup hangover, Portugal wins without Ronaldo & more: Takeaways from FIFA international window

After the longest-ever international window, USA TODAY Sports takes a look at one item from each continent.

Anabel González Appointed Vice President for Countries and Regional Integration at IDB

Anabel González Appointed Vice President for Countries and Regional Integration at IDB

Anabel González has been appointed as the Vice President for Countries and Regional Integration at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), with her tenure beginning on September 1, 2023. González brings over 30 years of experience in economic development, specializing in trade, investment, competitiveness, and the private sector. Her extensive career includes roles in international organizations, the public sector, consulting, and research. Prior to joining the IDB, she served as Deputy Director-General at the World Trade Organization (WTO) from June 2021 to August 2023, where she facilitated trade negotiations and oversaw divisions related to economic research, market access, services trade and investment, and intellectual property. She also held positions as a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and as Senior Director of the World Bank’s Global Practice on Trade & Competitiveness. In her public sector experience, González served as Costa Rica's Minister of T...

Inter-American Development Bank Seeks Operations Senior Analyst in Washington D.C.

Inter-American Development Bank Seeks Operations Senior Analyst in Washington D.C.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is actively recruiting for an Operations Senior Analyst position in Washington D.C. This role is situated within the Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department (CSD), specifically within the CSD Front Office. The successful candidate will be responsible for providing technical and analytical support to enhance the quality of the department's operational products. Key duties include reviewing project proposals to strengthen their design, evaluability, development effectiveness, and risk management. The analyst will also ensure that operational products align with the Bank's policies, operational standards, and departmental priorities, as well as relevant international practices. Furthermore, the position involves conducting sector research, policy reviews, and data-driven assessments to inform project preparation and implementation, and monitoring portfolio performance to identify bottlenecks and recommend corrective actions. The IDB Group, which includes...

Encroaching energy, mine concessions threaten protected ecosystems, research shows

Encroaching energy, mine concessions threaten protected ecosystems, research shows

By David Stanway SINGAPORE, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Millions of hectares of protected tropical ecosystems are at risk from overlapping mining concessions and oil and gas blocks, researchers said on Thursday, potentially weakening a global treaty aimed at conserving 30% of the world's land, freshwater and

Inter-American Development Bank Ranks Among Top Funders for Air Quality in Latin America

Inter-American Development Bank Ranks Among Top Funders for Air Quality in Latin America

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has maintained its position as one of the largest funders for air quality initiatives, particularly within Latin America and the Caribbean. According to a report covering 2020-2024, the IDB ranked 8th globally among top funders for total air quality, contributing $3.3 billion, with Ecuador being its largest recipient country (23% of funding). The IDB's investments in air quality are often channeled through large rail infrastructure projects in countries like Chile and Brazil. This sustained funding reflects an increased institutional emphasis on urban mobility and modal shifts towards active and public transport, with air quality improvements explicitly included in the investment rationale for these projects. The report also notes a growing influence of Latin American institutions in air quality funding, with the Development Bank of Latin America also entering the top ten.

The Corpus Christi Caller Times

How conservation transformed a coral reef in the Gulf

How conservation transformed a coral reef in the Gulf

Jace Tunnell describes the transformation of Alacranes Reef since it became a protected national park.

Mexico set to meet Jamaica in Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals

Mexico set to meet Jamaica in Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals

The Reggae Boyz nearly avoided a showdown with El Tri but will once again see familiar Concacaf Nations League foes.

US military says latest strike on alleged drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean kills 4

US military says latest strike on alleged drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean kills 4

The U.S. military says it has attacked a boat suspected of being used to smuggle drugs in the Caribbean Sea, killing four people

De Beers Renews Okavango Eternal Partnership for Conservation in Southern Africa

De Beers Renews Okavango Eternal Partnership for Conservation in Southern Africa

De Beers Group has renewed its Okavango Eternal partnership with the National Geographic Society for another five years, aiming to protect 5.4 million hectares at the source of the Okavango Delta in the Angolan Highlands. This area supplies over 95 percent of the delta's water, which sustains more than 1 million people and one of the world's largest elephant populations. The renewal focuses on formal protection for approximately 54,000 square kilometers in Angola. Botswana, Angola, and Namibia have joined forces through the Okavango Eternal Alliance, committing to treat the basin as a single connected system. The initiative combines conservation efforts with research, policy work, and storytelling, including training community members for forest monitoring and supporting conservation-linked livelihood opportunities. The program has already seen significant progress, including the mapping of 230 peatland carbon-storage sites and the designation of Lisima Lya Mwono as Angola's first Ramsar Wetland of Interna...