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Hello Wednesday!  It’s August 21, and we’re tracking today's top stories: The fugitive prince, the diamond tycoon and the secret plot to snatch €145M of royal land; tough U.S. sanctions packages are here to stay; notorious drug kingpin set up shell companies in Dubai; Florida cops hit huge human trafficking ring; and much more...

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Featured Story

🎯 The fugitive prince, the diamond tycoon and the secret plot to snatch €145M of royal land. On a cloudy afternoon in the Mediterranean, four plain-clothes police officers strode up to the palatial Westin Dragonara resort to arrest one of its guests. Politico 

Top Stories

🌎 Tough U.S. Sanctions Packages Are Here to Stay – Whether It’s Harris or Trump. The next occupant of the Oval Office will inherit a powerful and popular sanctions apparatus, though questions remain about its future targets. WSJ

🤫 U.S. lags on financial transparency compared to other developed nations ICIJ

🌎 Notorious drug kingpin set up shell companies in the British Virgin Islands and Dubai to employ cartel underlings. Sarajevo-native “Tito” Gacanin registered the companies in the secrecy havens as he continued to ship cocaine globally, despite being convicted for narcotics trafficking. ICIJ

🌎 Florida law enforcement makes record number of arrests during human trafficking operation. Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office launches 'Operation Summer Shield' to prevent children from becoming victims. Fox

🚩 DHS watchdog warns of 'urgent issue' after immigration officials lose track of unaccompanied children ABC

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🌎 U.S. pharmaceutical companies ran drug trials with Chinese military for more than a decade. Hundreds of the clinical trials have taken place in China at Chinese military-affiliated medical centers and hospitals. NYP

🌎 Switzerland Is Getting Squeezed Between China and the U.S. With the U.S. moving to hinder China’s access to advanced technology and the EU aligning with Washington, Swiss companies are at particular risk. Bloomberg

🚩 China’s Antimony Export Restrictions: The Impact on U.S. National Security CSIS

🌎 Moscow Stock Exchange considers legal action against U.S. and UK sanctions. MOEX has been providing Russian and foreign investors with access to trade in global financial assets to widen its offerings and provide instruments for diversification. Reuters

🌎 U.S. sanctions Haiti’s former president over role in drug trade. Last year, a U.N. group of experts accused Martelly of using gangs to extend his influence and advance his political agenda. MH

IN THE NEWS

Russia

🇷🇺 Trying to sell Russian oligarch's seized luxury assets is running into trouble NPR

🇷🇺 China Deals Trade Blow to Russia Newsweek

🇷🇺 Russian warlord's new Cybertruck shows how Western sanctions are full of holes BI

🇷🇺 Economic incentives could finally move Russia on Ukraine Hill

China

🇨🇳 PwC loses major client Bank of China amid regulatory probe Reuters

🇨🇳 China’s money laundering crackdown heightens risk for crypto investors, USDT traders SCMP

🇨🇳 China’s Record Oil Imports From Asia Minnow Point to Iran Flows Bloomberg

🇨🇳 How Chinese investors tried to take over an Australian mining company WaPo

Corruption & Financial Crime

💸 After 50 years in Senate, New Jersey's Bob Menendez exits in wake of bribery conviction UPI

💸 Philippines Says Ex-Mayor Alice Guo Who’s Linked to Money Laundering Seen in Indonesia Bloomberg

💸 Wall Street regulator approves tougher rules for accounting 'negligence' Reuters

💸 Libya’s powerful central bank governor fired as country’s deep divisions persist AP

Crypto & Cyber

🔐 Germany seizes $28M in cash in crypto ATM sting Crypto News

🔐 Windows 0-day was exploited by North Korea to install advanced rootkit Ars

🔐 Michael Lewis Speaks Out After Sam Bankman-Fried Furor DB

🔐 Chipmaker Microchip Hit by Cyberattack, Slowing Operations Bloomberg

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