Angela wants to escape from Gloomy Castle. The place has dark secrets. But escape is next to impossible, even for Angela, a secret agent with very unique set of skills. Luckily for Angela, she has been sent out of the Castle on a top-secret mission to Monaco. There she needs to get closer to the dangerous and powerful billionaire Vladimir (or, as close friends call him, Vlad). Vlad is smitten by Angela's beauty and personality. She seems to be so different from glamorous models that surround him. But it is high time for Angela to return to the Castle. Can Angela resist falling in love with the handsome billionaire? But what if she is just being played?
The relationship between criminal syndicates and politicians has a long history, including episodes even from the earliest years of America's colonies. But while organized crime may not get the headlines it once did in North America, the resurgence of such criminal activity in Latin America, and in some European nations, has grabbed the public's attention. In Dangerous Liaisons noted scholars describe and analyze the role of organized crime in the financing of politics in selected democracies in Latin America (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Mexico) and in Europe (Bulgaria and Italy). The book seeks to unravel the myths that have developed around crime in these locales, while providing facts and informing the debate on how organized crime corrupts democratic institutions, especially in relation to the funding of political parties and their activities. Among the subjects studied in detail are the role of organized crime in political finance through the lens of Argentina's presidential campaigns of 1999 and 2007; Brazil's elected officeholders and their role in corruption; the weakness of Colombia's democracy; the growing role of money in Costa Rica's politics; the destructive effects of drug money on Mexican institutions; the link between organized crime—narrowly and broadly understood—and political financing in Bulgaria; and crime and political finance in Italy. The work of the scholars corrects what volume editor Kevin Casas-Zamora calls "a glaring gap in the literature on the role of organized crime in the corruption of democratic institutions." That is, the funding of political parties and their activities—which in these cases are mostly election campaigns. The chapters not only present the evidence but also can be regarded as a call to action. Contributors include Leonardo Curzio (CISAN/UNAM), Donatella della Porta (European University Institute), Delia Ferreira Rubio (a member of the international boa
Author: United States. Congress. House. Committee on Appropriations. Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
Since its first publication in 1933, Clay’s Handbook of Environmental Health (under its different names) has provided a definitive guide for the environmental health practitioner (EHP), and an essential reference for the consultant and student. This 22nd edition continues with its more recent successful structure, reviewing the core principles, techniques, competencies and skills required of an EHP, and then outlining the specialist subjects without getting bogged down in a legalistic approach, seeking to broaden the content for a more global audience. This new edition seeks to educate the EHP on the public health impacts of global heating and the climate emergency and also reflects the COVID-19 pandemic, as might be expected. Although seeking to have global appeal, the impact of the UK leaving the EU is also addressed. The book examines environmental health in different settings, including in the military, working in both conflict and natural disaster settings, and environmental health at sea and airports. In line with previous editions, case studies are used to illustrate how EH problems have been resolved. This new edition includes guidance on key issues in public and environmental health including air pollution, contaminated land, housing and health, noise, water, food safety, pests and vector control, chemicals in the environment and radiation, as well as sustainability and public health and humanitarian crises. This handbook aims to give a basic understanding of the philosophical basis of environmental health, as well as the required technical aspects and an understanding of environmental health in different settings. All chapters have sections on further reading and sources of information. Clay’s Handbook is essential reading for all practitioners, students and researchers in environmental and public health wherever they are working.
The rise and spread of Covid-19 in the beginning of 2020 presents a once-in-a-century challenge and opportunity for decision makers, managers, scholars, and citizens to understand the risks, mitigate its impact and prepare for future crises. Drawing on a global network of scholars, this book presents a comparative analysis of ten nations’ response to a global pandemic, while operating nominally under the framework of the World Health Organization. The book introduces the concept of ‘collective cognition’ as an analytic lens for examining the nations’ response to Covid-19 during the first six months of the emerging pandemic (January – June 2020) and draws out insights for improving systems of global risk management. This book addresses four primary audiences: policy-makers and leaders in nations struggling to contain viruses while guiding their societies under threat; academic researchers, students, and educators engaged in preparing the next generation of professionals committed to investigating emerging risk: managers of non-profit and private organizations that operate and maintain the networks of social, technical, and economic services that are essential to functioning communities; and the informed general public interested in understanding this extraordinary sequence of events and in managing the novel risk of COVID-19 in a more informed, responsible way.
Through a series of case studies and selected special topics, Public Sector Enterprise Risk Management presents examples from leading Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) programs on overcoming bureaucratic obstacles, developing a positive risk culture, and making ERM a valuable part of day-to-day management. Specifically designed to help government risk managers, with concepts and approaches to help them advance risk management beyond the basics, the book: Provides a balanced mix of concepts, instruction and examples; Addresses topics that go beyond the basics of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) program design and implementation; Includes insights from leading practitioners and other senior officials. Many government organizations can refer to the growing body of materials that provide examples of ERM processes and procedures. Far fewer reference materials and examples exist to help organizations develop a risk-mature organizational culture that is critical to the long-term success and strategic value that ERM represents to government organizations. Public Sector Enterprise Risk Management begins to fill that void and is intended to help public sector risk managers overcome barriers that inhibit ERM from becoming an active contributor to major decisions that top officials must make.
