Page 9 - Aruba Today

WORLD NEWS 9
Wednesday 9 December

France urges EU to act faster against extremist funding

France’s Finance Minister Michel Sapin, right, talks with European Commissioner for Economic are far away. Terrorists are al currencies or electronic
and Financial Affairs Pierre Moscovici at the EU Council building in Brussels. Sapin urged his there, so we must act more money forms like pre-paid
European Union partners on Tuesday to speed up efforts to cut off funds to extremists groups. quickly.” Some steps were cards, which allow small
announced after the at- amounts to be sent anony-
(AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) tacks on satirical newspa- mously.
per Charlie Hebdo and a Paris is also calling for more
LORNE COOK after talks with his EU coun- ecutive Commission was kosher supermarket in Paris border checks on the
Associated Press terparts in Brussels. tasked with drawing up a in January, and the shoot- transfer of cash, gold, pre-
BRUSSELS (AP) — France Based in part on a list of list of priorities for their next ings at a free speech de- cious metals and pre-paid
urged its European Union measures suggested by meeting in January. bate in Copenhagen the cards by freight, particular-
partners on Tuesday to France, the ministers dis- The Nov. 13 attacks in the following month, but more ly air freight, as a customs
speed up efforts to cut off cussed ways to better track French capital, in which are being floated. declaration is only required
funds to extremists groups, financial transfers, control 130 people were killed France wants to bolster the if the amounts exceed
nearly a month after the prepaid bank cards, freeze and hundreds injured, powers of financial intelli- 10,000 euros ($10,860).
Paris attacks. assets and limit movements have highlighted the need gence teams that analyze The measures would in-
“We have to go faster, of cash and precious met- for new finance track- suspicious transactions, clude a crackdown on the
but also further, stronger,” als. ing measures. But Sapin and to work with the U.S. illicit trade in cultural goods
French Finance Minister But no firm decisions were warned that “the dates for on “terrorist financing.” amid fears that extremists
Michel Sapin told reporters taken, and the EU’s ex- adopting these measures It is calling for a system are selling or smuggling ar-
for freezing assets to be tefacts looted from arche-
broadened from bank ac- ological sites or museums.
counts to property, vehi- The culture ministers of
cles and any benefits that Germany, France and It-
suspects might receive. aly added to pressure for
It also wants tighter con- action to curb the use of
trols and improved trans- looted art as a source of
parency on the use of virtu- extremist financing.q

London mayor: Trump’s comments ‘nonsense’

LONDON (AP) — Donald Johnson, a Conservative, is the real risk of meeting
Trump’s comments about said Trump’s “ill-informed Donald Trump,” Johnson
London are “nonsense,” comments are complete said.
the city’s mayor said and utter nonsense.” London’s Metropolitan Po-
Tuesday, inviting the U.S. Joining a long list of British lice force said Trump “could
Republican presidential politicians criticizing Trump, not be more wrong” about
hopeful to come and see Johnson said he would their city and was “wel-
for himself. “welcome the opportunity come to receive a briefing
Trump, who on Monday to show Mr. Trump firsthand from the Met Police on the
called for a “total and some of the excellent work reality of policing London.”
complete shutdown of our police officers do every Prime Minister David Cam-
Muslims entering the Unit- day in local neighborhoods eron, another Conserva-
ed States,” told MSNBC throughout our city.” tive, also criticized Trump’s
that some parts of London “Crime has been falling statements about Muslims
“are so radicalized that the steadily both in London — breaking the custom
police are afraid for their and in New York — and the of British leaders not com-
own lives.” only reason I wouldn’t go menting on U.S. presiden-
But London Mayor Boris to some parts of New York tial contenders.q