Ukraine President’s aide name figured in Panama leaks
A Deputy Director of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko’s confectionery empire is a beneficiary of a company registered in the British Virgin Islands, according to new information from the leaked Panama Papers. The link to Sergei Zaitsev is potentially embarrassing for Poroshenko because he said in April he wanted to pass a law requiring Ukrainians to disclose all their offshore holdings in an attempt to force them to pay tax in their home country. Serhiy Leshchenko, a prominent lawmaker in Poroshenko’s faction told yesterday that a special investigative commission should be set up to probe Poroshenko’s business dealings as a result of the latest allegations.
According to a database of documents from the Panama Papers made public on Monday by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, Zaitsev is a beneficiary of Intraco Management Ltd, registered in the British-ruled tax haven. The address given for Zaitsev in the database is identical to the business address of at least three other companies owned by Poroshenko, according to the Ukrainian state registry.
Rousseff takes impeachment fight to court
May 11
Brazil President Dilma Rousseff took her battle to survive impeachment to the country’s Supreme Court, in a last ditch attempt to stay in office a day before the Senate will likely vote to put her on trial for breaking budget laws. Attorney General Eduardo Cardozo, the government’s top lawyer, asked the Supreme Court to annul impeachment proceedings arguing they were politically motivated and had no legal basis.
But the leftist leader appeared resigned to leaving the presidency after a Senate vote today that is expected to suspend her, pending trial. In her office at the modernistic Planalto presidential palace in the capital, Brasilia, aides had already packed up her papers and cleared the shelves.
Earlier in the day, the acting Speaker of the lower house of Congress, Waldir Maranhao, withdrew his controversial decision to annul last month’s impeachment vote in the chamber. That meant Cardozo’s appeal to the top court may be the President’s best hope of stopping the process from moving forward.
TRAI regulation on call drops is arbitrary, unreasonable: SC
Supreme Court today struck down the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, TRAI, regulation making it mandatory for telecom companies to compensate subscribers for call drops. The court held the regulation as arbitrary, unreasonable and non-transparent.
The apex court passed the judgement on the appeals filed by a body of Unified Telecom Service Providers of India and 21 telecom operators, including Vodafone, Bharti Airtel and Reliance. TRAI had earlier told the Supreme Court that it will take action against the Telcom companies for call drops to protect the interests of consumers as the service providers are not willing to compensate them.
Cong wins Uttarakhand floor test
Congress has won the floor test in Uttarakhand Assembly. The Supreme Court today declared that Mr Harish Rawat got 33 votes out of 61 in the Assembly. The apex court said Mr Rawat will assume office as Chief Minister after President’s rule is revoked.
The court said no irregularities were found in the voting. The result of the trust vote was handed over to the Supreme Court in a sealed cover early today along with video recording of the proceedings in the State Assembly.
President’s Rule has been revoked in Uttarakhand. The Union Cabinet took the decision after Supreme Court declared that Congress has won the floor test in Uttarakhand Assembly.
The decision to revoke the President’s rule in Uttarakhand has created an atmosphere of jubiliation in state Congress camp. The Congress has stated it is a victory of democracy.
Mr Harish Rawat has said that his government will need active support of the Centre to move forward. He said he will soon meet Prime Minister and seek his cooperation for the state.
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has said democracy has won in Uttarakhand. In a series of tweets, Mr Gandhi said, the party did its best while BJP did their worst. He said, it is a lesson for all, that people of the country and institutions built by its founding fathers will not tolerate murder of democracy.
Media Contact:
Gaelle Gourmelon
Phone: +1 (202) 745-8092 x 510
E-mail: ggourmelon@worldwatch.org
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Cities Hold the Key to a Livable Future
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Washington, D.C.—–Today, nearly 3.9 billion people—–half of the world’s population—–live in urban areas. By 2050 that number is expected to nearly double. According to Can a City Be Sustainable? (State of the World), the latest edition of the annual series from the Worldwatch Institute, there is no question cities will continue to grow; the only debate is over how (www.worldwatch.org).
“Cities are at a crossroads, confronting historic challenges posed by rising populations, accelerating climate change, increasing inequity, and—–all too often—–faltering livability,” writes Eduardo da Costa Paes, Mayor of Rio de Janeiro.
Cities have voracious appetites for energy, accounting for about three-quarters of the world’s direct final energy use in 2005—–far more than their 49 percent share of global population that year. Cities today must also deal with growing stress on raw material supplies. Extraction of metals, minerals, and fuels is increasingly complex now that the easiest sources have been tapped. A city’s food system—–the production, processing, distribution, consumption, and waste of its food—–has impacts that extend to a city’s host region and country, and often to other countries as well.
“As rural migrants to cities adopt city-based lifestyles, they tend to use more resources as their incomes rise and as their diets shift from starchy staples to a greater share of animal products and processed foods,” writes Tom Prugh, author and co-director of the report. This, in turn, puts natural systems—–either in the migrants’ own countries or in other countries that export products or their inputs—–under strain.
However, cities today are also in an exciting position to take leadership on the effort to build sustainable economies.
“People care about their cities and often are motivated to protect and improve their urban homes,” says Gary Gardner, author and co-director of State of the World. “Cities can harness that passion to help advance a sustainability agenda, perhaps more easily than national governments or corporations can.”
Perhaps the biggest single step that cities can take toward a sustainable future is to create economies that greatly reduce materials use, (re)circulate most materials, and rely largely on renewable energy. “Green infrastructure”—–the use of natural areas to provide economic services—–can also help cities avoid building costly new water management facilities, can recharge aquifers, and can provide flood protection. Ensuring that decision-making is transparent and participatory ensures that no community is left behind.
“Building on the new hope created by the breakthrough agreement on climate action achieved in Paris last December, cities stand ready to engage their citizens in building a sustainable future,” writes Mayor Paes.
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Rodrigo Duterte Philippine presumptive president reveals possible members of Cabinet.
Philippine presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte has bared some possible members of his Cabinet, including secretaries from the previous administrations and a former military general.
The Davao City mayor, who is leading the partial unofficial election results, told reporters that he has yet to talk to other people whom he would consider to be part of his Official Family.
In dialogues with businessmen prior to the May 9 elections, Duterte said that he would appoint as his peace adviser his former classmate and fellow Davaoeno, Jesus Dureza, who served as the peace adviser and press secretary of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
He was also eyeing hotel owner Carlos Dominguez to be his secretary at the Department of Finance or the Department of Transportation and Communications.
Duterte was also considering his running mate Senator Alan Peter Cayetano to head the Department of Foreign Affairs after the one year ban for losing candidates. Cayetano has been trailing behind other vice presidential bets Leni Robredo and Ferdinand Marcos Jr. based on partial, unofficial count of the election watchdog.
The incoming president said that Leoncio Evasco, his chief of staff and former member of the leftist New People’s Army, would stay beside him. But he did not mention yet the position he would give to Evasco, incumbent mayor of Maribojoc town in central province of Bohol.
Duterte said that former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Hermogenes Esperon Jr. would also be part of the Cabinet. Esperon also served the Arroyo government as head of the Presidential Management Staff Office.
Presidential Communication Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the Aquino administration is prepared for the smooth transition of the government.
“We are ready to cooperate and to work with the incoming administration,” he told reporters on Tuesday after administration presidential bet Manuel Roxas II acknowledged his defeat.
President Benigno S. Aquino III’s six-year term will end on noon of June 30
Presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and vice presidential bet Senator Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. topped the local absentee voting (LAV) wherein some government personnel and members of the media have voted, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Wednesday.
According to Commissioner Rowena Guanzon, the Davao City local chief executive got a total of 10,283 votes, followed by Vice President Jejomar Binay, with 4,375; Senator Grace Poe, 1,628; administration bet Mar Roxas, 1,419; Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago and the late Roy Seneres, 2.Marcos is likewise way ahead of his contenders with 11,683 votes, followed by Rep. Leni Robredo, 2,341; Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, 2,134; Senator Antonio Trillanes, 1,588; Senator Chiz Escudero, 944; and Senator Gregorio Honasan, 314.
However, the head of the Comelec – Committee on Local Absentee Voting (CLAV) noted that the numbers are unofficial tally as they are yet to be canvassed.
Senate President Franklin Drilon said on Wednesday the Philippine Senate will work with “presumptive president” Rodrigo Duterte in the next 17th Congress.
”He has the mandate of the people, we will work with him,” Drilon said in a media interview after receiving the first certificate of canvass (COC) from San Juan City at the Philippine Senate.
Drilon, vice chairman of the Liberal Party (LP) whose standard-bearer Mar Roxas conceded to Duterte on Tuesday, said they are eagerly awaiting the legislative agenda of the successor of President Benigno S. Aquino III.
”During the campaign, we were not benefited with any indication of what the legislative agenda will be, so we eagerly await his legislative agenda,” Drilon said.
The Senate leader is expecting that the first agenda that the Duterte administration will submit to Congress is the proposed 2017 national budget.
He said the transition team “must be working at this point so that the budget can be submitted on time.”
”Certainly the inputs of the incoming administration will be respected and we will expect the budget to contain the policy direction of the administration of Mayor Duterte,” he added.
Drilon strongly suggested that a transition team from the Duterte administration will be already formed and start talking to the transition team of the Aquino administration “so that there will be a smooth transfer of power on June 30.”
Drilon said the current 16th Congress will resume session on May 23 and will tackle in the first two days the remaining bills and about five bicameral conference committee reports. The 16th Congress will adjourn sine die on June 10.
”There are a number of local bills and franchise bills which we will pass on third reading, which came from the House. There are also a number of local and franchise bills which were amended by the Senate and are now in the House, and the House will adopt the Senate version,” Drilon said.
On May 25, Drilon said the Senate and the House of Representatives will convene as the national board of canvassers (NBOC) to proclaim the next President and Vice President of the country.
Drilon, who is on top of the senatorial race based on partial and unofficial results, said he looks forward working with the new senators.
”I have been in the Senate for 18 years, I think I know the institution. We will continue to protect the institution, protect the independence of the institution. I think that’s our duty,” the veteran lawmaker from Iloilo said.
Drilon said the incumbent Senate leaders, including him, will continue to function “as such until the elections take place” at the opening of the 17th Congress.
Based on the partial and unofficial results, six LP senatorial candidates –- Joel Villanueva, Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan, Ralph Recto, Leila de Lima, Risa Hontiveros and Drilon — are already in the top 12 of the senatorial election. (PNA)
Disaster mitigation fund should be created by Centre to tackle drought: SC
May 11,
Water supply certificate Crash course must be started so that more people are aware of the subject and more skill people of this nature must bring immediate relief to the people in the country.
More water bodies need to be created the importance of water bodies need to be told.
Central and state departments like CWC,GSI, CGWB, must advise the state and central government.
Water Grid needs to be planned and laid in places where water rainfall is scanty in nature.
Technical water efficient ways need to be told and must be encouraged.Drip irrigation, Agriculture knowledge of High value and less water consumed crops.
Water harvesting at individual, village, city, metro levels is much need to be planned.
However the the Supreme Court today said that a disaster mitigation fund should be created by the Centre to tackle the drought-like situation. It said Centre should revise the drought management manual to provide effective relief to calamity-hit farmers.
The apex court said that Centre should define time limit for declaration of drought. The court further said Agriculture Ministry should hold a meeting in a week with Chief Secretaries of Bihar, Gujarat and Haryana to assess drought situation.
Bangladesh hangs Jamaat-e-Islami chief Nizami for war crimes
May 11
Bangladesh authorities have hanged fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami for war crimes committed during the country’s 1971 Liberation War. Police said, 73-year old Nizami was hanged at Dhaka Central Jail midnight last night. He is the senior most Islamist to be executed in Bangladesh for war crimes during the liberation war against Pakistan.
Nizami’s final appeal against his death sentence was rejected by the apex court on May 5. A former minister in previous BNP-led Khaleda Zia government, Nizami was in jail since 2010, when he was arrested for war crimes.
He was given capital punishment in October 2014 by the international crimes tribunal. He was particularly found guilty of systematic killings of over 450 people alone in his own village. With his execution, Nizami becomes the fifth top perpetrator to be hanged for the war crimes against humanity since the trial process began six years ago.
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