Archives for March 2022

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

London: Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged British MPs to designate Russia as a “terrorist state” after President Vladimir Putin ordered a special military operation against his nation and called for tougher sanctions on Moscow to “make sure our skies are safe”.

The 44-year-old Ukrainian leader, who made a “historic” address to the House of Commons via videolink on Tuesday, received a standing ovation by members of Parliament.

“We are looking for your help, for the help of Western counties. We are thankful for this help and I am grateful to you, Boris, said Zelenskyy, addressing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

“Please increase the pressure of sanctions against this country (Russia) and please recognise this country as a terrorist state. Please make sure that our Ukrainian skies are safe. Please make sure that you do what needs to be done and what is stipulated by the greatness of your country. Glory to Ukraine and glory to the United Kingdom, he said.

While the West has imposed crippling sanctions on Russia, it has not yet cut off the supply of Russian oil to Western countries. Though Zelenskyy has sought a no-fly zone over Ukraine, the US and its allies seem unlikely to accept this to protect Ukrainians from Russian air power.

In an emotional address, Zelenskyy invoked Britain’s war-time Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s words, promising to fight Russian troops in the air, sea and on the streets.

“We will not give up and we will not lose, we will fight until the end, at sea, in the air… we will continue fighting for our land. Whatever the cost…we will fight in the forests, in the fields, on the shores, in the streets,” he said.

In his address, Zelensky gave a day-by-day account of the attack by Russia, which began a fortnight ago.

He described how it was a war Ukraine “didn’t start and we didn’t want”, but his country now had to fight.

“We do not want to lose what we have, what is ours… just the same way as you once didn’t want to lose your country when the Nazis started to fight your country and you had to fight for Britain,” he added.

And quoting Shakespeare, he said the question for Ukraine is “to be, or not to be… it’s definitely yes, to be”.

He concluded his speech by saying: “Do what you can, do what you must, because greatness obliges greatness, of your state and your people.

It marked the first time a foreign leader has directly addressed MPs in the Commons after Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle had confirmed his request.

Prime Minister Johnson said President Zelensky had “moved the hearts of everybody” watching, and pledged to “press on with tightening the economic vice” around Russian President Putin.

Labour leader Keir Starmer also praised “the bravery [and] the resolve” of the president and his people, adding: “He has shown his strength and we must show him – and the Ukrainian people – our commitment and support.”

Zelensky’s address followed Johnson’s meetings with the leaders of Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic to discuss the crisis in the region and the need to boost security efforts in central Europe.

Zelenskyy, a former comedian and actor turned politician, has been centre stage as Russian President Putin’s forces began an armed conflict with Ukraine on February 24. Last week, he received a standing ovation when he spoke to the European Parliament, also via video link.

He has been in regular phone contact with Johnson, who launched a week of diplomacy to create a coalition against Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

He hosted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte at Downing Street on Monday and later spoke with US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to maintain pressure on Russia to isolate Putin diplomatically and economically.

It came as a plan to fast-track UK sanctions against allies of Vladimir Putin got through the House of Commons at rapid speed, backed by all parties on Monday. The UK government says its Economic Crime Bill will stop wealthy Russians from using the City of London for money laundering much quicker.

During the debate, condensed into a single day to try to get the measures into place as quickly as possible, UK Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “The UK must send a strong signal that it will not be a home for corruption.”

The bill, which now goes to the House of Lords and is expected to become law later this month, contains several measures to tackle oligarchs and companies associated with Putin.

On February 24, Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine, three days after Moscow recognised Ukraine’s breakaway regions – Donetsk and Luhansk – as independent entities.

Panaji: Twenty MLAs in the 40-member Goa House resigned and switched sides during the last five years of the outgoing Assembly.

Two prominent MLAs – Manohar Parrikar and Francis D’Souza – died during the period.

Parrikar was serving as the chief minister when he died in 2019, following which BJP’s Pramod Sawant took over the top post in the coastal state.

Elections for the new Assembly were held on February 14 this year and the results will be declared on Thursday.

After the Assembly polls in 2017, the BJP formed government with the support of some regional outfits and independents.

Shortly after the polls, Vishwajit Rane was the first legislator to resign. He quit the Congress and joined the BJP. He later successfully contested the by-election from his traditional Valpoi Assembly constituency.

In 2018, two more MLAs Dayanand Sopte (Mandrem) and Subhash Shirodkar (Shiroda) resigned from the Congress and joined the BJP.

Later, Parrikar and Francis D’Souza died in 2019 and the Assembly constituencies of the two leaders fell vacant.

The by-elections were subsequently held for four constituencies Shiroda, Mandrem, Panaji and Mapusa. While the Congress won in Panaji, BJP candidates emerged victorious in the three other seats.

In July 2019, 10 Congress MLAs switched over en-mass to the BJP.

During the fag end of the outgoing Assembly, Congress MLA Luizinho Faleiro resigned to join the Trinamool Congress (TMC), while Jayesh Salgaonkar (Goa Forward Party), Rohan Khaunte (Independent), Govind Gaude (Independent), Ravi Naik (Congress) quit and joined the BJP.

Besides, BJP MLAs Michael Lobo, Deepak Pauskar, Filipe Neri Rodrigues, Alina Saldanha, Pravin Zantye, Wilfred D’Sa, Isidore Fernandes and Carlose Almeida also resigned.

Saldanha joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Lobo and Almeida entered the Congress, while Zantye joined the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP).

This time, Pauskar, Fernandes and D’Sa contested as independents and Rodrigues on the NCP’s ticket.

Goa Forward Party MLA Vinod Palyekar also resigned to contest as an independent, while Congress’s Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco joined the TMC, which he later quit to contest as an independent candidate.

Independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar also resigned to join the Congress.

After the 2017 Assembly polls, the Congress had emerged as the single largest party with 17 seats. But, it failed to form government and over the last five years, its strength in the 40-member House reduced to two.

Washington: The United States administration has said that it consulted its European allies before banning the import of Russian oil and gas while stressing that it recognizes not all of its partners were in a position to follow suit.

By an executive order signed on Tuesday, Biden banned the import of Russian crude oil and certain petroleum products, liquefied natural gas, and coal.

This step is aimed at depriving Russia of billions of dollars in revenues from US drivers and consumers annually. Last year, the US imported nearly 7,00,000 barrels of crude oil and refined petroleum products from Russia daily.

“In taking this action, we consulted with European allies closely, but we do not expect them and did not ask them to join us.

“The United States is able to take this step because of our strong domestic energy production and infrastructure and we recognize that not all of our allies and partners are currently in a position to join us,” said a senior official in the Joe Biden administration.

The executive order also banned new US investment in Russia’s energy sector, to ensure that American companies and investors are not underwriting Vladimir Putin’s efforts to expand energy production inside Russia, the White House said.

It mentioned that Americans will also be prohibited from financing or enabling foreign companies that are investing to produce energy in Russia.

The official underscored that the ban is immediate.

“We block any new purchases of Russian energy. We do allow, though, for wind downs of deliveries for existing purchases that were already contracted for. No new contracts will be allowed. For existing contracts, we are allowing a 45-day wind-down period,” the official explained.

“In terms of domestic impact, the reality is Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked and brutal war has led to higher energy prices and raised costs for Americans at home — about 75 cents at the gas pump — since he began to amass troops at the Ukrainian border in early November,” the official said.

Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognised Ukraine’s breakaway regions – Donetsk and Luhansk – as independent entities.

MICHAEL SALDANHA ALSO OPERATED FLIGHT WITH REPATRIATED CITIZENS FROM DUBAI DURING COVID PANDEMIC

Captain Michael Saldahna

Mangaluru: One of the pilots flying planes in ‘Operation Ganga’ with rescued Indians from war-torn Ukraine is a man from Mangaluru. Captain Michael Saldahna who flew two flights to Mumbai with evacuated Indian citizens is a resident of Valencia in Mangaluru.

According to the reports, Michael commanded two flights with evacuated flights that landed in Mumbai, one from Bucharest in Romania and the other from Budapest in Hungary with 182 and 185 passengers onboard respectively.

Reports further added that the flight carried Indian passengers who had crossed the border and entered Bucharest and Budapest.

Michael, who hails from Mangaluru has over 13 years of flying experience and had also operated during the repatriation flights of Indian citizens from Dubai when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world.

Bengaluru: Karnataka on Tuesday registered 197 fresh coronavirus cases and 8 fatalities thereby taking the total till date to 39,42,927 and 40,004 respectively.

There were 258 patients who got discharged pushing the total number of recoveries to 38,99,905, said a bulletin.

Of the new cases, 130 were from Bengaluru Urban, while there were 171 discharges in the city, one death, the bulletin said.

The total number of active cases across the State was 2,980.

While the positivity rate for the day was 0.47 per cent, the case fatality rate was 4.06 per cent.

Of the eight deaths reported today, two are from Raichur, and one each from Bengaluru Urban, Belagavi, Chitradurga, Dharwad, Mandya and Mysuru.

After Bengaluru urban, Mysuru, Tumakuru and Belagavi recorded the second highest number of cases with 9, followed by Chitradurga 7, Gadag 6, followed by others.

Bengaluru Urban district now has 17,79,735 cases, Mysuru 2,29,366 and Tumakuru 1,59,793.

Cumulatively, 6,48,40,543 crore samples were tested, of which 41,505 were examined today.

Bengaluru: Expressing his government’s commitment to implement the Mekedatu project across river Cauvery, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai while ruling out negotiations with neighbouring Tamil Nadu, on Tuesday said, he will be calling an all party meeting soon, to discuss the legal repercussions and going ahead with the work.

He was reacting to objections raised by Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah in the legislative Assembly, to Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat’s recent statement that the Centre is ready to facilitate talks between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu on the Mekedatu project.

Citing Shekhawat’s statement, Siddaramaiah expressed apprehensions about the Government of India granting clearances for the project.

Tamil Nadu is vehemently opposed to the project.

“Regarding the Mekedatu project there have been discussions, though the factual position is known to everyone, its repercussions need to be discussed with the legal team,” Bommai said.

Noting that the task before Karnataka is to begin the work after getting the Detailed Project Report (DPR) approved and environmental clearance from the Centre, he said, he has already had two rounds of discussions with the legal team regarding the legal repercussions, and will be calling an all-party meeting, probably this week itself.

“Our stand is very clear that our responsibility is to give Tamil Nadu the due water which has been allocated by the tribunal, other than we don’t have any other responsibility. They (TN) have put a miscellaneous application, in this background, let’s all come to one decision to go ahead and begin the Mekedatu work at the earliest, after getting to know the legal point of view from experts,” he added.

The DPR of the project is before the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), also the matter is before the Environment Ministry, for environmental clearance, for which terms of reference have to be fixed.

The Chief Minister said, a miscellaneous application from Tamil Nadu is before the Supreme Court regarding the project, also there was a Chennai Green Tribunal’s stay for the project on the basis of some farmers visiting the proposed dam site, though it was quashed by the Central Green Tribunal, it has been challenged in the Supreme Court.

Highlighting that Tamil Nadu is opposed to any project by Karnataka in connection with Cauvery water, as it has got political importance there, he said, “they oppose even for drinking water, so we too have objected to some of their projects.”

Earlier, pointing to Shekhawat’s statement that the Centre is ready to facilitate talks between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu on the Mekedatu project, Siddaramaiah said, “he should not have said it, and I condemn it.”

As he said, the Chief Minister who was present with the Union Minister did not object to the statement, Bommai clarified that Shekhawat made the statement at a press conference much later and it was not in his presence.

The Chief Minister also made it clear that there are no plans of negotiations regarding the Mekedatu project before the state government, as mentioned by the Union Minister. “Getting the DPR approved and environmental clearance is the only agenda before us.”

Noting that the Congress had organised a padayatra demanding for the implementation of Mekedatu project, Siddaramaiah said, after the 2018 Supreme Court ruling regarding Cauvery river water, there is no dispute and Tamil Nadu has no right to object to Mekedatu project.

In addition to 177.75 tmc water in a normal year, during the last 7 years 582 tmc of surplus water has flown to Tamil Nadu, he said, “the surplus water that flows to Tamil Nadu and then to sea, is our water.”

Intervening, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy pointed out that there is a quantum of water allocated to Karnataka too, and the Supreme Court has not said that surplus water belongs to Karnataka.

“Regarding surplus water and what has to be done in distress, there has been no decision so far. They (TN) have disputed the surplus water and a case is going on in the court, so there is a dispute and we (state govt) are fighting out,” he said.

Rejecting it Siddaramaiah said, but there is no stay from the Court for the project. “According to me Tamil Nadu is opposing the project for the sake of politics and votes. Legally, constitutionally they have no right.”

Senior Congress leader and former Irrigation Minister H K Patil too said, according to Karnataka there is no dispute other than the state’s liability to release certain quantum of water to Tamil Nadu.

“We will not accept any type of negotiation, because the issue is already over. There is no issue now. That should be the stand of the state,” he said.

Patil also urged the Chief Minister to write to the Government of India regarding its objection to the central Minister’s statement and clarifying the state’s stand.

To which Bommai said, Karnataka’s stand on Mekedatu has been made clear again and again by him and his predecessor B S Yediyurappa in several letters to the centre, and he will be writing once again informing the decision of the all party meeting.

“I will also go to Delhi and make all efforts to get DPR approved and to begin the work,” he added.

The state budget presented by Bommai last week, has provided a grant of Rs 1,000 crore in the current year for implementation of the Mekedatu project.

The Mekedatu multi-purpose (drinking and power) project involves building a balancing reservoir near Kanakapura in Ramanagara district.

The estimated Rs 9,000 crore project once completed is aimed at ensuring drinking water to Bengaluru and neighbouring areas (4.75 TMC) and it can also generate 400 MW power.

Karnataka has maintained that the project within its territory will benefit both states as the surplus water stored can be managed between the two during a distress year, and its implementation will in no way affect the interests of Tamil Nadu’s farming communities, as there will be no impact on its share of water.

However, the neighbouring state is of the view that the project would “impound and divert” the uncontrolled water flow due to Tamil Nadu from Kabini sub-basin, the catchment area below Krishnarajasagara, and also from Simsha, Arkavathy and Suvarnavathi sub-basins besides other small streams.

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru Women Police have arrested four more accused in the prostitution racket case after two minor girls registered a complaint against people. The four arrests are followed by two arrests earlier made by the cops based on the complaint.

Six accused were arrested earlier under five sections of the POCSO Act.

According to a complaint given by a minor girl, cases were registered and ten people were arrested under POCSO Act. Based on another complaint filed by a minor girl, four more people have been arrested.

Police Commissioner N Shashikumar said that the investigation is being led by ACP Mahesh and necessary measures are being taken by the police to track down the rest of the accused.

He also said that they are tracking the cellphones and gadgets of the suspects.  

Washington: US President Joe Biden has decided to ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia’s economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The move follows pleas by Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy to US and Western officials to cut off the imports, which had been a glaring omission the massive sanctions put in place on Russia over the invasion.

Energy exports have kept a steady influx of cash flowing to Russia despite otherwise severe restrictions on its financial sector.

Biden was set to announce the move as soon as Tuesday, the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter before an announcement.

The White House said Biden would speak on Tuesday morning to announce actions to continue to hold Russia accountable for its unprovoked and unjustified war on Ukraine.

The US will be acting alone, but in close consultation with European allies, who are more dependent on Russian energy supplies. Natural gas from Russia accounts for one-third of Europe’s consumption of the fossil fuel. The US does not import Russian natural gas.

Mumbai: Alleging that Enforcement Directorate officers were acting as an “ATM” for the BJP, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday said the Mumbai Police were probing extortion charges against four officers of the central agency and some of them will go to jail.

Addressing a news conference here, Raut said whenever there has been an Enforcement Directorate raid on any company, it has transferred money to firms belonging to one Jitendra Navlani.

The ED and some of its officials have become an ATM (automated teller machine) for the BJP, Raut said, maintaining he has shared details of the same with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

The Mumbai Police were probing extortion and corruption charges against four ED officials. The Mumbai Police are capable of that. And mark my words….some ED officials will go to jail, the Rajya Sabha MP claimed.

Raut, however, did not reveal the names or designations of these ED officials.

His remarks came on a day when some Shiv Sena office-bearers, including a leader considered close to Maharashtra Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray, were raided by the Income Tax Department.