Panama Papers database on shell companies goes online

WASHINGTON - The public gained its first access to the Panama Papers records of over 200,000 secret offshore companies Monday when the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists put a searchable database up online.

The database, built on just a portion of the 11.5 million documents leaked from the Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca, reveals more than 360,000 names of individuals and companies behind the anonymous shell firms, the ICIJ said.

It reveals the full extent to which the world's wealthy, alongside criminals, create such nominee companies to stash and transfer assets out of sight of the law and tax officials.

Reports already published in April based on the explosive dossier linked some of the world's most powerful leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, British Prime Minister David Cameron and others to unreported offshore companies.

Iceland's prime minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, and Spain's industry minister Jose Manuel Soria, were forced to resign when they were tied to shell companies.

Until now access to the total cache of documents, originally provided by a mysterious "John Doe", was restricted to the ICIJ and a select group of international media.

'IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST'

The ICIJ said Monday it is publishing some of the information catalogued in a database "in the public interest," as a global movement against tax evasion and the secrecy accorded the beneficial owners of anonymous shell companies gains force.

The database "allows users to explore the networks of companies and people that used -- and sometimes abused -- the secrecy of offshore locales with the help of Mossack Fonseca and other intermediaries," the ICIJ said.

It said it was not making available raw records online, nor was it putting all the information from the records out, in part to prevent access to bank account details and personal data of those mentioned.

The database can be searched by individual and company name and address, and shows links between those in the database.

But it gives no information -- beyond their name -- on the full identities of those behind the companies, nor of the underlying assets linked to the accounts.

And often the names of companies are linked to other similarly anonymous companies.

Even so, the individuals associated with the firms plainly come from all four corners of the globe. Many of the names are Chinese, Middle Eastern, Latin American and European.

The data came from nearly four decades of digital archives of Mossack Fonseca, one of the leading firms in the world for creating secret companies.

It is not known how the documents came to light; Mossack Fonseca says its computer records were hacked from abroad.

However they were obtained, "John Doe" first provided them to the German newspaper Süeddeustche Zeitung, which then approached ICIJ to organize a collective analysis of them.

CRIMINALS, FILMMAKERS, FOOTBALLERS

The groups working with the ICIJ had full access to the Panama Papers, and their research has linked political leaders, celebrities and a few criminals to the companies.

- Putin's closest circle moved $2 billion through banks and shadow companies, according to the ICIJ, prompting the Russian leader to claim the Panama Papers was a US plot against him.

- Argentine President Mauricio Macri was also linked to offshore companies.

- China censored media and online social networks from mentioning links between the families of Chinese leaders with offshore entities.

- The names of Argentine footballer Lionel Messi, Hong Kong film star Jackie Chan and Spanish movie director Pedro Almodovar, all came up in the database.

Mossack Fonseca on Thursday sought a court order last week to prevent the ICIJ from putting the data online, arguing it would violate attorney-client privilege.

But the ICIJ said it is important the public be able to look up information on any offshore company.

"We think that information about who owns the company should be public and transparent," Marina Walker Guevara, deputy director of the ICIJ, told CNN.

She stressed, however, that "this is not disclosing private information en masse."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

London's new Muslim mayor hails 'unity over division'

LONDON, United Kingdom – London's new mayor Sadiq Khan thanked voters for choosing "unity over division" as he was elected Saturday, becoming the first Muslim leader of a major Western capital.

In a second round run-off, the son of Pakistani immigrants beat Conservative multimillionaire Zac Goldsmith with 57 percent, or 1.3 million votes, giving him the largest personal mandate of any British politician.

Khan swept to victory despite repeated accusations from his rivals, including Prime Minister David Cameron, that he sympathized with Islamic extremists -- which he denies.

"This election was not without controversy and I am so proud that London has today chosen hope over fear and unity over division," the 45-year-old said in his acceptance speech, to cheers from supporters.

"I hope that we will never be offered such a stark choice again. Fear doesn't make us safer, it only makes us weaker, and the politics of fear is simply not welcome in our city."

As he spoke, the mayoral candidate for the far-right Britain First party, Paul Golding, turned his back.

The victory offered some cheer for Labour after setbacks elsewhere following regional elections across Britain on Thursday, as a row over anti-Semitism in the party that has damaged leader Jeremy Corbyn continued to rage.

"Congratulations Sadiq Khan. Can't wait to work with you to create a London that is fair for all!" Corbyn tweeted.

Khan replaces the charismatic Boris Johnson and ends the Conservatives' eight-year hold on the London mayoralty, a position that has responsibility for transport, housing, policing and promoting economic development.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio was among the first to tweet his congratulations to "fellow affordable housing advocate, @SadiqKhan. Look forward to working together!"

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo added on Twitter that Khan's "humanity, progressivism will benefit Londoners."

The victory was also hailed in Tooting, a multi-ethnic area of south London where Khan lives and where he grew up in social housing, before becoming first a human rights lawyer and then a member of parliament.

"Sadiq Khan will have a unifying factor because he is Muslim, an immigrant, he is from (the) working class, so he understands the working class people and he can associate with them," said Shahzad Saddiqui, a local businessman.

Labour losses elsewhere
Labour fared less well in other elections on Britain's "Super Thursday", in which 45 million Britons were eligible to vote.

The party came third in elections for the devolved government in Scotland, a one-time stronghold, behind the Conservatives, in a vote won by the incumbent pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP).

Labour retained power in the Welsh assembly, although it lost one seat, and with 118 of 124 results declared, maintained all but one of its local councils in England.

Corbyn, a veteran socialist who has faced opposition from centrists in his party since being elected last year, said his party had "hung on" and surpassed expectations.

But critics said Labour should have made more gains given the splits in the Conservative government ahead of the EU referendum on June 23, and its unpopular spending cuts.

Matthew Goodwin, politics professor at Kent University, said Labour was in "serious trouble".

"The Labour party is now third in Scotland for the first time since 1910 and it has failed to make a serious impression in southern England," he said.

'Persuade not divide'

SNP leader and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will lead the separatist party into its third successive government in Edinburgh, although the party lost its outright majority.

She announced she would lead a minority administration, and played down talk of a fresh independence referendum to follow the unsuccessful one in 2014.

"The SNP will always make our case with passion, with patience and with respect but our aim is to persuade not to divide," Sturgeon said.

The other big story in Scotland was the success of the Scottish Conservatives, who came second with 31 seats.

The party has been deeply unpopular in Scotland since the 1980s premiership of Margaret Thatcher but its fortunes have turned around under current Scottish leader Ruth Davidson.

Davidson is a charismatic and openly gay 37-year-old whose cheery, no-nonsense style and proficient use of social media has fuelled her party's success.

Elsewhere, the anti-European, anti-immigration UK Independence Party (UKIP) secured its first seat in the Welsh assembly and two seats in the London assembly.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Obama leads chorus of world outrage over Paris attacks

WASHINGTON, United States - US President Barack Obama led a chorus of global condemnation of attacks in Paris that killed more than 100 people Friday, as nations pledged solidarity with France and vowed to help hunt down the perpetrators.

The shootings, explosions and a hostage-taking at a popular concert venue in the French capital reverberated around the world, especially in countries such as the United States, Britain and Spain, previous scenes of devastating acts of terror.

"It's an attack not just on the people of France. But this is an attack on all of humanity and the universal values we share," Obama said in an address at the White House.

"We're going to do whatever it takes to work with the French people and with nations around the world to bring these terrorists to justice and to go after any terrorist networks that go after our people."

In London, where 52 people were killed and hundreds wounded in a series of coordinated suicide bombings on the city's public transport system in 2005, British Prime Minister David Cameron said: "We will do whatever we can to help."

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy called his French counterpart to express solidarity and his Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo raised the specter of a "jihadist" attack.

One witness said an attacker at the Bataclan music venue yelled "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest) and fired into the crowd at the concert given by US rock band Eagles Of Death Metal.

"All of this confirms that we are facing an unprecedented challenge, a hugely cruel challenge," Garcia Margallo told public television TVE in Spain, scene of the 2004 Madrid train bombings that killed 191 people.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered his condolences.

"As a country that knows very well the manner and consequences of terrorism, we understand perfectly the suffering that France is experiencing now," he said. Last month, twin bombings on a peace rally in Ankara killed 102 people.

European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini tweeted that she was "in the process of following with pain and dread the events in Paris."

"Europe is with France and the French people," she said.

- 'Appalled and outraged' -

In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country stood "shoulder-to-shoulder" with French President Francois Hollande and the people of France in what he called "our common battle against terrorism."

Since the start of October, Israel has been faced with a wave of Palestinian knife, gun and car-ramming attacks.

In Asia, where people woke up to the news from Paris, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Facebook that he was "shocked."

"It is not the first time innocent civilians have been massacred like this in this troubled world. But each time it happens we again feel appalled and outraged beyond words, for an attack like this is in fact an attack on our shared humanity," Lee said.

In Washington, Obama pledged to work with France to bring those responsible to justice.

"We are reminded in this time of tragedy that the bonds of liberte, egalite, fraternite are not just the values French people share, but we share," he said.

"Those go far beyond any act of terrorism or the hateful vision of those who perpetrated the crimes this evening."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

British toll in Tunisia attack to rise to 'around 30'

LONDON, United Kingdom - The number of Britons killed in a gun massacre in Tunisia is expected to rise to "around 30", officials said on Monday, as a British military plane evacuated some of the injured.

Prime Minister David Cameron promised to mount a "full investigation" into Friday's attack on a beach resort near the city of Sousse with 16 British detectives already in Tunisia to aid the police there.

Hundreds more British police were sent to interview tourists who have been returning to Britain from Tunisia, some of whom might have witnessed the beach massacre claimed by the Islamic State group.

"We will not give up our way of life and cower in the face of terrorism," Cameron said, underlining the need both to fight IS jihadists in Iraq and Syria and to tackle non-violent extremists in Britain.

Britain is to hold a minute's silence on Friday for the one-week anniversary of the attack, the worst for the country since four suicide bombings in London on July 7, 2005 killed 52 people.

US President Barack Obama expressed condolences in a phone call to Cameron, and said his country "stood firmly by" Britain, a spokeswoman for the prime minister said.

Flags were flown at half mast over Cameron's Downing Street office in sympathy with the victims, and amid fears of a heightened risk of attack, Britain is to hold a major emergency response exercise in London over the next two days.

The confirmed death toll of Britons is currently at 18 out of the 38 foreign tourists who were mowed down by a Kalashnikov-toting gunman, identified as 23-year-old student Seifeddine Rezgui.

Tunisia says four other victims have been identified as tourists from Germany, Portugal, Ireland and Belgium. Ireland said Sunday three of its citizens were killed.

A Royal Air Force (RAF) Boeing C17 plane evacuated four injured Britons on Monday and all 25 of the British wounded -- out of a total of 39 hurt -- will have been brought back by Tuesday, officials said.

Among the Britons killed was former Birmingham City footballer Denis Thwaites, 70, and his wife Elaine, the club announced on Twitter, saying it was "deeply shocked and saddened".

The RAF is ready to repatriate victims' bodies using in accordance with families' wishes using C17 and C130 military transport planes, according to the prime minister.

The government is pressing Tunisia to allow access for British experts to speed victims' identification.

Cameron said he shared the "frustration" of families waiting for news but noted the difficulty of the process as many tourists had not been carrying identification or were too disfigured.

Tour operators have laid on flights to evacuate tourists and the Association of British Travel Agents said about half of an estimated 20,000 British tourists in Tunisia at the time of the attack were now home.

British interior minister Theresa May travelled to Tunisia on Monday along with junior foreign minister Tobias Ellwood, who himself lost his brother in a terror attack on the Indonesian island of Bali in 2002.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Cameron pledges further $48 million aid to Philippines

COLOMBO - Prime Minister David Cameron announced Saturday that Britain was providing a further $48 million to help the relief effort after the devastating typhoon in the Philippines.

"Today I can announce that we are providing a further 30 million pounds ($48 million) to support the United Nations and Red Cross emergency appeal" to help survivors of Typhoon Haiyan, he told reporters.

"We are also deploying an RAF C-130 aircraft to help ensure that aid workers move between worst affected areas and get the aid to those who need it most," Cameron added while attending a Commonwealth summit in Sri Lanka.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com