June 20, 2013 Edition

US President Barack Obama issued a call for Russian and US nuclear arsenals to be slashed in a speech at Berlin’s iconic Brandenburg Gate on Wednesday, June 19, and warned Western governments against complacency, saying history’s work was not done. The US leader called on Russia to agree to bring the number of strategic nuclear weapons held by the former Cold War foes down to around 1,000 and to also cut stocks of tactical nuclear arms. It remains unclear whether Russian President Vladimir Putin, with whom Obama had a frosty meeting at the G8 summit in Northern Ireland on Monday, will agree to such substantial weapons cuts.

Read the full story on Rappler. 

While Serendra’s supplier of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) said it adds an odorant to their gas, witnesses in the May 31 Serendra blast claim otherwise. In an interview with GMA News Online, Roberto Kanapi, vice president of communication for Pilipinas Shell, said Shell injects more than the required “chemical additive called ethyl mercaptan in [the gas] we supply.” Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp is the gas supplier of Bonifacio Gas Corp (BGC), the exclusive provider of centralized piped-in gas in Bonifacio Global City. Kanapi has not returned text messages or calls from Rappler. The most commonly used chemical additive, mercaptan, is added to LPG to provide a distinctive smell so that in the event of a gas leak, residents are alerted by the foul odor. Without mercaptan or an odorant, it is virtually impossible to detect gas leaks by smell. Despite Shell’s claims, people who were in the blast site said they did not smell gas or anything unusual on the day of the blast. The explosion at Two Serendra in Taguig on May 31 killed 3 and injured 4.

Read the full story on Rappler. 

North Korea on Wednesday, June 19, said it was willing to resume stalled nuclear talks, its ally China, said. But the US, Japan and South Korea were unimpressed and called for action instead of words. Quoting North Korea’s veteran negotiator Kim Kye-Gwan, China said Pyongyang was willing to engage in any form of dialogue to resolve the nuclear issue peacefully. Kim, during talks in Beijing, said the dialogue could take place through 6-party talks which started in 2003 but which were stalled since 2008, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement. Besides the US, Japan and South Korea, the 6 parties include China, Russia and North Korea. In February, tension over North Korea’s nuclear program increased after it carried out a third underground atomic blast, incurring the ire of the international community. Tempers cooled when the North indicated it was more open to dialogue. But it cancelled talks with the South last week, casting doubts about its genuine intentions. 

Read the full story on Rappler. 

Foreign affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario has ordered the 3 alleged sex “predators” abusing overseas Filipino workers in the Middle East to “board the plane the soonest possible time,” come home, and face investigation. Del Rosario himself will lead the probe, saying he has also ordered the heads of the diplomatic posts in Kuwait and Damascus, Jordan, to come home. He made this assurance to Akbayan Rep Walden Bello, who was the one who exposed them, during a meeting on Wednesday, June 19, at Bello’s office in the House of Represenatatives.

Read the full story on Rappler. 

The country’s chief meteorologist Nathaniel Servando has resigned from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the bureau’s officer-in-charge said Wednesday, June 19. Servando submitted his resignation letter to Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo. Malacañang officials confirmed Servando’s resignation and thanked him for his services to the bureau and the country. He initially filed a leave “for health reasons” from March to May then sought an extension until August. He is reported to have obtained a teaching job in Qatar. PAGASA has been in the spotlight recently because of woes over salaries and benefits. The Senate failed to pass the PAGASA modernization bill which would have provided for significant increases in salaries, new equipment and operations.

Read the full story on Rappler. 

The Gokongwei group is looking to raise up to P40 billion from the initial public offering (IPO) of shares of its retail business. Robinsons Retail plans to sell up to 461.9 million shares at P86.64 each, according to IFR, a Thomson Reuters publication. Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan and UBS were tapped to manage the IPO, said the report. If the IPO pushes through, Robinsons Retail will be the 5th Gokongwei-owned company to be listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange.

Read the full story on Rappler. 

The air pollutant index in Singapore approached the “hazardous” level on Wednesday, June 19, triggering both irritation and anger among locals and tourists. The pollution index hit 321, well past the 200-mark which is considered “very unhealthy” and near the “hazardous” level of 301. The last time Singapore had a severe haze reading was in September 1997 when the pollution index hit 226. The 200-level is considered “very unhealthy,” especially to the elderly, young children, and people with heart and lung diseease. The pollution problem peaks during the dry season of June-September when monsoon winds push thick clouds of smoke from Sumatra in Indonesia to nearby Singapore and Malaysia. On Wednesday, the Indonesian forestry ministry said it plans to use cloud seeding in Sumatra to extinguish illegal fires in palm oil plantations.

Read the full story on Rappler. 

Sensor-equipped socks called Sensoria socks that will allow owners to monitor balance while walking or running. A finger-worn device called Geak ring that can unlock a user’s smartphone or pass on data to others. These are among the latest wearable tech announced by US-based Heapsylon and China company Shanda. The washable socks have sensors built into their fabric to measure pressure readings, providing information about how a wearer walks or runs. The socks are attached to an ankle band that sends the data via Bluetooth to a smartphone or computer running software. Real-time feedback could also be provided to runners, allowing them to adjust their strides and avoid injury. Fitness trackers make up the largest segment of the wearable tech market. In this period of experimentation, however, some have warned that many new products may end up flops.

Read the full story on BBC. 

Fashion icons Dolce & Gabbana were sentenced by an Italian court on Wednesday, June 19, to one year and 8 months’ imprisonment for tax evasion. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana were accused of transferring control of their brands to a shell company, Gado, in Luxembourg in 2004 and 2005 to avoid paying taxes in Italy. The amount of taxes they were said to have failed to pay was pegged at US1.33 billion. Prosecutors accused the two designers of setting up Gado, an acronym of their surnames, in an attempt to defraud the Italian state. Lawyers of the designer duo said they will be appealing, resulting in the immediate suspension of the sentence, following Italian law. Founded in 1985, Dolce & Gabbana employs more than 3,000 people and has 250 shops in 40 countries worldwide. Celebrity clients include Beyonce and Madonna.

Read the full story on Rappler. 

Emmy award-winning US actor James Gandolfini, the star of the long-running mafia drama “The Sopranos,” has died at the age of 51 in Italy, media reports said Wednesday, June 19 (Thursday, June 20 in Manila). Gandolfini, who won 3 Emmys and a Golden Globe for his portrayal of mob boss Tony Soprano on the HBO series, suffered a heart attack, celebrity website TMZ and industry daily Variety reported.

Read the full story on Rappler.