Aman Tuleyev said stepping aside from governing Kemerovo was “the right, conscious and only true decision” following the disaster.

He announced the move in a video address posted on the regional administration’s website.

Last month’s fire killed more than 60 people, most of them children.

Thousands of people protested in the aftermath of the tragedy over alleged safety failings at the Winter Cherry mall.

Investigators say the fire alarm was broken and exits were blocked – and that security guards, who were supposed to help with any emergency evacuation, were among the first to flee when the fire broke out.

Many children became victims because they were using entertainment facilities at the top of the mall, including a cinema whose doors are said to have been locked.

Investigators are looking at whether the fire could have been started by an electrical short-circuit or arson in the children’s play area.

President Vladimir Putin – who visited Kemerovo in the wake of the fire – blamed “criminal negligence” for the blaze.

Mr Tuleyev – whose niece was reportedly killed in the fire – had been governor of the coal-mining region since 1997, AFP news agency reports.

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Speaking at the Lord Mayor’s banquet in London, the prime minister said Vladimir Putin’s government was trying to “undermine free societies”.

Mrs May said they were “planting fake stories” to “sow discord in the West”.

But, she added, whilst the UK did not want “perpetual confrontation” with Russia, it would protect its interests.

Her comments are in stark contrast to those of US President Donald Trump, who last week said he believed President Putin’s denial of intervening in the 2016 presidential election.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is due to visit Russia next month.

In a major foreign policy speech at Mansion House in London, Mrs May described as a “very simple message” for President Putin, she said he must choose a very “different path” from the one that in recent years had seen Moscow annex Crimea, foment conflict in Ukraine and launch cyber attacks on governments and Parliaments across Europe.

Russia could be a valuable partner of the West but only if it “plays by the rules”, she argued.

“Russia has repeatedly violated the national airspace of several European countries and mounted a sustained campaign of cyber espionage and disruption.

“This has included meddling in elections and hacking the Danish Ministry of Defence and the Bundestag among many others.”

“We know what you are doing and you will not succeed. Because you underestimate the resilience of our democracies, the enduring attraction of free and open societies and the commitment of Western nations to the alliances that bind us.”

She said as the UK left the EU and charted a new course in the world, it remained absolutely committed to Nato and securing a Brexit deal which “strengthens our liberal values”, adding that a strong economic partnership between the UK and EU would be a bulwark against Russian agitation in Europe.

Mr Johnson, who will be making his first trip to Russia since becoming foreign secretary in December, has said the UK’s policy to Russia must be one of “beware but engage” following a decade of strained relations.

He told MPs earlier this month that he had not seen any evidence of Russia trying to interfere in British elections or the 2016 Brexit vote, in which Moscow has insisted it remained neutral.

“We will take the necessary action to counter Russian activity,” Mrs May added.

“But this is not where we want to be and not the relationship with Russia we want.

“We do not want to return to the Cold War or to be in a state of perpetual confrontation.

“As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, Russia has the reach and the responsibility to play a vital role in promoting international stability.

“Russia can, and I hope one day will, choose this different path. But for as long as Russia does not, we will act together to protect our interests and the international order on which they depend.”

In her speech, she also said the authorities in Myanmar – formerly known as Burma – must take “full responsibility” for what “looked like ethnic cleansing” of the Rohingya people in Rakhine province.

Responding to Mrs May’s speech, former Labour cabinet minister Ben Bradshaw – who has been raising the issue of Russian interference in UK elections for nearly a year – tweeted: “Asking why May suddenly acknowledging Russian interference now having stonewalled for months.”

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Source: BBC

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According to the judge, he was inclined to grant them bail after looking at the “substance” of the application.

[contextly_sidebar id=”pojXOnrLt7rhxd6mq6YVdfUOdVnL7vZ3″]The four persons were granted bail to the tune of two hundred thousand each with one surety who must be a Ghanaian.

The four, who are managers of Geo Professional Services, were said to have mined about 500 acres of land instead of 75 acres originally given them by the Lands Commission at Tontokrom in the Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region.

Their arrest was ordered by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu, during his tour of mining sites in the Ashanti region.

The four; Farid Isaev, Vadim Potokin, Serhii Chepurnly and  Genadly Rubec, have been charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and undertaking small-scale mining without a licence, contrary to Section 99 (2) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703).

The mining company was allegedly issued with the “stop work order” by the Inspection Directorate of the Minerals Commission on May 18, but they disregarded the directive and continued mining.

Although they had a small scale mining license, the Lands Minister, in an exchange of words with the foreign miners, retorted that “what you are doing here has nothing to do with the small scale. You are destroying the environment and polluting the water bodies.”

“Just behind your door, you saw the pollution of the water bodies and this is clearly a concession meant for small scale mining. You are engaged in this as foreigners, but I don’t think this will happen in your country,” Mr. Amewu said.

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By: Fred Djabanor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The three Russians — Farid Isaev, Vadim Potokin and Serhii Chepurnly; and the Ukrainian, Genadly Rubec, have been charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and undertaking small-scale mining without a licence, contrary to Section 99 (2) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703).

[contextly_sidebar id=”qLGVnnc88QG9tezX5eXAQbRvN8WFlbb0″]At the court hearing yesterday, the pleas of the alleged ‘galamseyers’ were not taken when they made gestures indicating they did not understand English and could only speak Russian.

In view of that, the court, presided over by Ms Ruby Aryeetey, instructed the court registrar to arrange for a Russian interpreter to facilitate the continuation of the trial.

The presiding judge also remanded the four accused persons in police custody and adjourned the case to May 31, 2017.

Minister’s visit

The Prosecutor, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mr Cletus Abadanlowra, informed the court that Isaev, Potokin and Chepurnly were engineers of a mining company – Geo Professional Service, while Rubec was the site manager of the same company.

The company, he said, operated a small-scale mining concession at Tontokrom despite the fact that such mining operations were reserved for Ghanaians under the Minerals and Mining Act.

Also, any form of small-scale mining, he explained, had been banned by the government until further notice, due to the destructive nature of illegal mining.

On May 22, 2017, Mr Abadanlowra said, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Peter Amewu, together with other officials, went on a fact-finding mission on illegal mining at Tontokrom.

“The team found Isaev, Potokin, Chepurnly and Rubec busily engaged in galamsey without lawful authority.  They were using heavy equipment which had degraded a vast land thereby destroying farms and the source of drinking water for the community,’’ he said.

The prosecutor added that investigations into the case were still ongoing to arrest and bring the other accomplices who were now at large to book.

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Source: Graphic Online

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The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources John Peter Amewu ordered the arrest of the four foreign nationals for flouting the mining laws of the country.

The four, who are managers of Geo professional Services were spotted by the Lands Minister mining at one of the site the Minister visited during the tour of galamsey areas.

The firm is said to have mined 500 acres of land instead of 75 acres originally permitted them by the Minerals Commission at Tontokrom in the Amansie West District in the Ashanti Region.

The mining company was issued with the “stop work order” by the Inspection Directorate of the Minerals Commission on May 18 but disregarded directives and continued mining.

Although they had a small scale mining license, Mr. Amewu, in an exchange of words with the foreign miners, retorted that “what you are doing here has nothing to do with the small scale. You are destroying the environment and polluting the water bodies.” “Just behind your door, you saw the pollution of the water bodies and this is clearly a concession meant for small scale mining. You are engaged in this as foreigners but I don’t think this will happen in your country,” Mr. Amewu said.

Two other companies, Kasmil Mining Company Limited and K. Afriyie and Sons Precious Metals Company Limited, were also issued with a stop work order.

These two companies are to also see to the reclamation of the land they worked on.

The government had previously suspended the operations of Shaanxi Ghana Mining Company Limited operating in Gbane in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region temporarily.

According to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the suspension in that instance was to allow for thorough investigations into the company’s underground operations, and the alleged death of about seven miners in the area.

There is a current war against illegal small scale mining also known as galamsey in Ghana.

Government had earlier put a six month moratorium on small scale mining as well as galamsey following pressure on it to ensure that the menace is stopped.

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By: Kojo Agyeman/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Organizers of the the forum say the event would be arranged as “an exclusive business event where senior executives meet for high level negotiations and interaction in the headquarters of major industry players.”

The economy of Ghana is one of the fast growing in the region. The key focus of the country is to meet the ever growing demand for housing, power, infrastructure, skills development, food safety and trade development to supply the domestic market with consumer goods.

Russian companies have developed a vast expertise in those areas and are ready to participate in infrastructure, energy, mining, agriculture and other projects. Russian business sees Ghana as a promising business partner, the statement said.

Topics to be highlighted at the business programme of the RAF 2017 Ghana, include Energy projects, power generation, transmission equipment and power engineering services.

Others are transportation, which would discuss motor vehicles, buses, and construction machinery, railway transport and equipment; aeroplanes and related equipment, passengers and cargo ships and vessel engineering, procurement and construction of transport, power and pipeline infrastructure.

The rest are Food safety to cover chemicals and fertilizers, grain storage, machinery, food processing, Oil and gas production, handling and services equipment, Mining exploration and equipment and Financial and legal services.

During the Forum, participants would explore some of the key topical issues facing the industry, drawing on the latest information and feedback from companies in the cutting edge. There would also be business visits organised by Ghanaian companies to increase knowledge and share experiences of business and investment developments in the region.

The first meeting of the Russian-African Forum took place in Kenya’s capital Nairobi on January 27-31, 2015. Leading Russian export companies and business representatives from Kenya and Rwanda joined in the discussion of cooperation opportunities in the East African region.

The second Russian-African Forum was held in 2015 in the city of Ekaterinburg, the industrial heart of Russia as an integral part of the international industrial fair Innoprom, supported by the Ministry of Trade and the Industry of the Russian Federation.

The Russian-African Forum 2016 held in Tanzania in April, hosted a large group of Russian government representatives, industrialists and business tycoons headed by the Minister of Trade and Industry of the Russian Federation, Denis Manturov, for a mission to a continent widely reputed for its vibrant and steadfast improvement in business environment.

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Source: GNA

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