Monthly Archives: April 2014

Shark kills woman swimming off New South Wales beach

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Mrs Armstrong was part of a group that regularly swam from the wharf to the beach in Tathra

 

A woman has been killed by a shark while swimming off a popular beach in Australia’s New South Wales.

Christine Armstrong, 63, was swimming between the wharf and the beach in Tathra village when she was attacked.

Police said her husband saw the shape of a shark which looked between three and four metres long, reports said.

Police closed the beach while boats and helicopters searched for her body, but the search was later called off due to bad weather.

Partial human remains had been found, ABC News reported citing emergency services, but they had not yet been confirmed as linked to the missing woman.

Local council general manager Leanne Barnes told the Associated Press news agency that Mrs Armstrong’s swimming group met at the beach every morning to swim out to the wharf and back.

She was swimming with a group of people early on Thursday morning, but had turned back from the group and was on her own when she was attacked, police said.

Mrs Armstrong’s family said in a statement that she had been swimming at Tathra Beach for 14 years.

“She will be sadly missed by all who loved her, especially by Rob, her husband of 44 years.”

It is not yet clear what species of shark it was.

There have been several shark attacks off Australia’s beaches in recent months.

In Western Australia, police say they believe a 38-year-old man who went missing while diving near Perth last week may have been taken by a shark.

Human remains have been found with evidence of shark bites, but it was not clear if these occurred before or after death, police said.

The Western Australia government recently ordered a cull of sharks, following six fatal shark attacks off the state’s beaches in three years.

Baited hooks have been installed off Perth’s popular beaches. Any shark more than three metres long – which could include Great White, Tiger and Bull sharks – will be shot.

The controversial move prompted thousands of people to take part in protests against the culls.

source: bbc.com

Sinodinos lobbied O’Farrell on AWH deal

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Arthur Sinodinos lobbied NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell to support a controversial water deal but didn’t tell him that he stood to make millions from the contract.

Senator Sinodinos on Thursday admitted to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) that he had met with the then opposition leader in August 2010 to gain his support for a lucrative deal with Australian Water Holdings (AWH).

Senator Sinodinos was a director of AWH, a controversial company linked to the Obeid family, and a senior officebearer of the NSW Liberal Party at the time.

ICAC has heard he stood to make a share and bonus package worth up to $20 million if the government agreed to the deal with AWH.

After the Liberals took power in 2011, Senator Sinodinos called then state Finance Minister Greg Pearce on a weekend to lobby on behalf of AWH.

But the senator, who recently stepped aside as federal assistant treasurer, didn’t feel it was necessary to tell Mr O’Farrell or Mr Pearce that he stood to make millions from the contract.

“They never asked,” Senator Sinodinos told the commission.

“It never occurred to me that that would need to be done.”

He added that government MPs would have understood that officers of the company “would benefit in some way from the contract being awarded”.

The commission heard that AWH chief and Liberal donor Nick Di Girolamo wrote to Senator Sinodinos in 2011 asking him to ring “BOF”, or Mr O’Farrell, to lobby for the company.

Senator Sinodinos said he didn’t think it was appropriate to call Mr O’Farrell and instead decided to contact his minister Mr Pearce.

Counsel assisting the ICAC, Geoffrey Watson SC, presented a handwritten note from Mr Pearce, saying he felt “over-lobbied”.

“AS (Arthur Sinodinos) has called me and MP (lobbyist Michael Photios) has come to see me,” the note read.

Meanwhile, the ICAC was shown a string of emails between Peter McConnell, who was Mr O’Farrell’s chief of staff while he was in opposition, and Senator Sinodinos.

In one email in 2010, Mr McConnell asks Senator Sinodinos for help with the wording of a letter from Mr O’Farrell to Mr Di Girolamo supporting the deal.

“Can you let me know what things you want covered and what form of words,” the email read.

Asked whether Mr McConnell was trying to make sure that the AWH would go through, Sen Sinodinos replied: “He is being positive.”

source: ninemsn.com.au

Paris Saint-German 3 Chelsea 1

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Missed chances have become a theme of Chelsea‘s season and are the reason why Jose Mourinho went into battle against Paris Saint-Germain without any strikers.

So perhaps it was inevitable that a second chance offered to David Luiz was squandered and means that Chelsea will have to come from behind to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Luiz was substituted at half-time in the defeat at Crystal Palace, but was given a reprieve for the first leg of the quarter-final tie against PSG with Nemanja Matic ineligible.

It may have been John Terry who headed straight to the feet of Ezequiel Lavezzi to score Paris Saint-Germain’s first goal, but it was Luiz who had started the home side’s attack by losing possession.

Luiz then made and scored the own goal that restored PSG’s lead, before substitute Javier Pastore netted in stoppage time to leave Chelsea a mountain to climb.

Eden Hazard’s penalty means Chelsea return to England with an away goal and some degree of hope, but Mourinho will need his players to take their chances.

Samuel Eto’o failed to recover from a hamstring injury in time to travel to Paris, but Mourinho preferred to play without a striker – rather than put his trust in Fernando Torres.

Spaniard Torres had been terrible in Chelsea’s defeat at Crystal Palace and the 30-year-old will be allowed to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, either in a permanent deal or on loan.

Mourinho was clearly unconcerned by the fact Chelsea were beaten 3-0 by Juventus last time they went away in the Champions League without an out-and-out striker in 2012.

Roberto Di Matteo was sacked in the aftermath of that defeat, but Mourinho had already employed the same tactic in the Premier League against Manchester United at Old Trafford and secured a goalless draw.

Willian, who has been serving a Premier League ban, was brought back in which allowed Mourinho to push Andre Schurrle further forwards.

The total value of Mourinho’s starting line-up was £178.9m, which was marginally more than PSG’s £174.2m team that included an intimidating front three of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani and Lavezzi.

Mourinho’s plan to try to stifle PSG appeared to be blowing up in his face after just four minutes, as terrible defending allowed Lavezzi to open the scoring.

David Luiz lost possession cheaply, allowing the French team to attack. Blaise Matuidi’s cross from the left should have been comfortably dealt with, but captain John Terry headed the ball straight to the feet of Lavezzi, who fired past Cech.

There was more bad news for Mourinho shortly afterwards, as Ramires was yellow carded for hacking down Lavezzi on the left and the midfielder will be suspended for the second leg.

Chelsea’s immediate concern, however, was to simply stay in the tie as PSG poured forwards and targeted the right side of Mourinho’s defence.

Ibrahimovic had been relatively quiet in the home side’s fast start, but the Swede produced a wonderful pass to set Lavezzi away. Gary Cahill did well to keep pace with the forward and force him to shoot into the side-netting.

Having survived the let-off, Chelsea were handed a lifeline as Thiago Silva produced a rash challenge on Oscar and referee Milorad Mazic had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

Hazard stepped up against the club who will try to sign him in the summer and slotted the coolest of penalties past Salvatore Sirigu to send Mourinho wild in the technical area.

If the spot-kick underlined the desire of the PSG money men to try to snare Hazard, then an outrageous piece of skill from the Belgian will only have reinforced Chelsea’s desire to keep him at Stamford Bridge.

Willian crossed from the right and Hazard produced a superb angled volley that beat Sirigu, but cannoned back off the post.

PSG screamed for a penalty of their own on the stroke of half-time, when Cavani went down under an aerial challenge from Cahill. This time Mazic was unmoved.

Ibrahimovic was dropping deeper and deeper to try to influence the game. Four minutes into the second half, he attempted to flick a pass over the top of the Chelsea defence but it ran straight through for Cech.

Chelsea were still vulnerable on the right side of defence and the visitors were relieved to see Lavezzi narrowly head over the crossbar after being picked out by another Matuidi left-wing cross.

Mourinho decided it was time to send on a striker with just over half-an-hour remaining, as Torres replaced Schurrle, who had struggled to try to hold up the ball or offer his team an outlet.

Luiz had grown into the game after his early mistake, picking up Ibrahimovic when he looked for the ball and pressing Marco Verratti into errors and misplaced passes.

But the Brazilian ruined his good work in the space of 60 disastrous seconds by giving away the free-kick from which he then scored a 62nd-minute own goal.

Luiz unnecessarily brought down Matuidi on the left and Lavezzi swung in a brilliant set-piece that the Chelsea man bundled into his own net with Cech beaten.

The goal showed again why Mourinho has major misgivings over the reliability of Luiz and would most likely accept a big bid him. PSG are one of the interested clubs and saw both the good and the bad of the 26-year-old.

A disappointing night for Ibrahimovic was completed with little over 20 minutes remaining, as he was forced off with an injury and replaced by Lucas Moura.

Luiz was one of three Chelsea players Moura danced around before trying to set-up Cavani, who could not apply a finish to what would have been a superb goal.

Cavani almost scored with a brilliant curling shot, but a third goal came in stoppage time as Pastore wriggled his way in from the right and beat Cech at his near post.

source: telegraph.co.uk

REAL MADRID 3 BORUSSIA DORTMUND 0

bale

Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo both scored as Real Madrid marched towards their fourth successive Champions League semi-final with victory over Borussia Dortmund.

Real got off to a fantastic start when Bale poked in after three minutes, before Isco doubled the advantage with a low shot from the edge of the area.

Ronaldo added a third after the break when he danced past keeper Roman Weidenfeller and slotted in.

The second leg is on 8 April.

Real Madrid

  • 01 Casillas
  • 15 Carvajal
  • 05 Fábio Coentrão
  • 14 Alonso
  • 03 Pepe
  • 04 Ramos
  • 19 Modric
  • 23 Isco (Illarramendi – 72′ )
  • 09 Benzema (Morata – 75′ )
  • 11 Bale
  • 07 Ronaldo (Casemiro – 80′ )

Substitutes

  • 02 Varane
  • 16 Casemiro
  • 18 Nacho
  • 21 Morata
  • 24 Illarramendi
  • 25 López
  • 26 José Rodríguez

Borussia Dortmund

  • 01 Weidenfeller
  • 26 Piszczek (Schieber – 67′ )
  • 37 Durm
  • 18 Sahin
  • 25 Papastathopoulos
  • 15 Hummels
  • 11 Reus Booked
  • 05 Kehl Booked (Jojic – 74′ )
  • 17 Aubameyang
  • 10 Mkhitaryan (Hofmann – 64′ )
  • 19 Großkreutz Booked

Substitutes

  • 02 Friedrich
  • 07 Hofmann
  • 14 Jojic
  • 20 Langerak
  • 21 Kirch
  • 23 Schieber
  • 34 Ducksch
Ref: Mark Clattenburg
source: bbc.com

Η 25η Μαρτίου 1821 στη Βρισβάνη και Χρυσή Ακτή

cgbri_001

Κατάθεση στεφάνου από τον επίτιμο πρόξενο κ. Δημήτρη Ράπτη

 

Με μεγαλοπρέπεια και μαζική συμμετοχή

Με μεγαλοπρέπεια και μαζική συμμετοχή, γιορτάστηκε η επέτειος της εθνικής μας παλιγγενεσίας τόσο στη Βρισβάνη όσο και στη Χρυσή Ακτή. Μετά τη δοξολογία που εψάλη στον ιερό ναό του Αγίου Γεωργίου έγινε κατάθεση στεφάνων στο Μνημείο Πεσόντων. Την επιμνημόσυνη δέηση τέλεσαν οι πατέρες Δημήτριος Τσάκας, και Αναστάσιος Κοζίκης. Στη συνέχεια έγινε κατάθεση στεφάνων από τον επίτιμο πρόξενο κ. Δημήτρη Ράπτη, τον πρόεδρο της Ελληνικής Κοινότητας Βρισβάνης κ. Μιχάλη Ανάστα και άλλων επισήμων. Ακολούθησε καλλιτεχνικό πρόγραμμα με ποιήματα, τραγούδια και παραδοσιακούς χορούς από σχολικές χορευτικές ομάδες. Οι νεαροί χορευτές εντυπωσίασαν με τις φιγούρες τους και χειροκροτήθηκαν από τους γονείς γιαγιάδες και παππούδες τους.

Τον πανηγυρικό της ημέρας εκφώνησαν ο κ. Ανάστας και ο κ. Ράπτης. Η γιορτή τελείωσε με γεύμα στο χωλ της Κοινότητας, όπου το προεδρείο ευχαρίστησε τις ακούραστες μέλισσες για την ετοιμασία και την άριστη εξυπηρέτηση.

Παρόμοια εκδήλωση έγινε και στο Gold Coast, με δοξολογία που εψάλη στον ιερό ναό της Αγίας Άννας υπό του π. Ρομανού Στεργίου και κατάθεση στεφάνων από τον πρόεδρο κ. Δημήτρη Νίδες. Ακολούθησε καλλιτεχνικό πρόγραμμα και γεύμα.

Πηγή: Νέος Κόσμος

Η ομογένεια του Σίδνεϊ αποθέωσε τους χρυσούς Έλληνες κωπηλάτες

kopilasia-xrusoi-oi-konsolas-kai-giannaros

«Τέτοια υποδοχή δεν έχουμε ξαναδεί. Θα σας έχουμε πάντα μέσα στην καρδιά μας» δήλωσαν

Την αποθέωση γνώρισαν οι νέοι παγκόσμιοι πρωταθλητές της κωπηλασίας από την ομογένεια του Σίδνεϊ.
Με τραγούδια, ποιήματα, ομιλίες και την παρουσία των νέων παγκοσμίων πρωταθλητών κωπηλασίας Ελευθέριου Κόνσολα και Σπύρου Γιάνναρου, η Αυστραλο-Ελληνική Επιμορφωτική Προοδευτική Αδελφότητα (ΑΧΕΠΑ) εόρτασε την Εθνική Παλιγγενεσία της 25ης Μαρτίου 1821 στο Σίδνεϊ με βασικούς προσκεκλημένους τους δυο «χρυσούς» Έλληνες.

Στην εκδήλωση παρευρέθηκαν εκατοντάδες ομογενείς.

Λίγο νωρίτερα-και συγκεκριμένα το πρωί της Κυριακής, στο Sydney International Regatta Centre στο Penrith, οι Έλληνες αθλητές  Ελευθέριος Κόνσολας και Σπύρος Γιάνναρος,  είχαν στεφθεί Παγκόσμιοι Πρωταθλητές στον τελικό του διπλού σκιφ ελαφρών βαρών ανδρών (Men’s Lightweight Double Sculls) με διαφορά τριών δευτερολέπτων από τους Κινέζους με τους Αυστραλούς τρίτους.

Απονέμοντας αναμνηστικά πιστοποιητικά και άλλα δώρα στους νεαρούς πρωταθλητές, ο πολιτειακός πρόεδρος της ΑΧΕΠΑ, Γιάννης Καλλιμάνης, ο οποίος παραβρέθηκε στον τελικό, δήλωσε:
«Ο Λευτέρης Κόνσολας και ο Σπύρος Γιάνναρος μας απέδειξαν ότι η ελληνική ψυχή συνεχίζει να κτυπά δυνατά, παρά τις δυσκολίες της κρίσης. Σαν ΑΧΕΠΑ, είμαστε υπερήφανοι που μπορέσαμε να βοηθήσουμε αυτά τα παιδιά να ανεβάσουν την Ελλάδα στο υψηλότερο σκαλί της κατηγορίας τους»
Τόσο ο 25χρονος Αθηναίος Ελευθέριος Κόνσολας όσο κι ο 21χρονος Σπύρος Γιάνναρος, τόνισαν την ευγνωμοσύνη τους προς την ΑΧΕΠΑ για την συμπαράσταση  τους καθώς και τον θαυμασμό τους για την υποδοχή που τους πρόσφερε η ομογένεια του Σίδνεϊ.
«Τέτοια υποδοχή δεν έχουμε ξαναδεί. Θα σας έχουμε πάντα μέσα στην καρδιά μας», δήλωσε ο καταγόμενος από Πύργο Ηλείας και από τα  Ζαγοροχώρια Ιωαννίνων  ο Γιάνναρος.

H ΑΧΕΠΑ  της Νέας Νότιας Ουαλίας τους  είχε εξασφαλίσει φιλοξενία των κωπηλατών καθώς και του ομοσπονδιακό τεχνικού τους Τζιοβάνι Ποστιλιόνε, σε συνεργασία με την Λημνιακή Αδελφότητα ΝΝΟ και την Μυτιληνιακή Αδελφότητα Ν.Ν.Ουαλίας. Στις επίσημες ανακοινώσεις της, η διοίκηση της Κωπηλατικής Ομοσπονδίας ευχαρίστησε θερμά την ΑΧΕΠΑ Ν.Ν.Ουαλίας για αυτή την ευγενική κίνηση.

Πηγή: Νέος Κόσμος

Arthur Sinodinos’ memory lets him down about donations to NSW Liberals

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Arthur Sinodinos insists he has ”no recollection” of more than $70,000 in donations to the NSW Liberals by his former firm Australian Water Holdings – despite being honorary party treasurer and an AWH director at the time.

As he prepares to appear in the witness box at the Independent Commission Against Corruption on Thursday, Senator Sinodinos seems somewhat forgetful when it comes to giving to the Liberals – or ignorant of the rules.

NSW election funding records show he and his wife Elizabeth personally made payments totalling $1500 to the NSW Liberals in January 2009, just months after he became a director of Australian Water Holdings.

But while the NSW Liberals declared the payments – one of $1040 and another of $460 – as required by law, the Sinodinoses have failed to do so, more than five years later.

On Wednesday a spokeswoman for Senator Sinodinos said it was ”payment of three years’ joint membership fees to the Liberal Party of NSW plus a small donation”.

”Membership fees are not declarable and the donation was small and well under the threshold,” she said. But a NSW Election Funding Authority spokesman said this was not correct. ”Membership fees are considered donations,” he said. ”Any donation made over $1000 is reportable regardless of whether it represents three years’ worth of fees.”

Senator Sinodinos became honorary NSW Liberal treasurer in July 2009, six months after the payments and donation were made.

The ICAC has heard allegations he was installed as an AWH director to open doors to the Liberal Party for the company which was seeking a lucrative public-private partnership with the state government-owned Sydney Water.

The commission has been told that while Senator Sinodinos was an AWH director political donations to the Liberals were billed back to Sydney Water under a loophole in a contract for water infrastructure work in Sydney’s north west.

Senator Sinodinos has also insisted he was unaware that Eddie Obeid jnr, the son of corrupt Labor powerbroker Eddie Obeid, worked for AWH.

Upon entering the Senate in October 2011, he said he was shocked to learn of the Obeids’ involvement in the company, which the ICAC has alleged extends to a secret one-third shareholding. Shortly after entering Parliament, he was forced to apologise ”unreservedly” for failing to declare his interests in several other companies, including two private firms and entities related to the Liberal Party.

source: smh.com.au

Κοζάνη: Έπιασαν γιγαντιαίο ψάρι βάρους 167 κιλών!

fish

Ούτε πέντε, ούτε δέκα, αλλά 167 κιλά ζυγίζει το τεράστιο ψάρι που έβγαλαν τέσσερις αλιείς από τα νερά της λίμνης Πολυφύτου! Το εντυπωσιακό αλίευμα είναι ένας γιγαντιαίος γουλιανός, που ταλαιπώρησε για τρεις ολόκληρες ώρες τους έμπειρους ψαράδες μέχρι να «παραδοθεί».

Επειδή όμως εκτός από μεγάλο είναι και πολύ… νόστιμο, το «σούπερ» ψάρι θα αποτελέσει το κυρίως πιάτο σε χορό στα Σέρβια Κοζάνης, από τα χέρια του φημισμένου αγιορίτη πατέρα Επιφάνιου.

Το πρωινό του περασμένου Σαββάτου επιφύλασσε μια πολύ καλή ψαριά για τον πρόεδρο του συλλόγου αλιέων λίμνης Πολυφύτου Νίκο Κουρτίδη, τον γιο του Λάζαρο, τον αντιπρόεδρο του συλλόγου Μάκη Κουμπούρα και τον αδελφό του, Ρούλη. Στα αγκίστρια του παραγαδιού τους πιάστηκε ο μεγαλόσωμος γουλιανός, με βάρος 167 κιλά και μήκος μεγαλύτερο των 2,5 μέτρων.

«Μας παίδεψε για τρεις ώρες, αλλά ήρθε η στιγμή που το βγάλαμε!» λέει στην «Espresso» o κ. Κουρτίδης, που δεν κρύβει την ικανοποίησή του, καθώς το συγκεκριμένο ψάρι είναι το μεγαλύτερο που έχει ψαρέψει στη λίμνη, με εξαίρεση έναν γουλιανό 252 κιλών που είχε βγάλει πριν από αρκετά χρόνια.

Οι ψαράδες δεν εξεπλάγησαν με το μέγεθος του ψαριού. «Συνήθως όταν ψαρεύουμε, το περιμένουμε. Ξέρουμε τι έχει η λίμνη μας και δεν μας ξαφνιάζει» λέει ο κ. Κουρτίδης.

Η συγκεκριμένη τεχνητή λίμνη φιλοξενεί πολλούς μικρούς και αρκετούς γιγαντιαίους γουλιανούς, με βάρος έως 500 κιλά, σημειώνει ο ίδιος.

Οι τέσσερις ψαράδες αποφάσισαν να προσφέρουν δωρεάν στον κόσμο το πεντανόστιμο ψάρι, στη γιορτή που θα γίνει στην κεντρική πλατεία Σερβίων στις 12 Απριλίου, όπου θα μαγειρέψει ο γνωστός για τις μαγειρικές ικανότητές του πατέρας Επιφάνιος.

Σύμφωνα με τους επιστήμονες, ο γουλιανός είναι ψάρι που μπορεί να φτάσει σε μήκος τα 5 μέτρα και ζει έως 30 χρόνια. Την ημέρα παραμένει «κολλημένος» στον πυθμένα ή μέσα στη λάσπη, αλλά τη νύχτα παρουσιάζει έντονη κινητικότητα και πλησιάζει τις αβαθείς περιοχές προς αναζήτηση τροφής, κυρίως ψάρια και βατράχια.

Πηγή: madata.gr

Εικόνες αποκάλυψης στη Χιλή. Καθηλώνουν τα βίντεο απο το σεισμό

Σοκ προκαλεί το βίντεο που κάνει τις τελευταίες ώρες το γύρο του διαδικτύου και δείχνει τρομοκρατημένους ανθρώπους να σπεύδουν να εγκαταλείψουν το σούπερ μάρκετ, στο οποίο βρίσκονταν την ώρα που χτύπησε ο μεγάλος Εγκέλαδος μεγέθους 8,2 Ρίχτερ.

Τον κύριο σεισμό ακολούθησαν τουλάχιστον οκτώ ισχυρές μετασεισμικές δονήσεις, με τη μεγαλύτερη στα 6,2 Ρίχτερ, οι οποίες συνεχίζονται ακόμη.

Σε κατάσταση συναγερμού βρίσκεται η Χιλή μετά τον σεισμό 8,2 ρίχτερ που σημειώθηκε στη χώρα. Σύμφωνα με πληροφορίες μεγαλώνει ο απολογισμός των θυμάτων, μέχρι στιγμής υπάρχουν πέντε άνθρωποι νεκροί, ενώ μεγάλες κατολισθήσεις έκλεισαν τους αυτοκινητοδρόμους και έχει εκδοθεί και προειδοποίηση για τσουνάμι.

Όπως θα δείτε και στα βίντεο ντοκουμέντα που κυκλοφορούν στο διαδίκτυο, τα κτήρια κουνήθηκαν λες και είναι φτιαγμένα από χαρτί.

Σε ένα σουπερ μάρκετ όλα τα αντικείμενα σωριάζονται στο έδαφος, οι πελάτες τρέχουν πανικόβλητοι, ενώ σε εστιατόριο της περιοχής, οι πελάτες την ώρα του σεισμού κρατιούνται από τα τραπέζια για να μην πέσουν κάτω.

Εντωμεταξύ, όπως σας αναφέραμε και σε προηγούμενη ανάρτηση, πέντε νεκροί και τουλάχιστον τρεις τραυματίες είναι ο μέχρι στιγμής απολογισμός από τον ισχυρότατο σεισμό που έπληξε τις βόρειες ακτές της Χιλής με το επίκεντρο να εντοπίζεται στη θάλασσα 89χλμ από την πόλη Κούγια.

Όπως ανακοίνωσε ο υπουργός Εσωτερικών, τα θύματα είναι τέσσερις άνδρες και μία γυναίκα, οι οποίοι έχασαν τη ζωή τους από καρδιακά επεισόδια ή καταπλακώθηκαν από συντρίμμια. Ζούσαν στις πόλεις Ικίκε και Αλτο Οσπίσιο.

Ο σεισμός προκάλεσε τσουνάμι, το οποίο έπληξε τις βόρειες ακτές της χώρας με κύματα ύψους 2 μέτρων. Ωστόσο, όπως αναφέρουν τα τοπικά ΜΜΕ, σημειώθηκαν μικρής έκτασης ζημιές, κυρίως πλημμύρες σε δρόμους.

Ήδη, οι Αρχές είχαν καλέσει τους κατοίκους που ζουν στις παράκτιες περιοχές να τις εγκαταλείψουν τουλάχιστον μέχρι τα ξημερώματα της Τετάρτης (τοπική ώρα).

Η πρόεδρος της Χιλής Μισέλ Μπασελέτ κήρυξε το βόρειο τμήμα της χώρας -τις περιοχές Αρίκα και Ταραπακάν, κοντά στα σύνορα με το Περού- σε «κατάσταση καταστροφής».

 

Πηγή: madata.gr

 

Russian ban of Australian beef imports ‘premature’ says the Department of Agriculture

cattle

Russian authorities announced last night the country will ban frozen and chilled beef imports from Australia as of next week.

But that ban has been labelled ‘premature’ by a spokesperson from the Federal Department of Agriculture.

Beef exports to Russia were valued at $173 million over an 11-month period in 2012-2013. The trade includes higher value wagyu as well as the lesser value cuts.

It has been reported the Russian government is restricting imports due to the presence of the stimulant Trenbolone.

The department says it has been in contact with Russian authorities about their notification of a recent detection of the hormone growth promotant, and to reassure them that beef exports to Russia, under new measures brought in on 20 December 2013, are free of growth promotants.

The spokesperson says a departmental investigation “found no evidence of the use of Trenbolone in the cattle processed for the consignment in question.”

“A detailed report to Russian authorities has been submitted to outline the findings of this investigation,” the spokesperson says.

“We believe Russia’s decision to suspend imports of Australian chilled beef, before having the opportunity to fully consider the information provided by Australia, is premature.”

The spokesperson says the department is committed to further discussions with Russia to clarify the situation.

Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce was only informed about Russia’s beef ban by his department this morning but says it is something he has been watching closely.

“I’m obviously very disappointed, I hope it’s resolved quickly,” Mr Joyce said.

“I think it’s to do with other political circumstances and obviously the issues in Crimea would have something to do with it.”

Mr Joyce says he has not yet had a chance to speak with authorities in Russia, but he is confident other markets will fill the gap, namely Saudi Arabia, China and Japan.

“We’ll be developing other markets and making sure the product goes where it’s required,” he said.

“I genuinely believe we’ll be about to pick up the slack in other markets.”

source: abc.net.au