Monthly Archives: April 2014

AFTER weeks spent scouring the Indian Ocean without finding any trace of missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, Australia has committed itself to a $60 million search covering a massively expanded 60,000 square kilometres of sea floor.

Fifty-two days after the aircraft disappeared with its 239 passengers and crew while on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, Tony Abbott announced that the search was entering a new phase focused on a massive expanse of ocean bed, 700km long and 80km wide. That is where satellite data has indicated the aircraft is likely to have run out of fuel and crashed.

The Prime Minister said he was baffled and disappointed that the aircraft had not been found.

“I regret to say that, thus far, none of our efforts in the air, on the surface or under sea have found any wreckage,” he said. “This is probably the most difficult search in human history.”

Former Australian Defence Force chief Angus Houston, who is overseeing the international search effort, told The Australian that by the time the search got under way there was little chance of finding floating debris, especially as a cyclone had been through the area.

“Unfortunately, the visual search in the Indian Ocean did not really get going until day nine,” he said. “If you get there immediately after the aircraft has gone into the water, particularly if it has broken up badly, if you get to the spot where it went in you’ll find something, Air Chief Marshal Houston said.

“But we started very late in the whole scheme of things and most of the wreckage would have sunk. Even things like cushions, once they come waterlogged, they gradually sink.”

Air Chief Marshal Houston said that in the case of an Air France jet that crashed in the ­Atlantic in 2009, wreckage was found on the fifth day of the search, but by day 16 searchers found no more floating debris and the surface search was called off after 26 days.

He did not think wreckage was likely to wash up on the Australian coastline.

If any wreckage was still afloat it was now certain to be a long way from the crash site, he said.

Air Chief Marshal Houston said he believed from analysis of satellite data that the aircraft was in the area to be searched. “I think we are in the right area,” he said.

Mr Abbott said the new phase of the search would involve a thorough analysis of the aircraft’s probable impact zone. He renewed his pledge to do everything possible to find the plane.

“I want the families to know, I want the world to know, that Australia will not shirk its responsibilities in this area. We will do everything we humanly can, everything we reasonably can, to solve this mystery.’’

The expanded underwater search, which has so far covered 400sq km of sea floor, will continue about 1100km west of the northwestern tip of Australia.

Mr Abbott made his announcement after a team using a remote-controlled mini-submarine had finished combing what it considered the most promising search area.

Air Chief Marshal Houston said the undersea search, to a depth of 4.5km or more, could take eight months if all went well.

He said the ocean floor was covered in silt and heavier parts of the aircraft might have sunk into it.

But he said he had been told that lighter parts of the aircraft would probably have been lying on top of the silt and would have been detected by the mini-submarine’s sonar equipment.

“The expert advice we have is that, irrespective of how thick it is, if there is an aircraft down there, there should be some debris lying on top of the silt,” Air Chief Marshal Houston said.

Mr Abbott said the mini-­submarine would continue its search, but that the search team would also be adopting different technology.

The government, in consultation with Malaysia and China, would be willing to engage one or more commercial companies to undertake the work, he said.

Mr Abbott said that would cost an estimated $60m and Australia would welcome contributions from other nations.

In the meantime, ships from Australia, China and Malaysia would continue the search.

source: theaustralian.com.au

FAMILIES will lose access to taxpayer benefits under a hard-line plan to slash budget spending as Tony Abbott signals a new income threshold of $100,000 to determine who gets “handouts” from Canberra. Social security payments will be scaled back and eligibility rules tightened in a bid to save billions of dollars while forcing people out of welfare and into work.

Outlining his plans in a major speech last night, the Prime Minister also made it clear that “high-income earners”, including politicians, would feel some of the budget pain amid growing talk of a new levy on millions of taxpayers.

As Labor accused Mr Abbott of breaking his election promises, reports last night suggested the deficit levy would be set at ­1 per cent of income for those earning more than $80,000 and double to 2 per cent for those earning $180,000 or more.

Mr Abbott ruled out changes to the pension before the next election but made the case for sweeping reform after 2017 while also leaving room for an increase in the retirement age over the long-term.

He insisted on the need for immediate reform to other benefits, however, by warning that indexation rates would have to change to slow the growth in payments.

“Not for a second would I label families as ‘rich’ just because they are earning $100,000 a year,” Mr Abbott said last night at The Sydney Institute’s annual dinner. “A teacher married to a part-time shop assistant with children to feed, clothe and educate is certainly not rich, especially paying a capital city mortgage.

“But the best way to help families on $100,000 a year is long-term tax relief and more business and job opportunities, not social security handouts.”

The toughening stand on welfare payments revives a political fight over “working families” after Labor scaled back benefits to households earning more than $150,000 a year, sparking a furious attack from Mr Abbott as opposition leader in 2011.

Mr Abbott’s remarks also run counter to a key aspect of his own paid parental leave scheme, which applies a threshold of $150,000 a year to cap payments despite a push by the Greens to set the level at $100,000 instead.

Mr Abbott last night contrasted the “temporary” pain of the budget savings measures with a long-term economic improvement, holding out the prospect of a reward for families in five years.

“The changes in this budget will make personal tax cuts much more likely in four or five years’ time,” he said.

The timetable confirms expectations that taxpayers will get no relief from “bracket creep” for at least five years, moving into higher tax brackets as inflation increases their earnings.

Those on the top of the ­income scale will have to carry some of the new burdens, however, amid confirmation from government sources yesterday that a “deficit levy” was on the agenda.

“I can assure you that everyone will be involved, including high-income earners such as members of parliament,” Mr Abbott said of the budget overhaul.

Attacking Labor’s “unsustainable” spending measures, Mr Abbott promised a budget that would put the nation on track to a “strong surplus within a decade” to “keep faith” with his election commitments. But Labor has stepped up claims the Prime Minister is breaking election promises, citing assurances from Mr Abbott in September there would be “no change to pensions” and no cuts to education or health spending.

Bill Shorten disputed the government’s central assumptions that deficits would amount to $123 billion over four years and federal debt would reach $667bn without action to cut spending. The Opposition Leader said the Abbott government had “concocted a budget emergency” to justify measures that broke election promises and apply a new tax on households.

“By their decisions that they’ve made since coming into power, they’ve doubled the deficit,” Mr Shorten said. “Now because they’ve doubled deficit they want all Australians to pay a deceit tax because of the broken promises of the Abbott Liberal government.”

Treasury’s pre-election fiscal outlook, issued last August, forecast $63bn in deficits over four years but Mr Hockey’s midyear update, four months later, forecast $123bn over the same period. “It is clear to most reasonable Australians that the Abbott government said one thing in opposition and are now doing something else in government,” Mr Shorten said.

On the defensive over his election pledges, Mr Abbott ruled out changes to the pension during this term of parliament but made the case for reforms after the next election. He also drew a crucial distinction between curbing the growth in payments and cutting them in absolute terms.

“To keep our commitments, there will be no changes to the pension during this term of parliament but there should be changes to indexation arrangements and eligibility thresholds in three years’ time,” he said. “There are other social security benefits where indexation arrangements and eligibility thresholds should be adjusted now so that our social safety net is more sustainable for the long-term. Such benefits won’t be less tomorrow than they are today but the rate of increase will be slower and needs to be slower if a comprehensive social safety net is to be preserved for everyone’s future.”

Mr Abbott also claimed the ­removal of the carbon tax and the retention of Labor’s household compensation measures would leave pensioners and families better off, removing an impost that costs average households $550 a year. On education, he countered claims of broken promises by noting that he had “explicitly” ­refused to commit to Labor’s spending programs beyond the four years of the budget forward estimates.

Mr Abbott also restated his vow that there would be no cut to overall health funding but insisted this would allow changes to ­individual programs.

As the government proceeds with a $6 co-payment from patients visiting the doctor, Mr ­Abbott said new charges would include “more price signals” on health services because “free” services were not free to taxpayers.

The PM’s speech went beyond the warnings from Hockey last week, and argued for all Australians to share the budget burden.

The Coalition has promised not to means-test the Child Care Benefit, which goes to many families on high incomes.

source: theaustralian.com.au

Iliad resort in Ithaca, once completed, is expected to be the largest master planned resort in the Greek islands. Photo supplied.

Iliad Resort, when completed, will have individual hotels, villas and residences across 400 hectares.

Portfolio International Holding Limited, an international company with many years of development and investment history that can be traced in Australia, the United States, the Caribbean, Europe and Mexico, is planning to build a luxurious resort in the southern shores of Ithaca.

The project is called Iliad Resort and the plans are already posted on the website of the company (www.interportfolio.com). Amongst others the developers plan to build a 200 slip mega yacht marina, a waterfront village and marina retail, six luxury resorts, comprising of 1,020 resort suites and condominiums, and 150 golf course residences, and an 18-hole Greg Norman designed golf course.

The Iliad Resort will be situated on 400 hectares of Ionian sea front land on the Ionian island of Ithaca, and when completed it will be the largest master planned resort in the Greek islands.

According to the developers, Setai Hotels and Resorts, Rosewood Hotels and Resorts and Rotana Hotels have all agreed to manage, brand and operate individual hotels, villas and residences within the master plan.

Originally formed in 1984 in Australia, Portfolio has completed 22 projects globally and has as its principal partners Ian Meredith and Chris Meredith.

source: Neos Kosmos

The love affair between Australian football and Alessandro Del Piero is all but over after Sydney FC confirmed the end of his playing career with the club and the Italian star hinted his intention to return to his homeland.

Del Piero and Sydney FC mutually agreed to part ways at the end of his current deal after two seasons that propelled the A-League and Australian football to unprecedented exposure.

Sydney FC and Del Piero met on Monday to discuss his future, and the two parties agreed that their relationship had come to an end.

Fairfax Media understands that the Sky Blues were not in a position to retain the 39-year-old forward for a third year at marquee wages but hope to strike a deal to keep the World Cup winner on board with the club in an off-field role.

There have been no talks about Del Piero assuming the vacant coaching position although the Sky Blues are hopeful of employing him in other coaching or developmental capacities in future years. The club hopes to build a Centre of Excellence in Tempe and to negotiate a deal with Del Piero to have a role in their youth academy.

In a statement released on Monday, chairman Scott Barlow paid tribute to the veteran forward that changed the profile of the competition.

“Two years ago, Sydney FC signed one of the greatest players to have ever worn a football shirt, Alessandro Del Piero,” Barlow said.

‘‘At the time, if you had said Del Piero would be playing in Australia, few people would have believed it possible. His signing was the biggest in Australian football history and it lifted Sydney FC and the A-League onto the world stage. There is no doubt that Alessandro’s contribution has laid the foundations for a lasting legacy and he has inspired a whole new generation of Sydney FC football fans and future players.’’

While the former Juventus captain will not receive a formal send-off in a Sky Blue jersey, Australians will have one final chance to watch Del Piero when he plays against his former club Juventus as part of the A-League All Stars match.

Fairfax Media understands that this could be Del Piero’s final game of his career as he is contemplating retirement but is yet to come to any decision on his playing career. It’s understood that he will holiday in Italy soon then return to Sydney in August for the All Stars match before making a decision on his future.

Del Piero released a statement on Monday confirming that he will leave Australia at the conclusion of his Sydney FC deal.

‘‘Australia, the moment has arrived to say arrivederci. My adventure with Sydney FC is about to be concluded, and, even if it makes me rather sad, because I have had wonderful time here,’’ Del Piero said. ‘‘The moment has arrived to make some changes. I am well aware that I have given a lot and received even more. Now I just need some time to think over all the prospective opportunities for my future.’’

The former Juventus captain will maintain a relationship with Football Federation Australia as an ambassador for next year’s Asian Cup hosted by Australia.

source: smh.com.au

Η Υπερδνειστερία ή Transnistria, εξακολουθεί να παραμένει ένα «κράτος» που ουδείς αναγνωρίζει και ελάχιστοι γνωρίζουν.

Ως μια περιοχή «παγωμένης διαμάχης» αναγνωρίζει το Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο, τη μακρόστενη λωρίδα γης, εκτάσεως 4.163 τετραγωνικών χιλιομέτρων και πληθυσμού 553.347 κατοίκων (για να καταλάβετε, πρόκειται για έκταση αρκετά μικρότερη του Ν. Φθιώτιδας), που εκτείνεται ανάμεσα στην Ουκρανία και τη Μολδαβία. Στην ουσία, το μόρφωμα αυτό είναι περιοχή της Μολδαβίας που ανεξαρτητοποιήθηκε απ’ αυτήν το 1990, κατά τον πόλεμο της Υπερδνειστερίας, όταν με τη βοήθεια Ρώσων, Κοζάκων, Ουκρανών εθελοντών και της 14ης Ρωσικής (πρώην Σοβιετικής) Στρατιάς, νίκησε τις Μολδαβικές δυνάμεις. Ο ρωσικός στρατός δεν έφυγε βέβαια από εκεί, αντιθέτως μάλιστα, εγκαταστάθηκε μόνιμα για να «διαφυλάσσει την ειρήνη»(!) στην περιοχή. Επιπλέον, οι κάτοικοί της, σε δημοψήφισμα του 2006, ψήφισαν με ποσοστό 93,1% υπέρ της ανεξαρτητοποίησής τους από τη Μολδαβία και της ένωσης με τη Ρωσία.

Ωστόσο, η Υπερδνειστερία ή Transnistria, εξακολουθεί να παραμένει ένα «κράτος» που ουδείς αναγνωρίζει και ελάχιστοι γνωρίζουν. Με λαμπρή εξαίρεση τον πανίσχυρο Ρώσο πρόεδρο, Βλαντιμίρ Πούτιν, φυσικά…

Ποιος ο λόγος ύπαρξης ενός τόσο μικρού κρατιδίου όμως; Τι «παίζει» πραγματικά στην Υπερδνειστερία;
Μια λιλιπούτεια αινιγματική περιοχή, που δεν αποτυπώνεται σε κανέναν χάρτη και παραχωρεί στους τουρίστες βίζα μόνο εικοσιτεσσάρων ωρών, μετά από πολλούς ελέγχους και γραφειοκρατία, δημιουργεί εύλογα ερωτηματικά για το πώς είναι δυνατόν να ευημερεί τόσο πολύ, την ίδια ώρα που οι υπόλοιπες όμορες χώρες είναι βυθισμένες στη φτώχεια. Μια Μαύρη Τρύπα στην Ευρώπη, στην οποία κάνει κουμάντο μια πανίσχυρη οικογένεια, οι Σμιρνόφ, σε συνεργασία με μυστικές υπηρεσίες και ζει κυρίως από λαθρεμπόριο όπλων και trafficking γυναικών, καθώς και δραστηριότητες μιας μυστηριώδους εταιρείας με το όνομα Sheriff, το σήμα της οποίας συναντάται παντού, από βενζινάδικα μέχρι super market, αυτή φαίνεται να είναι η Υπερδνειστερία και ο λόγος ύπαρξής της, απλούστατος: ξέπλυμα χρήματος!

Αν αναλογιστεί κανείς ότι, τελειώνοντας ο πόλεμος, το 1992, άφησε πίσω του σαράντα χιλιάδες τόνους ρωσικού πολεμικού υλικού, μπορεί εύκολα να καταλάβει ότι οι αγοραπωλησίες όπλων αποτελούν έκτοτε μία κύρια πηγή πλουτισμού για τους «βαρόνους» της Υπερδνειστερίας, οι οποίοι βρίσκονται σε στενή συνεργασία με τους ρώσους «συναδέλφους» τους, γεμίζοντας με άφθονο μαύρο χρήμα τις τσέπες τους, παρέχοντας όπλα σε κάθε λογής μαφιόζο απανταχού της Γης και εξοπλίζοντας αντάρτες και κυβερνήσεις σε διάφορες περιοχές της διακεκαυμένης ζώνης του πλανήτη. Επισήμως βέβαια, ένα μεγάλο ποσοστό απ’ αυτά το υλικό επέστρεψε στη Ρωσία. Τα πράγματα, όμως, είναι μάλλον θολά. Το ουκρανικό λιμάνι της Οδησσού άλλωστε, απέχει μόλις εκατό χιλιόμετρα από την Τιρασπόλ (την πρωτεύουσα), γεγονός που καθιστά ακόμα πιο εύκολη τη διοχέτευση όπλων σε Ασία, Αφρική και Μέση Ανατολή.

Πράγματι, το 2006, σε ένα από τα απειλητικά βίντεο του Αλ Ζαρκάουι, του πρώην αρχηγού της Αλ Κάιντα στο Ιράκ, εμφανίστηκαν κάποιες περίεργες ρουκέτες. Οι μυστικές υπηρεσίες της Δύσης, υποστήριξαν ότι επρόκειτο για τις «Αλαζάν», σοβιετικής κατασκευής, που χρησιμοποιούνταν για μετεωρολογικούς σκοπούς. Αμερικανοί και Βρετανοί άρχισαν να αναζητούν την προέλευσή τους και τον τρόπο που κατέληξαν στο οπλοστάσιο της Αλ Κάιντα. Το ίδιο έκανε κι ένας δημοσιογράφος των Sunday Times, ο Μπράιαν Τζόνσον Τόμας, που ταξίδεψε στην Υπερδνειστερία παριστάνοντας τον υποψήφιο πελάτη εκ μέρους Αλγερινών εξτρεμιστών και κατάφερε να επιβεβαιώσει τις υποψίες.

Η εταιρεία Sheriff, αφετέρου, μοιάζει να έχει το μονοπώλιο στα πάντα, αφού, όπου κι αν στρέψει κανείς το βλέμμα θα δει το λογότυπό της. Παραμένει απόλυτος κυρίαρχος της Οικονομίας, χρηματοδοτώντας κόμματα και δημιουργώντας μια σειρά από επιχειρήσεις, από μεγάλα σούπερ μάρκετ, θερμοκήπια, ανταλλακτήρια συναλλάγματος, καζίνο, τηλεοπτικό σταθμό και βενζινάδικα μέχρι την ομώνυμη ποδοσφαιρική ομάδα που δε χάνει σχεδόν ποτέ και διαθέτει ένα υπερσύγχρονο γήπεδο στην Τιρασπόλ, αξίας 200.000.000 δολαρίων! Το πιθανότερο πάντως είναι ότι η εν λόγω εταιρεία αποκλειστικό σκοπό έχει το ξέπλυμα χρήματος της πανίσχυρης οικογένειας Σμιρνόφ. Ο Ιγκόρ Σμιρνόφ εξ άλλου, κρατούσε τα ηνία της πολιτικής ζωής του τόπου επί είκοσι συναπτά χρόνια.

Όπως διαβάζουμε στο άρθρο της Ευριδίκης Μπέρση στην Καθημερινή, «Στην «πρωτεύουσα» Τιρασπόλ, κάνει κουμάντο μία οικογένεια, οι Σμιρνόφ, με τον πατέρα στην «προεδρία», τον ένα γιο «υπουργό τελωνείων» (τα τελωνεία είναι τόσο νευραλγικά για τις αμφιλεγόμενες μπίζνες του κρατιδίου, που έχουν δικό τους υπουργείο) και τον άλλο γιο επικεφαλής του μεγαλύτερου ομίλου εταιρειών της Υπερδνειστερίας, που περιλαμβάνει το μονοπώλιο της διακίνησης βενζίνης, οινοπνευματωδών και καπνού. Από τη σοβιετική εποχή, οι Σμιρνόφ κράτησαν τα σύμβολα (αγάλματα του Λένιν στις πόλεις, σφυροδρέπανο στη σημαία) και τον αυταρχισμό («εκλογές» που κερδίζονται με ποσοστά 85%, απόλυτος έλεγχος στον Tύπο) και εγκατέλειψαν κάθε υποχρέωση σοσιαλιστικής πολιτικής».

Όπως και να έχει πάντως το πράγμα, φαίνεται πως η τύχη της Υπερδνειστερίας έχει πλέον μπει στην τελική ευθεία, καθώς η όρεξη του Πούτιν ανοίγει ολοένα και περισσότερο μετά τα γεγονότα της Κριμαίας και μάλιστα με ταχύτατους ρυθμούς. Υπάρχει άλλωστε πολλή δουλειά που πρέπει να γίνει: Ναγκόρνο Καραμπάχ, Νότια Οσετία… Κι απ’ ό,τι φαίνεται ο ρώσος πρόεδρος δεν αρκείται στο να είναι βασιλιάς της Ρωσίας, αλλά επιθυμεί διακαώς να γίνει και αυτοκράτορας Πασών των Ρωσιών…

ALP member Christos Tsirkas believes some unions, not all of them, have to much say in the Labor Party. Photo: Mike Sweet.

Labor leader Bill Shorten wants to see his party adapt to changing times, but he may have already lost the Greek Australian vote.

Adapt to change or die in the Australian political landscape is the warning Labor leader Bill Shorten gave to his party’s faithful this week.

In his speech to party members in Melbourne, the Opposition Leader sought to tackle the power of unions in the Party, increase membership and introduce greater community involvement.

The change in direction will not be met with complete approval, but almost everyone in the Labor party movement agrees that constructive change is overdue.

Labor’s long-standing requirement that prospective members have to be members of a relevant union will be abolished under Shorten, who wants to see a “membership based party, not a faction-based one”.

“I believe it should no longer be compulsory for prospective members of the Labor Party to join a union,” Mr Shorten said.

“People have said that this is a symbolic change – it is. And it is more than that. It is a change that makes it clear that Labor is not exclusively for one group of Australians.

“We are for an economy where everyone prospers, a society where everyone benefits, an Australia where the fair go is for everyone. Union and non-union employees. The self-employed, small business and wage earners.”

With the Royal Commission into union corruption, the links between the two will be drawing bad parallels. Mr Shorten has said any union official found acting corruptly won’t be given any help from Labor.

An up-and-coming member of the party, running as the Labor candidate for Bentleigh in the Victorian state election, Nick Staikos, believes that unions don’t have too much say in the party.

“We’ve got party processes in place that give union members a say but also give rank and file team members a say,” he tells Neos Kosmos.

“I think at times it does appear that it’s heavily weighted to one side, but this is about the Labor party constantly changing, constantly evolving to be a broad based party.”

Staunch unionists and party members see the shift as a good way to increase membership but are afraid the relationship will suffer if the hundred year old rule is revoked.

Former Rail Tram and Bus Industry Unionist (RTBIU) and a member of the numerous Greek-speaking ALP branches in Victoria, Christos Tsirkas says he isn’t completely sold on the idea of distancing the Labor Party from its union history, but can understand why transparency is needed.

“I’m not 100 per cent on that, but on the other side we have to see the influence some unions have on the party,” Mr Tsirkas said to Neos Kosmos.

“Some unions, not all of them, have too much say.”

“There will be some backlash from some unions, but most unions will accept it.”

He says he will be addressing the issue at the RTBIU to see if further action needs to be taken to solidify the union’s position in the party.

Fellow RTBIU former unionist George Zangalis sees a downward shift in the relevance of unions for new workers. The link between Labor and the unions isn’t relevant and can be seen as a hindrance for prospective members. He believes the young wanting to enter the party should not be hampered by the pressure of aligning themselves with a union.

“There are new people coming into the workforce and the appreciation of the movement is very low or non-existent, but they should have the right to enter a political party without necessarily being a member of a particular union,” he tells Neos Kosmos.

Mr Shorten wants to open up and simplify the way people can become party members, effectively introducing a “one-click online joining model for new members” to replace the current cumbersome and expensive application system by June.

Currently, to become a member, people have to attend a local Labor party branch meeting, sign up and pay the application fee.
Mr Shorten wants to see the membership fee decrease to entice younger prospective members and eventually increase membership from the current 40,000 to 100,000.

Has the Greek Australian vote shifted?

For decades, the Labor Party has had the majority of the Greek Australian vote, thanks to the migrant rights Whitlam brought in.

But, as time has passed, Greek migrants have moved past their working class roots and shifted into becoming business owners and professionals. That shift, followed on by their children, means the rights they once wanted to protect don’t affect them anymore.

This shift has been seen by Mr Zangalis for some time now. “There has been a shift, when social positions change the predominantly working class Greek Australians of the ’50s and ’60s are not so predominant now,” he says.

“A number of people have shifted into other professions, and therefore they can see themselves being more inclined to supporting the Liberal Party but still, in the Greek Australian community, there is a lot of support for the Labor movement.”

Mr Tsirkas believes the infighting during last year’s election has damaged the Greek vote, but support is still there.

“The problem with Labor last year was they made a lot of mistakes.

“Still today, if an election as held with the Greeks, we’d still get 50 per cent.”
Bill Shorten’s speech will be a starting point for changes that will feed into the 2015 Labor conference.

source: Neos Kosmos

Search for missing flight enters “new phase”. Prime Minister Tony Abbott addresses the media with chief of the Joint Agency Co-ordination Centre, Air Chief Marshall Angus Houston. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

The search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 will enter a new phase after 52 days of searching failed to find any sign of the plane wreckage.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott said it was now also highly unlikely that any debris from the plane would be found on the ocean surface.

But Mr Abbott defended the search operation in the southern Indian Ocean and said authorities remained confident that signals detected some weeks ago were from a black box recorder.

Speaking in Canberra on Monday, Mr Abbott said the “most difficult search in human history” would switch its focus to underwater operations over an expanded area.

The Bluefin 21 submersible, which has been criticised as unreliable, will still be used to search the ocean floor, along with specialised sonar equipment towed by ships that will scan the seabed for wreckage.

“We will do everything we humanly can, everything we reasonably can, to solve this mystery. We will not let people down,” Mr Abbott said.

“While the search will be moving to a new phase in coming weeks, it certainly is not ending.”

Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston warned the revised search could take up to eight months to complete.

He said searchers were still confident they were searching in the right area.

“If everything goes perfectly, I would say we will be doing well if we do it in eight months,” he said.

“But then you have issues, potential issues, with weather, potential issues with equipment, witness what’s happened with the ‘Bluefin 21’ – a number of teething problems with it.”

Mr Abbott defended his handling of the search and his declaration at the time the signals were detected that searchers were confident they were in the right area.

“Our way of operating at all times has been to release credible information as soon as we’ve had it so that we could be as transparent as possible,” Mr Abbott said.

“All of the different leads we’ve had we believe to be credible and important at the time.”

source: smh.com.au

COKING coal prices have slumped to six-year lows, many Australian mines are not making money and the industry is set to close more of the mines that produce the nation’s second most valuable export.

A dramatic fall in quarterly contract prices for the steelmaking raw ingredient has caught ­industry players by surprise and led coal giant Peabody Energy to declare it is considering the ­closure of Australian mines it recently indicated were safe.

As boom-time-approved expansions continue to increase supply, the June quarter coking coal contract price has fallen from $US143 a tonne to $US120 a tonne, which is close to typical cash costs for the east coast ­coking coal industry, according to Credit Suisse analysts.

This means when things such as corporate, financing and sustaining capital are added in, most producers would be losing money.

Peabody chief Greg Boyce revealed the St Louis-based company, which has already cut jobs and shut down some mines here in recent years to stay profitable, was considering closing more Australian mines.

“With the change in the metallurgical coal environment in the last quarter, we’re having some pretty serious looks at a couple of operations,” Mr Boyce told US investors after the release of the company’s first-quarter earnings last week.

“These operations are getting significant scrutiny because at this lower price horizon, they’re much more challenged,” he said when asked if more mine ­closures were coming.

In January, Peabody told investors that a decision to close its Wilkie Creek thermal coal mine should not be taken as any indication that closures of the rest of its operations were being considered.

Coking coal, mainly from Queensland, is the nation’s second-highest export earner after iron ore and brought in $22.4 billion of export revenue last financial year. Thermal coal, used primarily in power stations and mainly from NSW, raised $16.1bn.

Contract coking coal prices that peaked at $US330 per tonne in late 2011 have fallen steadily since then as the US and Australia exported more.

Despite the price drop, BHP Billiton (whose Queensland mines make it the world’s biggest coking coal exporter), Anglo American, Whitehaven and Peabody have all brought on or are bringing on new mines that were approved when nobody saw prices plummeting as low as they have.

As well as the new supply, Chinese steel mills have recently stepped away from buying imported coking coal as uncertainty continues around the Asian powerhouse’s economic growth.

Spot prices have fallen further than contract prices, with the Platts price index slipping as low as $US105 per tonne earlier this month before recovering to about $US110.

“For the second quarter, we have assumed that $US120 will become the benchmark and this will mean that most Australian metallurgical coal producers will be loss-making at the profit and loss level, with FOB (free on board) cash costs typically in the range of $US110 to $US115 per tonne,” Credit Suisse said in a ­client note.

The second-quarter settlement for Queensland coal, which was reportedly signed by Anglo American last month, has led Credit Suisse to cut its 2014 coking coal forecast by $US20 a tonne to $US133.

Most Australian miners have been on a year-long campaign to cut costs, meaning there may not be too much more that can save mines that are losing money.

Even BHP, one of the world’s lowest-cost miners, is making little if any money from coking coal at these prices.

“While costs might be squeezed a little lower, we think the majority of cost-saves have now been made in Australia,” Credit Suisse said.

The bank said BHP generated $US17 per tonne of earnings before interest and tax from its coking coal operations in the first half of 2013-14.

source: theaustralian.com.au

Η αντιπολίτευση της ΠΓΔΜ δεν θα αναγνωρίσει τα αποτελέσματα των βουλευτικών και προεδρικών εκλογών, δήλωσε σήμερα μετά την ψηφοφορία ο αρχηγός του κύριου κόμματος της αντιπολίτευσης, της κεντροαριστερής Σοσιαλδημοκρατικής Ένωσης (SDSM).

«Λίγα λεπτά αφού έκλεισαν οι κάλπες, βρίσκομαι εδώ για να δηλώσω ότι η SDSM και ο αντιπολιτευόμενος συνασπισμός μας δεν θα αναγνωρίσουν την εκλογική διαδικασία, ούτε την προεδρική ούτε τη βουλευτική», δήλωσε προς τους δημοσιογράφους ο αρχηγός της SDSM Ζόραν Ζάεβ. Κατηγόρησε τους κυβερνώντες συντηρητικούς ότι «καταχράσθηκαν ολόκληρο το κρατικό σύστημα».

Οι δημοσκοπήσεις και οι περισσότεροι αναλυτές ανέμεναν ότι ο κυβερνητικός συνασπισμός του πρωθυπουργού Νίκολα Γκρούεφσκι και οι Αλβανοί εταίροι του, το κόμμα DUI, θα κέρδιζαν μια τρίτη θητεία σ’ αυτή τη μικρή βαλκανική χώρα των δύο εκατομμυρίων κατοίκων.

Πηγή: zougla.gr

Η Τσέλσι νίκησε με 2-0 την Λίβερπουλ μέσα στο “Άνφιλντ” με γκολ του Μπα από τραγικό λάθος του Τζέραρντ και το…κερασάκι του Ουίλιαν στο 94′. Η Μάντσεστερ Σίτι νίκησε την Κρίσταλ Πάλας και πλέον έχει τον πρώτο λόγο για τον τίτλο!

ο ντέρμπι κορυφής βάφτηκε “μπλε”, καθώς η Τσέλσι νίκησε την Λίβερπουλ μέσα στο “Άνφιλντ” με 2-0, χάρη σε γκολ του Ντεμπά Μπα στις καθυστερήσεις του πρώτου ημιχρόνου, έπειτα από τραγικό λάθος του Στίβεν Τζέραρντ (!) και το… κερασάκι στην τούρτα από τον Ουίλιαν στο 94′.

Η Λίβερπουλ παραμένει στην κορυφή με +2 πλέον από την Τσέλσι, αλλά η Σίτι νίκησε αργότερα στην έδρα της Κρίσταλ Πάλας με 2-0 χάρη σε γκολ των Τζέκο και Τουρέ, έτσι πλησίασε στους 3 βαθμούς, έχοντας και ματς λιγότερο.