Daily Archives: October 6, 2015

Ιρακινής και κουρδικής καταγωγής ο 15χρονος του φονικού επεισοδίου στο Σίδνεϋ

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Ο 15χρονος δράστης

Επιδρομή σε τζαμί της Παραμάτα, στο Σίδνεϊ, έκαναν άνδρες της Αντιτρομοκρατικής Υπηρεσίας καθώς συνεχίζονται οι έρευνες μετά το νέο θανατηφόρο κρούσμα τρομοκρατικής απόπειρας που σημειώθηκε στην περιοχή.

Η Αστυνομία της Αυστραλίας ανακοίνωσε ότι πιστεύει πως η δολοφονία ενός υπαλλήλου της αστυνομίας από έναν 15χρονο στο Σίδνεϊ χθες «συνδέεται με την τρομοκρατία», σε μια ακόμη υπόθεση που οι Αρχές προσάπτουν σε ριζοσπαστικοποιημένους νέους.

Το θύμα ήταν ο 58χρονος Κέρτις Τσενγκ, επί 17 χρόνια υπαλλήλου της Οικονομικής Διεύθυνσης της Αστυνομίας της Νέας Νότιας Ουαλίας.

Επίσης, έξω από το αστυνομικό τμήμα, η Αστυνομία πυροβόλησε και σκότωσε τον 15χρονο δράστη, Φαρχάντ Τζαμπάρ Καλί Μοχάμεντ.

Η Αστυνομία έκανε γνωστό ότι οι υπεύθυνοι του τζαμιού συνεργάστηκαν μαζί της άψογα.

Ο δράστης βρισκόταν στο τζαμί λίγο πριν την επίθεσή του.

Πιστεύεται ότι η αδελφή του αναχώρησε την Πέμπτη από την Αυστραλία με προορισμό την Κωνσταντινούπολη, απ’ όπου, ίσως, θα πήγαινε στο Ιράκ ή τη Συρία.

Η κυβέρνηση Τέρνμπουλ -αταλάντευτος εταίρος των ΗΠΑ στην εκστρατεία τους εναντίον των τζιχαντιστών του Ισλαμικού Κράτους στο Ιράκ και στη Συρία- έχει θέσει τη χώρα σε κατάσταση συναγερμού για το ενδεχόμενο διάπραξης επιθέσεων από ριζοσπαστικοποιημένους Αυστραλούς από πέρυσι.

Ο έφηβος έπεσε νεκρός από πυρά αστυνομικών το απόγευμα της Παρασκευής, αφού πυροβόλησε και σκότωσε σχεδόν εξ επαφής έναν υπάλληλο της Αστυνομίας που έφευγε από το αρχηγείο της Αστυνομικής Διεύθυνσης της Νέας Νότιας Ουαλίας, σύμφωνα με την αστυνομία και αυτόπτες μάρτυρες.

Η Αστυνομία γνωστοποίησε ότι ο δράστης της επίθεσης αναγνωρίστηκε μετά από πληροφορίες που έδωσε ο μεγαλύτερος αδελφός του, έχει ιρακινή και κουρδική καταγωγή και είχε γεννηθεί στο Ιράν.

«Πιστεύουμε ότι οι πράξεις του είχαν πολιτικά κίνητρα και, επομένως, συνδέονται με την τρομοκρατία» δήλωσε ο επικεφαλής της Αστυνομίας της Νέας Νότιας Ουαλίας Άντριου Σκιπιόνε, στους δημοσιογράφους.

Το αγόρι ήταν άγνωστο στην αστυνομία και την Αντιτρομοκρατική Υπηρεσία, διευκρίνισε ο ίδιος.

Το θύμα ήταν ο Κέρτις Τσενγκ, επί 17 χρόνια υπάλληλος της Οικονομικής Διεύθυνσης της Αστυνομίας της Νέας Νότιας Ουαλίας.

«Δεν υπάρχει αμφιβολία ότι αυτή η τραγωδία θα αντηχήσει σε όλο τον κόσμο, καθώς ο κόσμος θα δυσκολευτεί να κατανοήσει πώς κάποιος τόσο νέος μπόρεσε να διαπράξει ένα τόσο ειδεχθές έγκλημα» δήλωσε ο επικεφαλής της πολιτειακής κυβέρνησης της Νέας Νότιας Ουαλίας, Μάικ Μπέιρντ.

Τον Σεπτέμβριο η Αστυνομία είχε πυροβολήσει και σκοτώσει έναν έφηβο που είχε επιτεθεί και τραυματίσει με μαχαίρι δύο στελέχη της αντιτρομοκρατικής υπηρεσίας. Τον περασμένο Δεκέμβριο, δύο όμηροι είχαν χάσει τη ζωή τους όταν η αστυνομία εισέβαλε σε ένα καφέ στο Σίδνεϊ για να τερματίσει μια ομηρία που κράτησε 17 ώρες.

Την Παρασκευή, ένας Βρετανός ηλικίας 15 ετών καταδικάστηκε σε ισόβια κάθειρξη διότι υποκίνησε μια επίθεση σε μια εκδήλωση μνήμης για τον Α΄ Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο στην Αυστραλία από το υπνοδωμάτιό του, στη βόρεια Αγγλία.

Η ανακάλυψη των ενεργειών του εφήβου, πυροδότησε μια γιγαντιαία επιχείρηση της αστυνομίας στη Μελβούρνη, η οποία απέβη στη σύλληψη πέντε εφήβων που φέρονται να σχεδίαζαν μια επίθεση εμπνευσμένη από τις ενέργειες του Ισλαμικού Κράτους, σύμφωνα με τις αρχές.

Ο Αυστραλός πρωθυπουργός, Μάλκολμ Τέρνμπουλ, από τη Μελβούρνη όπου βρισκόταν για τον τελικό του φούτι, κάλεσε τους πολίτες να μη στραφούν αδιακρίτως εναντίον της κοινότητας των Μουσουλμάνων.

«Αυτό [το επεισόδιο] μοιάζει να ήταν μια πράξη βίας με πολιτικά κίνητρα, επομένως, σε αυτό το στάδιο, φαίνεται πως επρόκειτο για τρομοκρατική ενέργεια» είπε ο Τέρνμπουλ, μιλώντας σε δημοσιογράφους στη Μελβούρνη.

Ωστόσο, «δεν πρέπει να συκοφαντήσουμε ή να κατηγορήσουμε ολόκληρη τη μουσουλμανική κοινότητα για τις ενέργειες ενός, αληθινά, πολύ μικρού ποσοστού βίαιων εξτρεμιστών» πρόσθεσε.

Οι υπηρεσίες ασφαλείας της Αυστραλίας εκτιμούν ότι τουλάχιστον 70 Αυστραλοί υπήκοοι έχουν ενταχθεί στις τάξεις τζιχαντιστικών οργανώσεων που δρουν στη Μέση Ανατολή, ενώ κάνουν λόγο για περίπου 100 ακόμη πρόσωπα που τους παρέχουν διευκολύνσεις και υποστήριξη εντός της χώρας.

Πηγή:Νέος Κόσμος

Nick Xenophon takes on The Terminator

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Arnold Schwarzenegger in Sydney earlier this year promoting his latest Terminator film. Photo: AAP/Dan Himbrechts.

‘Hasta la vista baby’: Nick Xenophon wants Arnold Schwarzenegger back in Australia to help victims of scheme the movie star promoted.

Senator Nick Xenophon has written to former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, calling on him to return appearance fees for a company associated with a ‘land banking scheme’ that left hundreds of Australian investors out of pocket.

A Senate committee hearing in Melbourne on Thursday heard from the promoter and victims of the scheme. Land banking involves selling options on sites of potential future land development. One of the schemes promoted by 21st Century Group brought Mr Schwarzenegger to Australia to take part in its ‘2013 National Tour’ – a series of seminars that brought the company significant publicity – and investors.

In August, Australia’s corporate and securities regulator ASIC announced it had begun proceedings in the Federal Court against companies associated with the 21st Century Group in relation to five land banking schemes in Victoria and Queensland, which the companies promoted without a financial services licence.

The regulator has asked the court to appoint external managers to each of the schemes so that their operations can be investigated.

Investors reportedly could lose upward of $20 million from the schemes that Schwarzenegger is believed to have been paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to promote.

“It’s clear that there are many investors in these schemes that invested as a result of celebrities like Arnold Schwarzenegger coming along to these seminars and being a part of it,” Senator Xenophon told reporters.

“I think Mr Schwarzenegger has a moral obligation to have done his due diligence and at this stage he ought to be giving back the money he made from these seminars to the many, many people who have complaints about the investments they made.”

Senator Xenophon said celebrities needed to bear a degree of responsibility when investment schemes they endorse go wrong.

“I’m not in any way suggesting Arnold Schwarzenegger was aware of the history of this company, but now that many innocent battlers who invested in these schemes have been hurt, he should do all he can to assist.

“Schwarzenegger needs to come back to Australia to explain his involvement in these property-spruiking seminars,” he said.

source:neos kosmos

Turkey warns 3 mln more refugees may be headed to EU from Syria

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Turkey has warned the European Union that 3 million more refugees could flee fighting in Syria as the EU struggles to manage its biggest migration emergency in decades.

Around 2 million refugees from Syria are currently in Turkey, and tens of thousands of others have entered the EU via Greece this year, overwhelming coast guards and reception facilities.

EU Council President Donald Tusk told lawmakers Tuesday that “according to Turkish estimates, another 3 million potential refugees may come from Aleppo and its neighborhood.”

Tusk said that “today millions of potential refugees and migrants are dreaming about Europe.”

He warned that “the world around us does not intend to help Europe” and that some of the EU’s neighbors “look with satisfaction at our troubles.”

Meanwhile, Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann was heading to the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos with Greece’s prime minister to view first-hand the impact of the refugee crisis and tour the facilities set up to handle the new arrivals, which number in the hundreds and sometimes thousands every day.

Faymann and Greece’s Alexis Tsipras were due on Lesvos around midday Tuesday and are to tour the reception center set up to register and process the arriving refugees and migrants.

About 400,000 people have arrived in Greece so far this year, most in small overcrowded boats from the nearby Turkish coast. The vast majority don’t want to stay in the financially troubled country and head north through the Balkans to more prosperous European Union countries such as Austria, Germany and Sweden.

source:ekathimerini.com

EPL Roundup: Managerial Casualties; United And Chelsea Beaten; City Thrash Newcastle

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Game week 8 of the English Premier League produced many exciting games including Arsenal’s defeat of United and City thrashing Newcastle. But it was all overshadowed with the sacking of Brendan Rodgers from Liverpool and Dick Advocaat’s resignation from the Sunderland job.

It’s all over for Brendan Rodgers and Dick Advocaat

Brendan Rodgers’ tenure at Liverpool Football Club has been nothing but dramatic. From tiki-taka football in his first season to a ruthless high pressing, counter-attacking game in the second season, Rodgers enthralled Liverpool fans and nearly won the Premier League. Ever since the departure of Suarez, Liverpool have never been the same under him, and after a series of disappointing home draws, FSG decided they needed a new man at the helm. Rodgers’ last game, the Merseyside Derby draw at Goodison, summed up the last few months as Liverpool huffed and puffed after taking the lead. The Reds should be thankful to Mignolet’s saves and if it was not for the Belgian, the result would have been completely different.

Just like Brendan Rodgers, the writing was on the wall for Dick Advocaat. The Dutchman, who saved Sunderland by the skin of their teeth last season, simply could not get this Sunderland team to gel together, and despite a defiant draw against West Ham, Advocaat decided to quit. It is indeed worrying for the black cats with another relegation battle in prospect, but they can take heart from the fact that only 1/4th of the season has passed by, and a new manager has time to steady the ship.

Arsenal batter United

Arsenal gave the perfect response to the Champions League disappointment in midweek by beating United 3-0 at the Emirates.

It was the first time they beat their bitter rivals with a 2+ goal margin since 2002. The Arsenal front line of Ozil, Sanchez and Walcott were devastating with their blistering pace and basically won the game in the first 20 minutes. The aging United central midfield had no answer to Arsenal’s onslaught and it seemed for some time in the first half that this was an inverse of the 8-2 thrashing that United inflicted on Arsenal four years ago. United did rally around and Van Gaal’s men produced a much better performance in the second period but it was not enough to get them even a consolation goal.

Chelsea taught a footballing lesson by the Saints

If there is any lack of motivation from the ‘champions’, they can watch and learn from Southampton. The Saints, who keep losing their best players to big clubs every season, still do very well and punch above their weight. Koeman’s men produced the perfect away display by mugging Chelsea with a 3-1 victory in which they pressed very well and their finishing was clinical. Graziano Pelle bullied the Chelsea centre-halves throughout the game, and the likes of Mane, Tadic and Davies benefitted. Both team had contentious penalty appeals, and it was clearly another case of hypocrisy by the Chelsea boss, when he claimed the “referees are afraid to give decisions for Chelsea”. Southampton and Koeman have finally got into the groove, and you wouldn’t put it against them to replicate last season’s performances after an impressive win at The Bridge.

High Five for Kun Agüero

Sergio Agüero provided a master class on clinical finishing as he smashed five goals in a 6-1 win for City against a beleaguered Newcastle United side.

City supporters would have been ecstatic to see their top striker get back on the score sheets and it was also a day of jubilation for Fantasy Premier League managers who had the Argentine in their team. Pellegrini’s men turned on the afterburners in the second half after Newcastle took a shock lead in the first period. The Citizens once again reiterated that they are the team to beat in this league with Agüero, Silva and record signing de Bruyne looking very impressive with their movement and awareness. City fans would be disappointed to see the international break after two important victories, but as far as Newcastle are concerned, the break couldn’t have come at a better time.

The Tynesiders just have to let this moment pass and acknowledge City’s quality. The only positives that they can take from the game is the first half performance, and the fact that they are bottom of the league means they have only one way to go, i.e. the upward direction in the league table. The pressure is mounting on McClaren, and if Newcastle fail to beat Norwich in their next game at home, then there will be calls for a new replacement at Newcastle.

Palace, Leicester and Stoke grab wins, Eriksen shines for Spurs

Crystal Palace continued their impressive start under Pardew as they put in another terrific home performance to outclass West Bromwich Albion with a 2-0 win at Selhurst Park. A Mahrez-less Leicester edged Norwich 2-1 at Carrow Road and Stoke won away at Villa courtesy an Arnautovic strike. Christian Eriksen was the star of the day for Tottenham with his well taken free kicks. The Dane has now scored eight Premier League goals from outside the box since the start of last season, more than any other player. Meanwhile, newcomers Bournemouth and Watford played out a 1-1 draw at the Vitality stadium with Watford keeper Gomes having a brilliant game in front of goal.

source:thehardtackle.com

Erdogan mocks EU migrant efforts on eve of visit

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Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan appeared to mock European Union overtures for help with its migration crisis as he arrived for a long-awaited state visit to Brussels and a string of meetings with EU leaders set to start on Monday.

Erdogan, preparing for Nov. 1 parliamentary elections, boasted of Turkey’s record in taking 2 million refugees from neighboring Syria and Iraq, and contrasted it with the numbers passing through the bloc, in speeches to supporters.

“Europe is uncomfortable with even the smallest refugee flow,” he told a mass rally in Strasbourg, before flying on to Brussels late on Sunday and addressing another crowd from an open-top bus outside his hotel.

“What do they say to us? … ‘Oh my, don’t open your doors, don’t let them reach us. They should stay with you,'” Erdogan added in Strasbourg, according to Hurriyet newspaper.

The typically bullish speeches will concern European Union officials who are hoping to convince Erdogan to shelter more Syrian refugees in return for aid.

Erdogan’s trip, officially a state visit to Belgium, has been repeatedly postponed amid tensions over Turkey’s stalled bid to join the EU.

The bloc, long critical of what it sees as Erdogan’s growing authoritarianism, is now looking to Turkey’s most popular politician to help solve its worst migration crisis since the break-up of former Yugoslavia.

Diplomats say the focus is how to better manage the flows of migrants fleeing fighting and the brutality of Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq, which will be at the center of a major meeting in Luxembourg on Thursday of EU, Western Balkan and East Mediterranean countries.

The EU, which pledged at least 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) for Syrian refugees in Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and other countries last month, says it wants to help Turkey absorb and integrate more migrants on its own soil and cooperate closely with Greece in preventing mass migrant flows.

A German newspaper on Sunday said that the European Commission, the EU executive, had already agreed a plan with Ankara to stem the flow of refugees to Europe by patrolling Turkey’s frontier with Greece and setting up new camps.

But a senior EU official involved in negotiations with Turkey said the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung report, which detailed six new refugee camps for two million people, was “not in line with what we have been discussing”.

source:ekathimerini.com

Russia warned on Turkish airspace violations

epa04960479 A handout frame grab taken from video footage released by the Russian Defence Ministry's press service 02 October 2015 shows an airstrike carried out by Russian warplanes allegedly against positions belonging to the group calling itself the Islamic State (IS) near Maarat al-Numaan, Syria. According to the Defence Ministry Russian Su-25 jets conducted two strike missions having previously destroyed weapons stores. However, many are concerned the locations of Russian strikes doe not match known locations of IS activities, instead targeting other Syria opposition groups.  EPA/RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY PRESS SERVICE / HANDOUT  HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

Turkey has warned against violations of its airspace amid claims Moscow’s warplanes have been straying over the border from Syria, as NATO called an emergency meeting over the ‘unacceptable’ intrusion.

Ankara, a NATO member, protested to Moscow on Monday after its F-16 jets intercepted a Russian fighter plane that violated its air space near the Syrian border over the weekend, forcing it to turn back.
Two Turkish jets were also harassed by an unidentified MIG-29 on the Syrian border, Turkey’s army said.’
Our rules of engagement are clear whoever violates our air space,’ Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told Haber-Turk television.’
The Turkish Armed Forces are clearly instructed. Even if it is a flying bird, it will be intercepted,’ he added, but played down the idea of ‘a Turkey-Russia crisis’.’
Our channels with Russia remain open,’ he said, hoping that Moscow would give up on ‘wrong attitudes’.Foreign Minister Feridun Sinirlioglu contacted his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, warning him not to repeat similar incidents.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, meeting with Sinirlioglu in Brussels, criticised the ‘unacceptable violations of Turkish airspace by Russian combat aircraft’.’
I call on Russia to fully respect NATO airspace and avoid escalating tensions with the alliance,’
Stoltenberg said.Stoltenberg said ambassadors from NATO’s 28 member states would meet in the North Atlantic Council later on Monday to discuss the situation.
Turkey and Russia remain on opposing sides of the Syrian conflict, with Moscow one of the few allies of President Bashar al-Assad while Ankara backs a solution excluding the embattled leader.
Russian warplanes have been flying over Syrian territory since Wednesday, conducting air strikes on what Moscow says are IS group targets in the country’s northern and central provinces.
The strikes have been criticised by opposition backers like the United States, which leads a coalition already carrying out raids against IS in Syria.
A US official said on Monday the Russian airspace violation was probably deliberate.
source:skynews.com.au