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Moscow: Days after Islamic State jihadists struck Paris with multiple, co-ordinated terror attacks, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that the terrorists were receiving funding from at least 40 countries.

Some of these countries are members of the G20 grouping, Putin added.

Putin made the revelation when he shared the Russian intelligence data on the Islamic State financing during the just-concluded G20 meet in Turkey’s Antalya.

The G20 meet was held in the immediate aftermath of the Paris terror attacks that left 129 dead and hundreds injured.

“I provided examples based on our data on the financing of different Islamic State units by private individuals. This money, as we have established, comes from 40 countries and, there are some of the G20 members among them,” Putin told the journalists, detailing what he told his G20 colleagues over the weekend.

At the G20 Summit, Putin also spoke of the illegal trade in oil that helps the Islamic State earn huge amounts of revenue.

“I’ve shown our colleagues photos taken from space and from aircraft which clearly demonstrate the scale of the illegal trade in oil and petroleum products,” he said.

“The motorcade of refueling vehicles stretched for dozens of kilometers, so that from a height of 4,000 to 5,000 meters they stretch beyond the horizon,” the Russian President added.

source:india.com

Concern about extending Rupert Murdoch’s dominance of the Australian media market is fuelling debate within Labor about whether to back the Turnbull government’s relaxation of media ownership laws.

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield is expected to present a broad package to the cabinet next week that includes abolishing the “two out of three rule” that restricts media companies from owning a TV network, newspaper and radio station in the same market.

This will be coupled with abolishing the “reach rule”, which bans TV networks from broadcasting to more than 75 per cent of the population.

The government is also said to be willing to make some changes to the sports anti-siphoning list, as well as reducing TV licensing fees.

Senator Fifield has been convinced that a comprehensive set of reforms is needed, rather than “cherry-picked” measures that would advantage some commercial players.

Removing the cross-media ownership laws could trigger a new round of media mergers, allowing Fairfax Media to merge with the Nine Network, for example.

Winning Labor’s support would allow the government to avoid protracted horse-trading with the eight Senate crossbenchers.

Labor will back the abolition of the reach rule, but removing the two-out-of-three rule is seen as more controversial within the party.
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Fairfax Media understands Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and communications spokesman Jason Clare are willing to support scrapping the two-out-of-three rule and are open to negotiating a deal with the government. Lobbyists from the major media players have made a persuasive case in Canberra that the laws are outdated in the digital age.

An industry source said significant momentum had grown within Labor over recent weeks in support of change.

But Labor powerbrokers such as former communications minister Stephen Conroy, industry spokesman Kim Carr and former treasurer Wayne Swan are said to have concerns about any move that could advantage Mr Murdoch’s News Corp Australia, which publishes The Australian, The Daily Telegraph other newspapers, and co-owns Foxtel.

During the Gillard era, Senator Conroy led a failed push to regulate the print media, which was widely seen as payback for alleged bias at News Corp.

“A lot of people are saying, ‘We hate News Corp; why would we help them?” a Labor source said.

Fairfax Media and the Nine Network have, in fact, been the strongest advocates of scrapping “two out of three”, while News Corp has prioritised the watering down of the anti-siphoning list.

Left-wing Labor MPs are also concerned that scrapping cross-media ownership laws would lead to a weakening of media diversity and job losses as companies consolidate their operations.

The Hawke government’s relaxation of cross-media ownership laws in the 1980s paved the way for Mr Murdoch to control most of the nation’s newspapers, a move many in Labor regret.

A spokesman for Mr Clare said Labor would consider the issue when the government finalises its proposals.

As communications minister, Malcolm Turnbull proposed scrapping both the two-out-of-three and reach rules but was blocked by then prime minister Tony Abbott. Kerry Stokes’ Seven West Media had lobbied strongly against reform.

source:theherald.com.au

Ο Λιονέλ Μέσι επέστρεψε στις προπονήσεις της Μπαρτσελόνα, πέντε ημέρες προτού οι -πρωτοπόροι της βαθμολογίας- «μπλαουγκράνα» αντιμετωπίσουν στη Μαδρίτη την -δεύτερη της κατάταξης- Ρεάλ, στο πρώτο από τα δύο “Clasico” της σεζόν για το ισπανικό πρωτάθλημα.

Ο Αργεντινός επιθετικός είχε τεθεί εκτός «μάχης» λόγω τραυματισμού στο γόνατο από τα τέλη Σεπτεμβρίου, στερώντας τους πρωταθλητές Ευρώπης και Ισπανίας από το… φονικότερο «όπλο» τους.

Παρά την απουσία του Μέσι, ωστόσο, οι Καταλανοί έχουν παρουσιάσει καλό πρόσωπο, στηριζόμενοι κυρίως στους φορμαρισμένους Λουίς Σουάρες και Νεϊμάρ.

«Στην προπόνηση μετείχε ο Λέο Μέσι, ο οποίος συνεχίζει την ανάρρωσή του από τον τραυματισμό στο αριστερό γόνατο που υπέστη στις 26 Σεπτεμβρίου» αναφέρει η ανακοίνωση στην ιστοσελίδα της «Μπάρτσα» και προσθέτει ότι επέστρεψε στις προπονήσεις και ο Ιβάν Ράκιτιτς, ο οποίος είχε τεθεί «νοκ άουτ» από την αναμέτρηση της 4ης Νοεμβρίου με την ΜΠΑΤΕ Μπορίσοφ για το Champions League, λόγω προβλήματος στη γάμπα.

Πηγή:in.gr

Η Μαίρη Κωστακίδη

Το ALP πλησίασε τους Ελένη Κάπαλου, Μαίρη Κωστακίδη και Λάμπρο Ταπεινό.

Τα ονόματα τριών ομογενών συγκαταλέγονται ανάμεσα στον κατάλογο των ατόμων που εξετάζει το Εργατικό Κόμμα, προκειμένου να αποφασίσει ποιος τελικά θα θέσει υποψηφιότητα για να πάρει το χρίσμα της έδρας Wills στη Βικτώρια, από την οποία πριν από λίγες μέρες ανακοίνωσε ότι παραιτείται ο επί εικοσαετία βουλευτής, Κelvin Thomson.

Πρόκειται για τη δημοσιογράφο και πρώην εκφωνήτρια ειδήσεων του καναλιού της SBS Μαίρη Κωστακίδη, την επικεφαλής της Επιτροπής Πολυπολιτισμικών Υποθέσεων της Βικτώριας και πρώην δημοσιογράφο, Ελένη Κάπαλου, γνωστές τηλεοπτικές προσωπικότητες της χώρας και τον νυν δημοτικό σύμβουλο και πρώην δήμαρχο Moreland, Λάμπρο Ταπεινό, τους οποίους, όπως έγινε γνωστό, πλησίασαν στελέχη του Κόμματος.

Οι δύο κυρίες της αυστραλιανής τηλεόρασης δήλωναν την Πέμπτη ότι δεν ενδιαφέρονται για τη θέση του βουλευτή, ενώ ανοικτό παραμένει το ενδεχόμενο ο κ. Ταπεινός να εισέλθει στο στίβο της ομοσπονδιακής πολιτικής σκηνής της χώρας.

Κάποια άλλα ονόματα που ακούστηκαν ως πιθανά να διεκδικήσουν το χρίσμα, είναι ο πρώην πολιτειακός γερουσιαστής, Mehmet Tillem, στενός συνεργάτης του πρώην υπουργού Stephen Conroy, η επίσης δημοτική σύμβουλος Moreland, Meghan Hopper, αλλά και ο Peter Khalil, πρώην διευθυντής του Τμήματος Εταιρικών Σχέσεων του SBS.

Στην έδρα Wills της Βικτώριας -στην οποία συμπεριλαμβάνονται τα προάστια Brunswick, Coburg, Pascoe Vale, Glenroy και Fawkner-, επικρατεί η δεξιά πτέρυγα του Κόμματος. Παρά το γεγονός ότι η έδρα αυτή θεωρείται μέχρι σήμερα μία από τις πλέον ασφαλείς έδρες των Εργατικών, δημογραφικές αλλαγές στην περιοχή έχουν θορυβήσει την ηγεσία που βλέπει πλέον πιθανή την απώλειά της, λόγω της αυξανόμενης συν τω χρόνω δύναμης των Πρασίνων σ’ αυτή.

Στελέχη των φατριών του κόμματος, θεωρούν ότι η απειλή να χάσει το Εργατικό Κόμμα την έδρα είναι άμεση -ίσως και στις επόμενες ομοσπονδιακές εκλογές- καθώς φοβούνται ότι αν ο Phil Cleary, αποφασίσει τελικά να θέσει υποψηφιότητα ως ανεξάρτητος στις επόμενες εκλογές και το Φιλελεύθερο Κόμμα κατανείμει ευνοϊκά προς αυτόν τις δεύτερες προτιμήσεις του, τότε η έδρα Wills θα περάσει στα χέρια του.

Μέχρι στιγμής, ο Phil Cleary – ο οποίος, να σημειωθεί, είχε και στο παρελθόν διατελέσει βουλευτής της περιοχής-, δεν έχει ξεκαθαρίσει αν, τελικά, θα θέσει υποψηφιότητα στις επόμενες εκλογές, ενώ όπως ακούγεται στους διαδρόμους της εξουσίας, το Φιλελεύθερο Κόμμα εξετάζει σοβαρά το ενδεχόμενο να δώσει τις προτιμήσεις του στους Πράσινους θέτοντας το Εργατικό Κόμμα στην τρίτη θέση.

Εμμέσως πλην σαφώς, τη στάση αυτή του Φιλελεύθερου Κόμματος επιβεβαίωσε και ο πρόεδρος του κόμματος στη Βικτώρια, Michael Kroger, ο οποίος είπε, ότι μόνο αν οι Πράσινοι κατεβάσουν ως υποψήφιο κάποιο «εξτρεμιστή συνδικαλιστή», το κόμμα θα δώσει τις δεύτερες προτιμήσεις του στο Εργατικό Κόμμα.

Πάντως, μέχρι στιγμής, ο μόνος που έχει επιβεβαιώσει ότι θα θέσει υποψηφιότητα για την έδρα είναι ο πρώην δημοτικός σύμβουλος Yarra, κ. Joshua Funder, ο οποίος θα κατέβει ως ανεξάρτητος.

Πηγή:Νέος Κόσμος

Crisis fallout: Greek ‘brain drain’ means the countries most talented leave.

The brain-drain saga goes on

One in three young people in Greece aged between 18 and 24 wants to leave the country due to its financial problems.

This year’s European Consumer Payment Report, conducted by Swedish company Intrum Justitia, showed that 32 percent of school leavers would rather seek a better life in another country, as the unemployment rate in that age group amounts to 49 percent.

Even more worrying is the finding that just 41 percent of young Greeks – the lowest rate among the 21 European countries where the survey was conducted – believe they have a chance of improving their lives. The average rate in Europe is 67 percent.

Last year the rate of young people who wanted to leave had been much higher, at 53 percent. The decline does not necessarily mean they think things have improved in Greece, as the report notes: They may not have the money to relocate to another country or are so disappointed – as the survey’s other findings show – that they think they do not stand any chance of improving their finances or their lives in general.

“This could be the first time in modern history a generation enjoys fewer economic opportunities than their parents,” said Intrum Justitia head Erik Forsberg.

Source: Kathimerini

Victoria’s Multicultural Commissioner Helen Kapalos.

Pre-selection for federal seat tests Labor’s local democracy credentials

With polls showing that Malcolm Turnbull has given the Coalition the biggest lead over Labor in two years, the ALP have controversially begun sounding out television celebrities as potential pre-selection candidates for the federal seat of Wills in Melbourne’s north west – and two of the highest-profile names are from the Greek Australian community.

Former Seven Network journalist Helen Kapalos, now Victoria’s multicultural commissioner, has reportedly been approached and has declined the offer, while ex-SBS presenter Mary Kostakidis has also been touted as a candidate but is believed to have said she’s not interested.

While the Wills seat appears safe for Labor on paper – sitting candidate Kelvin Thomson won in 2013 with a two-party-preferred vote of 65 per cent – the ALP is fearful the Greens could overturn the seat that Thomson has held for 20 years, with the Liberal Party considering placing the Greens ahead of the ALP in its preferences.

The Wills electorate covers Brunswick, Coburg, Pascoe Vale, Glenroy and Fawkner.

Controlled by Labor’s right, the local party has become increasingly divided and a number of competing sub-factions are likely to put forward their own pre-selection candidates.
This week Moreland councillor Lambros Tapinos threw his hat into the ring.
Speaking exclusively to Neos Kosmos Cr Tapinos that he would be putting put his name forward subject to discussions with local party members.
“I’m certainly interested but there’s a process to go through,” he said. “But the national executive has absolute power.”
Cr Tapinos, who has served on the Moreland City Council (which covers much of the Wills electorate) for seven years, said he hoped the national executive would agree to a local ballot to decide the candidacy.

“Bill Shorten has spoken about the need for decisions to be made locally, and we don’t want someone flown in,” he said.
“We need local people, people who are engaged in the area.” Cr Tapinos has twice been Mayor of Moreland.

Among other possible preselection candidates are fellow Moreland councillor Meghan Hopper, former senator Mehmet Tillem, ex-Yarra councillor Joshua Funder, and Peter Khalil, a former SBS director of corporate affairs.
Other names in the mix include ALP staffers Ben Maxfield, Anthony Cianflone​, Anna-Maria Arabia and Mamamia editor Jamila Rizvi​.

source:Neos Kosmos

Alexis Tsipras in Turkey. AFP photo

“The registration and relocation of refugees should be carried out from Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan, not Greece”- Yiannis Mouzalas.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is due to start an official visit to Turkey on Tuesday for talks that are to focus on the refugee crisis with a renewed sense of urgency after authorities established that one of the suspected terrorists in the Paris attacks traveled through Greece with a Syrian passport on the migrant Balkan trail.

Tsipras is to begin his visit to Istanbul by attending a friendly match between the Greek and Turkish national soccer teams with his counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu on Tuesday. On Wednesday, following a meeting with Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios, Tsipras is to travel to Ankara, where he is to have talks with Davutoglu and meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

A series of Greek government officials have emphasized that the refugee crisis and the problem of terrorism should not be confused. Several European officials including European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker have made similar statements, as has Erdogan.

Although Greek government officials appear to be buoyed by such positive statements, there are fears that any shift in European policy on the refugee crisis could put more pressure on Greece, which is already struggling with an influx of migrants seeking to enter Europe via the Aegean.

“It is quite likely that powerful countries will backtrack and change stance,” one senior government official told Kathimerini.

On Sunday, Greece’s minister responsible for migration issues, Yiannis Mouzalas, said the registration and relocation of refugees should be carried out from Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan, not Greece.

Source: Kathimerini

Man suspected of coordinating Paris attacks was sought in Greece in January

Greek authorities conducted in January an operation in Athens to track down 27-year-old Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the alleged mastermind of the terrorist attacks in Paris.

At the time, there were indications that Abaaoud was directing a jihadi cell in Verviers, Belgium, from Athens. Two suspects were shot dead in a fierce gun battle with police during the raid in the town on January 15.

As Kathimerini had reported, on the same day as the police raid in Verviers authorities in Athens were searching for a suspect believed to have a mobile phone via which he appeared to be coordinating the jihadists, who were said to be planning an attack against the Belgian police.

According to a well-informed source, the search took place in the area of Omonia, central Athens, as that is where the phone had been traced. Members of the Greek anti-terrorist squad, as well as officers from foreign intelligence services took part in the operation.

An official from the Citizens’ Protection Ministry in Athens said that officers from Europol had visited Athens at the time to help track Abaaoud, whose codename is “Omar.”

Sources told Kathimerini that Belgian officers noticed calls from the Verviers cell to an accomplice in Athens from January 2. No suspect was found during the search on January 15 and the SIM card in the mobile phone in questions ceased to be used following the police raid in Belgium.

Greek officers asked for information from mobile phone companies and were informed that one of the connections used by the suspect could be traced to the Athens neighborhood of Pangrati.

On January 17, Greek police arrested two people at a ground-floor apartment in Pangrati and searched one more property in Athens. A 33-year-old Algerian man named Omar Damas was found in possession of the phone used to communicate with the Verviers cell.

Damas, who had lived in Greece since 2011 and who had served time in jail for robbery, was extradited to Belgium. Greek authorities, however, continued to investigate whether the Algerian had links to Abaaoud or with a Greek of Syrian origins who had left the country to fight for the so-called Islamic State. The latter is said to have left for Syria after his brother was killed fighting for IS.

Abaaoud is currently thought to be in Syria. According to RTL Radio he is from the Molenbeek suburb of Brussels, home to other members of the militant Islamist cell that carried out the Paris attacks.

“He appears to be the brains behind several planned attacks in Europe,” a source close to the French investigation told Reuters.

Source: Kathimerini

After placing 5th in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2015, Australia will compete in the semi finals in 2016

History was made in Vienna earlier this year when Australia debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest. Initially envisaged as a one-off to celebrate the event’s 60th anniversary and Australia’s long tradition of broadcasting the show, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and Australian broadcaster SBS are proud to announce that Australia will participate again in 2016.
“The feedback we got from viewers, fans, press and the broadcasters after Australia’s participation in Vienna was overwhelmingly positive,” says Jon Ola Sand, Executive Supervisor of the contest on behalf of the EBU. “We strongly believe the Eurovision Song Contest has the potential to evolve organically into a truly global event. Australia’s continued participation is an exciting step in that direction, “It remains to be seen what such an event may look like in the long run,” Sand continues.

In Vienna, Australia was guaranteed a spot in the final. Next year, Australia will have to compete in one of the two Semi-Finals. Australia’s participation is secured for 2016, but it is yet to be decided whether Australia will become a permanent participant in the contest.

“SBS is thrilled to have secured this opportunity for Australia to compete at Stockholm in 2016 and thank the European Broadcasting Union for their invitation. The Eurovision Song Contest is a wonderful example of cultural diversity and social inclusion and our continued participation offers a fantastic opportunity to showcase Australian musical talent in a truly international multicultural celebration. Production partner Blink TV have been integral in supporting our ambition to build Australia’s presence on the world’s biggest stage and together we look forward to again bringing the Eurovision experience to our screens.” says CEO and Managing Director SBS, Michael Ebeid. Earlier this year, Australia was represented by megastar Guy Sebastian who finished 5th in the Grand Final with Tonight Again.

Source: http://www.eurovision.tv

Ο Αμπντελχαμίντ Αμπαούντ από το Μόλενμπεκ του Βελγίου, ο οποίος βρίσκεται στη Συρία, είναι ο εγκέφαλος πίσω από τις επιθέσεις στο Παρίσι, σύμφωνα με πηγές από την γαλλική έρευνα.

Ο ίδιος φέρεται να βρίσκεται μεταξύ άλλων και πίσω από την απόπειρα επίθεσης στο τρένο της Thalys.

Τις πληροφορίες επικαλούνται το Reuters και το Associated Press (AP). Οι πηγές που επικαλείται το Reuters αναφέρουν πως ο 27χρονος Αμπαούντ «φαίνεται να είναι ο εγκέφαλος πίσω από τον σχεδιασμό αρκετών επιθέσεων στην Ευρώπη».

Το AP αναφέρει πως ο Αμπαούντ θεωρείται όχι μόνο σχεδιαστής του μακελειού της Παρασκευής, αλλά και της αποτυχημένης απόπειρας στο τρένο της Thalys το καλοκαίρι, όπως και πίσω από επίθεση σε εκκλησία στην περιοχή του Παρισιού.

Σύμφωνα με το Reuters, ο Αμπαούντ βρίσκεται στη Συρία. Ο Αμπαούντ επίσης φέρεται να αναφέρεται ως διασύνδεση στου Ιμπραΐμ Αμντεσλάμ (δράστης στις επιθέσεις, αδελφός του καταζητούμενου).

Προηγουμένως, η Liberation τον είχε αναφέρει επίσης ως σύνδεσμος του φοιτητή Σιντ Αχμέντ Γκλαμ, ο οποίος είχε συλληφθεί τον Απρίλιο για μία δολοφονία.

Σύμφωνα επίσης με πληροφορίες, στα μέσα Ιανουαρίου είχε διεξαχθεί έρευνα στο κέντρο της Αθήνας για τον εντοπισμό του καταζητούμενου Αμπντελχαμίντ Αμπαούντ καθώς υπήρχαν ενδείξεις ότι κατεύθυνε από την ελληνική πρωτεύουσα μέσω κινητού τηλεφώνου τον πυρήνα τζιχαντιστών που είχε εξαρθρωθεί στην πόλη Βερβιέ του Βελγίου. Στο πλαίσιο της έρευνας είχαν γίνει έρευνες και σε διαμέρισμα στο Παγκράτι όπου είχαν γίνει προσαγωγές υπόπτων.

Πηγή:in.gr