Category Archives: Uncategorized

A man has been attacked by a shark at East Ballina on the NSW north coast on Tuesday evening.

The 20-year-old man sustained serious wounds to his left thigh after he was bitten by a shark while surfing off Lighthouse Beach at 6.25pm, police said.

The man made his own way back to shore where he was assisted by beachgoers.

Emergency services were called to the scene and the man was being rushed to Lismore Base Hospital in a serious but stable condition. Emergency services personnel remain on site.

The beach has been closed for a minimum of 24 hours.

Ballina has been rocked by numerous shark attacks this year.

Between February and August there have been 11 shark attacks, along a 20-kilometre stretch of northern NSW with Ballina, smack dab in the middle, is bearing the brunt.

Two people have died, three have been seriously mauled over the seven month period.

In February, a 41-year-old Japanese national, Tadashi Nakahara, died after an attack at Shelly Beach. The shark was believed to be a bull shark.

A “kill order” was authorised for the great white shark that mauled 32-year-old bodyboarder Matt Lee at Lighthouse Beach in July.

Lee suffered significant injuries to his lower legs as a result of the attack.

“Something has got to be done,” Ballina Mayor David Wright said in August.

“People have got to be protected and we’ve got to get on top of this thing quickly so that Ballina does not become a byword for shark attack,” Cr Wright said.
source:smh.com.au

A 16-year-old boy has been taken to hospital after being found chained to a bed in his family’s Blacktown home.

The teenager, who is believed to have autism, was found by a charity worker who had attended the home, police said.

He had allegedly been left in the house by himself and was chained to a bed in a back room of the small brick home while his mother was out shopping.

The boy was reportedly heard calling out for water when the charity worker arrived.

Police and paramedics arrived at the Mort Street just after midday on Tuesday and freed the teenager before removing him from the home on a stretcher.

The boy’s 38 year-old mother was arrested when she arrived back home around 12.30pm.

A shopping trolley full of food was still sitting in the front yard as police questioned the mother at the house.

Neighbours said the teenager had developmental problems and was one of five or six young children in the household.

“He can walk, he can jump, he can play. But he can’t talk. He can’t understand,” said a neighbour, who did not wished to be named.

She said the boy would often run in the street, sometimes naked.

She said the teenager was the oldest of at least five children.

“They are beautiful kids. We only say hello and goodbye, that’s it,” she said.

Another neighbour told reporters that the mother’s husband was in Africa and she had no one to help her care for the boy.

“No one can help her,” the neighbour said.

“Sometimes he like to run away,” she said.

Speaking outside the Mort Street address, a police officer confirmed the teenager had been taken to Westmead Hospital as a precaution.

“Mum and family are at Blacktown police station assisting us with inquiries,” the police woman said. “The young man is okay, he’s been taken there [Westmead hospital] for precautionary measures to be checked over by a doctor.”

NSW Fire & Rescue crew was also called to help remove the boy.
source:smh.com.au

«Πρωταθλήτριες» στα online ψεύδη αναδείχθηκαν οι γυναίκες της Αυστραλίας

Το ψέμα… πάει σύννεφο στα μέσα κοινωνικής δικτύωσης – και εκείνο που συνηθέστερα απ’ όλα χρησιμοποιείται είναι το «δεν έχω τίποτα, όλα καλά». Ωστόσο, δεν είναι το μόνο, σύμφωνα με μία νέα έρευνα.

Όπως συμβαίνει στην αληθινή ζωή, έτσι και στην διαδικτυακή άνδρες και γυναίκες γράφουν κάθε είδους ψέματα στο Facebook, το Twitter και το Instagram – με τις γυναίκες να γράφουν περισσότερα όσον αφορά τα έξοδά τους και τους άνδρες περισσότερα για την επικοινωνία.

Έτσι, τα συχνότερα ψέματα που λένε οι γυναίκες είναι κατά σειράν εμφανίσεως:

* Δεν έχω τίποτα, όλα καλά

* Α, δεν είναι καινούργιο, το έχω αιώνες

* Δεν ήταν ακριβό

* Το πήρα στις εκπτώσεις

* Τώρα, έρχομαι

* Δεν ξέρω πού είναι, δεν το ακούμπησα

* Δεν έχω πιει πολύ

* Έχω πονοκέφαλο

* Όχι, δεν το πέταξα

* Σόρυ, δεν σε πρόλαβα (σ.σ. στο τηλέφωνο)

Αντίστοιχα στους άντρες, τα συνηθέστερα ψέματα είναι τα εξής:

* Δεν έχω τίποτα, όλα καλά

* Είναι το τελευταίο μου ποτό

* Όχι, δεν σε παχαίνει αυτό που φοράς

* Δεν είχα σήμα

* Άδειασε η μπαταρία

* Σόρυ, δεν σε πρόλαβα (σ.σ. στο τηλέφωνο)

* Δεν ήπια και πολύ

* Τώρα, έρχομαι

* Δεν ήταν ακριβό

* Έχω κολλήσει στην κίνηση

Η ΕΡΕΥΝΑ

Η όλη έρευνα βασίσθηκε σε έναν ειδικό αλγόριθμο που επινόησαν οι αναλυτές του αυστραλιανού διαφημιστικού ομίλου «The Works», οι οποίοι θέλησαν να εξετάσουν πόσα και τι είδους ψέματα λένε οι χρήστες των μέσων κοινωνικής δικτύωσης.

Έτσι, συνεργάσθηκαν με τον δρα Σάρες Σουντ, ειδικό στην ενσωμάτωση των νέων τεχνολογιών στα επιχειρησιακά προγράμματα από το Ινστιτούτο Προχωρημένης Αναλυτικής του Πανεπιστημίου Τεχνολογίας του Σίδνεϊ (UTS).

Όπως εξηγούν στην ιστοσελίδα του προγράμματος, που ονομάζεται Datafication, η πρώτη τους κίνηση ήταν να δημιουργήσουν τον αλγόριθμο με βάση ό,τι είναι γνωστό για την ανίχνευση ψευδών στον διαδικτυακό γραπτό λόγο.

Συνολικά, ο αλγόριθμος εμπεριέχει 4.553 δείκτες, στους οποίους συμπεριλαμβάνονται η χρήση emoticons και η χρήση προσωπικής αντωνυμίας στο α’ πρόσωπο (εγώ, μου, με).

Με βάση όλους αυτούς τους δείκτες οι αναλυτές αξιολόγησαν πάνω από μισό εκατομμύριο τυχαία επιλεγμένα posts από τις τρεις πλατφόρμες, βαθμολογώντας και ταξινομώντας τα.

Περισσότερα από τα μισά διαπιστώθηκε ότι έγραφαν ψέματα, με τις γυναίκες να λένε τα περισσότερα αλλά για διαφορετικούς λόγους απ’ ό,τι οι άντρες.

«Σε πολλές περιπτώσεις οι γυναίκες γράφουν ψέματα για να νιώσουν καλά οι δέκτες των posts τους, ενώ οι άντρες γράφουν ψέματα για να κάνουν τον εαυτό τους να φαίνεται καλός», δήλωσε ο επικεφαλής του προγράμματος Datafication Ντάγκλας Νίκολ.

ΣΤΙΣ ΧΩΡΕΣ

Η έρευνα έδειξε επίσης πόσα ψέματα λένε οι διάφοροι λαοί.

«Πρωταθλήτριες» στα online ψεύδη αναδείχθηκαν οι γυναίκες της Αυστραλίας, με το 64% να έχουν κάνει ωραιοποιημένες ή ψευδείς δηλώσεις στο Twitter, το Facebook ή το Instagram, έναντι του μόλις 36% των αρρένων συμπατριωτών τους.

Σε επίπεδο πόλεων, ωστόσο, τα περισσότερα ψέματα λένε οι γυναίκες της Νέας Υόρκης και ακολουθούν οι γυναίκες του Περθ, του Μάντσεστερ, του Κάρντιφ και του Εδιμβούργου.

Στην έκτη θέση των online ψευτών βρίσκονται οι άντρες από το Μπρίσμπεϊν, και στην έβδομη οι γυναίκες από την Αδελαΐδα. Έπονται οι γυναίκες του Λος Άντζελες και της Μελβούρνης, ενώ την δεκάδα κλείνουν οι άντρες από το Λος Άντζελες.

Πηγή: Νέος Κόσμος

It is unknown exactly what the Colossus of Rhodes looked like, but popular representations show him placed at the harbour entrance. PHOTO: NEWS.COM.AU

A group of architects are proposing to rebuild one of the seven Wonders of the Ancient World – and to epic proportions.

Aiming to “put back on the map the island of Rhodes, beginning with the restoration of its historical value”, the team are looking to recreate the famed Colossus of Rhodes.

However, rather than replace the original 30-metre bronze statue, they wish to construct a “reimagining” of the Colossus with a height of 150 metres.

Reminiscent of the initial structure, it will act as a lighthouse and be fitted with a bronze-coloured skin, which will double as solar panels, while the interior will house a library and museum “to bring to light the hundreds of archaeological findings forgotten in the storerooms of the island”, the team said.

What little is known about the aesthetics and site of the 2,200-year-old monument is found in surviving ancient documents, with the Colossus believed to have been a bronze structure of a warrior standing over the entrance to the city’s harbour.

The statue was built in honour of Helios, the Greek god of the sun, for the defeat of an invading army of 40,000 soldiers, but was overturned by an earthquake just 56 years later.

Plans to rebuild the monument have been circulating for years, with an attempt in 2000 falling through due to a lack of financial support.
Though the ambitious project doesn’t have a financial backer, the architects aren’t disheartened in the slightest, hoping to crowdsource the funding online.

Source: news.com.au

School submissions at this year’s Greek Student Film Festival exceeded expectations.

For the fifth time in the Delphi Bank Greek Film Festival’s history, young aspiring filmmakers were given an opportunity to step up and be recognised.
Taking place at Melbourne’s Palace Cinema Como on Sunday, this year’s student competition attracted 18 entries from schools across Victoria and New South Wales.
In the Primary School Category, first place was awarded to the Greek Community of Melbourne’s Malvern Campus, followed by Alphington Grammar in second place, and Ahepa Greek School in third.

The Greek Community of Melbourne also took out first prize for the Secondary Category, but this time it was the city campus who came up with the winning goods.
St Dimitrios Parish and Northcote High School came equal second, with the Greek Community of Melbourne’s Balwyn Campus in third place.
Based on the theme ‘We are the World, Same but Different’, the five-minute films were judged according to a set of criteria including creativity, use of language and technical quality.
Since being introduced in 2010, Vicky Marinelis, senior project officer for languages at the Department of Education and Training, says the event has grown in popularity, with an increase in both entry numbers and submission quality.

While the student component of the festival is a great way to encourage creativity, education convener of the Greek Community of Melbourne Theo Markos says it’s also an enticing way of getting students to embrace Greek language and culture.
Ms Marinelis agrees, and says there are a number of benefits to using filmmaking in languages education.
“Through the Greek Student Film Festival, learners of Greek experience increased engagement, motivation and enjoyment in Greek language study through their involvement in the film-making process,” said Ms Marinelis.
The Delphi Bank 22nd Greek Film Festival took place from 14 October and 1 November in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra, and will head to Adelaide on 26 November, 2015.

Source:Neos Kosmos

The fight for language learning should be placed on the shoulders of Canberra, says George Zangalis, president and current affairs broadcaster of ethnic communities radio station 3ZZZ.

The sentiment was expressed in his address yesterday at the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) conference hosted at Sydney’s Sheraton on the Park.

In a highly-informative presentation on language learning, Mr Zangalis noted its decline since the Howard government scrapped the National Languages Policy “almost overnight” in 1998.

He claimed that though there have been worthwhile language campaigns, “they are not being pursued for implementation with consistency and vigour”.

“While every effort counts, a viable solution will not be found without national and state governments committed to long-term education and multicultural policies,” said Mr Zangalis, who also took part in a discussion on multicultural broadcasting and communications.

The two-day conference centring on the theme of multiculturalism in action and building a better future for all Australians, saw some of the country’s most esteemed decision makers and practitioners come together.

Among issues high on the agenda were domestic violence, Aboriginal recognition, ageing and the changing face of racism.

Officially opening the anticipated event on 5 November were FECCA chair Joe Caputo, NSW Minister for Multiculturalism John Ajaka ALC, and Peter Doukas, NSW Minister for Multiculturalism and chair of the Ethnic Communities Council.

Setting his sights on making a difference, Mr Caputo expressed that by the end of the conference, he hoped those involved would “come up with some major proposal that we’ll be advocating to the federal government,” he told SBS.

A pitch was also made for the case of a national multicultural act in the federal parliament, with Helen Kapalos, Chair of the Victorian Multicultural Commission a part of the panel discussion.

According to Sydney-based Themis Kallos, Executive Producer of SBS’s Greek Language Program, the conference was well received, exceeding expectations.

“People were very happy with what they’re seeing, and the participants and speakers were of a high calibre.

“I spoke with past participants and they said it’s one of the best conferences they’ve ever attended,” Mr Kallos told Neos Kosmos.
But for multiculturalism to be truly effective, Cr John Arkan of Coffs Harbour says the federal government needs to be representative of Australia’s diversity.

“When do we see these multicultural faces in the federal government? When is the true reflection of our society going to be seen in the federal arena? We need to raise the debate and we need to raise it at high levels,” said Cr Arkan.
While Mr Ajaka emphasised the need for greater collaboration between the various multicultural bodies across the country.

“The vast majority of us believe in working together first and foremost as Australians, very proud Australians and also having the right to follow aspects of our culture, aspects of our religion, aspects of our belief and again, we’re doing that incredibly well and we need to band together,” he explained.

Amongst those taking part in the conference were a number of Greek Australians, including FECCA Executive Eugenia Grammatikakis; Georgia Zogalis of Settlement Services International (SII); Ross Tzannes AM, former president of the Sydney Film Festival; Mary Patetsos, Aged Care Finance Authority; Dina Petrakis of SSI; amd Kathy Totidis of the Parents & Carers Committee of Homebush Boys High, amongst others.

source:Neos Kosmos

Πλημμύρες, χιονοθύελλες, επιδημίες γρίπης, ακόμα και μια πυρκαγιά -τίποτα δεν μπορεί να σταματήσει αυτές τις καλόγριες στο Ουισκόνσιν, οι οποίες υποστηρίζουν ότι προσεύχονται χωρίς διακοπή εδώ και 137 χρόνια.

Μέρα και νύχτα, οι Φραγκισκανές Αδελφές της Αέναης Λατρείας προσεύχονται για τους αρρώστους και τους ανήμπορους που ζητούν τη βοήθειά τους στην πόλη ΛαΚρος του Ουισκόνσιν.

Ακολουθώντας μια παράδοση αέναης λατρείας που ξεκίνησε στη Γαλλία το 1266, οι μοναχές προσεύχονται σε βάρδιες από τις 11 το πρωί της 1ης Αυγούστου 1878.

«Όταν μπαίνω στο παρεκκλήσι μπορώ να νιώσω αυτήν την απτή παρουσία να με κυριεύει» λέει στο Associated Press η αδελφή Σάρα Χένεσι που συντονίζει τις προσευχές.

Οι προσευχές δεν σταμάτησαν ακόμα κι όταν ξέσπασε φωτιά σε διπλανό κτήριο το 1923. Ούτε στις πλημμύρες του 1965, ούτε σε επιδημίες ή χιονοθύελλες.

Παρόλα αυτά, το μοναστήρι αναγκάστηκε να ζητήσει τη βοήθεια πιστών όταν οι μοναχές άρχισαν να λιγοστεύουν το 1997. Σήμερα, απλοί πολίτες αναλαμβάνουν να προσευχηθούν σε βάρδιες, συχνά το πρωί, πριν πάνε στις δουλειές τους.

Όλοι μπορούν να ζητήσουν από τις καλόγριες να προσευχηθούν γι΄αυτούς. Μόνο τα τελευταία δέκα χρόνια, η λίστα ξεπέρασε τα 100.000 άτομα, λέει το μοναστήρι.

Οι μοναχές έχουν προσευχηθεί μεταξύ άλλων για την Λόρα Χιούμπερ, 52 ετών, η οποία διαπίστωσε πριν από δέκα μήνες ότι πάσχει από καρκίνο του μαστού.

«Η προσευχή με δυνάμωσε με τρόπους που ποτέ δεν μπόρεσα να αρθρώσω» λέει η ίδια. «Νιώθω την θαλπωρή και την αγάπη αγνώστων και αυτό είναι υπέροχο συναίσθημα».

Πηγή:in.gr

Μια διαφορετική ιδέα κατέθεσε ο επικεφαλής της Υπηρεσίας Δίωξης Ναρκωτικών της Ινδονησίας σχετικά με τα σωφρονιστικά καταστήματα της χώρας.

Πρότεινε να κατασκευαστεί μια φυλακή για τους θανατοποινίτες εμπόρους ναρκωτικών, όπου αντί για δεσμοφύλακες θα αναλάβουν… κροκόδειλοι.

Όπως μετέδωσε το BBC, ο Μπούντι Βασέσο επιχειρηματολόγησε λέγοντας ότι οι κροκόδειλοι είναι καλύτεροι φύλακες, αφού δεν δωροδοκούνται, άρα δεν υπάρχει περίπτωση να δραπετεύσει κρατούμενος.

Ο ίδιος είπε ότι θα ξεκινήσει περιοδεία στο Αρχιπέλαγος της Ινδονησίας για να εντοπίσει τους κατάλληλους φρουρούς.

Η Ινδονησία έχει μια εξαιρετικά σκληρή νομοθεσία κατά των ναρκωτικών, ενώ το 2013 έβαλε τέλος στο μορατόριουμ αναστολής των εκτελέσεων των καταδικασμένων σε θάνατο.

Πηγή:in.gr

Berlin, Germany: Germany needs to send a message to the world that it’s reaching the limit of its capacity to help Europe’s flood of migrants, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said on Sunday, as he advocated restricting family reunions for Syrian refugees.

Germany has become a magnet for people fleeing war and violence in the Middle East. It expects 800,000 to a million refugees and migrants to arrive this year, twice as many as in any prior year.

“We need to send a clear message to the world: we are very much prepared to help, we’ve shown that we are, but our possibilities are also limited,” Schaeuble said in an interview with ARD television.
The pace and scale of the influx has put pressure on local communities and opened a rift among the ruling coalition parties over the best way to handle the crisis.

The divisions re-opened over the weekend, after Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said in future Syrian refugees would receive modified refugee status and be barred from having family members join them, a statement he later retracted.

The Social Democrats (SPD), who share power with Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives, rejected that proposal.

Schaueble, however, spoke out in favour of the measure and said it was a proposal that the government was examining in detail.

“I think it’s a necessary decision and I’m very much in favour that we agree on this in the coalition,” he said.

Horst Seehofer, the leader of Merkel’s Bavarian allies, the Christian Social Union (CSU), also backed de Maiziere’s suggestion, telling the Sueddeutsche Zeitung that the refugee status of Syrians should be individually checked.

The latest row comes after the coalition ended weeks of infighting on Thursday evening on how to speed up the deportation of asylum seekers who have little chance of being allowed to stay.

Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, who is also leader of the SPD, said it was important that the government first implement the measures it had agreed to rather than coming up with new ones on a daily basis.

“This creates the impression that in the German government the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing,” he said.

source:ndtv.com

Police estimate that two men riding a shopping trolley down a steep hill in Sydney’s east overnight reached speeds of up to 80km/h before they crashed into a vehicle, killing one of the men and critically injuring the other.

One of the men was riding in the metal shopping trolley while the other was standing on the back of the trolley as they travelled down Coogee Bay Road in Randwick about 12.20am on Tuesday.

Chief Inspector Chris Stiles said the men, both aged 28 and originally from Sweden, were believed to have crossed to the incorrect side of the road near Coogee Bay Road’s intersection with Judge Street.

They crashed at high speed into a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction. Both men were thrown from the trolley onto the road and suffered critical injuries.

“The estimate is that the men were travelling about 80km/h in the trolley, so they had certainly gathered some speed,” Chief Inspector Stiles said.

One of the men died at the scene, while paramedics treated the second man before taking him to St Vincent’s Hospital, where he remained on Tuesday morning.

The 45-year-old male driver of the vehicle was not injured, and was taken to hospital for mandatory testing.

Chief Inspector Stiles said one of the Swedish men had been living in Australia for the past two years, and his friend had arrived about a week ago to visit him.

“It sounds like they might have had a bit of fun together, resulting in this terrible incident,” he said.

Chief Inspector Stiles said it was not clear what the pair had been doing before deciding to ride the trolley down the steep road, and police would investigate whether alcohol was involved.

He said it was a terrible and traumatic situation for the two men and the driver of the vehicle, who had given a statement to police about what happened.

The trolley remained near the intersection on Tuesday morning, its front left side badly damaged from the impact.

Police are continuing to investigate the crash.

The 45-year-old male driver of the vehicle was not injured, and was taken to hospital for mandatory testing.

Chief Inspector Stiles said one of the Swedish men had been living in Australia for the past two years, and his friend had arrived about a week ago to visit him.

“It sounds like they might have had a bit of fun together, resulting in this terrible incident,” he said.

Chief Inspector Stiles said it was not clear what the pair had been doing before deciding to ride the trolley down the steep road, and police would investigate whether alcohol was involved.

He said it was a terrible and traumatic situation for the two men and the driver of the vehicle, who had given a statement to police about what happened.

The trolley remained near the intersection on Tuesday morning, its front left side badly damaged from the impact.

Police are continuing to investigate the crash.

source:smh.com.au