Saturday, February 27, 2010
Australia joins hunt for killers
AUSTRALIAN authorities are working in an international team to track down the killers of a top Hamas militant who are suspected of being Israeli agents. A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed Australian officials were ''co-operating'' with the investigation being run by Dubai authorities, although he declined to discuss what that involved.
Thee Australian Federal Police also declined to comment.
But Dubai's police chief Dhahi Khalfan was reported in the government-owned Al-Bayan daily as saying Australia would be part of an international police unit along with officers from at least seven other countries. The unit would seek to track down those responsible for the murder of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, whose body was found in a Dubai hotel room on January 20.
Thenewspaper quoted Mr Khalfan as saying that officers from the United Arab Emirates, unspecified European countries, Australia and possibly the United States would be part of the team. The team is also believed to include authorities from Britain, Ireland, France and Germany.
Israell has come under mounting international pressure after Dubai police published details of 26 suspects and said that 12 British, six Irish, four French, one German and three Australian passports were used to help carry out the assassination.
The international police organisation Interpol has circulated warrants for the arrest of 11 suspects. Dubai later said it had 15 other suspects.
Revelationsof stolen identities being used by suspected Israeli agents has caused an international outcry, with Australia threatening it would ''not be silent on the matter'' and Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin saying ''we are very angry''.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith last week called in the Israeli ambassador for a explanation. Yesterday, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said the government was still ''not satisfied with that explanation''.
Israel has said there is no evidence that its spy agency, the Mossad, was behind the killing.
Meanwhile, police in Dubai say they have DNA evidence to prove the identity of at least one of the assassins involved.
Source:theage.com.au/
Australia Tsunami warning
There has been an Australia tsunami warning following the huge earthquake which hit Chile today. The 8.8 magnitude quake has devastated central Chile, and its force has been felt in every direction – which has prompted this Australia tsunami warning.
Australia Tsunami warning
The President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, declared a ‘State of Catastrophe’ – and has also told people to remain calm and stay safe.
The huge tremor hit the country in the morning, just before 7am. At least 13 people have been reported killed in the capital Santiago, which felt the full force of the earth’s movement. Many buildings collapsed, including a car-park – however, Chile is a country which is well prepared for earthquakes, and many of its buildings withstood the impact.
The President appealed to the people: “People should remain calm. We’re doing everything we can with all the forces we have. Any information [that we have] we will share immediately.”
Australis’s tsunami warning will come as a shock, as they may have considered themselves too far from the epicentre to be affected – but people are advised to act responsibly and stay tuned to state media for advice and instruction.
Give us your news and views – have you heard more about the Australia tsunami warning?
Source:breakingnewsandsport.com/
India safe for IPL, Australians told
AUSTRALIA'S IPL cricketers are set to run the gauntlet and play in the Indian Premier League after an official from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade delivered a secret briefing to players in Christchurch yesterday. The key piece of information was that DFAT's travel advice was unchanged from last year when Australia visited India without any security issues.
Members of the Australian Twenty20 squad who are contracted to Indian franchises attended the 20-minute briefing session. Independent security consultant Reg Dickason and Australian Cricketers' Association boss Paul Marsh were on a telephone hook-up. It is understood the players were told that a recent threat from the al-Qaeda-linked 313 Brigade was not credible.
''As you know, the travel advisory for India hasn't changed in 12 months,'' Cricket Australia general manager Michael Brown said after the meeting. ''The purpose today was to give the players as much information as possible. It's not just the cricketers involved. We've got staff going to the IPL, there's a whole lot of state physios, coaches, state players.
''Our position is just saying, 'Look, this is what we know'. The IPL isn't an issue for us because we don't have an Australian team - but we are privy to a whole lot of information that we get in our normal processes. DFAT said they would be happy to give the players a personal briefing. We said we would take the invitation.''
Australia's other IPL players and staff who are not in New Zealand, including retired stars such as Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden, will receive the same information tomorrow.
''The reality is we're living in a world where terrorism is part of our lives,'' Brown said. ''Right up until the day you depart, it can change. Who would have thought about London, who would have thought about Mumbai, Lahore? The reality is you've got to make your decisions based on the best information.
''The advice simply from the government is that the travel advisory for India hasn't changed. It doesn't mean it can't change between now and the start of the tournament. No decisions were made today. It was purely an information session. We want people to make informed decisions.''
The DFAT website warns visitors to India to exercise a high degree of caution, but it has not upgraded its warning since the direct threat from the 313 Brigade - which listed the Hockey World Cup, the IPL and the Commonwealth Games as targets. The Kookaburras had already proceeded to Delhi for the Hockey World Cup after receiving the same advice from DFAT.
Tim May, chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers, said it was regrettable that players were still unclear about security arrangements for the tournament and warned there could still be mass withdrawals. Franchises are refusing to divulge their security plans.
''There are just 13 days before the start of the tournament and security arrangements have still not been agreed,'' he said. ''We would love to tell the players it is OK for them to go … But we can't give that assurance at the moment.''
Source:smh.com.au/
Friday, February 5, 2010
Smith stars for Australia
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New South Wales prodigy Steven Smith lived up to the hype after making an international debut to remember as Australia snatched Twenty20 victory from the jaws of defeat against Pakistan at the MCG.
The leg-spinning all-rounder - who was one of two debutants along with Tasmania batsman Travis Birt - showed nerves of steel to swing a game that looked lost Australia's way with two wickets in successive overs as the home side somehow defended a total of just 127.
After Australia failed to bat out their full 20 overs, Pakistan appeared on course for a comfortable win when they were cruising at 98 for four but ended up falling two runs short after finishing on 125 for nine.
And it was thanks to the unlikely combination of Smith's leg spin and the sheer pace of Shaun Tait that Pakistan capitulated yet again to ensure they ended a dismal tour without a solitary victory after having been clean swept in both the Test series (3-0) and the one-day series (5-0).
Tait, who sent down a 160.7kph thunderbolt in the opening over, reduced Pakistan to 10 for two before coming back to remove danger man Kamran Akmal, who scored a magnificent 64 off just 33 balls.
The South Australian's body may no longer be able to hold up in the longer forms of the game but he showed yet again that he is one of the best bowlers in the world in this format with three for 13 off his four overs.
But it was 20-year-old Smith who caused the Pakistan innings to disintegrate when he claimed Fawad Alam, caught at first slip for one, and Rana Naved-Ul-Hasan, stumped for one, in successive overs to finish with a more than creditable two for 34.
Victoria quick Dirk Nannes then finished off the tourists when he conceded just two runs and claimed the wicket of Umar Gul in the 19th over.
Leading into this game there were questions as to whether new captain Michael Clarke was the right man to lead the team given there are many who believe his technically correct batting is not suited to the 'slogathon' that is Twenty20 cricket.
But Clarke, who promoted himself to number three in his first official game in charge as full-time captain, answered his critics with 32 off 26 balls.
It was only the fourth time in 16 innings in Twenty20 internationals that Clarke has passed 30 and his wicket signalled a collapse of four for seven which wrecked Australia's innings.
The real damage came in the 12th over when acting Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik claimed two wickets in one over, first bowling Birt around his legs for one with his off-spin before keeper Brad Haddin was brilliantly stumped down the leg side by keeper Akmal off a wide in what appeared to be a set play by the visitors.
In the end Australia could not even bat out the 20 overs as ever consistent Victoria batsman David Hussey was left stranded on 40 not out but it still turned out to be enough against a Pakistan side that will be left wondering just how they failed to break their duck in their last match of a summer to forget.
Source:rte.ie/
Australia out of step on emissions trading scheme
AUSTRALIA is looking increasingly isolated in the global community as Kevin Rudd presses on with his government's emissions trading scheme.
U.S. President Barack Obama admitted just two days ago he might have to abandon his proposal for emissions trading in favour of direct action in order to steer his carbon-cutting plans through the US Senate.
None of the world's top five polluters -- the UNITED STATES, China, RUSSIA, indian and Japan -- has an ETS.
New Zealand is the only nation in the world with an operating emissions trading scheme, excluding those affiliated with or planning to link to the European Union's ETS.
Most of New Zealand's provisions have not yet come into effect, and the Labour-legislated scheme was significantly amended by the National Party-led government last September after fears about its impact on low-income households and primary industry.
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The New Zealand scheme does not have a cap on emissions, and will effectively operate as a carbon tax until 2013.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper told the World Economic Forum in Davos this week that technological change would offer the major solution to combating global climate change, not setting targets to cut carbon emissions.
"It has to be done, but it will not be done by simply trying to pretend economic imperatives don't exist, because all that happens when that happens is people set targets and then don't meet them," Mr Harper said.
The International Energy Agency's climate database lists hundreds of "incentives" and "public investment" schemes designed to tackle climate change in virtually all OECD member states.
The Australian Department of Climate Change's website tells the story on emissions trading. Of the 37 countries on its list of nations that have established or are proposing an ETS, 30 are linked to the EU scheme.
Opposition climate action spokesman Greg Hunt said the Prime Minister was "intentionally, deliberately and consistently" misrepresenting the European emissions trading scheme.
"In Europe, they've had a mock trading scheme which largely only provides incentives for people to reduce their emissions, with almost no penalty for firms which continue on their economic activity," Mr Hunt said.
"Only 4 per cent of business as usual is touched by the European scheme, as opposed to almost all Australian economic activity, other than direct emissions from agriculture.
"The rest of the world is much closer to what we're doing in terms of providing incentives for direct action and reducing emissions."
EU nations have a variety of emissions reduction schemes of their own.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced a carbon tax last September covering oil, gas and coal, but as most of France's electricity is produced through low-emission nuclear technology, it was excluded.
The scheme was designed to be phased in gradually from January 1, but was struck down by France's Constitutional Council just days before the new year.
However, Mr Sarkozy says the law will be redrafted.
Source:theaustralian.com.au/
India seeks 'right kind of environment' for its students in Oz
“Government of India is closely monitoring the developments (in Australia).” “Between the Governments of Australia and India, we should be able to see that the right kind of environment will be available for students to pursue the purpose they have gone for with single-minded contention”, he told reporters here.
Referring to the high-level meetings between the two countries, he said this is indicative of the fact that they are coming closer. “We also recognise that there is a large students community present in Australia in various cities pursuing higher studies and skills and the Government of India is concerned about their safety”, he said.
Source:indianexpress.com/
China vying with Australia over iron-ore prices
BEIJING (MarketWatch) -- A senior official with China's industry ministry said Friday he has reminded Australian officials that China remains the world's biggest buyer of iron ore, signaling Beijing's support for the country's steelmakers in tough negotiations with global miners on annual benchmark prices.
Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Vice Minister Miao Wei told an annual meeting of the China Iron and Steel Association that he had recently brought up the issue of iron ore price negotiations with an unidentified Australian embassy official.
"The (Australian embassy) official told me that this is a commercial matter, and the (Australian) government is not involved," Miao said.
However, Miao said he then reminded the official that China was the world's biggest customer for iron ore, "but buys at the most expensive prices."
The miners are seeking increases said to range from 30%-40% over last year's prices.
The remarks illustrate China's continuing efforts to apply pressure on Australian miners Rio Tinto Ltd. (RIO.AU) and BHP Billiton Ltd. /quotes/comstock/13*!bhp/quotes/nls/bhp (BHP 67.76, -0.65, -0.95%) . During last year talks, four Rio Tinto employees were arrested in China on charges of commercial spying and bribery.
Source:marketwatch.com/
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