Bush fires destroy dozens of houses in Australia's south east

Bush fires destroy dozens of houses in Australia's south east

 

Firefighters in Australia battle "horrendous" wildfires including a blaze with a 24-mile front on the outskirts of Melbourne

 

[caption id="attachment_12133" align="alignnone" width="400"] (The blazes have reached the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia's second largest city (Photo: EPA))[/caption]

 

Thousands of firefighters in Australia are battling wildfires across the country's south-east which have destroyed dozens of homes and set a coal mine alight.

 

The worst of the fires spread in swirling winds across the state of Victoria, which faced its worst threat since the Black Saturday fires in February 2009 which killed 173 people.

 

The fires, which include a blaze with a front more than 24 miles long, have spread across the state and reached the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia's second largest city.

 

Thousands of people were evacuated across the state, more than 30,000 residents spent the night without power and some rural train services were suspended.

 

No lives have been reported lost but further losses of homes are expected.

 

In Kilmore, a town about 35 miles north of Melbourne, residents said the damage was "horrendous".

 

"You could just see houses exploding, it was absolutely incredible," a resident, Mark Schrimpton, told ABC after five houses on his street were destroyed.

 

"It was just horrendous. You could see more smoke that flames at one stage."

 

Authorities said they had learnt the lessons from Black Saturday, when many residents in fire zones were caught with little warning and were confused as to whether to evacuate or stay and protect their homes.

 

"There is no doubt Victoria is much better place - and yesterday showed that - than where we were five years ago in Black Saturday," said Dennis Napthine, Victoria's premier.

 

"We have learnt the lessons."

 

Firefighters from interstate and from New Zealand joined the battle, as authorities deployed more than 200 tankers and 21 aircraft.

 

Police are investigating nine cases of arson, which may have contributed to the 150-odd fires that have broken out in recent days.

 

Milder conditions have assisted fire crews but about 48 blazes in Victoria remain out of control.

 

A fire has broken out in an open-cut coal mine in the Latrobe Valley, east of Melbourne, which is likely to take several days to control.

 

"They were ferocious fires, they ran hard, they hit homes," Craig Lapsley, the state's fire services commissioner, told ABC radio.

 

"We think we are up to above 20 significant impacts on houses, seven of those are confirmed to be total losses."

 

Other reports put the loss of houses at 30.

 

(Jonathan Pearlman, Sydney)

 

(The Telegraph, 10 Monday February 2014 The Roman)

 

 

Ireland boss set for first Six Nations 'final' against Scotland

Ireland boss set for first Six Nations 'final' against Scotland

 

Dublin (AFP)

 

Joe Schmidt was preparing himself for "five finals" ahead of his first Six Nations game in charge of Ireland, against Scotland in Dublin on Sunday.

 

The New Zealand-born former Leinster boss was appointed as Declan Kidney's successor last year, and lost two of three November Tests, going down 15-32 to Australia, before agonisingly losing 22-24 to the world champion All Blacks with the last kick of an epic game.

 

Schmidt could have made history by leading his adopted nation to its first ever victory over his homeland in over a century of trying, but Ireland couldn't back up a stunning first 40 minutes and ultimately came up short once more.

 

But he knows there will be far less sympathy if Ireland slip up in the Six Nations, a tournament he's enjoyed only as a spectator before now.

 

"I'm still learning in this job," Schmidt said at the squad's training base near Dublin on Friday.

 

"It (the Six Nations) is a competition of five games but it's five finals and that probably makes it slightly different to the Autumn where we did feel maybe we had to have a look at a few guys.

 

"Whereas this is the Six Nations, this is the major tournament that we play and we can't afford to lose our first game.

 

"It's pivotal for us to get a good start. You only get one shot at your first game and you've got to give it your best shot."

 

Of the XV that started against New Zealand, Schmidt is without Tommy Bowe and Sean O'Brien through injury.

 

Schmidt also caused some mild surprise by deciding Gordon D'Arcy's stomach illness at the start of this week was sufficient reason for him to be left out, even though the veteran midfielder was one of the best players on the pitch against New Zealand.

 

D'Arcy has been replaced at inside centre by Ulster's Luke Marshall, one of four players from the northern province to make the starting lineup, a reflection of their unbeaten status in this season's European Cup.

 

Much of the rest of the team picks itself, with star centre Brian O'Driscoll set for a landmark 129th cap that will see him overtake retired outside-half Ronan O'Gara as Ireland's most-capped player.

 

This is also O'Driscoll's final season of rugby before retirement, and he's expressed his determination to 'empty the tank' in the pursuit of only a second Championship title in 14 attempts.

 

Ireland captain Paul O'Connell agreed with O'Driscoll's assertion that the country's 'golden generation', so successful at club level, have underachieved in the Test arena.

 

But the experienced lock said the present side might be the most talented group of Ireland players he's been involved with.

 

"We have an excellent squad that is equally good and possibly better (than the Grand Slam winning side of 2009," O'Connell claimed.

 

"But until we go on and do something you can't say that.

 

"We need all the good things we did against New Zealand in terms of our accuracy and detail, but that doggedness that was there in 2009 needs to be there as well."

 

Indeed it was that very quality of grim determination that did so much to see Scotland to an upset 12-8 win in last year's corresponding clash with the Irish at Murrayfield.

 

But Scotland coach Scott Johnson is wants his side to expand their game.

 

And with the return of full-back Stuart Hogg, who missed the November Tests with a wrist injury, in a back three also featuring New Zealand-born wing Sean Maitland and veteran flyer Sean Lamont, Johnson is convinced his side can pose a real attacking threat at Lansdowne Road.

 

"We can go the length with that back three," said Johnson.

 

"For a seasoned campaigner Sean Lamont has some legs still. His form over the last 24 months for us has been outstanding," the Australian added

 

"Like something in my wine cabinet he's certainly getting better with age."

 

(Agence France-Presse, 2 Sunday February 2014 The Roman)

 

KMT legislators break ranks on agenda

KMT legislators break ranks on agenda

 

DISAGREEMENT: The KMT still defeated proposals demanding Shih-ming Huang’s resignation and establishing a legislative commission to investigate illegal wiretaps

 

A number of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers yesterday did not toe the party line during several rounds of votes to determine the agenda for the legislature’s plenary session on Tuesday.

 

However, that did not prevent the KMT from blocking proposals initiated by the opposition, including one demanding the resignation of Prosecutor-General Shih-ming Huang (黃世銘).

 

KMT Legislator Ken-te Chen (陳根德) voted in support of a motion proposed by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) that Huang step down following recent controversies, including allegations of illegal wiretapping and his handling of a case involving the use of undue influence that has evolved into the current political turmoil.

 

The DPP and the TSU proposed that the motion be placed on Tuesday’s agenda, but they were outvoted by the KMT, which still came up with 54 votes from its 64 lawmakers.

 

In another DPP-TSU motion proposing that the legislature establish an investigation commission to probe alleged wiretapping of the legislature’s telephone line, three KMT lawmakers abstained — Ken-te Chen, Ming-tsai Lo (羅明才) and Hui-mei Wang (王惠美).

 

Nonetheless, the motion was defeated by a vote of 42 to 56.

 

The KMT also voted down other DPP-TSU motions that suggested the legislature deliberate a proposal to halt construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in Gongliao District (貢寮), New Taipei City (新北市), reverse power rate hikes and review amendments to the Labor Insurance Act (勞工保險條例) regarding operation of the Labor Insurance Fund.

 

The lawmakers did agree to include a DPP proposal that the legislature’s Discipline Committee investigate allegations of improper use of influence, in which DPP caucus whip Chien-ming Ker (柯建銘) was accused of asking Legislative Speaker Jin-pyng Wang (王金平) to persuade prosecutors against appealing a not-guilty verdict in a breach-of-trust case.

 

Late last month, Ker took the initiative to ask that the committee investigate the allegations and that the committee hearings be made public, so he could clear his name.

 

Lawmakers also agreed to prioritize deliberations on a proposal addressing recent food scare incidents, ratification of an economic cooperation agreement with New Zealand and an amendment to the Foreign Trade Act (貿易法) related to the trade accord on Tuesday.

 

(TAIPEI TIMES, 26 Saturday October 2013 The Roman)

 

Asia-Pacific leaders on track to sign trade deal by year end

Asia-Pacific leaders on track to sign trade deal by year end

 

[caption id="attachment_9201" align="alignnone" width="722"] (US Secretary of State John Kerry (second from right) speaks with his country's Trade Representative Michael Froman, as New Zealand Prime Minister John Key (second from left) speaks with his Trade Minister Tim Groser at the Trans-Pacific Partnership meet in Bali, Indonesia on Tuesday, Oct 8, 2013. The United States and 11 other nations negotiating an Asia-Pacific trade pact say they are on track to agree on a comprehensive deal before the year's end. (PHOTO: AP))[/caption]

 

BALI (AP) - The United States and 11 other nations negotiating an Asia-Pacific trade pact say they are on track to agree on a comprehensive deal before the year's end.

 

A statement issued by the 12 leaders on Tuesday after an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Bali said they have made "significant progress" in setting standards for trade in goods and services, and for investment and public procurement.

 

It said they had agreed "to resolve all outstanding issues with the objective of completing this year a comprehensive and balanced, regional agreement."

 

US Secretary of State John Kerry stood in for President Barack Obama, who stayed home to deal with the debt stalemate.

 

The nations include Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, United States, and Vietnam.

 

(The Straits Times, 8 Tuesday October 2013 The Roman)