Rampaging kangaroo battles broom-wielding 94-year-old woman

A 94-year-old woman in an outback town struck a kangaroo she thought was going to kill her, hitting the animal with a broom then managing to crawl to safety in her house before police subdued the creature with pepper spray.

The householder, Phyllis Johnson, said the red kangaroo attacked her while she was hanging out her washing in her yard on Sunday in the Queensland town of Charleville.

"I thought it was going to kill me," she told the Courier Mail from hospital where she was treated for bruises and scratches. "It was taller than me, and it just ploughed through the clothes on the washing line straight for me."

She said she saw a blur of red fur before the kangaroo knocked her down and kicked her as she lay on the ground. She managed to get to her feet, and then she grabbed the broom to hit the animal enough times to daze it.

"She fought it off herself with a bit of help from the family dog," said her son, Rob Johnson, who called the police after the incident. The kangaroo had "a bit of a go" at him too, he said.

He said his mother has a large gash on her leg but was recovering.

Stephen Perkins, head of police in Charleville, said the first officer to reach the house had to spray the kangaroo to avoid being injured.

"The animal jumped away, then saw another officer at the back of the police car and went for that officer – and he also had to deploy his capsicum spray. So the roo had to get sprayed twice," Perkins said. "After that, it hopped away from the scene, but police could still monitor its location – it didn't go too far."

Wildlife rangers from the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service later trapped the intruder. Red kangaroos are the world's largest marsupials and can stand as tall as a man and weigh about 90kg (198lb).

The kangaroo, which is a male, will be examined by a vet before a decision is made about his future, Mike Devery, a government official, said.

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/26/kangaroo-mugs-94-queensland-phyllis

Australia and NZ to work together on ETS, medicines

Australia and New Zealand have agreed to work together to try to link the two countries emissions trading schemes.

Prime Minister John Key met with his Australian counterpart Julia Gillard on Monday afternoon, ahead of his speech to the Australian Parliament.

Ms Gillard is under domestic political pressure over her plan to introduce a price on carbon.

But she says both Governments recognise that linking global markets provides the most cost effective approach to reducing greenhouse gases.

John Key says it is up to Australia to decide its own emissions policy, but he believes New Zealand's ETS is working.

New, joint medicines agency

Mr Key also announced a new trans-Tasman agency to regulate medicines, medical devices and new medical interventions.

He says New Zealand's regulatory arrangements need to be updated, and this is a cost effective and comprehensive way of achieving that.

Mr Key says officials from both countries will begin work on a joint agency immediately.

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http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/78179/australia-and-nz-to-work-together-on-ets,-medicines

Queensland offers million dollar holiday in new competition

A humble Aussie butcher shop has as much chance of bagging a million dollar holiday package to the sunshine state as a global multinational, Tourism Queensland says.

The tourism body is dangling the million dollar trip for one business or company anywhere in the world to rekindle tourism in the state.

The contest could be dubbed the digital version of "in 25 words or less" as business have to submit a 60 second (or less) video on why they should receive the prize.

Premier Anna Bligh said companies or workplaces with as few as three people were eligible to enter Million Dollar Memo to win the luxury Queensland holiday package, which targets global incentive travel for employees.

"The incentive travel market is a multibillion dollar market internationally and it is also a growing market, particularly in major developed countries where high-skilled people are increasing demand and companies are competing all the time to keep the best people," she told reporters on the Gold Coast on Friday.

"Tourism Queensland currently attracts some $380 million from that market but we think we can do considerably better.

"When employers all around the planet are thinking how can I best reward my staff, we want Queensland to be one of the destinations on the top of their list, not just now but forever."

Ms Bligh said a small company with just a handful of employees has just as much chance of winning the million dollar package as a huge global corporation that can sink tens of thousands of dollars into a slick video production.

"I think when you go to things like YouTube, the things that capture global imagination are often those that are the most amateur because they capture something very human," she said.

"When you're looking for the X-factor, anybody can have it anywhere, so big slick productions won't necessarily capture what we're looking for."

The competition is now open to any company or workplace with three or more employees in Australia and right around the world, with entries being taken online at www.milliondollarmemo.com.

Tourism Queensland boss Anthony Hayes said he had no idea how many entries might be attracted to the competition, which has been 18 months in planning and follows The Best Job in The World.

"We ended up with 35,000 video entries for The Best Job in The World, but this is different ... so we really have no idea," he said.

"We have a very large bank of staff lined up ready to dedicate the next month or two of their lives to watching one minute videos."

The Million Dollar Memo competition closes on May 1.

The contest then enters three phases with a top 50 short-list which will be culled to a final 20 companies.

The top 20 will send a representative to Queensland to compete in an incentive challenge in unique locations throughout the state from August 23.

Website visitors can also vote for their favorite entries to be given a wildcard spot in the final and the overall winner will be announced on August 31.

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http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/queensland-offers-million-dollar-holiday-in-new-competition-20110318-1bzu9.html

Chawla needs to contribute with bat too: Dhoni

Piyush Chawla may have earned rich praise for his match-winning performance with the ball against Australia in the warm-up tie of the 2011 World Cup in Bangalore, on Sunday, but his captain was still not satisfied.

Despite Chawla's effort of four for 31 in nine overs that set up India's 38-run victory, Mahendra Singh Dhoni says he expected some more from Chawla, with the bat too.

"Well, he has done really well in whatever games he has played. But I think he needs to contribute with the bat. One of the main reasons for his selection was our need to have a specialist spinner who could also bat a bit. If he could bat a bit better and contribute 15-20 runs then it would be good for the side. But as a specialist spinner he has done well in whatever games he has played," Dhoni said.

India's skipper also warned everyone not to take the victory too seriously, as it was just a practice game, and stressed that the Australians were trying out things at the cost of victory.

"For the warm-up games it is mentally difficult to prepare yourself. In a year, if you play 35-odd ODIs, 10 Test matches and 45 days of IPL and Champions League and then all of a sudden when you hear that you have a warm-up game and 15 players are playing in that game, it is a difficult scenario to mentally prepare yourself for the game. That was reflected on the field.

"But, still, if you see the positives in the batting, only two batsmen contributed and still we were able to get 215-odd runs. But I also think that in the middle, when we lost five wickets, the Australian team also backed off a bit, because it is a warm-up game and you don't want to risk injuries.

"So, I think, at the end of the day, it is a good performance, but I won't take too much out of it," he said.

Dhoni also pointed out that the good showing does not guarantee that India will play with three spinners at the World Cup.

"If you are talking about the spinner's role, we are talking about that extra spinner, who will be the fifth proper spinner. It will depend a lot on what type of wickets we get, because we were almost sure that this wicket would help the spinners as the game progressed. It was an ideal wicket for the spinners and all of them bowled well.

"Again, the selection of the second or a third spinner is a headache but a good one to have because more the options, the better it is for the team. Sometimes you may feel the selection was right or wrong because if it works it is the right selection and vice-versa. I think everything will depend on what kind of wicket is provided," he claimed.

Like South African skipper Graeme Smith who had slammed the Chennai wicket during the warm-up match played on Saturday, Dhoni too didn't seem satisfied with the pitch, terming it an ideal one for Tests than ODIs.

"I feel during the World Cup we will see slightly better wickets than this wicket. I am not saying this is a bad wicket, but this wicket should be provided for Test matches. It would be an ideal wicket for Test matches with the ball spinning after a couple of hours."

He also pointed out that Sachin Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan had minor niggles but their injury concerns are not serious.

"Sachin and Zaheer had very mild niggles, nothing serious about it. We had time, as I said, because a warm-up game is not everything and we provided them rest. Sachin will hopefully play in the next game in Chennai and it will be good for the Chennai crowd.

"We will see if Zaheer is 100 per cent then we will make him play. We want him to be fully fit for the first game and even if he misses the next game, I don't really mind it. The positives from the game -- catching has been good -- batting has to improve a bit. Maybe the mindset was not there or mentally we were not ready and that could be one of the reasons why we didn't do well.

"The spinners did a real good job for us and if we improve on the fast bowling department, and if that also contributes, it will be great for us," he added.


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http://www.rediff.com/cricket/report/world-cup-2011-piyush-chawla-needs-to-contribute-with-bat-too-says-ms-dhoni/20110214.htm

Dozens feared dead in Christmas Island asylum-seeker boat crash

WITNESSES on Christmas Island have told of a "major tragedy" after an asylum-seeker boat crashed into cliffs this morning, with many feared dead.

Government sources told The Australian Online they believed about 70 people were aboard the boat.

Sky News reported that 41 had been confirmed rescued so far but the rest were unaccounted for.

It is understood that most of those on board were Iranians and Iraqis.

Locals have told The Australian that the boat came into local waters some time this morning without being detected by authorities.

But it was smashed into rocks in heavy seas at about 6am near Flying Fish Cove.

Witnesses said people were being washed up on the jagged cliffs near the island’s old hospital and police station.

Local electrician Michael Foster described the surging water at the bottom of the cliffs as being like the inside of a washing machine.

He speculated the boat may have lost power as it approached Flying Fish Cove, at the northern end of the island, in the pre-dawn light - with rough seas then smashing the vessel against the jagged cliff face.

"I would suggest I saw about 30 [people] who didn't make it," he said. "The mood on the island is a bit disarrayed - there are people who have never seen a body before."

Witness Phillip Stewart told Sky News that he saw the boat being dashed by waves and that while some people survived he believed up to 50 people had died.

Locals have told The Australian that the boat came into local waters some time this morning without being detected by authorities.

Dramatic pictures show the vessel, with women and children on board, being picked up by the waves and smashed into cliffs near Flying Fish Cove earlier today.

Navy ribs were used to pick up some survivors from the heavy seas after the vessel broke up.

The Australian Federal Police have released a statement on the boat crash, revealing that they are responding to a “maritime incident involving a suspected illegal entry vessel on Christmas Island”.

One local resident who lives nearby, but who did not want to be named, said she heard screams at 6am and went down to the cliffs where she saw people hanging on to the boat as it was being pushed towards the cliff in huge seas.

"It almost tipped,” the woman said. “One woman was holding a small child.” The boat broke up soon after that, she said.

Phone calls went out around the island and hundreds of people went to the cliffs, throwing life jackets, ropes and anything else that floated out to the asylum-seekers.

Teacher Robyn Stephenson said it was impossible to swim to swim to shore there.

“They were being washed into the cliffs, the really sharp cliffs,” Ms Stephenson said.

“There were phone calls all around to people to get down and help. As soon as the people in the water saw the people on the cliffs they started trying to get into the cliffs and the people on the land were saying move out because three’s huge waves at the moment.”

Local resident Allison Millcock said she arrived at the cliffs at 8am, by which time she could only see wood chips floating in the water. “I’ve been told the refugees got into trouble around 6am . At around 8am there were only woodchips in water. I’m told about 20 were rescued. It’s only rough number."

A contractor with the council, manning a roadblock, said only federal police, hospital staff other emergency personnel and staff from security contractor Serco were being allowed down to the scene.

He said the navy was trying to bring survivors 6km around the other side of the island to calmer waters at Lilly Beach.

Pamela Curr, campaign coordinator at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, told The Australian Online she had received a text message from someone on the island saying that at least 30 people had been saved.

She said she was informed that people had been in the water since early this morning in 3m swell.

“What happened that they allowed this boat to come in the rough seas?” she asked. “We need answers.”

Mr Stewart told Sky that waves of 4-5 metres were washing over the steep limestone cliffs today. It is the height of storm season for the area off Australia's northwest coast.

"They were in a surge zone," he said, "one of the most dangerous places to be.”

He said many people were being struck by flotsam and jetsam.

Christmas Island shire president Gordon Thomson told The West Australian he understood it was a “very bad situation” but he was unclear of the details.

Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison told The Australian Online: “If this is indeed true it highlights once again how very dangerous this business is of people coming by boat and why it is so important again that we do everything possible to ensure that these boats don’t come in this way.

“It’s extremely important that the government make a statement at the earliest opportunity to confirm what has taken place. Because I mean naturally there’ll be all sorts of unofficial reports.

“I think it’s important that some clarity is given to the events as soon as possible. This is a very upsetting event and potentially a very significant tragedy.”

The AFP has stressed that its response is ongoing and its priority is to ensure the safety of “all involved” in the incident.

“The AFP and partner government agencies on Christmas Island are coordinating the immediate response to this incident”.

It will release a more detailed statement shortly.

A spokesman for Customs and Border Protection issued a brief statement a short time ago.

“There is an ongoing situation which involves a rescue of people off Christmas Island. Our paramount priority is the safety of all involved. A further statement will be provided later in the day,” he said.

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http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/dozens-feared-dead-in-christmas-island-asylum-seeker-boat-crash/story-e6frg6n6-1225971549420

Government fears nuclear war in Middle East

The cables present Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd as being very "supportive" of Israel.

The Federal Government fears a nuclear confrontation between Iran and Israel could draw Australia into another war in the Middle East, according to US diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks and published in Fairfax newspapers today.

The cables present Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd as being very "supportive" of Israel and he is praised for his tough stance against Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

But the cables also reveal serious concerns within Australia's intelligence bureaus that Australia and the US could be drawn into a nuclear war if Iran and Israel come to blows.

Dr Michael Wesley, executive director of the Lowy Institute, says the revelations are interesting but hardly surprising.

"That's the nightmare scenario that's worried a lot of people for a long time," he said.

"Even though Israel hasn't formally acknowledged that it has nuclear weapons, most people understand that it is a nuclear-armed state.

"Obviously with Iran rapidly gaining those capabilities and having made some fairly uncompromising statements about wiping Israel off the face of the map, you would have to think there would be a considerable threat if Iran does get nuclear weapons."

It has been a tough few weeks for Mr Rudd, who has withstood a barrage of embarrassing revelations contained in the WikiLeaks cables.

Among the cables were perceptions within the US embassy that he is a micro-manager as well as more potentially damaging remarks revealing he favours a tough stance against China.

But for now at least it appears Mr Rudd is among friends in Israel.

He is presently touring the Middle East, where he took the time to visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem.

Mr Rudd paid his respects to those who died in the Holocaust and admitted Australia could have done more to help Jewish people before World War II.

"We as Australia among the other nations of the world attended the conference at Evian in 1938 and we, in Australia, like so many countries around the world, closed our hearts," he said.

"What we did then as a nation was wrong and we know what happened when others did the same."

Embarrassment

Dr Wesley says the WikiLeaks cables with the most potential to harm Australia's foreign policy are the ones with the revelations about China.

"The Chinese are, to use a well-known phrase, brutal realists themselves," he said.

"They had little doubt about where Australia stood, so probably in terms of its embarrassment value, it gives them a chance to exercise a tiny bit of leverage against Rudd in particular.

"But I don't think it's a huge revelation to the Chinese."

Dr Wesley says most of the cables will do little more than embarrass those people named.

"It basically puts some issues on the table that probably the Government would rather not be out in the open," he said.

"A lot of what governments do depends on them keeping their rather frank assessments of each other secret and not in public view.

"If some of this material, for instance, impacts on Australia's image in China or any other country, then that will be a step backwards.

"But in terms of actual hard strategic interests, I don't think it will do a lot of damage."

WikiLeaks has still only released a small percentage of the 250,000 documents it is believed to possess.

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http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/12/13/3091889.htm

How the 'Ashes' got their name

Mention the word 'Ashes' to any cricket fan and they know you are talking about a Test contest between England and Australia. But cricket's oldest rivals had been playing each other for five years before the idea of the Ashes was born. It happened in 1882 when, in a one-off Test at The Oval,Australia, inspired by figures of 14 for 90 from Fred Spofforth, 'The Demon', fought back to win a thrilling match by seven runs.

The Sporting Times reacted to Australia's first win on English soil with a mock obituary written by Reginald Shirley Brooks.

It read: "In affectionate remembrance of English cricket which died at The Oval, 29th August 1882. Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances. R.I.P.N.B.The body will be cremated and the Ashes taken to Australia."

Ivo Bligh, later Lord Darnley, captained England to a 2-1 victory in the subsequent series in Australia and, according to many cricket histories, he was presented with an urn containing the Ashes of a bail used in the third Test by a group of Melbourne women.

However, it was subsequently suggested that the Ashes were those of a ball and in 1998 Lord Darnley's daughter-in-law said they were the remains of her mother-in-law's veil.

The urn itself was bequeathed to Lord's owners Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) on Darnley's death in 1927 and became an exhibit in the ground's museum.

Regardless of the result of the Ashes, the urn -- which stands just four inches high -- has remained at Lord's.

The justification has been that the ashes were a private gift to MCC and not a sporting trophy.

But in order to remedy this perceived unfairness MCC commissioned an Ashes-shaped crystal trophy which was first presented to Australia captain Mark Taylor after the 1998/99 series.

England currently hold the Ashes following their upset 2-1 win at home in 2009 which erased the nightmare of a 5-0 whitewash in Australia two years earlier.

The urn has only been to Australia on a couple of occasions, the first in 1988 for the country's bicentennial celebrations.

MCC had hoped the urn could return to Australia in 2003 but an X-ray taken at the time revealed several serious cracks, notably in the stem.

But, following repair work, it was taken on a tour of Australia to coincide with the 2006/07 series.


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http://www.hindustantimes.com/How-the-Ashes-got-their-name/Article1-627808.aspx