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Everybody facing Katherine Local Court, Thursday, June 1 NT NewsEverybody facing Katherine Local Court, Thursday, June 1 - NT News
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Wednesday, May 31, 2023
Everybody facing Katherine Local Court, Thursday, June 1 - NT News
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Tuesday, May 30, 2023
Everybody facing TCG Darwin Local Court, Wednesday, May 31 - NT News
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Study: Snares claim another local extinction as Cambodia loses its leopards - Mongabay.com
- Researchers say the Indochinese leopard is functionally extinct in Cambodia after a 2021 camera-trap survey failed to capture a single individual from what was once thought to be the country’s last viable population of the big cat.
- The study points to hunting as the most significant contributor to the decline of the subspecies, noting that the number of snares and traps observed in the study area increased despite years of law enforcement efforts.
- Experts have called for focused conservation measures in the critically endangered subspecies’ remaining strongholds in Peninsular Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand.
Years of law enforcement to tackle rampant snaring and poaching have failed to halt the loss of Cambodia’s last remaining Indochinese leopard population, according to a recent study.
The researchers believe that while a few individual Indochinese leopards (Panthera pardus delacouri) may still linger in Cambodia’s forests, the country no longer has a viable population of the subspecies.
“Given the current population status and myriad of threats, it is pretty certain that the Indochinese leopard now is functionally extinct in Cambodia,” study author Susana Rostro-Garcia, a scientist with the University of Oxford’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) and the NGO Panthera, told Mongabay in an email. “Regrettably, the population status and trajectory of the Critically Endangered Indochinese Leopard in the [Eastern Plains Landscape] suggest that population recovery in this priority site is unlikely to occur.”
Researchers conducted seven camera-trap surveys in Cambodia’s Eastern Plains between 2009 and 2019, revealing that the leopard population declined by 82% during that time. A further survey in 2021 found no leopards. (Individual leopards were caught on camera in Cambodia’s eastern highlands in 2022.)
The Indochinese leopard is critically endangered and its range has shrunk massively to as little as 2-6% of its former size. Cambodia’s population was considered a priority for conservation as one of the last viable, breeding populations, leaving remaining strongholds in Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand and Myanmar.
Hunting for the wildlife trade is considered the major driver behind the leopard’s decline in the midst of a snaring crisis in Southeast Asia that threatens multiple species, including Cambodia’s clouded leopards (Neofelis nebulosa) and a host of other wild cats.
A massive increase in traps and hunting is the most likely cause of the Indochinese leopard’s demise in Cambodia, the researchers say; the discovery of lethal traps substantially increased during the study period. Other factors, including infrastructure development and illegal logging, compounded the threat.
Populations of other species, such as sun bears (Helarctos malayanus) and hog badgers (Arctonyx collaris) — both known to be sensitive to snaring — also declined during the study period and were not found in the final camera-trap survey in 2021, according to the study.
Emiel de Lange, a technical adviser with the Wildlife Conservation Society, Cambodia, who was not involved in the study, agreed that snaring is likely the main cause of the leopard’s population decline. “Data from other [protected areas] show similar trends for species vulnerable to snaring, while other drivers like land use change are less significant in the study area,” he told Mongabay.
“This is a big deal, because now both tigers and leopards are extirpated from Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, and more species will soon follow if nothing is done to address the snaring,” said Jan Kamler, a co-author on the paper with WildCRU.
Law enforcement increases, leopard numbers decrease
Leopard numbers in Cambodia’s Eastern Plains dwindled despite increasing law enforcement efforts to remove snares and increase patrols, the researchers say, with interventions either too late or insufficient to halt the scale of the threat.
“Regular law enforcement” alone can’t stem the snaring crisis and protect Cambodia’s wildlife, Rostro-Garcia said, noting that efforts to reduce hunting pressure by tightening enforcement also failed to halt the decline of leopards in Laos and Vietnam.
WCF’s de Lange agreed that “more of the same” conservation enforcement-focused action is unlikely to work. “Decades of effort by NGOs to encourage and support law enforcement effort have sadly had little effect, as these efforts do not address the root social issues contributing to biodiversity loss,” he wrote in an email.
“Conservationists need to look at and work with other actors to address the root drivers of poaching, such as poverty, indebtedness, land insecurity, and market demand for wildlife products,” de Lange continued, adding that Indigenous peoples should be involved as equal partners on conservation projects.
Law enforcement is vital, experts say, but it should be part of a “multi-faceted approach” to reduce the number of snares and prohibit their use and possession. “These should be combined with long-term proactive efforts such as education campaigns, community outreach, engagement of local people and programs that reduce consumption of wildlife meat and products by the general public at the provincial, national, and regional levels,” Rostro-Garcia said.
In light of the study’s findings, researchers say the outlook for the survival of the Indochinese leopard subspecies has significantly worsened, and conservation action should focus on areas in Thailand, Myanmar and Peninsular Malaysia where viable populations remain.
“Alarmingly, there are no current conservation measures specifically focused on this Critically Endangered subspecies,” Rostro-Garcia said. “This unique subspecies is on the brink of extinction and requires that we take immediate action to stem the current trend.”
Banner image: Camera-trap surveys in Cambodia revealed that leopard numbers declined even as law enforcement efforts increased. Now, the subspecies’ population is considered functionally extinct, if not fully extirpated, from the country. Image courtesy of Panthera/WildCRU/WWF Cambodia/FA.
Snares don’t discriminate: A problem for wild cats, both big and small
Editor’s note: This article was amended to note the possibility of a viable population of Indochinese leopards in Myanmar.
Study: Snares claim another local extinction as Cambodia loses its leopards - Mongabay.com
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Monday, May 29, 2023
Welcome to Cornwall! Please don’t ruin it for us local people - The Guardian
So, you’re thinking of coming to Cornwall. Perhaps you’re here for a half-term break or planning your annual summer pilgrimage. But what do you really know about this seemingly perfect, picture-postcard holiday destination?
For example, have you ever wondered where the local people live? Or have you noticed that many of your holiday neighbours are recognisable in the narrow lanes of the pretty fishing villages because they are the same people you live near in London? If you talk to the local people – the ones who serve you in the fancy fish restaurants or who clean your bed linen and come out to your rental on a Sunday night to help with the sticky front door – they will tell you that they have been priced out of their own towns.
No longer can they afford to live in the shoreside fishing cottages (they might also tell you that their grandfather lived there as a boy), and anyway the village doesn’t have a bus service in the winter months, so they’ve had to move to one of the less beautiful inland towns for out-of-season work.
Many tourists visiting Cornwall in the holiday season do not realise the huge part played by water, and the lack of it, here in my home county. In summer 2022, we locals were asked by South West Water to ration our usage in the run-up to the holidays so that tourists had enough when they visited. In next-door Devon, restrictions have just been extended to a further 390,000 local people to conserve water for the coming holiday season. This summer we will probably face more water rationing, as suppliers have admitted that new treatment plants will not be ready in time for the annual doubling of our population.
The tourism industry, particularly in rural and coastal areas, is heavily reliant on healthy ecosystems. They bring a range of benefits, not least food, water and natural beauty for visitors and local people alike. However, tourists can threaten the quality of the local environment, and overtourism is a growing concern, bringing traffic, parking issues, pollution and litter. Cornwall is one of the UK’s top holiday destinations and receives an estimated 5 million visitors every year. The recent sharp growth in the sector has led to strain on infrastructure – including hospitals, the RNLI and other local services – while unregulated rentals have meant unaffordable housing for residents.
So what can those visiting Cornwall do to counteract this? You could start by visiting beaches that don’t feature in the usual guidebooks. Get exploring and discover your own private paradise; there are many coves that remain quiet throughout the year. Visitors can also protect the nature around them and contribute to its restoration by getting involved in nature-based activities and conservation: join a Surfers Against Sewage beach clean; discover Cornish Wildlife Trust events like woodland and cliff path conservation; visit RSPB reserves; rent beach equipment; leave the car behind to enjoy top cycle routes.
Despite what you may have read, we Cornish do welcome visitors and are happy to share our love of our land with you. But it might help if you do a bit of research – Cornwall is fiercely independent and has a proud and unique history and heritage. It’s worth finding out a bit more about our Celtic nation and the Cornish language. (Try our national motto, “onen hag oll”, literally translated as “one and all”.) And try not to be rude to local people. If you’ve been asked to not drink from a glass bottle on the beach, there is a reason for that. Don’t forget to tip waiting staff. They are probably on minimum wage, and tipping is an easy way to support the local economy.
Cornwall is best enjoyed at a slow pace, our roads are notoriously narrow and winding, so the art of reversing is essential. And don’t park wherever you like, especially on the beach! When taking to the coastal path, please don’t run or cycle; it speeds up erosion and is also incredibly dangerous. Don’t forget to take your rubbish away with you: many beaches, especially secluded ones, don’t have bins, so that bag full of waste and those disposable barbecues that you stack neatly against the cliff will end up in the sea, harming wildlife.
Please don’t buy a second home! If you do, and leave it empty for most of the year, you’re likely to get angry local people making their feelings known. And don’t do a mass Airbnb booking: there’s a housing crisis in Cornwall, and the unregulated accommodation option is putting pressure on housing and pricing local people out of the market. You could always book caravans in holiday parks or rooms in hotels. Many of them are five-star rated – not what you remember from your childhood.
Tourism is the second biggest sector in Cornwall after agriculture, supporting one in five jobs, and that’s projected to grow at 3.8% a year until 2025. But it’s ridiculous and unhelpful that tourism only happens in the spring, on May bank holiday weekends and in the summer months.
Cornwall doesn’t stop being beautiful on the last day of August; it is incredibly beautiful all year round. Our winters are milder than the rest of the country and fewer people visit then, so holidaying then would definitely be less manic, and nothing beats a walk on a wet and windy beach. Everyone in Cornwall knows that the real summer starts in September – perfect for those who are not tied to school holidays. We locals know best, join us!
-
Natasha Carthew is the author of Undercurrent: A Cornish Memoir of Poverty, Nature and Resilience (Coronet), and the founder and artistic director of the Working Class Writers’ festival
Welcome to Cornwall! Please don’t ruin it for us local people - The Guardian
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Spain’s PM calls snap election after opposition triumphs in local polls - The Guardian
Spain’s socialist prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has responded to the triumph of the rightwing opposition in Sunday’s regional and municipal elections by calling a risky snap general election that will determine his political future and that of his minority coalition government.
The conservative People’s party (PP) – which used the votes as a de facto referendum on Sánchez’s coalition with the far-left, anti-austerity Unidas Podemos alliance – scored an emphatic win, far exceeding expectations and building on its momentum in the polls. As well as securing absolute majorities in the Madrid region and the city council, it took regions including Aragón, Valencia and the Balearic islands from the prime minister’s Spanish Socialist Workers’ party (PSOE).
The PP’s failure to achieve the necessary majorities in many of the newly-won regions, however, means it will have to strike deals with the far-right Vox party, which also comfortably increased its showing on Sunday.
Sánchez’s high-stakes gamble, which he announced just hours after the results came in, is based on the hope that any such deals will help to galvanise and mobilise leftwing voters and prove distasteful to supporters on the PP’s moderate wing.
Speaking at the Moncloa palace in Madrid on Monday morning, Sánchez said he had informed King Felipe of his decision to dissolve parliament and call a general election on 23 July, five months before the poll had been scheduled to be held.
“I’ve taken this decision in view of yesterday’s election results,” he said. “The first consequence of the results is that magnificent socialist regional presidents and mayors who have governed impeccably have lost despite the fact that many of them increased their support yesterday. The second consequence is that many, many institutions will be administered by new majorities comprising the People’s party and Vox.”
Sánchez said that while Sunday’s votes had been municipal and regional, they had “transmitted a message” that transcended local considerations and demanded a democratic response. Announcing the election, he stressed Spain’s economic recovery since the start of the pandemic and the country’s forthcoming EU presidency, and said it would be for the Spanish people to decide what happened next.
“I think we need a clarification when it comes to what the Spanish people want, a clarification when it comes to the policies that the national government should offer, and a clarification when it comes to the political groups that should lead this phase,” he said.
“There’s only one infallible method for resolving those doubts, and that method is democracy. As a result, I think the best thing is for Spanish men and women to have their say and to decide the country’s political direction as soon as possible.”
The PP’s leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, welcomed the early election but suggested Sánchez had called it in an attempt to distract from the drubbing his government had received on Sunday.
“Announcing a snap election won’t hide what happened yesterday,” he said. “Spaniards have said enough is enough, and I’m grateful that that sentiment has translated into a clear victory for the People’s party. But, even more importantly, another way of doing politics has started to win.”
Feijóo has attempted to move the PP back to the political centre ground after the party lurched to the right under his predecessor, Pablo Casado, who embraced a harder line in an effort to stop the party being outflanked by Vox. Despite the fact that Casado once famously attacked the far-right party for practising politics based on “fear, anger, resentment and revenge”, the PP formed an often rocky coalition government with Vox in the Castile-León region last year.
Eyes will now turn to Podemos and Sumar, the new leftwing platform led by the labour minister and deputy prime minister, Yolanda Díaz, to see whether the two groups join forces to fight the election.
Podemos suffered disastrous results on Sunday as its support collapsed in key regions. The party’s leader, Ione Belarra, went on the offensive on Monday, describing the PP and Vox as a “reactionary wave” that would seek to cut public services, bring in privatisation and reverse the progress the coalition government had made on tackling the climate emergency, improving housing and protecting social rights.
Díaz, meanwhile, signalled that her movement was more than ready for the early election. “We have a project that can provide answers to our country’s social, ecological and economic issues,” she said on Monday. “We’re heading out to win against Feijóo’s black Spain. The people are waiting for us.”
Sánchez’s decision to call an early election is not his first big gamble. After being defenestrated as party leader in 2016, he staged a triumphant comeback that culminated in the vote of no-confidence that cast the PP out of office in 2018. He also propelled the PSOE to two general election victories in 2019, although the party fell short of a majority on both occasions, leading to the coalition with Unidas Podemos.
Antonio Barroso, an analyst at the political consultancy Teneo, said it remained unclear whether Sánchez’s latest bet would pay off.
“The PP has maintained its lead in opinion polls despite sharing power with Vox in the Castile-León region since 2022,” he said. “This creates some doubts about the effectiveness of a strategy centred on mobilising leftwing voters against a potential rightwing government.
“Moreover, Spain has never held a general election in the middle of the summer, which generates some uncertainty regarding whether the chosen date will have a negative effect on turnout.”
Spain’s PM calls snap election after opposition triumphs in local polls - The Guardian
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Saturday, May 27, 2023
Rows over Eta and racism loom large as Spain holds local elections - The Guardian
Spain heads to the polls on Sunday to elect 12 regional governments and 8,000 municipal councils in votes that will allow the governing Socialists and the opposition conservatives to gauge their strengths and hone their strategies before December’s general election.
Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the rightwing, populist president of the Madrid region, will be aiming to secure an absolute majority for the People’s party (PP), while Barcelona’s leftwing mayor, Ada Colau, will be hoping to see off challenges from the regional branch of the Socialist party and a centre-right Catalan pro-independence party.
The PP, which has been in opposition since it was turfed out of central government after a string of corruption scandals five years ago, wants to wrestle as many regions as possible from the ruling Spanish Socialist Workers’ party (PSOE). But it is likely to have to rely on the far-fight Vox party’s support in forming new regional governments in all of the contested regions except Madrid.
The elections come at the end of a bitter campaign in which regional and local matters have been often overshadowed by the spectre of the defunct Basque terrorist group, Eta, the row sparked by the racist abuse directed at the Real Madrid footballer Vinícius Júnior, and allegations of electoral fraud.
Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, who is also the PSOE leader, had begun the campaign hoping to stress his government’s economic record, new housing reforms and schemes to help young people.
But his attempts to push those achievements were swiftly derailed after it emerged that the Basque nationalist party, EH Bildu – on whose support the minority government relies in congress – was fielding 44 convicted Eta members, including seven people found guilty of violent crimes, as candidates.
Although Sánchez criticised Bildu’s decision, describing it as legal but “obviously indecent”, and the Basque party saying later the seven candidates convicted for violence would not take up their seats, the damage had been done.
The PP leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, pounced on Sánchez for his reliance on Bildu and on Catalan pro-independence parties – and for bungled sexual offences legislation that allowed more than 1,000 convicted sex offenders to have their sentences cut, and more than 100 to win early release.
“You’re the great electoral hope for rapists and pederasts, for mutineers, squatters, corrupt people and now for those who used to go about in balaclavas with pistols,” he told Sánchez. “And I will never be that.”
Ayuso, a climate change denier who once said the spread of Covid in the Spanish capital was partly due to “the way of life of immigrants in Madrid”, went further, claiming that “Eta is still alive” in the guise of Bildu and calling, unsuccessfully, for the legal political party to be banned. Her words were criticised by a group representing the victims of terrorism that accused her of trivialising what had happened and showing a lack of respect for the families of the dead.
Eta murdered 829 people during its violent, five-decade quest to bring about an independent Basque homeland before it abandoned its armed campaign in 2011 and dissolved itself five years ago.
Sánchez said the PP’s familiar obsession with a vanished terror group was proof of its lack of electoral policies. He asked the party: “What’s your proposal on housing? Eta. In other words, nothing. On education? Eta. In other words, nothing. On the climate emergency? Eta. In other words nothing.
He added: “When Eta is nothing in Spain it is still everything to you. Because, in your desperation, Eta is all you have, even though it doesn’t exist.”
By the middle of this week, the focus had switched to racism after Vinícius called Spain “a country of racists”.
Sánchez replied: “Hatred and xenophobia should have no place in football nor in our society.”
Feijóo also said racism and sport were “totally incompatible”, but added: “Spain is not a racist country in any way.”
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That in turn gave way to fears of electoral corruption after police in Spain’s north African enclave of Melilla arrested 10 people suspected of participating in an alleged mail-in vote-buying fraud, while seven other people were detained on suspicion of vote-buying in the Andalucían town of Mojácar.
Pablo Simón, a political scientist at Carlos III University in Madrid, said Sunday’s elections were on course to be a closely run affair, with much depending on turnout. “What we’re going to see is a situation where the left and right blocs will be finishing neck-and-neck in many places,” he said.
“Things are going to be very tight in the Valencian regional government, in the Balearic islands, in Aragón, in Barcelona, in Seville, in Vitoria, and in Valladolid.”
Simón said the results would inevitably shape the political narrative before the general election. He said: “If the PP grows a lot and wins a lot of territorial power – and if it outperforms expectations – then that will give rise to the perception that the left’s time is up and that Pedro Sánchez is in stoppage time.
“On the other hand, if the left holds out and if the result is mixed, then the impression will be that the game’s not over when it comes to the next election.”
While the PSOE will be hoping to minimise losses in the run-up to the general election, Podemos, its leftwing, junior partner in the national coalition government, is badly bereft of the momentum and support that propelled it into Spanish politics eight years ago. Meanwhile, the centre-right Citizens party, once a kingmaker and possible party of government, is set to continue its slow slide into insignificance.
One of the main focuses will be on the reconfigured right. Although the PP stands to hoover up support from the moribund Citizens, it is unlikely to perform well enough to avoid the need for deals with Vox, with whom it already governs the region of Castilla y León. Such deals, however, would come at a price as they would allow the left to question the PP’s credentials as a centre-right party and paint it as all too prepared to enter into cynical alliances with the far right.
“Vox is growing in all regions and is going to win more power and be in more regional parliaments and in more councils than in 2019,” said Simón. “Second – and this is important – all the surveys show that the PP will need Vox to govern in every region except in Madrid. That means that Vox, which is running a very discreet campaign and is trying not to make any mistakes, will be seeking to enter into coalition governments.”
Rows over Eta and racism loom large as Spain holds local elections - The Guardian
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Rows over Eta and racism loom large as Spain holds local elections - The Guardian
Spain heads to the polls on Sunday to elect 12 regional governments and 8,000 municipal councils in votes that will allow the governing Socialists and the opposition conservatives to gauge their strengths and hone their strategies before December’s general election.
Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the rightwing, populist president of the Madrid region, will be aiming to secure an absolute majority for the People’s party (PP), while Barcelona’s leftwing mayor, Ada Colau, will be hoping to see off challenges from the regional branch of the Socialist party and a centre-right Catalan pro-independence party.
The PP, which has been in opposition since it was turfed out of central government after a string of corruption scandals five years ago, wants to wrestle as many regions as possible from the ruling Spanish Socialist Workers’ party (PSOE). But it is likely to have to rely on the far-fight Vox party’s support in forming new regional governments in all of the contested regions except Madrid.
The elections come at the end of a bitter campaign in which regional and local matters have been often overshadowed by the spectre of the defunct Basque terrorist group, Eta, the row sparked by the racist abuse directed at the Real Madrid footballer Vinícius Júnior, and allegations of electoral fraud.
Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, who is also the PSOE leader, had begun the campaign hoping to stress his government’s economic record, new housing reforms and schemes to help young people.
But his attempts to push those achievements were swiftly derailed after it emerged that the Basque nationalist party, EH Bildu – on whose support the minority government relies in congress – was fielding 44 convicted Eta members, including seven people found guilty of violent crimes, as candidates.
Although Sánchez criticised Bildu’s decision, describing it as legal but “obviously indecent”, and the Basque party saying later the seven candidates convicted for violence would not take up their seats, the damage had been done.
The PP leader, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, pounced on Sánchez for his reliance on Bildu and on Catalan pro-independence parties – and for bungled sexual offences legislation that allowed more than 1,000 convicted sex offenders to have their sentences cut, and more than 100 to win early release.
“You’re the great electoral hope for rapists and pederasts, for mutineers, squatters, corrupt people and now for those who used to go about in balaclavas with pistols,” he told Sánchez. “And I will never be that.”
Ayuso, a climate change denier who once said the spread of Covid in the Spanish capital was partly due to “the way of life of immigrants in Madrid”, went further, claiming that “Eta is still alive” in the guise of Bildu and calling, unsuccessfully, for the legal political party to be banned. Her words were criticised by a group representing the victims of terrorism that accused her of trivialising what had happened and showing a lack of respect for the families of the dead.
Eta murdered 829 people during its violent, five-decade quest to bring about an independent Basque homeland before it abandoned its armed campaign in 2011 and dissolved itself five years ago.
Sánchez said the PP’s familiar obsession with a vanished terror group was proof of its lack of electoral policies. He asked the party: “What’s your proposal on housing? Eta. In other words, nothing. On education? Eta. In other words, nothing. On the climate emergency? Eta. In other words nothing.
He added: “When Eta is nothing in Spain it is still everything to you. Because, in your desperation, Eta is all you have, even though it doesn’t exist.”
By the middle of this week, the focus had switched to racism after Vinícius called Spain “a country of racists”.
Sánchez replied: “Hatred and xenophobia should have no place in football nor in our society.”
Feijóo also said racism and sport were “totally incompatible”, but added: “Spain is not a racist country in any way.”
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That in turn gave way to fears of electoral corruption after police in Spain’s north African enclave of Melilla arrested 10 people suspected of participating in an alleged mail-in vote-buying fraud, while seven other people were detained on suspicion of vote-buying in the Andalucían town of Mojácar.
Pablo Simón, a political scientist at Carlos III University in Madrid, said Sunday’s elections were on course to be a closely run affair, with much depending on turnout. “What we’re going to see is a situation where the left and right blocs will be finishing neck-and-neck in many places,” he said.
“Things are going to be very tight in the Valencian regional government, in the Balearic islands, in Aragón, in Barcelona, in Seville, in Vitoria, and in Valladolid.”
Simón said the results would inevitably shape the political narrative before the general election. He said: “If the PP grows a lot and wins a lot of territorial power – and if it outperforms expectations – then that will give rise to the perception that the left’s time is up and that Pedro Sánchez is in stoppage time.
“On the other hand, if the left holds out and if the result is mixed, then the impression will be that the game’s not over when it comes to the next election.”
While the PSOE will be hoping to minimise losses in the run-up to the general election, Podemos, its leftwing, junior partner in the national coalition government, is badly bereft of the momentum and support that propelled it into Spanish politics eight years ago. Meanwhile, the centre-right Citizens party, once a kingmaker and possible party of government, is set to continue its slow slide into insignificance.
One of the main focuses will be on the reconfigured right. Although the PP stands to hoover up support from the moribund Citizens, it is unlikely to perform well enough to avoid the need for deals with Vox, with whom it already governs the region of Castilla y León. Such deals, however, would come at a price as they would allow the left to question the PP’s credentials as a centre-right party and paint it as all too prepared to enter into cynical alliances with the far right.
“Vox is growing in all regions and is going to win more power and be in more regional parliaments and in more councils than in 2019,” said Simón. “Second – and this is important – all the surveys show that the PP will need Vox to govern in every region except in Madrid. That means that Vox, which is running a very discreet campaign and is trying not to make any mistakes, will be seeking to enter into coalition governments.”
Rows over Eta and racism loom large as Spain holds local elections - The Guardian
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Castlemaine footballer, 17, dies after collapsing during local game in Victoria - 7NEWS
The Castlemaine Football Netball Club is in mourning after a junior player died during an under-18s game in Victoria.
The boy collapsed and was unresponsive during an away game at the Kyneton Showgrounds at around 12.20pm on Saturday.
He was taken in a critical condition to Kyneton Hospital, where he later died.
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“The exact circumstances surrounding the death are yet to be determined but the matter is not being treated as suspicious,” Victoria Police said.
A report will be prepared for the coroner.
Castlemaine extended an invite for members to come together at their home ground, providing “a safe space to be together at this difficult time”.
A later Bendigo league game between the Castlemaine and Kyneton senior teams was abandoned while Kyneton cancelled Rural Round celebrations taking place at the Showgrounds.
“The Kyneton Football and Netball Club are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of an under-18 player from the Castlemaine Football and Netball Club,” the club wrote.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the players, family, friends, and teammates and we ask that you please respect their privacy at this time.”
Support flowed in for Castlemaine as the community reckoned with the tragedy.
“Incredibly saddening and devastating,” Greater Bendigo councillor Matthew Evans said.
“My sincerest of condolences and prayers to the family and the entire Castlemaine FNC. Thoughts with the Kyneton FNC as well.”
Kyneton Fire Brigade said: “Condolences and our deepest sympathies to the entire football community from us all.”
One woman wrote: “Hard to believe something like this can happen in junior football. My heart goes out to all. My son plays for U18 as well and I can’t even begin to imagine how hard this would be.”
Another mother said: “Our deepest sympathy and thoughts go out to the family, players, coaches, umpires, officials, supporters and community - from an U18 Golden Square player’s mum.”
Bendigo league rivals Golden Square were joined by Victorian clubs North Geelong and St Arnaud Football Club in reaching out to Castlemaine.
“Deepest condolences to the family and friends, the Castlemaine Football Netball Club, players, committee and community our thoughts are with you all at this very sad time,” Golden Square said.
“From one community club to another, our thoughts are with your club and wider community at this tragic time,” North Geelong added.
St Arnaud said: “We’re thinking of you all. Condolences to the family, friends, and entire Castlemaine Football Netball Club and wider community.”
The boy’s death comes just weeks after 20-year-old footballer Antonio Loiacono died after an on-field collision in a South Australian football game.
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Castlemaine footballer, 17, dies after collapsing during local game in Victoria - 7NEWS
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Castlemaine footballer, 17, dies after collapsing during local game in Victoria - 7NEWS
The Castlemaine Football Netball Club is in mourning after a junior player died during an under-18s game in Victoria.
The boy collapsed and was unresponsive during an away game at the Kyneton Showgrounds at around 12.20pm on Saturday.
He was taken in a critical condition to Kyneton Hospital, where he later died.
Analysis, local footy and the biggest moments, Seven and 7plus are the home of footy shows for every fan. Stream them all for free on 7plus >>
“The exact circumstances surrounding the death are yet to be determined but the matter is not being treated as suspicious,” Victoria Police said.
A report will be prepared for the coroner.
Castlemaine extended an invite for members to come together at their home ground, providing “a safe space to be together at this difficult time”.
A later Bendigo league game between the Castlemaine and Kyneton senior teams was abandoned while Kyneton cancelled Rural Round celebrations taking place at the Showgrounds.
“The Kyneton Football and Netball Club are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of an under-18 player from the Castlemaine Football and Netball Club,” the club wrote.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the players, family, friends, and teammates and we ask that you please respect their privacy at this time.”
Support flowed in for Castlemaine as the community reckoned with the tragedy.
“Incredibly saddening and devastating,” Greater Bendigo councillor Matthew Evans said.
“My sincerest of condolences and prayers to the family and the entire Castlemaine FNC. Thoughts with the Kyneton FNC as well.”
Kyneton Fire Brigade said: “Condolences and our deepest sympathies to the entire football community from us all.”
One woman wrote: “Hard to believe something like this can happen in junior football. My heart goes out to all. My son plays for U18 as well and I can’t even begin to imagine how hard this would be.”
Another mother said: “Our deepest sympathy and thoughts go out to the family, players, coaches, umpires, officials, supporters and community - from an U18 Golden Square player’s mum.”
Bendigo league rivals Golden Square were joined by Victorian clubs North Geelong and St Arnaud Football Club in reaching out to Castlemaine.
“Deepest condolences to the family and friends, the Castlemaine Football Netball Club, players, committee and community our thoughts are with you all at this very sad time,” Golden Square said.
“From one community club to another, our thoughts are with your club and wider community at this tragic time,” North Geelong added.
St Arnaud said: “We’re thinking of you all. Condolences to the family, friends, and entire Castlemaine Football Netball Club and wider community.”
The boy’s death comes just weeks after 20-year-old footballer Antonio Loiacono died after an on-field collision in a South Australian football game.
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Castlemaine footballer, 17, dies after collapsing during local game in Victoria - 7NEWS
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Logging ‘export opportunity’ remains despite fears of local timber shortage - Sydney Morning Herald
The timber industry has warned that Victoria’s early phaseout of native forest logging could lead to a shortage of hardwood in Australia, but has rejected calls for a scheme to shore up local supply.
The industry’s warning came as the federal government backed the continued export of timber from native forests and plantations, which it said was an important economic opportunity for the sector.
A logging coupe at Rubicon, in Victoria’s Central Highlands.Credit: Karena Goldfinch/supplied
Conservationists have been calling for an end to native forest logging for decades, with habitat loss a driving factor for native wildlife extinctions.
But Australian Forest Products Association chief executive Joel Fitzgibbon said Victoria’s decision this week to bring forward its 2030 deadline to end native forest logging to January 1 next year could cause global environmental harm by increasing the need for imports of hardwood timber.
The former Rudd government forestry minister claimed much of the imports would come from the tropical forests of developing nations with lower environmental standards than in Australia.
“That’s no way to protect and conserve Australia’s native forest estate or to halt global deforestation practices,” Fitzgibbon said.
But he said he would not back a scheme to reserve native timber to ensure local demand was met before it was sent offshore, and instead argued for an expansion of native timber harvesting for both export and local sales.
“We need to keep our sustainable native forestry sector open and thriving, so we can satisfy both our domestic and export needs,” he said.
Hardwood from Australia’s native forests is exported as wood chips and whole logs, and domestically is typically made into flooring, decking, window frames, furniture and, in some cases, beams and joists. In Victoria, hardwood is pulped for paper and wood chip exports. Australia also imports some hardwood, particularly from Canada and New Zealand.
Softwood, which is grown in pine plantations across Australia, is the dominant source of framing material in housing construction.
Former Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon is now chief executive of the Australian Forest Products Association.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Federal Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister Murray Watt this week endorsed continued exports but acknowledged there was a timber shortage in Australia.
Asked if he would support domestic reservations of hardwood timber from native forests, Watt said the government was investing in the industry.
“The Albanese government supports sustainable forestry and is making record investments in forestry that is environmentally, socially and commercially sustainable,” he said.
Earlier this week, Watt told Sky News exports were crucial for Australia’s logging industry.
“We obviously need to make sure that we look after our national interest, but I think that for any product, you want to make sure that you have a range of options in terms of how you sell it and that’s important for the timber industry to have that export opportunity,” he said.
Watt last week welcomed China lifting its ban on Australian timber import. The trade was suspended in 2021, when it was worth about $560 million a year.
Wilderness Society national campaigns director Amelia Young said governments should manage timber exports to ensure local demand was met, without needing to expand the scale of logging in native forests.
“If industry, business and government are genuinely concerned about supposed resource shortages, they’d be plugging the leak through export restrictions, instead of continuing to insist that more and more can be unsustainably squeezed out of Australia’s precious native forests,” Young said.
“Properly managing exports so that domestic needs can be met would secure a sustainable domestic supply of plantation timber.”
The former Morrison government last year declared koalas an endangered species in NSW, Queensland and the ACT, largely due to habitat loss. NSW is allowing logging within the boundaries of the proposed Great Koala National Park on the Mid North Coast, home to one in five of the state’s surviving koalas.
Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis from Jacqueline Maley. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter here.
Mike Foley is the climate and energy correspondent for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.
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Logging ‘export opportunity’ remains despite fears of local timber shortage - Sydney Morning Herald
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Friday, May 26, 2023
Nikita Tszyu knocks out local rival Benjamin Bommber - ESPN - ESPN
Nikita Tszyu has shown his boxing pedigree by extending his unbeaten run with a crushing first round knock-out victory over Benjamin Bommber.
Squaring off as the co-main event at Melbourne's Margaret Court Arena, Tszyu finished the young Victorian with a flurry of punches with two minutes and nine seconds left in round one.
The referee tried to intervene with Bommber landing on the canvas on top of him.
Tszyu is the son of former great Kostya, and younger brother of Tim, who was ringside and looked as excited as his sibling by the dominant victory.
The win came 20 years after triple world champion Kostya downed American Jesse James Leija in six rounds in Melbourne.
Nikita, 25, is undefeated through six professional fights while Bommber was 5-0 heading into this clash.
He lived up to his nickname "The Butcher" with the ruthless performance.
"It was over in a flash, I was hoping it was going to go a little longer," Nikita said.
"I landed an uppercut. I saw a victim, the hunter instinct inside of me went into kill mode.
"If I see someone wounded, I want to hurt them, it's just instincts."
Tim joined Nikita in the ring and rated his display as "10/10".
"I'm a proud brother. Nikita did a tremendous job," Tim said.
"My dad fought here in the Telstra Dome in Melbourne in 2003 so for Nikita to come back 20 years later and continue the legacy here, it's an honour for us and I'm sure one day I'll be back as well."
Meanwhile, in a clash of former AFL heavyweights, ex-Bomber Tom Bellchambers dominated Cameron Mooney who played for Geelong.
The super welterweight pair both landed some heavy blows in the opening round with Bellchambers knocking the big Cat down.
He then landed a big right with 47 seconds remaining in the third and final round, winning by knock-out.
Nikita Tszyu knocks out local rival Benjamin Bommber - ESPN - ESPN
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Wednesday, May 24, 2023
Local footballer Jojo Amaah, whose heart stopped for five minutes after coward punch, fuming at league’s response - 7NEWS
A local footballer who laid “dead on the ground” after an almost fatal coward punch during a suburban match has hit out at the league’s inaction over the matter.
Jojo Amaah’s second game for Southern Football Netball League (SFNL) side Keysborough almost ended in tragedy when he went down after being coward punched from behind following a scuffle.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Young footballer left to fight for life after shocking incident.
Analysis, local footy and the biggest moments, Seven and 7plus are the home of footy shows for every fan. Stream them all for free on 7plus >>
The footballer had a seizure and went into cardiac arrest on the ground in what quickly became a terrifying scene.
His heart stopped beating for about five minutes as trainers and responders frantically rushed to his assistance.
Compounding the drama, the responding ambulance had to get through a locked gate to access the ground, which was then pried open with an angle grinder by a quick-thinking person at the ground.
Amaah miraculously survived the episode, even asking for a photo as he was being wheeled into the ambulance.
The incident was assessed by an AFL-accredited independent investigator, but conflicting and inconclusive evidence meant no charges were laid.
Furious at the decision, Amaah released an explosive statement on social media on Monday night.
“I haven’t really talked about my incident publicly yet,” he wrote.
“I want everyone to know that I’m absolutely shattered that the SFNL I thought was there to protect me and all of its players are letting this behaviour slide.
“My life was changed forever on the 22nd of April when during the match I put a block on and was punched in the chest before a scuffle broke out and then I’m told at least 1 coward hit me from behind off the ball and due to ‘conflicting statements’ The SFNL is letting the culprit(s) and their club get away with it.
“Not to mention the locked gates and the 11 years out of date defib. Some of the things I’ve heard that the crowd yelled out while I was laying dead on the ground are absolutely disgusting and have no place in football or anywhere for that matter.
“My family and I are truly devastated. We were told by the SFNL CEO that the matter was being investigated by the AFL but have confirmed with the AFL Integrity Unit that they had no knowledge of the incident and therefore have not investigated. The CEO of the SFNL has got to explain the full process publicly.
“All I want is justice and for no other player to go through what my family, teammates, coaches, trainers and I have gone through.”
The league moved quickly to respond on Tuesday night with a statement of its own, defending its actions and process in response to the sickening incident.
“First and foremost, all at the Southern FNL are extremely pleased that Jojo is recovering well and our best wishes are with him for a healthy future,” the league’s statement reads.
“In response to the social media post by JoJo of 22 May 2023, the Southern FNL can confirm the 22 April incident involving Jojo Amaah, has been fully investigated in accordance with the process available under our By-laws.
“Witness statements in evidence were obtained from players and officials of both participant Clubs and the League match day officials.
“As part of the investigation, discussions were held and guidance sought from Victoria Police and other relevant third parties.
“An independent and accredited investigator was also externally engaged to assess and make any recommendation(s) in relation to further action by the Southern FNL, based on their review of the available evidence.
“Following consideration of the assembled evidence, including witness statements, video evidence and discussions with the above third parties, it was determined there was insufficient evidence to corroborate the bringing of a charge(s) against any individual(s) in relation to the incident, by the League under the By-laws.”
But Amaah has since hit back again, calling the SFNL out once again for its “lies”.
“No one asked me for a statement!” he said on Tuesday night.
“The SFNL has not checked in with me once regarding my health or wellbeing.
Amaah said that despite being “told in writing this was being referred to the AFL”, he had since been made aware that “the AFL Integrity Unit had not heard of the matter”.
“They have given us no support and in fact threatened any registered players with a minimum 2 week suspension for my post!”
“I am so hurt by these lies.”
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Local footballer Jojo Amaah, whose heart stopped for five minutes after coward punch, fuming at league’s response - 7NEWS
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Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Speedsters caught on local roads - bay 93.9 Geelong - Bay 93.9
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Speedsters caught on local roads - bay 93.9 Geelong Bay 93.9Speedsters caught on local roads - bay 93.9 Geelong - Bay 93.9
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Sunday, May 21, 2023
Local investors confident US can avoid debt ceiling ‘Armageddon’ - Sydney Morning Herald
Market jitters about the United States debt ceiling saga appear to be fading amid signs politicians are edging towards a deal, with investors saying inflation remains a bigger risk than the highly unlikely prospect of a US default.
As negotiations over the debt ceiling continue, Australian fund managers and experts predicted the US would avoid the potentially “catastrophic” scenario of a default, though they said high public debt remained a challenge for the world’s largest economy.
The US debt ceiling is a legal limit on how much the US government can borrow, currently set at $US31.4 trillion ($47.2 trillion). This limit was exceeded earlier this year and the US government has been using “extraordinary measures” to keep the wheels of government turning.
The US going into default would likely cause financial chaos across the globe.Credit: AP
But the deadline for when it hits the absolute ceiling – known as “X day” – is getting closer and US President Joe Biden last week scrapped plans to visit Australia to instead focus on resolving the debt crisis.
Analysts said there were some signs the drawn-out debt ceiling talks had affected the confidence of investors and US consumers, but they believed the nation would resolve the issue because it had too much to lose from a default, which would occur if it reaches X day.
Perpetual’s head of investment strategy Matt Sherwood said there had been progress in nutting out a deal, and he was confident they would reach an agreement.
“It’s something we always pay attention to and if the talks are going badly, you can see a widening in risk premiums. But in the end, we’ve seen this movie before, we know how it ends,” he said.
“It always ends with spending cuts or tax increases in exchange for extending the debt ceiling.”
Sherwood said continued high inflation, which could lead to more interest rate hikes from the US Federal Reserve, was a bigger risk for investors.
Senior portfolio manager at Ophir, Andrew Mitchell, stressed a US default was “highly, highly unlikely,” but said if it did happen this would have severe consequences for markets.
“It’s almost unthinkable to consider a US government default and what that would mean for its credit rating, financial markets and economic growth. It would be financial Armageddon,” Mitchell said last week.
“Republicans wouldn’t want to go down in the history books of causing default through its brinkmanship with the Biden government, destroying the US credit rating and its hard-won position as the world’s reserve currency,” he said.
ANZ Bank economists Brian Martin and Tom Kenny last week said since 1960, Congress had acted 78 times to either raise or revise the definition of the debt limit. They estimated the odds of the US defaulting were about 1 per cent, but said it would be “catastrophic” if it did occur.
AMP deputy chief economist Diana Mousina said she thought the probability of default was about 5 to 10 per cent, pointing to signs of progress in talks between the White House and the Republicans. “It looks like they don’t want to leave it to the very last minute,” she said on Friday.
Joe Biden said he was confident “America would not go into default” before jetting off to Japan for the G7 summit.Credit: AP
US Treasury bonds are viewed as the ultimate “risk-free” asset, setting a benchmark for how other financial assets such as shares and government and corporate bonds are priced around the world.
Mousina said markets would “freak out” if there was a default, causing yields on US government bonds to jump sharply.
“That would probably flow through to Australia, and the Australian dollar would fall because the Australian dollar is a procyclical currency. Sharemarkets would obviously tank,” Mousina says.
Economists have also said a US default would trigger a sharp rise in unemployment and drive the US economy into recession, as the government would cut payments for social security and government staff.
In a sign investors had been growing more nervous about the debt ceiling, a Bank of America survey of fund managers last week showed 71 per cent of respondents thought the ceiling would be raised in time, down from 80 per cent in April. But the survey still ranked the debt ceiling crisis fifth on fund managers’ list of worries, behind high inflation and high interest rates.
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Local investors confident US can avoid debt ceiling ‘Armageddon’ - Sydney Morning Herald
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