Declaring 'new beginning,' EU, Turkey seal migrant deal

Sun Nov 29, 2015 | 3:16 PM EST Greek Prime Minister AlexisTsipras arrives at the EU-Turkey summit in Brussel, Belgium, at which the EU will seek Turkish help to slow the influx of migrants into southeastern Europe, November 29, 2015. REUTERS/Yves Herman Greek Prime Minister AlexisTsipras arrives at the EU-Turkey summit in Brussel, Belgium, at which the EU will seek Turkish help to slow the influx of migrants into southeaste... Reuters/Yves Herman + Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (L) and European Council President Donald Tusk attend a news conference after a EU-Turkey summit in Brussels, Belgium November 29, 2015. REUTERS/Yves Herman Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (L) and European Council President Donald Tusk attend a news conference after a EU-Turkey summit in Brussels, Belgium November 29, 201... Reuters/Yves Herman + (L to R) Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and German Chancellor Angela Merkel talk to French President Francois Hollande during an EU-Turkey summit in Brussels, Belgium November 29, 2015. REUTERS/Eric Vidal (L to R) Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and German Chancellor Angela Merkel talk to French President Francois Hollande during... Reuters/Eric Vidal + Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann (L), Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (C) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) talk before a group photo at an EU-Turkey summit, in which the EU seeks Turkish help to slow the influx of migrants into southeastern Europe, in Brussels, Belgium November 29, 2015. REUTERS/Yves Herman Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann (L), Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (C) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) talk before a group photo at an EU-Turkey summit, ... Reuters/Yves Herman + Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (R) is welcomed by European Council President Donald Tusk at the start of an EU-Turkey summit, in which the EU seeks Turkish help to slow the influx of migrants into southeastern Europe, in Brussels, Belgium November 29, 2015. REUTERS/Thierry Monasse/Pool Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (R) is welcomed by European Council President Donald Tusk at the start of an EU-Turkey summit, in which the EU seeks Turkish help to s... Reuters/Thierry Monasse/Pool + (L to R) German Chancellor Angela Merkel talks with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and French President Francois Hollande during an EU-Turkey summit in Brussels, Belgium November 29, 2015. REUTERS/Eric Vidal (L to R) German Chancellor Angela Merkel talks with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and French President Francois Hollande during an EU-Turkey summit in Brussels, Bel... Reuters/Eric Vidal + German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives at the EU-Turkey summit in Brussels, Belgium, November 29, 2015. REUTERS/Eric Vidal German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives at the EU-Turkey summit in Brussels, Belgium, November 29, 2015. Reuters/Eric Vidal Greek Prime Minister AlexisTsipras arrives at the EU-Turkey summit in Brussel, Belgium, at which the EU will seek Turkish help to slow the influx of migrants into southeastern Europe, November 29, 2015. REUTERS/Yves Herman Greek Prime Minister AlexisTsipras arrives at the EU-Turkey summit in Brussel, Belgium, at which the EU will seek Turkish help to slow the influx of migrants into southeaste... Reuters/Yves Herman + Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (L) and European Council President Donald Tusk attend a news conference after a EU-Turkey summit in Brussels, Belgium November 29, 2015. REUTERS/Yves Herman Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (L) and European Council President Donald Tusk attend a news conference after a EU-Turkey summit in Brussels, Belgium November 29, 201... Reuters/Yves Herman + › Declaring 'new beginning,' EU, Turkey seal migrant...X By Francesco Guarascio and Robin Emmott BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Turkey will help stem the flow of migrants to Europe in return for cash, visas and renewed talks on joining the EU in a deal struck on Sunday that the Turkish prime minister called a "new beginning" for the uneasy neighbors. Leaders of the 28 European Union states met Turkish premier Ahmet Davutoglu in Brussels on Sunday evening to give their collective political blessing to an agreement hammered out by diplomats over the past few weeks. A key element is 3 billion euros ($3.2 billion) in EU aid for the 2.2 million Syrian refugees in Turkey, intended to raise living standards and so persuade more to stay put rather than attempt often perilous crossings to the Greek islands and the EU. "The EU is committed to provide an initial 3 billion euro of additional resources," the EU and Turkish leaders said in a joint statement. "The need for and nature of this funding will be reviewed in the light of the developing situation." The final wording was a compromise between the EU, which offered 3 billion euros over two years, and Turkey, which had pushed for the same amount annually. Now the money, as French President Francois Hollande said, will paid out bit by bit, giving a possibility of a total more or less than 3 billion. Also on offer to Ankara, which has driven a hard bargain but wants to revive relations with its European neighbors as it faces trouble in the Middle East and from Russia, is a "re-energized" negotiating process on Turkish membership of the EU -- even if few on either side expect it to join soon. And many Turks could also benefit from visa-free travel to Europe's Schengen zone within a year if Turkey meets conditions on tightening its borders in the east to Asian migrants and moves other benchmarks on reducing departures to Europe. "Today is a historic day in our accession process to the EU," Davutoglu told reporters on arrival. "I am grateful to all European leaders for this new beginning." DESPERATION Aware of a sense of desperation in Europe for a solution to a crisis that has called into question its own cohesion and the future of its Schengen passport-free travel zone, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has driven a hard bargain. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Related Coverage Europe, Turkey agree migration deal, leaders say The deal involves Turkish help, including through naval patrols and border checks, in handling the flow of migrants to the EU, expected to reach 1.5 million people this year alone, and the EU offering cash and restarting talks on EU accession. "Results must be achieved in particular in stemming the influx of irregular migrants," the joint statement read. "Both sides will, as agreed and with immediate effect, step up their active cooperation on migrants who are not in need of international protection, preventing travel to Turkey and the EU ... and swiftly returning migrants who are not in need of international protection to their countries of origin." Summit chairman Tusk stressed that the meeting was primarily about migration rather than improving Turkish ties, which have been strained in recent years as Erdogan has used a powerful electoral mandate to consolidate his power. Critics say he has abused the rights of opponents, media and minority Kurds. "Our main goal is to stem the flow of migrants to Europe," Tusk said. The Europeans, none more so than German Chancellor Angela Merkel, are under pressure to manage the biggest influx of people since World War Two, the bulk of them to Germany. The crisis has helped populist opponents and set nations against each other, straining the open borders of the EU. Before the summit itself, Merkel met leaders of some other EU states which have taken in many refugees and said afterwards they had discussed how they might resettle more of them directly from Syria rather than wait for families to reach the EU via dangerous smuggling routes across the Mediterranean. She said they had discussed no figures. German media reports had spoken earlier of up to 400,000 Syrians being resettled. Measures the EU has taken have done little to control migrant movements. While winter weather may lower the numbers for a few months, it is also worsening the plight of tens of thousands stuck by closing borders in the Balkans. Sunday's summit, called just days ago as Brussels tried to clinch a deal offered over a month ago, has been complicated by Turkey's downing of a Russian warplane on the Syrian border. Related Coverage Merkel confirms 3 billion euro deal with Turkey on migrants Highlights: Leaders' comments at EU-Turkey summit That has complicated European efforts to re-engage with Moscow, despite a continued frost over Ukraine, in order to try to advance a peace in Syria that could end the flight of refugees and contain Islamic State. Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said tension between Ankara and Moscow over the downing of the warplane were of "enormous concern". The EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the incident should not affect the prospect of finding a political deal on Syria. Islamic State's attack on Paris on Nov. 13 has heightened calls in the EU for more controls on people arriving from Syria. Merkel has forced the pace in securing a deal with Turkey that has left critics of Erdogan's human rights policies uneasy. The German leader defended her stance: "If we are strategic partners, we must of course discuss openly with each other those issues on which we have questions, concerns or criticism." (Additional reporting by Sabine Siebold, Gabriela Baczynska, Jan Strupczewski, Alastair Macdonald and Ercan Gurses in Brussels; Writing by Alastair Macdonald; Editing by Richard Balmforth and Hugh Lawson)

Iran unveils upgraded model for oil contracts

Associated Press Ali Akbar Dareini, Associated Press Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh, center, Managing Director of National Iranian Oil Company, Roknoddin Javadi, right, head of parliament's energy committee Ali Marvi, left, and participants listen to Iran's national anthem during opening ceremony of Iran Petroleum Contracts Conference in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015. Iran has unveiled a new model of oil contracts aimed at attracting foreign investment once sanctions are lifted under a landmark nuclear deal reached earlier this year. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) syndication.ap.org Iran's Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh, center, Managing Director of National Iranian Oil Company, Roknoddin Javadi, right, head of parliament's energy committee Ali Marvi, left, and participants listen to Iran's national anthem during opening ceremony of Iran Petroleum Contracts Conference in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015. Iran has unveiled a new model of oil contracts aimed at attracting foreign investment once sanctions are lifted under a landmark nuclear deal reached earlier this year. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran unveiled a new model of oil contracts Saturday aimed at attracting foreign investment once sanctions are lifted under a landmark nuclear deal reached earlier this year, and said U.S. companies would be welcome to participate. The new Iran Petroleum Contract replaces a previous buyback model, in which contractors paid to develop and operate an oil field before turning it over to Iranian authorities. Iran has sweetened the terms, hoping to bring in $30 billion in new investment. The new contracts last 15-20 years and allow for the full recovery of costs. The older contracts were shorter term, and investors complained of heavy risks and suffering losses. Investors who produced more than planned amounts received no compensation for the additional barrels. But under the new model, the more they produce, the more they will earn. Foreign investors will also have an option to extend contracts an additional five years, up to 25 years. Some 50 upstream oil, gas and petrochemical projects are being introduced during a two-day conference in Tehran that began Saturday. Iran will pay foreign oil companies larger fees under the new contracts to provide greater incentives to investors. Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh told the conference that under the new contracts, foreign investors will be required to form a joint company with an Iranian partner to carry out exploration, development and production operations. "To continue to play the role (as a major oil supplier), we hope to enjoy working with reputable international oil companies under a win-win situation," he told the conference. Zanganeh welcomed U.S. investment in Iran's energy sector. "We have no objection to and problem with the participation of American companies. The way for the presence of these companies in Iran's oil industry is open," he said. Mahdi Hosseini, a senior official in charge of the new contracts, told the conference that the new model is an attempt to repair Iran's relations with the industrialized world. Iran is hoping to attract over $150 billion in foreign investment in five years to rebuild its energy industry. Iranian hardliners, however, condemned the new contracts as "unconstitutional", saying they will open the way for "infiltration" of the energy sector by Iran's enemies. "Zanganeh today unveiled contracts that effectively transfers the rights of exploration, extraction, exploitation and sale Iran's oil to foreign companies for 25 years," the conservative news website, rejanews.com, said. International sanctions on Iran's oil industry were tightened in 2012 over its controversial nuclear program. Western nations have long suspected Iran of secretly pursuing nuclear weapons, charges denied by Tehran, which insists the program is entirely peaceful. Under the agreement reached in July with the U.S., Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China, Iran will curb its nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. Oil Ministry officials said 137 foreign companies attended Saturday's conference, including Repsol, BP, Royal Dutch Shell, Total, Technip, Schlumberger, Eni, Enel, Rosneft, Lukoil, Gazprom, Inpex, Statoil and Daewoo. Iran, an OPEC member, currently exports 1.1 million barrels of crude oil per day and hopes to get back to its pre-sanctions level of 2.2 million, last reached in 2012. Iran's total production now stands at 3.1 million barrels per day. Iran is hoping to boost oil production to 5.7 million barrels a day by 2021. Zanganeh said last week that Iran will export an additional 500,000 barrels of oil a day after sanctions are lifted — likely in early 2016 — to reclaim its market share despite low prices. Iran plans to begin exporting an additional 500,000 barrels of oil a day six months later in order to double its crude exports. ======================= Fri Nov 20, 2015 | 9:56 AM EST India's Petronet near to winning better gas terms from Qatar-sources India's Petronet near to winning better gas terms...X By Oleg Vukmanovic and Nidhi Verma MILAN/NEW DELHI Nov 20 (Reuters) - India's biggest gas importer Petronet LNG is close to renegotiating a major deal with its Qatari supplier Rasgas, lowering the cost of gas shipments and avoiding a $1.5 billion penalty fee for lifting less gas than agreed, two sources said. The renegotiation is another sign of how falling oil prices and a global gas glut are bringing producing giants such as Qatar to the negotiating table. Petronet, which has a 25-year contract with Rasgas to annually buy 7.5 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) has reduced purchases by about a third this year due to high prices -- even though it is only allowed to take 10 percent less, making it liable for a $1.5 billion penalty. Petronet and Rasgas opened renegotiation proceedings during Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani's visit to New Delhi in March. If India manages to renegotiate a deal with Qatar it would be Prime Minister Narendra Modi's biggest diplomatic win in the energy sector since coming to power last year. Indian oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan reinforced the need to renegotiate prices and quantity under the long term deal with Qatar during his visit to Doha this month. According to the sources the two firms are exploring the possibility of altering the contract's pricing formula, in which the LNG is valued based on a 60-month average of a basket of Japanese crude oil prices. Instead, a 3-month average of Brent crude is being considered, which would be a major coup for Petronet by lowering its LNG costs in line with sharply lower crude oil prices. Petronet currently pays about $12-$13 per million British thermal units (mmBtu) for Qatari LNG under a deal that began in 2004, compared with around $7-$8 per mmBtu for LNG in the spot market. Petronet has been increasingly substituting costly Qatari LNG with spot shipments. But the proposed revision should allow it to step up Qatari imports as prices fall. Under the new deal, Rasgas will also grant relief to Petronet from paying a $1.5 billion penalty on the condition that the Indian firm lifts full volumes in subsequent years, said one of the sources. Rasgas was not immediately available for comment, while Petronet LNG's head of finance R. K. Garg did not respond to a request for comment. (Editing by William Hardy)

When is the most popular time to buy house & land?

Letter of Invitation: I would be available to answer any queries regarding best suburbs to integrate socially, just to let you know 21 suburbs of South Australia which are red-flagged by Australian banks. I am happy to provide detail answers to any questions with reference to Property Investment, Subdivision, Development, Buying/ Selling Residential, Commercial, Rural Properties and Businesses. I am available in person (Tue/Thu at 1289 South Rd, St. Marys, SA 5042 12 to 5 p.m) or on cell to answer any questions, and concerns you have to decide about your Real Estate. (Cell: 0431 138 537, Email: Saqlain@Dukesrealestate.com) Click here to invest in South Australian Residential Commercial, Rural Properties, Schools & Businesses. Alice Bradley by Alice Bradley 18 Nov 2015  Buying, Market data, Brisbane, Development, New Homes, Queensland Summer may be the silly season – a time for beaching and barbecuing – but when the New Year rolls around it’s all about fresh starts, with many using the weeks before work to get their house in order. For some, this means finding a house to get in order. January is the most popular month for searching online for house and land packages, realestate.com.au house and land data shows. In both 2013 and 2014, house and land listings on realestate.com.au received the most number of visits and enquiries compared to any other month. In January 2013, visits peaked to 396,968 for house and land listings. In 2014, they were at their highest in January again at 253,017. This year, August has been the most popular month so far, but if the pattern follows the same trajectory as past years, January 2016 looks set to be a boon for house and land developers. Brendan Gore, Managing Director and CEO of residential land developer Peet, says new year home buyers tend to be driven by a combination of mood and opportunity. “People often have more money to spend over Christmas and they start looking to the future and a new year ahead,” Gore says. “After spending time at home over the holidays, they often decide they need to freshen up their life with a new house, more space, or a different location. “They also tend to get out and about over the holidays and have more time to look at houses and explore new places. Even a summer health kick can lead them to discovering new parks and places where they would prefer to live.” All bases covered: 8 common questions when buying off-the-plan “ A summer health kick can lead buyers to discovering new places where they might prefer to live. Flagstone RiseThe land development industry runs its biggest marketing campaigns during Spring and Summer. Gore says most developers recognise the mindset of their buyers during the summer period and aim to meet the market with competitive pricing and incentives to encourage people to make a move. “Like other post-Christmas sales, some of the best opportunities of the year are offered in January and February so we, as an industry, are probably encouraging the trend.” Gore says spring is another elevated buying period, when people tend to make plans after winter. But the new year is “traditionally” the peak buying time. “People often get distracted from their house hunting in December and we see pent-up demand coming back into the market after the holidays.” “ Like other post-Christmas sales, some of the best opportunities are offered in January and February. One in six Australians are already engaged with buying a new home, data shows. The realestate.com.au House and Land Consumer Study found that 16% of Australians were either considering building a new home or already in the process of purchasing a new home. The ability to customise floorplan and other home features was the number one driver pushing home seekers to start a new build.* Summer ready – masterplanned community in SEQ Flagstone, a joint venture between Peet and superannuation fund MTAA Super, is a new town that will accommodate much of the growth from Greater Flagstone, one of the four priority development areas in Queensland. The first lots of the new part of Flagstone are due to be released in the new year to take advantage of the peak January – February selling period. “Flagstone is a long-term project but astute buyers know it’s best to get in early,” Gore says. The family-oriented community, which already has an established village of 4,000 people, will offer a range of homes in the new release, from city-style apartments to architecturally designed spaces for home-based businesses. Flagstone RiseFlagstone attracts a mix of entry level first home buyers, young working families and older couples downsizing from acreage. More than 300 hectares of the site has been set aside for parks, reserves and public open space to take advantage of the natural waterways and mountain views of its southeast Queensland location – just an hour from Brisbane’s CBD. The right estate: What to look for in house and land packages “ Astute buyers know it’s best to get in early. Peet expect to be able to deliver the first stage of a major regional recreation park adjacent to the new residential lots in time for the new year release. *The Building Journey, House & Land Consumer Research, realestate.com.au Insight Series, September 2015.

Qatar bans contractors leaving country in rain-damage probe: Parsons should be banned in Qatar

A motorist drives a car in a flooded street in the Qatari capital Doha following heavy rainfall on November 25, 2015. Qatar was hit by heavy flooding causing gridlock on the desert country's roads as well as closures of schools. (AFP PHOTO / AL-WATAN DOHA / KARIM JAAFAR) Associated Press Published — Saturday 28 November 2015 Last update 28 November 2015 4:53 pm Turkey warns against Russia travel in tit-for-tat move Turkey warns against Russia travel in tit-for-tat move Kenya police arrest two over terror plot linked to Iran KSA, Russia join forces to expand trade, crush terror Be ready for new wet, cold spell Editorial: Saudis stand united against terror outfits Reform call: Kuwait income drops 60% Yemen's president returns to Aden after 6-month exile VW admits 11 mn cars have pollution cheating device KSA blames world silence for Assad’s killing spree Journey of faith: Pilgrims begin moving into Mina DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: Qatar has banned contractors from leaving the small, oil-rich country as it carries out a probe into how heavy rains damaged buildings and roadways. An article late Friday on the state-run Qatar News Agency announced the travel ban. It said “owners of companies, contractors and consulting engineers” would be banned from traveling abroad until the end of the probe. A year’s worth of rain on Wednesday deluged Doha’s Hamad International Airport, the home of Qatar Airways, pouring through at least one part of the roof. The airport cost at least $15 billion to build. Rainwater also flooded streets and shut down some stores in Doha. Qatar has seen a boom in construction, some derided as shoddy, ahead of hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup. ======================================= Qatar launches probe after rains exposed poor construction At least 79.5 of rain fell at the airport, causing water to pour out of the ceiling Published: 15:43 November 27, 2015 Gulf NewsAP shareRssShare on facebookShare on facebookShare on twitterShare on twitterShare on google_plusone_shareAdd on google plusShare on emailSend Email to FriendMore Sharing ServicesAddthis3 Dubai: Qatar has launched an investigation after heavy rains exposed poor construction in a country set to host the 2022 Fifa World Cup, a deluge that saw water cascade through the roof of its $15 billion main airport. The investigation already is examining the work of five unnamed companies and others could be targeted as well in the probe launched by Prime Minister Shaikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani, who also serves as interior minister, the country’s state-run Qatar News Agency said. “Parties responsible for dereliction or negligence, whether governmental or private, will be held accountable,” the agency said, citing a statement late Wednesday from Qatar’s Government Communication Office. Reached for comment, officials at Doha’s Hamad International Airport issued a statement simply saying: “There was no impact to operations yesterday.” It referred other questions to the government. The day before, at least 79.5 millimetres of rain fell at the airport, according to the Qatar Meteorology Department. Typically, the hot, desert country sees around 50 millimetres of rain in a year. The sudden rainfall saw water pour out of the airport’s ceiling in several places, captured in online videos. Qatar opened Hamad International Airport in April 2014, part of its effort to enter the competitive Gulf airline market. The 600,000 square meter passenger terminal complex was scheduled to be completed in 2009. The airport is part of a multibillion-dollar building boom in Doha ahead of the 2022 World Cup. However, the push has seen Qatar criticised for the way it treats its large migrant worker population. There also have been accusations of shoddy construction. ================================================= Qatar’s flawed buildings to be probed Some schools had to cut the power off to make sure that students are not electrocuted Published: 19:17 November 26, 2015 Gulf NewsBy Habib ToumiBureau Chief shareRssShare on facebookShare on facebookShare on twitterShare on twitterShare on google_plusone_shareAdd on google plusShare on emailSend Email to FriendMore Sharing ServicesAddthis2 Manama: Qatar’s Prime Minister Shaikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Al Thani has ordered that all people and companies involved in the projects that have failed the test of rains this week be referred to investigators and subsequently to the public prosecution. On Wednesday, the Government Communication Office said that five companies so far would be investigated and that all parties proven guilty of negligence or failure, be they private or public, would face justice. The storm rains that lashed Qatar on Wednesday revealed the precarious state of several infrastructure projects, including roads, flyovers, and government, commercial and private buildings. As water submerged many roads, people were shocked to see that the newly-opened state of the art airport building was flawed and that rain seeped through the roof. The Sheraton and Hilton hotels, the new traffic directorate building, some malls and schools were also affected by the rain, prompting angry reactions from social media users who took pictures, videos and snapshots and shared them online. Some schools had to cut the power off to make sure that students are not electrocuted, a report in Qatari daily Al Raya said. A clip that went viral on the internet showed how part of a ceiling collapsed on employees’ tables in a government building while in another video, the submerged roads triggered a wave of scornful and angry comments. Reports in the capital Doha said the heavy downpour started at 6am and continued throughout the day. As the water on the roads rose and formed pools, traffic came to a standstill in some areas. Workers had to exert special efforts to ensure that the major arteries of the capital were not blocked, witnesses said. However, families complained about how difficult it was to move or to reach facilities where ponds of water had formed. The daily weather bulletins have for one week forecast heavy rains, but the chaos that hit the capital showed that people did not expect the rains to be this severe and that they were not prepared. Paramedics responded to 250 emergency calls and road traffic collisions between 6am and 3pm, Hamad Medical Corporation said in a statement. The figure marks an increase of 50 cases over the day before. Last year, an investigation was launched when the Salwa Road underpass was flooded in the wake of exceptionally heavy rainfall. The probe concluded that the flooding was caused by the lack of an outlet for the road’s drains. ============================================================== Floating cars, people in boats: Havoc as Qatar, Saudi Arabia ravaged by heavy rains (PHOTOS, VIDEOS) Published time: 26 Nov, 2015 08:45 Get short URL © carolyn_redaelli © carolyn_redaelli / Instagram Cars floating in rivers that were once streets, water gushing through ceilings and people sailing to work on boats – that’s the current picture in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, both desert countries, which should be dry and sunny for the whole year. Qatar’s capital Doha was apparently unprepared for the deluge and flooding that damaged many buildings in the city. The area near the capital’s Hamad International Airport was hammered with around 66mm of rain in just a few days, according to the Qatar Meteorology Department. For the record, Doha has 75mm of rain on average a year. Many buildings at the multibillion-dollar airport failed to hold up to the torrent: pictures and videos on social media show water flooding into the passenger terminal. Cascades of water fell from a ceiling inside Ezdan Mall in Doha, Doha News reported. “Inclement weather” prompted the closure of schools across the country as well as the US Embassy in Qatar on Wednesday. The Qatar Interior Ministry advised citizens to be “cautious”. READ MORE: Monster cyclone threatens Yemen & Oman with floods, landslides “Flawed [building] projects” that didn’t withstand the rains have angered Qatari authorities. Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani ordered all companies guilty of shoddy building practices to face the public prosecutor. “Parties responsible for dereliction or negligence, whether governmental or private, will be held accountable. All bodies and companies that implemented flawed projects must be investigated and then face public prosecution,” a spokesperson for Qatar’s Government Communication Office told Doha News. READ MORE: Huge ice flash flood sweeps across Saudi Arabia (VIDEO) Neighboring Saudi Arabia was also hit by heavy rains. Drivers were forced to abandon their vehicles in some streets. Schools have also been closed in the worst affected areas for a minimum of two days. q Feel the sound and fury of the significant #DohaRain which flooded streets #امطار_قطر #قطر_تغرق pic.twitter.com/EnYYXEcHhc — شبكة زاجل الإخبارية (@alzajilNews) November 25, 2015Q At least one person was killed in the floods in Rimah Province, Saudi media reported, citing local authorities. Heavy rain now on Alkhor Rd to RasLaffan with loud thundering.(Video by Passenger) #QatarRain @dohanews @qatarliving https://twitter.com/Javaid_Abid/status/669761829539848193 ====================================================== -------------- Ahmad Alld • 11 hours ago This happen when you have duplicate Mohandis and Technicians....And other those so called SCE's approved Engineers are actually flop in their home countries. How many IIT/IIIT/IIM/NIT graduates are working in KSA/GCC? Morpheus • 13 hours ago let me guess, all contractors and consultants were headed to Cairo?

At least 9 injured in shooting near Colorado Springs abortion clinic

Letter of Invitation: I would be available to answer any queries regarding best suburbs to integrate socially, just to let you know 21 suburbs of South Australia which are red-flagged by Australian banks. I am happy to provide detail answers to any questions with reference to Property Investment, Subdivision, Development, Buying/ Selling Residential, Commercial, Rural Properties and Businesses. I am available in person (Tue/Thu at 1289 South Rd, St. Marys, SA 5042 12 to 5 p.m) or on cell to answer any questions, and concerns you have to decide about your Real Estate. (Cell: 0431 138 537, Email: Saqlain@Dukesrealestate.com) Click here to invest in South Australian Residential Commercial, Rural Properties, Schools & Businesses. ====================================== Nov. 27, 2015 9:01 PM ET The Latest: Official says officer killed in Colorado attack THE ASSOCIATED PRESS STATEMENT OF NEWS VALUES AND PRINCIPLES AIM Share Emergency personnel transport an officer to an ambulance after reports of a shooting near the Planned Parenthood clinic Friday, Nov, 27, 2015, in Colorado Springs, Colo. According to authorities multiple injuries have been reported. (Daniel Owen/The Gazette via AP) MAGS OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT More News Video Protest over Chicago teen's shooting ties up retail district Nov. 27, 2015 8:07 PM ET The Latest: Prosecutors: Man eyed targets after brother shot Nov. 27, 2015 5:03 PM ET Police ID suspect in New Orleans shooting that wounded 17 Nov. 27, 2015 3:56 PM ET Police: 3 officers injured in shooting near Colorado Planned Parenthood; shooter contained Nov. 27, 2015 3:04 PM ET Chicago man, 27, charged in fatal shooting of 9-year-old Nov. 27, 2015 11:46 AM ET Buy AP Photo Reprints COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — The latest on the shooting near Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado. (All times local): 6:55 p.m. A law enforcement official says one police officer has been killed in the shooting rampage at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs. The official said Friday the officer was with the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs. The official, who has direct knowledge of the case, spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing and the official was not authorized to speak to the media. Four other officers and six civilians were taken to hospitals. Police say the gunman is in custody. — From AP writer Sadie Gurman in Colorado Springs. 5:12 p.m. The mayor of Colorado Springs says a gunman in a shooting attack at a Planned Parenthood clinic is in custody. Mayor John Suthers says he did not have any further details. A shootout and standoff between the gunman and officers had been going on for hours Friday at the clinic. Police say 11 people, including five officers, have been transported to area hospitals. Authorities do not have any further details on those wounded or whether there had been any fatalities in the attack. ____ 5 p.m. Tina Garcia says her daughter-in-law is among those still inside a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs where a gunman is locked in a standoff with police. Garcia said she spoke on the phone with Cynthia Garcia, who said that police ushered people to a floor of the building without telling them what was going on. Cynthia Garcia, who works at Planned Parenthood, heard gunshots, but couldn't see where or from whom they were coming. She took a photo out the window, which showed two law enforcement officers walking through the snow. Tina Garcia told The Associated Press by text that her son was also on his way to work at the clinic when she called him and told him not to go in. ___ 4:19 p.m. Police say a standoff with a gunman inside a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs is ongoing. Police Lt. Catherine Buckley said Friday says the gunman brought unspecified items into the building with him and it was "not a stabilized scene at this time." Buckley says that there are an unknown number of casualties in the attack, and she would not say how many civilians were wounded. She says at least four police officers have been wounded and there may be a fifth. She says authorities are evacuating people from the Planned Parenthood building. ___ 3:53 p.m. Planned Parenthood says it is concerned for the safety of its patients and staff after a gunman opened fire at one of the organization's offices in Colorado Springs. Vicki Cowart, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Rocky Mountains, said: "We don't yet know the full circumstances and motives behind this criminal action, and we don't yet know if Planned Parenthood was in fact the target of this attack." Police Lt. Catherine Buckley said Friday that authorities do not have information on the gunman's "mentality, or his ideas or ideology." She says civilians and four officers were wounded in the attack. ___ 3:05 p.m. Joan Motolinia said his sister, Jennifer, called him while she was hiding behind a table inside a Colorado Planned Parenthood clinic as a gunman was shooting inside the building. He said he heard a lot of gunshots Friday in the background. "She was telling me to take care of her babies because she could get killed," Motolinia said of the mother of three. Motolinia rushed to the clinic after getting off the phone and was frustrated because a police barricade kept him from getting close to the building. "People were shooting for sure. I heard someone shooting. There was a lot of gunfire. She was calm she was trying to hide from those people," he said. Police Lt. Catherine Buckley says civilians and four officers were wounded in the shooting. ___ 2:45 P.m. Police say civilians have been injured in a shooting in Colorado Springs. Police Lt. Catherine Buckley also said a fourth officer was wounded Friday inside a Planned Parenthood building in the latest exchange of gunfire with a shooter. Buckley says she doesn't know how many or how the civilians were injured. Police say the gunman opened fire before noon on Friday. Three officers were said to be injured in an earlier exchange of gunfire with the shooter. Officials say at least seven people have been taken to area hospitals. It is not known if that number includes the four officers. ___ 2:25 p.m. Police say they are encountering gunfire as they search for a gunman at a shooting scene near a Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs. Police previously said the gunman had been contained Friday but later said they were still searching for the person. Police say at least three officers have been injured but it's not known if anyone else has been wounded. There are at least eight ambulances waiting at an intersection near the clinic and a nearby shopping center. ___ 1:50 p.m. COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Police say they are unsure about the location of a shooter in an attack near a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs that left three officers injured. A witness says she heard as many as 20 shots in less than five minutes and saw an officer fall to the ground Friday during the shooting. Denise Speller, manager of a nearby haircut salon, told The Gazette of Colorado Springs that she saw another officer kneel down to render aid to the officer who fell. Commander Kirk Wilson told KKTV that two of the injured officers were evacuated and authorities were still trying to reach the third. He couldn't immediately say how the officers were doing. ___ 1:10 p.m. Police in Colorado Springs say three officers have been injured in a shooting near a Planned Parenthood clinic and the gunman has been contained Commander Kirk Wilson told KKTV that two of the officers were evacuated Friday and authorities are still trying to reach the third. He couldn't immediately say how the officers were doing or how the gunman was contained. ___ 12:40 p.m. Ambulances and police vehicles were lined up near an intersection near a Planned Parenthood clinic and Colorado Springs police told people via Twitter to stay away from the "active shooter scene" because it was not secure. Police said on Twitter that people inside a nearby shopping center were told Friday to shelter in place. No further details were available on the incident. ___ 12:10 p.m. Police in Colorado Springs are responding to a report of an active shooter at a Planned Parenthood clinic. Police Lt. Catherine Buckley said officers were deployed Friday and the situation has not been stabilized. She didn't immediately have any other details. ============================================= 3:18 PM EST | 01:19 Officers injured in shooting at Planned Parenthood in Colorado By Isaiah J. Downing COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Reuters) - Police on Friday swarmed an area around a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Colorado Springs, where a gunman opened fire, injuring three officers and an undetermined number of civilians, police and hospital officials said. City police said in a Twitter message about two hours after the shooting was first reported that the situation remained unstable, contrary to an ABC News report, attributed to a police commander, that the suspect was thought to have been "contained." "This is an active situation," a police department spokeswoman, Lieutenant Catherine Buckley, told CNN, adding that law enforcement had yet to confirm the gunman's location. She said police also were not sure that shooting had any connection to Planned Parenthood and that circumstances surrounding the gunfire remained unclear. CBS News reported that a gunman fired shots upon entering the clinic, which was guarded by security, and that law enforcement officials were concerned about the possibility explosives being involved. At least three officers and an unknown number of civilians were injured in the shooting, the Colorado Springs Police Department said on Twitter. A spokeswoman for Penrose-St. Francis Medical Center in Colorado Springs confirmed the hospital received three patients from the shooting but the nature and extent of their injuries were not immediately provided. At the outset of the situation, police said in a Twitter post that a call for assistance referred to a person firing a gun in the city's northwest side, on Centennial Boulevard, where the Planned Parenthood center is located. Colorado gunman still shooting from inside clinic, police say The facility provides abortions, screening for sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy testing and other services, according to its website. The clinic was open for business on Friday, according to Cathy Alderman, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains. "At this time, our concern is for the safety of our patients, staff and law enforcement," Vicki Cowart, president of Planned Parenthood Rocky Mountains, said in a statement. As in much of the rest of the country, abortion is a divisive issue in the politically competitive state of Colorado, figuring prominently in attack ads during last year’s hard-fought Senate race between incumbent Democrat Mark Udall and Republican challenger Cory Gardner, the winner of the election. The Colorado Springs clinic has been the target of repeated protests and in recent years moved to its current location, which has been derided as a "fortress" by abortion foes. Hundreds of protesters picketed in front of the clinic in August as part of a push by abortion opponents to cut off public funding for Planned Parenthood, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette. One man was charged with trespassing in 2012 after flouting as many as 30 warnings to keep of clinic property, the paper said Early police reports painted a chaotic picture of the situation. Related Coverage Obama notified about shooting near Colorado clinic: White House Police cannot confirm Colorado Springs gunman 'contained': spokeswoman "The area is NOT secure. Media do not stage in the area," the police department said in its tweet, adding that the area was "not secure" and urging members of the public in a nearby shopping center to "shelter in place." Brigette Wolfe, who works across the street from the scene, told CNN she could see law enforcement officers including police SWAT teams deployed in the area. Colorado Springs, about 70 miles south of Denver, was the scene of a mass shooting on Oct. 31 in which a gunman killed three people near downtown before dying in a shootout with police. The city is home to the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Olympic training center. (Reporting by Daniel Wallis in Denver; Additional reporting by Dan Wallis in Denver, Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles, Eric Johnson in Chicago, Laila Kearney in New York and Andy Sullivan in Washington.; Writing by Steve Gorman; Editing by Chris Reese, Leslie Adler and Steve Orlofsky) ============================== Police engaged in a shootout on Friday with a gunman who stormed a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Colorado Springs in a burst of violence that left four officers and an undetermined number of civilians injured, police said. Two hospitals in the area reported receiving a total of nine patients from the shooting, but a police spokeswoman said not all of those injured could immediately be transported from the scene, suggesting some of the victims might still be trapped inside the clinic. Police swarmed the area around the building after an emergency call reporting shots fired at about 11:30 a.m. Mountain Time (1830 GMT), and officers ultimately confronted the suspect inside the building, said Lieutenant Catherine Buckley, the police department spokeswoman. "The officers inside the building have encountered the individual," she said in a briefing to reporters carried live on CNN. "They were exchanging gunfire." Buckley said four officers had been hurt in the shooting, as well as an unknown number of other people, but there was no immediate information on the nature or extent of their injuries. She also said police had so far confronted only one gunman in the clinic, which lies on the northwest side of Colorado Springs, about 70 miles (112 km) south of Denver. About an hour later, live television footage aired by CNN showed several people being escorted safely from the building into police vehicles. CBS News reported that a gunman fired shots upon entering the clinic, which was guarded by security, and that law enforcement officials were concerned about the possibility of explosives being involved. In an account published by the Colorado Springs Gazette newspaper, a local man told police on the scene that his daughter works at the clinic and was "in the line of fire," to which officers replied, "We're trying to get her out." The suspect was armed with a high-powered rifle, the Gazette said police told the man. The FBI and agents from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were assisting local law enforcement investigators. Related Coverage › New York police send vehicles to Planned Parenthood clinics across city President Barack Obama was notified of the shooting by his Homeland Security adviser, Lisa Monaco, and "will be updated on the situation as necessary, a White House official said. Penrose-St. Francis Medical Center in Colorado Springs confirmed receiving six patients from the scene. Memorial Hospital said three more were taken there. The Planned Parenthood center provides abortions, screening for sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy testing and other services, according to its website. "We don't yet know the full circumstances and motives behind this criminal action," Vicki Cowart, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Rocky Mountains, said in a statement. "We share the concerns of many Americans that extremists are creating a poisonous environment that feeds domestic terrorism in this country. We will never back away from providing care in a safe, supportive environment that millions of people rely on and trust." Cowart said. image: http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?d=20151127&i=113873286&w=140&r=113873286-1&t=2 Video Police can't confirm whereabouts of shooter image: http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?d=20151127&i=113872714&w=140&r=113872714-1&t=2 Video Officers injured in shooting at Planned Parenthood in Colorado As in much of the rest of the country, abortion is a divisive issue in Colorado, figuring prominently in attack ads during last year’s Senate race between incumbent Democrat Mark Udall and Republican challenger Cory Gardner, the winner of the election. The Colorado Springs clinic has been the target of repeated protests, and in recent years moved to its current location, which has been derided as a "fortress" by abortion foes. At least eight clinic workers have been killed in violent attacks on abortion providers since 1977, according to the National Abortion Federation - most recently in 2009, when abortion doctor George Tiller was shot to death at church in Wichita, Kansas. Clinics have reported nearly 7,000 incidents of trespassing, vandalism, arson, death threats, and other forms of violence since then, according to the abortion-rights group. Hundreds of protesters picketed in front of the Colorado Springs clinic in August as part of a push by abortion opponents to cut off public funding for Planned Parenthood, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette. One man was charged with trespassing in 2012 after flouting as many as 30 warnings to keep of clinic property, the paper said Early police reports painted a chaotic picture of the situation. "The area is NOT secure. Media do not stage in the area," the police department said in its tweet, adding that the area was "not secure" and urging members of the public in a nearby shopping center to "shelter in place." Brigette Wolfe, who works across the street from the scene, told CNN she could see law enforcement officers including police SWAT teams deployed in the area. Colorado Springs was the scene of a mass shooting on Oct. 31 in which a gunman killed three people near downtown before dying in a shootout with police. The city, home to the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Olympic training center, is also a hub for conservative Christian groups such as Focus on the Family that strongly oppose abortion. The attack in Colorado sent jitters across the country. The New York City Police Department reported it had redeployed some of its "critical response" vehicles to Planned Parenthood locations throughout the city. However, it said there were no specific threats to those sites at this time. (Reporting by Daniel Wallis in Denver; Additional reporting by Dan Wallis in Denver, Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles, Eric M. Johnson in Chicago, Laila Kearney in New York, Eric M. Johnson in Seattle and Andy Sullivan in Washington.; Writing by Steve Gorman; Editing by Steve Orlofsky and Tom Brown) Read more at Reutershttp://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/27/us-colorado-shooter-idUSKBN0TG27D20151127#0AWEpZTxbFCaLAmT.99

Raqqa's Rockefellers: How Islamic State oil flows to Israel - See more at: http://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/features/2015/11/26/raqqas-rockefellers-how-islamic-state-oil-flows-to-israel#sthash.mmMvI5WP.dpuf

Raqqa's Rockefellers: How Islamic State oil flows to Israel By: Al-Araby al-Jadeed staff Date of publication: 26 November, 2015 Tags oil, exclusive, Islamic State group, IS, caliphate, Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Israel, Dr Farid, Kurdistan, mafia, Raqqa, Oil produced by the Islamic State group finances its bloodlust. But how is it extracted, transported and sold? Who is buying it, and how does it reach Israel? Oil produced from fields under the control of the Islamic State group is at the heart of a new investigation by al-Araby al-Jadeed. The black gold is extracted, transported and sold, providing the armed group with a vital financial lifeline.But who buys it? Who finances the murderous brutality that has taken over swathes of Iraq and Syria? How does it get from the ground to the petrol tank, and who profits along the way?The Islamic State group uses millions of dollars in oil revenues to expand and manage vast areas under its control, home to around five million civilians.IS sells Iraqi and Syrian oil for a very low price to Kurdish and Turkish smuggling networks and mafias, who label it and sell it on as barrels from the Kurdistan Regional Government.It is then most frequently transported from Turkey to Israel, via knowing or unknowing middlemen, according to al-Araby's investigation.The Islamic State group has told al-Araby that it did not intentionally sell oil to Israel, blaming agents along the route to international markets.Oil fieldsAll around IS-controlled oil fields in northern Iraq and eastern Syria, there are signs that read: "Photography is strictly forbidden - violators risk their safety." They have been signed in the name of the IS group. Black gold: IS and the Middle East's oil trade - US airstrikes focus on destroying IS oil infrastructure- Comment: Debating hard power against IS- Analysis: Never mind the Russians, IS is destroying itself- Comment: Who's afraid of low oil prices?- Video: Iraqi forces retake Baiji oil refinery from IS- Analysis: Another Iranian oil shipment to Assad- Russian company begins oil exploration off Syrian coast These oil fields are in production between seven and nine hours a day, from sunset to sunrise, while production is mostly supervised by the Iraqi workers and engineers who had previously been running operations, kept on in their jobs by IS after it captured the territory.IS is heavily dependent on its oil revenues. Its other income, such as from donations and kidnap ransoms has slowly dwindled. Workers in IS oil fields and their families are well looked after, because they are very important to the group's financial survival.IS oil extraction capacity developed further in 2015 when it obtained hydraulic machines and electric pumps after taking control of the Allas and Ajeel oil fields near the Iraqi city of Tikrit.The group also seized the equipment of a small Asian oil company that was developing an oil field close to the Iraqi city of Mosul before IS overran the area last June.IS oil production in Syria is focused on the Conoco and al-Taim oil fields, west and northwest of Deir Ezzor, while in Iraq the group uses al-Najma and al-Qayara fields near Mosul. A number of smaller fields in both Iraq and Syria are used by the group for local energy needs.According to estimates based on the number of oil tankers that leave Iraq, in addition to al-Araby's sources in the Turkish town of Sirnak on the border with Iraq, through which smuggled oil transits, IS is producing an average of 30,000 barrels a day from the Iraqi and Syrian oil fields it controls.The export trek. Al-Araby has obtained information about how IS smuggles oil from a colonel in the Iraqi Intelligence Services who we are keeping anonymous for his security.The information was verified by Kurdish security officials, employees at the Ibrahim Khalil border crossing between Turkey and Iraqi Kurdistan, and an official at one of three oil companies that deal in IS-smuggled oil.The Iraqi colonel, who along with US investigators is working on a way to stop terrorist finance streams, told al-Araby about the stages that the smuggled oil goes through from the points of extraction in Iraqi oil fields to its destination - notably including the port of Ashdod, Israel."After the oil is extracted and loaded, the oil tankers leave Nineveh province and head north to the city of Zakho, 88km north of Mosul," the colonel said. Zakho is a Kurdish city in Iraqi Kurdistan, right on the border with Turkey."After IS oil lorries arrive in Zakho - normally 70 to 100 of them at a time - they are met by oil smuggling mafias, a mix of Syrian and Iraqi Kurds, in addition to some Turks and Iranians," the colonel continued."The person in charge of the oil shipment sells the oil to the highest bidder," the colonel added. Competition between organised gangs has reached fever pitch, and the assassination of mafia leaders has become commonplace.The highest bidder pays between 10 and 25 percent of the oil's value in cash - US dollars - and the remainder is paid later, according to the colonel. The drivers hand over their vehicles to other drivers who carry permits and papers to cross the border into Turkey with the shipment, the Iraqi intelligence officer said. The original drivers are given empty lorries to drive back to IS-controlled areas.According to the colonel, these transactions usually take place in a variety of locations on the outskirts of Zakho. The locations are agreed by phone.Before crossing any borders, the mafias transfer the crude oil to privately owned rudimentary refineries, where the oil is heated and again loaded onto lorries to transfer them across the Ibrahim Khalil border crossing into Turkey.The rudimentary refining, according to the colonel, is performed because Turkish authorities do not allow crude oil to cross the border if it is not licensed by the Iraqi government.The initial refining stage is conducted to obtain documents that would pass the oil off as oil by-products, which are allowed through the border.According to the intelligence officer, border officials receive large bribes from local Iraqi smuggling gangs and privately owned refineries.Once in Turkey, the lorries continue to the town of Silopi, where the oil is delivered to a person who goes by the aliases of Dr Farid, Hajji Farid and Uncle Farid.Uncle Farid is an Israeli-Greek dual national in his fifties. He is usually accompanied by two strong-built men in a black Jeep Cherokee. Because of the risk involved in taking a photo of Uncle Farid, a representative drawing was made of him. An artists' impression of Dr Farid (Uncle Farid), the Israeli-Greek oil broker Once inside Turkey, IS oil is indistinguishable from oil sold by the Kurdistan Regional Government, as both are sold as "illegal", "source unknown" or "unlicensed" oil.The companies that buy the KRG oil also buy IS-smuggled oil, according to the colonel.The route to Israel. After paying drivers, middlemen and bribes, IS' profit is $15 to $18 a barrel. The group currently makes $19 million on average each month, according to the intelligence officer.Uncle Farid owns a licensed import-export business that he uses to broker deals between the smuggling mafias that buy IS oil and the three oil companies that export the oil to Israel.Al-Araby has the names of these companies and details of their illegal trades. One of these companies is also supported by a very high-profile Western official.The companies compete to buy the smuggled oil and then transfer it to Israel through the Turkish ports of Mersin, Dortyol and Ceyhan, according to the colonel. Al-Araby has discovered several brokers who work in the same business as Uncle Farid - but he remains the most influential and effective broker when it comes to marketing smuggled oil.A paper written by marine engineers George Kioukstsolou and Dr Alec D Coutroubis at the University of Greenwich tracked the oil trade through Ceyhan port, and found some correlation between IS military successes and spikes in the oil output at the port.In August, the Financial Times reported that Israel obtained up to 75 percent of its oil supplies from Iraqi Kurdistan. More than a third of such exports go through the port of Ceyhan. Kioukstsolou told al-Araby al-Jadeed that this suggests corruption by middlemen and those at the lower end of the trade hierarchy - rather than institutional abuse by multinational businesses or governments.According to a European official at an international oil company who met with al-Araby in a Gulf capital, Israel refines the oil only "once or twice" because it does not have advanced refineries. It exports the oil to Mediterranean countries - where the oil "gains a semi-legitimate status" - for $30 to $35 a barrel."The oil is sold within a day or two to a number of private companies, while the majority goes to an Italian refinery owned by one of the largest shareholders in an Italian football club [name removed] where the oil is refined and used locally," added the European oil official."Israel has in one way or another become the main marketer of IS oil. Without them, most IS-produced oil would have remained going between Iraq, Syria and Turkey. Even the three companies would not receive the oil if they did not have a buyer in Israel," said the industry official.According to him, most countries avoid dealing in this type of smuggled oil, despite its alluring price, due to legal implications and the war against the Islamic State group.Delivery and payment. Al-Araby has discovered that IS uses a variety of ways to receive payments for its smuggled oil - in a manner similar to other international criminal networks. First, IS receives a cash payment worth 10 to 25 percent of the oil's value upon sale to the criminal gangs operating around the Turkish border.Second, payments from oil trading companies are deposited in a private Turkish bank account belonging to an anonymous Iraqi person, through someone such as Uncle Farid, and then transferred to Mosul and Raqqa, laundered through a number of currency exchange companies.Third, oil payments are used to buy cars that are exported to Iraq, where they are sold by IS operatives in Baghdad and southern cities, and the funds transferred internally to the IS treasury.IS responds Hours before this investigation report was concluded, al-Araby was able to talk via Skype to someone close to IS in the self-acclaimed capital of the "caliphate," Raqqa, in Syria."To be fair, the [IS] organisation sells oil from caliphate territories but does not aim to sell it to Israel or any other country," he said. "It produces and sells it via mediators, then companies, who decide whom to sell it to." Editor's note: An earlier published version of this article included an incorrect reference to Financial Times reporters describing the port of Ceyhan as a "potential gateway for IS-smuggled crude". Al-Araby al-Jadeed recognises this was reported in error and apologises for any confusion. - See more at: http://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/features/2015/11/26/raqqas-rockefellers-how-islamic-state-oil-flows-to-israel#sthash.mmMvI5WP.dpuf ================================================================= / Map, images from Russian military show main routes of ISIS oil smuggling to Turkey Published time: 2 Dec, 2015 15:01 Edited time: 3 Dec, 2015 02:04 Get short URL The routes of alleged oil smuggling from Syria and Iraq to Turkey © syria.mil.ru The routes of alleged oil smuggling from Syria and Iraq to Turkey © syria.mil.ru Russia’s Defense Ministry published images and a map it says reveal a chain of oil smuggling to Turkey from Islamic State – from extraction to refining facilities. At least three ISIS oil supply routes were located, all leading to Turkey. Trends Islamic State, Syria unrest, Syria-Turkey “The General Staff of the Russian Federation Armed Forces has irrefutable evidence of Turkey’s involvement based on aerial and space reconnaissance data,” Lieutenant-General Sergey Rudskoy said during the Defense Ministry briefing on Wednesday. READ MORE: Russia presents proof of Turkey’s role in ISIS oil trade The routes of alleged oil smuggling from Syria and Iraq to Turkey © syria.mil.ru The routes of alleged oil smuggling from Syria and Iraq to Turkey © syria.mil.ru According to Rudskoy, Russia has identified “three main oil transportation routes from ISIS-controlled Syrian and Iraqi territories into Turkey.” “The western route leads to the Mediterranean ports, the northern route leads to the Batman oil refinery on the Turkish territory and the eastern one leads to a large transfer base in Cizre [Turkey].” The documents published by the ministry show “the entire chain of oil supply into Turkey - from extraction to refining facilities.” The routes of alleged oil smuggling from Syria and Iraq to Turkey © syria.mil.ru The routes of alleged oil smuggling from Syria and Iraq to Turkey © syria.mil.ru “In total, in their illegal oil smuggling business, terrorists are using at least 8,500 trucks to transport up to 200,000 barrels of oil every day.” He added that the vehicles with illegal oil that are crossing Turkey are not checked at the border. “The presented photos, which were taken this August, demonstrate hundreds of oil trucks and heavy vehicles moving both to and from the Turkish border.” Rudskoy concluded that most of the oil is being transferred from eastern Syria to a large oil refinery plant in Batman, 100km from the Syrian border. The 200,000 barrels of oil that Russia says is smuggled by IS every day is roughly equivalent to the average daily oil export of Gabon in 2014 or Australia in 2013, according to an OPEC annual statistical bulletin. It is also only slightly less than the average daily oil export of pre-war Syria in the second half of the 2000s, which amounted to 247,000-250,000 barrels per day.

Otto von Bismarck: US & its allies are planting the seeds of their own destruction in the end.

Otto von Bismarck From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search For other uses, see Bismarck (disambiguation). Otto von Bismarck Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1990-023-06A, Otto von Bismarck.jpg 1st Chancellor of Germany In office 21 March 1871 – 20 March 1890 Monarch Wilhelm I Friedrich III Wilhelm II Deputy Otto zu Stolberg-Wernigerode Karl Heinrich von Boetticher Preceded by Post created Succeeded by Leo von Caprivi Minister President of Prussia In office 9 November 1873 – 20 March 1890 Monarch Wilhelm I Friedrich III Wilhelm II Preceded by Albrecht von Roon Succeeded by Leo von Caprivi In office 23 September 1862 – 1 January 1873 Monarch Wilhelm I Preceded by Adolf zu Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen Succeeded by Albrecht von Roon Chancellor of the North German Confederation In office 1 July 1867 – 21 March 1871 President Wilhelm I Preceded by Post created Succeeded by Post abolished Foreign Minister of Prussia In office 23 November 1862 – 20 March 1890 Prime Minister Himself Albrecht von Roon Preceded by Albrecht von Bernstorff Succeeded by Leo von Caprivi Personal details Born 1 April 1815 Schönhausen, Prussia (in modern Saxony-Anhalt, Germany) Died 30 July 1898 (aged 83) Friedrichsruh, Schleswig-Holstein, German Empire Political party Independent Spouse(s) Johanna von Puttkamer (1847–1894; her death) Children Marie Herbert Wilhelm Alma mater University of Göttingen University of Berlin University of Greifswald[1] Profession Lawyer Religion Lutheranism Signature Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg (1 April 1815 – 30 July 1898), known as Otto von Bismarck, was a conservative Prussian statesman who dominated German and European affairs from the 1860s until 1890. In the 1860s he engineered a series of wars that unified the German states (excluding Austria) into a powerful German Empire under Prussian leadership. With that accomplished by 1871 he skillfully used balance of power diplomacy to preserve German hegemony in a Europe which, despite many disputes and war scares, remained at peace. For historian Eric Hobsbawm, it was Bismarck who "remained undisputed world champion at the game of multilateral diplomatic chess for almost twenty years after 1871, [and] devoted himself exclusively, and successfully, to maintaining peace between the powers."[2] In 1862, King Wilhelm I appointed Bismarck as Minister President of Prussia, a position he would hold until 1890 (except for a short break in 1873). He provoked three short, decisive wars against Denmark, Austria and France, aligning the smaller German states behind Prussia in defeating his arch-enemy France. In 1871 he formed the German Empire with himself as Chancellor, while retaining control of Prussia. His diplomacy of realpolitik and powerful rule at home gained him the nickname the "Iron Chancellor." German unification and its rapid economic growth was the foundation to his foreign policy. He disliked colonialism but reluctantly built an overseas empire when it was demanded by both elite and mass opinion. Juggling a very complex interlocking series of conferences, negotiations and alliances, he used his diplomatic skills to maintain Germany's position and used the balance of power to keep Europe at peace in the 1870s and 1880s. He was the master of complex politics at home. He created the first welfare state in the modern world, with the goal of gaining working class support that might otherwise go to his Socialist enemies. In the 1870s he allied himself with the Liberals (who were low-tariff and anti-Catholic) and fought the Catholic Church in a culture war. He lost that battle as the Catholics responded by forming a powerful Centre party and using universal male suffrage to gain a bloc of seats. Bismarck then reversed himself, ended the culture war, broke with the Liberals, imposed tariffs, and formed a political alliance with the Centre Party to fight the Socialists. A devout Lutheran, he was loyal to his king, who in turn gave Bismarck his full support, against the advice of his wife and his heir. While Germany's parliament was elected by universal male suffrage, it did not have real control of the government. Bismarck distrusted democracy and ruled through a strong, well-trained bureaucracy with power in the hands of a traditional Junker elite that comprised the landed nobility of the east. Under Wilhelm I, Bismarck largely controlled domestic and foreign affairs, until he was removed by young Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1890. Bismarck, an aristocratic Junker himself, had an extremely aggressive and domineering personality. He displayed a violent temper and kept his power by threatening to resign time and again. He possessed not only a long-term national and international vision but also the short-term ability to juggle many complex developments simultaneously. As the leader of what historians call "revolutionary conservatism,"[3] Bismarck became a hero to German nationalists; they built hundreds of monuments glorifying the iconic symbol of powerful conservative leadership. Historians generally praise him as a statesman of moderation and balance who kept the peace in Europe, and was primarily responsible for the unification of Germany and building its world-renowned bureaucracy and army. =============================================== Secret Stupid Saudi-US Deal on Syria October 27, 2014 eClinik Learning 4 Comments The ongoing turmoil in the Middle East, particularly in Syria, is said to establish a Caliphate which would include Israel as an autonomous region known as Greater Israel. We have seen how the US Air Force planes were deliberately air-dropping critical logistics into ISIL controlled territories. The world should be watching what would happen in Baghdad as the US troops formally turn control of the city over to the ISIL terror group of the CIA in a few days from now. Palestine should be returned to Palestinians. Syria should be allowed to determine which way they want to go. The Secret Stupid Saudi-US Deal on Syria. Oil Gas Pipeline War The Kerry-Abdullah Secret Deal By ​​​​F. William Engdahl Global Research, October 26, 2014 Boiling Frogs Post The details are emerging of a new secret and quite stupid Saudi-US deal on Syria and the so-called IS. It involves oil and gas control of the entire region and the weakening of Russia and Iran by Saudi Arabian flooding the world market with cheap oil. Details were concluded in the September meeting by US Secretary of State John Kerry and the Saudi King. The unintended consequence will be to push Russia even faster to turn east to China and Eurasia. One of the weirdest anomalies of the recent NATO bombing campaign, allegedly against the ISIS or IS or ISIL or Daash, depending on your preference, is the fact that with major war raging in the world’s richest oil region, the price of crude oil has been dropping, dramatically so. Since June when ISIS suddenly captured the oil-rich region of Iraq around Mosul and Kirkuk, the benchmark Brent price of crude oil dropped some 20% from $112 to about $88. World daily demand for oil has not dropped by 20% however. China oil demand has not fallen 20% nor has US domestic shale oil stock risen by 21%. What has happened is that the long-time US ally inside OPEC, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has been flooding the market with deep discounted oil, triggering a price war within OPEC, with Iran following suit and panic selling short in oil futures markets. The Saudis are targeting sales to Asia for the discounts and in particular, its major Asian customer, China where it is reportedly offering its crude for a mere $50 to $60 a barrel rather than the earlier price of around $100. [1] That Saudi financial discounting operation in turn is by all appearance being coordinated with a US Treasury financial warfare operation, via its Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, in cooperation with a handful of inside players on Wall Street who control oil derivatives trading. The result is a market panic that is gaining momentum daily. China is quite happy to buy the cheap oil, but her close allies, Russia and Iran, are being hit severely. The deal According to Rashid Abanmy, President of the Riyadh-based Saudi Arabia Oil Policies and Strategic Expectations Center, the dramatic price collapse is being deliberately caused by the Saudis, OPEC’s largest producer. The public reason claimed is to gain new markets in a global market of weakening oil demand. The real reason, according to Abanmy, is to put pressure on Iran on her nuclear program, and on Russia to end her support for Bashar al-Assad in Syria.[2] When combined with the financial losses of Russian state natural gas sales to Ukraine and prospects of a US-instigated cutoff of the transit of Russian gas to the huge EU market this winter as EU stockpiles become low, the pressure on oil prices hits Moscow doubly. More than 50% of Russian state revenue comes from its export sales of oil and gas. The US-Saudi oil price manipulation is aimed at destabilizing several strong opponents of US globalist policies. Targets include Iran and Syria, both allies of Russia in opposing a US sole Superpower. The principal target, however, is Putin’s Russia, the single greatest threat today to that Superpower hegemony. The strategy is similar to what the US did with Saudi Arabia in 1986 when they flooded the world with Saudi oil, collapsing the price to below $10 a barrel and destroying the economy of then-Soviet ally, Saddam Hussein in Iraq and, ultimately, of the Soviet economy, paving the way for the fall of the Soviet Union. Today, the hope is that a collapse of Russian oil revenues, combined with select pin-prick sanctions designed by the US Treasury’s Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence will dramatically weaken Putin’s enormous domestic support and create conditions for his ultimate overthrow. It is doomed to fail for many reasons, not the least, because Putin’s Russia has taken major strategic steps together with China and other nations to lessen its dependence on the West. In fact the oil weapon is accelerating recent Russian moves to focus its economic power on national interests and lessen dependence on the Dollar system. If the dollar ceases being the currency of world trade, especially oil trade, the US Treasury faces financial catastrophe. For this reason, I call the Kerry-Abdullah oil war a very stupid tactic. The Kerry-Abdullah secret deal On September 11, US Secretary of State Kerry met Saudi King Abdullah at his palace on the Red Sea. The King invited former head of Saudi intelligence, Prince Bandar to attend. There a deal was hammered out which saw Saudi support for the Syrian airstrikes against ISIS on condition Washington backed the Saudis in toppling Assad, a firm ally of Russia and de facto of Iran and an obstacle to Saudi and UAE plans to control the emerging EU natural gas market and destroy Russia’s lucrative EU trade. A report in the Wall Street Journal noted there had been “months of behind-the-scenes work by the US and Arab leaders, who agreed on the need to cooperate against Islamic State, but not how or when. The process gave the Saudis leverage to extract a fresh US commitment to beef up training for rebels fighting Mr. Assad, whose demise the Saudis still see as a top priority.” [3] For the Saudis the war is between two competing age-old vectors of Islam. Saudi Arabia, home to the sacred cities of Mecca and Medina, claims de facto supremacy in the Islamic world of Sunni Islam. The Saudi Sunni form is ultra-conservative Wahhabism, named for an 18th Century Bedouin Islamic fundamentalist or Salafist named Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab. The Taliban derive from Wahhabism with the aid of Saudi-financed religious instruction. The Gulf Emirates and Kuwait also adhere to the Sunni Wahhabism of the Saudis, as does the Emir of Qatar. Iran on the other hand historically is the heart of the smaller branch of Islam, the Shi’ite. Iraq’s population is some 61% majority Shi’ite. Syria’s President, Bashar al-Assad is a member of a satellite of the Shi’ite branch known as Alawite. Some 23% of Turkey is also Alawite Muslim. To complicate the picture more, across a bridge from Saudi Arabia sits the tiny island country, Bahrain where as many as 75% of the population is Shi’ite but the ruling Al-Khalifa family is Sunni and firmly tied to Saudi Arabia. Moreover, the richest Saudi oil region is dominated by Shi’ite Muslims who work the oil installations of Ras Tanura. An oil and gas pipeline war These historic fault lines inside Islam which lay dormant, were brought into a state of open warfare with the launching of the US State Department and CIA’s Islamic Holy War, otherwise known as the Arab Spring. Washington neo-conservatives embedded inside the Obama Administration in a form of “Deep State” secret network, and their allied media such as the Washington Post, advocated US covert backing of a pet CIA project known as the Muslim Brotherhood. As I detail in my most recent book, Amerikas’ Heiliger Krieg, the CIA had cultivated ties to the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood death cult since the early 1950’s. Now if we map the resources of known natural gas reserves in the entire Persian Gulf region, the motives of the Saudi-led Qatar and UAE in financing with billions of dollars the opposition to Assad, including the Sunni ISIS, becomes clearer. Natural gas has become the favored “clean energy” source for the 21st Century and the EU is the world’s largest growth market for gas, a major reason Washington wants to break the Gazprom-EU supply dependency to weaken Russia and keep control over the EU via loyal proxies like Qatar. The world’s largest known natural gas reservoir sits in the middle of the Persian Gulf straddling part in the territorial waters of Qatar and part in Iran. The Iranian part is called North Pars. In 2006 China’s state-owned CNOOC signed an agreement with Iran to develop North Pars and build LNG infrastructure to bring the gas to China.[4] The Qatar side of the Persian Gulf, called North Field, contains the world’s third largest known natural gas reserves behind Russia and Iran. In July 2011, the governments of Syria, Iran and Iraq signed an historic gas pipeline energy agreement which went largely unnoticed in the midst of the NATO-Saudi-Qatari war to remove Assad. The pipeline, envisioned to cost $10 billion and take three years to complete, would run from the Iranian Port Assalouyeh near the South Pars gas field in the Persian Gulf, to Damascus in Syria via Iraq territory. The agreement would make Syria the center of assembly and production in conjunction with the reserves of Lebanon. This is a geopolitically strategic space that geographically opens for the first time, extending from Iran to Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.[5] As Asia Times correspondent Pepe Escobar put it, “The Iran-Iraq-Syria pipeline – if it’s ever built – would solidify a predominantly Shi’ite axis through an economic, steel umbilical cord.”[6] Shortly after signing with Iran and Iraq, on August 16, 2011, Bashar al-Assad’s Syrian Ministry of Oil announced the discovery of a gas well in the Area of Qarah in the Central Region of Syria near Homs. Gazprom, with Assad in power, would be a major investor or operator of the new gas fields in Syria. [7] Iran ultimately plans to extend the pipeline from Damascus to Lebanon’s Mediterranean port where it would be delivered to the huge EU market. Syria would buy Iranian gas along with a current Iraqi agreement to buy Iranian gas from Iran’s part of South Pars field.[8] Qatar, today the world’s largest exporter of LNG, largely to Asia, wants the same EU market that Iran and Syria eye. For that, they would build pipelines to the Mediterranean. Here is where getting rid of the pro-Iran Assad is essential. In 2009 Qatar approached Bashar al-Assad to propose construction of a gas pipeline from Qatar’s north Field through Syria on to Turkey and to the EU. Assad refused, citing Syria’s long friendly relations with Russia and Gazprom. That refusal combined with the Iran-Iraq-Syria gas pipeline agreement in 2011 ignited the full-scale Saudi and Qatari assault on Assad’s power, financing al Qaeda terrorists, recruits of Jihadist fanatics willing to kill Alawite and Shi’ite “infidels” for $100 a month and a Kalishnikov. The Washington neo-conservative warhawks in and around the Obama White House, along with their allies in the right-wing Netanyahu government, were cheering from the bleachers as Syria went up in flames after spring 2011. Today the US-backed wars in Ukraine and in Syria are but two fronts in the same strategic war to cripple Russia and China and to rupture any Eurasian counter-pole to a US-controlled New World Order. In each, control of energy pipelines, this time primarily of natural gas pipelines—from Russia to the EU via Ukraine and from Iran and Syria to the EU via Syria—is the strategic goal. The true aim of the US and Israel backed ISIS is to give the pretext for bombing Assad’s vital grain silos and oil refineries to cripple the economy in preparation for a “Ghaddafi-”style elimination of Russia and China and Iran-ally Bashar al-Assad. In a narrow sense, as Washington neo-conservatives see it, who controls Syria could control the Middle East. And from Syria, gateway to Asia, he will hold the key to Russia House, as well as that of China via the Silk Road. Religious wars have historically been the most savage of all wars and this one is no exception, especially when trillions of dollars in oil and gas revenues are at stake. Why is the secret Kerry-Abdullah deal on Syria reached on September 11 stupid? Because the brilliant tacticians in Washington and Riyadh and Doha and to an extent in Ankara are unable to look at the interconnectedness of all the dis-order and destruction they foment, to look beyond their visions of control of the oil and gas flows as the basis of their illegitimate power. They are planting the seeds of their own destruction in the end. William Engdahl is author of A Century of War: Anglo-American Oil Politics in the New World Order. He is a contributing author at BFP and may be contacted through his website at www.engdahl.oilgeopolitics.net where this article was originally published. Notes: [1] M. Rochan, Crude Oil Drops Amid Global Demand Concerns, IB Times, October 11, 2014 http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/crude-oil-drops-amid-global-demand-concerns-1469524 [2] Nihan Cabbaroglu, Saudi Arabia to pressure Russia Iran with price of oil, 10 October 2014, Turkish Anadolu Agency, http://www.aa.com.tr/en/economy/402343–saudi-arabia-to-pressure-russia-iran-with-price-of-oil [3] Adam Entous and Julian E. Barnes, Deal With Saudis Paved Way for Syrian Airstrikes: Talks With Saudi Arabia Were Linchpin in U.S. Efforts to Get Arab States Into Fight Against Islamic State, Wall Street Journal, September. 24, 2014, http://online.wsj.com/articles/deal-with-saudis-paved-way-for-syrian-airstrikes-1411605329?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTTopStories [4] POGC, North Pars Gas Field, Pars Oil and Gas Company website, http://www.pogc.ir/NorthParsGasField/tabid/155/Default.aspx [5] Imad Fawzi Shueibi , War Over Gas–Struggle over the Middle East: Gas Ranks First, 17 April, 2012. http://www.voltairenet.org/article173718.html [6] Pepe Escobar, Why Qatar Wants to Invade Syria, Asia Times, September 27, 2012, http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article32576.htm [7] Ibid. [8] F. William Engdahl, Syria Turkey Israel and the Greater Middle East Energy War, Global Research, October 11, 2012, http://www.globalresearch.ca/syria-turkey-israel-and-the-greater-middle-east-energy-war/5307902 source » Would you like to like to have your own eClinik at home? You can easily defeat cancer, AIDS and help your body cure all known and unknown illnesses without using drugs, at the comfort of your own home. This is our experience. Find out more about it here. Every download of our eBook, Towards Healthcare Emancipation – Premium Edition, provides additional funding to our next project. If you haven’t done so, please like our FB page to encourage others to learn more about our work. Thank you very much for your valuable support. Mabuhay! ==========================================================

South Australia: 2 Bushfires Burning Near Towns of Mallala and Lameroo

South Australia: 2 Bushfires Burning Near Towns of Mallala and Lameroo Letter of Invitation: I would be available to answer any queries regarding best suburbs to integrate socially, just to let you know 21 suburbs of South Australia which are red-flagged by Australian banks. I am happy to provide detail answers to any questions with reference to Property Investment, Subdivision, Development, Buying/ Selling Residential, Commercial, Rural Properties and Businesses. I am available in person (Tue/Thu at 1289 South Rd, St. Marys, SA 5042 12 to 5 p.m) or on cell to answer any questions, and concerns you have to decide about your Real Estate. (Cell: 0431 138 537, Email: Saqlain@Dukesrealestate.com) Officials say bushfire burning in Pinery, South Australia, has travelled 50 km (31 miles) within 4 hours, damage likely, no confirmation on fatalities - @SkyNewsAust Click here to invest in South Australian Residential Commercial, Rural Properties, Schools & Businesses. The Mallala fire is located to the north and moving southeasterly toward the town. The Lameroo fire is located to the north in the Murray Mallee with no specific direction reported. =================================================================================== A SERIES of community meetings are being held tonight and Monday to discuss the first steps towards recovery from the Pinery fire. Local Recovery Coordinator Vince Monterola, who has been appointed by the Premier to work with the community, will feature at all meetings. The meetings will be held at the following venues: MALLALA Mallala Institute, Dublin Road Mallala Thursday 3 December 2015 4pm - 5pm HAMLEY BRIDGE Recreation Centre, Hamley Bridge Football Oval, Stockport Road Thursday 3 December 2015 6pm - 7pm FREELING Freeling Recreation Park, Cherry St., Freeling Monday 7 December 2015 6pm - 7pm Tea and coffee provided. ========================================================================== BUSHFIRE EMERGENCY WARNING Fire Name: LAMEROO Message ID: 0000132 Time Message Issued: 14:03, 25/11/2015 EMERGENCY WARNING FOR A BUSHFIRE BURNING UNDER CATASTROPHIC WEATHER CONDITIONS CFS advises that an extremely dangerous bushfire is burning out of control at Coonalpyn Road near Airport Road Lameroo. This Bushfire Emergency Warning Message is in place for the following area(s) Trowbridge Road, Allenby Road, Drought Road and Lameroo South Road. The LAMEROO fire is travelling in a South Easterly direction and may impact Trowbridge Road, Allenby Road, Drought Road and Lameroo South Road within the next two hours. There is a risk to lives and property. People in these areas are in danger. Act immediately. Follow your Bushfire Survival Plan Do not leave or enter this area in a vehicle or on foot, it is too late and the roads will not be safe. Take shelter in a building and actively defend it. Shelter before the fire arrives as radiant heat can kill you well before the flames reach you. If the building catches fire and the conditions inside become unbearable, you need to get out and go to an area that has already been burnt. After the fire front has passed, check your immediate area and extinguish anything burning. In addition the following areas may be impacted by the fire Ngarkat National Park. People in these areas should check and follow their Bushfire Survival Plan. If you are not prepared or you plan to leave, leave now if the path is clear before conditions become too dangerous. Do not enter this area as the roads may not be safe. Homes that are situated and constructed or modified to withstand a bushfire, and that are prepared to the highest level and actively defended, may provide safety. Stay tuned on a battery-powered radio for updates. For information about bushfires, check the CFS website www.cfs.sa.gov.au or call the Bushfire Information Hotline on 1300 362 361. ======================== A FREELING resident has given a harrowing account of the chaotic moments he and his family were forced to evacuate the town under threat by the Pinery bushfire. The resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said after receiving an emergency text message at 2.20pm from the Country Fire Service telling him to evacuate, it only took 25 minutes for thick, black smoke to engulf the town. “In that time, from going up to the main street it was just a blanket of black smoke and a stream of cars going out of the town,” he recalled. It wasn’t long before the heat from the blaze could be felt within the township, and breathing became difficult due to the smoke. At one point, visibility was limited to just five to 10 metres. However, the seriousness of the situation didn’t hit home until leaving the town via the Daveyston Road, as other motorists scrambled to escape the approaching fire. “When the cars started overtaking in stupid spots and, really, you could see that they were trying to get out as quick as they could, I thought ‘maybe it is more serious than I initially thought’,” the resident said. “The cars were going up on the dirt on either side. “It was banked up, because the police on the Sturt Highway were directing traffic, so they were really just pushing towards that intersection. “So hitting that intersection there were three cars wide trying to turn left to get away.” It wasn’t until he and his family had reached safety in Williamstown that the resident had time to reflect on just how frightening the evacuation was. “It was the scariest thing I’ve ever experienced,” he said. Meanwhile, crashed vehicles that have been abandoned on roads around Freeling have been burnt out, while it is understood a number of farming homes have been lost to the blaze, along with a large number of sheds and stock. Property losses have been recorded at Wasleys, and it is understood that the bowling club and town hall have been hit by the fire. Motorists involved in the evacuation process at Hamley Bridge have described the scene as being like a “disaster film”. Emergency services officials have not yet reported any loss of life as a result of the fire. Grady Hudd @Grady_Hudd ========================== FIRE damage has significantly impacted Mallala’s drinking water supply, after a tank in Lower North region was burnt and its power cut this afternoon. The tank services residents living in Mallala, Dublin, Redbanks, Parham and Lower Light and is the main drinking water source servicing the region. SA Water has been in discussions with SA Health in relation to water quality. While customers may notice an odour and taste, the water is safe to drink. SA Water said they would be continually monitoring the situation, including water quality and supply. For more information people can call SA Water’s Customer Service Centre ( 1300 650 950 ). ========================== Raging bushfires threaten South Australia's Barossa Valley Ben Brennan and agencies November 25, 2015, 1:30 pm Video Homes destroyed as fires rage in South Australia South Australia's Barossa Valley wine region remains under threat as wild bushfires, fanned by gusts of up to 90 kilometres per hour push firefighters to the limit. At least 11 people have been confirmed injured in the blazes which broke out near Pinery north of Adelaide this afternoon. More out of control bush fires ignited in the state's mid north, including near the Clare Valley wine region in the hours that followed. Interstate fire fighters are en route to assist. More than 340 firefighters, 63 fire fighting appliances and 17 aircraft are battling the flames. Scores of homes have been lost after fires tore through entire towns. There are reports of fire fighters suffering burns as well as injuries to people who stayed to defend their homes. Video Pinery fire jumps Balaklava Road There are reports of homes ablaze in some towns in the Barossa Valley. In other locations, entire streets are reported to have been lost. At Hamley Bridge, which was surrounded by the flames this afternoon, there have been reports of burnt out horse floats littering the streets. By late afternoon smoke was looming over the town of Mallala and warnings were being issued to residents throughout the Barossa Valley, including at Nuriootpa, Kapunda, and Tanunda. Wasleys was surrounded by fire. Not long afterwards, the inferno tore through the town. Warnings were also issued for Riverton, Marrabel, Eudunda and Dutton as well as Pinery, Owen, Hamley Bridge, Freeling, and Greenock. People in the towns of Wasleys, Roseworthy, Hewett and Gawler were also told to leave or defend their properties. Flames closed in on the towns as roads were closed. "Act immediately. Follow your Bushfire Survival Plan," the CFS said in a statement. Video Smoke from the Pinery Fire looms over Mallala in South Australia. "Do not leave or enter [the Pinery] area in a vehicle or on foot, it is too late and the roads will not be safe. "Take shelter in a building and actively defend it. Shelter before the fire arrives as radiant heat can kill you well before the flames reach you. "If the building catches on fire and the conditions inside become unbearable, you need to get out and go to an area that has already been burnt." Video Strong winds fan fires at Pinery in South Australia As fire fighters battled the wild blazes in the north, another out of control fire sprang up at Lameroo, to the south of Adelaide, in the state's Mallee region. There were also reports of grassfires breaking out in Adelaide at West Lakes and Noarlunga. The fire's forced the closure of the Northern Expressway to southbound traffic with motorists diverted onto Curtis Road. Video Dangerous fire burning north of Adelaide As temperatures up to 40 degrees brought the fire danger rating up to the catastrophic level, support was dispatched from interstate with the New South Wales' Rural Fire Service sending two large aircraft, the C130 Hercules known as Thor and the DC10 dubbed Southern Belle to aid in the fire fighting efforts. As the day wore on, reports of embers falling at Mannum on the River Murray, more than 70 kilometres from the worst fires, emerged. Earlier in the day the CFS advised that a fire at Buckingham was causing smoke to be visible in the Buckingham, Mundulla, Bordertown, Cannawigara, Wirrega and Lowan Vale Areas, and the Dukes Highway between Bordertown and Keith. An earlier blaze that broke out in SA's southeast near Bordertown was not considered a threat to people or property. The fires came as temperatures in SA's mid-north and southeast were forecast to reach the mid-30s and push into the low 40s in some regional centres. Extreme or severe bushfire danger warnings were in place for much of the state. News break – November 24 ============================ Parents outraged – Students in narrow fire escape (By Ellouise Crawford) A WASLEYS father, who lost his house in last week’s Pinery fire, has lashed out at the local school for allegedly allowing his young daughter to walk home alone while flames bared down on the township. Travis Toft said his daughter Lucy, 9, is lucky to be alive after she was plucked from the main street by evacuating residents just minutes before the fire front reached the town. The Toft’s home adjoins the Wasleys post office and was one of several buildings in the local area destroyed in the blaze. Mr Toft, a single dad, was in Gawler at the time of the fire, unable to return home because of roadblocks, and said he fears what could have happened if local residents Dawn and Lew Richter had not seen Lucy in the street and taken her with them to safety. “They saved my daughter’s life and if it wasn’t for them I don’t know what would have happened… she could have perished in the fires,” he said. “She’s still here and I’m grateful for that and I’m grateful to Dawn and Lew for saving her.” Lucy is not the only child alleged to have been released from Wasleys Primary School on Wednesday afternoon. Rebecca (surname withheld), said her 11-year-old daughter was found wandering alone, unable to see and breath clearly because of heavy smoke and ash in the air. “Teija was choking walking down the street, she couldn’t see anything, so it was bad and it (the fire) had to be in town already by the time they sent those kids out,” Rebecca said. Rebecca said Teija was found by a stranger and, thankfully, dropped home to relatives, just moments before the fire front swept through their street. “You just don’t allow kids out of a school without permission,” she said. “I’m just so shocked that they’ve done that.” Both Rebecca and Travis said they will not be sending their children back to Wasleys Primary School and are calling for a serious review of its protocols. “How can I send my daughter back to that school when I don’t trust them?” Mr Toft asked. “Words can’t describe how angry I am.” A statement from the education department said it is currently investigating the claims. “Student welfare is a top priority of the department,” a spokesperson said. “These are serious claims, and we are currently investigating. “We have been in contact with the parents and are offering our support to them.” State Education Minister Susan Close said she is concerned by the reports. “I am so relieved that all of our students are safe after the devastating bushfire,” she said. “I am concerned about these reports and will await the outcome of the department’s investigation.” --------------- Comments: Xavier College was really good... i was impressed, all of the kids were taken to the gym.... those living in threatened fire areas needed to find an alternative place to go by using theirs or schools phone which had to be verified by a teacher before they could leave. Kids walking toward Gawler had teachers walk with them across the bridge to the various collection points in the Willaston area to make sure they headed in the right direction and didn't put themselves at risk. Extremely happy with the process My children used to go to Wasleys and when the roseworthy fire was on we all got phone calls and had to sign our kids out or they couldn't leave so not sure what happened this time? thank god the kids are ok More to this story I believe. It is against DECD protocol to let any child out in this situation. ========================= HAMLEY Bridge CFS volunteers say the Pinery fire was the worst they have ever battled. One crew, whose truck caught on fire twice on Wednesday, once in a wheat paddock near Pinery and again in Barabba, could not believe the sheer ferocity and speed of the fire. Hamley Bridge CFS volunteer Steve West said his crew, like so many others, was probably lucky to be alive. “Because we had so much wheat underneath the truck, it just set it alight,” he said. “The sprinklers worked fantastic for about 30 seconds and then the pump seized. “Fortunately, the fire front was moving that fast, otherwise we might not be here today.” Mr West, who has been a CFS volunteer for eight years, said he had never seen anything like the Pinery fire. “There’s no comparison, none whatsoever,” he said. “I’ve talked to people that have been in the CFS for 30 years and they’ve never seen nothing like this. “I said to our group officer that this will probably go down in history, because it just burnt so much.” Mr West added there was no way the fire could be stopped on Wednesday when it began. “What we really needed was a break in the elements, but we just never got that,” he said. “We got that last year with the Sampson Flat fire, but we just never got that here.” ================================ BLAZEAID volunteers have been setting up camp at the University of Adelaide’s Roseworthy campus today to help the local community recover from the Pinery fire. BlazeAid is a volunteer organisation that helps rural communities rebuild damaged or destroyed fences and structures after natural disasters. If your property was affected by fire and needs assistance, contact Roseworthy BlazeAid camp coordinater Wendy Cope (0467 999 909) who will organise to send a team out to help with your recovery. — at University of Adelaide, Roseworthy Campus -------------------------------------- A ROSEWORTHY man has felt the sickening blow of looters after fleeing his property in fear of his life. According to police, the man returned to his relatively unscathed home on Saturday to find his shed had been ransacked. The police report said the thieves removed sheets of iron from the shed and stole a firefighting pump, MIG welder, generator and other items on a property on Mackereth Road between November 26 and 27. According to Barossa local service area commander Chief Inspector Alex Zimmermann, there have been six instances of thefts and break-ins of premises that have been evacuated during fires. “In my view, it is the most reprehensible and low-life act,” he said. “We can assure people that we are putting extra police resources in and around those areas that still remain vulnerable in an endeavour to detect these people and certainly prevent any recurrence. “We have had suspicious vehicles advised to us and, wherever possible, we have tried to locate those; we welcome any reports of suspicious vehicles.” ====================== Love burns more fiercely than fire. One man has used hay bales salvaged from his scorched family farm - in the wake of last week's deadly bushfire north of Adelaide - to propose. Ben Kemp, 29, spelt out "Will you marry me" with more than 100 bales across his Roseworthy paddock before showing Jadine Mold, 28, during a helicopter ride on Tuesday. To keep her guessing, Mr Kemp explained it away as a fly-over to survey the extent of the fire's damage. "Originally she said `Omg no'. But that was more disbelief. This is not happening," he told AAP. ===================== "Then she said `Yes, yes. Of course I will'." The proposal was planned ahead of the fire, which claimed two lives, 82,000 hectares of mostly cropping land and close to 500 homes and other buildings. "It's a bit happiness in a dark time for the community," Mr Kemp said. The couple want to have their wedding reception in the same paddock. ========================= Fire investigations: fence probe General December 15, 2015 dec16_0206 A CUT fence near the ignition point of the Pinery fire is the centre of investigations currently being undertaken by a police task force. Officers from Task Force Pinery, established by the SA Police Major Crime Investigation Branch to investigate the cause of the November 25 fire, will be in Mallala tomorrow to gather information from the community about the fire. In particular, police are keen to identify who broke the fence line near the fire’s area of origin and the details of anyone who attended the area and assisted with fighting the blaze. In relation to the broken fence line, Detective Superintendent Des Bray said police believed that it was likely to be a farm firefighting unit. “We know the area of origin where the fire started and that it then spread along a fence line,” he said. “What we haven’t determined, as yet, is the ignition source, nor the exact point of ignition. “There is no evidence, at this stage, that the property owner – who was interstate when the fire began – has done anything negligent.” Superintendent Bray said while police were of the view there was nothing obviously suspicious about the ignition, they were keen to talk to anyone that was in the vicinity of the Plains Road-Port Lorne Road area at the time the fire broke out. “Anyone in the surrounding community with any information that may be of use to investigators is urged to visit Mallala tomorrow and talk to police,” he said. “Even a small piece of information may be of importance.” Investigators will be setting up a number of field command units at the Mallala Football Club on December 17 and will be available from 11am until 9pm to speak to anyone who may have information that could assist. “Police are leaving no stone unturned with regard to this significant investigation,” Superintendent Bray said. “Tragically, two people died in this fire, others have been seriously hurt and a large of number of homes have been lost.” Police have released a photograph showing the area of origin for the fire and are appealing for anyone with information about the blaze to come forward and speak with investigators. ================================================ A CUT fence near the ignition point of the Pinery fire is the centre of investigations currently being undertaken by a police task force. Officers from Task Force Pinery, established by the SA Police Major Crime Investigation Branch to investigate the cause of the November 25 fire, will be in Mallala tomorrow to gather information from the community about the fire. In particular, police are keen to identify who broke the fence line near the fire’s area of origin and the details of anyone who attended the area and assisted with fighting the blaze. In relation to the broken fence line, Detective Superintendent Des Bray said police believed that it was likely to be a farm firefighting unit. “We know the area of origin where the fire started and that it then spread along a fence line,” he said. “What we haven’t determined, as yet, is the ignition source, nor the exact point of ignition. “There is no evidence, at this stage, that the property owner – who was interstate when the fire began – has done anything negligent.” Superintendent Bray said while police were of the view there was nothing obviously suspicious about the ignition, they were keen to talk to anyone that was in the vicinity of the Plains Road-Port Lorne Road area at the time the fire broke out. “Anyone in the surrounding community with any information that may be of use to investigators is urged to visit Mallala tomorrow and talk to police,” he said. “Even a small piece of information may be of importance.” Investigators will be setting up a number of field command units at the Mallala Football Club on December 17 and will be available from 11am until 9pm to speak to anyone who may have information that could assist. “Police are leaving no stone unturned with regard to this significant investigation,” Superintendent Bray said. “Tragically, two people died in this fire, others have been seriously hurt and a large of number of homes have been lost.” Police have released a photograph showing the area of origin for the fire and are appealing for anyone with information about the blaze to come forward and speak with investigators. ================================================================================================= Menu Search Editions: United States Africa América Latina Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada 中国 España France Deutschland India Italy 日本 México РОССИЯ United Kingdom •United States Top News Business Legal Deals Aerospace & Defense Finance Autos Markets Stocks Bonds Currencies Commodities Funds Earnings World U.S Special Reports Reuters Investigates Euro Zone Middle East China Japan Mexico Brazil Africa Russia India Politics Election 2016 Polling Explorer What Voters Want Supreme Court Technology Science Environment Top 100 Innovators 2015 Money Retirement Life Health Sports Arts Entertainment Oddly Enough Pictures Photographers The Wider Image Video Top News Most Popular Business Editor's Choice First Images World Technology Entertainment Oddly Enough Breakingviews Politics Investigates Dateline Asia Environment Sat Dec 26, 2015 | 10:25 AM EST More than 100 homes lost in Australia's Christmas Day bushfires ‹ Smoke rises from a fast-moving bushfire near the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia, December 25, 2015. REUTERS/AAP Smoke rises from a fast-moving bushfire near the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia, December 25, 2015. Reuters/AAP A bushfire burns at Wye River near Lorne, south of Melbourne, December 25, 2015. REUTERS/Keith Pakenham/AAP A bushfire burns at Wye River near Lorne, south of Melbourne, December 25, 2015. Reuters/Keith Pakenham/AAP A woman tends to horses as children sleep on fold-out beds in the main street of Lorne during major bush fires south of Melbourne, December 25, 2015. REUTERS/Julian Smith/AAP A woman tends to horses as children sleep on fold-out beds in the main street of Lorne during major bush fires south of Melbourne, December 25, 2015. Reuters/Julian Smith/AAP Emergency crews are pictured as bushfires burn at Wye River near Lorne, south of Melbourne, December 25, 2015. REUTERS/Keith Pakenham/AAP Emergency crews are pictured as bushfires burn at Wye River near Lorne, south of Melbourne, December 25, 2015. Reuters/Keith Pakenham/AAP Smoke rises from a fast-moving bushfire near the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia, December 25, 2015. REUTERS/AAP Smoke rises from a fast-moving bushfire near the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia, December 25, 2015. Reuters/AAP A bushfire burns at Wye River near Lorne, south of Melbourne, December 25, 2015. REUTERS/Keith Pakenham/AAP A bushfire burns at Wye River near Lorne, south of Melbourne, December 25, 2015. Reuters/Keith Pakenham/AAP › More than 100 homes lost in Australia's Christmas...X By Christopher McCall MELBOURNE (Reuters) - More than 100 homes burned down in a leading Australian tourist area in bushfires on Christmas Day and the situation remained dangerous on Saturday, as officials predicted more blazes to come later in the hot southern summer. While around 500 firefighters and 13 firefighting aircraft battled the flames along parts of Victoria state's picturesque Great Ocean Road, teams moved in to assess damage from fires that had lit up the night sky along the coast on Christmas. A spokesman for the state's emergency services said 98 homes had been confirmed burned in the community of Wye River and another 18 in nearby Separation Creek, for a total of 116 in the two townships, located about 120 kilometers (75 miles) southwest of Melbourne. Top emergency officials warned that dry conditions posed a threat of more fires for the Great Ocean Road area and the rest of Victoria. "This fire doesn't go away," Craig Lapsley, the state's emergency services commissioner, told a news conference. "We will be back into hot, windy weather in January without a doubt. Everything's available to burn." The Great Ocean Road is one of Australia's biggest tourist draws with its spectacular scenery and unusual offshore rock formations. It remained mostly closed to traffic on Saturday during what is typically one of its busiest times of the year. Although an evacuation alert was lifted for the popular tourist town of Lorne and rain overnight had helped the firefighting operation, officials said the situation remained potentially dangerous with many hotspots. Images from the scene showed hillsides charred to the ground all the way down to the coast. State Premier Daniel Andrews surveyed the area from the air and commended emergency services, noting that there had so far been no loss of life, but he warned that the number of homes destroyed could rise. Meetings were held on Saturday for hundreds of victims urgently moved out of affected towns on Friday, many spending Christmas night in hurriedly organized shelters. Andrews said financial grants had already been issued to help those who had lost their homes. The fires started with a lightning strike on Dec. 19 and, fanned by winds, have burned more than 2,000 hectares. Walking tracks in the nearby Great Otway National Park have been closed to the public as some of the fires are within the park itself. The disaster is the latest of a string of bushfires to hit Victoria and other states in recent weeks. In 2009, Victoria witnessed Australia's worst ever bushfire disaster, since dubbed "Black Saturday". (Reporting by Chris McCall; Editing by Edmund Klamann) =================================================================================