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US man denies charges in Silk Road case

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 05 Oktober 2013 | 11.25

A US man has denied charges he operated a website where users could anonymously shop for drugs. Source: AAP

A US man denies charges that he operated an encrypted website where users could anonymously shop for drugs, his lawyer says.

"We deny all charges. That's the end of the discussion," said federal public defender Brandon LeBlanc, who is representing defendant Ross Ulbricht.

The denial came after Ulbricht, looking calm, appeared in federal court in red prison clothes and shackles for a bail hearing.

LeBlanc asked US Magistrate Judge Joseph Spero to postpone the hearing, saying the case was complex.

Spero granted the request and rescheduled the hearing for October 9.

Ulbricht has been charged in New York with narcotics trafficking, computer hacking and money laundering in connection with the website known as Silk Road, which is believed to have collected more than $US1 billion in revenue.

He is also charged in Maryland with arranging to pay someone to kill a witness.

FBI agents arrested the 29-year-old San Francisco resident - allegedly known online as Dread Pirate Roberts - on Tuesday in the science fiction section of a small branch of the San Francisco public library, where he was chatting online.

The arrest came after a federal investigation that began in 2011.

Agents said they determined Ulbricht was "altoid," someone who was posting information about Silk Road on other drug-related websites under federal surveillance.

Since then, Ulbricht's online behaviour has been tracked, and agents gathered evidence that allegedly connected him to Silk Road.

If convicted, Ulbricht could be sentenced to life in prison.


11.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Bishop raises piracy case with Russians

THE Abbott government has told Russia it's concerned about the piracy charge levelled against Australian Greenpeace activist Colin Russell and it wants him treated fairly.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has met with Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Bali.

"I registered our concern about the charges and also our desire to ensure that he's afforded full due legal process and consular assistance," Mr Bishop told reporters in Bali's Nusa Dua.

Mr Russell, from Tasmania, could face up to 15 years in prison if Russian authorities persist with the piracy charge.

He was among 30 Greenpeace activists charged with the offence for their roles in a protest against oil drilling in the Arctic Circle last month.

Worldwide protests are being held on Saturday for the so-called "Arctic 30", who were detained in the port city of Murmansk after their ship the Arctic Sunrise was boarded at gunpoint by Russian authorities.

A British-born Australian resident and a New Zealand man who lives in South Australia have also been charged.

Ms Bishop says she is taking a keen interest in the case, which is shaping up as her first major consular challenge since taking over as foreign minister.

She says Australian officials have met with Mr Russell in recent days and plan to do so again soon.

"I understand he is well, his conditions of detention are adequate," she said.

Asked if she believed the piracy charge was too extreme, Ms Bishop said: "We're seeking advice as to whether this charge is appropriate.

"I do note that (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin said in one press conference that they were clearly not pirates.

"It's a very serious charge."


11.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sydney flocks to harbour for Prince Harry

Prince Harry has arrived at Sydney's Garden Island Naval Base for the International Fleet Review. Source: AAP

SYDNEY Harbour is glistening as thousands poured into the city to get a glimpse of the International Fleet Review - and if they're lucky Prince Harry too.

With drinks and ice creams in hand, spectators filled up major vantage points on Saturday afternoon as helicopters and navy planes buzzed overhead and the temperature hit the high 20s.

The Sydney Opera House and East Circular Quay vantage points have hit capacity, the Transport Management Centre said at noon.

But that hasn't stopped huge groups of people walking off trains and buses to watch the celebrations and hopefully catch a glimpse of special guest Prince Harry.

The 29-year-old royal is being taken around the harbour in HMAS Leeuwin to inspect warships, which are taking part in the International Fleet Review.

Among the royal enthusiasts is 20-year-old Victoria McRae who was towed out of Sydney Harbour by the Water Police after she got on a kayak and waved a flag saying "I (heart) you Harry" and added her mobile phone number to it.

She will now try and find the charming young prince among the thousands of people lined up all around Sydney Harbour.

"He's an eligible bachelor, I thought I might be in with a chance," Ms McRae said.

The Prince is expected to meet spectators at an unconfirmed location later on Saturday afternoon.

The Fleet Review marks 100 years since the Royal Australian Navy fleet sailed into Sydney Harbour and a procession of boats from around the world are taking part in the celebrations.

The Fireworks and Lightshow Spectacular kicks off at 7.30pm at Sydney Harbour.


11.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Dad emotional to learn drug site shut down

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 03 Oktober 2013 | 11.25

THE father of a Perth teenager, who died after falling from a balcony while on drugs, says he is "over the moon" knowing the website that sold them has been shut down and its alleged mastermind arrested.

Preston Bridge died in February when he fell from a balcony at the Sunmoon Resort in Scarborough following an after-ball party.

The 16-year-old was under the influence of drugs, possibly a hallucinogen, bought by a friend from the Silk Road website.

His father, Rod, has been campaigning to close down the website since his son's death.

He sounded emotional while giving an interview on Thursday after learning the alleged mastermind of the website had been charged and the site closed down.

"I'm over the moon ... It's been a terrible six or seven months, but the news this morning was overwhelming," he told Fairfax radio.

Mr Bridge said he felt closure and hoped the arrest would deter others from committing such crimes.

"It will most probably save a lot of lives and get these people locked up and put away," he said.

The 29-year-old alleged architect of Silk Road, Ross William Ulbricht, who went by the alias Dread Pirate Roberts - a reference to the 1987 film The Princess Bride - was caught at a library in San Francisco on Wednesday.

Over the past two years, the website became a black market bazaar that allegedly brokered more than $US1 billion ($A1.07 billion) in transactions for illegal drugs and services.

Users of Silk Road could anonymously browse through almost 13,000 listings under categories like "psychedelics" and "stimulants" and make purchases using the electronic currency Bitcoin.

The website protected users with an encryption technique called onion routing which makes it almost impossible to physically locate computers hosting or accessing websites on the network.

Ulbricht has been charged with a raft of offences including computer hacking conspiracy, narcotics trafficking conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy.

Mr Bridge said he hoped a coroner's hearing into his son's death would be held next year.


11.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Search for asylum seekers off Java ends

AUTHORITIES in Indonesia have officially called off a search and rescue operation prompted last week when an asylum-seeker boat sank after attempting to reach Australia, leaving more than 50 people dead or missing.

The operation was brought to a halt on Wednesday evening, less than a week after the boat, which was believed to be carrying 81 passengers, broke apart in heavy seas off the coast of West Java.

A spokesman for the Indonesian search and rescue agency, BASARNAS, on Thursday said authorities had recovered 42 bodies, many of them children, but that another 10 people remained missing and were also believed to have drowned.

Just 28 asylum seekers were found alive after the boat - which was carrying people from Lebanon, Iran and Iraq - broke apart near a beach in the district of Agrabinta in West Java at about 10.30am local time last Friday.

The tragedy - the first known fatal attempted crossing since the Abbott government came to power - led to accusations on the part of asylum seekers that Australian authorities had been slow to respond to calls for help.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has rejected claims from survivors that Australian authorities delayed their response to the unfolding tragedy for more than 24 hours.

"Suggestions Australian authorities did not respond to this incident appropriately are absolutely and totally wrong," Mr Morrison said earlier this week.


11.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Staff praised after baby's tragic death

STAFF at a Perth childcare centre have been praised for their frantic attempts to revive an 11-month old baby boy found dead in his father's car.

West Australian police are continuing their investigation into the bizarre circumstances that led to the tragic discovery outside the Ladybugs childcare centre in Helena Valley northeast of Perth on Wednesday afternoon.

A police spokesman says the matter was currently not being treated as a homicide.

"Inquiries into the circumstances leading up to the child's death are continuing," he said.

One possibility being explored is that the child was in the car all day before the father made the horrifying discovery when he went to pick up the infant at around 4pm (WST) on Wednesday.

Temperatures in Perth peaked at around 26 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, the warmest day in the WA capital for months.

Kim Beange, general manager of Ladybugs, said the staff had done all they could to help the stricken child.

"Our staff became aware of a child needing first aid, and they attempted to revive him with CPR," Ms Beange said.

"Unfortunately it wasn't successful. Our staff's professionalism came to the fore and they remained vigilant throughout this time, and at no point were other children in attendance aware of the circumstances occurring.

"All staff have been offered professional counselling and support services, along with further assistance as needed.

"As an organisation we would like to offer our thoughts and condolences to the parents and family of the child."

Police are interviewing the parents and will review the results of a post-mortem examination.

A report is being prepared for the coroner.


11.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Forrest extends loan deal with Poseidon

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 01 Oktober 2013 | 11.25

BILLIONAIRE miner Andrew Forrest has given Poseidon Nickel a further 12 months to repay an $8 million loan, as a close ally replaces him at the company.

Herbert Scruggs has been appointed Poseidon's chairman, four days after Mr Forrest stepped down from the position.

Mr Scruggs is also a non-executive director on the board of Fortescue Metals Group, and Mr Forrest's children's charity Australian Childrens Trust.

"Mr Scruggs is an expert in business leadership, corporate recoveries and step change business improvement," Poseidon said in its annual report.

Mr Forrest, the chairman and founder of Fortescue Metals, is Poseidon's largest shareholder with a 30 per cent stake.

He stood down as Poseidon chairman last week, as his philanthropic duties were deemed incompatible with the company's effort to get its mining operations up and running.

Mr Forrest made a loan to the company in April 2012 as Poseidon Nickel sought to restart the historic Windarra nickel project in Western Australia.

He has now extended the maturity date of the loan to October 1, 2014, after previously extending it from July 1, 2013 to October 1, 2013.

The company said Mr Forrest had demanded that the loan be repaid through the proceeds of an equity raising "as soon as reasonably practicable," but no later than the maturity date.

Poseidon said its near-term strategy is to remain focused on the restart of the Windarra Nickel Project which is expected to have an initial mine life of six years.

The Windarra site was developed by a separate company also called Poseidon in 1969 during a boom in prices.

That boom was quickly followed by a dramatic crash, which led to a scandal known as the Poseidon bubble, which led to changes being made to share market trading rules.

Poseidon Nickel shares resumed trading on Tuesday after the board changes, and were down 3.5 cents, or 24.1 per cent, at 11 cents at 1347 AEST.


11.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

US consulates in Australia to stay open

AUSTRALIANS seeking a visa to work in the US won't be affected by a possible American government shutdown, a consular official says.

The US Congress is immersed in a federal spending stalemate which threatens to halt US public services for the first time since 1996.

The US government could go into shutdown indefinitely if the Congressional impasse is not resolved by 2pm (AEST) on Tuesday.

The last time it occurred, from late 1995, the government was shut down for 28 days.

But the US Consulate in Sydney, which processes visa applications for Australians wishing to work in the US, says a possible shutdown won't affect consular services, which also operate in Melbourne and Perth.

"For the time being, essential services are going to continue and consular services are certainly considered essential," consulate spokesman Dave McGuire told AAP.

"It obviously varies from country to country but here in Australia, we would continue with our staffing as it is."

Passports would still be returned within five working days, Mr McGuire said.

Aussies often flock to the US during the Australian summer to work as ski instructors in Utah and Colorado during the American winter.

President Barack Obama and Democrats want Congress to pass the budget without ideologically-driven conditions but the Republicans want to unwind the White House's signature healthcare plan, dubbed "Obamacare".

"We're waiting to see what happens as well," Mr McGuire said.


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Eighteenth measles case confirmed in Qld

ANOTHER person has been infected by measles in Queensland.

It is the 18th measles case in the state this year.

In the latest case, the infected person visited Ipswich police station and the Ipswich Courthouse a number of times between September 23 and 27 as well as UFS pharmacy at Booval on September 26.

Public health physician Dr Heidi Carroll says those who have visited these areas should be alert for measles symptoms, particularly if they have not been vaccinated against the potentially deadly disease.

The new case was the eighth in the Ipswich area this year, Dr Carroll said.


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NZ PM to make day trip to see Abbott

Written By Unknown on Senin, 30 September 2013 | 11.25

NEW Zealand Prime Minister John Key will make a flying visit to see his new Australian counterpart Tony Abbott later this week.

Mr Key flies to Canberra on Wednesday afternoon for his first meeting with the Liberal leader since he won the election.

The pair will talk for about an hour before a private dinner together, before Mr Key jumps on a plane back to Auckland.

The pair, who know each other well and text-message regularly - even before Mr Abbott's election, are expected to affirm strong trans-Tasman ties, but a bone of contention will be entitlements for Kiwis living across the ditch.

There are 300,000 New Zealanders on special category visas in Australia, who pay billions of dollars in taxes but are denied some key benefits of permanent residency, such as disability care, welfare and social housing.

Ahead of the election, Mr Abbott, who has been married to a New Zealander for 25 years, was oblivious, saying he didn't believe that "New Zealand has ever complained".

However, Mr Key has raised the issue repeatedly since taking office in 2008, with former Labor prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.


11.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

36 confirmed dead in Indon boat tragedy

THE death toll after the sinking of an asylum-seeker boat off Java last week has risen to 36, with Indonesian authorities now conceding the search operation is now about recovering the dead rather than finding anyone else alive.

Four more bodies, including those of two children, were found on Monday morning, bringing the toll to 36 dead and authorities say more than 20 people are missing, feared drowned.

Just 28 asylum seekers have been found alive since the boat, which was carrying about 80 people from Lebanon, Iran, and Iraq, broke apart near a beach in the district of Agrabinta in West Java on Friday morning.

The Lebanese foreign ministry has confirmed there were 68 Lebanese, including children, on board the ill-fated vessel.

An official from the Indonesian search and rescue agency, BASARNAS, says the recovery operation will continue throughout Monday.

"There's still a chance we may find more bodies so we still continue with the search today," he said.

However, authorities have already acknowledged there is very little hope of finding any more survivors.

The latest tragedy in waters between Indonesia and Australia - the first known fatal attempted crossing under the coalition government - comes amid an increase in tensions between Canberra and Jakarta over the asylum-seeker issue.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott arrives in Jakarta on Monday for a two-day visit, where his refugee policies are expected to be top of the agenda in discussions with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.


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Flag raising marks naval celebration

SYDNEY has welcomed the Royal Australian Navy into the harbour and hoisted a giant navy flag to mark the beginning of celebrations for this week's International Fleet Review.

Eighteen visiting warships, 16 tall ships and 19 RAN vessels will take part in the maritime spectacular which will also feature more than 60 aircraft, 10 military bands, 8000 sailors and a huge fireworks display.

"There will be ships in the harbour, there will be ships alongside, there will be fireworks," Australian Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Tim Barrett told reporters at the flag raising ceremony at Darling Harbour on Monday.

Prince Harry is also scheduled to attend during his whirlwind royal tour of Australia.

The review commemorates the arrival of the Royal Australian Navy fleet in Sydney for the first time 100 years ago, in October 1913.

The NSW government is urging visitors heading to the celebrations on the weekend to take public transport, with thousands of extra bus and train services added for the eight-day navy event.

Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian said an extra 4000 bus services and 1000 train services had been added to the timetable for the big nautical celebration, which runs from October 3-11.

"All these services have been added to the timetable to make it as easy as possible for people to get to the celebrations and home again afterwards," she said in a statement.

"There will also be extra buses on all major corridors into and out of the CBD and to other popular harbour vantage points.

Ms Berejiklian said many of the extra bus and train services would run for Saturday's Ceremonial Fleet Review and Fireworks and Lightshow Spectacular.

Many roads will be closed around the Sydney Harbour foreshore during the eight-day celebration.


11.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hopes of finding survivors fading fast

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 29 September 2013 | 11.25

INDONESIAN authorities say there's little hope of finding more survivors from an asylum-seeker boat that sank off the coast of Java, leaving more than 50 people dead or missing.

The search for survivors, and the dead, resumed on Sunday morning but efforts are being hampered by rough seas.

Twenty-one people, including seven children, have so far been confirmed dead while more than 30 remain missing, Rohmali, the head of the search and rescue agency in area where the incident occurred, said on Sunday.

Just 28 asylum seekers have been found alive since the boat, which was carrying about 80 people from Lebanon, Iran and Iraq, sank on Friday morning.

"If there's any hope, it will depend on today's search," Rohmali told AAP.

"But if there's no progress today or if the condition is as harsh as yesterday - waves yesterday were five-metres high - then we may have to stop the search and only observe.

"We don't want our team to be the casualties as well."

It's expected some of the survivors will be sent to immigration detention centres.

However, an Indonesian immigration official in Sukabumi where the majority of those rescued were being held has confirmed to AAP that the Iraqi and Lebanese embassies had made contact and were already in the process of arranging for their citizens to be deported.

"We've contacted our Immigration Directorate General in Jakarta asking which immigration detention centre to place them," Yayan Indriana, the head of Sukabumi Immigration Office, told AAP on Sunday.

The official said the preference was to send the asylum seekers to Tanjung Pinang in the Riau Islands or to Medan, on the island of Sumatra.

"There are also people from Iraq and Lebanon embassy who came to see me asking to deport their citizens. As long as they take care of all the documents needed and the ticket, we welcome them to deport their citizen," she said.

There have been conflicting reports about how the tragedy unfolded, with some of the survivors claiming they placed more than 10 calls to Australian authorities to say their boat was sinking, beginning on Thursday, but that no help was sent.

"We called them and we told them we're sinking, we need anybody to help us," 28-year-old Abdullah al Qisi said on Saturday..

"And they were telling us 'we're coming, we're coming' and they didn't come," he said.

But immigration minister Scott Morrison, who delayed commenting on the sinking until late on Saturday, said Australian authorities did not receive a call about the vessel until Friday morning, which placed the stricken boat about 25 nautical miles off Indonesia.

Mr Morrison said Rescue Co-ordination Centre Australia maintained co-ordination of the search and notified the Indonesian rescue agency, BASARNAS.

An all-ships broadcast was issued by Australian authorities, but a merchant ship and a border protection aircraft were both unable to find the vessel.

A spokesman for BASARNAS also says his office was not advised of an incident involving an asylum-seeker boat until 8am local time on Friday.

It appears, however, that messages were slow to get to local authorities closer to the scene of the incident.

A police official from the district of Cianjur near where the boat sank has said his officers were only alerted to the incident after bodies were discovered floating in an estuary on Friday morning.

The latest tragedy in waters between Indonesia and Australia - the first known fatal attempted crossing since the election of the Abbott government - comes amid an increase in tensions between Canberra and Jakarta over the asylum-seeker issue.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will hold talks on Monday, with asylum-seeker policy expected to be at the top of the agenda.


11.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Shot Qld police happy to be alive

A GOLD Coast police officer shot in the face by an armed robbery suspect says he is just happy to be alive.

Dog squad officer Sergeant Gary Hamrey walked out of hospital on Sunday morning, two days after he was shot tracking two armed robbery suspects.

With his cheek bandaged, the policeman said he had a clear memory of what had happened.

"I think those memories will stay with me for quite some time," he told reporters.

"I think there's a certain amount of shock, that goes with it," he said.

"It happened quickly, hurt a lot and there was a lot of blood."

Sgt Hamrey said he was eternally grateful to those who came to his aid.

He'd realised he was lucky the bullet had missed other parts of his head.

"I'm pretty happy that I'm still here," he said.

The sergeant said he felt "pretty good" and plans to return to work in about six weeks, although he may need further surgery.

Sgt Hamrey was shot when he tracked down two men armed with a gun and a machete as they hid beside a garden shed after allegedly holding up the Arundel Tavern at Parkwood early on Friday morning.

Despite his injuries, he and a colleague returned fire, striking the alleged bandits in the legs and feet.

The two alleged robbers sustained gunshot wounds to their legs and feet but their injuries weren't life-threatening.

The pair were charged late on Friday with one count each of attempted murder, three of armed robbery and 14 counts of deprivation of liberty.

The 23-year-old and 47-year-old, both from the Gold Coast, appeared before a hospital bedside hearing and have been remanded in custody until November 11.


11.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Westpac Rescue Helicopter marks 40 years

IT began with a band of daring surfies rescuing swimmers off Sydney's beaches.

Now the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter celebrates its 40th birthday as a full rescue service that has helped people caught in some of the nation's worst disasters.

Two helicopters flew in formation over Sydney Harbour on Sunday to mark the occasion, four decades after a group of surf lifesavers founded the service in 1973 with a MASH-style single-engine light helicopter, the Bell C47.

Then it was known as the Wales Bank SLSA Helicopter Surf Rescue Service.

Today it has a fleet of 15 helicopters across twelve bases around the country, and has helped rescue Australians involved in the Waterfall train crash, the Milperra bikie massacre and the Thredbo landslide, where the service helicopter was on hand to fly sole survivor Stuart Diver to Canberra Hospital after he was trapped in rubble for almost three days.

But the more things have changed, the more they've stayed the same, according to CEO Stephen Leahy.

"The reason we go out hasn't changed in those 40 years, we were set up to help the people of Sydney and NSW and we're still doing that today," he told AAP.

"The only things that have really changed are the helicopters themselves - what we use now are bigger, better and faster."

Even the bank that helped launch the fledgling service in 1973 with a $25,000 cheque remains the same, despite a name change.


11.25 | 0 komentar | Read More
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