South Korean bobsledders begin the four-man final race for America’s Cup in Lake Placid on Jan. 11, 2014. They won the race, beating their U.S. and Japanese rivals who finished second and third, respectively. (Yonhap) (END)
Arquivo diário: janeiro 12, 2014
How economic reforms are changing North Korea farming industry
Cycle safe: Seeing red – who’s running the lights at danger spots
By Mathew Dearnaley
5:30 AM Monday Jan 13, 2014
Tragic death of rider sparks release of report over traffic at busy intersections.
Photo / Dean Purcell
Cyclists accounted for 60 per cent of red-light runners surveyed at four Auckland intersections, the city’s transport authority has revealed.
Car drivers were responsible for 37 per cent of 360 red-light breaches observed by Auckland Transport, and buses, trucks and one motorcycle made up the balance.
The survey was taken nine months ago, and used by Auckland Transport to formulate safety messages aimed at encouraging all road users to obey red lights, but was not publicised at the time.
It was taken during 12 peak travel hours over two days in late March at two intersections on Tamaki Drive, one at the junction of Quay St and Lower Albert St, and the other at the Newton-Great North-Ponsonby-Karangahape crossroads.
The council body has issued the results after last week’s death of a novice bike rider who collided with a truck at an intersection with a busy freight route in Parnell, a tragedy which has sparked a Herald series starting today on cycling safety.
Police believe John Tangiia, 37, was probably freewheeling down Parnell Rise on Tuesday before turning left into Stanley St and colliding with a truck which appeared to have a green light while crossing the intersection from The Strand.
An average of more than 62,000 vehicles a day use the intersection, where two main freight routes between the port and the motorways converge. Although traffic is lighter over the holidays, it was still heavy with freight vehicles during a one-hour informal survey by the Herald on Friday afternoon, which found 24 red-light runners, including three trucks and a bus.
Only one cyclist rode across the intersection during the hour, doing so on a green light.
Word of the survey prompted Auckland Transport to issue last year’s results to both the paper and to Cycle Action Auckland, which has criticised it for being too slow to open new bike lanes throughout the region.
Cycle Action chairwoman Barbara Cuthbert said cars running lights exceeded cyclists at the K-Rd intersection.
She referred to a presentation by a senior Auckland Transport official which won an accolade at an engineering conference, noting many instances of red-light running by cyclists were left-hand turns or motivated by riders wanting to get a head-start on other vehicles for safety reasons.
“Overall, cyclists’ red-light running is a relatively infrequent and safe behaviour,” corridor and centre plans team leader Daniel Newcombe said in the presentation.
Among recommendations he made to the Institution of Professional Engineers’ transport group conference was for cyclists to be allowed to turn left on red lights, while treating the manoeuvre as a “give way” and assessing the risk to pedestrians.
Auckland Transport communications general manager Wally Thomas. said he needed to be updated on the recommendations but noted that cyclists accounted for only about 2 per cent of road users, so appeared to be over-represented in red-light running.
He said the number of red-light runs at the Stanley-Strand intersection, by other vehicles was a serious concern.
Despite the concern about last week’s death, which remains under police investigation, he noted a 64 per cent reduction in serious cycling injuries in Auckland in 2012 compared with 2011 – from 51 to 18.
Road safety series
* The Herald begins a new series aimed at improving road safety, reducing the risk to cyclists and improving relations between motorists and riders.
* We want to help cut the number of cyclists injured and killed each year by raising awareness of the rights and responsibilities of both motorists and riders.
* We’ll be highlighting known blackspots and where our readers have had near misses. We’ll also be telling the stories of those on the frontline. We want to hear your experiences – and ideas and solutions to help reduce the toll .
The New Zealand Herald
Warren Truss pays tribute to Ariel Sharon
Acting Prime Minister Warren Truss has paid tribute to former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as controversial but courageous leader.
In a statement, Mr Truss described Mr Sharon as ”a man of great courage, who fought bravely during Israel’s major historic wars.”
“He was a controversial figure but undeniably a leader of conviction,” Mr Truss said.
“He was unflinching in his commitment to doing what he considered the right thing by the people of Israel, reshaping the political landscape to pull Israel out of the Gaza Strip in 2005.”
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Mr Truss extended the nation’s condolences to Mr Sharon’s family and the people and government of Israel.
Labor’s foreign affairs spokeswoman, Tanya Plibersek, said Mr Sharon would be remembered as “a giant in the history of Israel.”
“In his final years as Prime Minister, Sharon made great strides in the Israel-Palestine peace process, representing a courageous shift in his politics in favour of a two-state solution,” Ms Plibersek said in a statement.
“Ariel Sharon embodied fearless leadership through trying times and spent his life serving Israel and its people,” she said.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will represent Australia at a memorial service for Mr Sharon on Monday.
The Sydney Morning Herald
State government arms ‘war room’ with communication experts
January 12, 2014 – 7:45PM
Amy Remeikis
State political reporter
Queensland’s Parliament House Photo: harrisonsaragossi@gmail.com
The government has called in the big guns to help sell both its asset sales agenda and bad financial news ahead of the next election.
In a pre-emptive strike, Under Treasurer Mark Gray, who was appointed to the role just two months ago, has alerted Queensland Treasury staff, through an employee-wide email, that he plans to address the department’s “strategic communications” issues, by hiring outside consultants.
This includes how Treasury “present[s] complex information to the Treasurer and his staff, and then support[s] the Treasurer as he leads discussion[s] with his Cabinet and various Committee colleagues” and how “consistent and planned messages” can be presented to the wider community.
In the email, which was obtained by Fairfax Media, Mr Gray said he has appointed two “experienced people” from Phillips Group, which describes itself as a “world class, dynamic communiation company…that works with organisations to address their critical challenges to achieve success” to “embed” with the department for six months.
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A further two Phillips Group consultants will provide support.
“Our Communications team in Corporate Services is a great group and works flat out delivering a high standard service to the department, but I know that staff are stretched and have heavy demands on their time meeting internal needs,” Mr Gray wrote to staff.
“I have therefore decided to supplement the capacity of the team by establishing a small strategic communications capacity to work directly with myself, the DUTs, the Treasurer and his Office in preparing simple and effective messages around complex policy and financial issues, and presenting consistent and planned messages to the broader community.
“Without in any way diminishing the importance of technical excellence in our content, I believe that our messages can be more effective if they are presented in more user-friendly and powerful ways, both to the Government and also to the community generally.”
The Phillips Group consultants will work with the in-house Treasury communications team from the 9th floor of the Executive Building “and will be dealing heavily with executives and key staff in Queensland Treasury and Trade who are preparing briefings and submissions for the government”.
One of those consultants lists experience with “projects of a sensitive and controversial nature…and negotiating mutall agreeable outcomes between different stakeholder groups” among her professional strengths, while another specialises in “issues and crisis management”.
“They will also work with the Comms team to develop an updated communications strategy for the department going forward,” the email states.
It is the strongest indicator yet the government is preparing its election arsenal. The premier and his ministers have repeatedly vowed not to sell assets without first obtaining a mandate, but with the government itself divided on the issue, it has a long campaign ahead of it.
The appointment of Phillips Group, which is already helping to prepare firms for “contestibility” opportunities with Queensland Health, has also raised eyebrows.
“They are more than PR, it is a lot more strategic than that,” one source close to the government said.
“You go to somewhere like Phillips Group when you are serious about the message you need sold. Or are mopping up.”
The opposition’s Tim Mulherin said while previous governments, his included, hired outside communicaton consultants, “it was usually for specific projects such as share floats”.
“But this sounds to me like an expensive, publicly funded ‘war room’ that will be focussed on spinning the government’s message in favour of asset sales in the lead-up to an election,” he said.
“Treasurer Nicholls needs to explain why this stand-alone unit is needed and more importantly — if it is part of the government’s pitch on asset sales — how much taxpayers will be out of pocket for work that should be billed to the LNP.”
A spokeswoman for the Treasurer declined to put a price, instead directing Fairfax Media to its annual report.
Last financial year, Treasury and Trade spent $123,927 on communications consultants.
When the Bligh government hired outside consultants to help sell the Queensland Rail float in 2009/10, it spent $1,135,906.
Phillips Group is understood to operate on up to a $20,000 monthly retainer. Consultants can charge up to $280 an hour.
The spokeswoman said hiring external consultants was “a long standing practice”, but would not go into detail about what particular messages they would be pushing.
“It’s typically undertaken to manage periods of high work volume when existing departmental office teams do not have the capacity or specialist skill needed to deliver a particular outcome within tight timeframes.
“The public service plays no role in political campaigns.”
The Brisbane Times
Canberra heat wave to continue
January 13, 2014
Fleta Page
Reporter at The Canberra Times
Canberrans cool off in the summer heat
Tristan Viscarra Rossel and daughter Elena Viscarra Rossel, 3, cool off in the Murrumbidgee River at Casuarina Sands on Sunday. Photo: Jeffrey Chan
Canberrans had their first taste of the week to come as the temperature hit 37 degrees on Sunday afternoon, sending scores of people to cool off at swimming spots around the territory.
And the Bureau of Meteorology has indicated it’s going to get hotter, with highs of 39 degrees on Wednesday and Thursday, although Monday is forecast to be a relatively cool 33 degrees.
On Tuesday, the anticipated sell-out crowd of about 12,500 at Manuka Oval for the Prime Minister’s XI cricket match is set to endure 37-degree heat.
Coastal areas will be spared, with sea breezes keeping temperatures down; a top of 33 degrees is forecast for Batemans Bay this week.
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Locally the heatwave is likely to see plenty of mid-week activity at local pools and on the river, with temperatures in the high 30s persisting until Sunday.
Tristan Viscarra Rossel and her family were among the swimmers at Casuarina Sands on Sunday, and she said she would return during the week to keep cool.
The family usually swims at Kambah Pools but decided to try a new spot. ”It’s more accessible for our three-year-old – walking up and down the hill at Kambah Pools is quite difficult with a little one, so that was good, but it was a lot more crowded,” she said.
With a fire-danger rating of very high on Monday, Green Cross Australia is asking Canberra residents to take the time to plan for major weather events.
Using federal and ACT government funding, the not-for-profit group has developed the website actfirst.org.au to help residents prepare for severe weather such as fires and heatwaves.
”Some key actions people can take [in a heatwave] include staying up to date with local news and weather safety updates, drinking plenty of water, focusing on keeping just one room in their house cool … and keeping an eye on people who are vulnerable to heat, such as elderly neighbours and young children,” Elizabeth Resta from Green Cross Australia said.
The ACT is not the only region experiencing the heat, either.
The Bureau of Meteorology is testing a Heatwave Forecast tool, which shows that much of southern Australia will experience the effects of the heatwave during the next four days.
”It is caused by slow-moving, high-pressure systems and, basically … we’re predicting hot air from central Australia just building up that heat,” the bureau’s duty forecaster said.
Melbourne will be hit particularly hard with an ”extreme heatwave” forecast to greet the start of the Australian Open tennis.
Tuesday and Thursday will be the hottest days with 41 degrees forecast for both, and 40 predicted for Friday.
The players won’t be able to get any quick relief from the dehydrating conditions either. Tournament medical staff will not administer saline drips, as they have during extreme heat in the past. The only exceptions will be for emergencies.
Australian Open chief medical officer Tim Wood said World Anti-Doping Agency regulations banned players from being placed on a drip after a match.
”If they want a drip, they have to go to hospital,” he said.
To improve their performance in the heat, some players take an ice bath before a match. Dr Wood said this could reduce the core body temperature by as much as 1 degree.
Australian Sports Commission exercise physiologist Megan Ross said ”pre-cooling” made a difference, prolonging the point of fatigue.
With Bridie Smith
The Canberra Times
Canberra heat wave to continue
January 13, 2014
Fleta Page
Reporter at The Canberra Times
Canberrans cool off in the summer heat
Tristan Viscarra Rossel and daughter Elena Viscarra Rossel, 3, cool off in the Murrumbidgee River at Casuarina Sands on Sunday. Photo: Jeffrey Chan
Canberrans had their first taste of the week to come as the temperature hit 37 degrees on Sunday afternoon, sending scores of people to cool off at swimming spots around the territory.
And the Bureau of Meteorology has indicated it’s going to get hotter, with highs of 39 degrees on Wednesday and Thursday, although Monday is forecast to be a relatively cool 33 degrees.
On Tuesday, the anticipated sell-out crowd of about 12,500 at Manuka Oval for the Prime Minister’s XI cricket match is set to endure 37-degree heat.
Coastal areas will be spared, with sea breezes keeping temperatures down; a top of 33 degrees is forecast for Batemans Bay this week.
Advertisement
Locally the heatwave is likely to see plenty of mid-week activity at local pools and on the river, with temperatures in the high 30s persisting until Sunday.
Tristan Viscarra Rossel and her family were among the swimmers at Casuarina Sands on Sunday, and she said she would return during the week to keep cool.
The family usually swims at Kambah Pools but decided to try a new spot. ”It’s more accessible for our three-year-old – walking up and down the hill at Kambah Pools is quite difficult with a little one, so that was good, but it was a lot more crowded,” she said.
With a fire-danger rating of very high on Monday, Green Cross Australia is asking Canberra residents to take the time to plan for major weather events.
Using federal and ACT government funding, the not-for-profit group has developed the website actfirst.org.au to help residents prepare for severe weather such as fires and heatwaves.
”Some key actions people can take [in a heatwave] include staying up to date with local news and weather safety updates, drinking plenty of water, focusing on keeping just one room in their house cool … and keeping an eye on people who are vulnerable to heat, such as elderly neighbours and young children,” Elizabeth Resta from Green Cross Australia said.
The ACT is not the only region experiencing the heat, either.
The Bureau of Meteorology is testing a Heatwave Forecast tool, which shows that much of southern Australia will experience the effects of the heatwave during the next four days.
”It is caused by slow-moving, high-pressure systems and, basically … we’re predicting hot air from central Australia just building up that heat,” the bureau’s duty forecaster said.
Melbourne will be hit particularly hard with an ”extreme heatwave” forecast to greet the start of the Australian Open tennis.
Tuesday and Thursday will be the hottest days with 41 degrees forecast for both, and 40 predicted for Friday.
The players won’t be able to get any quick relief from the dehydrating conditions either. Tournament medical staff will not administer saline drips, as they have during extreme heat in the past. The only exceptions will be for emergencies.
Australian Open chief medical officer Tim Wood said World Anti-Doping Agency regulations banned players from being placed on a drip after a match.
”If they want a drip, they have to go to hospital,” he said.
To improve their performance in the heat, some players take an ice bath before a match. Dr Wood said this could reduce the core body temperature by as much as 1 degree.
Australian Sports Commission exercise physiologist Megan Ross said ”pre-cooling” made a difference, prolonging the point of fatigue.
With Bridie Smith
The Canberra Times
Fortaleza x Ferroviário AO VIVO
CLIQUE AQUI para escutar ao vivo
Divertics 12/01/2014
Leandro Hassum irá provocar argentinos no “Divertics”
Neste domingo, o “Divertics”, da Globo, reserva espaço para provocar os argentinos. Leandro Hassum será “infectado” por uma epidemia de “argentinite”.
Flávio Ricco com colaboração de José Carlos Nery
Australians on alert as temps rise
South Australians have been urged to start taking precautions as very hot conditions are forecast for most of the state for a week.
Temperatures will surge into the 40s early next week and are expected to remain there until Friday.
SA Ambulance Service operations team leader Bryan Ward says prolonged periods of heat can exacerbate pre-existing medical conditions.
”We encourage people to start taking precautions in preparation for the upcoming hot weather and to check on those who may be vulnerable to the heat, such as elderly family members, elderly neighbours and children,” he said.
”We generally tend to notice an increase in workload at around day four to five of a heatwave.”
Mr Ward said extra ambulance crews would be deployed if necessary.
SA Health said tips to beat the heat included drinking plenty of water, avoiding alcohol and caffeine, wearing light, loose and comfortable closing as well as a hat and sunscreen, staying out of the sun during the hottest part of the day and avoiding outdoor exercise or strenuous physical activity.
It said precautions to take before the heat included stocking up on water and groceries to avoid constant trips to the shops, testing any fans or air-conditioners that may not have been used for some time and swapping phone numbers with a neighbour or friend with a view to keeping in contact during the hot spell.
The State Emergency Service said the hot weather could also bring a number of safety concerns including the risk of power cuts and trees dropping branches without warning.
The extreme conditions will also have fire authorities on high alert with police expected to instigate Operation Nomad patrols which check on known firebugs.
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