Ryanair opens new destinations for 2014

LOW-FARE airline Ryanair has announced new routes for next northern summer.

The budget carrier will be operating from Stansted airport to 12 new destinations, including Basle, Bordeaux and Bucharest.

The no-frills airline, which has launched something of a charm offensive in recent weeks, will also be increasing frequencies on 17 routes next summer, including to Milan, Rome, Berlin, Barcelona and Dublin.

Other new destinations from summer 2014 include Dortmund, Lisbon, and Prague.

The increases are part of Ryanair's long-term agreement with Stansted's owners Manchester Airports Group (MAG).

The new flying programme will see Ryanair offer an additional 1.3 million seats, taking the airline's capacity at the Essex airport to 14.5 million passengers.

Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary says the new routes and increased frequencies will sustain more than 1300 on-site jobs at Stansted.

MAG chief executive Charlie Cornish says the announcement is "fantastic news for Stansted, the region and the passengers who rely on the airport".

08.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

Aussie tour a long shot for Python show

MONTY Python haven't ruled out eventually touring their reunion show to Australia although John Cleese has joked it would be easier to travel to another planet.

News+

Oops! Please register or log in to continue. (It's quick, easy and free.) Continue

08.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

Greece predicts return to growth in 2014

GREECE'S deputy finance minister says the economy is expected to emerge from its recession and grow slightly next year.

Christos Staikouras said on Thursday that the 2014 budget projects economic growth of 0.6 per cent next year.

He spoke as he presented the budget, submitted to Parliament moments earlier by Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras.

Staikouras said the economy is expected to contract by four per cent this year, slightly less than the originally expected 4.5 per cent.

He said the conditions are being created for Greece to return to the international bond markets next year.

It has been priced out of them by high interest rates since 2010, and relies on international rescue loans.

08.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

UK PM 'following' escort agency on Twitter

British Prime Minister David Cameron has been following a high-class escort agency on Twitter. Source: AAP

BRITISH Prime Minister David Cameron has been following the exploits of a high-class escort agency on Twitter.

One of the prime minister's official accounts was linked to the Carltons of London's feed on the micro-blogging site, technology news website The Register found.

It claims to be London's "finest luxury boutique escort agency" catering for the needs of a "select and small group of elite gentlemen".

The agency also offers a corporate service for those looking to secure a big deal who "need something special to swing them in your favour".

But Downing Street indicated the agency may have first been followed under Gordon Brown's premiership.

The @Number10gov account is the official Twitter feed for the office of the Prime Minister and automatically followed anyone that chose to follow it until 2009 - while the former Labour leader was in power - when the practice was stopped.

"We have stopped following this particular account," a Downing Street spokesman said.

"Prior to 2010, an auto-follow process was used, meaning that @Number10gov automatically followed anyone who followed the account. This was common practice at the time for many corporate accounts, but was discontinued in 2009.

"As a result of this legacy, the @Number10gov account follows almost 370,000 accounts and we have taken steps to un-follow as many as possible that are inactive, spam or inappropriate. This work is ongoing."

08.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

Cyclone warning issued for southern India

A TROPICAL cyclone over the Bay of Bengal is likely to hit coastal areas of India's southern state of Andhra Pradesh over the next 24 hours, with evacuations set to begin soon, officials said on Thursday.

Cyclone Helen is predicted to bring winds of up to 120km/h, as well as heavy rainfall.

Storm surges of up to 1.5 metres at the time of landfall are expected near the city of Machillipatnam on Friday afternoon, India's Meteorological Department said.

The storm was expected to cause "extensive damage to thatched roofs and huts. Minor damage to power and communication lines due to uprooting of large trees", the IMD said in a statement.

Fishermen have been warned not to venture out to sea.

State disaster management official VK Ekbote said the storm was changing course, and evacuations would begin on Friday once officials were able to confirm precisely where it would make land.

The storm is expected to be significantly less intense than Cyclone Phailin, which hit India's Orissa and Andhra Pradesh states last month, with wind speeds of over 200km/h, claiming 40 lives.

Cyclones often form over the Bay of Bengal, bringing widespread destruction and flooding to India's southern and eastern coasts.

08.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

UK police free women held as slaves

Dream end on MCG comes to ashes

A MULTIPLE sclerosis sufferer has hit out at the rejection of her dying wish that her ashes be scattered on the hallowed turf of the MCG.

Train lines shut on New Year's Eve

NEW Year's Eve revellers from Melbourne's west and parts of country Victoria will have to catch buses home as train lines are shut down.

08.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pedestrian dies in crash near Townsville

A PEDESTRIAN has died after being hit by a car at Nome, near Townsville.

The woman died at the scene when she was hit on the Bruce Highway at about 9pm (AEST) on Thursday, police said.

The woman driving the car was taken to Townsville Hospital for observation.

The highway was closed for several hours and the Forensic Crash Unit is investigating.

08.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

On-the-run terror suspect suing Britain

A TERRORISM suspect who escaped British surveillance by disguising himself in a burka is suing the government over alleged torture, it's been revealed.

Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed evaded police surveillance last week by changing his Western-style clothes for a burka while he was visiting a mosque in London.

British counterterrorism police and secret services have launched a major search for the 27-year-old, who is believed to have fought abroad for al-Shabaab, the militant Somali rebel group.

His case for damages from the British government emerged at the High Court on Thursday, when a judge handed down an interim ruling in his case and his anonymity was lifted due to his disappearance.

Before he went on the run, Mohamed and another man had filed a claim against the Foreign Office, Home Office, Ministry of Defence and the Attorney General, alleging they had consented or acquiesced to their detention and torture by Somaliland authorities in January 2011.

British "officers and agents ... by their acts and omissions, procured, induced, encouraged or directly caused, or were otherwise complicit in" the detention of Mohamed and his co-claimant, the court papers said.

The judge in the case said that both were British citizens of Somali descent.

Mohamed had travelled to Somaliland in 2007 and was returned to Britain in March 2011, after his arrest and alleged torture.

British Home Secretary Theresa May had applied for a control order against him prior to his detention in Somaliland, Mohamed said, showing that May knew he was about to be detained.

08.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Huntsman spider found at UK warehouse

A FEARSOME-LOOKING giant spider common in Australia has given workers at a British warehouse a fright after travelling over from Asia.

The 17-centimetre-long huntsman spider came over to East Sussex after stowing away in a shipping container packed with BMX parts in Taiwan.

It is believed to have been locked up for six weeks as the container made its way thousands of miles across the oceans before reaching the UK.

Shocked staff at Seventies BMX Distribution in St Leonards-on-Sea discovered the arachnid lurking in their delivery while unpacking the boxes.

Warehouse manager Joe Woodburn said he thought the spider was plastic at first as it wasn't moving.

"My mate saw it on the box I was holding. He froze and couldn't get his words out fast enough," Woodburn said.

"...the minute it was in the sunlight it started to warm up and it was running around and jumping up the side of the box."

RSPCA inspector Zoe Ballard was called out to deal with the animal, but admitted she was not the biggest fan of eight-legged creepy-crawlies.

"I got the call through as collection of a tarantula, but as soon as I saw it I knew it wasn't a tarantula," Ms Ballard said, adding she's been called out to collect a scorpion in the past, but has never come across a spider like it before.

"I managed to secure the spider in the container and took it to the RSPCA's wildlife centre nearby, but I must admit I was worried all the way that it would get out and escape in my van."

The spider has now been housed at Drusillas Zoo Park in Alfriston, near Eastbourne, but RSPCA inspector Tony Woodley said it does not generally pose a big threat.

"Huntsman spiders can give you a nasty bite, but they aren't likely to cause too much harm unless you suffer an allergic reaction," he said.

08.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Controversial health website launched

PRIVATE health fund nib has launched a controversial website that allows patients to rate the cost and service levels of health practitioners.

The searchable Whitecoat website is open to all Australians and lists 30,000 "extras" providers such as optometrists, dentists and chiropractors.

"Whitecoat represents a new way of connecting consumers and providers," says the fund's Rhod McKensey.

It is particularly useful for people who have moved to a new area or need a treatment for the first time.

The 13,000 comments featured so far have been collected from clients over the past 12 months and are 90 per cent positive, he says.

The fund says it has consulted widely to overcome issues and providers will be able to opt out of the ratings and comments.

But some health organisations are concerned the ratings system will be unfair and that the site breaks advertising guidelines.

The Australian Dental Association has advised members not to participate at all.

"We can't see the benefit," says vice president Dr Carmelo Bonanno.

Cost comparisons are difficult because treatments might appear the same but might involve different materials and different degrees of difficulty, he says.

"We also have concerns about breaching advertising guidelines for dentists."

The Dietitians Association of Australia is advising its members to opt out of the rating and comments section.

"A directory showing people what's available in their area is fantastic," says spokesperson Kate Di Prima, and accredited practising dietician.

But she is concerned the ratings system will reflect the subjective view of a single person and there are too many variables for valid price comparisons.

"A consumer-driven health profession that embraces choices is the future," says Chiropractors' Association of Australia CEO Andrew McNamara.

He is concerned, however, that the site complies with health profession guidelines.

08.16 | 0 komentar | Read More