Greens senator Larissa Waters to quit in latest citizenship bungle

Deputy Greens leader Larissa Waters is resigning from the Senate after realising she has been ineligible to sit in Federal Parliament since 2011.

Senator Waters was born in Canada and did not renounce her dual citizenship when running for office, making her ineligible to serve.

The Queensland Senator’s resignation comes less than a week after Scott Ludlam resigned after realising he also holds dual citizenship with New Zealand.

Both avoidable resignations mean the Greens have lost two of their strongest performers in Parliament in less than a week.

The constitution disqualifies potential candidates from election if they hold dual or plural citizenship.

Source: Larissa Waters to quit in latest citizenship bungle – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

13 Chinese drug dealers sentenced to death in front of 10,000 at public stadium, 8 in a truck to be executed immediately

THIRTEEN drug dealers have been sentenced to death at a vast show trial in China watched by 10,000 people.

Eight were executed straight after the hearing — slammed by human rights activists as barbaric — in the southern city of Shanwei, Guangdong.

Local reports said the group were found guilty at a sports arena on June 24 of producing and selling hard drugs in a crime-riddled part of the port city.

Photos show how those that were put to immediate death were loaded on to trucks and driven out of the packed stadium.

They were among a total of 18 people who appeared to face drugs charges, with five handed suspended sentences and a further five having their executions postponed.

Beijing News said the area of Lufeng, home to 1.7 million people, is a criminal hotspot which authorities have been on a ruthless mission to clean up.

In 2015 a crowd of 38 dealers appeared for a trial in front of 10,000 spectators — with 13 people handed death sentences and three executed immediately, Beijing News reported.

Human rights groups have criticised the mass executions for failing to prevent illicit chemical production in the Guangdong region — China’s drugs factory and the largest producer of methamphetamine in the country.

Source: Thirteen Chinese drug dealers sentenced to death in front of 10,000 at public stadium before eight are whisked off in a truck to be executed immediately

UK Fire: Cladding Cyanide poisoned victims: No Spinkers/Burnable Cladding/Poison Gas/STAY PUT= NO CHANCE

INSULATION fitted to Grenfell Tower gave off a highly toxic cyanide gas which may have led to the deaths of some of the 79 confirmed victims, it’s been claimed.

An expert has claimed insulation boards fitted to the outside of the building during a previous makeover produce a deadly gas when they burn.

Potentially every flat could have been filled with enough gas to kill those inside, The Sun newspaper reports.

The horrific revelation comes as the chief executive of Kensington and Chelsea council resigned amid criticism over the borough’s response to the deadly blaze.

Nicholas Holgate stood down from the position, saying that staying would be a “distraction” to the recovery process.

In a statement, Mr Holgate said the council’s “highest priority” was to help families affected by the fire.

The Sun reports that at least three of those injured in the fire have been treated with an antidote for hydrogen cyanide poisoning in hospital.

However, it’s feared the number of those affected could be higher.

Source: Grenfell Tower fire, London: cyanide gas from burning cladding poisoned victims | Perth Now

WOMAN to hospital with serious injuries. Sandwiched between 2 cars in Perth

A WOMAN in her 20s has been rushed to hospital with serious injuries after she was sandwiched between two cars while inspecting damage from an earlier crash in Bassendean.

The woman suffered multiple fractures to her legs and arm in the incident which happened on Hardy Street just before 8am.

It is believed she had been involved in a minor bingle with a tradies’ ute and was inspecting the damage at the rear of the 60 year old’s vehicle when a green Ford smashed into them.

The man in his 60s was taken to hospital with cuts and bruises while the female driver of the Ford was also treated for minor injuries.

Major Crash investigators examined the scene this morning but are yet to say what caused the crash.

They are still speaking to the drivers involved and other witnesses.

It is believed morning sunlight might have contributed to the crash by obscuring the drivers vision.

Anyone who saw the crash is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a report online at http://ift.tt/1bQZeZd.

Source: Two people hit by car in Bassendean in Perth’s east | Perth Now

AFL Liam Picken’s son in tears after AFL star was knocked out at Subiaco Oval

The Pentagon has released video of the US launching missiles against Syria bit.ly/2oPwYEY

Donald Trump has launched 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles against Syria, after a suspected chemical attack that killed at least 86 people, including children, caused international outrage.

‘Russia incompetent or complicit’

VIDEO: bit.ly/2oPwYEY

The attack comes just days before US Secretary of State visits Moscow, the first visit by a Trump administration official.

Mr Tillerson, speaking just after the strikes were announced, said Russia had “failed in its responsibility” to deliver on a 2013 deal it helped broker to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal.

“So either Russia has been complicit, or Russia has been simply incompetent on its ability to deliver,” Mr Tillerson said.

VIDEO: Syria air strikes/Donald Trump/ cruise missiles/ (0)

How does the flight crew know if your phone is in airplane mode?

I was recently on an airplane when the flight crew seemed quite upset. They even threatened to return to the gate if passengers did not place their phones in airplane mode.

What effect a cell phone has on the airplane has been answered in another posting. To summarize, Some phones using the GSM system can cause clicking noises on the radio. The clicking noise is caused by the phone searching for a cell tower. Annoying to the pilots, not going to cause a crash. If this clicking noise happens the crew may suspect that a phone on board is not in airplane mode but they will not know who or where.

In the US there are 30,000+ flights every day. On average 8 or 10 phones are left powered up on every flight. There have been no crashes caused by cell phone since their invention. Also some airlines in Europe have installed equipment to enable cell phone use in flight; still no crashes.

Updating 10 JAN 2017 based on new information: I spoke with several flight attendants and some flight deck crew since my last answer…

MORE HERE: (1) How does the flight crew know if your phone is in airplane mode? – Quora

Sydney battered by nightmare storms again; $39 million worth of damage

Sydney is bracing for another nightmare weekend after storms that battered the city last week caused $39 million worth of damage. The Insurance Council of Australia declared it a ‘catastrophe’.

Source: Sydney battered by nightmare storms again this weekend | Daily Mail Online