www.7days.ae/news
7DAYS
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 18, 2009 9
“The safety of my client is
It never
of concern.
“There have been threats
rains but
made to one family member
at least that I’m aware of,”
it pours...
McMahon added.
Sokaluk is accused of starting
one fire that killed 11 people
and razed 151 homes around J
ust one week after the
devastating bushfires
swept the southeast of
Churchill, east of Melbourne, the country, Australia is now
on February 7. He faces up to dealing with serious floods.
25 years in jail if convicted. Over-flowing rivers and
Meanwhile power utility SP heavy rains cut off towns,
AusNet said yesterday it stopped mining operations
would “vigorously defend” and damaged crops in three
a claim against it for northern states yesterday.
compensation over one of The tropical state of
the fires. Queensland has been
Survivors have reportedly battling major floods since
launched a lawsuit claiming a December 2008, with 62 per
downed power line sparked a cent of the state underwater,
blaze that killed more than after a series of storms and a
100 people and destroyed tropical cyclone.
about 1,000 homes in the The damage bill in
Hate mail for
Kinglake area of Victoria Queensland is estimated at
Death toll hits 200
earlier this month. A$210 million ($135m) and
as messages call
The claim against SP Ausnet, the floods are not expected
part of the Singapore Power to subside for another month,
Group, is expected to run to emergency services said.
arson suspect
for torture and
hundreds of millions of Scientists say climate
death for man held
dollars, media reports said. change will bring not only
over one deadly fire
Eleven more bodies were warmer temperatures to
discovered yesterday in the Australia, and as a result
charred remains of homes as more droughts and
firefighters continued to pick bushfires, but also more
I
nternet hate messages owned power company also he was named in court this anger which suddenly has a through the wreckage, taking extreme weather like tropical
calling for a suspected said it would fight week. McMahon told focus point, there’s also vicious the toll to 200. storms that cause floods.
arsonist’s “torture and compensation claims over Victoria’s Supreme Court hatred appearing in another A Red Cross disaster relief Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is
death” have renewed fears for one of the fires. that at least one relative kind of medium,” McMahon fund has topped A$100 expected to come under
his safety as the number Lawyer Julian McMahon of Sokaluk, who is in said, arguing for a ban on his million ($65m), with US pop pressure to introduce a
killed by Australia’s worst ever expressed concern for protective custody to guard photograph to remain. singer Pink donating tougher climate policy
wildfires hit 200. accused arsonist Brendan him from vigilante attacks, “Facebook groups were $250,000, joining other later this year as a result
As thousands of firefighters Sokaluk, 39, saying hate had been threatened. showing my client’s photo musicians such as Leonard of the nation’s deadliest
battled six remaining blazes messages were posted on “Not only is there the and calling for his torture Cohen who have also bushfires and the
in Victoria state, a Singapore- social networking sites after understandable community and death.” contributed to the fund. subsequent flooding.
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32