Australia kills four sharks after tourist attacks
Sydney: Four large sharks have been killed in Australia after a woman and a 12-year-old girl were attacked at a popular Great Barrier Reef tourist spot. Both were still in hospital Sunday after being mauled in separate incidents just a day apart last week at the Whitsunday Islands. Drum lines, which use baited hooks to catch the predators, ensnared four tiger sharks, one 3.7 metres (12 feet) long and the others each between two to three metres, a Fisheries Queensland spokesman said Sunday. “While sharks of this size are potentially very dangerous to humans, it is unclear if they were responsible for injuries caused to two swimmers,” he said. The latest shark to be caught “has been humanely euthanised and will be taken further out to sea for disposal.” The spokesman said it was clear “there are a significant number of active sharks in local waters and people are urged not to swim”. The drumlines were to remain in place over the next week. Shark attacks are very rare in the Whitsundays – a collection of spectacular tropical islands at the heart of the Barrier Reef– with the last encounter reported to be eight years ago, according to national broadcaster ABC. The attacks have revived debate about how best to reduce the risk of encounters between sharks and the growing number of people using the ocean for leisure. Many conservationists and marine scientists object to killing sharks, and insist that drum lines are a blunt instrument because they often catch other creatures. New South Wales, the country’s most populous state, has trialled non-lethal measures such as aerial drones to track sharks’ movements and “smart” drum lines that alert authorities to their presence. (AFP)
Needle found in Australian strawberries sold in New Zealand
Wellington: The Australian strawberry scare has spread to New Zealand with a supermarket chain announcing Sunday that needles were found in a box of the fruit sourced from the neighbouring country. The Countdown supermarket chain said it had taken a brand of Australian strawberries off the shelves after a sabotaged punnet – a plastic box – was sold in an Auckland store. The strawberries, from Western Australia state, were sold in Countdown stores nationwide last week and only one incident of tampering was reported. “We take food safety very seriously,” the company said in a statement, adding it was in touch with authorities investigating incidents of needles found in strawberries in Australia in recent weeks. “Customers can return any Choice brand of strawberries they may have at home to Countdown for peace of mind and a full refund.” Countdown advised customers to cut up any Australian strawberries before eating them. The Australian government last week raised the maximum prison sentence for fruit tampering from 10 to 15 years.(AFP)
Gandhi’s letter about spinning wheel sells for over USD 6k
Boston: An undated letter written by Mahatma Gandhi, stressing on the importance of the spinning wheel, has been sold for USD 6,358, according to US-based RR Auction. Signed “Bapu’s blessings”, the letter is written in Gujarati and addressed to a person named Yashwant Prasad, the auction house said in a statement. “What we expected of the mills has happened,” Gandhi wrote in the letter. “However, what you say is correct: all depends on the loom,” he wrote. Gandhi’s reference to the spinning wheel is exceptionally important, as he had adopted it as a symbol of economic independence. The spinning wheel – and the textile itself – became symbolic of the movement toward Indian independence. The identity of the winning bidder was not disclosed. (PTI)