Latest news with #Schallenberg
Otago Daily Times
19-06-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Effluent issue unresolved
The Shotover wastewater treatment plant has now discharged the equivalent of about 400 Olympic-sized swimming pools of effluent into the Shotover River and the consideration of its effects has yet to be assessed. The Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) applied for retrospective resource consent from the Otago Regional Council (ORC) for its emergency measures, but the application has yet to be notified and no hearing date has been set. When the QLDC began its "short-term solution" on March 31 it said it was discharging about 12,000cum of wastewater a day, or the equivalent of just under five Olympic-sized swimming pools. That was 81 days ago. The ORC has said under the Resource Management Act its staff need to confirm the application is complete, decide if further information is needed and make a formal notification decision, despite the QLDC's request the application be publicly notified. Regular sampling is done so any impacts on the Shotover and Kawarau Rivers can be monitored and the data is publicly available. But the ORC website confirms "questions have been raised about the impact of the discharge on the Shotover and Kawarau Rivers and what role dilution plays". "Any decision on if this discharge is appropriate and on effects moving forward will be assessed through any consents and compliance processes." University of Otago freshwater scientist Associate Prof Marc Schallenberg said the issues raised were interesting, but warned as well the discharge was "risky business". "This is a very interesting topic," Prof Schallenberg said. "One of the reasons it is interesting is that almost nothing is known about the ecological health of large rivers like the Kawarau. "Because it is so difficult to sample large and fast-flowing rivers, we know very little about them." Typically, assessments were based on water quality without any understanding about the effects on periphyton, invertebrates, or fish. In a river such as the Kawarau, it seemed these ecological components were of little perceived value due to the nature of the river. "However, in terms of downstream drinking water use and recreation, the water quality (especially faecal contamination, pharmaceuticals, etc) is quite important." He said the issue was outside his personal area of expertise, but he supposed the mixing, or dilution, that was happening in the river would be quite rapid and thorough not far downstream from the Shotover confluence. "I guess that by the time it gets to AJ Hackett [Bungy Centre], the sewage will be quite diluted. "But the final concentration of contaminants will depend on the concentrations in the effluent and the amount of water available for dilution. "It's all a messy, risky business where there are downstream users."
Saudi Gazette
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Thousands join funeral procession in Austria's Villach to mourn victim of stabbing attack
VIENNA — A silent tribute march and church service took place in the Austrian town of Villach on Tuesday evening, following a deadly knife attack last Saturday that killed a 14-year-old boy and injured five suspect, a 23-year-old Syrian, was arrested after the attack, which took place on Saturday afternoon in Villach's city center, close to the main square. Police said he used a folding knife. Those wounded were two 15-year-old boys and men aged 28, 32 and authorities said Sunday the suspect had possible connections to the Islamic State group, but appeared to have acted did not elaborate on his plans. It was unclear how long the suspect had been in Austria, although authorities said he had a residence politicians of the province were also present at Tuesday's vigil, with Federal Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg coming from Vienna."There are actually no words that would be appropriate in view of what happened here in the heart of Villach on Saturday afternoon," said Schallenberg at the vigil. "All those who try to sow hatred and discord, who abuse their right of hospitality in Austria, must of course feel the full force of the law. Because hatred, intolerance and extremism simply have no place in our open, pluralistic and tolerant society."All church bells rang in the city area for four minutes at 6:00pm, after which the funeral procession, which took place under strict security precautions, set off with more than 4,000 participants.A wreath was laid at the memorial site, after which the mourners made their way to the parish church on Villach's main square where an ecumenical service was held for victims and bereaved Villach attack marks the second deadly extremist attack in Austria in recent years. In November 2020, a man who had previously attempted to join the Islamic State group carried out a rampage in Vienna, armed with an automatic rifle and a fake explosive vest, killing four people before being fatally shot by August, authorities foiled an attack on Taylor Swift shows in Vienna that was inspired by the Islamic State group. The Islamic Religious Community in Austria expressed sympathies to the victims and their families in a statement on Sunday and said that it is 'fully committed to peaceful and respectful coexistence.' The President of the Islamic Religious Community, Ümit Vural, added that the attack 'has nothing in common with the true values of our faith.' — Euronews
Euronews
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Thousands join funeral procession in Austria's Villach to mourn victim of stabbing attack
A silent tribute march and church service took place in the Austrian town of Villach on Tuesday evening, following a deadly knife attack last Saturday that killed a 14-year-old boy and injured five others. The suspect, a 23-year-old Syrian, was arrested after the attack, which took place on Saturday afternoon in Villach's city centre, close to the main square. Police said he used a folding knife. Those wounded were two 15-year-old boys and men aged 28, 32 and 36. Austrian authorities said Sunday the suspect had possible connections to the Islamic State group, but appeared to have acted alone. He did not elaborate on his plans. It was unclear how long the suspect had been in Austria, although authorities said he had a residence permit. Top politicians of the province were also present at Tuesday's vigil, with Federal Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg coming from Vienna. "There are actually no words that would be appropriate in view of what happened here in the heart of Villach on Saturday afternoon," said Schallenberg at the vigil. "All those who try to sow hatred and discord, who abuse their right of hospitality in Austria, must of course feel the full force of the law. Because hatred, intolerance and extremism simply have no place in our open, pluralistic and tolerant society." All church bells rang in the city area for four minutes at 6:00pm, after which the funeral procession, which took place under strict security precautions, set off with more than 4,000 participants. A wreath was laid at the memorial site, after which the mourners made their way to the parish church on Villach's main square where an ecumenical service was held for victims and bereaved families. The Villach attack marks the second deadly extremist attack in Austria in recent years. In November 2020, a man who had previously attempted to join the Islamic State group carried out a rampage in Vienna, armed with an automatic rifle and a fake explosive vest, killing four people before being fatally shot by police. Last August, authorities foiled an attack on Taylor Swift shows in Vienna that was inspired by the Islamic State group. The Islamic Religious Community in Austria expressed sympathies to the victims and their families in a statement on Sunday and said that it is 'fully committed to peaceful and respectful coexistence.' The President of the Islamic Religious Community, Ümit Vural, added that the attack 'has nothing in common with the true values of our faith.'
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Austria's acting chancellor criticizes German talk of border controls
Austria's acting chancellor, Alexander Schallenberg of the centre-right People's Party (ÖVP), on Monday criticized proposals from Germany's conservative opposition leader to bring back border controls. Friedrich Merz, the head of Germany's centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU), has demanded border controls as part of a package to crack down on irregular migration. But all of Germany's neighbouring countries, including Austria, are members of the visa-free Schengen Zone, which was supposed to remove the need to internal border controls except in exceptional circumstances. Schallenberg said on Monday that he welcomes a reconsideration of Germany's stance on migration, but that the country must stick to the Schengen rules. Schallenerg is in power in Austria until the formation of a new government. The head of the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ), Herbert Kickl, has been tasked with forming a new government after his party won elections in the autumn. "We all know that we need joint solutions," he said. "If we all just pull up the drawbridges individually, we will all be poorer and no one will be safer." Schallenberg, who is Austria's foreign minister in addition to acting chancellor, also pointed to current Schengen rules that require countries to determine where migrants first entered the EU before sending anyone back. Merz has demanded that Germany change policy to have border guards turn back migrants trying to cross into Germany from another Schengen country in order to claim asylum.
