Received

Details
Category: Received
Hits: 89

A gunman has opened fire inside a busy shopping mall in the Danish capital, killing several people and wounding several others.

A 22-year-old Danish man was arrested, Copenhagen police inspector Soren Thomassen told reporters, adding there was no indication that anyone else was involved in the attack, though police were still investigating.

Gun violence is relatively rare in Denmark.

Thomassen said it was too early to speculate on the motive for the shooting, which happened in the late afternoon at Field's, one of the biggest shopping malls in Scandinavia and located on the outskirts of the Danish capital.

When the shots rang out, some people hid in shops while others fled in a panicked stampede, according to witnesses.

"It is pure terror. This is awful," said Hans Christian Stoltz, a 53-year-old IT consultant, who was bringing his daughters to see Harry Styles perform at concert scheduled for Sunday night near the mall.

"You might wonder how a person can do this to another human being, but it's beyond ... beyond anything that's possible."

Thomassen gave no specific casualty count beyond saying several people were dead and several wounded. He said the suspect was an "ethnic Dane", a phrase typically used to mean someone is white.

Danish broadcaster TV2 published a grainy photo of the alleged gunman, a man wearing knee-length shorts and a tank top and holding what appeared to be a rifle in his right hand.

"He seemed very violent and angry," eyewitness Mahdi Al-Wazni told TV2.

"He spoke to me and said it (the rifle) isn't real as I was filming him. He seemed very proud of what he was doing."

Copenhagen Mayor Sophie H. Andersen tweeted: "Terrible reports of shooting in Fields. We do not yet know for sure how many were injured or dead, but it is very serious."

Images from the scene showed people running out of the mall, and TV2 posted a photo of a man being put on a stretcher. After the shooting, an enormous contingent heavily-armed police officers patrolled the area, with several fire department vehicles also parked outside the mall.

Laurits Hermansen told Danish broadcaster DR that he was in a clothing store at the shopping center with his family when he heard "three, four bangs. Really loud bangs. It sounded like the shots were being fired just next to the store."

The shopping centre is on the outskirts of Copenhagen just across from a subway station for a line that connects the city centre with the international airport. A major highway also runs adjacent to the mall.

Organisers called off the Harry Styles concert, which had been scheduled at the nearby Royal Arena, by order of police.

On Snapchat, Styles wrote: "My team and I pray for everyone involved in the Copenhagen shopping mall shooting. I am shocked. Love H."

The royal palace said a reception with Crown Prince Frederik connected to the Tour de France cycling race had been cancelled.

The first three stages of the race were held in Denmark this year. The reception was due to be held on the royal yacht that is moored in Soenderborg, the town where the third stage ended.

In a joint statement, Queen Margrethe, her son Crown Prince Frederik and his wife, Crown Princess Mary, said: "We do not yet know the full extent of the tragedy, but it is already clear that more people have lost their lives and that even more have been injured."

"The situation calls for unity and care," they said in a statement.

The shooting came a week after a mass shooting in neighbouring Norway, where police said a Norwegian man of Iranian origin opened fire during a LGBTQ festival, killing two and wounding more than 20.

© AP 2022

Details
Category: Received
Hits: 81

Taking nothing for granted but feeling supreme, Nick Kyrgios says it's too soon to look ahead to a must-watch all-Australian Wimbledon quarter-final with Alex de Minaur.

That's the tantalising reality, though, as Kyrgios and de Minaur enter their respective fourth-round matches on Monday as warm favourites to advance to the last eight.

Into the second week for the fourth time, Kyrgios gets his first centre court date this year, playing American world No.56 Brandon Nakashima and brimming with confidence after ousting Greek fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas with another ominous serving display.

A quarter-finalist in 2014, Kyrgios didn't drop serve once in Saturday's fractious affair, keeping his cool when it mattered most to save all five break points he faced.

Nakashima is enjoying a breakout grand slam run but, really, Kyrgios would likely have to beat himself not to prevail, which of course the combustible Canberran is more than capable of doing.

While mindful that de Minaur lurks just a round away, Kyrgios is wary of his more immediate US challenger.

"We've both got a tough match ahead," Kyrgios said ahead of his first-time meeting with 20-year-old Nakashima and first appearance of the 2022 championships on centre court.

"Nakashima won (his third-round match) easily in straight sets. To do that at Wimbledon on grass is not easy. He's obviously playing well. I'm not looking past that."

But asked if he believed he could win the title, Kyrgios tellingly said: "Yeah, I feel good.

"Round by round, if I keep doing my things, I feel good. I'm all right."

De Minaur also plays an unseeded opponent in world No.43 Cristian Garin and has yet to drop a set in three clashes with the Chilean, the most recent two weeks ago on grass at Eastbourne.

"Look, I'm trying to take it one day at a time," said Australia's 19th seed.

"Hopefully, I can play another good match and just try to worry about my side of the court, doing the right things. We'll see what happens."

With inspired qualifier Jason Kubler also through and Ajla Tomljanovic still going in the women's singles, Australia has four players in Wimbledon's fourth round for the first time since 1999.

"It's great," de MInaur said.

"I've had a lot to deal with 'Kygs' over the years, whether it's Davis Cup or ATP Cup. He's always been there. But just to be able to see Kubler doing what he's doing, it's just special."

Kubler continues his fairytale campaign against American 11th seed Taylor Fritz, while Tomljanovic takes on Alize Cornet, the Frenchwoman who sensationally removed world No.1 Iga Swiatek in the third round.

Kubler will be chasing a 20th victory from 22 matches, a golden stretch that started before the French Open, while Tomljanovic's only loss in her past eight outings at Wimbledon came against Ash Barty in last year's quarter-finals.

If all four hopefuls happen to win, as they did on Saturday, Australia will have four Wimbledon quarter-finalists for the first time since the halcyon days of 1974 when Rod Laver, John Newcombe, Evonne Goolagong and Kerry Melville all made it to the last eight.

Not since Wendy Turnbull, Peter McNamara, Mark Edmondson and Kim Warwick progressed at the 1981 Australian Open has Australia had four quarter-finalists at any grand slam.

Heady times potentially beckon again.

© AAP 2022

Details
Category: Received
Hits: 83

Australia will provide 34 additional armoured vehicles to Ukraine and prohibit Russian gold imports, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said in Kyiv.

Speaking at a press conference in Ukraine's capital alongside President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Albanese said Australia would impose sanctions and travel bans on 16 more Russian ministers and oligarchs, bringing the total number of Russian individuals sanctioned by Australia to 843.

Albanese said Australia would give Ukraine 14 more armoured personnel carriers and 20 Bushmaster vehicles.

Albanese visited war-torn Ukraine on Sunday, the Labor leader adding a side trip on his way home from Paris.

Details of the Ukraine visit have not been officially revealed.

The trip follows an invitation in June from Ukraine's ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, to Mr Albanese to visit the nation's capital Kyiv.

Reuters reported that Governor Oleksiy Kuleba wrote on Telegram that Mr Albanese visited the towns of Bucha, Irpin, and Hostomel, where Ukraine says Russia committed atrocities against civilians. Russia denies the allegations.

"Australia supports Ukraine and wants to see justice meted out for the crimes committed here," Mr Kuleba quoted Albanese as saying.

Australia has condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and pledged $285 million of military aid including armoured personnel carriers and Bushmaster vehicles.

During his Europe visit, Mr Albanese indicated Australia would look to re-establish a diplomatic presence in Ukraine. Australian embassy staff have been working from neighbouring Poland since the Ukraine crisis began.

Mr Albanese is expected back in Australia on Tuesday.

© AAP 2022

Details
Category: Received
Hits: 123

Retired tennis player Ash Barty has been named person of the year at the 2022 NAIDOC Awards.

Barty, a proud Ngaragu woman, was the first Australian woman since Evonne Goolagong Cawley to hold the no. 1 ranking.

She announced her retirement from the sport in March this year, having come off winning the Australian Open women's singles title.

The person of the year award recognises individuals who have demonstrated excellence in making a contribution to their community.

The former tennis player's father Robert Barty accepted the award on his daughter's behalf, with Barty in the US competing in a golf tournament.

She said in a video message she was humbled and privileged to receive the award, and couldn't wait to continue contributing to children's education, and help them fulfil their dreams.

Robert Barty said: "We thought winning Wimbledon was pretty special, but we had no idea what it meant to you, the public of Australia, for Ash to win her national open."

Among the other winners was Wiradjuri elder Dr Stanley Grant Snr, who - along with his brother and Dr John Rudder - have been crucial to the reconstruction of the Wiradjuri language.

Over the decades, they have produced many resources including a dictionary, children's books, song books, and university texts through their collaboration.

THE FULL LIST OF 2022 NAIDOC AWARD WINNERS:

* Person of the Year - Ash Barty

* Lifetime Achievement Award - Dr Stanley Grant Snr

* Female Elder of the Year - Dr Lois Peeler

* Male Elder of the Year - Uncle Jack Charles

* Caring for Country and Culture - Walter Jackson

* Youth of the Year - Elijah Manis

* Creative Talent Award - Lowell Hunter

* Education Award - Professor Bronwyn Fredericks

* Innovation Award - Koori Mail

* Sportsperson of the Year - Buddy Franklin

© AAP 2022