Interesting Bits and Pieces
From recent happenings or stories around Australia and the world.
Watched this on the TV last night.
Ghost village emerges from drought-hit Spanish lake for the first time in 30 years and becomes an unlikely tourist attraction
The Aceredo village in Spain's northwestern Galicia region was abandoned in 1992 when a Portuguese hydroelectric plant closed its floodgates, causing the river Limea to flood the lands and buildings in the surrounding area, creating the Alto Lindoso reservoir. But the ghostly ruins of houses have reemerged (pictured) as water levels at the reservoir are at just 15 per cent of its capacity amid a drought, with eerie photographs showing partially collapsed roofs (right) reappearing from the depths of the lake. As the skeletal ruins (bottom left) continue to capture people's attention, the location has become an unexpected tourist attraction, with holidaymakers arriving to see the leftover aspects of the former village.
Unusual Aussie business ... selling giant trees
An Australian couple sell mature trees to clients around the world. Tree farmers Barbara and James McGeoch have built a thriving international business on their tiny farm at Ravensbourne near Toowoomba in Queensland.
The couple started the business in 2002 after owning a plant nursery for many years. After signing contracts with Disney to supply trees for theme parks in China and Hong Kong they set up nurseries in China and Thailand. They have moved into the Middle East with a 100-hectare nursery on the Red Sea and are planning a second which will be three times bigger.
Blue snakes ... a Hervey Bay snake catcher has caught four blue snakes this season.
The blue phase tree snake is a rare genetic variation of traditional green-and-yellow tree snakes.
Their stunning neon blue colour makes these harmless reptiles stand out. Most snake catchers are lucky to come across one every few years.
Victorian eastern brushtail possums seek flight home from WA after hitching a ride
A Victorian possum that made it past Western Australia's hard borders in the back of a delivery truck is now in quarantine and — like many Australians over the past couple of years — looking for a flight home. The eastern brushtail and her joey need to get back to Victoria because they pose a biosecurity risk in WA — and definitely do not have a valid G2G pass.
Quarantine protocols are so rigorous in WA that vets and carers who worked with the Victorian possum had to wear full PPE.
Vladimir Putin is most often pictured with other heads of state at official gatherings, during displays of military strength in his home nation or - rather famously - enjoying fishing and hunting in the Russian countryside. But that was not always the case. There was a time when a younger Vladimir was captured moodily staring down the camera during class photos at school or when he would pose for the camera dressed in a trendy leather jacket and pout to match. These fascinating images show him during his formative years: From a moody little boy to a romantic teenager; From judo-loving KGB officer to dancing and falling in love; From getting married to having children. Images show Putin, who was known to spoil his two young daughters born in 1985 and 1986, doting on and playing with them in a jarring image for the Russian strongman who has been accused of bringing the world to the brink of war over Ukraine. The strongman, who born in what was then the Soviet city of Leningrad, now known as Saint Petersburg, has for months massed troops along the border with Ukraine, encircling the nation and coming within striking distance of the capital, Kiev, before ordering troops into two regions held by pro-Russian separatists on February 21.
7 October 1952 – Vladimir Putin, Russian colonel and politician, 4th President of Russia is born.
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is the current President of Russia, holding the office since 7 May 2012. He was Prime Minister from 1999 to 2000, President from 2000 to 2008, and again Prime Minister from 2008 to 2012. During his second term as Prime Minister, he was the Chairman of the ruling United Russia party.
“I come from an ordinary family" …young Putin with his mother Maria and grandmother Olga.
Born in Leningrad, then part of the Soviet Union, Putin studied law at the Saint Petersburg State University, graduating in 1975. Putin was a KGB foreign intelligence officer for 16 years, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before retiring in 1991 to enter politics in Saint Petersburg. He moved to Moscow in 1996 and joined President Boris Yeltsin's administration, rising quickly through the ranks and becoming Acting President on 31 December 1999, when Yeltsin resigned. Putin won the subsequent 2000 presidential election. He was re-elected President in 2004.
“School years – A troublemaker, not a Pioneer. In 1960-1968, Vladimir Putin attended Primary School No. 193 in Leningrad. After the eighth grade, he entered High School No. 281, a chemistry-focused magnet school under the aegis of a technology institute, completing his studies there in 1970.” Text from Vladimir Putin’s personal website.
Sixth grade class photo. Putin is in the back row, second from the left.
During Putin's first presidency, the Russian economy grew for eight straight years, and GDP measured in purchasing power increased by 72%. The growth was a result of the 2000s commodities boom, high oil prices, and prudent economic and fiscal policies. Because of constitutionally mandated term limits, Putin was ineligible to run for a third consecutive presidential term in 2008. The 2008 presidential election was won by Dmitry Medvedev, who appointed Putin Prime Minister, beginning what has been called a period of "tandemocracy".
In September 2011, after presidential terms were extended from four to six years, Putin announced he would seek a third term as president. He won the March 2012 presidential election. Falling oil prices coupled with international sanctions imposed at the beginning of 2014 after Russia's annexation of Crimea and military intervention in Eastern Ukraine led to GDP shrinking by 3.7% in 2015, though the Russian economy rebounded in 2016 with 0.3% GDP growth and is officially out of the recession. Putin has enjoyed high domestic approval ratings during his career, and received extensive international attention as one of the world's most powerful leaders.
‘Three years after their first meeting, Vladimir proposed to Lyudmila. “I knew that if I did not marry for another two or three years, I would not marry at all. True, I was used to life as a bachelor, but Lyudmila changed that,” Mr Putin admits. They got married on July 28, 1983.’ Text from Vladimir Putin’s personal website.
A tropical cyclone watch has been issued for the Northern Territory, with warnings Darwin could be in the firing line.
The watch comes as a large part of Queensland from the north of Bundaberg to the south of Brisbane is bracing for more torrential rain.
Weatherzone said a low pressure system is currently gaining strength in the Timor Sea and could move towards the Top End by Friday afternoon. 
I'm far more concerned with the ongoing Queensland big wet, massive floods, continual rain and the horrendous weather warnings here. Situation as I write ...
Roman Abramovich (left) has tonight handed over Chelsea FC (lower inset) to the trustees of the club's charitable foundation. In a statement posted on its website just before 7pm he said: 'During my nearly 20-year ownership of Chelsea FC, I have always viewed my role as a custodian of the Club, whose job it is ensuring that we are as successful as we can be today, as well as build for the future, while also playing a positive role in our communities. I have always taken decisions with the Club's best interest at heart. I remain committed to these values. That is why I am today giving trustees of Chelsea's charitable Foundation the stewardship and care of Chelsea FC. I believe that currently they are in the best position to look after the interests of the Club, players, staff, and fans.' It came after Parliament was told he had been named as a person of interest in 2019 because of alleged links to the Russian state and alleged 'association with corrupt activity and practices'. And last night it was claihttp://varnish-imagerepo-editorial.hsk.mol.dmgt.net/crop?cookie=54692817&rendition=thumbnailmed any attempts to place sanctions upon him could have been disastrous for the club. Abramovich has always denied any suggestion of his alleged closeness to Vladimir Putin (right) and Russia.
Internet services have been restored in Tasmania after a "major statewide" outage
For over six hours, internet and phone services were down across the state.
Telstra, TPG and Aussie Broadband were among the number of providers having issues, and have all confirmed services have been restored.
Many residents were unable to use the internet, make phone calls or use card payments.
Finnish MPs will discuss how to handle a petition calling for a vote on NATO membership on Tuesday after a poll showed a historic change in attitude in the traditionally non-aligned country after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Monday evening that a planned debate in parliament the following day would cover the situation in Ukraine and was not intended as a 'wider conversation on Finland's policy regarding military alignment or non-alignment'. But she added that since a citizen's petition requesting a parliament debate on a referendum had reached the necessary 50,000 signatories to trigger a debate in parliament, it 'makes sense to hear the parties' views on handling the issue. From this perspective, the issue will also figure in tomorrow's parliamentary debate,' Marin said.
Grace Tame has roasted Scott Morrison (both pictured left) for the first time in weeks after a photo emerged of the Prime Minister shaking hands with talk show host Piers Morgan (pictured right). The former Australian of the Year shared the post (inset) after weeks of laying low on social media. 'Scott's finally caught the virus, I see,' the advocate tweeted alongside the photo of the two men smiling broadly at the camera. The attack comes nearly two week after the women's advocate posted an open letter to Twitter addressing a widely-circulated photo of her holding a bong as a teenager
Australia's rental farce summed up by ONE house: Real estate agents hawk four bedroom terrace where the only bathroom is an OUTHOUSE
The four bedroom property, in Sydney's inner-west, (pictured left, top right) boasts city views and is nestled in a popular suburb. But despite the two-storey home's prime location - there is one major catch. The only bathroom is situated outside across a court yard (bottom right).