12th January 1997 - Today's Headlines from Australia's first Internet daily

Today's Headlines
an Aussie's viewpoint on Australia's first daily Internet newspaper.
Since October 1995

Sunday 12th January 1997

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International:

The anger in Australia about the costs related to the rescue of shipwrecked yachtsmen in international waters thousands of kilometres off the Australian coastline has been fuelled with reports that the rescued sailors are now onto a good thing with the media and sponsors clamering to pay them hundreds of thousands of dollars for a story about their plight and the Australian tax payer paid rescue.

This at a time when French Prime Minister Alaine Juppe has written to Prime Minister John Howard thanking Australia for the rescue of the sailors participating in the French organised Vendee Globe Challenge solo yacht race. Juppe said, "The solidarity Australia has once more shown towards these seamen in distress arouses admiration and gratitude".....

that's fine but how about the French putting their money where their mouth is and repaying the millions of dollars in rescue costs? Otherwise, quite frankly Juppe's comments are nothing more than bureaucratic hot air and Australians can see through that.

You take the case of Canadian sailor Gerry Roufs who has been missing since Tuesday in the southern Pacific off Chile.... the Chilean Air Force refused to respond and warned French authorities not to expect a miracle.

Please click on "Yes" or "No" to indicate your views, and send us an email if you wish.

Do you think that participants in races like the Vendee Solo Challenge should HAVE to take out "rescue insurance" to cover the costs of any rescue attempt:

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Results published on Monday 13th January 1997.

Social:

On average Australians eat 9.4kg of confectionary each year - with 5.7kg being made up of chocolate and the rest from sugar products including lollies.

Australia's favourite chocolate bars are Mars, followed by Kit Kat, Cherry Ripe, Snickers and Time Out.

Cadbury Dairy Milk is the most popular chocolate block with Nestle dominating dark chocolate sales.

It appears that we are well behind the world's biggest sweet eaters - the British at 15.7kg and the Germans on 13.8kg. At the other end of the scale the Japanese only eat 3kg per year on average!