Downer elected SA Liberal party president

Former foreign minister Alexander Downer has been elected president of the Liberal Party in SA. Source: AAP

FORMER foreign minister Alexander Downer has been elected unopposed as the president of the South Australian Liberal Party.

Mr Downer replaces Grant Chapman who has held the position for the past three years.

His appointment was confirmed at the party's annual meeting in Adelaide on Saturday.

Mr Downer said the challenge for the party was to ensure the election of a Liberal government in South Australia in March next year.

"In the last few months this party has shown rather surprising, but very welcome, unity," He said.

"If we can maintain this sense of unity, focus on a single goal and a determination to achieve that goal then we'll have a great victory."

Mr Downer said the election would not be easy and the party had to ensure it retained its marginal seats and picked up marginal seats from the Labor government.

At the last election in 2010 the Liberals won the popular vote but failed to win a number of key seats it needed to form government.

"So it's not about the number of votes, it's about the number of seats," Mr Downer said.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott congratulated Mr Downer on his appointment, describing the former minister as one of the great performers in former prime minister John Howard's government.

"I know he is absolutely the man to lead and guide the party as you approach the vital (state) election in March of next year," Mr Abbott told the annual meeting.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Vic house prices soar to record highs

Melbourne house prices have hit record levels after a successful three month period on the market. Source: AAP

MELBOURNE house prices have reached record levels after a successful three month period on the property market.

The city's median house price jumped nearly nine per cent to $595,000 in the September quarter, figures from Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV) suggest.

The median house price was $35,000 higher than the previous peak of $559,000, recorded in December 2010.

REIV chief executive officer Enzo Raimondo said buyers are taking advantage of low interest rates resulting in the increased demand.

"Sustained growth in previous quarters has also instilled further confidence in the property market in Melbourne," Mr Raimondo said.

He warns that this level of growth may not be sustained over an extended period of time.

Melbourne's units and apartments reported steady growth of 4.8 per cent, to $481,500. Homes in Balwyn recorded the biggest price hike, with a 26.8 per cent rise to $369,600 in three months.

Suburbs with the strongest growth in median prices this quarter were Balwyn, Brighton East, Ascot Vale, Balwyn North, and Footscray.

The median house price in regional Victoria saw a 0.8 per cent increase to $308,000 with Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo the key regional centres for buyers.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

No charges for driving on US jet survivor

A firefighter who ran over and killed a survivor of the Asiana Airlines crash will not be charged. Source: AAP

THE US firefighter who ran over and killed a survivor of the Asiana Airlines crash in San Francisco was unaware she was responsible for the girl's death at the time of the incident.

San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said on Friday that the firefighter was responding to the burning Boeing 777 when the truck she was driving unknowingly rolled over Ye Mengyuan.

Investigators believe Ye was laying prone on the tarmac and covered in firefighting foam.

Wagstaffe said Duckett would not be charged criminally.

The San Francisco Fire Department chief declined to discuss the 16-year-old's death, but said in a prepared statement that firefighters likely saved the lives of many critically wounded passengers.

In all, 304 of the 307 people aboard the Boeing 777 survived the July 6 crash.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Man charged over Sydney box cutter attack

A man has been charged with stabbing another man with a box cutter in a car park in Sydney. Source: AAP

A MAN has been charged with stabbing another man with a box cutter in a car park in Sydney's southwest.

Police say the two men aged 28 and 30 met in the car park in Lakemba last Monday, apparently to discuss an argument they'd had the previous day.

The younger man was allegedly stabbed multiple times in his head and body but managed to drive himself home and was taken to hospital where he got stitches.

The 30-year-old was arrested and charged on Friday.

He is due to appear at Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Vic march for women calls for funding lift

A SECOND rally on the Melbourne street where murder victim Jill Meagher was last seen alive has heard passionate calls to boost funding for women's shelters and support services.

More than 1000 people gathered outside Brunswick Town Hall on Sydney Road, close to where Ms Meagher was last seen walking before being raped and murdered in a nearby laneway.

It's the second Reclaim the Night rally to be held in the street since the high-profile September 2012 murder case drew widespread attention to violence against women.

Co-organiser Sarah Brocklesby told the crowd that funding for community services for women needed to be lifted with so many being victimised.

"It is important that we start to change the current culture of victim blaming and shaming of women who experience harassment and violence," she said.

The Saturday night event in Brunswick is part of the long-running Reclaim the Night movement that began in the 1970s.

An earlier anniversary peace march for Ms Meagher and other victims was held on September 29 and drew thousands.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

NT education minister booed at rally

HUNDREDS of protesters have shouted down the Northern Territory's education minister at a rally against cuts to education funding.

About 500 teachers, parents, and supporters gathered in front of Darwin's Parliament House on Thursday to protest against the loss of 35 teacher positions.

The NT has the worst educational outcomes in Australia, and despite significant financial investment over the past five years there hasn't been any notable improvement, Education Minister Peter Chandler says.

"We've got to do things differently," he told reporters.

"The budget is not the same as it used to be. We've got to find savings within all departments across government."

Sixty-six extra teachers will be added to teach transition to year two, he says, with the student-teacher ratio there improving from 22:1 to 20:1.

But for middle school students classes will grow from 17 to 20 students per teacher, and from 14 to 18 per teacher in high school.

The minister says the new staffing allocation formula will guarantee teacher allocations for a full year, when previously schools could lose teachers from term to term due to fluctuating enrolments.

Mr Chandler was drowned out by hecklers as he told the rally the cuts would apply next year, but would be put on hold for 2014 pending the recommendations from curriculum and indigenous education reviews.

Opposition Leader Delia Lawrie said if cuts could be deferred to 2014, they could be stopped now.

"Listen to teachers, principals and education experts who, with a singular voice, are saying you don't get better educational outcomes with fewer teachers," she said.

"It does not make sense."

The minister was presented with a bark petition painted by Gatjilayngu (Yalmay) Yunupingu, wife of the deceased Yothu Yindi frontman Dr Yunupingu, the first Aboriginal person in Arnhem Land to get a degree.

Student teacher Chris Green is about to graduate from Charles Darwin University, and told the rally that if the cuts went ahead, many graduates would have no choice but to leave the Territory in search of work.

"Losing a generation of highly talented teachers would be a disgrace, not only for students but for the Territory itself," he said.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Several fires raging around Newcastle

Fires raging around Newcastle have forced the closure and evacuation of the airport. Source: AAP

SEVERAL out-of-control fires are raging north, south and west of Newcastle, forcing the closure and evacuation of the airport with authorities advising people in some threatened areas to leave.

There are also reports a fast-moving intense fire near Ruttleys Road at Doyalson, near Wyong, has ignited a fuel store and caused an explosion.

A 2000-hectare bushfire at Muswellbrook that's out of control was at 8.50pm (AEDT) threatening properties.

Residents have been advised to leave the area.

"Firefighters are undertaking property protection under difficult, dangerous and erratic weather conditions," the RFS says on its website.

"Residents are advised to leave now unless your property is properly prepared."

Publican Brett Jaeger said there was a "pensive" mood among the 60 people sheltering at the Caves Beach Hotel, south of Newcastle.

Several people there aren't sure whether their homes have been destroyed by fire and they can't leave to check as local roads are closed, he said.

"They're very concerned at this stage because it's a big area here with a big bushland area," he told the ABC.

"Everybody's just waiting and watching at this stage."

Emergency warnings are in place for an out-of-control 2819-hectare scrub fire at Heatherbrae and a 945-hectare scrub fire at Doyalson.

A "watch and act" alert, one level short of an emergency warning, is also in place for a one-hectare scrub fire at Glendale that is burning out of control.

A five-hectare bushfire on the Pacific Highway at Heatherbrae is being brought under control, but a "watch and act" alert has been issued by the RFS.

There has been unconfirmed property losses in the area and Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons has warned the public the damage would be significant.

The Transport Management Centre has advised people to delay all non-essential travel through the Hunter and Lake Macquarie region with several main roads closed.

The Pacific Highway has been closed between Swansea and Wyee Road, Doyalson and the Newcastle Link Road has been closed between Lake Road and Minmi Road in Cameron Park and Wallsend.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Nestle posts 4 per cent rise in sales

Nestle has posted a modest four per cent increase in sales for the first nine months of 2013. Source: AAP

SWISS food and drink giant Nestle has posted a modest four per cent increase in sales of dozens of its household name brand products for the first nine months of 2013.

The Vevey, Switzerland-based company, whose business reflects the global economy, said on Thursday it had sales of 68.4 billion Swiss francs ($A78.22 billion) through September, up from a restated 65.7 billion Swiss francs during the same period in 2012.

The world's biggest food and drink company had previously reported its nine-month sales in 2012 as 67.6 billion Swiss francs through September, up from 60.9 billion during the same period in 2011.

"Our real internal growth has regained momentum and is broad-based across categories, price points and geographies. Most notably, Europe continues to grow and Asia and Africa have picked up speed," Nestle Chief Executive Paul Bulcke said.

The news sent shares in Nestle up by more than two per cent to 63.30 francs in Thursday morning trading.

But the maker of Nescafe, Jenny Craig and Haagen-Dazs, which last year at this time reported that its sales growth had slowed to 11 per cent in the first nine months of 2012, acknowledged some headwinds in a statement issued before the opening of the Zurich exchange.

"Today's challenging environment is the right time for us to further reinforce the fundamentals of our business: those which drive growth like innovation, distribution and consumer engagement, and those which drive operational performance like strengthening our portfolio, improving our resource allocation and increasing our structural efficiency," Bulcke said.

"We expect our continued growth momentum to enable us to deliver around five per cent organic growth for the full year," he added, "together with an improvement in margins and underlying earnings per share in constant currencies."

Earlier this year, Nestle had cautioned that it might not be able to meet its usual target of between five to six per cent annual organic growth, a measure that removes the costs from recent acquisitions and fluctuations in currency.

In its biggest market, North America, Nestle said sales continued to grow particularly for frozen meals, pizza and snacks, despite the tough economic environment. It said cereals, Kit Kat bars, Nescafe and pet care were doing well in Latin America, despite the economic slowdown from inflationary pressures.

Europe's weak consumer demand and deflationary pressures were affecting sales, and poor summer weather resulted in a short season for ice cream, Nestle said, though Britain, Austria, Germany and Switzerland were holding up better than other areas.

There was a continuing general economic slowdown across emerging markets in Africa, Oceania and the Middle East, where local conflicts and civil disturbances disrupted several markets though Central and West Africa, and Indonesia saw strong sales growth, Nestle said.

China's sales also continued to grow, the company said, but in a somewhat slower trading environment.

19.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

NSW braced for loss of homes, if not life

HUNDREDS of homes are feared destroyed and the NSW premier believes it will be a miracle if no lives are lost in the most grave bushfire crisis to hit the state in a decade.

While the extent of the devastation was unclear on Thursday night, one of the worst-hit areas was Springwood, in the Blue Mountains, where up to 30 homes were known to be lost.

But when the ashes settle, the number of destroyed or damaged properties across the state is expected to be much worse.

Elsewhere, thousands of firefighters were struggling against around 100 blazes across the state - on the Central Coast and further north, the Southern Highlands and the south coast.

It was too soon to estimate how many properties had been lost, but Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons predicted: "we'll be counting properties in the dozens, if not the hundreds."

Premier Barry O'Farrell and Mr Fitzsimmons told reporters the public should brace for widespread destruction.

"It will take some days until we see the end of these fires," Mr O'Farrell warned.

"I suspect that if we get through that without the loss of life we should thank God for miracles."

Mr Fitzsimmons said firefighters faced the worst of conditions.

"This is as bad as it gets," he said.

Schools at the Blue Mountains were also drawn into the drama and scores of Blue Mountains residents sought refuge at evacuation centres on Thursday night, including the Springwood Sports Club and Springwood Country Club.

While St Columba's students were kept in their school, St Thomas Aquinas School was evacuated.

About 600 kids from several schools were bussed to the Springwood Sports Club on Thursday evening.

Many have since left with parents but a lot won't be able to return to their homes, the ABC reports.

A 2000-hectare bushfire at Muswellbrook that's out of control was at 8.50pm (AEDT) threatening properties.

Residents have been advised to leave the area after the "watch and act" alert was upgraded to an "emergency warning."

"Firefighters are undertaking property protection under difficult, dangerous and erratic weather conditions," the RFS says on its website.

A fire at North Doyalson has been downgraded from an "emergency warning" alert level to a "watch and act."

RFS Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers said it was one of the worst days he'd seen.

"It's probably the most serious fire risk we've faced since the early 2000s," he said.

For most of the day there were six fires at "emergency warning" level, meaning homes were at risk and residents were being asked to consider fleeing.

Before 6pm, a cool change brought temperatures down from the mid-30s to the mid-teens.

But it also created new chaos, swinging fire fronts around and pushing blazes into new areas.

There were unconfirmed reports of properties being lost at North Doyalson, on the Central Coast; at Lithgow; at Yanderra and Balmoral, in the Southern Highlands; and in Port Stephens, where a fire has forced the closure of Newcastle Airport.

At least two firefighters were injured, with one man sent to Sydney's Concord Hospital with burns to his face.

The fires created traffic chaos around Sydney, with a 20km queue on the Hume Highway for city-bound traffic.

All northbound lanes on the highway were reopened about 9.45pm (AEST), the Transport Management Centre said.

Only one southbound lane is opened between Wilton and Mittagong and the TMC is warning drivers to expect significant delays.

The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has formally declared a "catastrophe" for affected areas.

ICA CEO Rob Whelan said the group expects to have a better idea of the damage by the weekend, but added that insurers were ready to take claims.

19.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Verizon 3Q profit soars

VERIZON is reporting a 40 per cent jump in third-quarter net income after adding more than 1 million new wireless devices to its network.

The largest US mobile phone carrier earned $US2.23 billion ($A2.34 billion), or 78 US cents per share, up from $US1.59 billion, or 56 US cents per share, in the same quarter of 2012. Excluding one-time items, the company posted an adjusted profit of 77 cents per share for the recent quarter.

Revenue rose 4 per cent to $US30.28 billion from $US29.01 billion.

The results on Thursday beat Wall Street predictions.

Analysts polled by FactSet expected a profit of 74 US cents per share on $US30.15 billion in revenue.

The company added 1.1 million net retail wireless connections during the quarter.

Shares of Verizon Communications Inc. are up 3 per cent to $US48.80 in premarket trading.

19.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Wheels fly off truck on Sydney freeway

A truck has been issued with a defect notice after two of its wheels flew off on a Sydney motorway. Source: AAP

A TRUCK has been issued with a defect notice after two of its wheels flew off on a Sydney motorway.

Police saw the incident on Tuesday during a patrol of the M7 at Horsley Park, in Sydney's west, and say the truck driver is very lucky to be alive.

The tyres were flung into north and southbound traffic, narrowly missing oncoming vehicles.

"It was quite fortunate one of our traffic and highway patrol cars was stationed on the M7 at the time and was able to assist in containing the situation very quickly," acting assistant police commissioner Stuart Smith said in a statement.

The 35-year-old driver was issued with a defect notice, which prevented him from driving away the truck.

The news comes two weeks after a fuel tanker, owned by Cootes Transport, crashed in Mona Vale, in Sydney's north, killing two people.

NSW Roads and Maritime Services has grounded 10 vehicles and issued the company with 244 defect notices during inspections.

Mr Smith urged truck operators to ensure their vehicles were regularly maintained.

"Your actions can have serious implications for others, so it is vital that the utmost care is taken when travelling on our roads," he said.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Row grows over Qld sex offender jail terms

Queensland Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie announced plans to amend legislation over sex offenders. Source: AAP

QUEENSLAND Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie is on a collision course with civil libertarians and lawyers after announcing plans to strip courts of the power to set indefinite jail terms for some sex offenders.

He wants to rush through parliament, as early as Thursday, changes that would give him the power to say which sex offenders should be locked up until they die.

Mr Bleijie has the backing of child protection advocate Hetty Johnston, who says judges worry too much about offenders' civil rights.

"Unfortunately it is the civil rights of sex offenders that take precedence over the rights of the community and children to be safe," the Bravehearts founder said.

But Australian Council for Civil Liberties president Terry O'Gorman said the move was "legislative lunacy" and urged a judicial rebellion.

Queensland Law Society (QLS) president Annette Bradfield also questioned the move and other legislation recently rushed through parliament in the dead of night.

Mr Bleijie insists it is legislation of last resort that would only be used to keep the worst of the worst in jail.

"Some of these people just can't be rehabilitated. They should never be released from prison," he said on Wednesday.

Mr Gorman accused the attorney-general of dictating to judges and called on the judiciary to stand up to him.

"This is the latest piece of legislative lunacy from an attorney-general who refuses to consult with anyone other than those who agree with his views," he told AAP.

Mr O'Gorman said it was the second time in two days that Mr Bleijie had ridden roughshod over Queensland's judicial system.

Laws passed by parliament on Wednesday morning mean judges now have to sentence bikies convicted of serious crimes to years of additional jail time, simply because they are gang members.

Ms Bradfield said the QLS was concerned at the lack of consultation over proposed legislation and at the executive wielding powers to give criminals added jail time.

"Judges are trained to make those determinations and politicians simply don't have the qualifications or the experience in those regards," she said.

Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk has accused Mr Bleijie of wanting to be "judge and jury" and called for him to quit.

"Yet again we are seeing the arrogance of this government, which wants to do anything and everything with its massive majority," she told parliament.

"Democracy is under direct attack."

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

HSU to chase Williamson settlement

THE Health Services Union says it's determined to wring a $5 million settlement from its disgraced former boss Michael Williamson, who has apparently declared himself bankrupt.

The former HSU secretary and Labor Party president on Tuesday pleaded guilty to various charges including defrauding the union of almost $1 million.

It's reported he declared himself bankrupt on the same day.

With hopes of putting an end to "the Williamson era", the HSU also revealed it had secured a $5 million judgment in a Supreme Court civil claim.

The HSU's Gerard Hayes says the union will do what it can to claw back the money from Williamson, bankrupt or not.

For starters, it hopes to recoup what it can from Williamson's six-bedroom home at Maroubra, which went to auction on Wednesday night. But according to Macquarie Radio, the property failed to sell, with no one putting up a bid.

The three-level rendered brick home on Meagher Ave - with parquet floors, in-ground pool, wine cellar and ocean views - was expected to fetch $1.5 million.

Mr Hayes said union members could still take some comfort from Williamson's guilty plea, the civil settlement and an apology that came with it.

"He's in survival mode and manoeuvring however he can," he told AAP.

"At least the apology is an acknowledgment that he's done what he's done."

In addition, under the civil settlement, the union will not have to pay Williamson's $1.1 million superannuation and $600,000 of claimed leave entitlements.

"This is 1.7 million that is not flowing out of the union," Mr Hayes said.

The agreement was brokered through mediation by former federal attorney-general Robert McClelland, the HSU says.

In the apology, Williamson said he wished to "place on record my sincere apology to all of you".

"You placed your trust in me when I was the General Secretary and I abused that trust," he said.

"I apologise unreservedly to all of you for my actions, which were not in keeping with the position I formerly held."

He says he will "have to live with this matter until the day I die" and urged members "not to desert the union".

Williamson faces up to 30 years in jail.

A date for his sentencing will be set on October 25.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

US pins hopes on Senate leaders

The White House has rejected the latest effort by Republicans to resolve an impasse over the budget. Source: AAP

THE US is hours from a fateful fiscal deadline, with a chaotic political stand-off threatening to trigger a debt default and rock the global economy.

Hopes that congress would agree to raise the government's borrowing authority as required by midnight on Wednesday (1500 AEDT Thursday) rested with last-gasp talks in the Senate - with America's top-notch credit rating on the line.

Any deal though would have to make it through the Republican-led House of Representatives, where conservative Tea Party lawmakers have thwarted previous compromise efforts in a bid to undermine Democratic President Barack Obama.

If congress fails to raise the $US16.7 trillion ($A17.56 trillion) debt ceiling in time, the US Treasury would begin to run out of money to meet all US obligations and slip towards a historic default.

Such a scenario could badly damage the US recovery, saddle American consumers with higher interest payments and send economic shock waves into fragile global economies.

In Asia, stocks fell early on Wednesday as investors kept an eye on the American impasse.

Hopes for an exit strategy rest with talks between Senate majority leader Harry Reid and Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell.

The two old foes saddled up after manoeuvring by the House on Tuesday dissolved in chaos. Republican Speaker John Boehner proved unable to win support from his caucus and unwilling to use minority Democratic votes to raise the debt ceiling and reopen the US government after a two week shutdown.

In the face of the deadline, the US political system, divided between Obama's Democrats and Republicans who run the House, has virtually ground to a halt.

Major world powers have been left looking on in dismay at the brinkmanship in Washington, unable to do anything to protect their own economic interests, with many deeply invested in US Treasuries - hitherto seen as one of the safest global safe havens.

Amid rising anxiety on the markets, the financial rating agency Fitch put the US on warning for a downgrade from its top-grade AAA spot.

Despite the deepening impasse, Obama said he still expected the issue would be resolved in the end.

"My expectation is that this gets solved, but we don't have a lot of time," he told an ABC television affiliate in New York.

"What I'm suggesting to the congressional caucus is to avoid any posturing ... do what's right, open the government and make sure we pay our bills."

What was essentially a wasted day, with precious few hours to spare on Tuesday, unfolded as House Republicans tried to extend US borrowing authority until February 7 and reopen the government until December 15.

Several draft bills would have constrained aspects of Obama's signature healthcare law - and in effect stood no chance to pass the Democratic-led Senate.

But Boehner used the measures to try to corral the Tea Party faction and to pressure the Senate - but in the end was unable to amass sufficient Republican votes to even put the measures on the floor.

Senate talks, which had been on hold all day pending developments in the House, were quickly resumed on Tuesday evening.

Leadership aides on both sides said they were "optimistic" that an agreement was within reach.

"We're making very, very good progress, we're not there yet, but we're getting real close," said Democratic senator Chuck Schumer.

"I think the markets should feel pretty good about what's going on here tonight."

Republican congressman Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania told CNN: "I believe that John Boehner will likely be in a position where he will have to essentially pass the bill that is negotiated between senators McConnell and Reid, and I believe that the House will first pass it and send it to the Senate."

The likely Senate deal would require Democrats to make a minor concession on Obamacare. But the provision would fall well short of the drive to delay or defund the historic law which prompted Republicans to launch the government shutdown strategy and to use the debt ceiling hike as leverage.

Earlier, Reid furiously accused Boehner of seeking to save his own political skin at the expense of the US.

"Let's be clear: The House legislation will not pass the Senate," Reid said. "I am very disappointed with John Boehner, who would once again try to preserve his role at the expense of the country."

Boehner may once again on Wednesday be left with the unenviable choice that has come to define his speakership in Washington's divided government.

Does he stick with the Tea Party faction of his party, and possibly save his job but risk culpability in sending the US economy into a first default of modern times?

Or does he try to pass a compromise plan acceptable to Senate Democrats and Obama, with the help of minority Democratic votes - a scenario that could fritter away his party power-base and possibly cost him his job?

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Italy contacts Germany over Nazi's body

Clashes have broken out in Italy outside a Nazi war criminal's funeral which had to be suspended. Source: AAP

ITALY says it has contacted Germany over what to do with the body of Nazi war criminal Erich Priebke, as Rome commemorates the 70th anniversary of the round-up of its Jewish community.

Clashes erupted in a town near Rome on Tuesday as a Catholic ultra-conservative sect tried to stage a funeral for the unrepentant former SS officer who was convicted for a massacre of 335 civilians.

The funeral was cancelled by a police order after some neo-Nazi sympathisers broke into the seminary in Albano Laziale and tried to stage a rally as hundreds of protesters outside shouted "Assassin!"

The coffin was then driven to a military airport outside Rome during the night after Priebke's lawyer and friend, Paolo Giachini, gave up his power of attorney for the funeral arrangements.

"We are planning to resolve the situation today. We are in contact with Germany," Rome prefect Giuseppe Pecoraro told reporters on Wednesday.

"We had to cancel the funeral yesterday because there was a risk that it could have become a neo-Nazi demonstration," he said.

The German foreign ministry said it had received no official request from Italian authorities to take in his mortal remains.

But a spokesman for the mayor of Priebke's birthplace of Hennigsdorf, near Berlin, told Germany's RBB radio the town would refuse the body.

There were angry scenes during the halted funeral in Italy on Tuesday, with police detaining at least two people and protesters seen fighting with bottles and chains.

A rock was later thrown at the windscreen of the van driving Priebke's coffin to the airport.

Protesters had earlier kicked and spat on the hearse as it arrived for the start of the funeral.

The Holocaust denier died on Friday at the age of 100 and has provoked outrage even in death with the Vatican issuing an unprecedented order forbidding any Catholic church in Rome from holding his funeral.

He had been living under house arrest in the Italian capital after being extradited in 1998 from Argentina, where he had fled with a Vatican travel document soon after World War II.

Priebke had wanted to be buried in Argentina next to his wife but the government there earlier said it would not accept the body.

Jewish groups and relatives of the people he executed said he should be cremated and his ashes scattered to erase every trace.

There is concern that a burial could create a pilgrimage point for neo-Nazi sympathisers.

The furore comes at a particularly sensitive time in Italy on the anniversary of the round-up of the Jews from the Rome Ghetto on October 16, 1943.

More than 1,000 Jews were taken away to concentration camps and only 16 returned.

As Rome held a day of remembrance, mayor Ignazio Marino said Priebke was "a violent executioner".

"Rome could not accept the funeral of a man who actively took part in the massacre of 335 people, shooting them in the back of the neck," he said.

The Gestapo ordered the mass killing in the Ardeatine caves near Rome as retaliation for a partisan attack which killed 33 German soldiers.

They shot 10 Italians for every dead German, and five more brought to the caves by mistake.

Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, wearing a white kippah skullcap, attended a solemn ceremony at the Ghetto synagogue with Holocaust survivors, as the head of Rome's Jewish community called on Italy not to forget its past.

"The Italy which gave birth to Fascism has a duty to nurture memories, for itself and Europe," Riccardo Pacifici told hundreds gathered.

He also called on parliament to approve a bill outlawing Holocaust denial.

Later Friday officials are due to place a plaque at platform one at Rome's Tiburtina station, where - six days after the round-up - 1024 Jews were put on trains for the camps.

The ceremony will wind up with a torch-lit procession around the Ghetto, organised by the Sant'Egidio Catholic community.

"Today is the day to remember what happened 70 years ago, to remember the wound, the tragic moment in the history of our city," Marino said.

Pope Francis also issued a message saying: "We must not lower our guard against anti-Semitism and racism wherever they come from".

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Shorten lags on parliament experience

BILL Shorten isn't the least experienced opposition leader of the past 40 years, but he's not far off.

Since the Liberals' Billy Snedden failed to oust Labor prime minister Gough Whitlam, only three opposition leaders have had less time in parliament before taking their party's top job.

Mr Shorten was elected as the member for Maribyrnong in November 2007, giving him less than six years experience in parliament before winning Sunday's historic rank-and-file and caucus vote.

Bob Hawke had the least experience.

Mr Hawke had just two years and four months in parliament before he became Labor leader and took the party to its historic 1983 election win.

The Liberals' John Hewson was an MP for only two years and eight months when he assumed the top job, holding on for four years before being dumped after losing the "unlosable" 1993 election.

Malcolm Turnbull made the jump from business to politics in just under four years before he became Liberal leader. He lasted just over a year before being replaced by Tony Abbott.

Even the opposition leader often portrayed as having the least experience in recent years, Labor's Mark Latham, had been in parliament for almost 10 years.

Mr Shorten's six years in parliament is well below the almost 20 years held by Malcolm Fraser, or the 16 years of former Labor leader Kim Beazley.

Mr Shorten will take heart from Mr Hawke's rapid assent to the prime ministership, as well as Kevin Rudd's relatively short eight years in parliament before he became opposition leader and ultimately PM.

But the fate of most opposition leaders is the scrap heap, particularly those who assume the job straight after an election win.

In the past 40 years, no first-up opposition leader has gone on to be prime minister.

19.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Redfoo without an artist on X Factor

LMFAO frontman Redfoo said he was "gutted" to be the first coach to lose all his artists on The X Factor.

Redfoo's tenancy as an active coach was exhausted after Jiordan Tolli, the last of his three under-24 female singers, was eliminated on Monday night.

Tolli missed out on making the final four after losing out to mixed group Third Degree in a sudden death sing-off.

"I am gutted. I am upset, but that's life," Redfoo said during the Seven Network's live telecast.

"We went 100 per cent and Jiordan gave it her all in every performance."

The decision to send Tolli home was eventually made by the viewers after the coaches, for the second week in a row, were evenly split on who to eliminate.

With the judges unable to decide, the result reverted back to the votes that were cast by the viewers.

But with Tolli out of the competition, Redfoo will be able to vote and comment objectively.

He did have praise for winners Third Degree, who were pieced together from the solo artists who were eliminated after bootcamp, saying they were good but are inconsistent.

Third Degree, consisting of two females and one male, are coached by former Rogue Traders' leading lady Natalie Bassingthwaighte and are the only band in the final four.

The other final four contestants are Queenslander Dami Im, who is under the guidance of Dannii Minogue, and under-24 males Taylor Henderson and 14-year-old Jai Waetford.

Henderson and Waetford are being mentored by Irish Crooner Ronan Keating.

19.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Parliament to sit over four weeks in 2013

PARLIAMENT is likely to be recalled in a month's time, with four sitting weeks before Christmas.

AAP understands the 44th Parliament will first sit on November 12, with the Tuesday sitting a largely ceremonial affair.

This includes swearing in members, electing a Speaker and a speech by the governor-general.

There will be four sitting weeks before Christmas, split into two fortnights with a break in between.

One of the weeks will include Senate estimates hearings.

Under the previous parliamentary timetable, which was dropped once the election was called, an estimates week was due to be held in late October.

19.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Facebook opens office in Israel

Facebook says it's opening its first office in Israel after acquiring an Israeli technology startup. Source: AAP

FACEBOOK says it is acquiring an Israeli mobile technology startup and opening its first office in Israel.

Facebook said in a statement on Monday that Israeli mobile utility application developer Onavo would help the social media giant create better mobile products and help connect more people around the world to the internet.

Onavo was founded three years ago and produces technology that compresses content so mobile users can use more data. The Tel Aviv-based company also has an office in California.

Israeli media reported that Facebook is buying the company for more than $US100 million ($A106.41 million) and that it was Facebook's largest acquisition of an Israeli company. Facebook declined comment.

Facebook has bought two Israeli companies in recent years, but employees were transferred to Facebook's US headquarters.

19.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Another arrest in fruit shop shooting

A 27-YEAR-OLD man has been arrested in connection with a deadly shooting in a western Sydney fruit shop.

Police arrested the man in a Villawood home on Monday night and are interviewing him at Fairfield Police Station.

He's the second person to be arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of 28-year-old Kamran Yousaf.

Mr Yousaf, an employee of the store, was found lying in the back of the Villawood Value Fruit Market with bullet wounds to his head and abdomen on Saturday.

Linh Dang, 27, was arrested at the scene and charged with murder and armed robbery in company, but police continued to search for his alleged accomplice.

Police allege Dang was armed with a silver-coloured pistol when he walked into the fruit shop with another unknown man.

But what began as a robbery quickly turned deadly when Mr Yousaf put up a fight.

19.50 | 0 komentar | Read More