Jury sides with Love in trial over tweet

A US jury has rejected a defamation case against Courtney Love over a Twitter post that suggested one of her lawyers had been "bought off" for not pursuing a lawsuit over her late husband's estate.

The verdict came after roughly three hours of deliberation in a case that spanned eight days and focused on the Hole frontwoman's postings on the social networking site.

The case centred on one 2010 post that suggested that San Diego lawyer Rhonda Holmes had been "bought off" and that was why she wasn't representing the singer anymore.

Love had hired Holmes to file a fraud case against the estate of her late husband, Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. The lawyer contended during the trial that she was fired by Love and that the tweet and other statements the singer made against her have caused her substantial damage.

Love's tweet stated, "I was (expletive) devastated when Rhonda J Holmes Esq of san diego was bought off" in response to a question from user of the popular social media site.

The message was never meant to be public, Love told jurors. She said she meant for it to be sent as a direct message, which only the recipient would see, but it instead went public and was quickly deleted.

The swift verdict wasn't witnessed by Love, who had left court after closing arguments ended on Friday morning. She arrived just as the courthouse was closing down and met her lawyers, John Lawrence and Matthew Bures, in the hallway where she hugged them both.

Love praised her lawyers and the jury after the verdict. Asked about her social media presence, Love said she refrained from posting on Twitter during the trial. "I didn't tweet out of respect for the case," she said.

While the case was billed as the first "Twibel" trial in which Twitter and libel law intersected, Lawrence said it was tried by the same rules as traditional defamation cases.

Jurors determined that Love's tweet included false information, but the musician didn't know it wasn't true.

Holmes lawyer Mitchell Langberg said the jury's verdict meant the panel determined Love's statement was defamatory, but the singer couldn't be held liable for it. Holmes' side asked the panel to award $8 million in damages and send a message that false statements online had consequences.

Langberg said that while his client was disappointed with the verdict, her reputation was upheld and the world now knows that Love's statements were false.

"At the end of the day, her biggest asset in life is her reputation," Langberg said. "That she got back today."

Love's social media postings have gotten her into trouble several times.

In 2011, she agreed to pay $US430,000 to fashion designer Dawn Simorangkir over statements she posted on Twitter and Myspace.

Simorangkir sued Love again last year, alleging the musician libelled her when Love accused Simorangkir of theft on the Howard Stern's radio show and taunted her on the social media site Pinterest.

The case is pending, but Love said she's trying to be more careful about her online musings than she was when she tweeted about Holmes.

"I don't tweet like I did back then," Love said on Friday.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

UK teacher tells of Kruger elephant attack

A BRITISH teacher who suffered a serious leg injury when an elephant tore through her car in South Africa has told how she desperately tried to drive away.

Sarah Brooks, who works at the Sir John Gleed School in Lincolnshire, and her South African fiance Jans de Klerk, were attacked by the elephant as they drove through the Kruger National Park on December 30.

The couple have now returned to England after Brooks spent more than a week recovering from a pelvis fracture and stitches to her right leg after the elephant's tusk pierced it.

The pair have received death threats since footage of the attack - which they say was heavily edited to make it look as if they drove towards the animal - went viral.

The 30-year-old science teacher told the Daily Mail she "completely freaked" as the elephant stormed towards them and in her panic was unable to find reverse in the hire car.

The couple then resorted to stopping, turning off the ignition and looking at the ground, but seconds later the elephant rammed into them.

"The next thing I heard was Jans screaming at me: 'Drive! Drive!'," Brooks said.

"I somehow managed to turn the engine on, Jans found reverse, but just as I got it going, the elephant tipped us up.

"Then he crushed the undercarriage by ramming it with his head, and the key snapped out of the ignition. 'I remember thinking, 'We're never going to be able to drive away now' - and the next thing I knew we were rolling.

"At that moment, your life flashes through your head. I thought, 'We've only been together a year-and-a-half, life's good. Why now? Why the hell now? It just isn't fair.' I didn't know if either of us would live."

She recalled how the bull elephant twice missed her when his tusks ripped through the car before one pierced her leg leaving her streaming with the blood.

De Klerk, who was left unhurt, managed to pull her across to his side of the car, from which the elephant finally walked away only after pushing it up against a tree and smashing the windscreen.

The incident was captured on film by tourists in a car behind, but they drove off after the attack believing the pair to be dead.

The distressed couple, who feared attacks from other animals, waited for help after phoning de Klerk's brother but it was 25 minutes before a helicopter landed.

"They took me to a doctor, where I was patched up before being taken to a hospital to check for internal injuries," Brooks said.

"In the back of the ambulance, I said to Jans: 'I don't want ever to spend another day apart from you.' He said: 'Marry me then?' I said: 'Yes.'"

She told the newspaper that she pleaded with the tourists not to publish the footage, but days later an edited version went viral.

The male elephant, who was believed to be a risk to other tourists, was destroyed after the incident.

The animal had been "on musth", a periodic condition where testosterone levels rise and elephants become more aggressive, and had fought with another elephant earlier that day.

The couple said park rangers told them they were "just unlucky" and had done nothing wrong.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Police pelted by brawling Vic youths

BRAWLERS pelted police with glass bottles in Melbourne as they tried to break up a large street fracas, sparking fears of drunken violence marring Australia Day festivities.

Officers had been confronted by a huge crowd of aggressive youths after being called to Springvale in the city's southeast just before midnight on Friday.

At least 80 people were already fighting in the street when a glass bottle was thrown at one of the police.

Acting Senior Sergeant Anita Brens says police had to spray down four men in the crowd with capsicum foam to try to break up the brawl.

While the group slowly left the suburban street, they continued pelting police with a barrage of glass bottles.

"They continued to be abusive towards police and fight amongst themselves," she said.

No one was arrested and the police all escaped injury.

Victorian Premier Denis Napthine said he was disgusted by the group's behaviour and praised police for being able to handle such a volatile situation.

"That is absolutely inappropriate, that is wrong, it is disgusting behaviour," he said.

"It is not the sort of behaviour we want in Melbourne or Victoria."

The melee came only a day after senior police warned of drunken violence occurring over the Australia Day long weekend.

Deputy Commissioner Tim Cartwright said the assault rate on January 26 has been skyrocketing in recent years, largely due to open-air events, alcohol and large gatherings of people.

"We have lots of public events, lots of occasions, but it's still our worst day," he said.

Patrols will be stepped up in city hotspots and around public transport hubs to deal with the expected surge in violence.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sydney Harbour to launch Australia Day

WHETHER you're into sheep shearing, whip cracking, fireworks or surfing, there is something for everyone this Australia Day.

And a 100-year-old Iraqi-born grandmother and a two-year-old Indian boy are among nearly 3600 people from 113 countries to become citizens across the state on Sunday.

The largest ceremonies in NSW will take place at Sutherland and Blacktown.

Meanwhile in Sydney, an indigenous ceremony will welcome in Australia Day with a ritual fire at the Opera House at 7.30am.

The fire, along with offerings from around the world will then be carried onboard a boat, before meeting bark canoes under the Harbour bridge for a smoking ceremony.

It will commemorate our past and future, with the national anthem to be sung in the Eora language.

Throughout the day, other free festivities include the popular race of Sydney's ferries, as well as the Australian army parachute display over Circular Quay.

In a new event, tug boats and 10 yachts will perform a "ballet" on the harbour.

Singers Mahalia Barnes and Prinnie Stevens will entertain with the sounds of motown in Darling Harbour from 6pm.

Ms Barnes said it is a great opportunity to celebrate and be grateful.

"We live in one of the most amazing countries in the world, we are very, very lucky," she told reporters on Saturday.

"The best thing about it is that everyone goes out and has a good time."

At 8.45pm, fireworks will mark the finale of the festivities on the harbour.

Meanwhile, face painting, an animal farm and a 3pm concert with The Wiggles will be rolled out at Hyde Park through the day to keep the kids entertained.

"Police have said that the crowd that comes to The Wiggles, Dorothy the Dinosaur and Peppa Pig are the best behaved crowds of the Australia Day weekend," Blue Wiggle, Anthony told reporters.

"It is a lovely, lovely day for families to come along, celebrate Australia and the multicultural society we live in."

Further west in Sydney's Olympic Park, about 6000 Sydneysiders are expected to head to Bicentennial Park for fireworks, sheep shearing, whip cracking and sheep dog trial shows.

Elsewhere in the state, more than 110 people are hoping to break a world record by riding the same wave at North Broulee Beach on the NSW south coast.

At Newcastle a national maritime festival will be held from 8am to 5pm.

Across the state, police are urging people to slow down after almost 800 speed infringement notices were issued on day one of the long weekend campaign.

"With 168 major crashes and one fatality, I'd like to again remind drivers to slow down, stay within the speed limit; no deadline is worth dying for," NSW Police Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander, Acting Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith said in a statement.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Govt 'creating' welfare crisis: Labor

LABOR has accused the Abbott government of "manufacturing" a welfare crisis ahead of a planned crack down on young people claiming the disability pension.

Under federal government plans to overhaul the welfare system, young people who are deemed partially fit to work will no longer be able to claim disability welfare payments, News Corp Australia reports.

Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews said under the previous Labor government, young Australians were able to claim the disability pension despite their condition being minor.

Labor MP Matt Thistlethwaite rejected the claim, saying the number of people on the disability pension actually decreased between 2012 and 2013.

He said there was no need for a planned overhaul of the welfare system because Australia didn't have a welfare problem.

"They are creating and manufacturing a crisis to ensure they look like they are a government that is doing something," he told Sky News on Saturday.

The federal government is facing criticism for excluding aged pensioners, who make up the majority of the welfare expenditure, in its welfare payments review as it grapples with a budget deficit.

Finance Minister Mathias Corman said increasing workforce participation among younger people claiming the disability allowance was part of the government's agenda to reduce the budget bottom line.

"We don't think that people with temporary health conditions should be put onto the Disability Support Pension for the remainder of their working lives," he told Sky News.

"We want to help people who are able to work back into the workforce. We think that is good for them and it's obviously good for the country."

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Church official amends commission evidence

A Catholic church official has revised his evidence to the Royal Commission on Child Sex Abuse. Source: AAP

A SENIOR church official has revised his evidence to the Royal Commission on Child Sex Abuse following a flurry of late night emails with a law firm representing the Catholic Church.

Michael Salmon, director of the Catholic Church's NSW/ACT Professional Standards Office, said on Friday he wanted to submit a supplementary statement to assist the commission.

He was contacted on Thursday evening by law firm Gilbert + Tobin and asked to clarify statements he made about a mediation session with an abuse victim who had concerns the Marist Brothers knew of and did nothing about abuse at a Cairns college.

A string of emails between the law firm and Mr Salmon, which culminated in him agreeing to a revised statement at about 9pm (AEDT) on Thursday night, were examined by the commission on Friday.

During a public hearing into Towards Healing, the internal church process for dealing with abuse complaints, it became an issue whether a Marist brother lied at a mediation session for a man referred to as DK about what he knew about a brother who has since been jailed.

Mr Salmon facilitated the 2010 session with DK, who was sexually molested when he was a student at the St Augustine's Marist College in Cairns in 1976.

Evidence from Mr Salmon on Wednesday and Thursday suggested that the conversation DK had with former college principal Brother Gerald Burns and another clergy member covered what they knew of inappropriate behaviour by Ross Murrin in relation to DK and other boys.

Murrin was jailed in 2008 for offences against children at Sydney schools. He had been moved to Rome by the order in 2002 but voluntarily came back in 2007 to face charges.

In his evidence on Thursday, Br Burns told the commission DK never asked him about offences against other boys but only about his own situation.

Br Burns also said a file note from Mr Salmon written after the mediation session which suggested otherwise was inaccurate.

Commission chairman Justice Peter McClellan asked Mr Salmon if lawyers told him during the Thursday night exchanges whether there was an issue as to whether Br Burns had told DK the truth.

Mr Salmon said he had not been told that.

He said that he wracked his brains for further recollections of whether the discussion had been about just DK, or other students and could only remember the discussion was all about DK.

Justice McClellan reminded Mr Salmon that he had asked him twice during his original evidence about the context of the conversation between DK and the brothers.

"I put it to you it was beyond DK and you said 'Yes, Yes'," he said.

He said DK was also concerned that the brothers had not helped Murrin, who he saw as a sensitive person, and this was the context of his "beyond DK" responses.

Mr Salmon said he was aware DK had broader concerns about whether the brothers had knowledge of the abuse at the school but left it to him to raise it at the mediation meeting because DK had come to the session with detailed notes and was "not a shrinking violet".

DK had left the mediation happy and on good terms with the brothers, he said.

Mr Salmon told senior counsel assisting the commission Gail Furness he had taken the advice of the lawyers when they rejected his suggestions for amendments as not relevant to the statement because it did not alter what he was trying to say.

19.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Starbucks profit jumps, sales growth slows

Starbucks says its quarterly profit is up 25 per cent, following stronger sales around the world. Source: AAP

STARBUCKS says its quarterly profit is up 25 per cent, thanks to lower coffee costs and stronger sales around the world.

The Seattle-based coffee company says global sales rose five per cent at established locations. That was slower than the increase in the previous quarter, however, and total sales were shy of Wall Street expectations.

Troy Alstead, the company's chief financial officer, on Thursday said the slower growth for the final three months of the year was the result of the shift toward online shopping during the Christmas shopping season, rather than heading out to stores.

"The impact to us is that there are fewer people out and about in the weeks leading up to Christmas," Alstead said.

But in a conference call with analysts, CEO Howard Schultz downplayed the impact that trend would have on sales growth going forward, saying that Starbucks' advantage was that its offerings can't be replicated online and that its loyalty card business is growing.

Starbucks, meanwhile, has been employing various strategies to drive up sales at its ubiquitous cafes, such as revamping its sandwiches and baked goods so people are more likely to get something to eat when they come in for a drink. Alstead said that croissant sales had doubled at locations where new recipes were rolled out.

New options such as boxed salads are intended to get people to visit throughout the day, not just during the morning rush hour.

Starbucks, which has about 20,000 locations around the world, is also eyeing a new front: tea. The company last year opened its first tea cafe in New York City, saying it plans to popularise tea culture in the US the way it did with coffee culture.

For the quarter, sales at established locations rose five per cent in both the US and the region encompassing Europe, where Starbucks had been struggling.

In the China and Asia Pacific region, the figure rose eight per cent.

For the three months ending December 29, it earned $US540.7 million ($A618.90 million), or 71 US cents per share. That was more than the 69 US cents per share analysts expected.

A year ago, it earned $US432.2 million, or 57 US cents per share.

Revenue rose to $US4.24 billion, shy of the $US4.3 billion Wall Street expected.

The company stood by its guidance of for sales at established locations to grow in the mid-single digits globally in the year ahead. Earnings per share are expected to be in the range of $US2.59 to $US2.67, up from the previous $US2.55 to $US2.65.

Shares of Starbucks edged up 38 US cents to $US73.77.

19.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

United Airlines posts 4Q profit of $US140m

United Airlines posted a growth in fourth quarter earnings with an increase in passenger numbers. Source: AAP

THE parent of United Airlines has earned $US140 million ($A158.60 million) in the fourth quarter, as more passengers flew and paid more for their tickets.

The airline's fuel bill also shrank.

Net income at United Continental Holdings Inc was $US140 million, or 37 US cents per share. A year earlier it lost $US620 million, or $US1.87 per share.

Not counting special charges, United would have earned 78 US cents per share - well above the 66 US cents expected by analysts surveyed by FactSet.

Revenue rose more than seven per cent to $US9.33 billion, also higher than analysts had expected.

Passengers paid three per cent more per mile to fly compared to a year earlier. They paid more in add-on fees, too. United said so-called ancillary revenue, which covers items such as baggage fees, rose 15 per cent in the quarter to nearly $US21 per passenger.

Fuel expenses fell four per cent to $US2.97 billion for the quarter.

United said in November that it intends to cut $US2 billion in annual costs. The company is still working to integrate Continental after their 2010 merger. Although all the paint on the planes and the signs at the ticket counters read "United," the company still has to schedule flight crews and planes separately for the two airlines, reducing the savings from the merger.

"Our goals for 2014 are to provide even more reliable operations, great customer service and materially better financial performance," chairman and chief executive Jeff Smisek said in a written statement on Thursday.

For the full year, United earned $US571 million, after losing $US723 million in 2012.

Shares of Chicago-based United Continental fell 3.4 per cent in premarket trading to $US47.50. They set a new 52-week high on Wednesday at $US49.20.

19.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ukraine protesters expand camp after talks

Thousands of anti-government protesters continue to hold out in the Ukrainian capital Kiev. Source: AAP

UKRAINIAN protesters have expanded their protest camp in Kiev closer to the administration of President Viktor Yanukovych after crisis talks to end Ukraine's worst crisis since its 1991 independence ended in deadlock.

After five days of clashes that activists say left five dead, Ukraine's three main opposition leaders held several hours of talks with Yanukovych late Thursday but the minor concessions they announced were greeted with derision by protesters.

The outcome to the crisis remains uncertain, with protesters refusing to give way after over two months of demonstrations against Yanukovych's refusal to sign a pact with the EU that have now turned into a broader movement against his four-year rule.

In a new tactic sure to rattle Yanukovych, thousands of protesters stormed local administration buildings in the west of Ukraine, seizing control or besieging governors offices in half a dozen cities.

Wearing helmets and ad-hoc body armour, the Kiev protesters worked through the night to build up their existing barricades around Independence Square using sandbags filled with snow and tyres, turning the centre of Kiev into a fortress.

In a clear warning to Yanukovych, their final barricade is now only a few dozen metres from the presidential administration located on Bankovaya Street in central Kiev.

Activists also occupied the agriculture ministry in the city centre, an AFP correspondent said, and it was not clear if its bureaucrats would be able to go to work.

Most shops and restaurants close to or in the protest zone have now closed down "for technical reasons", with Kiev's famed Khreshchatyk Avenue now an extension of the protest camp.

"I feel deceived. We waited all day for a result of the negotiations and we got nothing," said protester Yevgeny, 26, wearing a helmet.

"I have fear now but have even more fear for the future," he added.

Lyubov, a protester from Ivano-Frankivsk in west Ukraine who had travelled to Kiev, added: "We know the authorities do not want to compromise, we have known this for a long time."

Clashes that started Sunday on Grushevsky Street on the fringes of the main protest zone left five dead, according to activists. The authorities have only confirmed that two died from gunshot wounds but have claimed police were not to blame.

Opposition leader and former world boxing champion Vitali Klitschko said the president appeared to be turning a deaf ear to the opposition's key demand of the resignation of the government.

"I feel how tense the atmosphere is. I feel how great the hopes are," he said.

Oleg Tyagnybok, leader of the Svoboda (Freedom) party, said there was a proposal to create a buffer zone between protesters and security forces that would leave the main protest camp on Independence Square untouched by police.

But when Tyagnybok asked protesters for a show of hands about whether the talks should continue, the answer was negative. It was not clear whether the opposition would continue the negotiations ahead of an extraordinary session of parliament Tuesday.

19.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Swastika on Austrian tombstone defies ban

Nazi symbols continue to be seen on Austrian tombstones despite laws against displaying them. Source: AAP

THE marble tombstone looks like others dotting the main cemetery of Graz, Austria's second city - but only at first glance. Carved into it are a swastika and the inscription: "He died in the struggle for a Great Germany."

Footsteps away, another gravestone is marked with the SS lightning bolts proudly worn by the elite Nazi troops who executed most of the crimes of the Holocaust.

Austrian law bans such symbols, and those displaying them face criminal charges and potential prison terms.

Yet the emblems reflecting this country's darkest chapter in history endure here, and officials appear either unable or unwilling to do away with them - despite complaints from locals.

The controversy reflects Austria's complex relationship with the Hitler era.

Annexation by Germany in 1938 enabled Austrians to claim after the war that they were Hitler's first victims.

Austria has moved since to acknowledge that it was instead a perpetrator. It has paid out millions of dollars in reparations, restored property to Jewish heirs and misses no public opportunity to ask for forgiveness for its wartime role.

Some comments by Graz city and church representatives responsible for managing the dispute suggest they see nothing wrong with graveyard Nazi displays.

While acknowledging the mayor's office was uncomfortable with the swastika, the city's spokesman, Thomas Rajakovics, called it an old "symbol in the English world that stands for the sun."

Christian Leibnitz, provost of Graz' Roman Catholic church, said "a lot" of tombstones in the city still displayed the swastika and suggested it had a right to remain in cemeteries as a "political and societal symbol" of the era, even "if I totally oppose this era."

Asked if the church was ready to put up a sign next to the grave explaining how the swastika is associated with Nazi horrors, he demurred, saying symbols displayed on other tombstones might be just as offensive to some people.

Pressed for specifics, he spoke of "anti-religious" symbols on some graves, adding without elaboration that the church was "not necessarily happy" with some of the emblems displayed on the cemetery's Jewish graves.

Austria enacted a law in 1947 banning Nazi symbols that led to the purging of such emblems from Austrian graveyards. Vienna cemeteries spokesman Florian Keusch says he believes none of the 500,000 gravestones in the Austrian capital now has such symbols, "and if we found any they would be removed."

But Rajakovics, the Graz spokesman, and Leibnitz, the church provost, say their hands are tied.

Both claim they are not aware of the grave with the SS symbol. But in the case of the swastika, they cite Graz' top prosecutor, Hans-Joerg Bacher, who ruled that the law prohibiting Nazi displays did not apply to that headstone because it was put up before the law was passed in 1947.

Under that interpretation, Graz officials say it's up to the grave's owner - a German man they refuse to identify - to voluntarily remove the emblem. But that's something they say he refuses to do.

Rajakovics says the city council criticised the headstone years ago, and the church, as the graveyard's owner, "is the only institution that can do something." Leibnitz, in turn, says the Roman Catholic church has "tried going to the politicians and to the state prosecutors" for a solution that has yet to materialise.

Meanwhile, the swastika remains - to the aggravation of its critics, including Austria's Jewish community.

Raimund Fastenbauer, who speaks for Vienna's Jews, said the problem is not with Austria's anti-Nazi laws but a reluctance to enforce them.

"This is disappointing and frustrating," he said.

19.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Bushfire downgraded but threat remains

A bushfire continues to burn out of control in the City of Kwinana, threatening lives and homes. Source: AAP

THE danger from a bushfire in Perth's southern suburbs has been downgraded but authorities warn there is still a threat to lives and homes with conditions expected to change.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) downgraded the emergency warning for Medina, Calista and Leda in the City of Kwinana to a watch-and-act alert at 5.45pm (WST).

While it has been downgraded, DFES says people need to leave the area or prepare to "actively defend their homes" from a fire that has burnt through about 49 hectares.

The blaze is moving northwest and is out of control and dangerous.

"There is a possible threat to lives and homes as a fire is approaching the area and conditions are changing," DFES warns.

"Burning embers are likely to be blown around your home. Spot fires are starting up to 100 metres ahead of the fire."

People who have left the area should not return and those staying to protect their homes shouldn't rely on mains water as pressure may be affected.

"Close all doors and windows, and turn off evaporative air conditioners, but keep water running through the system if possible," DFES advises.

A watch-and-act alert has also been issued for people in Kwinana Beach, east of Rockingham Road and Patterson Road to the railway line in the City of Kwinana.

A bushfire advisory has been issued for people in Orelia, Kwinana Town Centre and Parmelia.

Aerial support has been sent to assist ground crews.

The cause of the fire is unknown.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Problems pile up for security contractor

THE list of embarrassments besetting security contractor Serco is growing on a daily basis, including prisoners and asylum seekers breaking out of custody under their officers' watch.

It emerged on Thursday that a shackled prisoner was left unguarded at Royal Perth Hospital after one guard went to the toilet and another left the room because he didn't want to be alone with the inmate.

That came hours after a young Vietnamese asylum seeker escaped from the same hospital and was recaptured after a city-wide manhunt that lasted about two hours.

And on Monday, four male Vietnamese asylum seekers escaped from the Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre at Northam, east of Perth, but were quickly recaptured.

It was the fourth break out from the facility since mid-August.

Two of the 14 detainees that have broken out during this period are still on the run.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has made his displeasure at Serco clear and on Wednesday revealed he had asked for a reassessment of Yongah Hill detainees so that those at high risk of escaping were placed at a different facility.

A spokeswoman for Mr Morrison said the latest incident involving the young Vietnamese man would "be added to those issues already being reviewed by the government as a result of previous instances of escape".

Earlier this month, rapist Cameron John Graham and fellow inmate Kelden Edward Fraser managed to abscond from Serco's custody by kicking out the door of a prison van at Geraldton airport as they were being transferred to Perth.

They were found 72 hours later at a bush camp near Mullewa.

And on Friday, burglar Bradley John McIntosh-Narrier escaped from Joondalup Health Campus while under Serco's watch.

Guards had removed his handcuffs when he asked to use the toilet, where he ripped a towel rail from the wall to threaten them with before smashing up the room and climbing out through the ceiling.

The Community and Public Sector Union says the WA government needs to reassess its contracts with Serco, which it says does not have enough staff to properly undertake them.

"We are seeing the company saying yes to a raft of different government contracts, getting the money but then failing to deliver," branch secretary Toni Walkington said.

"They are taking on these services that were handled competently by public servants and are then being stretched to the limit and don't have enough staff to get the job done because they are trying to do them as cheap as possible."

In a statement on Thursday, Serco said the officer who left the prisoner unsupervised in hospital while his colleague went to the toilet has been suspended and might be sacked.

The company is investigating the incident, which came to light after complaints from hospital staff last weekend.

"At least two officers are assigned to each hospital sit, which allows for each of them to take comfort and refreshment breaks while the other remains with the prisoner," it said.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

'Asylum-seeker burns issue for Australia'

BRUTALITY claims levelled at the Australian navy by asylum seekers could go unquestioned, with both Australia and Indonesia seemingly reluctant to investigate.

The ABC this week broadcast footage of asylum seekers receiving treatment for burns they claim they suffered when Navy personnel forced them to hold hot engine pipes as they were towed back to Indonesia's Rote Island.

The images surfaced at the same time as non-government group Human Rights Watch criticised Australian government border policies as cruel and demonising.

The Australian government has rejected the claims of mistreatment, and offered to assist an Indonesian police investigation if it means the allegations can be quickly ruled out.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told reporters in Washington she didn't believe Australia's navy would behave in such a manner.

"But of course if there is any co-operation we can extend to ensure that these allegations are scotched then we'd be prepared to do it," she said.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has also dismissed the claims, saying he would take the word of the Australian navy personnel over "people who were attempting to break Australian law".

The police investigation into the claims on Thursday night appeared to be in limbo.

East Nusa Tenggara provincial police say officers are investigating the smugglers, and the boat crew is still at large.

The claims against the Navy were handed to the Indonesian National Police, where spokesman Boy Rafli Amar argued it was really a matter for Australia.

"This case is related to Australia and the one to do the investigation should be Australia because it happened in their territory," he told AAP.

Boy confirmed his officers were co-ordinating with the Australian police attache and were in communication about whether they wanted to run the investigation.

Ms Bishop reiterated Australia's support for the probe on Thursday night, telling the ABC that although the government does not believe its armed forces are above being questioned, the claims go against the navy's reputation for professionalism.

The ground-level co-operation between the two police forces comes despite reports of escalating tensions between the neighbouring nations.

Australia has apologised to Indonesia for naval incursions into its territory but, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, Mr Abbott said stopping asylum-seeker vessels was a "matter of sovereignty" that Jakarta ought to understand.

Following Mr Abbott's comments, Djoko Suyanto, Indonesia's Co-ordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security, said Indonesia would continue to bolster its security forces at sea, to prevent any future breaches.

He said it was also incumbent on Australia to "comprehend the meaning of Indonesia's sovereignty as well".

Ms Bishop told the ABC she and her Indonesian counterpart Marty Natalegawa had progressed to step "three or four" in the six-point plan put forward by Indonesia to restore bilateral relations following last year's spy furore and they were arranging a time to meet.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Govt helping the ACCC, Billson says

THE federal government is working with the competition watchdog to try and fix its dire financial position.

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) revealed late last year that it would run out of money in April.

Minister for Small Business Bill Billson said in a brief statement on Thursday that the federal government was actively working with ACCC chairman Rod Sims to remedy its financial predicament.

Mr Billson did not give details.

Mr Sims told a senate hearing late last year the commission's reserves had been run down over the past three years and it was being asked to do more as the economy grows.

He said the ACCC had undertaken voluntary redundancies and reduced travel and costs.

One of the federal government's plans is to give the ACCC extra powers and funding to ensure price cuts from the carbon tax repeal are passed to consumers.

19.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

US tourist likely killed by elephants

PARK rangers in Thailand have found the body of an American tourist who was apparently trampled to death by elephants in a reserve outside Bangkok.

The woman went missing on January 13 in Thailand's Kaeng Krachan National Park in the western province of Petchaburi, said police Colonel Woradet Suanklaai on Thursday.

She was found crumpled in the woods five days later after a 70-person search team was deployed, and the severity of the injuries indicated she was likely trampled to death.

"Her arms, her wrists and other parts of the body were broken, so we assumed she was trampled by elephants because no humans could have caused such powerful damage to the body," Woradet said.

Police sent the body to a forensic institute in the capital to determine the cause of death, he said.

The US Embassy in Bangkok confirmed the death, but gave no details.

Kaeng Krachan is the largest national park in Thailand, covering nearly 3000sq km of forest. It is 200km southwest of Bangkok.

Woradet said the woman, who was in her 20s, was travelling alone when she left a camping ground in the park.

"Looking at the pictures she took in her camera, we see a lot of animals, birds, snakes, lizards," Woradet said.

"We assumed she wanted to take pictures of elephants because that's what the Kaeng Krachan National Park is famous for. We believed she wanted to find them and take some photos."

19.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

2 bodies found after migrant boat sinks

GREEK officials say the bodies of a woman and an 11-year-old boy have been found a day after a fishing boat crammed with immigrants capsized in the dark, leaving 12 people feared drowned in the Aegean Sea.

A coastguard statement says the two bodies were found on Tuesday by authorities on the nearby Turkish coast.

The crippled vessel, whose engine failed as it was trying to reach Greece illegally, was being towed by a Greek patrol boat when it overturned.

Wednesday's statement says photos of the bodies were identified by some of the 16 survivors. Their nationalities were not announced.

The United Nations refugee agency has expressed dismay at the accident, urging Greece to investigate the circumstances.

Greek authorities say the boat capsized during a panic after two passengers dived overboard.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Abbott says navy claims are baseless

Prime Minister Tony Abbott (L) says Indonesia is Australia's most important single relationship. Source: AAP

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott says there is "absolutely no evidence" to back up claims Australian sailors mistreated asylum seekers during a boat tow-back operation.

Indonesian police are investigating after the ABC aired footage of asylum seekers receiving medical treatment for burns they allege were inflicted when they were forced to hold onto hot engine pipes during a boat tow-back operation to Rote Island.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison denied the allegations on Wednesday, saying people smugglers had reason to fabricate them to undermine Australia's border protection policies, and his comments were backed up by Mr Abbott in Switzerland.

"There's absolutely no evidence for them," said Mr Abbott, in Davos for the World Economic Forum.

"These are just claims without any apparent facts to back them up.

"I fully support the statement of the minister on this subject and I have complete confidence in the decency, the humanity and the professionalism of Australia's naval and customs personnel, who I commend for a magnificent job. A job which is increasingly effective and successful."

Asked if the aired footage constituted as evidence, Mr Abbott said: "Who do you believe?

"Do you believe Australian naval personnel or do you believe people who were attempting to break Australian law? I believe Australian naval personnel."

Okto George Riwu, a spokesman for Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara provincial police, said earlier officers were looking into the allegations but did not yet have evidence to back up the allegations.

Mr Abbott said the claims would not impact upon Australia's longstanding policy of turning back asylum-seeker boats "when it's safe to do so".

The prime minister's comments came after he moved to ease tensions with Indonesia on Tuesday by declaring it was Australia's "most important single relationship".

However, in the wake of the naval infringement controversy, Mr Abbott said Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono must understand border control was a matter of sovereignty for Australia.

Australian Customs and Defence have started a review into the entry of Australian vessels into Indonesian waters after the incursions reignited tensions between the nations.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Woman's body found in Sydney car park

A woman's body has been discovered in a car park in Sydney's south. Source: AAP

A WOMAN'S body has been discovered in a car park in Sydney's south.

Police found the body in a Taren Point car park after being called there on Wednesday afternoon.

Officers spoke with a man at the scene, who is assisting with their inquiries.

Investigations are continuing.

Police believe the woman's death is related to a "domestic incident", a police spokeswoman told AAP.

"It's not a random attack," she said.

She wouldn't say whether the death was being treated as suspicious.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Two shot dead as Ukraine police storm Kiev

Ukraine's opposition has accused President Viktor Yanukovych of fanning violent protests in Kiev. Source: AAP

TWO activists have been shot dead as Ukrainian police stormed protesters' barricades in Kiev, the first fatalities in two months of anti-government protests.

Hours after the deaths were reported on Wednesday, police launched a fresh assault on the protesters in central Kiev, driving into their lines using tear gas and stun grenades.

The protesters fought back in intense clashes, with casualties being loaded into ambulances.

The deadly violence horrified Ukrainians, who have never witnessed such scenes in their country, including during the 2004 Orange Revolution which was almost entirely peaceful.

The EU called for an immediate end to the violence and the US slapped visa restrictions on Ukrainian officials it blamed for cracking down on protesters.

But Ukraine's prime minister labelled the radical protesters behind the clashes as "terrorists".

Wednesday's deaths occurred during chaotic scenes as police marched through the protesters' barricades shortly on Wednesday morning local time on Grushevsky Street in Kiev, an AFP correspondent said.

New clashes broke out as the police arrested protesters and created a large hole in barricades set up behind the burned-out wrecks of destroyed police buses.

Protesters hurled Molotov cocktails and stones while police responded with stun grenades and fired rubber bullets, an AFP correspondent said.

General prosecutors confirmed earlier information from the protest movement that two activists had been shot dead, one of them with wounds to head and chest.

Protesters claimed they were shot by police snipers but this was not confirmed.

Meanwhile, the medical centre of the protest movement said a third activist was killed after falling from the top of the ceremonial entrance to Dynamo stadium near the protests.

With Ukraine supposedly celebrating its annual day of unity, President Viktor Yanukovych prayed for the country at a ceremony to mark the occasion, the presidency said.

Ukraine's Prime Minister Mykola Azarov indicated that the government was in no mood for compromise, savaging the behaviour of the protesters.

"The cynicism and amorality of the terrorists has reached a point that they are throwing Molotov cocktails right at living people," he told a cabinet meeting.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Royal wedding activists lose appeal

ROYAL wedding protesters have lost the latest round in their legal action over how the Metropolitan Police conducted operations when Prince William married Kate Middleton.

When a case brought by 20 individuals, who claimed they were the victims of unlawful searches and arrests, went to London's High Court in 2012, the Met were accused of effectively "suppressing anti-monarchist sentiment" at the time of the April 2011 event.

But Lord Justice Richards and Justice Openshaw ruled that the police, who argued that their action was justified and proportionate, had acted within their powers and were not guilty of operating an unlawful policy.

The 20 were among scores arrested or subjected to searches before or on the wedding day.

One group involved 15 protesters arrested at various locations in London, including at a Starbucks in Oxford Street, Charing Cross and those attending the Queer Resistance zombie picnic in Soho Square.

Their lawyers said the case touched on "the most important of constitutional rights, namely the right to free expression and to protest, both of which are elemental to a properly functioning democracy".

The 2012 finding by the two judges is no longer the subject of challenge but an appeal was brought on behalf of four people on whether the deprivation of their liberty contravened Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

On Wednesday, Lord Justice Maurice Kay, Lord Justice Leveson and Lord Justice Aikens in the Court of Appeal said they were satisfied that the arrests and detentions were lawful.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Teen charged over attempted home invasion

A TEENAGER accused of threatening a middle-aged couple with a shotgun during an alleged attempted home invasion on the NSW south coast has been charged.

The 16-year-old allegedly pointed the gun at a man, 54, and a woman, 53, when they answered his knock on their Wollongong door in the early hours of Saturday.

"The male tried to gain entry, however, the occupants managed to close the door," police said in a statement.

On Tuesday police arrested the teenager at a Wollongong home.

He was charged with offences including special aggravated break and enter.

Bail has been refused for the teenager, who is due before Port Kembla Children's Court in late February.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

UN makes 'mistake' on Iran: Russia

THE UN chief's decision to rescind the invitation to Iran to join this week's Syria peace talks was a mistake but not a catastrophe, Russia's foreign minister said Tuesday.

Sergey Lavrov said that Ban Ki-moon's decision to withdraw his last-minute offer to Iran to attend the conference set to begin on Wednesday in the Swiss resort of Montreux would have a negative impact on the United Nations image.

The invitation to Iran extended by Ban on Sunday put the talks in jeopardy, with the US pushing for rescinding the offer and the Syrian opposition threatening to skip the event entirely.

"This story hasn't helped strengthen the UN authority," Lavrov said at a news conference, adding that recalling the offer looked "unseemly."

The controversy over Iran's participation in the talks reflected deep differences over Syria between the United States and Russia, which has been a key ally of Syria, shielding Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime from the United Nations sanctions and continuing to supply it with weapons throughout the civil war that has killed more than 130,000.

He reaffirmed Russia's stance that the presence of Iran was essential for the success of the talks.

Iran has been Assad's main regional ally, supporting his regime with advisers, money and materiel since the uprising began in 2011.

Lavrov warned that spurning Iran would deepen division lines in the Islamic world and would have a negative impact on global efforts to fight terrorism.

"The absence of Iran isn't going to help strengthen the unity of the world's Muslims," he said.

Lavrov insisted that Russia is not supplying Syria with any weapons that are "banned by international agreements and could destabilise the situation in the region."

At the same time, Lavrov voiced hope for the success of the talks that would put the government and the opposition at the same table for the first time since the start of the conflict three years ago.

"There is no catastrophe, we will push for a dialogue between the Syrian parties without any preconditions," he said.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Indon border trespass to be reviewed

CUSTOMS and Defence have started a review into the entry of Australian vessels into Indonesian waters as part of the government's Operation Sovereign Borders.

In a joint statement Customs and Defence said "the review will assess the sequence of events and cause of Australian vessels entering into Indonesian waters in connection with Operation Sovereign Borders."

Senior officers from Defence and Customs will co-chair the review.

The report is due in a few weeks and may not be made public.

"The (Customs) chief executive officer and chief of the Defence Force will consider release of the review's findings," the statement said.

The incursions into Indonesian territory reignited tensions between Australia and its northern neighbour and Customs and Defence said the review would be conducted as a matter of urgency.

"The joint review will identify any potential procedural weaknesses or deficiencies in maritime operations and make recommendations to ensure that any immediate operational policy or procedure issues are highlighted and rectified promptly."

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Australian killed in US car crash

A 49-YEAR-OLD woman from Victoria has been killed in a three-vehicle crash on a snow-covered road in New York.

Troopers say Carolanne Boulionis was driving a pickup truck too fast for the weather conditions on Route 60 on Monday afternoon when she lost control and crossed into oncoming traffic in the town of Pomfret, 56 kilometres southwest of Buffalo.

Police say her pickup hit a truck, while a third vehicle also sustained damage in the collision.

Boulionis was pronounced dead in hospital. Troopers say she had been in the US for the past month and had been staying in Jamestown.

The truck driver was treated for chest pain. The other driver wasn't injured.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

St Vincent's Hospital welcomes lockouts

A PROMINENT Sydney neurosurgeon has welcomed Premier Barry O'Farrell's proposed restrictions on trading hours for licensed venues in an effort to combat drunken violence.

St Vincent's Hospital neurosurgeon Dr Mark Winder has in recent weeks treated victims of king-hits - unexpected single blows that can result in death.

"For every hour we see a reduction in alcohol trading in the Kings Cross and CBD area, we are confident of seeing a major reduction in the amount of alcohol-related presentations that will come through our emergency department doors," Dr Winder said in a statement.

"We welcome the NSW government's decision to introduce 1.30am lockouts and 3am closures around the city.

"This will go a long way to reducing some of the horrific injuries that I, and many of my surgical colleagues, have had to contend with in recent times."

St Vincent's Hospital treated one-punch victims Thomas Kelly and Daniel Christie, who died in separate incidents in nearby Kings Cross.

Mr O'Farrell on Tuesday announced a legislative package aimed at curbing alcohol-fuelled assaults on Sydney streets and beyond.

Laws would include mandatory minimum jail terms for serious alcohol and drug-related assaults, forced drug and alcohol testing, earlier closing times for bottle shops and early-morning lockouts for big inner Sydney bars.

The Salvation Army has welcomed the measures proposed by the government, but wants alcohol promotion to be reformed.

Pricing off booze, particularly from bottlos, must also be examined, the Salvation Army's director of recovery services, Gerard Byrne, said.

"While mandatory closing times for bottle shops is a positive step, it still won't stop young people from stocking up on cheap drinks and getting drunk well before heading out to the clubs and pubs," he said in a statement.

"The message young people seem to receive when it comes to alcohol is one of glamour and not the negative side-effects which come as a result of binge drinking."

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Accused baby-basher faces Qld court

A NORTH Queensland mother accused of punching her baby girl in the face has appeared in court.

Police say a passer-by allegedly saw the 29-year-old punch the crying baby, who was in a pram on a footpath, in the Townsville suburb of North Ward on Saturday afternoon.

The baby was taken to hospital with bruises and was in a stable condition on Monday.

The mother appeared briefly before the Townsville Magistrates Court on Monday charged with assault occasioning bodily harm.

She was granted bail and will reappear in court on February 7.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Cameras found in SA Tour toilets: police

SECRET cameras have been found in the female and male toilets at the Tour Down Under village in central Adelaide.

A member of the public found what he believed to be a hidden camera in the Victoria Square male toilets late on Monday afternoon, police say.

The black device resembled a double towel hook and was mounted on the wall.

Police removed the device, which was off and not transmitting at the time.

A second device was found in the female toilets.

Police said any images captured appeared to be stored on SD cards which also have been seized.

The other toilets at Victoria Square have been checked, but no other devices have been found.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

SA fires continue, but Barossa gets Tour

Firefighters are continuing to battle SA blazes, which have destroyed 16 homes and 33 buildings. Source: AAP

FIREFIGHTERS are still battling blazes across South Australia, which have been estimated to have caused $10 million worth of property damage.

But the Country Fire Service (CFS) says that only the Bangor fire in the Southern Flinders Ranges remains subject to a watch and act alert.

Premier Jay Weatherill on Monday afternoon visited the firegrounds at Eden Valley in the Barossa.

After being briefed by the CFS, he told journalists that property losses included 16 homes, 33 other buildings, about 18 vehicles, kilometres and kilometres of fencing and about 1700 head of stock.

Preliminary estimates put the damage loss at around $10 million, the premier said.

State forest loss in the state's mid-north was in the order of $7 million, he added.

The government was providing assistance and support to people at the 200 affected farm properties.

He repeated his thanks to the volunteer firefighters, saying their extraordinary and courageous effort meant many losses were averted in the face of a very frightening fire.

"There have been some incredible saves, but also some tragic losses," Mr Weatherill said.

Tour Down Under organisers earlier confirmed that stage one of the race would go ahead after earlier fears it might have to be cancelled due to the bushfires.

The two races are in the Barossa region and will finish at Angaston.

The premier said this was great news for people in the Barossa who had put up with a "very frightening and, in some cases, damaging experience" and who would now get to celebrate the race.

"It would have been a cruel thing if it was taken off them, just at a time when it was going to bring a lot of money into the economy," he said.

The race also would give them something happy to focus on, he added.

More than 445,000 hectares of grass, scrub, forest and bushlands has been burnt since fires started last Tuesday.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Firefighters escape serious injury in NSW

FIREFIGHTERS in northern NSW have had a lucky escape from one of their trucks that caught alight in a sudden wind change.

Crews were protecting properties around Moree on Monday evening when a sudden wind change blew a fast-moving grass blaze towards a truck parked between homes and the fire front.

"The truck was engulfed in a matter of seconds, with firefighters quickly abandoning their vehicle and seeking refuge nearby from the fire," Fire and Rescue NSW commissioner Greg Mullins said in a statement.

"Trucks and equipment can be replaced but people cannot and I am thankful that no one has been injured in this incident."

There have been no confirmed property losses in the area.

A replacement vehicle has been sent from the New England region.

Firefighters will continue to battle the three-hectare fire throughout Monday night.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Foreign soldier killed in Afghan attack

AN assault by suicide bombers and gunmen against a NATO base in southern Afghanistan has killed one service member, the coalition says.

The statement said the attack involved a suicide car bomb and gunmen wearing vests with explosives.

It added that all the attackers were killed and that the base received moderate damage to its perimeter.

The nationality of the service member was not released.

Jawed Faisal, a spokesman for the governor of eastern Kandahar, said nine insurgents took part in the attack against the base in Zhari district.

Zhari is located west of Kandahar city.

The Taliban have intensified a campaign against Afghan and international forces as foreign troops withdraw this year.

The southern province of Kandahar is the birthplace of the Taliban.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Baby panda Bao Bao makes her bow

Baby panda Bao Bao made her first public appearance at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington. Source: AAP

BABY panda Bao Bao, born in captivity a little less than five months ago, has made her first public appearance at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington.

Scores of people queued from as early as 6am to see Bao Bao, born of the giant panda Mei Xiang, which had previously made several unsuccessful attempts to conceive a cub.

Since 2005, the Washington zoo had not seen the successful birth of a panda, so now the newcomer is attracting crowds of visitors and has led to visiting hours being extended.

Bao Bao was born on August 23, now weighs 9kg and is very healthy despite the frosty temperatures in the US capital.

The artificial habitat of pandas in the National Zoo has been closed to the public for six months, and a lot of fans waited impatiently for it to reopen.

The natural habitat of giant pandas is in the mountains and leafy bamboo groves of central China, where an estimated 1600 still live. Another 300 live in captivity in zoos around the world.

Scientists believe that pandas live longer in captivity but are less fertile, making the success rate for the conception of cubs lower than it is in the wild.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Woman in court over 3-year-old's death

A 33-YEAR-OLD woman will appear in a Scottish court after being arrested and charged in connection with the death of three-year-old Mikaeel Kular.

Police did not name the woman, although it has been widely reported that Rosdeep Kular, the mother of the missing Edinburgh boy, was being questioned by officers after a child's body was discovered in Fife, kilometres from his home.

The development was announced late Saturday (GMT) by Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Malcolm Graham.

"During the course of today, the investigation into the disappearance of Mikaeel Kular has continued at pace," he said.

"Following formal identification, I can now confirm that a 33-year-old woman has been arrested and charged in connection with Mikaeel's death.

"The woman is expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday."

A major police investigation was launched to trace Mikaeel after he was reported missing from his home in Edinburgh's Ferry Gait Crescent on Thursday.

More than 200 members of the public joined police and other agencies in their searches for the youngster in the Drylaw area of the capital on Friday.

Officers searching for the three-year-old found remains - now identified as those of Mikaeel - in Kirkcaldy, Fife, shortly before midnight that day.

Mr Graham expressed his thanks to all those who aided police in recent days.

More than 500 calls were made by the public to a dedicated phone line set up after Mikaeel's disappearance, he revealed.

"I would like to again recognise the overwhelming public assistance that Police Scotland have received during the course of this very complex investigation," he said.

"This includes his family and friends, with whom our thoughts remain."

Mr Graham said he would be unable to answer further questions about the investigation.

Mikaeel's body was removed from a wooded area behind a property in Dunvegan Avenue, Kirkcaldy.

Pandeep Kular, 37, Mikaeel's aunt, sobbed as she told the Sunday People newspaper: "We're devastated. I'm with the kids."

She said she had not spoken with her sister, saying: "I'm not aware of anything. I'm just with my family in the house. That's all I can say. We've just lost him."

Floral tributes, soft toys and candles have been placed at a small park in the Drylaw area, around the corner from the flat where Mikaeel lived on Ferry Gait Crescent.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Man dies in Melbourne kayaking accident

A MAN has died in a kayaking accident on a Melbourne creek.

Police believe the man, in his 20s, got into difficulty while kayaking just before 8pm (AEDT) on Sunday, prompting a passer-by to come to his aid then attempting to revive him.

The man, who is yet to be identified, died at the scene in Kananook Creek, in Seaford in Melbourne's southeast.

The exact cause of the man's death is yet to be determined, however police say it is not suspicious.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Innocence of kids non-negotiable: Vatican

THE "most terrible" cases of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy have come to light, but the Church should not lower its guard, says the Vatican's former sex crimes prosecutor.

Malta Auxiliary Bishop Charles Scicluna told the Sunday Times of Malta that he expected the number of priests banned from the clergy on pedophile charges to stabilise at around 100 per year, after a peak of 384 cases in 2011-12.

"It's not the time for complacency, but time to be aware and proactive. The innocence of children is non-negotiable," said Scicluna, who until 2012 worked at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican's disciplinary watchdog.

He said the spike in defrocking cases recorded in 2011-12 was due to a backlog of cases.

The figures were publicised after Thursday's hearing of the Holy See before the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, in which Scicluna and another Vatican envoy were grilled about the long-running worldwide scandal of pedophile priests.

Scicluna said facing eight hours of questioning "was tough".

He added: "There is worldwide recognition of the work churches do, but when you have some priests who do awful things, they create not only headlines, but huge concern."

The prelate said the hurt done to the victims still pained him.

"This is the most tragic wound; a wound inflicted on the Church. These are great wounds inflicted by those who should have been of service to the community," he said.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Egyptian army says top Sinai militant dead

EGYPTIAN army forces have killed the military commander of the al-Tawhid Wal Jihad group in Sinai, military spokesman Colonel Ahmed Ali says.

Ahmed Hamdan Harb al-Maneiy, also known as Abu Mariam, was killed in the northern Sinai town of al-Mahdiya during anti-jihad operations, Ali said.

"The military was able to kill three Islamist figures, including Abu Mariam, in an exchange of fire between the militants and the army," he added.

There have been regular attacks by militants in the Sinai peninsula since the uprising that overthrew long-term president Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

They have intensified since the military deposed president Mohamed Morsi in July.

In August, the military launched a major campaign against Islamist militants in the region, the second in as many years.

But local residents have complained of unjustified arrests and strikes on civilian buildings.

Al-Tawhid Wal Jihad is one of several jihadist groups active in Sinai, including Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, which claimed responsiblity for several attacks targeting police forces in different provinces across Egypt.

19.51 | 0 komentar | Read More