US job openings near 13-year high

THE number of US job openings remained near the highest level in 13 years in July, and companies also stepped up hiring that month to the fastest pace in nearly seven years.

THE Labor Department says that available jobs ticked down 2,000 to 4.67 million in July.

The drop was led by a decline in government job postings, while businesses actually posted slightly more jobs.Total hiring jumped 81,000 to 4.87 million, the highest level since December 2007, when the recession began.That indicates that companies are more likely to fill their open jobs.The report, known as the Job Openings and Labor Turnover survey or JOLTS, provides a more detailed look at the job market than the monthly employment report.

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UK sham weddings 'on industrial scale'

A UK vicar conducted hundreds of sham weddings so foreign nationals could stay in the country, a London court has been told.

REVEREND Nathan Ntege, 55, is accused of marrying almost 500 bogus couples at a church in Thornton Heath, south-east London.

The jury at Inner London Crown Court was told on Tuesday that Ntege was the "lynchpin" of a group that facilitated a "matrimonial conveyor belt" at St Jude's with St Aidan Church."The weddings that form the subject of this case were neither conducted correctly or legally and their sole purpose was to facilitate an industrial scale abuse of the system of immigration control within the UK," prosecutor Edward Lucas told the court.He said that many of the marriage involved EEA (European Economic Area) nationals - mainly Bulgarian - marrying non-EEA nationals so the latter could attempt to seek to remain in the UK.Immigration officers became suspicious because of the "inordinate number of weddings that were taking place at the parish church", which rose from six a year to six a day.Lucas said the weddings were "somewhat farcical".He spoke of several brides sharing the same wedding dress and queuing up at the back of the church waiting to get married.Speaking about one bride, he told the jury: "It is possible to see the back of her bra in the photos where it is apparent that she couldn't do the dress up at the back because it was too small for her."There were six other defendants in the dock as the prosecution case was opened for the 12-week trial.All the defendants deny all of the charges.

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Attenborough returns to Great Barrier Reef

SIR David Attenborough is returning to the Great Barrier Reef for a new BBC series, almost six decades after he first filmed there.

THE veteran wildlife presenter will front three hour-long films from the natural wonder off the coast of Australia, using sophisticated techniques to examine the array of creatures in new ways.

The series, to be called David Attenborough's Great Barrier Reef, is being made by the team behind the award-winning First Life and is expected to be screened late next year.They will use techniques such as satellite scanning to examine the 2300km reef, as well as macro lenses on the cameras that will enable viewers to close in on tiny and normally unseen creatures.Sir David first filmed on the reef for the series Zoo Quest in 1957, and has retained his passion for the location."People say to me, 'what was the most magical thing you ever saw in your life?', and I always say, without a word of exaggeration, 'the first time I was lucky enough to scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef'," Sir David said."As I entered the water I remember suddenly seeing these amazing multi-coloured species living in communities - just astounding and unforgettable beauty. So I'm very excited to be returning to the reef with all the latest technology and science to see one of the most important places on the planet in a whole new way".

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Google's EU antitrust woes extended

'Quick response' needed on UFOs

A LEADING Australian researcher has called for the launch of a quick response team to investigate UFO sightings across Australia within hours of them being reported.

Stress tests for burnt-out teachers

STRESSED-out teachers will be given vitamin supplements and have their brains scanned in a Melbourne-based trial aimed at tackling the ­condition.

IS clan link to Victorian charity

MELBOURNE relatives of Islamic State fighters are part of a state-registered group that is raising money to be sent to the Syrian war zone.

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Brisbane man charged after plane diverted

'Quick response' needed on UFOs

A LEADING Australian researcher has called for the launch of a quick response team to investigate UFO sightings across Australia within hours of them being reported.

Stress tests for burnt-out teachers

STRESSED-out teachers will be given vitamin supplements and have their brains scanned in a Melbourne-based trial aimed at tackling the ­condition.

IS clan link to Victorian charity

MELBOURNE relatives of Islamic State fighters are part of a state-registered group that is raising money to be sent to the Syrian war zone.

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Pregnancy news is splendid: Charles

THE Prince of Wales has described becoming a grandfather for the second time as "splendid" news.

CHARLES appeared in good spirits when he was quizzed about the announcement that the Duchess of Cambridge is pregnant, and when a well-wisher congratulated him, he quipped: "What did I do?"

He was questioned by the family of a successful young entrepreneur helped by the Prince's Trust, who opened up her leather upholstery studio in Bermondsey, south London, for a royal visit.Demi Owoseje gave the heir to the throne a quick demonstration of her technique renovating a dilapidated chair.But when her sister Toyin and mother Elizabeth were introduced to the Prince there was only one subject on their mind - Kate's pregnancy.Toyin congratulated Charles first and he said: "What did I do?""It hasn't arrived yet - (but) splendid, we're very excited," he added.The entrepreneur's mother said after meeting the Prince: "I asked him how he felt about becoming a grandfather for a second time and he asked me if I had any grandchildren. Not yet, my daughter's too busy with her business."He said the baby was part of life's experiences and he seemed quite happy about it."

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Ebola cases number more than 4000

THE number of people infected with Ebola has climbed to more than 4000 in the three West African countries at the centre of the epidemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.

IN Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, there were 4269 suspected and confirmed cases and 2288 deaths as of Saturday, the UN health agency said on Tuesday.

"The increase in cases continues to accelerate in countries with widespread and intense transmission," the organisation said.Meanwhile, the United States said it would send 100 additional health workers to West Africa to assist local authorities in isolating and treating patients suffering from the deadly Ebola virus.Washington will contribute $US10 million ($A11 million) to pay for the aid workers and fresh supplies, bringing total US aid to $US185 million.WHO has said that at least $US600 million dollars will be needed to control the outbreak.Since the WHO's last update on Friday, the number of Ebola infections increased by 325 and the death toll by 191 in the three countries.Most of the transmission hot spots were located in Liberia and Sierra Leone over the last three weeks.There have also been 21 cases and eight deaths in Nigeria, and three cases in Senegal, WHO said.The US funding will supply 1000 new beds, 130,000 sets of personal protective equipment, 50,000 hygiene kits, 25 doctors, 45 nurses and additional workers to run isolated treatment units."The US is committed to supporting the African Union's response to the urgent needs across West Africa as a result of this vicious disease. We can and will stop this epidemic, but it will take a coordinated effort by the entire global community," USAID Administrator Dr Rajiv Shah said.In a related development, a fourth patient infected with the Ebola virus arrived for treatment at Atlanta, Georgia-based Emory University Hospital on Tuesday morning, the hospital said.In August, the hospital treated and released two Americans who received the experimental Ebola treatment ZMapp, supplies of which have since run out.The medical establishment is currently working on other vaccines and treatments.Another American infected with the Ebola virus was receiving experimental medication as part of his treatment in a biocontainment unit in a hospital in Nebraska.

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Marchioness victims remembered 25 years on

FAMILIES bereaved by London's Marchioness party boat tragedy will attend a memorial service on Wednesday to mark the 25th anniversary of the disaster, which claimed 51 lives, including that of five Australians.

IT was on August 20, 1989, the riverboat Marchioness, packed with 131 partygoers, collided with the dredger Bowbelle and sank in the Thames in central London.

The average age of the passengers was 22. Many of them worked in the fashion industry.On Wednesday at Southwark Cathedral, close to the accident site, Linda Hunt, who lost her daughter Julie, 26, in the tragedy, will read out the names of the dead.Another bereaved mother, Judy Wellington, whose son Simon, 20, was lost on the Marchioness, will deliver a Bible reading at the Marchioness memorial stone in the cathedral, which will be adorned with 51 red roses; 51 candles will be lit to honour each of the dead.Among those who died was Francesca Dallaglio, 19, the sister of former England rugby captain Lawrence Dallaglio and merchant banker Antonio de Vasconcellos, whose 26th birthday was being celebrated aboard the Marchioness.The Australian victims included Shirleen Manning, 28, of Brisbane. She had been a model and working in London for six months before attending the riverboat birthday party.Dianne Lim, 26, of Sydney, was among dozens trapped in the cabin as the vessel listed and sank.The friend with whom she went to the party, Sydney arts student Jonathan Davis, 22, was flung out an open hatch into the Thames. He survived, as did another model friend, Kate McGurgan. They were among the 80 people saved that night.Among those attending on Wednesday will be Margaret Lockwood Croft, 75, who lost her son Shaun, 26, in the disaster. Through the Marchioness Action group she spearheaded the campaign for improved Thames safety standards which eventually led to lifeboat services being provided on the Thames.The bereaved families had to endure a 10-year wait for the announcement of a public inquiry into the disaster following an earlier 1991 report from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB).That first report said the failure of both vessels to mount a proper lookout was the immediate cause of the tragedy. This was the same conclusion reached by Lord Justice Clarke when his 2001 report was published after the public inquiry, announced in 1999, was finally held.While the MAIB report said there were marine regulation faults going back 25 years, the Clarke report said it was "a catastrophe that should never have happened".In the years between the two inquiries the families had to absorb the news the Bowbelle captain, Douglas Henderson, was formally acquitted after juries at two separate trials failed to reach verdicts on a charge of his failing to keep a proper lookout.The families also had to come to terms with the decision by Westminster Coroner Dr Paul Knapman to cut off the hands of more than 20 of the Marchioness victims for identification purposes - an action criticised in the Clarke report.The Clarke report was also critical of Capt Henderson, who had drunk six pints of lager in the afternoon before the tragedy. There was also criticism of the owners of both vessels.An inquest jury into the disaster returned a verdict of "unlawful killing". In July 1996 the Crown Prosecution Service said there was insufficient evidence to justify any further criminal proceedings.AUSTRALIANS WHO DIED IN THE MARCHIONESS:- David Ayres, Sydney- John Clarke, St Clair, NSW- Dianne Lim, Sydney- Shirleen Manning, Brisbane- Angela Plevey, Blue MountainsAUSTRALIANS WHO SURVIVED:- Jonathan Davis, NSW- Rod Lay, WA- Kate McGurgan, NSW- Miles Miller, NSW

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Famous UK doctor on voyeurism charges

A LEADING consultant held a Bible in his hand and silently whispered a prayer as he sat in a court dock accused of using hidden equipment to spy on 100 patients in hospital toilets.

WORLD-RENOWNED hearing specialist Dr Lam Hoe Yeoh allegedly secretly recorded intimate images of patients, colleagues and visitors using secret cameras he rigged up.

Men, women and children are understood to have been caught in the clips.The 61-year-old, who is also known by the first name Robin, was arrested at the privately-run St Anthony's Hospital in Surrey in April this year after an alleged victim contacted police.He faces 29 counts of voyeurism, two counts of making indecent images of a child, and two of possessing extreme pornography.The father-of-three also faces another count of voyeurism covering 70 unknown victims allegedly secretly filmed by the doctor.Yeoh appeared on Tuesday at Croydon Crown Court in south London accompanied by his wife.The greying doctor clutched a blue hardback Bible, locked his hands together against his face, closed his eyes and silently mouthed a prayer during the brief hearing.Yeoh spoke only to confirm his name to the court clerk.Judge Warwick McKinnon adjourned the case until September 16 when Yeoh is expected to enter a formal plea. Yeoh was remanded on bail.

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Physically-fit children brainier: study

PHYSICALLY-FIT children are officially brainier than their punier peers, new research has confirmed.

SCIENTISTS found that aerobically fit nine- and 10-year-olds had denser regions of "white matter" in their brains.

White matter consists of bundles of nerve fibres, or axons, that connect different brain regions.Previous research has linked physical fitness in children to larger brain volumes of "grey matter" - the cell bodies of neurons.US lead researcher Dr Laura Chaddock-Heyman, from the University of Illinois, said: "This study extends our previous work and suggests that white-matter structure may be one additional mechanism by which higher-fit children outperform their lower-fit peers on cognitive tasks and in the classroom."The team used a brain scanning technique called diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to examine five white-matter tracts in the brains of 24 volunteer children.The system works by analysing water diffusion into tissues. For white matter, less water diffusion means the tissue is more fibrous and compact - both desirable traits.Significant fitness-related differences were seen in several key white matter regions, including the corpus callosum which joins the brain's left and right hemispheres.Two others were the superior longitudinal fasciculus, a pair of structures connecting two of the four major lobes in the brain's cerebral cortex, and the superior corona radiata which links the cerebral cortex to the brain stem."All of these tracts have been found to play a role in attention and memory," said Dr Chaddock-Heyman.The research is reported in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.Although the team did not test the children's mental performance, previous research has demonstrated a link between aerobic fitness and increasing thinking ability.

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Aust, Indonesia to discuss terror threat

FEDERAL Justice Minister Michael Keenan will seek to regenerate the close working relationship with Indonesia on counter-terrorism that grew out of the Bali bombings.

THE minister visits Indonesia on Wednesday as both nations confront the emerging threat of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) recruiting and radicalising citizens.

It comes also as both countries heal a diplomatic rift that could have diminished intelligence co-operation at this vital time.There are reports as many as 150 Australians have joined the ISIL cause, and while Indonesia estimates around 60 of its citizens are involved, it's believed the real number could be closer to 200.Mr Keenan will visit the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Co-operation (JCLEC) in Semarang, central Java, on Wednesday.He will pay tribute to the Australian and Indonesian police who responded after shared tragedies such as the MH17 crash and the terror attack at the Australian embassy in Jakarta in 2004.September 9 marks 10 years since that bombing, which claimed 11 Indonesian lives and injured more than 200 others.At an event to mark a decade of the JCLEC, the minister will flag the importance of co-operation on the new danger of nationals fighting in Iraq and Syria."I think both countries acknowledge that much work remains to be done - the threat we all now face is growing, both in terms of size and complexity."Australia and Indonesia established the JCLEC in the wake of the 2002 Bali bombings to strengthen counter-terror co-operation. It was established in 2004.Although bilateral co-operation on security was officially frozen in November - after Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono learned of Australian efforts to spy on him - the neighbours have acted on the threat of ISIL in unison.Dr Yudhoyono this month declared a ban on Indonesians supporting the group, also known as ISIS and Islamic State.A day later, Prime Minister Tony Abbott proposed beefed-up terror laws.SBY's move came after Bali bombing mastermind Abu Bakar Bashir pledged an oath to ISIS from his jail cell.A new code of conduct, sought by Indonesia to restore intelligence co-operation, has been completed and is expected to be signed before the end of the month.FACTS ON THE JAKARTA CENTRE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT CO-OPERATION:- The centre was established by the Indonesian and Australian governments in February 2004- It has trained more than 16,000 participants from more than 70 countries- JCLEC co-ordinates a range of training programs on transnational crimes, with counter-terrorism the priority- The Australian Federal Police and Indonesia National Police jointly manage the centre- The additional countries contributing to funding include Canada, Denmark, New Zealand, Britain and the US.

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Home Depot profit climbs 14 per cent

Muslim leaders reject PM talks

TALKS on preventing radicalisation of Melbourne youths will be held between the Napthine Government and Islamic groups after some prominent leaders boycotted talks with Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

Taxing time for tutu gardener

A TUTU-wearing gardener has been forced to shut up shop over $200,000 in unpaid taxes as one customer protests about not getting a plants order.

Gun lie a shot in the dark

A MOTHER and daughter concocted a bizarre tale about a mysterious Arab bursting into their home and firing a gun to explain away a shooting accident, a judge heard.

Breeders face bans over cruelty convictions

VICTORIANS with animal cruelty convictions would be banned from running breeding businesses under new laws to be introduced to Parliament.

Mine blaze briefings shemozzle

THE woman in charge of briefing Morwell locals on the mine fire conceded they were "seeing one thing and being told another", it has emerged.

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Italian military jets collide: report

ITALIAN news reports say two Italian Tornado fighter jets have collided over eastern Italy during a training mission and crashed into a wooded area that caught fire.

A CIVIL Protection official, Susanna Balducci, told Sky TG24 TV there were no civilian casualties on the ground after the crash on Tuesday afternoon in woods near the town of Ascoli, but she had no details about the fate of those aboard the aircraft.

Defence Ministry officials say they're awaiting an official report from the field before making any statement.Balducci said a firefighting helicopter was trying to extinguish the blaze.Witnesses quoted in Italian news reports said they saw two military planes flying low near Ascoli, then heard a crash and saw flames.

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Gammy's mum may face Thai charges

Terror poses threat on home soil

AUSTRALIA has traditionally been thought of as the home of sun, surf, Foster's beer and kangaroos but we are increasingly becoming known for an uglier type of cultural export — angry young men.

Abbott unveils anti-Jihadist laws

NEW laws making it easier to arrest suspected terrorists, detain them without charge and revoke their passports are to go before Parliament in an overhaul of Australia's anti-terror laws.

Docs want docket booze ads banned

ALCOHOL ads on receipts should be banned and it is time for archaic communications between hospitals and GPs to be overhauled, say doctors.

Baby Gammy's dad's 'indecent' past

THE Australian husband in the Thailand surrogacy row involving baby Gammy has served a sentence in jail for indecently dealing with a child under 13, it has been claimed.

Ricky Muir sacks adviser over sick day

FURTHER turmoil has gripped the office of Australian Motoring Enthusiasts Party Senator Ricky Muir, with a second adviser sacked and escorted from Parliament House by security guards.

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Hearing rescheduled in Justin Bieber case

A MIAMI-DADE County judge has postponed a hearing to determine whether Justin Bieber will be tried on charges of driving under the influence and resisting arrest.

THE judge on Tuesday postponed the hearing August 13 at the request of prosecutors and Bieber's attorney.

Bieber was arrested January 23 in Miami Beach after what police described as an illegal street race between Bieber and a friend.Alcohol breath tests found Bieber's level below the 0.02 limit for underage drivers, but urine tests showed the presence of marijuana and an anti-anxiety drug.Bieber also was charged with driving on an expired license.It's unknown whether Bieber will attend next week's hearing.

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Family payments under scrutiny in report

THE government must fix existing family payments instead of focusing on its expensive paid parental scheme if it wants to improve female workplace participation, a conservative think tank warns.

THE current system is complex, difficult for families to navigate and discourages parents to work, the Centre for Independent Studies says in a report to be released on Wednesday.

The report examined 10 different family payments - including family tax benefits A and B, the school kids bonus and single parent payments - and calls for an overhaul.It says the payments overlap, have different goals and create disincentives for people to work due to payment withdrawal as a result of earnings.And that's not helping the government reach its goal of improving workforce participation, particularly among women, it argues.But report author Trisha Jha says throwing money at the complex system, in the form of childcare subsidies or the government's proposed paid parental leave scheme, will not fix the problems.Instead, the government must reform family tax benefits to reduce the impact of high effective marginal tax rates, simplify the income test for family tax benefit A and frame child care as a workforce participation measure."Not only is child care in itself a massive impost on families but the combined effect is a system that sometimes pays for people not to work at capacity," she said.A recently released interim report on welfare reform proposes cutting payment categories from 20 to four: a tiered working-age payment, a disability support pension, an age pension and a child payment.The new child payment would replace Family Tax Benefit Part A, Youth Allowance, Abstudy and other payments.But Ms Jha says the interim report failed to recognise the problems of payment withdrawal when a parent starts working and the consequences for work incentives.The government has faced criticism over its proposed paid parental scheme which would pay up to $50,000 to mothers of newborn babies.The scheme is due to start in July next year.

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Target lowers forecast

TARGET has lowered its second-quarter forecast citing the promotional discounts it had to use to attract shoppers.

THE Minneapolis-based retailer also said on Tuesday it expects gross expenses tied to a massive data breach this past winter to come to $US148 million ($A160 million) in the period, which will be offset by $US38 million in insurance.

It also paid $US1 billion to retire $US725 million in debt.Target Corp has been reeling since it announced in December that hackers stole millions of customers' credit and debit-card records.The theft hurt the chain's reputation and profits and spawned dozens of legal actions.Target is facing troubles on a number of other fronts as well, including the perceptions that its prices are higher than those at Wal-Mart Stores Inc.The company's expansion into Canada, its first foray outside the US, has also been a disappointment, with analysts saying Target botched its expansion by moving too aggressively.For its second quarter, Target said it expects sales to be flat at established locations in the US, as "guests continue to spend cautiously and focus on value" and that promotional discounts are expected to hurt profit margins.Sales are expected to be "somewhat softer" at its stores in Canada as well.The company now expects to earn about 78 cents per share for the quarter, excluding one-time items, down from the 85 cents to $US1 per share it previously forecast.When factoring in the costs related to the data breach and the debt repayment, reported earnings per share are expected to be about 41 cent lower than that adjusted figure.

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US child dies after playground stabbing

US police say a nine-year-old boy has died after being stabbed repeatedly by another child at a playground in Michigan.

POLICE said in a statement that Michael Conner Verkerke ran to his home on Monday evening after being stabbed and collapsed on the porch.

An ambulance was called and he died after being taken to a hospital.Witnesses told police four children were playing when one of them, for an unknown reason, pulled a knife and stabbed the boy.Police say the child who stabbed him was taken to a hospital for evaluation before being taken to the Kent County Juvenile Detention Center, pending charges.Police didn't release details about the child, but local media have reported that he's a 12-year-old.

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Year-over-year US home prices show a slowi

Terror poses threat on home soil

AUSTRALIA has traditionally been thought of as the home of sun, surf, Foster's beer and kangaroos but we are increasingly becoming known for an uglier type of cultural export — angry young men.

Abbott unveils anti-Jihadist laws

NEW laws making it easier to arrest suspected terrorists, detain them without charge and revoke their passports are to go before Parliament in an overhaul of Australia's anti-terror laws.

Docs want docket booze ads banned

ALCOHOL ads on receipts should be banned and it is time for archaic communications between hospitals and GPs to be overhauled, say doctors.

Baby Gammy's dad's 'indecent' past

THE Australian husband in the Thailand surrogacy row involving baby Gammy has served a sentence in jail for indecently dealing with a child under 13, it has been claimed.

Ricky Muir sacks adviser over sick day

FURTHER turmoil has gripped the office of Australian Motoring Enthusiasts Party Senator Ricky Muir, with a second adviser sacked and escorted from Parliament House by security guards.

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US service-sector index jumps

US services firms grew at the fastest rate in more than eight years in July, the latest sign of an economy picking up speed in the second half of the year.

THE Institute for Supply Management, a trade group of purchasing managers, says its service-sector index jumped to 58.7, up from 56 in June.

Any figure above 50 indicates expansion.June's reading is the highest since December 2005.A measure of sales soared to its highest level in more than three years, and a gauge of new orders jumped to its highest reading in nearly eight years.Faster growth in services should help accelerate growth and hiring.Manufacturing expanded at the fastest pace in nearly three years in July, according to a separate ISM report released Friday.

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'Smart glasses' hope for blind

BRITISH-DESIGNED "smart glasses" that provide a new set of eyes for the visually impaired are being tested in public for the first time.

THE devices, which use a pair of video cameras to enhance residual vision, have the potential to transform the lives of thousands of registered blind people in the UK.

The glasses are being trialled by 30 visually impaired volunteers at testing venues in Oxford and Cambridge.Dr Stephen Hicks, of the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences at Oxford University, who led development of the glasses, said: "The idea of the smart glasses is to give people with poor vision an aid that boosts their awareness of what's around them - allowing greater freedom, independence and confidence to get about, and a much improved quality of life."We eventually want to have a product that will look like a regular pair of glasses and cost no more than a few hundred pounds - about the same as a smart phone."The device consists of a pair of video cameras mounted in a headset, a pocket-sized computer processor, and software that projects images of close-by objects onto displays in the see-through eye pieces.The software interprets nearby surroundings to make important objects such as kerbs, tables, chairs or groups of people stand out more clearly.In some cases, details such as facial features can become easier to see.Of the more than 300,000 severely sight impaired people in the UK, it is believed about a third could benefit from the technology.Twenty volunteers with a range of eye conditions and levels of vision took part in preliminary tests of an earlier version of the glasses conducted last year by the Oxford team.The new trials are being conducted with support from the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).

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Liberia links seven more deaths to Ebola

A HEALTH official says seven people believed to have the Ebola virus have died in recent days in the Liberian capital, in the first reported deaths in Monrovia.

DEPUTY Health Minister Tolbert Nyenswah said on Tuesday that brings to 16 the number of people believed to have died from the virus in the West African country since the outbreak began.

The deaths are worrying because no new cases had been confirmed in Liberia in more than two months.The outbreak appears to have begun in neighbouring Guinea and has also spread to Sierra Leone. In all, the World Health Organisation says nearly 250 people have died of the virus, which causes severe bleeding and high fever.

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Complaints about data fees on the rise

MORE mobile users are complaining of being hit with up to thousands of dollars in fees for exceeding data limits.

THE Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman says overall mobile and network complaints dropped by almost a fifth in the first three months of the year, compared to early 2013.

But while complaints about faults such as slow data speeds dropped 67 per cent, disputes over excess data charges rose by nearly a third.Ombudsman Simon Cohen says mobile plan customers have been shocked to discover huge charges for exceeding their data cap."Commonly we are seeing consumers come to us with complaints in the hundreds to thousands of dollars," he told AAP."It might be the case where the consumer has a low cost service but the amount charged for excessive data use is at a very high rate, and as a result the charge they received is many times the regular monthly bill they were expecting."Many consumers felt the charges weren't properly explained to them from the beginning, and that they couldn't get the telecommunications provider to properly hear their complaint."A great deal of clarity of how customers are being charged is critical to reducing problems down the track," Mr Cohen said."Many Australians have finely balanced budgets and they don't have the flexibility to have significant variations in charges for basic utilities like mobile phones."One in three internet disputes were over billing issues, with many complaints related to faulty services or late connections.The ombudsman received 36,256 new complaints in the three months to the end of March.

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US home building declines 6.5% in May

THE pace of US home construction has slipped in May, with many Americans still struggling to afford new houses.

THE Commerce Department says builders started work at a seasonally adjusted annual rate on 1.01 million homes.

That was down 6.5 per cent from 1.07 million in April.Construction firms began work on fewer single-family houses, condominiums and apartments last month.Building tailed off in the Northeast, Midwest and West.Only the South experienced greater construction activity in May.Housing starts have risen 9.4 per cent over the past 12 months.But apartments account for most of the gains, suggesting that more Americans will be renting instead of owning homes.Applications for building permits, a gauge of future activity, fell 6.4 per cent in May to an annual rate of 991,000.

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Walmart tech lab buys Stylr app

WALMART Stores' innovation lab is diving deeper into mobile apps with another acquisition.

THE latest purchase for WalmartLabs is Stylr, a mobile app that allows shoppers to find clothes in nearby stores.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.Stylr is WalmartLabs' 13th acquisition in the past three years. The purchase is the latest effort by Walmart, the world's biggest retailer, to develop new digital tools to help create a seamless shopping experience for shoppers who are increasingly jumping back and forth from stores and their mobile phones.Walmart chief executive Doug McMillon, who took the helm in February, vowed Walmart would pick up the pace in technology in his address earlier this month at the company's annual shareholders meeting."It is important that we all understand the shift that has happened in technology and retail, what it means for us, and what we're doing to win," said McMillon."People now spend more time on digital devices than they do watching TV. A lot of times, they're doing both at the same time."Walmart has a ripe audience: 65 per cent of its customers have smartphones, while 80 per cent of shoppers under age 35 do. Half of Walmart smartphone users have used the device in its stores to assist with shopping, company officials say.Stylr will be removed from the app store by the end of the month, said Ravi Jariwala, a spokesman for WalmartLabs. Walmart's own mobile app won't run Stylr, but its technology will be used to develop future mobile innovations.WalmartLabs technology enables Walmart's mobile app to guide shoppers to products and tracks customers' spending as they shop.New York-based Stylr's founders Eytan Daniyalzade and Berk Atikoglu will be joining WalmartLabs in San Bruno, California, as part of the deal.

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Bosnia floods reveal remains

RECORD flooding in Bosnia has uncovered human remains experts believe belong to people who went missing during the country's 1992-95 war.

Lejla Cengic of Bosnia's Institute for Missing Persons said on Tuesday teams fixing power lines damaged by last week's floods discovered the remains near the northern town of Doboj after water receded.

She says the institute is hoping the remains belong to some of the dozens of people missing since the war from the town of Maglaj - a few kilometres up the river Bosna from Doboj.

Nearly 30,000 people went missing during the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s. One third of them have been found in mass graves, mostly in Bosnia. Authorities continue to search for thousands still believed hidden.

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Bus strike hits Brazil World Cup city

BUS drivers are on strike in the World Cup host city of Salvador, snarling traffic in Brazil's third biggest metropolis.

Bahia state transport secretary Fabio Mota says police will escort buses whose drivers are willing to work on Tuesday. News reports say only about 200 of Salvador's 3000 buses are expected to operate.

The striking drivers' demands include a 12 per cent salary hike and reduced working hours.

With the World Cup less than three weeks away, Brazil has been rocked by strikes by workers from many sectors and regions.

Last month, Salvador saw a strike by military police. The city of around three million is hosting six World Cup matches, beginning with Spain versus the Netherlands on June 13.

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GM recalls 2.4 million more vehicles

GENERAL Motors is recalling 2.4 million vehicles in the US as part of a broader effort to resolve outstanding safety issues more quickly.

The latest action brings to 13.6 million the number of vehicles GM has recalled this year, a new record for the carmaker.

The recalls announced on Tuesday include 1.3 million older-model crossovers with defective front seat belts and 1 million sedans with a shift cable that can wear out.

GM is also recalling 1,400 new Cadillac Escalade SUVs with faulty air bags.

No fatalities related to the defects have been reported, GM says

It expects to take a $US400 million ($A433 million) charge in the second quarter to repair the vehicles.

GM agreed to a $US35 million federal fine last week for delays in reporting a deadly ignition switch defect.

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AirAsia to do Interpol checks

BUDGET airline AirAsia says it will become the first carrier to check its passengers' passports against Interpol's database of stolen and lost travel documents.

The Kuala Lumpur-based airline said on Tuesday it will begin implementing the screening this month as part of its effort to enhance aviation security in the aftermath of the disappearance of a Malaysia Airlines jet on March 8.

The Interpol database had previously been available only to government immigration authorities. Interpol's I-Checkit system will be deployed across all of AirAsia's international operations, covering 600 flights daily.

Attempts to solve the mystery of what happened to the missing Malaysia Airlines plane with 239 people on board revealed that two of its passengers had travelled with stolen passports. The Austrian and Italian passports used were on Interpol's database as having been stolen in Thailand.

Ronald Noble, Interpol secretary general, said the decision of AirAsia to screen its passengers using the Interpol database "will raise the bar across the industry for passenger safety and security".

"After today, airlines will no longer have to depend solely on countries screening passports to keep passengers safe from terrorists and other criminals who use stolen passports to board flights," he said.

At present, fewer than 10 countries systematically screen passenger passports against the Interpol database.

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Hundreds trapped in Turkish coal mine

AT least one miner has been killed and 19 others hospitalised following an explosion and fire at a coal mine in western Turkey.

More than 200 others are reported trapped.

Local administrator Mehmet Bahattin Atci said 20 people were rescued from the mine in the town of Soma, in the province of Manisa, but one of them died in hospital.

He said Tuesday's explosion was caused by a power distribution unit and between 200 and 300 more workers are still inside the mine.

"Rescue efforts are underway," Atci told reporters.

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Chris Lane murder accused in US court

THE youngest teenager accused of the drive-by shooting murder of Australian baseballer Chris Lane has appeared in an Oklahoma court.

James Edwards Jr, who was 15 when Lane was shot in the back while jogging along a Duncan, Oklahoma, street last August, was scheduled to face a preliminary hearing on Tuesday.

Edwards Jr's family was hoping a plea deal would be struck, with the first degree murder count dropped and replaced with an accessory count.

However, shortly after Edwards Jr shuffled into court in handcuffs and leg irons, Judge Jerry Herberger adjourned the hearing until June 17.

No reason was given.

A court order prevents prosecutors and lawyers involved in the case from speaking to the media.

Edwards' father, James Sr, told AAP he was hoping his son would soon be released from Stephens County Jail, where he has been held since Lane was shot in the back and left to die on August 16.

District Attorney Jason Hicks revealed in February Edwards Jr had become a prosecution witness.

Edwards Jr testified for the prosecution at the preliminary hearing for co-accused, Chancey Luna, 17, and Michael Jones, 18, in February.

But instead of providing evidence to support the prosecution's case that Luna and Jones murdered the athlete, Edwards Jr told how Jones, who was driving a Ford Focus, suddenly swerved just as it approached Lane.

Edwards Jr said after the swerve, Luna, sitting in the backseat of the car, fired a .22 revolver that struck Lane as he jogged on the side of the road.

Luna's lawyers, Howard and Jim Berry, argued Edwards Jr's evidence indicated Lane's death was an accident.

Edwards Jr also testified he heard Luna say he thought the gun was loaded with blanks.

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Six wounded in US shooting, suspect dead

A SHOOTER described as being armed with an assault rifle and having bullets strapped across his chest "like Rambo" opened fire at a FedEx station outside Atlanta, wounding at least six people before police found the suspect dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot.

Police rushed to the centre after someone called to report an active shooter at 5.54am local time.

After surrounding the perimeter and working to clear the building, officers found the suspect dead, Cobb County police spokesman Michael Bowman said.

There were no immediate reports anyone else had been killed.

FedEx clerk Liza Aiken said she was working inside when she heard something, dropped, looked to her left and saw the gunman.

"He had bullets strapped across his chest like Rambo, a huge assault rifle and he had a knife," Aiken said in a parking lot where employees were gathering not far from their workplace.

Before she could continue, a woman wearing a FedEx jacket told Aiken to stop talking and led her away.

Six people wounded at the FedEx station were taken to nearby Wellstar Kennestone hospital, where spokesman Tyler Pearson said one victim was rushed to surgery with potentially critical injuries. Others were less serious.

"A lot of them were able to walk off the ambulance," Pearson said.

David Titus, a FedEx truck driver, said he was just coming to work when he saw someone walk up and shoot a security guard in the abdomen outside the building.

He said he could hear more gunshots after the gunman went inside.

"It was chaos," Titus said.

"Everyone was running ducking and hiding, trying to get out of there."

FedEx said the facility about 40km north of Atlanta is a hub where packages are sorted and loaded onto vehicles for delivery.

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Goodyear posts 1Q loss of $US58m

GOODYEAR has reported a $US58 million ($A62 million) loss for the first quarter largely due to Venezuelan currency charges.

The loss was compounded by the extreme winter weather across the US that hurt tyre sales, the company said on Tuesday.

The Akron, Ohio, tyre maker's losses added up to 23 cents per share, in the three months ended March 31.

It made $US26 million, or 10 cents per share, in the same quarter a year ago.

After one-time charges, including $US132 million in charges related to the situation in Venezuela, Goodyear earned 56 cents per share.

Its adjusted earnings still were below Wall Street estimates, and Goodyear shares fell five per cent, to $US25.94 in early trading on Tuesday.

Analysts surveyed by FactSet had expected 60 cents per share for the quarter.

Revenue dropped eight per cent to $US4.47 billion from $US4.85 billion, just short of projections for revenue of $US4.81 billion according to FactSet.

"We delivered solid performance in our developed markets, led by North America, which reported a 23 per cent increase in earnings," Chairman and CEO Richard Kramer said.

"Growth in North America and Europe offset headwinds in emerging markets where we continue to navigate foreign currency and economic challenges."

Revenue in North America fell 13 per cent to $US1.9 billion for the quarter despite a 23 per cent jump in earnings, to $US156 million.

The overall number of tyres sold in North America edged lower to 14.6 million, from 14.8 million, because of the rough winter, the company said.

Kramer said the company remains confident in its full-year outlook despite labour and economic trouble in Venezuela.

The company expects two per cent to three per cent in volume growth for the year.

Shares of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co have been on a steady rise over the past year and hit a 52-week high of $US28.48 last week amid declining raw material prices.

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Collette misses out on Tony Award nod

THERE will be no Tony Award for Toni Collette.

The Australian actress, along with her high-profile cast mates Michael C. Hall, Marisa Tomei and Tracy Letts in the play The Realistic Joneses, were among the high-profile snubs when nominations for Broadway's biggest awards night were announced on Tuesday.

Despite strong reviews, Collette was bumped out of the best performance by an actress in a leading role in a play category by Tyne Daly (Mothers and Sons), LaTanya Richardson Jackson (A Raisin in the Sun), Cherry Jones (The Glass Menagerie) and Audra McDonald (Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill).

The American Theatre Wing was not swayed by Hollywood star power in deciding its nominees, with Denzel Washington, Daniel Radcliffe, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz, Rebecca Hall, James Franco and Zachary Quinto also among the casualties.

The big winner ahead of June 8's 68th annual Tony Awards was the musical A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, with a leading 10 nominations.

In other categories, the Harlem nightclub revue After Midnight, Disney's Aladdin, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and A Gentleman's Guide To Love And Murder will compete for best musical.

The Realistic Joneses was also left out of best play, with Act I, All The Way, Casa Valentina, Mothers And Sons and Outside Mullingar scoring the nods.

No even a surprise appearance by Jackman at the nomination ceremony could lift Collette to a second Tony nomination, after the Sydney actress scored a leading actress in a musical nomination in 2000 for her performance in The Wild Party.

"I'm sorry to hijack your show," Jackman, carrying an empty coffee mug and then reminding viewers the Tony Awards were on June 8, told nomination ceremony hosts Jonathan Groff and Lucy Liu after he strolled on stage.

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Knox and Sollecito 'both stabbed Kercher'

BRITISH student Meredith Kercher was stabbed by both Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito, Italian judges said, as they explained what led them to issue guilty rulings in the 2007 murder case.

US student Knox and her former Italian boyfriend Sollecito were handed jail terms of 28 and a half years and 25 years, respectively, in January, after the case had been reopened following previous innocent verdicts.

In Italy it us customary for judges to file written explanations months after their rulings.

Kercher was stabbed in the neck by "two different knives" - a longer one wielded by Knox, a smaller one by Sollecito - judges from the Florence Court of Appeal wrote.

It was Knox who dealt the fatal blow, they added.

The court said on Tuesday Knox, Sollecito and Rudy Guede, an Ivory Coast-born small-time drug dealer who was tried separately and handed a final guilty ruling carrying a 16-year jail term, had jointly taken part in the murder.

They suggested that Kercher was killed following an argument between her and Knox which got out of hand, and also led to Guede sexually assaulting the victim and keeping her immobilised while the others stabbed her.

Judges said "it was not at all credible" to presume that Kercher was murdered because she backed out of taking part in a group sex game, as had been suggested in a first instance ruling on the case, in 2009.

"This reconstruction does not fit with the personality of the English girl," judges wrote.

Kercher shared a flat with Knox in Perugia, a central Italian town with a university for foreign students.

She was found on November 2, 2007, half-naked and with multiple stab wounds, inside her locked bedroom.

The court said Knox and Meredith "did not like each other", and suggested that, on the night she died, the victim confronted her US flatmate about the "uncivilised conduct" of Guede, who had been let into the house by Knox.

Police found Guede's unflushed faeces in a toilet.

Knox and Sollecito have always professed their innocence.

In a long legal saga, they were: arrested days after the crime, as prime suspects; convicted in 2009; acquitted and freed two years later; put on trial again in September, after a top court found procedural faults in their acquittal; and convicted again in January.

That judgment is not final, as it can be challenged again before Italy's top appeals body, the Court of Cassation.

But Knox has since returned to the US and indicated she would battle any extradition request.

Sollecito had his travel documents confiscated to prevent him from also fleeing abroad.

However, he is still free as, in Italy, jail sentences are normally not put into effect until all appeals procedures are exhausted.

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By George - a right royal welcome

BY George - they're finally here!

Large crowds are expected to give the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, along with Prince George, a right royal welcome when they arrive in Sydney on Wednesday afternoon to kick off their highly anticipated tour of Australia.

After being met at the airport by Prime Minister Tony Abbott, the trio will be whisked away to the Sydney Opera House for a right royal tour and a reception, to be hosted by NSW Governor Marie Bashir and Premier Barry O'Farrell.

It's expected about 400 guests will attend the reception, including former Australian cricket fast bowler Glenn McGrath and Australian Women's Cricket Team member Ellyse Perry, along with children dressed to represent all nations competing in the 2015 Cricket World Cup.

The royals are expected to meet and greet members of the public before being taken by police boat to Admiralty House where they will be hosted by Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove and Lady Cosgrove.

On Thursday, the Duke and Duchess will visit communities in the Blue Mountains hit by bushfires with plans to drop in to the Royal Easter Show on Friday.

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Call for more money for Vic mine clean-up

COMMUNITY groups want a $90 million fund for new brown coal technology in Victoria's Latrobe Valley to be instead used to pay for the Hazelwood coalmine fire clean-up.

The Voices of the Valley spokesman Simon Ellis said $2 million in support announced by the Victorian government had already been spent, but the clean-up was not close to being finished.

The federal and Victorian governments each pledged $45 million to the Advanced Lignite Demonstration Program back in 2012, to entice companies to develop ways to use brown coal from the valley more profitably with reduced emissions.

"It would be an insult to Latrobe Valley residents if the state and federal government's first significant response to the Hazelwood fire was to find new coal mines and technologies," Mr Ellis said.

He said the priority should be to clean up Morwell homes and prevent any further fires at the Hazelwood mine.

At Wednesday's Hazelwood mine inquiry community consultation session in Traralgon, The Voices of the Valley will deliver hundreds of affidavits, survey responses, photos and videos collected from residents to help the inquiry with its investigation into how the fire unfolded.

The fire ignited when bushfires spread to a disused section of the mine on February 9 and burned for 45 days, shrouding nearby communities in smoke and forcing some residents to leave Morwell.

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Fan tells inquest of Hillsborough 'hell'

THE son of the oldest fan killed in the 1989 Hillsborough football stadium disaster has told an inquest jury how he and his father battled desperately for their lives after witnessing "hell before our eyes".

Gerard Baron Jr recalled how he tried to reassure 67-year-old war veteran Gerard Baron Sr as they were caught in the crush that killed 96 Liverpool supporters.

In a tribute to Mr Baron Sr, who lived in Preston, his son told how they travelled together to the 1989 FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.

In evidence to fresh inquests into the events at Hillsborough on April 15, 1989, Mr Baron said: "What transpired that day changed my life forever.

"Neither of us envisaged witnessing hell before our eyes, nor did we expect to be fighting so desperately for our lives, as were so many others.

"The very last words I said to my father were, 'You will be okay'. How wrong I was."

Mr Baron had flown to the UK from his home in South Australia to give evidence to the inquest court in Warrington, Cheshire.

In his evidence he described Mr Baron Sr, a retired postal inspector, as a doting father to seven children, a supportive husband, a loving grandparent and a dear friend to many.

Mr Baron added that his father - whose brother played for Liverpool in the 1950 FA Cup Final - had a phenomenal football knowledge and was a "sportsman, serviceman and worthy citizen".

Nine other family members read tributes to their loved ones during the sixth day of the fresh inquests, including Sara Williams, whose late mother Anne Williams played a leading role in the campaign for the original inquest verdicts to be quashed.

The campaigner, whose 15-year-old son Kevin was among Hillsborough's victims, died from bowel cancer in April last year.

"I make this statement on behalf of all our family and friends, who all loved Kevin, but in particular for my mum Anne, who would have loved to have been standing here telling you all about Kevin and his cheeky ways," her daughter told the inquest jury of seven women and four men.

Ms Williams said Kevin, from Formby, Merseyside, was "mad about football, but crazy about Liverpool Football Club".

Her voice breaking with emotion, she told the inquest: "Kev was really close to mum - it would be absolutely no surprise to me if the word 'mum' was his last.

"My mum fought hard over the years to get the truth uncovered about what happened at Hillsborough.

"It is only now that I have children of my own that I understand the relentless determination that came so naturally to her, because of the love that she had for Kevin."

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Aussie tenor Skelton wins top opera award

AUSTRALIAN heroic tenor Stuart Skelton has been named male singer of the year at the second International Opera Awards in London.

The 45-year-old singer from Sydney gave a surprise performance at the awards ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel.

Skelton was given the top gong for his performance in Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes at the English National Opera (ENO).

The Australian beat rivals from Germany, France, Italy, the United States and Sweden.

Skelton considers the ENO his home company. His house debut was as Laca in the 2006 production of Jenufa.

"I was born in Australia, I live in the United States, but ENO is the company that has always been there," the tenor said.

"It takes risks, and when you take big risks sometimes they don't pay off, but when they do, they pay off in a way other people cant re-produce."

Skelton said opera was an art form "worth shouting and screaming for".

The female singer of the year award went to German soprano Diana Damrau.

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Australia's trade performance sinks

AUSTRALIA'S standing as a global trade competitor has tumbled with exporters dogged by regulatory barriers, the Australian Industry Group says.

The World Economic Forum's global "enabling trade" index released on Wednesday showed Australia dropping six places to 23rd in 2014 from 17th in 2012, and having been ranked 14th in 2009.

Singapore topped the table, while neighbouring New Zealand was fourth.

Ai Group chief executive Innes Willox said the survey results yet again highlight Australia's poor performance in the global economy relative to its peers and competitors.

"Australian exporters continue to face many hurdles, including access to foreign markets, transport costs and regulatory barriers," Mr Willox said in a statement.

"Some of these barriers are due to the old 'tyranny of distance', but others are due to our own regulatory and procedural arrangements for outbound and inbound trade."

On market access that measures the extent and complexity of a country's tariff regime, Australia now ranks 74th, having been 44th in 2008.

On the quality, transparency and efficiency of border administration Australia stands 22nd having been 11th six years earlier, while on infrastructure it is now 20th, down from a peak of 14th in 2009.

Similarly, on its operating environment it is 19th versus 14th in 2009.

"Australian trade policies, regulations and procedures require attention in a similar manner to the many other areas of regulatory burden that are currently under scrutiny," Mr Willox said.

The results highlight the importance of free trade and multi-lateral agreements, including those with China and Japan, Australia's two largest trading partners, as well as the Trans-Pacific Partnership

He said government is putting a welcome focus on expediting these agreements and strengthening Australia's trade performance.

He said Australia hosting the G20 Leaders Meeting in November will provide another opportunity to address trade barriers and encourage expanded global trade.

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Inflation slowing in developed countries

INFLATION slowed in major developed countries in February amid a steep drop in energy prices, a report shows.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said on Tuesday consumer price inflation in its 34 member countries slowed to 1.4 per cent in February from 1.7 per cent in January.

Low inflation has become a key concern for many developed countries. Consumers and businesses delaying purchases in the hope of cheaper deals later can hurt growth.

An outright drop in prices, called deflation, can be very hard to reverse. Japan was stuck in deflation for about two decades, during which time its economy barely grew.

The US inflation rate was 1.1 per cent in February, while the European Union's was just 0.8 per cent, well below the 2 per cent many economists deem a suitable level.

The OECD, a think-tank for the world's most developed countries, said however excluding volatile food and energy prices, core inflation for its 34 members was stable for a fourth month running at 1.6 per cent.

Inflation in G-20 countries, which includes major developing countries such as Indonesia, India and Brazil, slowed to 2.3 per cent in February from 2.6 per cent in January, the OECD said.

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Pyne accused of keeping cuts in the dark

LABOR is asking what the Abbott government has to hide after it apparently failed to consult with stakeholders about any proposed changes to the Australian Education Act.

The federal opposition says Education Minister Christopher Pyne wrote to stakeholders pledging to consult with them on any changes to the legislation in March.

But Labor education spokeswomen Kate Ellis said the deadline had come and gone, suggesting cuts to "vital" funding could be on the agenda.

"Despite his promises, major education stakeholders haven't seen a draft of the act," Ms Ellis said in a statement on Wednesday.

She said the government's failure to be transparent in this case raised many questions, including whether they would be including the fifth year of Gonski funding in the upcoming budget.

Mr Pyne's office has been contacted for comment.

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Airline accident death toll fell in 2013

AIRLINE crashes killed 210 people last year, half as many as the five-year average, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) says.

The Geneva-based industry group said on Tuesday that of the 81 airline accidents in 2013, 16 resulted in fatalities.

The Asia Pacific area was among the regions where airline safety decreased last year, as the rate of 0.7 serious accidents per million flights was worse than the 2009-2013 average of 0.64, according to IATA.

Accidents involving Asian airlines last year included the Asiana Airlines crash in San Franscisco, which left three dead and 181 injured, as well as the Lao Airline crash into the Mekong river, which killed all 49 on board.

The former Soviet states were the worst-performing region last year, with 2.09 serious accidents per one million flights.

Safety improved significantly in Africa last year but the continent's airlines are only marginally safer than the ones in former Soviet countries, the statistics showed.

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Let current regulator police us: charities

SOME of Australia's biggest charities and community sector groups have banded together to warn the federal government it will commit a "huge mistake" by closing the national charity regulator.

The federal government will introduce the first of two bills disbanding the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) on its red-tape "repeal day" on Wednesday.

It will replace the commission with a smaller, charity-focused centre for excellence, which will act as an advocacy, training and development body. It will not be a regulator.

On the same day, more than 40 supporter groups - including the heads of the RSPCA, Youth Off The Streets, Lifeline and the Ted Noffs Foundation - will write an open letter to Prime Minister Tony Abbott asking the government to reconsider those plans.

"The ACNC has done what few new regulators achieve - gained widespread support across the sector it is regulating," the letter reads.

Scrapping the ACNC will be a "huge mistake" and potentially handing its powers backs to the Australian Tax Office will create more red tape and reduce services to the public and charities.

Community Council for Australia chief executive David Crosbie said returning to the "bad old days" of having the ATO determine what is and isn't a charity would create a clear conflict of interest.

"It is simply putting the fox in charge of the hen house," he said in a statement on Wednesday.

"It is a failed model from the past. It will not work."

Mr Crosbie accused the government of being dismissive of charities in assuming it knew what was better for the sector without consultation.

But Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews said the ACNC was increasing red-tape and making life harder for the sector.

"No evidence has been provided to justify establishing such a big regulatory structure with such extensive enforcement powers," he told AAP in a statement.

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Putin inks deal to incorporate Crimea

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin and leaders of Crimea and its biggest city Sevastopol have signed a treaty making the two entities new members of the Russian Federation.

The treaty goes into force immediately, but stipulates an interim period until the end of the year to formalise the accession of the 84th and 85th members of the Russian Federation.

The signing ceremony in the Kremlin on Tuesday came after an almost hour-long address to MPs and governors, in which Putin defended the move that has triggered the worst crisis between Russia and the West since the Cold War.

Putin stressed that Sunday's referendum in Crimea was fully legal, noting that more than 96 per cent of voters supported accession to Russia, according to official figures.

"The numbers were fully convincing," he said.

Putin compared Crimea's accession with Germany's unification after the Cold War, stressing that Moscow had explicitly supported this "unlike some other countries".

"I am convinced that the Germans will support us," he said.

Putin rejected Western accusations that Russia had invaded and annexed a part of Ukraine.

"We are being told that there was some Russian intervention in Crimea, an aggression. That's strange to hear. I do not recall a single case in history of an intervention without a shot being fired," he said.

Putin argued that while Russia did recognise Ukraine's independence in 1991, both countries never signed a treaty delineating the border between them.

He accused the West of "double standards and straight cynicism" over the issue.

"Our Western partners, led by the United States of America, prefer not to act according to international law but according to 'might is right'," he said.

He pointed to NATO-backed bombings in Yugoslavia and Libya, which went ahead without a UN Security Council mandate, as examples.

Putin again denied that Russian soldiers had invaded Crimea, saying that Russia merely "strengthened" its forces already stationed on the peninsula.

The Russian Black Sea Fleet is based in Crimea under an agreement with Ukraine.

Putin also brushed off sanctions, saying that Russia already suffered from limitations to its economy that were a legacy of the Cold War.

In a move unprecedented since the end of the Cold War, the US and the European Union on Monday imposed sanctions on Moscow that include asset freezes and travel bans on senior Russian government officials.

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Market blast kills 17 in Afghanistan

AT least 17 civilians have been killed and 46 others injured after a suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowded market in northern Afghanistan.

"A pregnant woman and two children are also among the dead," said Abdul Sattar Barez, deputy governor for Faryab province.

"The bomber driving an explosive-filled auto rickshaw and wearing an explosive vest blew himself up in the crowded Maisara area in Maimana city."

Most of the victims were shopkeepers and other vendors, he said, adding: "The blast was so strong that the bodies were torn to pieces."

The wounded were taken to nearby medical facilities and also to Mazar-e-Sharif, provincial capital for Balkh.

The crowds in the area were larger than usual as people were shopping for the Afghan New Year, according to another official.

Faryab is a restive province bordering Turkmenistan in northern Afghanistan.

In November, six Afghans working for the French agency Acted were shot dead by Taliban militants in Pashtun Kot district.

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Govt to try to push through bills

THE Abbott government has had enough of stalling in the Senate and will move a motion on Wednesday calling for a vote on bills abolishing the mining and carbon taxes.

The carbon tax repeal legislation has been bogged down in the upper house since December, frustrating the government's efforts to axe the impost.

Debate on the mining tax has stalled as well, appearing for the first time before the Senate on Tuesday.

The government will move a motion on Wednesday calling for a vote by Thursday night, when the Senate is due to rise for the week.

But its demands are likely to fall on deaf ears, as Labor and the Greens use their combined numbers to defeat the motion.

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Aust gets back-up in aircraft search

AIRCRAFT from New Zealand and the United States will bolster Australian search efforts in the southern Indian Ocean on Wednesday as the operation to find Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 continues.

Four RAAF aircraft have already started sweeping a 600,000 square kilometre patch of ocean some 3200 kilometres southwest of Perth, calculated as a possible location for the jet, which went missing with 239 people on board.

"A further three Air Force P-3 Orions will join the search," John Young, head of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority's emergency response division, said of plans for Wednesday.

A New Zealand Air Force P-3 Orion will also head to the search zone on Wednesday, along with a US Navy P-8 Poseidon aircraft.

China has offered more assistance.

Australia is co-ordinating the effort in that region because the search zone falls into its international maritime responsibility.

The search of the area has been described as difficult and is expected to take weeks.

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PM to start red tape cull

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott plans to light the nation's "biggest bonfire of regulations" on Wednesday with a promised $1 billion cull of red tape.

The government intends getting rid of 10,000 redundant acts of parliament and regulations, putting it about three-quarters of the way to meeting the $1 billion target.

"This is essential if we are to get our competitiveness and our productivity up," Mr Abbott told parliament on Tuesday.

Bills will be introduced to parliament on Wednesday with the expectation of passing the lower house the following week.

Labor and the Greens fear that some of the changes will adversely impact on families, business and the environment.

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Australia attends Jakarta maritime talks

INDONESIAN immigration officers in the area where asylum seekers set off for Australia - and where the first orange lifeboat came back - say they are undermanned and overwhelmed, but still stopped almost 1000 people risking their lives last year.

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Bali Nine's Lawrence moves jails

THE Bali Nine's Renae Lawrence has been allowed to transfer from the remote jail she was sent to as punishment for an alleged prison murder plot.

Lawrence was moved from Kerobokan jail to another prison in Bali in October, amid accusations the 36-year-old had conspired with another inmate to murder two female prison guards.

The head of Jembrana prison, Armin, said Lawrence was moved to another prison, Bangli, on Tuesday morning, at her request.

Her family had complained the prison was too far from Bali's centre, Denpasar, when they came to visit.

"While she was in our prison, she was doing well and acting orderly," he said.

Jembrana prison is about 130 kilometres from Bali's centre, Denpasar, while Bangli is only about 60 kilometres.

Lawrence was sent to Jembrana as punishment for the prison plot, and was banned from receiving cuts to her 20-year sentence for at least 12 months.

Another member of the Bali Nine, Scott Rush, also recently transferred jails by request.

Still in Kerobokan are Martin Stephens, Matthew Norman, Si Yi Chen, Tan Duc Than Nguyen and Michael Czugaj, all serving life for the 2005 plot to smuggle more than eight kilograms of heroin from Bali to Australia.

Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran are also in Kerobokan, and have been sentenced to death for their roles.

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Labor gives Abbott no credit for SPC deal

LABOR has accused Prime Minister Tony Abbott of inconsistency in jobs investment, despite the announcement by food processor SPC Ardmona that it has signed a $70 million deal with supermarket giant Woolworths.

SPC announced on Tuesday the massive contract to supply 24,000 extra tonnes of tomatoes, fruit and beans to Woolworths, in a major boost to the company that was recently refused $25 million in federal government assistance.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he always believed SPC Ardmona was a sound business.

But Mr Shorten, who was in Perth to begin campaigning for the West Australian Senate election re-run, said the Abbott government should take no credit for its hardline approach.

"The Victorian government stepped into assist SPC," he said. "I am pleased that there is good news at any point about jobs, but I was appalled the Abbott government had no plan about SPC jobs.

"What makes this position so inconsistent is that a chocolate factory in Hobart (Cadbury) can get Abbott government money but a fruit-processing plant in the Goulburn Valley doesn't.

"There is no consistency."

The Abbott government refused to provide $25 million in support to the Shepparton cannery, saying its parent company, Coca-Cola Amatil, should step in and save the food processor.

In the end, the Victorian government offered the SPC Ardmona $22 million, as part of a $100 million co-investment strategy with the company.

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'Smuggling boss' to fight Aust extradition

AN alleged people smuggling kingpin will fight long and hard against a decision to grant his extradition to Australia, his lawyer says.

Sayed Abbas is accused of being a notorious people smuggler who has eluded Australian justice since 2009.

He is wanted on 27 charges including organising the passage of three boats intercepted en route to Christmas Island between 2009 and 2011.

But he is suspected of leading a syndicate behind many more journeys, including one that sent at least 200 asylum seekers to their deaths, when their boat sank in the Sunda Strait in December 2011.

Abbas denies the charges, claiming he is a victim of mistaken identity.

He has previously argued extradition should be rejected on humanitarian grounds, as he is a refugee, and claims he worked as a paid informant for the Australian Federal Police.

Australia last tried unsuccessfully to extradite him last year, when South Jakarta District Court found Indonesia's 1979 extradition law did not cover the crime of people-smuggling.

But he was re-arrested, the decision was reviewed and this week a panel of judges approved extradition, angering Abbas' lawyer Mohammad Mahdi, who says they will use every avenue of appeal.

"If ... they who didn't have grounds for appealing can do this and win, we'll definitely be using the same (avenues) as they did," he said.

The lawyer says he hasn't yet received the document granting the extradition, after which time he has seven days to launch a Supreme Court appeal.

If no appeal is received, the request can go to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for approval - but Mr Mahdi has flagged he will draw the case out beyond the president's term, which ends later this year.

"Believe me, there's still long time until the (extradition's) execution, even after SBY steps down," he said.

It's believed Abbas, an ethnic Hazara, even managed to stay in business while he was imprisoned in Jakarta, such was his reputation.

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RadioShack to close up to 1100 US stores

RADIOSHACK plans to close up to 1,100 of its underperforming stores in the US and has reported a wider loss for its fourth quarter as traffic slowed during the critical holiday season.

The stock tumbled more than 24 per cent in Tuesday premarket trading.

The store closings would leave RadioShack with more than 4,000 stores.

For the period ended December 31, the electronics retailer lost $US191.4 million ($A215.09 million), or $US1.90 per share.

That compares with a loss of $US63.3 million, or 63 UScents per share, a year earlier.

Excluding items, RadioShack Corp lost $US1.29 per share. Analysts expected a loss of 16 US cents per share.

Revenue declined to $US935.4 million from $US1.17 billion.

Sales at stores open at least a year fell 19 per cent on weaker traffic and the soft performance of its mobility business.

Analysts expected revenue of $US1.12 billion.

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Winds pose new threat to Vic mine fire

Teacher sues over blackboard injury

A FORMER science teacher who says using a defective 1950s-style blackboard left her with debilitating injuries is suing the state for $850,000

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Rodriguez joins Melbourne Grand Prix

HOLLYWOOD star Michelle Rodriguez is coming to Melbourne for the Grand Prix. So will her supermodel girlfriend Cara Delevingne accompany her?

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Victorians decide port fate at polls

WHICHEVER party wins this November's state election, one of our most important economic gateways will soon be in ­private hands.

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  • Port of Melbourne sale 2:22

Government to sell port to pay for promises

EXCLUSIVE: MELBOURNE'S port will be sold by the Napthine Government, delivering a multi-billion-dollar bonanza to bankroll huge road and rail projects.

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  • Port of Melbourne sale 2:22

Online shoppers favour local traders

AUSTRALIAN online shoppers are increasingly buying locally. Almost three in every four online purchases are from domestic retailers.

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Study shows HPV vaccine saves lives

AUSTRALIA'S mass HPV vaccination program is working and saving lives, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal.

The population-based study shows women who are fully vaccinated are far less likely to develop cervical cancer than other women.

This is real-world proof that the program is working, says co-author Professor David Whiteman.

"We always knew the vaccine was safe and effective in the narrow, controlled environment of clinical trials. This proves its value on a broad scale."

Scientists from the University of Queensland and QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute looked at Pap smear results of young women in Queensland and compared these to their vaccination history.

Those with high-grade abnormalities of the cervix were least likely to have been vaccinated.

The vaccine halves the risk of cervical cancer by preventing infection by two types of HPV (human papillomavirus).

However, women are still at risk from other strains and about 200 Australian women die from cervical cancer a year.

This makes regular Pap tests essential for early detection.

"All young women should be vaccinated before they become sexually active," says Prof Whiteman.

"Australia was one of the first countries to undertake mass HPV vaccination. This analysis of how well the vaccine has worked in the first four years of the program supports the decision to roll it out across the country."

The program saves lives and minimises future health expenditure, he says.

The HPV vaccine (sometimes called the cervical cancer vaccine) was developed by University of Queensland professor Ian Frazer.

It is given as three doses over six months and is provided free for girls and boys in the first year of high school.

The research is great news for Australian women, says co-author Dr Julia Brotherton, medical director of the National HPV Vaccination Program Register.

HPV is passed on through sexual contact and can cause penile, anal, cervical, vulval and vaginal cancers, as well as genital warts.

"With the program now vaccinating boys as well, Australia is leading the way in preventing HPV infection and the cancers it can cause," Dr Brotherton says.

"It is still important that women remember to go for Pap tests though, because the vaccine can't prevent all of the types of HPV."

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Medicare costs must be reined in: Dutton

HEALTH Minister Peter Dutton says the Medicare system needs to modernised to be affordable, but he won't say if GP co-payments will be part of the mix.

The Consumers Health Forum on Tuesday reignited debate on GP co-payments, when it released research showing that not only would they hit the needy, but they would fail to provide any overall budget savings.

Co-payments of up to $6 have been flagged as one way to tackle health spending as the government grapples with the budget deficit.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has downplayed the likelihood of a co-payment being introduced, saying he wants the government to be "the best friend that Medicare has ever had".

Mr Dutton, who has called for a debate on whether the well-off should contribute more to their health care, said arguments for and against co-payments would be considered by the government's commission of audit.

"That's with the commission of audit at the moment - we'll consider those recommendations in relation to this portfolio," Mr Dutton told reporters in Canberra.

But he said if the coalition wants to be Medicare's best friend, it needed to modernise the decades-old system.

"If we want to be the best friend that Medicare can have ... then we have to recognise it was a 1980s model, and we need to modernise it and strengthen it," he said.

"Because there are costs and threats coming down the line with an ageing population that can't be paid otherwise."

The Consumers Health Forum says co-payments could be counter-productive in reducing health costs, because people would delay seeking treatment and end up in hospital emergency departments.

Opposition health spokeswoman Catherine King said the introduction of GP co-payments would spell the end of universal health care.

"This will lead to a two-tier health system that looks much more like an American system than the one of universal care Australia has known for the past 30 years," she said in a statement.

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Hospitals could be $1b more efficient

EDS: Not for use before 2000 (AEDT), Tuesday, March 4.

CANBERRA, March 4 AAP - Almost $1 billion could be saved each year if public hospitals were forced to be more efficient with their spending, a think tank says.

The Grattan Institute says an efficient price for hospital services should be set by state governments to remove what it says is about $928 million in "avoidable" spending annually.

The institute's health director, Stephen Duckett, called for administrators to be held more accountable for spending, saying the current funding for the average cost of care rewarded inefficiency.

The institute's report, Controlling Costly Care, says there is a gulf between so-called high- and low-cost hospitals. The gap between the most and least expensive is as high as $2500 an admission in some states.

Dr Duckett said a new efficient average price should be set and linked to hospital funding.

The new benchmark would take account of unavoidable costs, which could be because patients were older or coming from remote areas.

However, it would also remove inefficient spending on items such as supplies, or on patients waiting or staying too long in a hospital bed.

"What we're asking states to do is to be tighter in the way they set their prices at public hospitals," Dr Duckett told AAP.

"There are a range of reasons for why hospital costs vary, and what we're saying is that these all need to be under control."

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AEC assurances sought ahead of WA poll

FEDERAL parliament will seek assurances from the Australian Electoral Commission ahead of Western Australia's Senate poll re-run.

A joint parliamentary committee hearing in Canberra on Wednesday will continue its investigation into the AEC's loss of 1370 ballot papers in the west after the September federal election, which has sparked a subsequent poll.

Former Australian Federal Police commissioner Mick Keelty, who led an AEC inquiry into the matter, will appear before the committee, where the commission will also be asked to confirm that his recommendations have been implemented.

The recommendations focus on parcelling, labelling, transporting and storage of ballot papers.

The AEC says it has already implemented the key suggestions from Mr Keelty.

Elsewhere in Canberra's political sphere, debate about legislative changes to the Qantas Sales Act is expected to dominate proceedings.

The government faces opposition from Labor and the Australian Greens to its plans to allow greater foreign ownership of the airline's domestic arm.

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Economic growth getting a little faster

AUSTRALIA'S economic growth is expected to have strengthened a little at the end of 2013, getting a boost from a lift in mining and resource exports.

December quarter gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to have grown by 0.7 per cent, for an annual rate of 2.5 per cent, according to an AAP survey of 12 economists.

In the September quarter, GDP growth was 0.6 per cent, and 2.3 per cent in the year to September.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) will release National Accounts figures on Wednesday.

JP Morgan Australia chief economist Stephen Walters said mining and resources exports took over from mining and resources investment as the main driver for economic growth in 2013.

"There was a substantial shift in Australia's growth drivers in 2013, with the decade-long dependence on resource investment giving way to an inflated reliance on real net trade," he said.

"The upshot from fading resources investment is that output from the associated projects is starting to come online, particularly in the iron ore and coal sectors, with a further lift in liquefied natural gas (LNG) capacity expected further down the line.

"In 2013, iron ore, coal, and LNG comprised more than half of Australia's total export basket, with this share set to swell in coming years."

Commonwealth Bank chief economist Michael Blythe said Australia continued to post solid economic growth but it was still below its long-term average.

"This outcome is not unexpected," he said.

"But some perspective is needed here.

"Even at a sub-trend pace, the Australian economy has just clocked up 22 years of continuous economic growth.

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Parts of Pistorius trial can be broadcast

PARTS of Oscar Pistorius' murder trial can be broadcast live by three remote-controlled cameras set up in court, a judge has ruled, but the testimony given by the double-amputee Olympian himself can't be shown.

Pistorius' defence lawyers failed in their bid to stop any part of the trial being broadcast as a judge in the North Gauteng High Court on Tuesday ruled mostly in favour of the South African TV and radio applicants.

Judge Dunstan Mlambo's ruling now opens up much of the blockbuster trial to the scrutiny of millions of fascinated followers in South Africa and around the world.

Mlambo granted permission to the South African media houses to install the unmanned television cameras in "unobtrusive" locations at least 72 hours before the trial opens on Monday.

A live audio feed can also be broadcast, while still photographs can be taken in court by two other mounted cameras operated by photographers.

TV footage or photographs however cannot show "extreme" close up images of anyone in the court and witnesses who object can stop their testimony from being broadcast, Mlambo said.

Pistorius' defence lawyers had argued that broadcasting the trial in any way would harm his chances of receiving a fair trial.

Brian Webber, the lawyer representing Pistorius in this hearing, declined to initially comment on the ruling saying he had yet to study it.

Pistorius was charged with murder a year ago over the shooting death of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his upscale house in Pretoria.

He faces a possible sentence of 25 years in prison if he is convicted on the main charge of premeditated murder, which he denies.

Mlambo said his decision on Tuesday was a careful "balancing act" between guaranteeing Pistorius a fair trial and also respecting the freedom of the media.

South Africa's justice system is "still perceived as treating the rich and famous with kid gloves whilst being harsh on the poor and vulnerable," he said.

"Enabling a larger South African society to follow firsthand the criminal proceedings which involve a celebrity so to speak, will go a long way into dispelling these negative and unfounded perceptions about the justice system".

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George Lucas donates $US25m to US school

FILMMAKER George Lucas and his wife Mellody Hobson are donating $US25 million ($A27.7 million) to a prestigious private school on Chicago's South Side.

The University of Chicago said on Tuesday that the grant from The George Lucas Family Foundation will pay for a new arts hall at the university's Laboratory Schools.

The 86,000-square-foot building will open in 2015 and will be named after Gordon Parks, a photographer, musician and social justice advocate.

Hobson is president of Chicago-based Ariel Investments.

She married the Star Wars filmmaker in 2013.

Lucas says in a statement that art can "transform lives and communities" and says he hopes Parks' legacy will inspire future generations.

The Hyde Park school has about 1800 students in nursery school through 12th grade.

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