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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