France to vote for Palestinian state

THE French foreign minister says France plans to vote in favour of recognition of a Palestinian state at the U.N. General Assembly this week.

Laurent Fabius has told parliament that France has long supported Palestinian ambitions for statehood and "will respond 'yes'" when the issue comes up for a vote "out of a concern for coherency."

With the announcement, France - a permanent member of the Security Council - becomes the first major European country to come out in favour. It amounts to a setback for Israel.

The Palestinians say the assembly is likely to vote Thursday on a resolution raising their status at the United Nations from an observer to a nonmember observer state, a move they believe is an important step toward a two-state solution with Israel.

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Portuguese MPs clear austerity budget

BAILED-OUT Portugal's MPs have given final approval to a 2013 budget imposing an unprecedented austerity squeeze even as protesters massed outside.

The budget, aimed at saving 5.3 billion euros ($A6.63 billion), passed easily with the support of the centre-right government, which has an absolute majority.

The government says the plan, which relies on higher taxes for 80 per cent of the savings, is vital to Portugal's recovery.

"The state budget for 2013 is a determined step on the road to recovery," Finance Minister Vitor Gaspar said. But "the risks and uncertainties surrounding the 2013 budget year are great."

Portugal's new budget stipulates a broad rise in income tax to 14.5 per cent for the most vulnerable and 48 per cent for the most wealthy. It also reduces the number of tax brackets from eight to five, with the tax rate in each band raised by 3.5 percentage points.

Unemployment benefits are sliced by five per cent and sickness payments by six per cent.

"We have to finish with this policy before it finishes with us!" declared one banner unfurled at a rally outside parliament called by the main union, the General Federation of Portuguese Workers.

Protesters aimed their fire at the "troika" of creditors behind Portugal's 78 billion euro bailout: the International Monetary Fund, European Union and European Central Bank.

"We say no to the troika and its policies!" said one banner carried by activists, while others declared: "It's robbery, it is the people who pay!" and "Salaries frozen, future mortgaged!"

The tight-fisted budget has sparked multiple street protests including one on November 14 that degenerated into clashes between baton-wielding police and stone-throwing demonstrators.

The main opposition Socialist Party has opposed the budget, saying the austerity policies are "exaggerated", even though it was in power when Lisbon sought the rescue in May 2011.

While recognising the enormous sacrifices by his compatriots, Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho says austerity policies are the only path to economic recovery.

With its draconian budget, the government expects to trim the annual budget deficit to the equivalent of 4.5 per cent of gross domestic product next year from a target of 5.0 per cent in 2012.

The budget-trimming efforts come as the economy is expected to shrink three per cent in 2012, with a jobless rate already nearing 16 per cent.

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US stocks open lower despite Greek deal

US stocks have opened lower after Greece secured a revised bailout deal that will help it again avert a default on its huge debt load.

Doubts remained about the new deal, which allows Athens to trim its debt load through bond buybacks and reduced rates and promises new rescue loan instalments of 43.7 billion euros ($A54.63 billion) through March.

Five minutes into trade the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 27.19 points (0.21 per cent) at 12,940.18.

The broad-market S&P 500 lost 2.37 (0.17 per cent) at 1403.92, while the Nasdaq Composite slipped 4.26 (0.14 per cent) to 2972.52.

European markets were mostly higher after the deal, but critics said the European Union and the International Monetary Fund had again "kicked the can down the road" with the new arrangement.

"We think that Greece will eventually need a much larger debt relief, but any agreement on this is unlikely to happen before German elections next fall," said Tullia Bucco of UniCredit Research.

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Pot-loving defendant asks for final toke

AN AVID marijuana user has agreed to give up his favourite pastime to avoid a jail sentence, but not before asking a judge if he could have just one more toke.

Nineteen-year-old Damaine Mitchell got credit for time served for marijuana possession, ending that case. Mitchell first had to pledge to stop smoking marijuana and to seek treatment.

Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Melba Marsh convicted him of possession Monday after ruling him not guilty of trafficking. He remains jailed on a trespassing charge.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Mitchell told her in an earlier court appearance that he doubted he could stop smoking marijuana, which he'd been doing since age 10. She had denied his request to smoke one more joint before he gave it up.

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Amazon deforestation at record low

DEFORESTATION of Brazil's Amazon has slowed for a fourth consecutive year to its lowest rate since authorities began monitoring the world's largest rainforest, officials said.

The National Institute of Space Research found that the Amazon lost 4656 square kilometres of rain forest over a period running from August 2011 to July 2012, 27 per cent less than the previous year.

"It is the lowest deforestation rate since Brazil began its monitoring" in 1988, said Environment Minister Izabella Teixeira.

"I believe that it is the only good piece of environmental news," she told a press conference called to unveil a new electronic system to slap fines on those found guilty of deforesting the Amazon.

A year ago, INPE reported that the Amazon lost 6238 square kilometres of rainforest between August 2010 and July 2011, 11 per cent less than the previous year.

Declines in the extent of deforestation have been registered in each of the past four years.

Destruction of forests releases large quantities of CO2, which account for 17 per cent of the greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming.

Large-scale deforestation has made Brazil one of the world's top greenhouse gas emitters, but the government has made significant strides in curbing it over the past decade.

Key causes of Amazon deforestation are fires, the spread of agriculture and stockbreeding and illegal trafficking in timber and minerals.

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Gunmen kill 10 in Nigerian pub

GUNMEN said to be dressed as soldiers have opened fire on a central Nigeria pub, killing 10 people in a region hit by waves of clashes between Christian and Muslim ethnic groups, authorities say.

The incident occurred in the Barkin Ladi area of Plateau state late on Monday and saw gunmen storm the pub then open fire indiscriminately on customers, according to a military spokesman who denied soldiers were involved.

Barkin Ladi is a mainly Christian area of the region which lies on the fault line between the mainly Muslim north and predominantly Christian south of Africa's most populous nation.

"The gunmen opened fire indiscriminately on customers, killing eight on the spot, while two others died later as a result of the gunshot wounds they sustained," Captain Salisu Ibrahim Mustapha said.

"In protest to the killings, some members of the community barricaded the highway, preventing commuters from using the road."

Some residents claimed the gunmen were wearing army uniforms, while a Christian activist from the Stefanos Foundation made the same accusation.

"There was an attack on a drinking spot in Heipan last night by five gunmen dressed in army uniform," Mark Lipdo told AFP, referring to the neighbourhood in Barkin Ladi.

Mustapha denied any soldiers were involved. Criminals have in the past dressed as soldiers or police to carry out crimes or commit violence.

Nigeria's Plateau state has been hit by waves of clashes that have left scores of people dead in recent years. Policies favouring ethnic groups considered to be indigenous to the area have worsened the conflict.

The violence has often involved clashes between mainly Christian Beroms and Hausa-Fulani Muslims.

However, in addition to the ethnic clashes, Islamist extremist group Boko Haram has also carried out a number of attacks in the region as part of its insurgency.

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Gunmen on the run after fatal shooting

POLICE are still searching for the gunmen who shot one man dead and seriously injured another in Sydney's southwest on Tuesday.

Police found the dead man's body at the back of a house in Lumeah Avenue at Punchbowl after receiving reports of multiple shots around 4.10 pm (AEST).

Another man was found at the front of the home with at least five gunshot wounds and was rushed to St George Hospital.

The man, who remains in a serious but stable condition, reportedly suffered gunshot wounds to the back of his legs, hands and the back of his head.

Both men were shot inside the home, which was being renovated.

A woman who arrived on the scene told AAP she owned the property where the shootings took place.

She declined to comment other than to say the victims were "family friends".

It is believed the men, both aged in their 30s, were of Middle Eastern appearance and not known to police.

A manhunt for at least two suspects is continuing after the dog squad and police helicopter scoured the area shortly after the incident.

"We will be seeking further persons who are believed to have left the premises shortly after the shooting," Superintendent Michael McLean told reporters at the scene.

Police have established three crime scenes: where the shooting took place in Lumeah Avenue; in Christian Road where the incident may have spilled into; and in nearby Werona Ave where at least two spent shell casings were found on a nature strip.

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GM cars to use Apple's Siri

GENERAL Motors said it will integrate Apple's voice-activated software Siri in some of its cars next year to allow iPhone users to perform hands-free tasks.

GM announced at the Los Angeles International Auto Show it will use the Siri intelligent assistant in the Chevrolet Spark and Sonic LTZ and RS.

"Through the cars' standard Chevrolet MyLink infotainment system, customers with a compatible iPhone running iOS 6 can direct Siri to perform a number of tasks while they safely keep their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel," GM said in a statement.

"To further minimise distraction, Siri takes hands-free functionality even further with an eyes-free mode that enables users to interact with their iPhone using nothing more than their voice while keeping the device's screen from lighting up."

Drivers will be able to use the system to make hands-free calls, play songs in the iTunes library, or switch music sources from radio to iPod mode. They may also listen to, compose and send messages to people in their contact list.

Cristi Landy, Chevrolet marketing director for small cars, said, "Safe, easy, reliable and portable connectivity is a top priority for our customers, and Siri complements MyLink's existing capabilities to help deliver an incredible driving experience."

Apple announced earlier this year it was working with car makers to build Siri artificial intelligence technology into voice control systems in automobiles.

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