Group calls for Yooralla board sacking

AN advocacy group has called on Victoria's new premier Daniel Andrews to sack the board of disability service provider Yooralla, claiming misappropriation of taxpayer funds.

UNITED Voices for People with Disabilities on Tuesday night distributed an "Open Letter to Premier Andrews" to the media.

The letter alleges excessive payments of up to $1.6 million were made to eight Yooralla senior managers, over four years, on top of their salaries.Yooralla's wages bill increased as general workforce of carers were underpaid, it also claims."We reject the Department of Human Services investigation of Yooralla, and the Yooralla investigation of itself," the open letter also states."Any adverse findings against Yooralla reflect on DHS, creating a conflict of interest."The department and Victoria's ombudsman are investigating the way abuse claims are handled within the disability support system.This was triggered by media reports Yooralla continued to employ abusive or corrupt staff despite warnings they preyed on disabled clients.Comment was being sought from the government.

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WHO: Ebola death rate rises to 70 per cent

THE death rate in the Ebola outbreak has risen to 70 per cent and there could be up to 10,000 new cases a week in two months, the World Health Organisation warns.

WHO assistant director-general Dr Bruce Aylward gave the grim figures during a news conference in Geneva on Tuesday.

Previously, WHO had estimated the death rate at about 50 per cent.Aylward said the 70 per cent death rate was "a high mortality disease" in any circumstance and that the UN health agency was still focused on trying to get sick people isolated and provide treatment as early as possible.He told reporters that if the world's response to the Ebola crisis isn't stepped up within 60 days, "a lot more people will die" and there will be a huge need to deal with the spiralling numbers of cases.For the last four weeks, there have been about 1000 new cases per week - including suspected, confirmed and probable cases, he said, adding that the UN health agency is aiming to get 70 per cent of cases isolated within two months to reverse the outbreak.WHO increased its Ebola death toll tally to 4447 people on Tuesday, nearly all of them in west Africa, from 8914 cases.Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia have been hardest hit nations in the current outbreak.Aylward said the agency was still focused on trying to treat Ebola patients, despite the huge demands on the broken health systems in west Africa."It would be horrifically unethical to say that we're just going to isolate people," he said, noting that new strategies such as handing out protective equipment to families and setting up very basic clinics - without much treatment - was a priority.

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Storm batters Sydney causing chaos

A RAGING storm has been tearing through NSW's east coast, battering homes and causing delays at Sydney Airport.

THE NSW State Emergency Service has received more than 300 calls for emergency assistance, including eight flood rescues under way on Tuesday night, with more calls expected to come.

SES spokesman Phil Campbell said trees and power lines were down and conditions were too hazardous in some areas for crews to go out."They'd go kite surfing across the ditch and end up in New Zealand," he said."Obviously the safety of our volunteers is paramount."We are responding to lots of calls for help. We're getting several per minute."Sydney's south, particularly Kogarah and the airport, had been hardest hit, he said.About 5500 homes in Sydney's south have lost power, according to electricity network Ausgrid.Wind gusts of 95 km/h were recorded about 9pm at Sydney Airport and passengers have taken to social media to report on delays and storm battered planes."Storm so severe its pushing our stationary A330 Airbus sliding around the Tarmac at Sydney Airport," tweeted Annalie Killian."Been stuck on this plane now for 4 hours... Piss off storm!" wrote Brett Leonard.Passengers have reported ground crews were nowhere in sight as they sat on planes, waiting for hours before cancellations."Please pray for me! The airport is a mess," one person posted on Facebook.Despite reports the airport had shut down, a spokeswoman told AAP it was operating."The thunderstorms are causing delays," she said."Flights are coming in and out, the weather is causing delays to unloading aircrafts ... it will contribute to knock-on delays."By about 9.30pm, wind gusts increased to 98 km/h at the airport, while in the state's south winds of 161 km/h were recorded at Wattamolla.At Strathfield, almost 90mm of rain has fallen in two-and-a-half hours with flooding expected in low lying areas of Tempe, in Sydney's inner west.Wind and rain hasn't been the only result of the storms as snow fell heavily around the Blue Mountains.About 5cm has fallen in Lithgow, with roads affected by snow and ice.The SES reported 60 passengers have become stuck on a train between Kingsgrove and Bexley North, sparking a rescue operation.By 11.15pm, the Bureau of Meteorology expects the dangerous thunderstorm to hit Parramatta, Hornsby and Manly.

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JP Morgan returns to profit in Q3

JPMORGAN, the largest US banks by assets, has reported third-quarter profit after booking a loss in the same period a year ago.

THE bank on Tuesday reported earnings of $US5.6 billion ($A6.06 billion), or $US1.36 share, compared with a loss of $US380 million, or 17 cents a share, in the same period a year ago.

Revenue for the period rose five per cent to $US24.25 billion from $US23.12 billion a year ago.The results missed the expectations of Wall Street analysts who had forecast earnings of $US1.38 a share, according to FactSet.JPMorgan shares were down 36 cents, or 0.6 per cent, at $US57.80 in pre-market trading. The stock is down 0.5 per cent this year.

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Pistorius' charity work downplayed

OSCAR Pistorius only used charitable work as a marketing tool, the prosecution says as the sentencing hearing of the South African athlete enters its second day.

PROSECUTOR Gerrie Nel downplayed arguments on Tuesday by Pistorius' manager Peet Van Zyl that the double-amputee Olympic sprinter had engaged in volunteer work and donated funds to help disabled people.

Getting involved in charity "is merely an advancement of your career," Nel told Van Zyl. "If you see it that way," the manager answered.Pistorius' defence is trying to depict him as a generous man of good character in an attempt to allow him to avoid a prison sentence for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on February 14, 2013.The 27-year-old athlete fired at the 29-year-old model through the bathroom door in his Pretoria home.Judge Thokozile Masipa accepted his version that he took her for a burglar and found him guilty of manslaughter on September 12.The sentencing hearing is expected to conclude this week. Masipa then has a wide discretion in choosing the sentence, which could range from a fine to 15 years in prison.Pistorius' therapist told the court on Monday that he had felt deep and genuine remorse for killing Steenkamp and had been left "a broken man" by his ordeal.A representative of South Africa's Correctional Services Department recommended that Pistorius be punished with house arrest and community service.Nel called the suggestion a "shockingly inappropriate" punishment.The judge said in her September decision that Pistorius did not mean to kill anyone, but acted negligently and unreasonably, knowing there was someone in the toilet with little room for manoeuvre when he fired the shots.The verdict sparked an outcry, with many saying Pistorius intended to kill and should have been found guilty of murder.The 41-day trial of Pistorius - the first double-amputee to compete against able-bodied sprinters in the 2012 London Olympics - was watched closely around the world.

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Suicide car bomb in Baghdad kills 19

A SUICIDE bomber has rammed his explosive-laden car into a security checkpoint in northern Baghdad, killing at least 19 people, including civilians, an Iraqi police official says.

THE attack happened on Tuesday in Baghdad's Shi'ite-majority Khazimiyah district. The official says at least six police officers were among the dead. Another 35 people were wounded.

Hospital officials confirmed the casualties. All officials spoke anonymously as they are not authorised to brief the media.A series of attacks on Shi'ite-majority neighbourhoods in Baghdad on Monday killed 44 people.

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Senate to investigate Newman government

Bushfire risk to one million homes across NSW

ONE million homes are at risk across NSW in the upcoming bushfire season with the hot, dry effects of El Niño expected to make conditions even worse than the devastating 2013-14 season.

Man left for dead in Sydney street

A MAN has been taken to hospital suffering multiple fractures and serious head injuries after being hit by a car in Sydney's inner west overnight.

No ban on burqas for employers

MUSLIM women wearing burqas and niqabs can have their driving licence photographs taken after hours and can enter public sector work.

Kids fear dad was killed by IS

THE family of an Australian man tortured and killed in Afghanistan fears he may have been murdered by Islamic State militants.

The Farmer wants a Liberal seat

ULTRA marathon runner Pat Farmer wants to stage a comeback for the Liberal Party in former minister Chris Hartcher's state seat of Terrigal.

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Vic man in court on terror financing

A MELBOURNE man allegedly provided funds to the terrorist organisations ISIL and Jabhat al-Nusra, a court has heard.

HASSAN El Sabsabi allegedly provided funds to the groups knowing they were terrorist organisations over five months this year, at a number of locations in Melbourne's western and northern suburbs, according to charge sheets lodged with the Melbourne Magistrates Court.

El Sabsabi, 23, of Seabrook, was arrested following a series of raids on homes across Melbourne on Tuesday morning.He appeared at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday afternoon charged with six counts of intentionally making funds available to a terrorist organisation.Federal police allege that in March this year El Sabsabi made funds available to ISIL, also know as Islamic State. Police also allege that between March and August, he made funds available to Jabhat al-Nusra.The amount of funds allegedly made available was neither stated on the charge sheets nor during his court appearance.Police earlier told reporters about $12,000 had allegedly been provided to a man in the United States, allowing him to join militants in Syria some months ago. He continues to fight there.Prosecutor Andrew Doyle told the court the investigation commenced about eight months ago from information from the FBI.Mr Doyle said there were 25,000 pages from social media accounts and 500 telephone calls and messages to go through as part of the investigation."A substantial amount of material will be sourced from overseas," Mr Doyle told the court.El Sabsabi's lawyer Trieu Huynh asked for his client to be transferred from the Melbourne Custody Centre to the Melbourne Assessment Prison as soon as possible."Given the nature of the charges (and) it's his first time in custody, it's extremely onerous on him," he said.He also asked for a doctor to examine his client as soon as possible for his medical conditions, which Mr Huynh said he would not outline in open court.Deputy Chief Magistrate Dan Muling granted a prosecution application for more time to prepare the brief of evidence.El Sabsabi did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody to reappear on February 3.

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US-led strikes hit IS 'near Turkey border'

ACTIVISTS say the US-led coalition has struck targets of the Islamic State group near a besieged Kurdish town along Syria's border with Turkey.

IT was not immediately clear if Tuesday's airstrikes succeeded in halting the militants' advance on Kobane, also known as Ain al-Arab.

The opposition Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes hit Islamic State fighters east and west of Kobane.The Local Coordination Committees, another activist group, also confirmed the airstrikes on the town's outskirts.Kobane has been under attack by the Islamic State group since mid-September.Despite US-led airstrikes, the militants were able to advance toward the town over the past few days.The Observatory said fighting around Kobane on Monday killed 57 fighters on both sides - the town's Kurdish defenders and the Islamic militants.

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500,000 admit to lying on credit

HALF a million Australians have lied or omitted information on a credit application.

DATA bureau Veda, which provides information and analysis to lenders and borrowers, said its research found three per cent of Australians had admitted being less than straight-forward on their applications.

"It's really a form of fraud if people are doing that," Veda spokeswoman Belinda Diprose said.Recent changes in legislation will allow lenders to see a range of credit details that expose lies and omissions, she said.The newly available information includes: when accounts are opened and closed, the type of account, the credit limit and, importantly, the repayment history."It gives lenders a much more complete picture when they're assessing you for credit," Ms Diprose said."It also gives consumers the opportunity to be a lot more proactive in managing their credit history."Veda says it is just as alarming that 2.1 million Australians, or 13 per cent of those using credit, are at risk of default in the next year.This is a slight reduction from the previous year, down from 15 per cent.Veda found 601,380 people, four per cent of credit users, were classified as being at high to extreme risk.Veda records a default if borrowers and billpayers are more than $150 and 60 days overdue.The survey results are part of the second annual Veda Australian Credit Scorecard, combining analysis of 955,000 individual credit scores with separate research on 1000 Australians.Despite the risk of default, Veda's research found 79 per cent of Australians were not concerned about their credit history, and 78 per cent have never checked their credit report.And when it comes to financial savvy, women come out ahead of men.Two-thirds of women expressed financial confidence, compared to 58 per cent of men.

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Indonesian leader 'to restore local votes'

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono wants to reintroduce direct elections for governors. Source: AAP

OUTGOING Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono says he is seeking to overturn a new law that abolishes direct elections for local officials, amid criticism of his party's failure to block it.

THE House of Representatives on Friday voted 226 to 135 to approve the bill, according to which governors, district chiefs and mayors would be elected by the local legislatures.

"We want to maintain direct elections, with improvements," Yudhoyono said."If Plan A fails, I will resort to Plan B," he said, without elaborating."I hope we will find a way."The president said he had been advised that neither he nor his Democratic Party had standing to challenge the law in the Constitutional Court.Yudhoyono's party legislators boycotted the parliamentary vote after their proposed amendments failed.Under the current system, local leaders - including the former Jakarta governor and now president-elect Joko Widodo - have been elected directly by voters.Proponents of the new legislation said direct elections were too costly, prone to fraud and often sparked violence among supporters of rival candidates.Joko's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and two other parties that backed his candidacy criticised the bill as a setback for democracy.Much of the public anger over the legislation has been directed at Yudhoyono on social media like Twitter and Facebook.The president will still be directly elected, but critics said it would be impossible for reform-minded leaders like Joko to emerge under an indirect election system.They also said the bill was a ploy by Joko's opponents, who form the majority in the upcoming parliament, to control local governments and undermine his leadership.Direct local elections began in 2005 as part of efforts to decentralise political power after the fall of dictator Suharto in 1998.Joko, who also opposed the bill, will be sworn in as president on October 20.

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South Sudan factions agree on federal govt

MEDIATORS say South Sudan's warring factions have agreed on the installation of a federal system of government in South Sudan.

THE regional body IGAD, which is mediating peace talks in Ethiopia, announced on Tuesday that the structure and functions of a transitional government of national unity have been "mostly agreed on".

Mediators said, however, that the parties are yet to agree on when to introduce federalism in the world's newest country.Representatives for the rebels want immediate implementation but the government favours a 30-month transitional period before the next administration can be formed.South Sudan was plunged into violence last December after the government accused the ousted vice president of launching a failed coup.Thousands of people have since been killed in violence pitting government forces against renegade troops.

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WA premier hears of Muslim harassment

Bushfire risk to one million homes across NSW

ONE million homes are at risk across NSW in the upcoming bushfire season with the hot, dry effects of El Niño expected to make conditions even worse than the devastating 2013-14 season.

Man left for dead in Sydney street

A MAN has been taken to hospital suffering multiple fractures and serious head injuries after being hit by a car in Sydney's inner west overnight.

No ban on burqas for employers

MUSLIM women wearing burqas and niqabs can have their driving licence photographs taken after hours and can enter public sector work.

Kids fear dad was killed by IS

THE family of an Australian man tortured and killed in Afghanistan fears he may have been murdered by Islamic State militants.

The Farmer wants a Liberal seat

ULTRA marathon runner Pat Farmer wants to stage a comeback for the Liberal Party in former minister Chris Hartcher's state seat of Terrigal.

00.00 | 0 komentar | Read More

One in three Aust seniors live in poverty

Bushfire risk to one million homes across NSW

ONE million homes are at risk across NSW in the upcoming bushfire season with the hot, dry effects of El Niño expected to make conditions even worse than the devastating 2013-14 season.

Man left for dead in Sydney street

A MAN has been taken to hospital suffering multiple fractures and serious head injuries after being hit by a car in Sydney's inner west overnight.

No ban on burqas for employers

MUSLIM women wearing burqas and niqabs can have their driving licence photographs taken after hours and can enter public sector work.

Kids fear dad was killed by IS

THE family of an Australian man tortured and killed in Afghanistan fears he may have been murdered by Islamic State militants.

The Farmer wants a Liberal seat

ULTRA marathon runner Pat Farmer wants to stage a comeback for the Liberal Party in former minister Chris Hartcher's state seat of Terrigal.

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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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Jackie Chan's son held in China drug bust

The son of Jackie Chan, Jaycee (pic), has been detained in Beijing on drug-related charges. Source: AAP

THE actor son of Hong Kong action superstar Jackie Chan has been detained in Beijing on drug-related charges, the latest high-profile celebrity to be ensnared in one of China's biggest anti-drug crackdowns in two decades.

JAYCEE Chan, 31, was detained last Thursday together with 23-year-old Taiwanese movie star Kai Ko, Beijing police said late on Monday on their official microblog, identifying them only by their surnames, ages and nationalities. It was unclear why the detentions were announced several days later.

Police said both actors tested positive for marijuana and admitted using the drug, and that 100 grams of it were taken from Chan's home.Jaycee Chan's management, M'Stones International, apologised to the public on his behalf for the "social impact" caused in a statement on their website. It said they would "supervise his rehabilitation and help him return to the right path".The detentions follow a declaration in June by President Xi Jinping that illegal drugs should be wiped out and that offenders would be severely punished. In Beijing alone, more than 7800 people have been caught in the crackdown, police said.A string of celebrities have been among those detained, including Gao Hu, who acted in Zhang Yimou's 2011 movie The Flowers of War.Last week, 42 Beijing performing arts associations and theatre companies signed a pledge to not hire any actors connected with drugs in an event organised by the capital's Narcotics Control Office and the Beijing Cultural Bureau.Chinese state broadcaster CCTV aired footage of a police search of the younger Chan's home in Beijing in which he is depicted, his face pixelated, showing officers where he stashed bags of marijuana. Police said they acted on a tip-off from the public.Chan is accused of accommodating drug users, an offence that carries a maximum sentence of three years' imprisonment - a far more serious charge than that of drug consumption. Two other people detained in the same case were accused of selling drugs while Ko is accused of drug consumption.China named the elder Chan an anti-drug ambassador in 2009. Ko, the Taiwanese star, was part of an anti-drug campaign two years ago, CCTV reported, showing footage of the campaign in which he joins other celebrities in a chorus declaring: "I don't use drugs."Illegal drug use has ballooned in China in recent decades, after being virtually eradicated following the 1949 communist revolution. Narcotics began to reappear with the loosening of social controls in the late 1980s.

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Transpacific grounds trucks after SA crash

THE company which owns the truck involved in a fatal crash in Adelaide has grounded its entire national fleet as it conducts an internal investigation.

THE Transpacific truck smashed into three stationary cars on Monday afternoon at traffic lights at Glen Osmond and Cross roads at the start of the South Eastern Freeway.

The 56-year-old male driver of one of the cars died, while two female drivers, aged 41 and 49, and the 28-year-old male truck driver remain in a critical condition at Royal Adelaide Hospital.Police on Tuesday said they were investigating whether brake failure had caused the crash at the "high risk location".Transpacific chief executive Robert Boucher said the company had taken the decision to ground its fleet to ensure its vehicles were roadworthy."This is not a decision we have taken lightly, however we believe it is the right thing to do given the serious nature of Monday's accident," he said in a statement."The driver had undergone thorough safety training prior to being cleared to drive our truck."Mr Boucher said Transpacific had fully co-operated with police, providing them with access to the company's trucks and maintenance records.Police have said it appeared the driver of the sewage truck was travelling at considerable speed before the crash.Meanwhile, a woman has died following a crash where two cars collided at Nuriootpa on Tuesday afternoon, taking the state's road toll to 56.Police say the crash happened on the Sturt Highway and one of the drivers, a woman from Yorke Peninsula, died at the scene.The other driver was airlifted to the Royal Adelaide Hospital and remains in a serious, but non-life threatening condition.

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Marchioness victims remembered 25 years on

Tradie 'demanded money' before alleged murder

A SYDNEY tradie accused of killing a woman in her waterfront mansion had said "I will win at the end" during a dispute over money the day before the alleged murder.

NSW

'Pettiness' caused hospital death

PETTY issues and resentment between midwives and doctors was the cause of an "avoidable death" at a NSW hospital.

NSW

Promising footballer, 20, killed by train

A POPULAR local rugby league player and university student was killed when he was hit by a train near Wollongong.

NSW

Aussies dying for a holiday in Bali

AUSTRALIA'S No.1 holiday destination is also one of the deadliest, with an average of one Aussie dying every eight days in Bali.

Travel News

• 1 video
  • What Really Happens in Bali trailer 1:00

Police fear maps clue to Sydney bomb plot

EXPLOSIVES similar to those used in the London bombings and maps possibly targeting two Sydney CBD locations were uncovered in a ­suburban home.

NSW

• 1 video
  • Counter-terrorism pitch 1:56

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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

Tradie 'demanded money' before alleged murder

A SYDNEY tradie accused of killing a woman in her waterfront mansion had said "I will win at the end" during a dispute over money the day before the alleged murder.

NSW

'Pettiness' caused hospital death

PETTY issues and resentment between midwives and doctors was the cause of an "avoidable death" at a NSW hospital.

NSW

Promising footballer, 20, killed by train

A POPULAR local rugby league player and university student was killed when he was hit by a train near Wollongong.

NSW

Aussies dying for a holiday in Bali

AUSTRALIA'S No.1 holiday destination is also one of the deadliest, with an average of one Aussie dying every eight days in Bali.

Travel News

• 1 video
  • What Really Happens in Bali trailer 1:00

Police fear maps clue to Sydney bomb plot

EXPLOSIVES similar to those used in the London bombings and maps possibly targeting two Sydney CBD locations were uncovered in a ­suburban home.

NSW

• 1 video
  • Counter-terrorism pitch 1:56

23.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Italian military jets collide: report

Tradie 'demanded money' before alleged murder

A SYDNEY tradie accused of killing a woman in her waterfront mansion had said "I will win at the end" during a dispute over money the day before the alleged murder.

NSW

'Pettiness' caused hospital death

PETTY issues and resentment between midwives and doctors was the cause of an "avoidable death" at a NSW hospital.

NSW

Promising footballer, 20, killed by train

A POPULAR local rugby league player and university student was killed when he was hit by a train near Wollongong.

NSW

Aussies dying for a holiday in Bali

AUSTRALIA'S No.1 holiday destination is also one of the deadliest, with an average of one Aussie dying every eight days in Bali.

Travel News

• 1 video
  • What Really Happens in Bali trailer 1:00

Police fear maps clue to Sydney bomb plot

EXPLOSIVES similar to those used in the London bombings and maps possibly targeting two Sydney CBD locations were uncovered in a ­suburban home.

NSW

• 1 video
  • Counter-terrorism pitch 1:56

23.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

US factory orders rise 1.1% in June

ORDERS to US factories increased in June, led by demand for aircraft, industrial machinery and computers and electronics.

THE Commerce Department reports that orders rose a seasonally adjusted 1.1 per cent compared to the month prior.

Factory orders had fallen 0.6 per cent in May after three straight months of gains.An 8.4 per cent jump in demand for commercial aircraft fuelled the latest gains.But there were additional increases outside this volatile category that point to businesses investing with the expectation of economic growth.Orders for machinery rose 2.9 per cent.Iron and steel mills had a 1.7 per cent increase in demand, while orders for computers and electronic products were up 2.9 per cent.Excluding military hardware, factory orders rose 1 per cent in June from May.Over the past year, factory orders were up 2.5 per cent.

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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

Brother sees twin die in holiday tragedy

ALEX D'Aleo, a tradie from Sydney, was killed after trying to jump on to a boat during Croatia's yacht week while on holiday with his twin brother.

NSW

North Shore's mystery cave woman dies alone

POLICE determined to identify the body of a woman found at Willis Park, Middle Cove, have revealed locals recognised her as a homeless person who was often seen in the community.

NSW

Man builds 1950s town in backyard

A desire to recapture the best days of his life led Cyril Robinson to create a life-size replica of a small 1950s Australian town in his backyard.

West 

Internet data to be kept for two years

COPYING a move in the UK to combat homegrown terrorists, the federal government is pushing to introduce the law as early as September.

NSW

• 1 video
  • Six Ways To Boost Phone Privacy 2:28

Fashionable H & M heading for the 'burbs

H&M, the Swedish fashion giant which added Miranda Kerr to its books in 2014, has bypassed the CBD to launch its first Sydney store in the booming northwest.

Confidential

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Year-over-year US home prices show a slowi

Brother sees twin die in holiday tragedy

ALEX D'Aleo, a tradie from Sydney, was killed after trying to jump on to a boat during Croatia's yacht week while on holiday with his twin brother.

NSW

North Shore's mystery cave woman dies alone

POLICE determined to identify the body of a woman found at Willis Park, Middle Cove, have revealed locals recognised her as a homeless person who was often seen in the community.

NSW

Man builds 1950s town in backyard

A desire to recapture the best days of his life led Cyril Robinson to create a life-size replica of a small 1950s Australian town in his backyard.

West 

Internet data to be kept for two years

COPYING a move in the UK to combat homegrown terrorists, the federal government is pushing to introduce the law as early as September.

NSW

• 1 video
  • Six Ways To Boost Phone Privacy 2:28

Fashionable H & M heading for the 'burbs

H&M, the Swedish fashion giant which added Miranda Kerr to its books in 2014, has bypassed the CBD to launch its first Sydney store in the booming northwest.

Confidential

23.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

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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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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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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Gammy's mum may face Thai charges

Brother sees twin die in holiday tragedy

ALEX D'Aleo, a tradie from Sydney, was killed after trying to jump on to a boat during Croatia's yacht week while on holiday with his twin brother.

NSW

North Shore's mystery cave woman dies alone

POLICE determined to identify the body of a woman found at Willis Park, Middle Cove, have revealed locals recognised her as a homeless person who was often seen in the community.

NSW

Man builds 1950s town in backyard

A desire to recapture the best days of his life led Cyril Robinson to create a life-size replica of a small 1950s Australian town in his backyard.

West 

Internet data to be kept for two years

COPYING a move in the UK to combat homegrown terrorists, the federal government is pushing to introduce the law as early as September.

NSW

• 1 video
  • Six Ways To Boost Phone Privacy 2:28

Fashionable H & M heading for the 'burbs

H&M, the Swedish fashion giant which added Miranda Kerr to its books in 2014, has bypassed the CBD to launch its first Sydney store in the booming northwest.

Confidential

23.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Another whale freed from Qld shark nets

A HUMPBACK whale has been freed from shark nets off the Gold Coast days after two young whales became trapped in the area.

SEA World marine experts were alerted about 7.45am on Tuesday after reports a humpback was caught in nets about 300 metres off Kirra Beach.

A spokeswoman for the Gold Coast theme park told AAP a team cut the whale free about two and a half hours later.Marine experts onboard a boat are following the mammal, which appears to be in good health.An exhausted humpback calf was freed by a rescue team after struggling for hours in a net off the same beach last Thursday. The whale suffered muscle and tail damage but was able to swim away.However, a baby whale that became trapped off a southern Gold Coast beach on July 20 was not so fortunate.The newborn hit the bottom of a shark net, was unable to free itself and drowned.Sea World's director of marine sciences Trevor Long last week called for a review of the use of shark nets off the Gold Coast.He said many inexperienced mammals ran into trouble on their first southern migration because they did not know where the "traps" were.Mr Long suggested replacing the nets with drum lines during the whale season in winter, when the beaches aren't as popular.

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Aussies warned about deadly Ebola outbreak

Aussies are being warned to steer clear of parts of West Africa affected by the deadly Ebola virus. Source: AAP

AUSTRALIANS are being warned to steer clear of parts of West Africa as the deadly Ebola virus claims more victims.

NEARLY 700 people have died in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia since March in what has been described as the most serious recorded outbreak yet of the virus.

There are fears it could spread further across the region; Nigeria has set up disease isolation centres at its international airports after recording its first death from the virus.The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is urging Australians to avoid areas affected by the virus and be aware they could run into trouble if they venture into the region."Australians are also advised that borders in the region may be closed at short notice to contain the outbreak," the department said in its travel bulletin.Those in the region should closely monitor local health advice and maintain strict standards of hygiene.Victims of the virus, or those suffering symptoms, should be avoided at all costs.Ebola has a 90 per cent fatality rate and can quickly kill once contracted.There is no known vaccine or cure.Symptoms include high fever and weakness followed by external and internal bleeding.Any traveller to the region showing these signs before or after visiting should seek medical attention.The outbreak began in March in forested areas of southeastern Guinea.

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Warrants issued for Aussie jihadists

Turia Pitt finally wins compensation

THE burns survivor and her boyfriend today made their first court appearance to confirm a multi-million dollar settlement made with ultra-marathon firm.

NSW

Man carjacked at lights, forced to drive 100km

POLICE are hunting for a man in a hoodie who jumped into a car in Leumeah and made a motorist, pictured, drive him to Jilliby, on the Central Coast.

NSW

Derelict Merrylands home fetches $3.2m

IT has cracks in the walls, no electricity and is covered in spiderwebs, but this western Sydney home sold for $3.2 million. What is its secret?

Parramatta

Businessman has corrupt conduct finding overturned

BUSINESSMAN John Kinghorn has won his appeal against ICAC, becoming the first person since former Premier Nick Greiner to overturn a corrupt conduct finding.

NSW

'We're looking at the positives' says fiancee Teigan Power

As her fiance Alex McKinnon faced the fight of his life, Teigan Power has been behind the scenes, a tower of strength for the young NRL player.

The Hills

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