Unsupervised L-plater had kids in car:cops

NSW police have caught two L-platers driving unsupervised, including a woman with two children in the back without seatbelts and a drunk man.

THE 22-year-old woman was pulled over in Cowra, in NSW's central west as part of a state-wide traffic crackdown.

She had her permit suspended for three months and was fined for being an unaccompanied learner, not displaying her L-plates and driving with two unrestrained passengers.In Wagga Wagga, an intoxicated man on his Ls was also caught driving without supervision.He was charged with mid-range drink-driving after returning an alleged blood alcohol reading of 0.135.More than 2600 infringement notices were issued on Friday, 650 of those for speeding.Almost 77,000 breath tests were also carried out, with 26 drivers charged.The three-day operation ends at midnight on Saturday.

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Gammy's dad shouldn't have kids: victim

A victim of child sex offender David Farnell, says he should be banned from having children. Source: AAP

A CHILD sex abuse victim of an Australian man at the centre of a surrogacy storm says pedophiles shouldn't have children and she's disgusted he has a baby daughter.

DAVID Farnell was placed in the international spotlight after a Thailand surrogate mother alleged he abandoned his Down Syndrome son Gammy and returned to Australia with the healthier twin sister, now seven-month-old Pipah.

Questions have been raised over Mr Farnell's suitability for surrogacy after it emerged he was jailed in 1997 for indecently dealing with three girls.One of Mr Farnell's victims, using the pseudonym Sarah, has spoken about the impact of the offences."The damage is done and it can take years to repair," she told The West Australian newspaper."It's my belief he should not have any children - not just him, all pedophiles."The 39-year-old said she feared for Pipah's safety."We need to stop putting these perpetrators first ... because there are so many innocent babies and children that are abused day in, day out."It's disgusting."Mr Farnell and his wife Wendy have denied abandoning Gammy in Thailand, saying they wanted to take him back to their home in Western Australia.

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Tas P-plater caught driving 165 km/h

Police have arrested and clamped the car of a Tasmanian P-plater caught driving 165 km/h. Source: AAP

POLICE have arrested and clamped the car of a Tasmanian P-plater caught driving 165 km/h.

THE 19-year-old was speeding on the Bass Highway in the early morning hours when stopped by officers on Saturday.

He was charged with a number of traffic offences.His car has been clamped for 28 days.

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Budget back in emergency, Cormann says

Tony Abbott says the budget must be passed and the government will negotiate it through parliament. Source: AAP

AFTER declaring a budget emergency last year, the government this week declared the budget situation normal but now Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says it's back to an emergency.

LABOR deputy leader Tanya Plibersek retorted that the government couldn't keep their story straight for a day.

With parliament sitting again this week, Prime Minister Tony Abbott says the budget must be passed and the government will "carefully, courteously, patiently" negotiate outstanding measures through the senate.On Tuesday, Finance Minister Mathias Cormann appeared to distance himself from the government's previous insistence the budget was in crisis."Situation normal really," he said.Come Saturday, the message changed. He denied urgency had gone from the budget, which remained in the bad shape Labor left it."We are facing a budget emergency as a country, we are facing a very challenging fiscal situation but the government is dealing with it ... through the normal processes of the parliament," he told Sky News.Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen said Senator Cormann had returned to the old script."This was the same minister who earlier in the week was claiming that it was mission accomplished and that the government had plenty of time to get its key budget measures through the Senate," he said in a statement.Mr Abbott acknowledged the government had achieved much of what it wanted.He said not all news from federal parliament was "difficult and vexed" and about half the budget measures had passed.The largest saving of some $7 billion from reducing growth of the foreign aid budget had passed as part of the appropriation bills.What the government doesn't have is a series of more controversial revenue raising and cost-cutting measures, including the GP co-payment, return to fuel indexation and reduced pension indexation.The government needs to win support from cross-bench senators for these to pass against the opposition of Labor and Greens senators."Like other governments before us, we will carefully, courteously, patiently negotiate the rest of our budget through the parliament," Mr Abbott said.He said this had to be done and would be done, as failure to act now meant tougher decisions would be needed later.Even those measures won't cover the cost of the new initiatives including the paid parental leave scheme ($7 billion a year by 2024-25) and National Disability Insurance Scheme ($26 billion a year), a new report from the Parliamentary Budget Office says.This report says a sustained period of growth in government spending over the past 10 years has probably lifted community expectations of what the government could provide."It is difficult to see how governments could continue to meet these expectations while containing spending growth to the level currently projected," the report states.

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NSW fisherman's death prompts safety plea

RESCUERS are pleading for rock fishers to wear lifejackets and heed weather warnings, after a man died at a notorious spot on Sydney's northern beaches.

THREE fishermen - none of whom knew each other - were swept into a wave pool at the base of a North Curl Curl cliff about 10.30am on Saturday.

A NSW Police spokeswoman has told AAP that two of the men began CPR on the third man, 42, and assisted him until paramedics and a Westpac Lifesaver rescue helicopter arrived, but the man could not be saved.It is believed the man was not wearing a lifejacket when he went into the water, though it's not known if this contributed to his death.Paramedics say he suffered a cardiac arrest.The tragedy is the latest in a string of recent accidents involving rock fishers along the NSW coast, and has prompted pleas from Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopters chief executive Stephen Leahy for anglers to stay safe."Right along that area is notorious for rock fishing accidents," he told AAP of the northern beaches stretch where the 42-year-old died."It's a fantastic sport, a very enjoyable, relaxing sport, but there are risks ..."Lifejackets, without any shadow of a doubt, will continue to save lives if only rock fishermen wore them."He has also reminded anglers to pay attention to weather warnings published by the Bureau of Meteorology and local surf lifesaving clubs.There were no dangerous surf warnings on Saturday as the wave height and energy were below thresholds, the Bureau's Jake Phillips has told Fairfax Media."But there are local rips and currents, which can be dangerous at any time," he said."If you are planning to rock fish, check the forecasts."Just last week, a 60-year-old fisherman was killed when he was swept off rocks while fishing at Kiama's Blow Hole Point.

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Mum speaks after Sydney party brawl

Adam Garcia smartens up his act

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Thailand seeks surrogacy transitional plan

INTERPOL says it has launched a multinational investigation into what Thailand has dubbed the "Baby Factory" case: a 24-year-old Japanese businessman who has 16 surrogate babies and an alleged desire to father hundreds more.

POLICE raided a Bangkok apartment earlier this month and found nine babies and nine nannies living in a few unfurnished rooms filled with baby bottles, bouncy chairs, play pens and nappies. They have since identified Mitsutoki Shigeta as the father of those babies - and seven others.

"What I can tell you so far is that I've never seen a case like this," said Thailand's Interpol director, police Major General Apichart Suribunya."We are trying to understand what kind of person makes this many babies."Apichart said on Friday that regional Interpol offices in Japan, Cambodia, Hong Kong and India have been asked to probe Shigeta's background, beginning last week. Police say he appears to have registered businesses or apartments in those countries and has frequently travelled there."We are looking into two motives. One is human trafficking and the other is exploitation of children," said Thai police Lieutenant General Kokiat Wongvorachart, Thailand's lead investigator in the case.He said Shigeta made 41 trips to Thailand since 2010. On many occasions he travelled to nearby Cambodia, where he brought four of his babies.Shigeta has not been charged with any crime. He is trying to get his children back - the 12 in Thailand are being cared for by social services - and he has proven through DNA samples sent from Japan that he is their biological father. He quickly left Thailand after the August 5 raid and has said through a lawyer that he simply wanted a large family and has the means to support it.Kokiat said Shigeta hired 11 Thai surrogate mothers to carry his children, including four sets of twins. Police have not determined the biological mothers, Kokiat said.The founder of a multinational fertility clinic that provided Shigeta with two surrogate mothers said she warned Interpol about him even before the first baby was born in June 2013."As soon as they got pregnant he requested more. He said he wanted 10 to 15 babies a year, and that he wanted to continue the baby-making process until he's dead," said Mariam Kukunashvili, founder of the New Life clinic, which is based in Thailand and six other countries.He also inquired about equipment to freeze his sperm to have sufficient supply when he's older, she said in a telephone interview from Mexico.As for Shigeta's motives, Kukunashvili said he told the clinic's manager that "he wanted to win elections and could use his big family for voting," and that "the best thing I can do for the world is to leave many children."Shigeta's activities drew no attention until early this month, when an Australian couple was accused of abandoning a baby with his Thai surrogate mother - but taking his twin sister - after learning the boy had Down syndrome.Though the couple disputes the allegation, the case prompted a crackdown by Thai authorities on what had been a largely unregulated industry.

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Iggy Azalea falls off stage during US show

Wran's drug past laid bare

A DRUG dealer who claims to be an ex-boyfriend and former housemate of Harriet Wran has told of her tragic descent into drugs.

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Spooky house on market for $2.5m

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Adam Garcia smartens up his act

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Put these celebs to the TV torture test

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PM blasts feds' passport bungle

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Miss job appointment, face dole cut

Why Aussies think Islam's a bonza religion

THREE 28-year-olds. All raised in Christian homes. All Australians. Some dark, some fair, some male, some female. They are the faces of Sydney's new Muslims.

Abbott: No more jihad for dole

ANY Australian assessed as a national security risk will be immediately stripped of all welfare payments they might be claiming, under new laws to ensure taxpayers aren't ­funding terrorism.

PM blasts feds' passport bungle

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Folau credits God for his divine talent

WHEN it comes to contests of biblical proportions, Israel Folau is just the man you want on your side.

The ICAC trap: How one judge changed politics

They call it "mining the villages". When politicians are about to lose government, they work to make sure the other team have as tough a time as possible when they win office.

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Qld man charged with attempted murder

A WOMAN has fought off a man who tried to shoot her in a Gold Coast car park, taking his gun before being transported to hospital with head injuries.

THE man, 43, has been charged with attempted murder after turning himself in to police a short time after allegedly attacking the woman in the Helensvale car park on Saturday morning.

"It will be alleged they become involved in an altercation and during a struggle, a firearm that the man allegedly had in his possession has discharged," police said."The man was restrained by members of the public, with the woman taking possession of the weapon and retreating to safety."Four children in the 35-year-old woman's car were uninjured.The alleged attempted murderer is due before Southport Magistrates Court on Monday.

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KISS music banned from Aust airwaves

A radio station has banned music by rock band KISS after negative comments by bassist Gene Simmons. Source: AAP

BOSSES at an Australian radio station have banned KISS music from the airwaves as a protest against comments bassist Gene Simmons recently made about people battling depression.

THE rocker upset a lot of people when he suggested people with depression and addiction issues should kill themselves in a recent interview when he was asked about relations between himself and former KISS bandmates Ace Frehley and Peter Criss.

Simmons told SongFacts.com, "I don't get along with anybody who's a drug addict and has a dark cloud over their head and sees themselves as a victim. Drug addicts and alcoholics are always: 'The world is a harsh place'."My mother was in a concentration camp in Nazi Germany. I don't want to hear f**k-all about 'the world is a harsh place'. She gets up every day, smells the roses and loves life. And for a putz, 20-year-old kid to say, 'I'm depressed, I live in Seattle'. F*** you, then kill yourself."Simmons went on to say he always calls people on their bluff if they are standing at the top a building saying they are going to jump.Motley Crue star Nikki Sixx attacked Simmons over his remarks on his satellite radio show earlier this week, and now bosses at Triple M have pulled all KISS tracks from playlists nationwide following the bassist's "misguided and insensitive" comments about depression and suicide.Network head Mike Fitzpatrick says, "Depression and suicide are not topics he should be using to further his notoriety or sell records. His desperation to use mental health issues to find relevancy in a modern age is sickening. I can only put it down to a brain fade on his part."The Triple M network can't and won't be playing or supporting this d***head's music. I put the challenge out to other stations across Australia and North America to also drop any of this nudnik's songs until such time as he reconsiders his thoughtless and insensitive position."Simmons has released a statement on Facebook in an attempt to clarify his remarks. It reads: "Depression is very serious and very sad when it happens to anyone, especially loved ones. I have not commented on various allegations made in the media, but I want to make this statement for the record and to clarify. I deeply support and am empathetic to anyone suffering from any disease, especially depression."I have never sugarcoated my feelings regarding drug use and alcoholics. Somewhere along the line, my intentions in speaking very directly and perhaps politically-incorrectly about drug use and alcoholics have been misconstrued as vile commentary on depression."Unkind statements about depression was certainly never my intention. And I do not intend to defend myself here and now by listing the myriad charities and self-help organisations I am involved with."He adds, "My heart goes out to anyone suffering from depression."* Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467

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Wran's daughter charged over stab murder

The daughter of former NSW premier Neville Wran has been charged with murder over a stabbing death. Source: AAP

HARRIET Wran, the daughter of former NSW premier Neville Wran, has been charged with murder over a double stabbing at a notorious inner-Sydney housing commission unit block.

THREE months after her father's memorial service in Sydney, the 26-year-old Ms Wran and a 35-year-old man were arrested on Wednesday in connection with the stabbing death of 48-year-old Daniel McNaulty in Redfern on Sunday night.

Lloyd Edward Haines, 29, was on Tuesday charged with murder, attempted murder and aggravated break and enter.A second man, 42, was also stabbed multiple times in the attack and he remains in St Vincent's Hospital in a stable condition.In a surprise twist, police on Wednesday arrested Ms Wran and the 35-year-old man in Liverpool.Early on Thursday police said in a statement that the 26-year-old woman and 35-year-old man they had been questioning had been charged with murder, attempted murder and aggravated break and enter.They were refused bail to appear in Liverpool Local Court on Thursday.Haines was refused bail on Wednesday and is due to reappear at Central Local Court on October 9.His arrest came after the 42-year-old victim told police the attack had been carried out by three people in their 30s and 40s.It is not yet clear what motivated the stabbings, but it is likely the attackers knew the victims and the violence may have escalated from an argument, police said at the time.Neighbours reported hearing screams and yelling.A state funeral was held for Ms Wran's father who was premier of NSW between 1976 and 1986, on May 1 in Sydney.Harriet Wran, one of his five children, was at his side when he died.

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Russia warned over Ukraine as aid waits

Ukraine says it's destroyed part of a Russian military convoy that crossed onto its territory. Source: AAP

UKRAINE'S crisis has entered dangerous new territory with Kiev claiming its forces have destroyed a Russian military convoy, while the US has warned Moscow over its "provocative" efforts at destabilisation.

MOSCOW and Kiev's top diplomats agreed to an urgent meeting with their French and German counterparts on Sunday in an attempt to calm the soaring tensions, as wrangling continued over the fate of a mammoth Russian aid convoy parked up close to the Ukrainian frontier.

The US National Security Council warned of an "extremely dangerous and provocative" escalation in the crisis by Russia after Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko claimed his troops had blown up part of small Russian army convoy - separate from the humanitarian convoy - that breached the border.Russia dismissed the claim as "fantasies," its latest denial of persistent allegations from the West that it is arming the rebels.The humanitarian situation in war-torn east Ukraine has deteriorated still further as four months of fierce clashes that have killed over 2,000 people and left people without water and basic services raged on.Moscow has sent nearly 300 trucks of what it claims is humanitarian aid to eastern Ukraine. The West and Kiev fear it could be a "Trojan horse" of arms and possibly even soldiers bound for the restive east of the country.The Russian convoy has been parked since Thursday about 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the border with Ukraine's Lugansk region, as Kiev and Moscow continued to haggle over how it would cross into rebel-held territory.A Red Cross spokeswoman in the border zone said on Saturday that so far the organisation has not inspected any of the trucks, waiting for both sides to give a green light.The United States warned Moscow against sending "vehicles, person, or cargo of any kind into Ukraine, under any pretext" without Kiev's permission.Russia has denied sending troops or weapons to eastern Ukraine, and slammed the claims of the latest military convoy as a "phantom" of Ukraine's imagination.A rebel leader of the Donetsk People's Republic, one of the breakaway territories where pro-Russian insurgents are fighting Kiev's army, said however that his troops have had a fresh injection of fighters trained across the border.The rebel reinforcements consist of 150 pieces of hardware and 1,200 personnel "who have received four month of training on Russian territory," Alexander Zakharchenko, he said at a meeting of rebel leadership Friday, videoed by insurgent website Novorossiya Online."They have been brought in at the most crucial moment," he said.In Donetsk, the largest city in the east controlled by the rebels, continuous shelling could be heard overnight Saturday.Lugansk has been the city hardest hit by the shelling. Human Rights Watch said in its most recent dispatch from the city that the focus on aid should not "eclipse the crucial need for all parties to avoid harming civilians with explosive weapons attacks".Those fleeing the stricken city told the rights group that the city was cut off from electricity, gas, or mobile phone coverage, and it was difficult to find drinking water and food.The United Nations says over 285,000 people have fled the fighting in the east.

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Mideast talks poised to resume

Why Aussies think Islam's a bonza religion

THREE 28-year-olds. All raised in Christian homes. All Australians. Some dark, some fair, some male, some female. They are the faces of Sydney's new Muslims.

Abbott: No more jihad for dole

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PM blasts feds' passport bungle

BUMBLING Australian border agencies have been slammed by the Prime Minister for letting an extremist linked to homegrown jihadis fighting in the Middle East fly out of the country.

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The ICAC trap: How one judge changed politics

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23.56 | 0 komentar | Read More

Aust couple leave with Thai surrogate baby

AN Australian same-sex couple prevented from departing Thailand by immigration authorities, has been able to depart following background checks by Thai authorities.

REPORTS said the couple had flown to Singapore with the child of a Thai surrogate mother, leaving behind a growing controversy over commercial surrogacy.

The couple's departure came as reports alleged some private hospitals caring for surrogate mothers had moved the women to lower-cost government hospitals, fearing a legal backlash from the crackdown on the highly lucrative commercial surrogacy industry.The couple returned to the Australian Embassy on Friday to seek further assistance after being prevented to leave on Thursday night. The ABC said one of the couples had arrived in Singapore with children born in July to a Thai surrogate mother.Thai officials confirmed just one couple had been halted at the airport.However AAP was informed two same-sex couples, each with a child, as well as couples from the United States and Europe, had been prevented from leaving due to concerns over adequate documentation.Officials said all the couples were linked to the same in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinic in Bangkok, now shut down by Thai authorities on suspicion of operating without authorization.The airport incident led to Australian Ambassador to Thailand, James Wise, holding talks with officials from the Thai Foreign Ministry, as well as Justice and Social Development and Human Security ministries.Australia has been pressing Thailand to allow for a "transitional arrangement" to be put in place to assist 200 Australian couples reported to have an estimated 150 babies from surrogate Thai mothers.A DFAT spokesperson in a statement to AAP on Saturday said the Australian Embassy in Bangkok was currently assisting Australians with children born by surrogacy in Thailand "who have been prevented from departing the country in recent days."The department said while it was not in a position to comment on individual cases due to privacy concerns, "we continue to encourage Thai authorities to adopt transitional arrangements for any new measures they may introduce, so concerned Australians are not unduly affected."Thai officials had said the children had to receive court clearance before any departure, a process that could take several months.Reports have put costs for a commercial surrogacy in Thailand at up to $US42,000 ($A45,442) with the surrogate mother receiving between A$10,000 and A$15,000.The current controversy was triggered by the birth of twins to a 21-year-old Thai woman for a Western Australian couple, who she then accused of abandoning the Down syndrome boy child, taking his healthy sister to Australia.It was later revealed the Australian man had faced paedophilia charges in the 1980s and 1990s. The Thai surrogate mother has since called for her daughter to be returned to Thailand.The controversy led to the Thai military government calling for a speeding up of draft laws that in total will ban commercial surrogacy, prohibition of adverting or persons acting as an agent or broker as well as the trade in egg and sperm.

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SA police view 'horrendous' abuse material

POLICE investigating the case of a Families SA worker accused of sexually abusing seven children and producing child pornography are supported by a psychologist due to the "horrendous" nature of the material.

STEPS are also being taken to limit the exposure of the 10 officers to the thousands of images and video files seized from the home of the 32-year-old accused man, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

"Each officer is limited to viewing the material for two hours per shift due to their horrendous and graphic nature," South Australian Police (SAPOL) Assistant Commissioner Paul Dickson said in a statement issued on Saturday."Those officers include detective investigators, victim management and computer specialists and intelligence officers."They have been selected to perform these duties due to their experience and specialised skill sets which assist them in this task and are supported by a police psychologist."Mr Dickson also said he understood the "deep anger" the case had triggered in the South Australian community, and so the demand for more information to be made public.He said police had cautioned the state government to ensure its public statements on the case did not identify possible victims, or witnesses, as this could impede the investigation or the running of a fair trial."SAPOL understands the public's deep anger and desire for further details of this case to be forthcoming," Mr Dickson said."However, it must be remembered that the accused will face court to answer these allegations, and so it must remain SAPOL's priority to protect the integrity of the judicial process so that justice can be served."Mr Dickson also confirmed the investigation would examine the man's work history.There have been reports he was the subject of an earlier investigation into alleged inappropriate behaviour involving a female toddler in his care, though he was cleared to again work with children.Premier Jay Weatherill has flagged setting up a royal commission into the case.

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Economy in good shape, Hockey tells NZ

Treasurer Joe Hockey has told New Zealand that there is no crisis in the Australian economy. Source: AAP

JOE Hockey has told New Zealand that there is no crisis in the Australian economy, nor is it in trouble.

THE treasurer also made no mention of the "budget emergency" he and his government referred to when justifying their unpopular budget to Australians.

Instead, Mr Hockey reassured Kiwis that their second biggest trading partner is benefiting from 23 years of consecutive economic growth."The Australian economy is not in trouble," he told New Zealand political current affairs show The Nation on Saturday.Mr Hockey also denied drastic reforms to Australian healthcare, education and taxes were about ideological change.He said his government's reforms were about continuing growth and stimulating other parts of the economy."There's no crisis at all in the Australian economy," the treasurer said."The fact is you need to move on the budget to fix it now, and you need to undertake structural reform to structure the economy in the years ahead."Despite the changes, New Zealand has nothing to worry about in terms of its trading partnership with Australia, he said."We're like brothers and sisters. There might be a little competitive tension in the family, but there's no doubt in my mind that, you know, we're shared blood."

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Man charged over NSW toilet filming

Last Updated: July 27, 2014

A MAN has been charged after he allegedly filmed inside a women's public toilet in Broken Hill in far western NSW.

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Bolt sparks media frenzy in Glasgow

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The world's top five craft beers

FORMER pro golfer Ewan Porter traipsed the world sampling 587 craft beers in 22 countries. These are his five best. Guess which Aussie brew made the cut?

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Police follow blood trail in Vic stabbing

Two men have suffered serious injuries in a stabbing in Melbourne. Source: AAP

POLICE followed a trail of blood from a Melbourne hospital to a unit complex where two men had been stabbed.

THE injured pair, a 21-year-old Yarraville man and an Altona North man, 25, were at a Williamstown apartment, in Melbourne's southwest, when they were stabbed early on Saturday, Senior Constable Olivia Dennison of Altona North police said.

The men walked to Williamstown Hospital for treatment but were transferred to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with serious injuries.One of the men was stabbed in the legs, the other in the abdomen."Police were alerted that two men were the victims of a stabbing, and they located a blood trail and followed that blood trail and located the area where the incident occurred," Snr Const Dennison said.The trail led to the foyer of an apartment complex nearby, she said."Inquiries are still ongoing and it is still early at this stage but it's believed an altercation involving a number of people occurred at that address, which resulted in the two victims being stabbed," Const Dennison said.The injured men are assisting police, who have appealed for witnesses to come forward.

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New Game of Thrones actors revealed

The cast of Game Of Thrones remained tight-lipped about spoilers during their visit to Comic-Con. Source: AAP

THEY travelled a long way from Westeros to get there, but cast members of HBO's Game of Thrones remained tight-lipped about spoilers during their visit to Comic-Con in the US.

FANS in San Diego were told they would not get any plot details about the coming fifth season.

However, the cast did play a blooper reel and a video introducing nine actors who have been added to the series.Among the new faces are relatives of the late Oberyn Martell, also known as the Red Viper, played by Pedro Pascal.Alexander Siddig is Doran Martell, the lord of Dorne and older brother to Oberyn.Toby Sebastian has been cast as Prince Doran's son, Trystane Martell, the heir to Dorne.Jessica Henwick will play Nymeria Sand, Rosabell Laurenti Sellers is Tyene Sand, and Keisha Castle-Hughes is Obara Sand.Game of Thrones leads the pack of Emmy nominations with 19, including best drama series.It's based on the best-selling book series by George RR Martin.

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NSW Labor adopts new stance on Palestine

A FUTURE Labor government may consult like-minded nations about recognising a Palestinian state, after the NSW branch of the party voted to adopt a motion critical of Israeli settlements.

THE draft resolution, moved by former foreign minister Bob Carr, was passed without debate at the NSW Labor conference in Sydney's Town Hall on Saturday.

"NSW Labor welcomes the decision of the Palestinian Authority to commit to a demilitarised Palestine with the presence of international peacekeepers, including US forces," the amendment said."If, however there is no progress to a two-state solution, and Israel continues to build and expand settlements, a future Labor government will consult like-minded nations towards recognition of the Palestinian state."The amendment also applauded the previous Labor government for opposing Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land, and for branding the settlements illegal under international law."NSW Labor recognises a Middle East peace will only be won with the establishment of a Palestinian state," the amendment said."The state of Palestine should be based on 1976 borders with agreed land swaps and with security guarantees for itself and Israel."As foreign minister, Mr Carr rolled then prime minister Julia Gillard and pushed for Australia to abstain, instead of oppose, a vote that augmented Palestinian status at the United Nations.Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten is expected to address the conference on Sunday.

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Prisoner exchange 'a big Taliban win'

Ricki-Lee bares all in first nude shoot

IN her ten years in the business, Ricki-Lee Coulter has been called everything. Too fat, too thin, too dowdy, too sexy - and now she's laying herself bare in her most revealing shoot yet.

Songbird Sia finally facing her fears

SIA Furler is the queen of pop. She has written songs for Beyonce, Rhianna and Lily Allen. She's also dealt with fame, drugs and near-death. Now she wants babies and a normal job.

The best worst films ever

THE Sharknado sequel airs in days and "hand on heart, this one is even worse", says its star. How does it rate against movies so bad they're good?

Don't be an it's twit: The lost art of spelling

IT'S not hard. It's "it's and its, your and you're." Got it? The ones with apostrophes are short for "it is" and "you are" and the other two are possessive.

Party boy Burgess no longer scene

THIS is the untold story of Sam Burgess's social separation and the stunning impact his shunning of red carpets has delivered to his team.

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Gazans survey destruction during pause

Ricki-Lee bares all in first nude shoot

IN her ten years in the business, Ricki-Lee Coulter has been called everything. Too fat, too thin, too dowdy, too sexy - and now she's laying herself bare in her most revealing shoot yet.

Songbird Sia finally facing her fears

SIA Furler is the queen of pop. She has written songs for Beyonce, Rhianna and Lily Allen. She's also dealt with fame, drugs and near-death. Now she wants babies and a normal job.

The best worst films ever

THE Sharknado sequel airs in days and "hand on heart, this one is even worse", says its star. How does it rate against movies so bad they're good?

Party boy Burgess no longer scene

THIS is the untold story of Sam Burgess's social separation and the stunning impact his shunning of red carpets has delivered to his team.

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Russian army in Ukraine disturbs Bishop

FOREIGN Minister Julie Bishop says she's gravely worried about reports of a Russian military presence in Ukraine.

Her comments came amid reports of masked troops in Crimea, including at its international airport, and after the Australian government increased its travel warning for the strife-torn nation, with tourists urged to exercise extreme caution.

"We are deeply concerned about the instability in Ukraine," Ms Bishop told AAP.

"We are disturbed by reports overnight that there is activity in the Russian military on the borders.

"So we call for calm. We call for a political solution and we hope that any Australians seeking to travel reconsider the necessity of doing so."

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Man drags boy from Melbourne playground

Cheap eats: $10 dinner bargains

To satisfy our desire for a bargain and our increasingly diverse dining tastes, here are the top 25 dinners for under $10 in Sydney and NSW.

Medical student can resume degree

A FIRST-year medical student suspended for alleged ''non-consensual sexual contact" with a female student on campus has won a bid to resume his degree.

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Pharrell, U2 rock Oscar rehearsals

HAVING the number one song on the charts does not exempt an artist from Oscar rehearsals.

Pharrell Williams ran through his catchy hit Happy more than half a dozen times on Friday in preparation for the Oscar telecast. He even shared the spotlight with a spate of stars: Jamie Foxx, Brad Pitt and Kate Hudson showed up to rehearse while he was on stage.

"All I care about is the fun," Williams said to Hudson, who boogied in the audience as he practised his dance-heavy number. A choir of high-school students and 20 professional dancers accompany his colourful performance.

Also rehearsing on Friday were Broadway star Idina Menzel, who's set to sing Let It Go from animated film nominee Frozen; U2, which is nominated for its song from the Mandela movie, Ordinary Love; and rocker Karen O, who is nominated for The Moon Song from best picture nominee Her.

Menzel was awed by the technology that allowed the Oscar orchestra, playing off-site at the Capitol Records building, to coordinate with her live at the Dolby Theatre.

"Hi, Bill, can you hear me?" she said into the microphone to conductor William Ross, whom she could see on a monitor from inside the theatre.

"I'm trying to get that telepathic vibe with you because I'm alone up here and this is my first time (on the Oscars).

"You look very handsome," she added.

Karen O, front woman of the rock band Yeah Yeah Yeah's, took notes from director Spike Jonze as she practised her performance.

"Spike just asked me to hold the mic a little bit lower, so I need a little more level," she told a sound engineer. Jonze sat in a front-row seat in the audience.

Accompanied by Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig on acoustic guitar, O sang the song again and again, sitting on a corner of the stage in a long floral dress, leather motorcycle jacket and killer blue boots.

Williams arrived wearing a polka-dot jacket, patterned scarf and his trademark hat.

He ditched the chapeau for rehearsals, emerging onstage in just a T-shirt, jeans and sneakers. He danced through the audience, pausing to shake hands with show producer Craig Zadan, saying, "Thanks for having me."

Foxx arrived in the middle of Williams' rehearsal. He quickly joined the dancers on stage, much to their amusement, pretending to stretch alongside them and offering unneeded dramatic direction.

"Walk, walk, curiosity! And retreat," he said to a chorus of laughter.

U2 also wasn't above rehearsals, running through their nominated song late into the night.

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WA man dies when vehicle rolls off road

A MAN has died after a vehicle drove off a Perth road, entered bushland and rolled over.

Police were notified of the single vehicle rollover off the Great Northern Highway about 30-kilometres south of Wyndham at 10.30am (WST) on Saturday.

It appears the vehicle left the road at or near a bend, entered bushland and rolled over.

A deceased male was located by police at the scene.

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UK science minister tours WA SKA site

UK Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts has had his first taste of the outback touring the site of what will be the world's largest and most powerful radio-telescope.

The beginnings of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) are emerging at the Murchison Radioastronomy Observatory in central Western Australia, with two precursor projects, the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) and the Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP) already started.

The MWA, led by Curtin University Professor Steven Tingay, began operating last year while the ASKAP is due to kick off in earnest later this year.

The Brits are playing a key role in the multi-billion dollar, ten nation collaboration. It will see millions of antennas installed in South Africa and WA, where the Murchison area offers excellent radio quiet.

The SKA will have image resolution 50 times greater than the Hubble telescope and have a discovery potential 10,000 times greater than the best present-day instruments.

Mind-boggling amounts of data will be processed and questions are expected to be answered, such as, how did the universe begin, what is dark energy, what generates giant magnetic fields in space and what and where are the conditions for life.

"I'm here to see some fantastic science, being delivered with Australian grit in creating these extraordinary facilities here in the outback that is part of this international project," Mr Willetts told reporters.

"This is going to get radio signals from the time when the universe was in its earliest stages, when stars were being created. It's going to get us back to the first light, when the universe was beginning."

Mr Willetts - who saw kangaroos and termite mounds in the wild for the first time on Saturday as he endured searing temperatures and an abundance of pesky flies - said the SKA was not only a boon for astronomers but also for computing.

"There's going to be more data collected from here and South Africa than the current flow of data across the complete world wide web. That's then got to be analysed and that's going to require innovations in computing and software."

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, who accompanied Mr Willetts on the tour, emphasised the immense power the SKA will have and the job opportunities it will create.

"This is Australian research and science at its very best," Ms Bishop said.

"It will be a staged process over time and we hope that the Square Kilometre Array can be completed by 2022 and then the excitement really begins, as the telescope will be able to scan the universe in ways never known before.

"All sorts of technological and scientific breakthroughs can result as we continue to work with this incredible project.

"It really is cutting edge."

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Sink hole swallows soldier's grave in UK

WORK is to begin next week on filling a sink hole that has appeared in a British military cemetery, swallowing the grave of a soldier called Private Ryan.

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Boys, 12 and 14, charged over crime spree

TWO boys, aged 12 and 14, have been charged with intimidation, assault and other offences after a two-day crime spree in a northwestern NSW town which started with a Molotov cocktail being thrown in front of a house.

Police were called to the house in Walgett on Thursday night after the boys allegedly threw the Molotov cocktail, but the pair fled.

The following afternoon police were called again to the home after the two boys allegedly threw rocks at the house and a 19-year-old man, hitting him a number of times and allegedly threatening him with a knife.

Police found the older boy and he allegedly threatened police with a knife and iron bar before running into a nearby home.

Both boys were arrested at the home, where police allegedly found equipment believed to have been used in break ins.

The 14-year-old was charged with possess/use prohibited weapon, custody of knife in public place, stalk/intimidate, intimidate officer, assault and assault officer in execution of duty.

The 12-year-old boy was charged with common assault, stalk/intimidate and possess housebreaking implements.

Both were granted conditional bail to appear at children's court on March 13.

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Berkshire Hathaway's 4Q profit up 10%

WARREN Buffett's company says fourth-quarter earnings rose 10 per cent to nearly $US5 billion ($A5.60 billion) as its insurance, rail and energy businesses generated major profit gains.

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