Japan extends sympathies over bushfires

JAPAN'S Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida has expressed his country's sympathies to Australia over the recent bushfires.

Mr Kishida arrived in Sydney on Sunday as part of his first overseas trip since the new government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took office late last month.

He told reporters after meeting Foreign Minister Bob Carr that he expressed his "heartfelt sympathy" to those affected by the recent bushfires.

"I'm reminded once again of the feelings of appreciation to the friendship and support extended to Japan by the Australian people at the time of the great East Japan earthquake," he said.

"On that basis I would like to express my heartfelt sympathy on behalf of the people of Japan and the Japanese government for the people who have been affected by the bushfires."

Senator Carr said Australia and Japan had a history of thinking of one another when disasters struck.

He thanked Mr Kishida and his visiting team for visiting Japan so early in his country's new administration.

"I thanked them as well for the language used by Prime Minister Abe when he said in announcing the importance of this part of the world that Japan sees the need to co-operate with Asian countries like Australia," he said.

"That's how we like to be described following the the Australia in the Asian Century white paper."

23.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Six arrested in new India bus rape

SIX men have been held over the rape of a passenger on a coach in northern India, police say.

The arrests on Sunday come just weeks after the gang-rape and murder of a student on a bus in New Delhi sparked nationwide protests.

"Six men have been arrested on allegations of having raped a 29-year-old woman ... after forcibly taking her to an unknown location on the night of January 11," local police officer Raj Jeet Singh said on Sunday.

23.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Iran nuclear talks date set: official

World powers will meet Iranian representatives to discuss the disputed nuclear program in Istanbul. Source: AAP

WORLD powers will meet Iranian top representatives to discuss the Islamic state's disputed nuclear program in Istanbul at the end of January, a Russian official says.

Iran and the so-called "P5+1" nations - the five permanent UN Security Council members along with Germany - have not all met since a June session in Moscow, but an unnamed Russian source told the state RIA Novosti agency that the next meeting has been provisionally scheduled for the end of the month in Istanbul - host of the first such talks last April.

The source did not name a specific date or say when one might be announced.

However, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov - Russia's pointman at the talks and most senior Iran expert - expressed frustration that an exact date had not been fixed.

"We have had situations in the past when we had trouble agreeing a time and place, and we have one now today," Interfax quoted Ryabkov as saying on Friday.

He said Moscow wanted to see the momentum of talks continue "without significant delays".

Ryabkov gave no indication whether it was Iran or Catherine Ashton - the EU foreign affairs chief and main Western representative at the negotiations - who had the most serious reservations about new talks.

Three prior "P5+1" meetings have been held with Iran at the most senior level envisioned for the Istanbul session.

None has produced a compromise that sees the powers accept Iran's right to enrich uranium in exchange for its provision of access to closed nuclear facilities and its promise not to make higher-grade material.

Israel and much of the West suspects Iran is trying to develop atomic weapons under the guise of its nuclear energy program. Tehran denies the charge.

23.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pole embedded in teenager's head

A metal pole has been embedded in a teenager's head during a row at a Sydney birthday party. Source: AAP

A SYDNEY teenager is fighting for his life after a metal pole was embedded in his head during a birthday party brawl.

Police and paramedics were called to a Forestville home in Sydney's north at 11.40pm (AEDT) on Friday after gatecrashers tried to force their way into an 18th birthday party.

In the ensuing fight, an 18-year-old man was struck in the head with a 2.5 metre metal pole.

The pole became embedded in the right side of his head and he was taken to the Royal North Shore Hospital, paramedics said.

He underwent surgery and remains in a critical condition.

Police have set up a crime scene at the home and were continuing to question witnesses on Saturday afternoon.

No arrests have been made.

23.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

NT to cooperate with royal commission

THE Northern Territory government says it will co-operate with the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into child sexual abuse.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced on Friday the commission into institutional responses to child sex abuse would be led by Justice McClellan.

The commission will look at victim redress measures, child protection systems and flaws in the reporting of abuse as well as canvass the experiences of authorities and victims.

The terms of reference give the commission the ability to set up a special investigative unit to help look into past cases, but the decision to do so will be up to the commissioners.

"The NT Government will cooperate with any terms of reference set out by the Federal Government on the royal commission into child sexual abuse," a spokeswoman for the government said.

Asked whether the government would be willing to turn over police records and details of confidential allegations, she said that would be worked out with the commonwealth and the commission.

The inquiry is expected to provide an interim report by the end of June 2014 and wind up in December 2015.

23.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

One Child policy creates risk-aversion

CHINA'S controversial "One Child" policy produces grown-ups who lack entrepreneurial drive and the willingness to take risks, an Australian study has concluded.

"Our data show that people born under the one child policy were less likely to be in more risky occupations like self-employment," said Lisa Cameron, one of the lead researchers on the study published in the journal Science.

"There may be implications for China in terms of a decline in entrepreneurial ability," the Australian scientist added.

The study, released on Friday, compared adults born just before and after the one child policy was put in place in 1979. It aimed to measure social skills such as trust and risk-taking.

Researchers conducted a series of economic games with more than 400 subjects.

They found that those who were only children as a result of China's one child policy grew up to be adults who were "significantly less trusting, less trustworthy, more risk-averse, less competitive, more pessimistic, and less conscientious," a press release announcing the findings said.

Cameron said researchers observed the negative effects of being an only child in China even if there was significant social contact with other children while growing up.

"We found that greater exposure to other children in childhood - for example, frequent interactions with cousins and/or attending childcare - was not a substitute for having siblings," she said.

And they said the results could not be explained by other factors, such as participants' age and whether they might have become more capitalistic over time.

The research was gathered by Cameron, along with her colleague Lata Gangadharan - both from Monash University - along with Xin Meng of the Australian National University (ANU) and Nisvan Erkal from the University of Melbourne.

The study was published as the Chinese government considers relaxing its one child policy, which was introduced as a part of an effort to curb population growth.

An official report in 2011 estimated that some 400 million births have been prevented as a result of the measure.

23.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

NSW govt to provide farm aid

FARMERS affected by this week's bushfires will be able to access subsidised transport for their livestock, the NSW government says.

The state government said on Thursday farmers in regions declared natural disaster areas would be eligible for transport freight subsidies of up to 50 per cent for livestock and fodder.

The subsidy would be available up to a maximum of $15,000 per year.

A fodder donation register had also been set up to assist bushfire-affected farmers.

"We have already had calls of support from country NSW offering hay and grain to those left with little or nothing on their properties following the fires," Primary Industries Minister Katrina Hodgkinson said in a statement.

"In the worst cases properties have been left without a blade of grass to feed livestock.

"This register is one way of helping farming families recover from this devastating event."

The government estimates that more than around 10,000 stock, mostly sheep, have perished in the blazes this week.

NSW Farmers president Fiona Simson said the fodder donation register will be located on the department's website.

23.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

NSW parks to close during weekend heatwave

ALL walking tracks in NSW National Parks will be closed until after the weekend's forecast heatwave, which authorities fear will worsen bushfire conditions in the state.

Parks in western NSW will remain closed until at least Monday, as will any park with an active fire, NSW National Parks announced on Thursday.

The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast temperatures up to the mid-40s in NSW from Friday, and in the mid- and high-40s in western areas on Saturday.

And with about 100 fires burning across NSW on Thursday afternoon, NSW National Parks says it "is putting safety first" by closing parks where there is any question of safety.

The announcement comes after the Rural Fire Service earlier declared a statewide total fire ban throughout NSW on Friday.

An RFS spokesman said Friday's fire ban would be enforced because of "hot and dry conditions, as well as the large number of fires burning across the state".

The statewide ban will come into force at midnight on Thursday and will apply throughout the whole of Friday.

23.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Peugeot worldwide sales plummet 16.5%

FRENCH auto giant PSA Peugeot Citroen's worldwide sales in 2012 dropped by 16.5 per cent in 2012 due to contracting demand in debt-crippled southern Europe.

The company said the suspension of its activities in Iran had also contributed to the fall.

"PSA Peugeot Citroen recorded worldwide unit sales of 2,820,000 assembled vehicles, down 8.8 per cent.

"Together, sales of assembled vehicles and CKD (completely knocked down) units totalled 2,965,000, down 16.5 per cent," the group said in a statement on Wednesday.

Car sales in France fell 14 per cent last year, according to the country's automakers association.

23.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Grants available for NSW fire-affected

NSW residents in 37 communities affected by bushfires will be able to access natural disaster assistance.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard and NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell announced the assistance measures on Wednesday as 135 fires continue to burn across the state.

"Yesterday across the state we faced extreme bushfire conditions and the threat remains with more than 130 fires still burning," Mr OFarrell said.

"Thankfully there has been no loss of life or large scale loss of houses, however, the bushfires have had a devastating effect on livestock and farmland."

Communities able to access assistance are Albury, Berrigan, Blayney, Boorowa, Cabonne, Conargo, Coolamon, Cooma-Monaro, Cootamundra, Corowa, Cowra, Deniliquin, Forbes, Goulburn Mulwaree, Greater Hume, Gundagai, Harden, Jerilderie, Junee, Lachlan, Lockhart, Murray, Orange, Palerang, Parkes, Queanbeyan, Shoalhaven, Snowy River, Tumbarumba, Tumut, Upper Lachlan, Urana, Wagga Wagga, Wakool, Weddin, Yass Valley and Young.

More local government areas may be declared in coming days as further assessments are completed.

A range of assistance grants are in the process of being made available, including disaster relief grants to eligible individuals and families whose homes and essential household items have been destroyed or damaged.

Grants are available to councils to help them meet the additional costs of emergency work to restore essential services and a special scheme is available to assist sporting clubs in meeting the costs of restoration of essential club facilities that have been damaged or destroyed.

23.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Vic bushfire still out of control

A LARGE bushfire in Victoria's southwest continues to burn out of control as the state positions firefighters near the border to help NSW and the ACT.

A blaze at Kentbruck has burnt though 9000 hectares, and a westerly wind has forced the fire back on itself.

Fire Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley said southwesterly winds expected later on Tuesday would push the blaze towards the Princes Highway close to Dartmoor.

The fire was not expected to hit Dartmoor directly but the town was on the highest alert, he said.

"We don't believe this fire will be controlled today. This will reach into tomorrow due to the conditions in southwestern Victoria," Mr Lapsley told reporters.

He said northeastern Victoria was experiencing wind speeds of up to 60km/h and temperatures reaching the low 40s.

"It is serious fire weather in northern Victoria, it is very serious fire weather in southern NSW. Fires that do start will run hard, fast and be very difficult to control," he said.

He said Victorian fire crews would be positioned at Wodonga and Wangaratta to help respond to fires in southern NSW if required, as well as blazes in northeastern Victoria, including Corryong. The water bomber, Elvis, had also been moved from Essendon to Wangaratta, he said.

Victorian fire crews were expected to help fight a growing blaze between Cooma and Bega in NSW.

"We will be available to provide support north of the Murray River, obviously, and as far as Canberra in the initial attack," Mr Lapsley said.

He predicted it would become a major fire that would burn with a southwesterly change on Tuesday pushing it from Cooma towards Bega.

"We will wait and see how that plays out," Mr Lapsley said.

"State borders do not have any impact on the way in which we operate."

The 64 Victorian firefighters who went to Tasmania on Sunday would return on Thursday and be replaced with a fresh contingent on Friday.

Late on Tuesday afternoon an emergency warning was issued to residents in the Chepstowe area, 30km west of Ballarat in Victoria, as a fast-moving grassfire continued in a northeasterly direction.

A watch and act alert was issued for another section of the fire, which was heading towards Carngham, home to about 410 people.

Mr Lapsley said a separate small fire at Sunbury on the Calder Highway had been controlled by 30 fire crews.

An emergency alert was sent to 1400 people in the area, in Melbourne's northwest, via mobile phones and landlines.

23.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tas govt to spend what is needed on fires

TASMANIAN Premier Lara Giddings says her government will spend whatever is needed to get bushfire-ravaged towns back on their feet.

Ms Giddings on Tuesday announced an interim committee to plan the state's recovery from the bushfires, which have destroyed at least 128 homes, mainly on the Tasman Peninsula.

The damage to private property is currently estimated to be at least $42 million, but that figure is set to rise exponentially.

Ms Giddings, who is also treasurer, said her government was prepared to fund the recovery, despite the fact the state is headed for a $268 million deficit this financial year.

"Obviously this is going to have some impact on the budget, we are not going to be able to avoid those costs," she told reporters in Hobart on Tuesday.

"When you have a crisis of this nature, you must get in there and deal with it with the resources that are required and that's exactly what is happening.

"There are costs across the board, but they are costs that we must and will continue to spend to do what's needed and what's required for communities in crisis."

The interim committee will be made up of Ms Giddings, Deputy Premier Bryan Green, Emergency Services Minister David O'Byrne, Acting-Commissioner of Police Scott Tilyard, and Secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet Rhys Edwards.

The committee will appoint a recovery taskforce with a full-time chair.

23.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Doubts over income quarantine in APY Lands

A SCHEME to manage welfare payments has stirred concern and confusion among remote indigenous communities in South Australia, government documents show.

Documents obtained under freedom of information show federal officials held consultations on income management with communities in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in May last year, alongside talks on a regional partnership agreement.

Internal correspondence between Department of Indigenous Affairs (FAHCSIA) officials says "communities are getting confused with the volume of information we are presenting".

"When we then come to talk about (income management), we are on the back foot and the talk about the NT and intervention comes out," an official wrote.

Department notes say people in the Indulkana community of the APY Lands were worried that income management, which was introduced in October, was a "front for other things to come (similar to the NT intervention)".

By late December, 263 people in the APY Lands had voluntarily signed up for income management and nine community stores had agreed to accept Basics Cards.

Child protection workers and Centrelink staff have been given the power to refer people for mandatory income management, but the department declined to comment on whether the practice has started.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin says income management is an important measure to help families in the APY Lands budget in the best interests of their children.

The program costs $4.4 million over two years.

An APY Lands leader, Murray George, says community members overwhelmingly rejected proposals to introduce income management and urged the government to focus on issues of funding for communities and homelands.

"Strong concerns were expressed about the government giving itself more power to control Aboriginal people through income management," he said.

Compulsory income management has been used in remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory since 2007.

Last year, FAHCSIA faced criticism for mishandling consultations with NT communities over plans to extend the intervention program, rebranded Stronger Futures, for another 10 years.

People on income management have 50-70 per cent of their welfare payments quarantined on a Basics Card that can be used only at government-approved shops.

An independent evaluation of the scheme in the NT last year found income management operated more as "a means of control", with little evidence it brought behavioural change.

The practice of humbugging, in which people beg for money from family members, was continuing and in some cases Basics Cards were being used as a currency in gambling.

23.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Post-smartphone era coming, says expert

THE era of the smartphone is rapidly becoming a post-smartphone era, a key tech industry analyst has said ahead of the opening of the world's biggest technology show in the US.

Shawn DuBravac, chief economist at the Consumer Electronics Association, told a gathering on Sunday that the smartphone has become so successful it is become a hub for people's digital lives, and less of a communications device.

"I think we are entering a post-smartphone era," he told journalists ahead of Tuesday's opening of the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

He said 65 per cent of time spend on smartphones now is "non communication activities" such as apps for health, entertainment or other activities.

"We have moved away not only from telephony but from communications being the primary part of these devices," he said.

"So it is not just a communications devices, it is a hardware hub around which people build services... the smartphone is becoming the viewfinder for your digital life."

DuBravac said this is among the key trends being watched as tens of thousands gather to show off the latest wares in global trillion-dollar technology sector.

Another trend is the high-density screens which are being developed for smartphones, tablets, computers and bigger devices such as televisions.

"This has implications for the web generally," he said.

Because people have higher-quality screens, "We are going to demand high resolution images, and that will have an impact on a variety of internet services.

"We see it happening at the smartphone level. But this is a shift that is happening across all screens."

Still, DuBravac said the so-called ultra-HD televisions touted by some makers has been slow to catch on because of high costs.

Only around 1.5 million of these TVs are expected to be sold annually by 2016, he said.

"We are not expecting this to be a technology that ramps very quickly," he noted.

23.51 | 0 komentar | Read More