Four charged with severing US man's penis

FOUR people are accused of torturing a California marijuana dispensary owner with a blowtorch and cutting off his penis in an attempt to force him to reveal where he had buried piles of cash in the desert.

Ryan Anthony Kevorkian, 34, and his wife Naomi Josette Kevorkian, 33, were arrested on Friday in Fresno, a day after the FBI arrested 34-year-old Hossein Nayeri in Prague in the Czech Republic.

Another man, Kyle Shirakawa Handley, 34, was arrested in October 2012.

The four have been charged with kidnapping for ransom, aggravated mayhem, torture, burglary and a sentencing enhancement for inflicting great bodily injury.

Prosecutors said the victim was a prosperous medical marijuana dispensary owner who took some of his pot suppliers - including Handley - to Las Vegas last year for an extravagant weekend.

Authorities allege that after the trip, Handley told some friends that the dispensary owner was extremely wealthy and they came up with a plan to kidnap and rob him.

'More than 100 dead in typhoon'

A CIVIL aviation official in the Philippines says he's received a report that more than 100 bodies are lying in the streets of a central city ravaged by Haiyan.

Fan sues over Springsteen seats

A BRUCE Springsteen fan has sued after landing lousy seats for one of the rocker's upcoming Melbourne concerts.

Orange County authorities contend that on October 2, 2012, Handley, Nayeri and Ryan Kevorkian went to the man's Newport Beach home, stole cash, bound and beat him and kidnapped him along with his room-mate's girlfriend, then drove them out to a desert spot in a van.

Throughout the drive, they allegedly burned the dispensary owner with a blowtorch.

At the spot where the men believed the victim had hidden money, they cut off his penis, poured bleach on him in an effort to destroy any DNA evidence and dumped him and the woman on the side of the road, authorities allege.

It is alleged the three men then drove away with the penis so it couldn't be reattached.

The man survived his injuries.

Handley pleaded not guilty to the charges last month.

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Thousands flee Dreamworld after fire alert

Thousands have been evacuate from Dreamworld on the Gold Coast due to a grassfire. Source: AAP

MORE than 7000 people fled Australia's largest theme park on Saturday after a grassfire started nearby.

The fire, sending a huge plume of smoke towards the 85-hectare Dreamworld on the Gold Coast from nearby Coomera, prompted an evacuation.

Visitors described how the smoke started drifting into the park, also home to the Big Brother house, prompting rides to be closed one-by-one.

Sam Gilchrist was at the theme park with daughters Alannah, 14, Megan, 9, and Holly, 6, on the last day of a Gold Coast holiday when the smoke started to drift in.

She said Dreamworld staff started shutting down rides one at a time as the smoke started to thicken.

While some people moved to rides that were still open, the Melbourne family left just before the park was evacuated because one of the children started getting upset by the smoke.

'More than 100 dead in typhoon'

A CIVIL aviation official in the Philippines says he's received a report that more than 100 bodies are lying in the streets of a central city ravaged by Haiyan.

Fan sues over Springsteen seats

A BRUCE Springsteen fan has sued after landing lousy seats for one of the rocker's upcoming Melbourne concerts.

"The kids were on a ride and I could see a mist of smoke and I could smell it," she told AAP.

"It started getting really black and blanketing the whole area.

"There was a little bit of ash falling, I think asthmatics would have had a bit of a difficult time."

She said she didn't know whether people would be compensated for having to leave.

The park will open as usual on Sunday.

A Dreamworld spokeswoman said the evacuation of guests and zoo animals had been a precaution.

"We evacuated for the safety of guests, staff and the animals," she said.

She said park visitors whose details staff had managed to obtain before they left the park would be contacted regarding possible compensation.

A Queensland Department of Community Safety spokesperson said the fire covered four hectares on Saturday afternoon, having broken out near Foxwell Road about 1.30pm (AEST).

The spokesperson said there was no immediate threat to homes but advised people to keep their doors and windows closed.

Firefighters had contained the blaze by 7pm (AEST) but the Department of Community Safety said crews would remain on scene "for some time", backburning and monitoring the fire.

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Aboriginal artist's work on Qantas 737

A painting by Aboriginal artist Paddy Bedford has inspired the latest aircraft for Qantas. Source: AAP

ABORIGINAL artist Paddy Bedford would often tell his daughter his work was going to end up on a plane.

"'I'm going to have a painting on a jet'," he'd tell Kathleen Watson.

She dismissed the idea at the time but is proud that the late West Australian artist's wish has come true.

Bedford's 2005 painting Mendoowoorrji - Medicine Pocket inspired the livery for Qantas's new 737-800 aircraft, the fourth in its indigenous art series.

Watson, in Seattle with Gija elders from the East Kimberley for a ceremony to bless the plane, said it was an honour to share the Aboriginal culture in this way.

"I'm proud to keep his legacy alive and sharing and promoting Aboriginal art through the world, Australia, Western Australia and the Kimberley," she said.

Medicine Pocket, which has been gifted to the National Gallery of Australia by Bedford's estate, depicts part of the artist's mother's country.

'More than 100 dead in typhoon'

A CIVIL aviation official in the Philippines says he's received a report that more than 100 bodies are lying in the streets of a central city ravaged by Haiyan.

Fan sues over Springsteen seats

A BRUCE Springsteen fan has sued after landing lousy seats for one of the rocker's upcoming Melbourne concerts.

It's taken 18 months to get the aircraft ready with Boeing painters for the first time using brush and other hand painting techniques to translate the work's shading and textural elements on to the fuselage.

The white areas feature a lot of grey shading and the iconic Qantas tail has been included in the design, albeit with its trademark red changed to match the painting's earthy tones.

National Gallery Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art senior adviser Franchesca Cubillo said the Australian designers Balarinji and Boeing's painters had managed to capture the essence of the original painting.

"The team of painters here have actually worked closely with Balarinji to ensure that lovely painterly effect, the texture, even the gradient of the colours that are in the original painting have been replicated," she said.

Mendoowoorrji will arrive in Sydney on Monday before joining the Qantas domestic network from mid-November, flying east-west and intra-WA routes.

William Mora Galleries director William Mora said Bedford would have been incredibly proud to see the spirit and story of his painting on a plane.

"I think he'd want to be the first person to leave it when it landed and stand at the top of the stairs and say 'not only am I the number one painter, I have my own plane'."

* The writer travelled to Seattle as a guest of Qantas and Boeing.

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Strangers to pay respects to war hero

HUNDREDS of people are expected to attend the funeral of a British war veteran they never knew after it emerged he died with no close friends or relatives.

Harold Jellicoe Percival helped with the famous Dambusters raids during the Second World War.

He died last month aged 99 in a nursing home in the UK but had lived much of his life in Australia.

Poignantly for the ex-military man, his funeral service will be held at 11am on Armistice Day on Monday.

But Percival never married, had no children and has no close family members able to attend the service.

Those involved in organising the funeral say they have been contacted by veterans' groups and other military supporters keen to acknowledge Percival's career.

Funeral director Edmund Jacobs said: "We're hoping a few faces will turn up and show their support for a war hero.

'More than 100 dead in typhoon'

A CIVIL aviation official in the Philippines says he's received a report that more than 100 bodies are lying in the streets of a central city ravaged by Haiyan.

Fan sues over Springsteen seats

A BRUCE Springsteen fan has sued after landing lousy seats for one of the rocker's upcoming Melbourne concerts.

"It doesn't sit well with me that somebody who has served their country can be forgotten about, that his service can go un-noted.

"I am sure he would have had a few stories to tell."

Mr Percival was one of four siblings but lived a "nomadic lifestyle" after leaving the RAF at the end of the war.

His nephew, David Worsell, said: "He was a private man, he worked in Australia for a number of years as a decorator and would visit England for holidays.

"He travelled around England with only his backpack.

"He didn't have a postal address, he just used to get everything sent to my mother's address and would go through it when they met up."

Percival was based in the north west of England and became part of the ground crew which helped with the Dambusters, the squadron which was initially formed to destroy dams in the Ruhr valley in Nazi Germany.

After working in Australia, he later retired to England.

He was a distant relative of former British prime minister Spencer Perceval, who was shot dead by a bankrupt broker, John Bellingham, as he entered the House of Commons, in 1812.

"My uncle would be very surprised at the attention this seems to have received and the number of people wanting to attend," Worsell said.

"What with him being a very private person, forming long-term relationships didn't seem to be part of his make-up.

"He didn't really speak about his military career but he perhaps wished he didn't leave the RAF at the end of the war.

"But he was a free spirit."

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Severe thunderstorms forecast for NSW

A SEVERE thunderstorm warning has been issued for large swathes on NSW's central west.

Damaging winds are forecast to hit parts of the central west slopes and plains and parts of the upper western forecast districts on Friday evening, the Bureau of Meteorology saysd.

Locations which may be affected include Dubbo, Parkes, Wellington, Condobolin, Coonamble, Nyngan, Bourke, Brewarrina and Enngonia.

The State Emergency Service (SES) is advising people to move their cars away from trees and secure loose items around homes.

People are also being urged to stay indoors and away from windows.

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Ken Levy re-appointed CMC chair

THE Queensland government has extended the contract of the head of the state's crime and corruption watchdog despite criticism he was biased.

The opposition wanted Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) Chair Dr Ken Levy to resign after he penned an opinion piece that said the new bikie laws reflected the will of Queenslanders.

His contract has been extended to May 22, 2014.

Dr Levy has written to the head of the parliamentary committee which overseas the CMC, in a letter tabled on Friday, to insist he wasn't pressured to write the article.

When asked last week whether he'd consulted anyone about the article, he said: "No, it's my composition".

But Dr Levy's revealed the head of the government's media unit, Lee Anderson, called the CMC media unit a week before the article was published to ask if the CMC was going to do any media interviews on the legislation.

At the time, Dr Levy told his staff "we would not be spooked" by the call as they were already discussing doing broader media on the issue.

"I certainly have never had any pressure from the Premier or the Attorney General, or anyone else from government for that matter, trying to pressure me about any issue," Dr Levy wrote.

In his letter to parliamentary crime and misconduct committee chair Liz Cunningham, Dr Levy expresses regret and apologises for not remembering the contact the CMC had with Mr Anderson when he was grilled last Friday.

"In the embarrassment on Friday afternoon, I indicated to you that perhaps I should consider standing down, particularly in light of the call by the leader of the opposition," he wrote.

But Dr Levy says Mr Anderson's call only referred to the broad area of the CMC's powers to deal with the outlaw bikie gangs and there was no pressure to write the opinion piece.

Instead, Dr Levy was inspired by imbalanced press, which was pitting judges and lawyers against politicians and ignoring the community.

"My article was not politically motivated," he wrote.

"As I said to the Committee last Friday, Criminal motorcycle gangs are really criminal cartels. The Government was being responsible in legislating."

Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie says he is supportive of the CMC being more open with the public, but any decisions regarding media is clearly a matter for them.

"The Newman government respects the independence of Queensland's judiciary and statutory bodies," Mr Bleijie said.

The acting role is effective up to and including May 22, 2014 and a permanent appointment is expected next year.

In a statement released on Friday evening, Dr Levy said the letter tabled in parliament on Friday outlined previous contact made to the CMC by staff in the government's media unit.

"This contact occurred a week before I sent my comments to the Courier-Mail and did not influence me in any way to write the opinion piece," he said.

"I did not consult with the part-time commissioners, senior management or the CMC's media unit before sending my comments to the Courier-Mail."

Dr Levy says both he and the CMC remain independent.

"I look forward to continuing to lead the CMC through a period of change," he said.

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Police charge 21 Rebel bikies in blitz

POLICE have arrested 21 members of the Rebels outlaw motorcycle gang in a week-long blitz.

As part of the Attero National Task Force, state and federal police worked together to disrupt, disable and dismantle the criminal activities of the Rebels.

They charged 21 Rebels on 35 offences, including drugs, burglary, and assault.

Police said none of those arrested were high-ranking members and none had been charged under the state's new bikie laws.

Most of the arrests took place along the Sunshine Coast and in Brisbane.

Detective Superintendent Mick Niland said police would continue to target the Rebels, which he described as a "high risk threat".

He said the Rebels were the largest criminal bikie gang in Australia with 1600 members or associates across the country.

Deputy Commissioner Brett Pointing says arrests over the past week offer a snapshot into the level of criminality carried out by the Rebels.

"They started in Brisbane 44 years ago and they're a sophisticated criminal network," he told media on Friday.

Mr Pointing says leaders of criminal bikie gangs are harder to prosecute because they are protected by associates and members.

"(We're) just as interested in associates as we are in the leadership, because it's the lower level associates that sustain the leaders," he said.

Mr Pointing also says criminal bikie gangs may be consulting with public relations experts to shape public perceptions about the gangs.

"It's in the interests of these organisations to try and convince the public that they're in fact not criminal gangs," he said.

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Third suspect chemical haul found in WA

A THIRD suspicious package has been discovered in the same region south of Perth where highly volatile explosive chemicals were recently found.

Bomb squad technicians are at a disused caravan park at Peppermint Grove Beach in the Capel region working to render the area safe, a police spokesman said.

The spokesman said roadblocks were in place around the caravan park.

The discovery comes after a Tactical Response Group dawn raid of a Bunbury home on Friday, which led to a man being taken into custody for questioning over the chemicals.

Last Tuesday, a member of the public discovered about 3kg of the substance - TATP - hidden underwater near a jetty at Leschanault Estuary, Australind.

A second package was found at the same site 36 hours later.

Both packages were destroyed in controlled detonations.

On Friday, police resumed scouring the waterway, having previously scaled back the search for more of the chemicals.

Four jetties were cleared on Friday, Deputy Commissioner Chris Dawson said.

Road blocks have been put in place at the raided house on Moore Street and at an industrial facility in Harris Road, Picton, which is believed to be the workplace of the man in custody.

Police guards are at both locations, which are not at this stage considered unsafe and have been declared 'protected forensic areas'.

Homes in the Peppermint Grove Beach area may be evacuated while the package is detonated, police say.

"The only location that we are presently concerned about is the Peppermint Grove caravan park," Mr Dawson said.

He said the four jetties were not considered unsafe, but divers would search the entire estuary on Saturday.

"That will be an ongoing operation," Mr Dawson said.

"We have no reason to believe at this point there are any matters that will cause any immediate (risks) to the safety of the public, but we are broadening our search and that's because we need to be thorough."

He said no charges had yet been laid against the man in custody.

TATP, also known as "Mother of Satan", was used in the London terrorist bombings in 2005.

It is created through the chemical reaction between hydrogen peroxide and acetone, is highly volatile, and particularly susceptible to heat, friction and shock.

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Aust woman in Dublin free to leave care

A court was told the Australian woman found on a Dublin street has a history of psychiatric issues. Source: AAP

A 25-YEAR-OLD Australian woman found in Dublin a month ago is free to leave state care after a psychiatrist found she wasn't suffering from a mental disorder that would enable her to be detained.

But Samantha Azzopardi can stay in hospital in Ireland voluntarily after a court heard she was suffering from a condition that made her "vulnerable".

An order from Ireland's High Court which meant Ms Azzopardi couldn't be removed from care has now lapsed, but a lawyer acting for the Irish health authorities, Tim O'Leary, said on Thursday "if she's happy to stay where she is that's no problem".

Since being identified earlier this week it's been revealed Ms Azzopardi is known to Australian police, has used false identities and previously been convicted on deception charges.

It was initially feared she was a teenage victim of human trafficking.

The High Court on Thursday heard the Australian would now be cared for by adult health services and would be offered support if she chose to move back out into the community.

Justice George Birmingham said the twists in the case had come "as a shock to everybody and as a surprise".

"But the case has now run its course," he said.

A lawyer for the guardian appointed when it was thought Ms Azzopardi was a teenager, Gerard O'Brien, told reporters outside court: "She is not detainable under the Mental Health Act ... the legal proceedings are at an end."

Local media have turned on the young Australian in the past 24 hours.

The Irish Independent on Thursday said authorities had been "taken in by a Walter Mitty-like con artist".

The newspaper reported the gardai (Ireland's police) were considering charging her with wasting police time.

But a police spokesman refused to comment on that prospect when contacted by AAP.

It's also been reported it cost the state more than 250,000 euros ($A357,450) to identify Ms Azzopardi.

Psychiatrist Brendan Kelly assessed Ms Azzopardi on Wednesday evening and prepared a "fulsome report", the court heard on Thursday morning Dublin time (Thursday night AEDT).

It was Dr Kelly's view that Ms Azzopardi was not suffering from a disorder that would allow her to be detained against her will.

It's been reported her family are travelling from Australia to Ireland.

A relative who Ms Azzopardi had been staying with in Tipperary before she was found on a Dublin street in a distressed state on October 10 has appealed for privacy.

"He requests that the media respect his privacy and that of his family," lawyers acting on his behalf said in a statement.

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Toddler hospitalised after bunk bed fall

A TODDLER has been hospitalised after she fell from her bunk bed in the NSW Southern Highlands and hit a cooling fan.

The two-year-old girl was flown from her Berrima home to the Children's Hospital at Westmead in Sydney on Thursday night.

The girl suffered the injury when she fell from her bed and hit the fan's blades, a spokesman for CareFlight said in a statement.

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Tasmanian DPP stood down over charge

Tasmania's Director of Public Prosecutions has been suspended while a charge against him is heard. Source: AAP

TASMANIA'S chief prosecutor has been suspended while a charge of causing death by negligent driving against him is dealt with.

Director of Public Prosecutions Tim Ellis has pleaded not guilty to the charge following an accident in March that left 27-year-old Natalia Pearn dead.

Attorney-General Brian Wightman announced on Thursday that Mr Ellis had officially been stood down.

"The Director of Public Prosecutions, Tim Ellis SC, (has) been suspended from the position with full entitlements until the outcome of a charge against him is finalised," a statement from Mr Wightman said.

Mr Ellis, 58, is due to face court again next week.

Police will allege he failed to exercise enough care to prevent his Mercedes from crossing onto the wrong side of the Midland Highway.

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Details of abuse aboard navy ship emerge

A woman claims inappropriate behavior aboard a naval ship involved sexual assaults on male soldiers. Source: AAP

A WOMAN claims the "inappropriate behaviour" that prompted the navy to launch an investigation into sailors involved sexual assaults on young male sailors on HMAS Ballarat.

The Navy has confirmed the ship involved in the allegations is Anzac Class Frigate HMAS Ballarat, which is currently deployed on border protection operations.

Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Ray Griggs, said the navy was being as open and transparent as it could within the limits of its investigation processes.

"Allegations such as these are serious and it is critical that the investigative process is properly followed. As such I will not speculate on any aspect of the allegations," he said in a statement on Thursday.

"We have dealt with the allegations swiftly and I reiterate that inappropriate behaviour is not consistent with our values and is not tolerated in Navy."

The woman who made the sexual assault claims is a former navy member who alleged younger male sailors were set upon and sexually assaulted by their crewmates.

"People were set upon by other members, stripped off and had things essentially put in their bums," the woman, identified only as Bridget, told Network Ten on Thursday.

In one instance, a sailor was left with a bleeding rectum after being anally penetrated by a whiteboard marker, she claimed.

Bridget said her friends still serving in the navy had asked her to get the truth out, because people were scared.

"If it happened in a normal workplace, the police would be called, charges would be laid," she said.

The Australian Defence Force opened a formal investigation on Tuesday after allegations against some members of an unnamed ship's company were made by a sailor.

However investigators will not be able to join the ship for several days.

HMAS Ballarat responded to a distress call from an asylum-seeker boat off the coast of Indonesia.

Australian Customs and Border Protection and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority could not comment on Thursday. The federal government is not scheduled to brief the nation on border protection until Friday.

However Indonesian search and rescue agency, BASARNAS, has confirmed to AAP that a distress call had been received from a vessel in the Sunda Strait earlier on Thursday.

The Indonesian spokesman said HMAS Ballarat had responded to the distress call from the boat.

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Israeli court finds former FM not guilty

Former Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman has been found not guilty of all charges. Source: AAP

AN Israeli court has found former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman not guilty of all charges in a graft trial.

Wednesday's decision clears the way for the powerful hardline politician to return to his post at the Foreign Ministry.

Lieberman, an ally and sometime rival to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been charged with fraud and breach of trust for allegedly trying to advance the career of a former diplomat who relayed information to him about a separate criminal investigation into Lieberman's business dealings.

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Court hears balcony murder accused 'rage'

Prosecutors in the murder trial of Sydney man Simon Gittany say he was an intensely jealous partner. Source: AAP

SHE was "completely and utterly isolated".

Controlled by her intensely jealous and possessive partner who tracked her every movement.

And Lisa Cecilia Harnum's life was brutally taken from her when her fiance threw her off the balcony of their high-rise Sydney apartment in a fit of rage because she was planning to leave him.

These are the allegations crown prosecutor Mark Tedeschi, QC, put to accused murderer Simon Gittany at the end of an intense day of cross-examination in the Supreme Court in Sydney.

To each of the eight questions, Gittany had the same emphatic answer: "Absolutely not."

The public gallery was packed on Wednesday for Gittany's second day in the witness box, which at times became heated as he repeatedly denied Mr Tedeschi's allegations that he was "extremely controlling, possessive and domineering".

The Crown alleges he threw 30-year-old Canadian Ms Harnum off their CBD balcony in a fit of rage on July 30, 2011.

Gittany has pleaded not guilty to murder.

The court has heard Gittany installed CCTV in his apartment and used a computer program to monitor Ms Harnum's text messages, emails and internet usage.

"The purpose of these surveillance and tracking devices and programs was so you could keep tabs on Lisa Harnum's every movement because of your intense jealousy and possessiveness," Mr Tedeschi said.

"Absolutely not," Gittany replied.

He said he only tracked Ms Harnum's texts because she had a shameful secret which she wouldn't divulge.

The court has previously heard Ms Harnum suffered from bulimia and was too afraid to tell Gittany.

A handwritten note that said: "There are surveillance cameras inside and outside the house" was found in Ms Harnum's pocket after her death, but Gittany said he didn't know what it was about.

The court also heard Gittany failed to tell police about an external hard-drive of the CCTV device which he kept hidden in his ceiling and later had removed.

But Gittany said he didn't think of it because police already had his computer, which contained the same material as the hard-drive.

Mr Tedeschi said Gittany was "apoplectic" and "berserk with rage" when he discovered two of Ms Harnum's acquaintances were helping her to leave him.

"I was angry, yes," Gittany replied.

He conceded he dragged a screaming Ms Harnum back into their apartment 69 seconds before she plunged to her death.

But he denied he continued to struggle with her once inside and he maintained he made her a hot drink while she sat on the lounge, before suddenly running towards the balcony.

Mr Tedeschi suggested there was no way this occurred immediately after Gittany "forcibly subdued her, forcibly stopped her from crying out for help and forcibly dragged her back into the apartment".

"She didn't even have an opportunity to take off her handbag before you threw her from the balcony," Mr Tedeschi said.

"No," Gittany said loudly.

Gittany also denied he deliberately tried to make out to police that Ms Harnum had killed herself in order to hide his own involvement.

At one point, Gittany was asked to close the open Bible beside him on the stand, with Mr Tedeschi suggesting he was reading it during questioning.

The judge-only trial continues before Justice Lucy McCallum.

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Morrison disappoints on Christmas Island

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison is visiting Christmas Island and touring the detention centre. Source: AAP

CHRISTMAS Island residents are disappointed they didn't get a formal opportunity to voice their concerns about the treatment of asylum seekers during Immigration Minister Scott Morrison's visit.

Mr Morrison made his first official visit to Christmas Island on Wednesday and toured the detention centre housing 2184 asylum-seeker boat arrivals.

Mr Morrison, accompanied by Operation Sovereign Borders commander Lieutenant General Angus Campbell, arrived on the island off Western Australia late on Tuesday night for the 30-hour visit.

They met with Christmas Island residents on Wednesday night.

Christmas Island councillor Gordon Thomson told AAP many residents had been expecting a town hall-style meeting and were disappointed they did not get an opportunity to raise their concerns.

"It turned into a cup of tea session. He (Mr Morrison) went round talking to people individually," Mr Thomson said.

"It was more conversations where he got to dominate and do the talking. That's not satisfactory."

Mr Thomson said he would put his concerns to Mr Morrison in writing.

Jon Stanhope, the administrator of the Australian Indian Ocean Territories of Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, cut short a week-long visit to the Cocos to meet with Mr Morrison.

In a statement on Wednesday night a spokesperson for Mr Morrison said: "A community afternoon tea had been arranged and the minister engaged with everyone who sought his attention. Local issues were discussed and useful feedback was obtained from the local community."

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Outlook bleak for Carnaby's black cockatoo

The outlook is bleak for a threatened bird species that's unique to WA's southwest, research shows. Source: AAP

THE outlook is bleak for a threatened bird species that's unique to Western Australia's southwest, research shows.

As the habitat of Carnaby's black cockatoo is progressively destroyed by land clearing, hundreds of members of the public volunteer their time to the annual Great Cocky Count one night each year to monitor numbers of the rare bird in the Swan Region, including the Perth metropolitan area.

While this year's tally of 5800 cockies was a 44 per cent increase over the past two years, numbers are still well below the 6700 recorded in 2010.

"Paradoxically, the increased numbers seen this year may not be a good sign," BirdLife Australia's threatened cockatoos project manager Matt Fossey said.

"The greater number of Carnaby's seen north of the Swan is probably due to parts of the Gnangara, Pinjar and Yanchep pine plantations being cleared - by about a thousand hectares a year - which has removed a vital feeding and roosting area.

"As a result, the cockatoos have been forced to move into areas where they are more easily observed."

Cockies were seen north of the Swan River, while numbers recorded at regular sites further south were well down.

Mr Fossey said the WA government should halt the clearing of Carnaby's habitat on the Swan Coastal Plain until a strategic assessment of the Perth and Peel regions had been completed.

The number of Carnaby's black cockatoos has declined by at least 50 per cent over the past 45 years.

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Aung San Suu Kyi to visit Australia

Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi (R) will make her first visit to Australia this month. Source: AAP

AUNG San Suu Kyi will make her first visit to Australia in late November.

The Burmese opposition leader will attend public events in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne and meet members of the Burmese community from November 27 to December 2.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop first met Ms Suu Kyi in 1995 and said she was delighted to be able to welcome her to Australia.

"Australia has long been a staunch supporter of Aung San Suu Kyi's efforts to bring democracy to the Burmese people," she said in a statement on Tuesday.

Australia and other nations have been gradually easing their sanctions against Myanmar (Burma) as the country has allowed greater political and media freedoms in past few of years.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate accepted the invitation from former foreign minister Bob Carr back in June and remarked that she fondly remember growing up with the song Kookaburra Sat In The Old Gum Tree.

The former political prisoner won a parliamentary seat in April 2012 and she became opposition leader of the National League for Democracy.

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CSG projects face less hurdles in NSW: BCA

CSG projects in NSW could face fewer regulatory hurdles with a new plan for environmental approvals. Source: AAP

MINING companies wanting to develop coal seam gas (CSG) projects in NSW could soon face fewer regulatory hurdles, after the O'Farrell government signed up to a new federal plan for environmental approvals.

The Business Council of Australia (BCA) said the NSW government had helped overcome one of the barriers to CSG projects in the state by signing up to the Abbott government's approvals overhaul.

NSW on Tuesday followed Queensland's lead by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the federal government to create a "one-stop-shop" for environmental approvals.

The proposal promises to deliver faster approvals and eliminate regulatory duplication, but opponents claim it will erode crucial environmental protections by handing federal powers to the states.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the "same strict environmental standards" would apply, but businesses would only need to obtain one approval for projects instead of two.

"The federal government is on track to sign-on all states and territories within 12 months and fast-track the eradication of red and green tape for environmental approvals," Mr Abbott said in a statement.

BCA chief executive Jennifer Westacott said the NSW government, which imports 95 per cent of its gas from interstate, had taken a critical step to securing its own gas supply.

"Today's MOU helps overcome one of the barriers to developing coal seam gas projects that would enable New South Wales to develop its own gas supply," Ms Westacott said in a statement.

NSW has been under pressure from the federal government to expand gas mining, including CSG operations, as they search for a solution to energy price spikes and a crisis in natural gas supply.

CSG has proved a powder keg in NSW, with the government the target of frequent protests from farmer and conservationists who warn expanding gas operations threatens agricultural land and water supply.

The NSW Minerals Council praised the O'Farrell government for supporting the plan they claim will address the "overly bureaucratic and cumbersome" approvals process in the state.

"We look forward to seeing fast progress on delivery of these promised reforms, so that the words expressed in the MOU are matched by real action," chief executive Stephen Galilee said in a statement.

The Minerals Council of Australia said the one-stop-shop would eradicate unnecessary green tape without compromising environmental standards.

But Greens senator Larissa Waters said the plan would "gut" environmental protections, and blasted the duplication argument being put forward by Mr Abbott and "his big business buddies" as a furphy.

"Tony Abbott is laying the groundwork to hand federal environmental approval powers to NSW, giving his conservative state cronies open slather over our nationally significant environmental assets," she said in a statement.

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Family of shot Sydney girl talk to police

The family of a teenage girl who was shot in her western Sydney home are now talking to police.

A schoolgirl has been shot at a home in Sydney's west, in what police say is a targeted attack. Source: AAP

AFTER a day of being condemned for their silence, the family of a teenage girl who was shot in her western Sydney home are talking to police.

On Tuesday morning, as the girl lay injured in hospital, NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell and the state's top officers vented their frustration at the family of the 13-year-old, who was shot by gunmen at her Blacktown home late on Monday night.

The men were reportedly looking to settle a score with the girl's brother, who is suspected of having links to the notorious Brothers 4 Life gang.

After having the door slammed in their faces, the men allegedly opened fire, hitting the girl in the back.

On Tuesday morning, Mr O'Farrell expressed outrage at the parents' lack of co-operation.

"What sort of parents, whose daughter's been injured in an attack like this, will not co-operate with police?" he asked.

Deputy Police Commissioner Nick Kaldas called on the family to take responsibility.

"This poor girl had nothing to do with anything, but someone in her family did," he said.

Late on Tuesday afternoon, it appeared the family's silence had been broken, with the premier issuing a statement saying family members were talking to police.

The girl's father told media on Tuesday his daughter was "settled", adding he was disappointed by the gunmen's actions.

"Everyone's disappointed in the community; they do the wrong thing," he said.

Inspector Dave Lagats said what police feared had become a reality after a string of recent shootings.

"Our greatest fears have now been reached ... an innocent person, a 13-year-old girl, has now become the victim of this type of senseless activity," he said.

Neighbours woken by the fracas thought they were hearing thunder or fireworks until the screaming began.

Father-of-three Sarn Pulefele lives two doors away on Sunnyholt Road and said he was woken by a loud bang.

"At first I thought it was thunder because I'd never heard guns before," Mr Pulefele told AAP.

"Then I got up and I could hear screaming. And then I realised someone's been shot."

A neighbour said police had been to the house before.

The latest incident comes after one man was killed and two were injured in shootings linked to Brothers 4 Life.

On Sunday, a 27-year-old man, named by media as suspected Brothers 4 Life gang member Michael Odisho, was found with multiple gunshot wounds at Winston Hills.

A man, believed to be the cousin of Brothers 4 Life boss Bassam Hamzy, was shot dead in Revesby a week ago and another man, Omar Ajaj, suffered multiple bullet wounds in the attack.

Police said it was too early to tell whether Monday's shooting was a revenge attack.

Mr Kaldas would not rule out that Hamzy might have influenced recent shootings from jail. He also refused to say whether the intended shooting target had been interviewed, or whether he was even at home during the attack.

However, Mr O'Farrell said a man had "fled out the back door" seconds before the shooting began.

The NSW opposition accused Mr O'Farrell of allowing gun crime to spiral out of control.

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Bold and the beautiful play at the Cup

Sunset hues of red, tangerines and bright yellows ruled the fashion stakes on Melbourne Cup Day. Source: AAP

THE bold and the beautiful lit up Flemington in the fashion stakes on Melbourne Cup day, with American swimwear model Kate Upton and AFL star Lance ''Buddy'' Franklin causing a stir.

Reds, tangerines and bright yellows popped in a crowd of about 100,000 people, who enjoyed a summery Cup.

Upton and Australian beauty Jennifer Hawkins chose fiery red numbers by Antonio Berardi and Yeojin Bae, respectively.

Franklin sat next to Upton on the Emirates balcony, and the pair set tongues wagging as they chatted and laughed.

The Sports Illustrated cover girl, who showed off her figure in a plunging red dress, said it was her first Melbourne Cup.

"I have been enjoying myself. It's so great here with the fashion and the horses," Upton said.

Former Spice Girl and Australia's Got Talent judge Geri Halliwell selected a vintage cream lacy dress for her outfit.

She won about $3500 after betting $500 on Fiorente, vowing to give the money to a Melbourne charity rather than splash out on a new pair of shoes.

"The only reason why I went for this one is because the lady that I'm staying at her house is Gai Waterhouse.

"Apparently she is the girl power of horse training."

US burlesque star Dita Von Teese and Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora were also among celebrity guests to enjoy the Birdcage.

The crowd at the track was relatively well behaved, with only three arrests and 86 evictions by late afternoon.

Ciara Wallace, of Dublin, enjoyed her second Melbourne Cup with a picnic on the lawn.

"It's a brilliant day. The sun is shining and we are all having a crack," she said.

"The whole of Victoria gets into the buzz of the Melbourne Cup - that's what makes the Melbourne Cup."

Cleaner Emma Brasser, who was working a 13-hour shift, said the crowd was generally well behaved - so far.

"I haven't had any calls for throw ups yet, so I'm doing pretty well."

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Police minister slams 'gutless' critics

Queensland's police minister says a group that posted a video opposing anti-bikie laws is gutless. Source: AAP

QUEENSLAND Police are investigating the source of an online video which warns premier Campbell Newman to "expect us".

The four-and-a-half minute clip was purportedly posted by activist group Anonymous Australia, who say the government's new anti-bikie legislation goes too far.

The clip, which has racked up 183,000 views and 1900 likes, is delivered by a person wearing the trademark Anonymous Guy Fawkes mask.

The clip is linked to the YouTube account of "Trojan Walker" which is linked to the Facebook account of a Daniel Walker.

At the start of the video, a pop up box emerges saying "expect us is out motto, not a threat".

Police have confirmed they are looking at the Anonymous threat, but wouldn't say if they are investigating Mr Walker.

Police Minister Jack Dempsey says the group has crossed the line.

"They are just gutless cowards, they have to hide behind a mask," Mr Dempsey told reporters.

"It is very disappointing and police will obviously investigate the matter thoroughly.

"I'm very confident with the police investigating the matter and we'll ensure the safety of everyone involved."

The international group of activists has targeted governments and multinational corporations and has been accused of hacking the FBI and ASIO.

AAP has sought comment from Mr Walker.

Trojan Walker says the media and Mr Newman's staff have turned the group's motto "expect us" into a threat.

"Okay, so what did we threaten to do? lol," he wrote on his YouTube account.

"I have never hurt anyone nor has anyone I associate with, but, we are watching, and he can expect his lies to be made public."

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Bird flu kills 12th person in Cambodia

A TWO-YEAR-OLD girl has become the 12th person to die of bird flu in Cambodia this year.

Cambodia's Health Ministry and the World Health Organization said in a joint statement Monday that the girl died from the H5N1 bird flu virus on October 26 after suffering from fever, difficulty in breathing and lethargy.

The statement said an investigation at the girl's village in western Pursat province revealed that two months before her illness, poultry had died suddenly at her grandparents' house, where she often stayed.

The H5N1 virus normally spreads between poultry but can sometimes spread from poultry to humans.

The number of deaths from bird flu in Cambodia this year is the highest since the disease surfaced in 2003.

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Buswell accused of abusing power

WA minister Troy Buswell has been accused of abusing his power to get a driving test for his son. Source: AAP

CONTROVERSIAL West Australian treasurer Troy Buswell has been accused of abusing his power by intervening to get his son an appointment for a driving test.

It emerged on Monday that Mr Buswell, who is also the state's transport minister, had tasked his office to ring the WA Department of Transport to arrange a driving test for his son.

They succeeded in getting an appointment last month, on a day when no regular driving tests were scheduled in his hometown of Busselton, according to the public sector union.

Opposition transport spokesman Ken Travers said Mr Buswell's actions were a breach of the Ministerial Code of Conduct and he should be sacked.

"Mr Buswell has faced repeated warnings for repeated transgressions and this should be the last straw," Mr Travers said.

"It is a clear abuse of ministerial power to get your own department to make sure a family member avoids the queue.

"There is no question that this is misuse and abuse of a minister's position."

Mr Buswell hit back, saying the public was quite within its rights to do the same as him, and ask his office to contact the department.

"My staff, my office made an enquiry, or a request of the Department of Transport," Mr Buswell said.

"Is that unusual? No. Can the public do that? Yes, yes they can."

And he was defended by Premier Colin Barnett, who said Mr Buswell was a father as well as a minister.

But Community and Public Sector Union branch secretary Toni Walkington said Department of Transport staff were angered by the revelation.

"They are annoyed this type of thing could happen when they are struggling to keep up with the workload because of budget cutbacks and public sector staff freezes," Ms Walkington said.

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Parties consider WA senate poll challenge

With the declaration of the WA senate result, the timer has started on a possible court challenge. Source: AAP

THE Abbott government is relishing the prospect of a fresh Senate election in Western Australia, claiming it will be a referendum on its carbon tax repeal legislation.

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) on Monday declared the final result with Liberal senators David Johnston, Michaelia Cash and Linda Reynolds and Labor senator Joe Bullock keeping the seats they won at the original count.

The Greens' Scott Ludlam and the Australian Sports Party's Wayne Dropulich claimed the seats which had been initially awarded to Labor's Louise Pratt and the Palmer United Party's (PUP) Zhenya Wang.

The official declaration starts a 40-day clock toward a possible challenge to the result in the Court of Disputed Returns, after 1255 formal ballots and 120 informal votes had disappeared between the original count and recount.

Former federal police chief Mick Keelty will on Tuesday start a two-week investigation into the missing ballots and his finding will underpin whether the AEC will challenge the outcome of the vote in court.

The AEC and other potential parties to the case, the ALP and the PUP, are also considering whether to petition the court.

The court could let the result stand or order a fresh election of all six Senate positions in WA.

Electoral commissioner Ed Killestyn appeared to concede this on Monday, saying there was a "nagging and almost irreconcilable doubt" about the outcome.

He apologised unreservedly to WA voters who had been "disenfranchised" by the loss of the ballots.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, a WA senator, said a fresh Senate election in his state - which has a massive mining and energy industry - would be another referendum on Labor's carbon tax.

"It will be another opportunity for the people of Western Australia to send a strong and clear message to Bill Shorten that they want the carbon tax gone," he said in Canberra.

The Labor opposition has said it won't repeal the bills unless the government agrees to proceed to an emissions trading scheme - an option the coalition has rejected outright.

"We will argue that case in any by-election, any general election that comes our way," opposition climate spokesman Mark Butler said.

A fresh election could allow the government to pick up an extra spot in the upper house, making it a little easier to push its repeal bills through after the Senate changeover on July 1.

But Labor could find itself embroiled in an internal battle over its candidate list.

Senator Pratt, who was controversially bumped to Labor's number two spot on the senate ticket behind Senator-elect Bullock, said she would stand if a new WA poll was called.

"There would have to be some flexibility about what political parties put forward for any prospective ballot. In some situations they would have to (change)," Senator Pratt said.

Senator Ludlam believes court action is almost inevitable and appropriate.

WA's chief electoral officer Peter Kramer said the commission was "horribly disappointed", but would be able to run any fresh election very quickly.

PUP leader Clive Palmer says the AEC is conspiring to deny his party the balance of power in the Senate after the recount cost Mr Wang his seat.

"It indicates our voting system isn't fair and it indicates the powers at be don't want to see someone else have the balance of power in Australia, that's what it boils down to," Mr Palmer told AAP.

Mr Palmer said his party was planning to lodge an appeal in the Court of Disputed Returns.

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LAX gunman planned to kill many agents

Los Angeles International Airport is returning to normal operations after a gunman sparked chaos. Source: AAP

THE gunman who allegedly killed a security officer at Los Angeles airport carried a note saying he planned to murder "multiple" agents, prosecutors said as they announced charges against him.

A prosecutor told how Paul Ciancia allegedly opened fire at "point-blank range" on Gerardo Hernandez, the first Transportation Security Administration agent killed since the office was created following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The dead officer's widow, meanwhile, said she was "truly devastated" by his death.

"He was a joyful person, always smiling and took pride in his duty to the American public," Ana Hernandez said.

Ciancia, who used a Smith & Wesson assault rifle and a large stock of ammunition in the attack, faces a possible death penalty on charges of murdering a federal officer and committing violence at an international airport.

The gun rampage on Friday triggered chaos at LA International Airport (LAX), disrupting more than 1500 flights. The airport only fully reopened more than 24 hours later.

Describing how the shooting started, a prosecutor said Ciancia pulled a ".223-calibre M and P-15 assault rifle out of his bag and fired multiple rounds at point-blank range" at Hernandez, 39.

The shots wounded the unarmed TSA officer but did not kill him. The 23-year-old gunman, dressed in black and wearing a bullet-proof vest, then went up a nearby escalator and came back down to "shoot the wounded officer again," US attorney Andre Birotte said.

Ciancia then proceeded further into the terminal, shooting four more people, including two other TSA officers, before being detained following a gunfight with airport police.

The alleged gunman, who remains in hospital and has not yet answered questions from investigators, carried a note in his bag indicating that "he targeted especially TSA officers," for whom he felt "anger and malice".

The handwritten note showed he "made a conscious decision to kill multiple TSA employees", said David Bowdich, the head of the FBI's Los Angeles office.

"In the note that was handwritten by the defendant, that was signed by the defendant, we found a statement where he made a conscious decision to kill multiple TSA employees," Bowdich said.

"He addressed them at one point in the letter, and stated that he wanted to 'instil fear into their traitorous (sic) minds'."

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said Ciancia had a lot of ammunition when he was arrested.

During the shooting spree, which lasted less than 10 minutes, Ciancia approached a number of people cowering in the terminal and pointed his gun at them, asking if they "were TSA", according to the Los Angeles Times.

If they answered "no" he moved on, the Times reported, citing witnesses who said he cursed the TSA repeatedly.

While officials have not released details about the suspect's condition, the Times said he was hospitalised in a critical condition after being shot in the head and leg.

The FBI said Ciancia was a Los Angeles resident who was originally from the eastern state of New Jersey.

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Hawkesbury blaze under control

FIREFIGHTERS are expected to work through the night to mop up a bushfire that threatened about 50 properties at Lower Portland near the Hawkesbury River on Sunday afternoon.

More than 100 firefighters worked to quell the blaze, which reportedly crossed the river at one point, while six aircraft water-bombed the fire zone.

The fire was eventually brought under control around 7.30pm (AEDT) as cooler conditions had an impact.

Residents were allowed to return to their homes and no damage to property was reported.

A watch and act warning is now in place.

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Southern Highlands bushfire under control

A BUSHFIRE that threatened rural properties in the Southern Highlands is now under control.

An emergency warning was issued for a fire at Alpine, between the Hume Highway and the Old Hume Highway, at about 5.30pm (AEDT).

The fire was brought under control after about two hours and downgraded to a watch and act warning.

Sweltering conditions and strong winds fanned several blazes across the state on Sunday, until a cool change arrived in the late afternoon.

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Volcanic eruption displaces 1300 villagers

ABOUT 1300 villagers living at the foot of Mount Sinabung in Sumatra have been evacuated after an eruption, the National Disaster Management Agency said.

Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said on Sunday four villages situated within three kilometres of the volcano were evacuated.

"Tremors are still occurring and thick black clouds are still being spewed," he said by phone.

Authorities have raised the volcano status to the second-highest level.

Mount Sinabung had been dormant for 400 years before it erupted on August 2010. There are nearly 130 active volcanoes across the Indonesian archipelago.

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