Tears, cheers for shark victim

Shark attack victim Chris Boyd (R) has been remembered in an emotional service in the WA waves. Source: AAP

CHRIS Boyd - the surfer killed by a shark in the waters off Gracetown - has been remembered in an emotional service in the West Australian waves.

Mr Boyd's parents and his partner Krystle Westwood were joined near the spot where he died last weekend by dozens of well-wishers and mourners who remembered the 35-year-old's life.

About 100 surfers paddled out into the ocean at Gracetown Beach, where there were cheers and tears.

Mr Boyd's parents Charlie and Barbara set off a flare in their son's memory, while a wreath sent from his friends at the Coolum Boardriders Club in his native Queensland was laid.

A paddle-out in Mr Boyd's memory is planned in Queensland for December 8.

Through Christian Surfers Australia, an appeal has been launched to raise money to help cover Mr Boyd's funeral costs.

Donations can be made through the Christian Surfers Australia Facebook page.

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Tourist forced oral sex, court hears

A BRITISH tourist accused of forcing a woman to perform oral sex on him on Bondi Beach told her he had a lot of money and if she told the police it wouldn't go anywhere.

Gregory Charles Cox, 32, is facing two charges of having sexual intercourse without consent with a then-21-year-old Bermuda woman he met at beachside bar The Bucket List on January 22, 2012.

He has pleaded not guilty.

Crown Prosecutor Elizabeth Wilkins SC told the jury at the opening of his trial on Thursday that the woman had kissed and exchanged numbers with Cox's friend Christopher Galea.

But she also talked to Cox about the private school he had attended in England.

After several hours of drinking the pair walked on the beach together.

That is when the woman remembers having her back to the water and Cox being with her with his back to a concrete wall, Ms Wilkins told the jury at the Sydney District Court.

"She recalls being on her knees, trying to stand up but not being able to," Ms Wilkins said.

"She recalls being held down, she recalls crying and being terrified."

The crown alleges Cox then forced her to perform oral sex on him twice.

"Make it worth my while. There's nothing you can do about it," he had allegedly said to her.

He was also accused of saying, "I have a lot of money" and told the woman if she went to the police or told anyone "it would go nowhere".

The woman left the beach crying and sought the help of a couple who took her to Bondi Police Station, the jury heard.

Meanwhile, Cox had handed in her handbag to Kings Cross Police Station and told officers that a woman he had met at a bar had left it there.

The jury also heard that he told a friend that he had the woman give him oral sex on the beach but she then "freaked", left her bag behind and left.

The trial continues.

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Abbott backs Bishop over China dispute

Tony Abbott says Australia will speak its mind on China's territorial dispute with Japan. Source: AAP

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott says Australia will speak its mind on China's territorial dispute with Japan, after his foreign minister was accused of finger-pointing over the East China Sea stand-off.

Julie Bishop expressed concern this week over China's moves to impose an air-defence zone over what it calls the Diaoyu Islands, saying the provocative action was done without consultation and could increase tensions in the region.

That strained diplomatic ties with China, which has described her comments as irresponsible.

But the prime minister says while the issue has to be treated reasonably and proportionately, it is important for Australia to speak out when its interests are at stake.

"We believe in freedom of navigation, navigation of the seas, navigation of the air, and I think there is a significant issue here - that's why it was important to call in the Chinese ambassador to put a point of view to him," Mr Abbott told reporters in Canberra on Thursday.

"We're a strong ally of the United States, we're a strong ally of Japan, we have a very strong view that international disputes should be settled peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law and where we think that's not happening, or it's not happening appropriately, we'll speak our mind."

Mr Abbott dismissed suggestions trade relations with China could be damaged.

"China trades with us because it's in China's interests to trade with us," he said.

"I think China fully understands that on some issues we're going to take a different position to them."

Ms Bishop said Australia was not taking sides in the territorial dispute, but pointed out other countries had expressed concerns about China's actions.

"This is a matter of long-standing Australian policy. We've raised it before and the response from China was to be expected," she told Sky News.

"Australia has a key stake in the region and we would oppose action by any side that we believe could add to the tensions or add to the risk of a miscalculation in disputed territorial zones in the region."

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the government had a "rocky start" to foreign affairs after China emerged as a new diplomatic hot-spot as it also tried to rebuild trust with Indonesia following spying revelations.

"We accept that they've had a rocky start in foreign affairs, we want them to get it right," he told reporters in Canberra.

Chinese Ambassador to Australia Ma Zhaoxu issued a statement overnight criticising the federal government's "finger-pointing" and defending Beijing's actions.

"The move is aimed at safeguarding national sovereignty and security of territory and territorial airspace and maintaining the order of flight," he said.

"It is not directed against any specific country or target. China does not accept Australia's groundless accusations."

The United States has also criticised Beijing's establishment of the air-defence zone and Vice President Joe Biden will address the controversy during a trip to Beijing next week.

US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera that China's move "is a potentially destabilising action designed to change the status quo in the region, and raises the risk of misunderstanding and miscalculation."

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Russian court releases Aussie activist

Jailed Australian activist Colin Russell is set to appeal his detention in Russia on Friday. Source: AAP

GREENPEACE activist Colin Russell has been released on bail from a Russian jail.

The Australian was the last of the Arctic 30 being held in detention in St Petersburg, Russia, after his fellow activists were released in the past week.

A Russian court on Thursday released Mr Russell, with Greenpeace tweeting: "Excellent news! Colin Russell from Australia is granted bail."

Mr Russell's wife Christine, who departed Australia for Russia this week, said this was wonderful news.

"My daughter and I are one step closer to being in the arms of my darling Col. I am so relieved that my beautiful, peaceful man will soon be out of detention," she said in a statement released by Greenpeace.

Mr Russell, from Tasmania, was the radio operator aboard the Greenpeace vessel Arctic Sunrise. He and the other 29 activists were detained in September following a protest against Russian oil drilling in the Arctic Sea.

He was the last to be released on bail after 71 days in detention.

Like those already released, Mr Russell will have to post bail of two million roubles ($A66,190).

Greenpeace International will put up the bail with the expectation that Mr Russell will be released by the weekend.

However, he and the others still face charges of hooliganism, downgraded from the initial charges of piracy.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific chief executive David Ritter said this was an enormous relief.

"We will not rest until Col and the rest of the crew no longer face these ridiculous charges for what was a peaceful attempt to hang a banner off an oil platform," he said in a statement.

"The crew was there to raise awareness of the risk of spills to the pristine Arctic and for this they should be congratulated, not punished."

A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the government welcomed the decision to grant Mr Russell bail and looked forward to his early release from detention.

"Australian officials are seeking urgent clarification of the bail conditions that will apply to Mr Russell," he said.

"The government will continue to urge that Russian authorities extend due legal process to Mr Russell during the remainder of the investigation period."

The spokesman said Foreign Minister Julie Bishop would continue to monitor developments in the case.

If necessary, she will follow up her recent representations to her Russian counterparts.

Officials from the Australian Embassy in Moscow are continuing to provide consular support to Mr Russell and are planning to visit him as soon as practical, he said.

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Vitamins, minerals help AIDS patients

A DAILY dose of multivitamins and minerals in the early stages of HIV infection can delay the disease's progression by as much as 54 per cent in people who are not receiving antiretroviral drugs, a US study reveals.

Researchers from Florida International University (FIU) and Harvard University followed 878 HIV-infected patients in Botswana and tracked the progression of their disease for two years, finding that patients who received daily supplements of vitamins B, C and E plus selenium had a lower risk of depleting the number of immune response cells in their bodies.

The supplements also reduced the risk of other measures of disease progression, including AIDS symptoms and AIDS-related deaths, of which there were four in the study group.

Vitamins B, C and E are essential for maintaining a responsive immune system, and selenium may play an important role in preventing HIV replication, said FIU professor of dietetics Marianna Baum, the study's lead investigator.

"The disease impacts metabolism and increases the requirement for vitamins and minerals and if people don't take additional vitamins and minerals they become deficient, which in turn impacts immunity," Professor Baum said.

She said the findings were significant in countries such as Botswana, where HIV-infection rates were among the world's highest and healthcare systems struggled to provide antiretroviral medications to low-income populations.

Over-the-counter multivitamins and minerals, Professor Baum said, were "a low-cost alternative" and easily accessible therapy that proved safe and effective in delaying HIV progression.

Patients participating in the study received three to five times the recommended daily amounts of the vitamins, and about 200 micrograms of selenium every day.

The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Sinn Fein head's brother jailed for abuse

THE pedophile brother of Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for raping his daughter.

Liam Adams, 58, from west Belfast, was found guilty last month of a string of sexual assaults on Aine Dahlstrom when she was a child in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Judge Corinne Philpott QC handed down the sentence, which included a further two years on probation, at Belfast Crown Court on Wednesday.

Adams was found guilty of 10 offences against his daughter. The abuse was committed over a five-year period between 1977 and 1981, when she was aged between four and nine.

Dahlstrom waived her right to anonymity.

Adams' convictions have heaped pressure on his high-profile older brother to explain why he did not alert the authorities to the abuse allegations when he first learned of them.

During a trial earlier this year that collapsed, the Sinn Fein leader, now a public representative in the Irish Republic, claimed he first heard of the claims in 1987 and, 13 years later, his younger brother admitted his guilt to him.

The former west Belfast MP faced criticism for not informing police at the time of the revelations. His statements to detectives were made in 2007 and 2009.

Police recommended the Public Prosecution Service take no case against the Sinn Fein veteran.

Northern Ireland's police ombudsman is now investigating whether detectives properly examined whether Gerry Adams covered up the crimes and police have pledged to review the case.

Attorney-General John Larkin is examining the role of prosecutors.

Gerry Adams has insisted he committed no offence and accused political rivals of exploiting a family issue to attack him.

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Boy dies after hit by car in NSW driveway

A TODDLER hit by a car in the driveway of a Sydney home has died.

The three-year-old boy was left with critical head injuries after a car hit him in Morven Street, Old Guildford, just after 4pm (AEDT) on Wednesday.

Police say upon their arrival, the boy was found in the driveway.

He was rushed to Westmead Hospital where he died on Wednesday night.

Metropolitan Crash Investigation Unit police are investigating the incident.

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Church dissent over abuse approach

Dr Philip Aspinall says the Anglican church needs an external compensation scheme for abuse victims. Source: AAP

ANGLICANS in Australia would take a dim view if the church sold off its multi-million dollar assets to settle with abuse victims, the head of the church says.

The primate of the Anglican Church of Australia, Phillip Aspinall, told a royal commission the church needs a mandatory compensation scheme imposed on it so it can deal fairly with sex abuse victims.

Dr Aspinall said the only way a compensation scheme would work was if it was imposed from outside.

The Anglican Church of Australia is not a unified structure, dioceses have primary power and can reject or adopt laws passed by the General Synod, Dr Aspinall told the final day of public hearings into how the Diocese of Grafton dealt with victims of sex abuse at a church orphanage in northern NSW.

"Many confuse our structures with the Roman Catholics and presume the primate has coercive powers akin to the pope," he said in a statement submitted to the royal commission.

"The belief that the primate of the Anglican Church is effectively the CEO of Australian's Anglicans is wrong.

"It may well be helpful if the royal commission were able to achieve a uniform mandatory compensation scheme which would ensure parity, not just between Anglican dioceses, but across government organisations, so that we don't have different classes of victims.

"It would be much quicker and simpler for us if that were imposed on us from outside and dioceses would not fall into the trap that Grafton did in terms of focusing on financial matters to the detriment of victims."

The commission has learned that Grafton is asset rich with properties valued at approximately $200 million, but had a debt of between $10 million or $12 million dollars because it built a private school that was not attracting students.

Dr Aspinall told the commission that across 23 Anglican dioceses their wealth would be in assets, not cash.

Justice Peter McClellan asked if there had been any church discussion that it might need to sell assets to make settlement payments.

Dr Aspinall said there might have been, but every diocese would find it hard to achieve as the assets were houses and churches and the people who had raised funds to build them would take a "dim view" if they were being sold for this purpose.

He went on to say that with a mandatory compensation system a diocese would simply be given a determination by a statutory body and be required to find the money.

"Then they could focus on the financial aspects and be forced to deal with it."

He also said it would be difficult, if not impossible, for the church to implement that kind of system itself, as it would require every diocese to agree.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has heard Grafton diocese tried to deny liability for the North Coast Children's Home when more that 40 former residents alleged horrific physical, sexual and psychological abuse.

After years of legal wrangling, a without-prejudice settlement was reached in 2007 which saw 39 victims accept what has been described as a paltry payment of about $10,000 each.

The commission also heard that the then Bishop of Grafton, Keith Slater, was focused on the diocese's debt problems.

Bishop Slater has apologised for his handling of the affair.

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Qld oppn gets even on CMC saga

Queensland's opposition has reinstated three sacked members to the Crime and Misconduct Commission. Source: AAP

QUEENSLAND'S opposition got mad, but now they've got even in a tussle with the government over the latest Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) saga.

Three members of the Parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Committee (PCMC) sacked by the state government last week have been reinstated by Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk.

Labor MPs Jackie Trad and Jo-Ann Miller and independent Peter Wellington had been accused of prejudging acting CMC chair Ken Levy.

An investigation was underway into whether Dr Levy misled the committee over contact he had with the government before penning an opinion piece in support of contentious anti-bikie laws.

Ms Palaszczuk says she's standing up to the Newman government's bullyboy tactics, and protecting one of the most important committees in the parliament.

"We will not be dictated to about who we put on that committee," she told reporters on Tuesday.

The government now has four of the seven MPs on the replacement committee, including chairman Steve Davies.

Ms Palaszczuk says she has no faith in Mr Davies as PCMC chair, considering his inexperience and past involvement with organised criminal gangs.

It's reported he had contact with a bikie gang Sergeant At Arms to discipline a gang member that he was in a dispute with.

Mr Davies told AAP that before he was an MP he'd worked at the biggest motorcycle dealer in Brisbane and had many contacts with bikies.

"We dealt with them all the time actually, of all different ilks - outlaw ones, Bandidos, Black Ulysses, you name it, there's no big deal," he told AAP.

"I've never had a BBQ with them or anything, I just worked in the motorcycle industry."

Premier Campbell Newman warned the public would judge the opposition harshly for the reappointments, but conceded he would not move to sack the committee again.

"This is a remarkable lack of leadership from the leader of the opposition," Mr Newman said.

"She's perfectly entitled to do that ... but she has reappointed people who participated in a tainted, corrupt process."

Independent MP Liz Cunningham, who chaired the former committee, said last week was traumatic and voters are now questioning the government's integrity.

"I believe we were sacked for indefensible reasons," she told AAP.

"The feedback I've got from the community is that it has undermined their credibility. It undermines the community's belief that they are a good and transparent government."

The PCMC's investigation into Dr Levy has now been passed to a new Select Ethics Committee.

He is facing questions after failing to disclose that he met with the government's top media adviser Lee Anderson to discuss the article before it was published.

Dr Levy has denied any wrongdoing and intends to stay in his role until a permanent new chief can be found.

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Church to audit child sex abuse settlement

The Anglican church will review settlements it gave for abuse suffered at a NSW children's home. Source: AAP

THE former head of the Grafton Anglican diocese says he is totally humiliated for personally falling "very short" in dealing with the victims of sex abuse.

Keith Slater, the former Bishop of Grafton, said he felt deep sorrow about the way he had handled claims from dozens of former residents of a children's home on the NSW north coast.

A royal commission is examining the response of the Diocese of Grafton to claims of child abuse involving clergy and staff at the former North Coast Children's Home in Lismore from 1944 to 1985.

The Sydney hearing is focused on the response to a group claim made by about 40 former residents of the home, who claimed to have suffered sexual, physical and psychological abuse there.

"I want to express my deep sorrow to those who were abused, who were claimants, during my time as the bishop of the Diocese of Grafton," Bishop Slater told the commission on Tuesday.

"I fell short, very short, in my oversight of the protocol and the processes that were required."

He said he was "personally totally humiliated in myself in this regard".

The Anglican church will now review financial settlements to more than 40 alleged victims of sex abuse at the home, the commission heard.

It has been told the diocese brokered an $825,000 settlement with the claimants in 2007, and denied financial redress to other alleged victims.

It has previously been told some of the claimants received just $10,000 after legal costs.

Grafton diocese administrator, Archdeacon Greg Ezzy, on Tuesday told the inquiry the 2007 settlements would be audited.

The diocese's professional standards committee would "review each one of those in order to make sure that our protocols are treated with some integrity", Archdeacon Ezzy said.

He said a new pastoral care and assistance scheme would be applied retrospectively to the 41 claims.

Bishop Slater quit his post in May after Anglican Primate Phillip Aspinall gave him the option of resigning at a meeting about professional standards in the diocese.

He conceded to the commission that the approach taken to negotiating claims could be construed as "unduly harsh" given the abuse that victims suffered.

He agreed with counsel assisting the commission, Simeon Beckett, that the deal was struck to get the best outcome for the church.

The commission was also told Bishop Slater took advice to block a former resident of the home, Richard "Tommy" Campion, from having legal representation at a meeting with the church in 2012.

Entering the witness stand for a second day, Bishop Slater apologised if he seemed "to smile at a time which is not appropriate", noting that smiling was "very much part" of his personality.

"I recognise the gravity and the seriousness of the matters that are before us," he added.

The commission heard the diocese was grappling with debt around the time of the group claim and by 2010 was in deep financial trouble.

The hearing continues on Wednesday.

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Bobbie the bear overwhelms Tas farm

A plug from a Chinese celebrity has left a Tasmanian farm overwhelmed with orders for a teddy bear. Source: AAP

A PLUG from a Chinese celebrity has left a Tasmanian farm overwhelmed with 45,000 orders for its lavender-filled teddy bear.

Bobbie the bear has become a hot accessory after Chinese model and actress Zhang Xinyu endorsed his qualities on Facebook in August.

Bridestow Lavender Estate, in northern Tasmania, was flooded with orders, unaware of what was causing the influx.

"Our phone system has gone into meltdown. We can't put Bobbie on the internet anymore because the demand just overwhelms our ability to supply on a daily basis," Bridestow managing director Robert Ravens told reporters at the state government-sponsored inaugural Asia-Tasmania forum in Hobart.

"It's caused our staff to be stressed, it's caused me to be stressed and it means we can't even take a holiday - they chase me all around the planet."

Staff at the farm tell of busloads of Chinese each leaving with a bear, and tears when they find they can't buy for friends and family.

The sold-out sign has been put up on the internet as the business scrambles to keep up.

"He's now the must-have object in southeast Asia," Mr Ravens said.

"Every lady under 30 wants one.

"A starlet, a very noted media personality in Shanghai, said that she preferred to sleep with one of these and when she said that the whole world lit up."

Bridestow has put on four extra staff to help hand-stuff the bears, believed to be the only ones in the world containing fine lavender.

Ms Zhang has trumpeted the calming qualities of the fragrance, believing Bobbie brings health benefits.

He is also "microwavable", turning into a virtual hot-water bottle.

But Bobbie's success has also highlighted Tasmania's difficulties with freight costs.

Mr Ravens said he planned to tell the forum that the state's potential could never be met without a direct international shipping service and more efficient customs and postal services.

Tasmania's Premier, Lara Giddings, said the previous Labor federal government had promised $40 million in assistance and a freight logistics committee was due to report back to the state government soon.

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Assange unlikely to be prosecuted in US

WIKILEAKS founder Julian Assange is unlikely to face charges in the US for publishing top secret documents, according to US officials.

A formal decision was yet to be made and a grand jury investigation of WikiLeaks had not formally closed.

But officials told The Washington Post there was little possibility a case would be brought against the Australian unless he was implicated in criminal activity other than releasing confidential documents.

It raised the prospect of Assange leaving the Ecuador Embassy in London, where he has been holed up since June 2012 to escape extradition to Sweden, fearing he would then be extradited to the US.

He is wanted for questioning by Swedish authorities about allegations of sexual assault brought separately by two women.

Justice Department officials said if Assange was prosecuted they would also have to prosecute The Washington Post, The New York Times and other news organisations and reporters who published classified documents.

Assange also differed from former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden and former Army intelligence analyst Bradley Manning because he published, rather than leaked, classified information, officials said.

"The problem the department has always had in investigating Julian Assange is there is no way to prosecute him for publishing information without the same theory being applied to journalists," former Justice Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.

"And if you are not going to prosecute journalists for publishing classified information, which the department is not, then there is no way to prosecute Assange."

There was speculation a grand jury investigation of Assange and WikiLeaks had secretly led to charges, but officials told The Post last week that there was no sealed indictment.

Assange's US attorney Barry J Pollack said the Justice Department has refused to reveal the status of the investigation into Assange.

"They have not informed us in any way that they are closing the investigation or have made a decision not to bring charges against Mr Assange," he said.

"While we would certainly welcome that development, it should not have taken the Department of Justice several years to come to the conclusion that it should not be investigating journalists for publishing truthful information."

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Bomb attacks in Iraq kill 5 troops

A bombing near Baghdad has killed five members of Iraq's security forces. Source: AAP

A SUICIDE car bomb and another bombing near Baghdad have killed five members of Iraq's security forces.

Police say the suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden car against a police checkpoint in southern Baghdad on Monday, killing three policemen and wounding four others.

Earlier in the day, a roadside bomb struck the car with two anti-al-Qaeda Sunni militiamen in Baghdad's northeastern suburb of Husseiniyah, killing them both.

The militia, known as Sahwa, joined forces with US troops at the height of the Iraq war to fight al-Qaeda.

Iraqi troops and Sahwa fighters have been a favourite target for Sunni insurgents, who consider them to be traitors.

Medical officials confirmed the causalities.

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US sailor charged over Darwin rape

A US sailor has been charged in relation to an alleged sexual assault in Darwin in September.

A defence spokeswoman said Defence could confirm that a US Navy Sailor was arrested by Northern Territory police.

"This matter is being managed in accordance with Northern Territory and Australian law, and in accordance with the Status of Forces Agreement between Australia and the United States," she said.

The ABC reported that the 22-year-old sailor had been charged with sexual intercourse without consent, deprivation of liberty and aggravated assault.

He's been released on bail and will appear in court again in January.

The defence spokeswoman said the case was now subject to legal proceedings so it would not be appropriate to disclose details of the alleged incident.

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Chinese company calls Palmer "obstructive"

A HONG-KONG based company locked in a bitter legal dispute with mining boss turned federal MP Clive Palmer says the case will be closely watched by other Chinese investors.

But Mr Palmer, the member for the Queensland seat of Fairfax, has told ABC's Four Corners program that Australia will continue to attract Chinese investment "because it's best for them".

Mr Palmer's mining company Mineralogy was paid $415 million by a Chinese state-owned enterprise for rights to mine iron ore in Western Australia's Pilbara region.

It's believed to be China's largest ever investment in Australia, but the project has been delayed and has cost the company CITIC Pacific billions.

Mineralogy is in a legal fight with CITIC over future royalties, with Mr Palmer claiming the Chinese firm owes him $700 million.

In a statement obtained by Four Corners, CITIC Pacific president Zhang Jijing said Mr Palmer's "obstructive legal behaviour" is unhelpful and could be delaying a resolution to the legal stoush.

Mr Zhang also said other investors with an eye on Australia would be watching.

"It's our view that Mr Palmer's behaviour and Mineralogy's litigious approach will be closely examined by the wider business community," Mr Jijing said in a statement to the ABC.

"As part of due diligence, naturally we would expect prospective Chinese investors in Mr Palmer's other interests to take a close look at our experiences."

Mr Palmer said Chinese investors weren't in Australia for a "free handout" and "we don't want to be frightened about them".

"They invest because it's best for them, they don't invest for charity," Mr Palmer told Four Corners.

"They're here because it's in their interest."

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Detained activist in "lonely" position

AN Australian activist left in a Russian jail is in a "lonely and unenviable position" with no logical reason behind his detainment, the head of Greenpeace Australia says.

Tasmanian man Colin Russell became the final Greenpeace campaigner to remain in St Petersburg detention after the 29th detainee from the Arctic 30, English man Phil Ball, was released on Monday.

The pair was among 30 activists on board a Greenpeace vessel in September protesting against oil drilling in the Arctic Sea.

Mr Russell, a radio operator, is the only crew member to have been refused bail as the group face pending charges of hooliganism.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific chief executive officer David Ritter said there was no logical reason why he should be detained while others were allowed bail.

"I know Colin's family, his friends, the other members of the Arctic 30 and their millions of supporters around the world are hoping this worrying anomaly is remedied and he can head home," Mr Ritter said in a statement.

"There is nothing Colin did that deserves this absurd charge of hooliganism, carrying a seven year jail sentence."

Mr Ritter echoed a call from Mr Russell's wife Christine for intervention from Prime Minister Tony Abbott to support the Mr Russell's release.

Fellow Greenpeace activist and Australian resident Alexandra Harris has also been granted bail but Mr Russell's detention occupies her mind.

"Alex did say to me she can't properly relax and enjoy her freedom 'until Colin joins us. But we know he's strong and will be okay," her father Cliff Harris told ABC Radio from his UK home on Monday.

Ms Harris's bail conditions prevent her from leaving Russia, where she is staying in a hotel in St Petersburg.

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No let up as more storms forecast this evening

NT residents are being urged to make final preparations as tropical Cyclone Alessia heads for the coast.

SEVERE thunderstorm warnings remain in place for several areas across Queensland tonight.

The weather bureau said the Wide Bay and Burnett, and Southeast Coast districts could expect damaging winds and large hailstones.

Areas expected to be affected include the  Gympie, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Rockhampton, and Yeppoon.

At 6.30pm the bureau said there were no longer severe thunderstorm warnings for the southeast of the state, east of Dalby from Rainbow Beach to Stanthorpe.

The Gabba is hit by a quick but intense storm cell that produced small hail during day four of the first Ashes Test. Picture: Adam Head

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Storms that sprang up on the city's doorstep earlier on Sunday produced marble to golf ball-sized hail which damaged some cars at the bayside suburb of Manly.

There also were reports of hail at Mt Tamborine on the Gold Coast hinterland, while a 107 km/hr wind gust was recorded at the Sunshine Coast Airport.

An Emergency Services Department spokeswoman said nine homeowners sought help from emergency services at Jimboomba, Macleay Island, Mt Tamborine, Upper Coomera and Coolum.

"It wasn't too bad,'' she said. "There was no damage of any significance and the calls were for trees down and leaking roofs.''

Mr Knepp said there would be little chance of rain saving England at the Gabba tomorrow despite Sunday's storms stopping play on Day 4 of the first Ashes Test. 

Hail at the Gabba as a storm hits day four of the first Ashes test. Picture: Jono Searle.

The hailstorm left the grounds looking  like a winter wonderland about 2pm.

Earlier, The Courier-Mail reported sunny conditions are forecast for the first cricket Test at the Gabba on Monday while in the north graziers are bracing for storms and showers as the first cyclone of the season pushes moisture inland over the drought-hit Gulf of Carpentaria.

It follows a weekend of storms that started in the Maranoa and Warrego yesterday before sweeping southeast, roughing up the Inglewood, Warwick, Lockyer Valley, Laidley, Rosewood and Ipswich districts.

The Gabba is hit by a quick but intense storm cell that produced small hail during day four of the first Ashes Test. Picture: Adam Head

Weather Bureau forecaster Michael Knepp said there would be little chance of rain saving England at the Gabba.

Send us your wet weather pics - MMS 0428 258 117

"Of course we still might get a storm or showers today,'' he said. "But after that, the whole week should be okay," he said.

At least one home has been destroyed by a tornado that whipped through northern NSW.

"The next round of activity won't be until late Friday or Saturday when a trough comes through.

"There's very little chance of any interruptions with the cricket tomorrow.''

Mr Knepp said Cyclone Alessia was moving east towards Queensland at 20km/hr and - despite being a long way away - its moisture-laden winds were expected to bring showers and storms to the Gulf and northern parts.

Large hail fell in the Tamborine area, south of Brisbane, on Sunday afternoon.

The cyclone was 100km off the coast at 9am and flood warnings had been issued for the NT.

The monsoon trough is expected to drift south through the week, allowing monsoon rain areas to extend from the Gulf Country to Queensland's east north coast and Tablelands.

It will see scattered showers and thunderstorms from the northern interior across to the central coast.

This rainbow was captured at Narangba, following the first storm that swept through the southeast on Sunday.

Rollingstone just north of Townsville had 120mm overnight, the highest falls recorded in the state in the 24 hours to 9am.

"There have been falls of 50mm to 60mm around Normanton, Kowanyama had 28mm, Miranda Downs 30mm but it's likely there were heavier falls around that that,'' he said.

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Storms roll over Brisbane, as seen from Kangaroo Point Cliffs. Pic: Adam Smith

"We don't have a lot of rain gauges out there in the Gulf so we just don't know.

"How much we get up there is highly dependent on the movement of the tropical cyclone. If it moves towards the NT-Queensland border as a low, we could get quite a lot of rainfall.''

Some cumulative rainfall totals over the past week include Bowen 295.3mm, Georgetown 74mm, Richmond 44.8mm and Charters Towers 53.6mm.

Storms roll over Brisbane, as seen from Kangaroo Point Cliffs. Pic: Adam Smith

Overnight in the southeast, Junction View, southeast of Toowoomba, had 69mm, Nanango 62mm, nearby Brooklands 72mm, Amberley 52mm, Churchill 55mm, Coolangatta 26mm, Currumbin Creek 42mm, North Stradbroke Island 37mm, O'Reilly's 36mm, Tallebudgera Creek Dam 41mm.

Goondiwindi had 31mm while in the north Mareeba had 79mm, Chillagoe 50mm, Ingham 58mm and Coen on Cape York 67mm. Falls around Brisbane were mostly in the teens.

By tomorrow, the monsoon trough should extend from the northwest, across the tropical interior and south to the Fraser Island area with showers and thunderstorms contracting to its north.

Storms roll over Brisbane, as seen from Kangaroo Point Cliffs. Pic: Adam Smith

A drier air mass should dominate to the south.

Last night, forecasters said the line of storms that barrelled through the southeast corner had started to weaken by 10.30pm and were likely to reach the Sunshine Coast by 1am.

"They have weakened over the past hour but we are still seeing some intense bursts of rainfall and the odd significant wind gust," said Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Brett Harrison.

Storm clouds north of Moonie, Western Darling Downs, Saturday afternoon. Pic: Jeff Higgins. Higgins Storm Chasing

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Early reports suggested one house was completely demolished and up to 30 other homes were reportedly damaged in the Rosewood and Pine Mountain area near Ipswich, although this could not be confirmed by emergency services.

"We have dodged three big storms lately, but we really copped it tonight,'' said Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale late on Saturday.

Top of Bunya Mountains looking west out over the Darling Downs. Things are really brewing up out here today! Picture courtesy: Jeff Higgins / Higgins Storm Chasing

"One has collapsed completely and 25 to 30 have got damage at various degrees.

"No-one has been injured so far as we know.''

On Saturday night, the heaviest falls were recorded at Junction View, south of Gatton, with up to 62mm of rain dumped in just over an hour.

Bowen certainly has copped some rain!! Thankfully tide was out bit still water is still through some houses and cars. Picture: Tash Edwards

Wind gusts of up to 92km/h were recorded at Amberley at the height of the storm.

Golf ball-size hail was dropped near Inglewood, Ipswich and Warwick, but senior forecaster Brett Harrison said there had been no reports since 5.30pm Saturday.

Energex reported more than 5000 homes across the southeast were without power at around 10pm.

Bowen certainly has copped some rain!! Thankfully tide was out bit still water is still through some houses and cars. Picture: Tash Edwards

More showers and thunderstorms are expected to brew on Sunday, with the activity likely to be closer to the southeast coast.

Mr Harrison said November had certainly made up for a late start to the storm season.

"This time of year is when we expect there to be a large number of severe thunderstorms," he said.

Bowen certainly has copped some rain!! Thankfully tide was out bit still water is still through some houses and cars. Picture: Tash Edwards

"The main trigger is the upper trough."

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A severe thunderstorm warning had been issued at 10.58pm for damaging wind and heavy rainfall in the Sunshine Coast and Cherbourg Shire areas and for parts of the Gympie, Moreton Bay, Somerset, South Burnett and Toowoomba areas.

Damaging winds and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding were likely, the Bureau of Meteorology warned.

The warning came after several thunderstorms rolled across southern Queensland throughout Saturday.

Residents reported seeing hail stones, lightning strikes, strong winds and heavy rain across the area.

By 9.15pm, the State Emergency Services had received 47 requests for help through the Rosewood, Hatton Vale, Marburg, Amberley, Ipswich and Brisbane CBD areas.

A spokeswoman said the requests related to structural damage to homes, fallen trees and general storm and flood damage.

"There was significant roof damage to houses in Lower Mt Walker, near Laidley," she said.

A 92 km/h wind gust was recorded at Amberley Airport at 7.45pm, an 87 km/h wind gust was recorded at Gold Coast Seaway at 8.30pm and a 79 km/h wind gust was recorded at Inner Beacon (Moreton Bay) at 8:55pm.

Wild weather also battered northern NSW on Saturday, with a twister destroying at least one home.

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- additional reporting by Kate McKenna

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Drug lab uncovered in Sydney's north

A DRUG lab has exploded on Sydney's northern beaches.

Police were called to a unit block on Frazer Street at 5pm on Saturday following reports of the blast.

Entering the unit via a balcony, they allegedly found a clandestine laboratory.

NSW Fire and Rescue HAZMAT crews were called to the scene to render it safe.

No one was injured in the explosion.

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Yemen court delays elopement case verdict

A YEMENI court has postponed a verdict in the case of a Saudi woman accused of eloping with her Yemeni boyfriend, as the couple's supporters demonstrated outside.

Prosecutors say they need time to see if 22-year-old Huda Abdullah Ali can be registered as a refugee with the UN, which would allow her to remain in the country and marry.

She has become a cause celebre with some youth in Yemen, a traditional society not normally associated with public demonstrations in the name of romance.

Prosecutors say her boyfriend, 25-year-old Arafat Mohammed Taher al-Qadi, told investigators Ali's father rejected his marriage proposal, and the two were forced to elope.

Ali is charged with illegally entering Yemen while al-Qadi is accused of helping her.

"My only demand is to grant Huda humanitarian refugee status so that I can marry her," al-Qadi said as police led him outside the court.

He thanked the people who have come out in his support.

The Yemen Organisation for Defending Human Rights, HOOD, said earlier they have provided the court with all necessary documents for Ali to be registered as a refugee.

HOOD's lawyer Abdul-Raqeeb al-Qadi said the Interior Ministry was still refusing to let the UN's refugee agency see Ali, who is in detention.

The couple's supporters outside the court chanted, "The sit-in continues until the pair are wed."

A group who had been bussed in from the city of Taiz to the south carried banners reading, "Taiz supporters respond to the call of love."

The court has postponed its verdict until December 1.

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ACT house shatters Christmas lights record

CANBERRA'S Richards family have turned on more than half a million Christmas lights, reclaiming a Guinness world record they first held in 2011.

Their 331,038-bulb effort was eclipsed a year later when 346,283 lights were powered up at a home in the hamlet of LaGrangeville, New York.

But on Sunday, they took back the title in style.

David Richards says he and his wife Janean and their three kids installed the 502,165 multicoloured streamers, icicles, candy canes, reindeer and other candescent decorations - some more exotic, some less - to raise funds for SIDS & Kids ACT.

"The charity is very close to our heart. We lost a child and SIDS looked after us many years ago," he said on Sunday.

Setting up the lights takes enormous effort and time but Mr Richards had a lot of help this time from family and friends, and when the power comes on and the tent-like streams of lights under a massive tree are revealed it is spectacular.

He says his six-year-old daughter Madelyn thinks everyone has a world record house with lights on it, and his other two kids, Caitlin, 10, and Aidan, 13, just enjoy it "a bit like me".

"I have always loved Christmas. Having the Christmas lights with the community coming in and sharing it is a time when you get to know people you probably should know better, I guess."

But SIDS and Kids is the main reason he does the time-consuming task, to raise money for the work they do.

"It was very important for us," he said.

"Anyone who has been through that sort of loss will probably tell you the worst thing that can happen to you is losing a young child."

People can visit the lights after dark from Nov 30 to December 26 at 3 Tennyson Crescent, Forrest. Entry is via a gold coin donation.

The Richards' last effort raised $78,000 and helped pay for two part time counsellors.

This time, though, they hope to break $100,000.

Trudy Taylor from SIDS and Kids ACT said they get 20 per cent of their funding from the ACT government and donations support the rest of the work they do with people who have lost a child aged six and under for a range of reasons.

About 150 young children die in the region, which includes parts of NSW and Victoria, each year.

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