Attacks across Iraq leave 15 people dead

A STRING of attacks across Iraq has killed 15 people, including a senior military commander, a colonel and five soldiers who all died during a raid on an al-Qaeda hideout, officials said.

Police officials said army Major General Mohammed al-Karawi, the colonel and the five troops were killed on Saturday when they stormed the booby-trapped hideout in the area of Rutba, in Iraq's volatile Sunni western Anbar province.

Al-Karawi, who commanded the Iraqi army's 7th Division, was leading a search operation hunting for al-Qaeda fighters in the area. Four soldiers were wounded in the operation, the police said.

Also in western Iraq, gunmen in a speeding car opened fire at a police checkpoint in the city of Fallujah earlier on Saturday, killing four policemen.

In the north, near the city of Kirkuk, an army officer and a soldier were killed when two mortar shells struck a military camp, officials said.

And in the town of Latifiyah, 30 kilometres south of Baghdad, a mortar shell hit a group of Shi'ite pilgrims heading to the holy sites in the city of Karbala.

The pilgrims were commemorating Arbaeen, the end of 40 days of mourning following the anniversary of the death of Prophet Mohammed's grandson, Imam Hussein, a revered Shi'ite figure.

Hundreds of thousands of Shi'ite pilgrims make their way every year to Karbala for Arbaeen. Al-Qaeda fighters and other Sunni insurgents frequently target Shi'ites, whom they consider to be infidels. Iraqi security forces also often poorly protect Shi'ite marches and pilgrimages to holy sites.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for any of the attacks.

Medical officials confirmed the casualty figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to media.

Violence has spiked in Iraq since a deadly crackdown on a Sunni protest camp in a northern town in April. At least 367 people have died in attacks across the country so far this month, according to an Associated Press count.

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Gunman had botched vasectomy: Neighbours

AUTHORITIES in the US are trying to determine whether a Northern California man's anger over complications he suffered from a 2010 surgery prompted him to go on a shooting rampage at a Nevada urologist's office, killing one doctor and critically wounding another before committing suicide.

Reno Police Lieutenant William Rulla said on Friday detectives were working to obtain Alan Oliver Frazier's medical records to learn more about his physical and mental health.

Frazier, 51, made it clear in a suicide note that he had planned the attack and that his "focus was on the physicians at the specific office," Rulla said. Police recovered the note at Frazier's home.

Investigators have declined to specify the kind of surgery he had or say whether the doctors he targeted had anything to do with it.

But a couple who lived across the street from Frazier at Lake Almanor, about 130 miles north of Reno, said the operation he had had was a vasectomy. They also said Frazier frequently posted complaints in an online chat group about the pain he suffered from what he claimed was a botched surgery.

An international expert in men's reproductive health care said that while it's uncommon, some men experience pain more than two years after a vasectomy.

Neighbour Mario Tognotti told The Associated Press on Friday that Frazier told him and his wife that he sought help from doctors for his pain and had approached a lawyer about the situation. Tognotti declined to comment further.

His wife, Jari Tognotti, told the Reno Gazette-Journal in an email Thursday that Frazier encouraged friends to learn more about the kind of painful allergic reactions that men like him sometimes suffered as a result of vasectomies. She said it involved "immune-type reactions while their bodies are trying to absorb the sperm."

Dr Paul Turek, president of the Society of Male Reproduction and Urology, said that while vasectomies remain among the safest forms of permanent contraception, there are potential short- and long-term side effects. He declined to comment on Frazier's case, but noted about 60 to 70 per cent of men who undergo vasectomies develop an allergy to their sperm in the form of "antisperm antibodies."

Turek also said it's rare but possible to experience pain more than two years after a vasectomy.

"Developing over time can be a low-grade discomfort in the scrotum that's basically relieved by reversals because it's due to congestion that causes back pressure," Turek said.

Any sperm allergy appears to be localised to the immune systems on reproductive tracts, he said, and antisperm antibodies have not been shown conclusively to have any significant effect on other organs.

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Khodorkovsky starts life as a free man

Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky has arrived in Germany after being freed from a Russian prison. Source: AAP

RUSSIA'S most famous prisoner, Kremlin critic and former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, has begun life as a free man in Germany after his surprise pardon by President Vladimir Putin.

Khodorkovsky has been reunited with his son in Berlin, a spokeswoman for the former tycoon said on Saturday.

"The eldest son of Mikhail Borisovich, Pavel, has already seen his dad," a spokeswoman for Khodorkovsky, Olga Pispanen, said on Russian radio Echo of Moscow.

"They are now together in Berlin."

Khodorkovsky's parents, Marina and Boris, were also preparing to fly out to Germany to "finally see and hug him," the spokeswoman added.

Released on Friday after 10 years behind bars, Khodorkovsky is "feeling well" and will give a news conference on Sunday, she said, with the date and place to be confirmed later.

Khodorkovsky's 79-year-old mother, who has cancer, said she was taking sedatives to help her cope with the strong emotions sparked by his release.

"We survived grief but it is also apparently hard to survive joy," Marina Khodorkovskaya said in an interview broadcast on Russian state television on Saturday.

Putin stunned Russia on Thursday by revealing that Khodorkovsky had turned to him for pardon on humanitarian grounds, citing his mother's health.

In a head-spinning succession of events, less than 24 hours later Khodorkovsky was granted pardon, walked out of prison and flew to Germany in a secret operation worked out behind the scenes with Berlin.

Prison officials said Khodorkovsky had requested to fly to Germany, where his mother has undergone treatment before.

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Khodorkovsky was not forced into exile and was free to return to Russia.

Former German foreign minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher, who helped negotiate his release, arranged the flight for him on a private jet and picked him up at the airport in Berlin.

From the airport, Khodorkovsky was reportedly taken to Berlin's luxury Adlon Hotel near the Brandenburg Gate from which Genscher was seen leaving on Friday evening.

About 20 cameramen and photographers as well as two TV vans were waiting for a possible glimpse of the former tycoon outside the landmark hotel in sub-zero temperatures on Saturday morning, according to reports.

Khodorkovsky is expected to give a press conference in Berlin on Sunday, when he will outline his future plans.

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US military aircraft hit in South Sudan

TWO US military aircraft responding to the outbreak of violence in South Sudan have been hit by incoming fire, wounding three US service members.

Two officials said the aircraft were heading to Bor, the capital of the state of Jonglei and scene of some of the nation's worst violence over the last week.

One of the wounded service members was reported to be in a critical condition.

Officials said after the aircraft took incoming fire, they turned around and headed to Kampala, Uganda.

From there, the service members flew on to Nairobi, Kenya for medical treatment.

Both officials demanded anonymity to share information not yet made public. Both officials work in East Africa and are in a position to know the information.

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Security scare at NSW parliament house

Police have rushed in and grabbed a man from a car after a stand-off outside NSW Parliament. Source: AAP

A DISGRUNTLED former taxi driver who sparked a two-hour stand-off outside NSW Parliament has been charged.

Abdula Ganiji has been charged with threatening sabotage and possessing an explosive or article to damage property.

He has also been charged with threatening to destroy or damage property, police said.

It comes several hours after Ganiji sparked a lockdown of Macquarie Street in Sydney's CBD when he drove his white Chrysler sedan onto the footpath outside parliament at about 11.40am (AEDT) on Friday.

A large part of the street was quickly cordoned off and MPs and staff in parliament house were warned to keep clear of the front of the building.

For over two hours the 58-year-old from the Wollongong area passed lists of demands from inside the car to plain-clothes police negotiators.

Hundreds of city workers gathered at the police cordon and parliament went into partial lockdown, before the siege ended dramatically just before 2pm (AEDT).

There were loud bangs and flashes as up to a dozen heavily armed tactical officers swarmed the vehicle, smashing the car's windows and firing a canister of gas inside before dragging Ganiji into custody.

Police later said he had made threats of self harm, was known to police and was a regular visitor at parliament.

After he was handcuffed and dragged off for medical checks, police officers and firefighters removed a device from the car before conducting tests on the vehicle.

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Murdoch told reporters the man had a container of flammable liquid, which AAP understands was petrol, which he was threatening to set alight.

Mr Murdoch praised the quick actions of police.

"When that man attempted to light a cigarette lighter, wind the windows of the car up with what we believe to be a container of flammable liquid in the vehicle, those officers put their lives on the line this afternoon and they resolved the situation in a peaceful manner," he said.

The man was receiving medical attention for minor cuts suffered in the struggle with police, Mr Murdoch said, but compared to the threats he was making those injuries were "very, very minor in the scheme of things".

"The mere fact we're in front of our state parliament, in the middle of Sydney in the middle of the day - certainly that posed a risk," Mr Murdoch said.

"(But) at no time was any member of the community at risk, no one in any building was at risk and importantly no members of parliament were at risk because of this incident.

"We were very comfortable at all times that we had the measure of the fellow."

Mr Murdoch could not confirm reports the man had sought a meeting with Premier Barry O'Farrell, who stayed inside parliament throughout.

"He was making certain demands of the police but we weren't in a position to meet those demands, nor were we ever in a position to entertain them," he said.

"Our whole tactic was to contain and negotiate with the man.

Ganiji last year staged a hunger strike for several days outside parliament about a $200 fine he received 15 years ago.

He had called on Mr O'Farrell to solve a dispute with his employer, Wollongong Radio Cabs.

Ganiji told the Illawarra Mercury newspaper last year he was fined by the company for misusing his taxi radio by clicking the buttons unnecessarily, causing problems on the communications network.

He has been refused bail to appear at Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday.

Police said investigations into the incident were continuing.

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Investigators probe UK theatre collapse

At least 88 people were injured when the ceiling collapsed during a show at London's Apollo Theatre. Source: AAP

INVESTIGATORS are seeking to establish why the ceiling of a packed London theatre collapsed, injuring 76 people and coating terrified audience members with rubble.

A sell-out crowd of around 720 people was in the Apollo Theatre in Soho on Thursday night when ornate masonry and rigging fell about five storeys on to their heads.

Witnesses said they heard creaking noises in the 112-year-old theatre, but thought it was part of the show they were watching, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time.

Then debris and dust filled the air, sending coughing, terrified theatregoers - many of them families enjoying a pre-Christmas treat - fleeing for the exits.

Rescuers commandeered three iconic red London double-decker buses to transport the injured, while the city's normally tourist-thronged "Theatreland" was brought to a stunned halt.

Ambulance staff treated 76 patients, taking 58 to hospital, where seven were described as having serious but not life-threatening injuries.

A surveyor examined the theatre overnight and said the roof was secure, but investigations are now being carried out by the local authority to establish what happened.

The abnormally heavy rain that fell in the hour before the ceiling collapsed shortly after 8.00pm (0700 AEDT Friday) is likely to be one line of inquiry.

"We will not know the cause of the incident until all investigations have been completed but checks are ongoing," said councillor Nickie Aiken of Westminster Council.

"This appears to be an isolated incident, but we will continue to work with theatres throughout the day to ensure that all safety precautions are in place."

All historic theatres are required to undergo rigorous safety checks on their roofs every three years, she added.

Witnesses told of terror inside the Edwardian-era theatre, which has three tiers of balconies, the uppermost of which is said to be the steepest in London.

"A section of the theatre's ceiling collapsed on to the audience who were watching the show. The ceiling took parts of the balconies down with it," senior firefighter Nick Harding told reporters.

"In my time as a fire officer I've never seen an incident like this."

Desmond Thomas, 18, part of a school party watching the show, said they heard noises before the accident.

"Maybe 10 minutes into the performance we heard a tap-tap noise, we thought it was rain," he told AFP.

"There was a crack and then it suddenly seemed to get bigger and suddenly it collapsed. The next thing we knew the whole theatre filled with dust and smoke."

Simon Usborne, a journalist for The Independent newspaper who was watching the show, said there was "chaos".

"Loud bangs, cracks. Thought was part of show then whole interior of theatre filled with curtain of dark grey dust and debris, falling on heads of anyone not sheltered," he tweeted afterwards.

"People emerging soon after bloodied - children crying - family show - people dumbfounded."

No Australians were reported to be injured in the collapse. "Consular staff are in contact with UK authorities, but have not been advised of any Australians affected at this stage," a spokeswoman for the high commission in London said in a statement.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said he was being kept updated on the incident and was "grateful for the fast work of the emergency services in helping the injured".

Some of the injured were treated in triage centres set up in the lobbies of the nearby Gielgud and Queen's theatres.

"In the finest traditions of Theatreland, they very quickly rallied around," said fire brigade spokesman Graham Ellis.

He said that "heavy ornate plaster" had fallen from the roof on to theatregoers in the circle, dress circle and stalls.

Audience member James Kearney, who was given a ticket to the show as a present, told AFP there were "people with blood on their heads in shock" behind them.

Kearney's companion Dee Stephenson said there was so much dust afterwards they had to feel their way out.

"Everybody was in a trance-like state. A lot of people were in absolute shock," Stephenson told AFP. "We were extremely fortunate."

Based on an award-winning novel by Mark Haddon, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time has been running in London since August 2012.

Haddon said on Twitter that the incident was "horrifying" and that he was "hugely relieved that no one died".

The owner of the Apollo, Nimax Theatres, said the ceiling collapse was a "shocking and upsetting incident".

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Jury resume deliberations in Lawson case

THE jury in the trial of two former personal assistants accused of defrauding Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi has been sent out to continue its deliberations for a second day.

Jurors were told that neither Francesca Grillo, 35, nor her sister, Elisabetta, 41, was in the dock at Isleworth Crown Court in west London as one remained unwell and was "very anxious".

The Grillos are alleged to have used company credit cards to spend STG685,000 ($A1.27 million) on items, including designer shoes and clothes, for themselves.

The Italian sisters had been employed as PAs by the TV cook and her multi-millionaire art dealer ex-husband, who were divorced earlier this year.

Judge Robin Johnson told the jury on Friday: "You will notice that neither defendant is in the dock. They are in the building.

"One of them is not feeling well, is very anxious and you will appreciate that a criminal trial is a stressful business for many people, no more stressful than for the person on trial, in this case, herself.

"I have said that the defendants can be in another room while court proceedings proceed, with the consent of the barristers."

He stressed that it had no bearing on the jury's deliberations and added: "It's not as if they have not turned up today."

Judge Johnson also gave the jurors the direction on their second day of deliberations, saying at least 10 of them had to agree on each verdict.

The jury of seven men and five women were sent out on Thursday morning after a three-week trial.

The Grillos each deny a single count of committing fraud by using a company credit card for personal gain between January 1, 2008 and December 31 last year.

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Man refused bail for cold-case murder

THREE decades after Sydney nurse Mary Louise Wallace went missing, a 61-year-old man has been charged with her murder and refused bail.

Ms Wallace, 33, went missing from Sydney's north shore in the early hours of September 24, 1983.

On the night she disappeared Ms Wallace had dinner and drinks with nursing colleagues at the Alpine Inn, in Crows Nest.

A 2010 inquest into her death heard she was last seen getting into a car with a man.

Ms Wallace was never seen again, and her body was never found.

Following three decades of investigations, including a 2010 coronial inquest and excavations at Lane Cove National Park, Robert Adams was arrested on Friday at his Gladesville home and refused bail at Parramatta Local Court.

Detective Chief Inspector John Lehmann said the man was known to police and had been the subject of intensive investigation.

"The evidence against him is quite comprehensive, which we'll be putting before the court," Det Chief Insp Lehmann told reporters.

He said police would put physical, forensic and DNA evidence before the court as well as witness statements he labelled "very important to our brief of evidence".

Homicide Squad Detective Superintendent Michael Willing said on Friday that police would continue searching for Ms Wallace's body.

Det Chief Insp Lehmann said Ms Wallace's friends and family were glad to hear an arrest had been made.

"They're very pleased with the result. They know it's just the start of a long court process," he said.

He called the arrest a "credit to the investigators who have put in tireless hours and an enormous amount of effort and dedication to this particular case".

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Troops return from Afghan mission

THE last mission of Corporal Brendon Heape's tour to Afghanistan sounded simple - be home in time for his seven-month-old daughter Mikaela's first Christmas.

"I wasn't meant to, but luckily enough I got the chance," he said at Sydney Airport on Thursday after flying in with fellow troops.

Leaving for a tour just weeks after she was born, with only a quick visit in September, the proud father said he was amazed at how big she'd grown.

"We're so excited to be able to share Mikaela's first Christmas as a full family," happy wife Catherine said.

Cpl Heape was just one of 259 defence personnel who returned from Afghanistan on Thursday following the wrap-up of Australia's combat operations.

At the RAAF Amberley base, west of Brisbane, 55 Royal Australian Air Force personnel arrived home after seven months in Afghanistan.

Among them was Airman Scott Penrose, who cried with joy as he hoisted daughter Ella into his arms. He made it home the day before Ella's seventh birthday.

Ella was in good company in welcoming home a much-missed parent.

"I waited 114 days to hug my daddy," were the words on the back of one nine-month-old baby boy's shirt.

Just over a hundred touched down at Sydney Airport after taking the last flight home before Christmas.

Although this contingent was the last to return from Oruzgan, there are still about 400 Australian troops left in Afghanistan to mentor the Afghan National Army.

At an earlier stop in Darwin, Corporal Shane Imrie said the hard work of Australian forces had started to pay off.

"At our level it's hard to see the bigger picture, but we certainly did a lot of work," he said.

"Going back to the early years you can definitely see a big difference."

"There's a lot more women going to school, and kids, and that's obviously a great thing."

For Corporal Katie Davis, 22, it was easy to put the emotions of being home into words.

"Best thing ever," she said, embracing her younger sister Julie and best friend Natalie Harrison.

She said she went into her nearly nine-month tour with an open mind but was happy to be home as an early gift to her sister.

"Cheap Christmas," quipped Julie.

It was a similarly emotional reunion for Major Jon Lane and his wife Sally Beaumont, separated for 10 months while he worked as a psychiatrist at a hospital in Kandahar.

As he wiped tears from his eyes, Major Lane said he'd missed the Australian landscape the most.

"The green, water and somewhere that doesn't just have dirt and dust and rocks," he said.

But there's still a bit of a way to go until they're back in their hometown of Hobart.

So what's the first thing on the list when he finally gets there?

"Ah, have a beer. It's mental health."

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Four RFS volunteers injured in truck crash

FOUR volunteer firefighters have been taken to hospital after their truck crashed in NSW's Southern Highlands.

The Rural Fire Service (RFS) volunteers were responding to reports of a fire when they crashed into a pole in Moss Vale, police said.

A man sitting in the front passenger seat was thrown from the truck and injured his neck, back, leg and chest.

The driver was trapped inside the truck before being freed with neck, back and abdomen injuries.

Both men have been airlifted to hospital for treatment.

Two men, who were sitting in the rear cabin seats sustained minor head injuries, including cuts and abrasions.

They have also been taken for further treatment.

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South Korean man's body found in grave

Police will dig up a shallow grave in Brisbane as they search for a missing South Korean man. Source: AAP

MIN Tae Kim went to exchange his hard-earned Australian savings for South Korean money for his return home but ended up in a shallow grave on a vacant property in southwest Brisbane.

Police said late on Thursday that they had exhumed the 28-year-old man's body after blood was found around the grave site in Algester.

Two men and a woman are being held and questioned over Mr Kim's disappearance, although no charges have been laid.

Detective Inspector Rod Kemp said Mr Kim had been working hard at a local abattoir to build up his savings before his planned return to South Korea next month.

But he needed to change $15,000 cash into South Korean won and advertised on the Gumtree website in hope of finding a better exchange rate.

Mr Kim left his Cannon Hill share house with his cash to do a deal with an unknown person about 2pm (AEST) on Monday.

It was the last time he was seen alive and Det Insp Kemp said police were looking into "foul play".

Mr Kim's disappearance comes after 22-year-old South Korean woman Eunji Ban was allegedly bashed to death while walking to work in Brisbane's CBD last month.

The Council of International Students Australia president Thomson Ch'ng said the incidents would rock people's confidence in Brisbane being a safe place to study.

"Two incidents within three weeks is not good for Brisbane and Australia," he told AAP.

"The fact is, international students are important bridges between Australia and the international community and whatever happens here (in Australia), the world is watching."

Det Insp Kemp said it would be very unfortunate if Mr Kim became the second South Korean murdered in Brisbane in less than a month.

"If it is and if he has been brutally murdered, it's a shocking thing for us and a concern for us, most certainly," he said.

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Steps star Watkins wins apology over photo

POP star Ian Watkins has received a public apology at the London High Court over the mistaken use of his photograph on a celebrity news website reporting the guilty pleas of Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins to serious sexual offences.

A judge in London heard that the musician and actor, also known as Ian "H" Watkins or "H" from the band Steps, had already been "receiving abuse as a result of people confusing the two Ian Watkins" before the error over the photograph was made.

He received an apology today from E! Entertainment Television, a US company which operates a television channel E! and website E! Online, covering celebrity news.

His solicitor John Reid told the judge that the defendant, E! Entertainment Television, "reported the guilty plea of Ian Watkins of the Lostprophets in an article on E! Online", adding: "However, the defendant mistakenly included a photograph of the claimant, Ian 'H' Watkins of Steps, instead of Ian Watkins of the Lostprophets."

"The error quickly came to the attention of the defendant, which promptly replaced the photograph with the correct one," he said.

Mr Reid told the judge that the defendant also promptly added an editor's note to the article, stating: "This story was originally published with an image of Ian "H" Watkins of the band Steps rather than Ian Watkins of the Lostprophets. E! Online deeply regrets this error."

He said the defendant "also promptly emailed and telephoned the claimant's management to apologise to the claimant".

The judge heard that as well as having the same name as the Lostprophets singer, both men are of similar age and originally come from Wales.

Solicitor Timothy Pinto told the judge that, on behalf of the defendant, he confirmed everything said by Mr Reid "and apologises for the distress and damage caused by the publication of the photograph".

On Wednesday, former Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins was jailed for 35 years at Cardiff Crown Court for a string of child sex offences.

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Drivers warned to be alert this Christmas

DRIVERS have been asked to think about whether they want to spend their Christmas with loved ones or trauma doctors.

Westmead Hospital director of trauma Dr Jeremy Hsu joined police in Sydney to plead for NSW drivers to be safe this holiday period.

Double demerit points will apply from midnight (AEDT) on Thursday until January 2 as part of NSW Police Operation Safe Arrival.

Eighteen people died during last year's 13-day Christmas period and almost 1000 were booked for drink-driving.

Meanwhile, 12,000 motorists were charged with speeding.

But Dr Hsu made fatigue the focus of his plea.

He said 20 per cent of crashes resulting in serious injuries were fatigue-related.

"When you're driving 100 km/h, a four-second micro sleep results in you travelling 111 metres without any conscience control," he said.

"Essentially you've turned your car into a lethal weapon.

"Our most severely injured patients will undergo multiple operations, spend weeks in intensive care and then months or even years undergoing rehabilitation."

Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn says anyone speeding, drinking, drug taking, speaking on their mobile phone or not wearing a seat belt will be targeted by an increased police presence on NSW roads.

"We will have large numbers of traffic and highway patrol police out in force," she said.

"On our motorways, our main roads, they'll be on our country roads, on our back roads.

"If you are caught speeding excessively over this period of time you may well lose your licence on the side of the road right then and there."

The NSW road toll stands at 332 so far this year, 23 less than the same time last year.

Police Minister Mike Gallacher says even drivers who follow the road rules can find themselves in crashes.

He urged drivers of all ages to "switch on" when behind the wheel - being aware of what other drivers were doing as well.

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Ascot photo for Charles' Xmas card

A PICTURE of the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall sharing a joke at Royal Ascot has been chosen as the image for the couple's Christmas card.

Smartly dressed for a day at the races, Charles and Camilla look relaxed as they stand against a balcony rail, in what is thought to be the royal box.

In the photograph taken by Stephen Lock in June, the Duchess is wearing an Anna Valentine pansy print chiffon dress with a peppermint green silk coat and holds a silk clutch bag, also from Anna Valentine.

The Prince, who is pictured holding a racing program, looks smart in an Anderson and Sheppard morning coat, a shirt by Turnbull and Asser and a top hat by Lock and Co.

Printed on the cover of each Christmas card is the Prince of Wales' feathers and the Duchess' cipher and inside are the words "Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year" with the photograph opposite surrounded by a thin red border.

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Victim of Ray Hadley abuse awarded $280k

THE wife of a convicted sex offender who was labelled a "grub" by 2GB Radio presenter Ray Hadley has been awarded $280,000 in damages.

Handing down his decision in the Supreme Court in Sydney on Thursday, Acting Justice William Nicholas said he hoped the decision would enable Kim Ahmed to "lay this broadcast to rest in the gutter from which it came".

Taking aim at Hadley's "unbridled tirade" against Ms Ahmed, a former north Sydney fish-and-chip shop owner, Justice Nicholas said he was satisfied Hadley's comments caused her to suffer "anxiety, alarm, distress and anger".

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Deaf man lodges sacking claim against BHP

A DISABILITY discrimination claim has been lodged against BHP Billiton and its contractor Carey Mining on behalf of a deaf man who was allegedly unlawfully sacked while working in a West Australian mine site.

Lawyers Maurice Blackburn said the claim had been lodged in the Australian Human Rights Commission for client Andrew Myers, 40, who is deaf but wears hearing aids and a cochlear implant.

In a medical assessment, Mr Myers was declared fit to work, with a pass rate of 98 per cent.

He has various qualifications allowing him to operate heavy vehicles and machinery in construction and mining, and is also a licensed pilot.

Maurice Blackburn principal lawyer Kamal Farouque said Mr Myers was engaged by Carey Mining in May this year to work at the Area C mine in the Pilbara region, but within days was told by the contractor that he couldn't work anymore because BHP Billiton thought there was a communication problem.

Carey Mining told him that they couldn't fault his performance, Mr Farouque said.

"Andrew was very up-front with his employer and everyone around him about being hearing impaired and was told by various company people they would support him," he said.

"He did a health and safety induction test and got a 100 per cent result.

"After two to three days on the job, his immediate colleagues told him he was performing well and they had no problems, and that any issues with the two-way radio would be fixed."

Mr Myers said he was extremely upset by the decision to sack him from his dream job, which he has been told could last for 20 to 25 years.

"I couldn't believe it when they told me I was terminated," he said.

"I've had discrimination all my life, but not as open as this.

"I can fly a plane. If I can do that, I can work on a mining site."

BHP Billiton was being sought for comment.

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Britain to move to plastic banknotes

PLASTIC bank notes are to be issued by the Bank of England for the first time when the new STG5 ($A9.19) note featuring Sir Winston Churchill appears in 2016.

A STG10 ($A18.39) note featuring Jane Austen to follow around a year later will also be made from polymer rather than the cotton paper currently used, the Bank said.

It follows a three-year research program that concluded plastic notes stay cleaner for longer, are more difficult to counterfeit and are at least twice as longer-lasting.

A public consultation across the UK, giving people the chance to handle the notes, found 87 per cent of 13,000 individuals who responded were in favour of polymer.

Bank governor Mark Carney said: "Ensuring trust and confidence in money is at the heart of what central banks do. Polymer notes are the next step in the evolution of bank note design to meet that objective.

"The quality of polymer notes is higher, they are more secure from counterfeiting, and they can be produced at a lower cost to the taxpayer and the environment."

The new notes will retain their familiar look, the Bank said, including the portrait of the Queen and a historical character.

Meanwhile, the Bank announced new guidelines on how it chooses historical figures to feature on bank notes, which include the aim that they should "reflect the diverse nature of British society".

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Two facing charges over fatal Vic attack

TWO men accused of attacking a 36-year-old man in Melbourne could be facing more serious charges after he died in hospital from his injuries.

Police had initially charged the pair with intentionally causing serious injury and other offences after finding a 36-year-old man had been brutally attacked in the streets of Fitzroy on Monday evening.

But the man died in hospital on Wednesday, leading homicide detectives to consider laying different charges.

"The charges are likely to be upgraded," a police spokeswoman said.

Narada Seresen, 35, of no fixed address, and Jasper Meagher, 26, of Carlton, will face the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday over the incident.

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Saatchi assistant 'not a fantasist'

A FORMER personal assistant of Nigella Lawson and her art dealer ex-husband Charles Saatchi, who is accused of defrauding the couple, has denied she was a fantasist and a "shopaholic".

Francesca Grillo, 35, and her sister Elisabetta, 41, are alleged to have spent STG685,000 ($A1.26 million) on credit cards belonging to the TV cook and the multimillionaire Saatchi.

On Wednesday, the court heard that the siblings bought designer clothes, shoes and luxury holidays on the cards.

The younger sister was accused by prosecutor Jane Carpenter of lying about her expenditure on a work credit card having been authorised by Saatchi and Lawson, who divorced earlier this year.

"I haven't lied to this court," said Grillo. "I don't think I'm a fantasist as Ms Lawson suggested. I would have to disagree."

Carpenter said Grillo had admitted being a "shopaholic" in a phone call after the allegations of fraud came to light, but the defendant said of that claim: "I don't think so."

Addressing claims that she took advantage of her position and felt she was "on to a good thing", Grillo replied: "I didn't have to feel like I was part of a good thing.

"They were my family. I was very, very lucky. They loved me, I loved them back. Despite being here defending myself ... I still have feelings for them."

The seven men and five women on the jury were shown pages from Lawson's latest cookbook, Nigellissima, for which Grillo said she and her sister contributed a recipe for lasagne which was published.

"She refers to two friends from Calabria, or two sisters," added Grillo.

She claimed that during her trips to her native Italy while employed by the family, she would use the company card to buy food items and props for Lawson which were used in the book.

Asked why she offered to pay back money to the Saatchi-Lawson family when she was confronted with allegations of misusing the credit card, Grillo said she had hoped things would get back to normal.

She added: "It's difficult for people to understand how close I was to these people ... It's not like any person down the street. You want to make things better."

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Merkel says EU must be ready for changes

Chancellor Angela Merkel has been sworn in to a third term as Germany's head of government. Source: AAP

GERMAN Chancellor Angela Merkel says European Union members must be open to treaty changes to strengthen joint economic governance in the 28-nation bloc.

Merkel was speaking on Wednesday, a day after starting her third term as leader of Europe's biggest economy and ahead of a visit to Paris, followed by a two-day EU summit in Brussels.

She told parliament that the EU needs to work toward more centralised financial and economic governance, where members can be compelled to meet certain fiscal targets, even if this requires changes to key EU treaties.

"Since the Lisbon Treaty we have a situation in Europe where everyone says, 'we can develop everything but we can't change the treaties'," Merkel said.

"I don't think that we can build a truly functioning Europe that way."

French President Francois Hollande has rejected changing EU treaties, pushing for more pro-growth policies and less austerity within the existing European charters.

Other EU members are also sceptical about renegotiating treaties, which may require referendums, amid rising euroscepticism in many countries.

Merkel, making her case for evolving charters in the EU, said "we have a situation in Europe where Germany is often accused of resisting certain developments. This is not the case.

"We are among those who say that we must, if treaties are no longer sufficient, develop those treaties."

"Those who want more Europe must be ready for new rules on some competencies," she added.

Merkel was sworn in for a third term on Tuesday, almost three months after winning September 22 elections, leading a "grand coalition" with the centre-left Social Democrats.

Addressing the Bundestag legislature, Merkel said that her new government wants for Germany, as a founding member of the EU, to continue "to take a responsible role and one that promotes integration in Europe".

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'White powder in Nigella's handbag': PA

A London court has heard TV cook Nigella Lawson was unhappy in her marriage to Charles Saatchi. Source: AAP

NIGELLA Lawson's former personal assistant "frequently" found rolled-up banknotes with white powder on them in her handbag, she has told a court.

Francesca Grillo, who along with her sister Elisabetta is on trial accused of defrauding Lawson and former husband Charles Saatchi, said she never saw Lawson taking drugs although she did find evidence of drug use on many occasions.

She said she first saw the rolled-up notes at the food writer's Shepherd's Bush home, in the kitchen after a party and also in a guest bedroom.

One of her jobs as Ms Lawson's aide was to exchange items between her handbags, and she would find rolled-up banknotes in those, she told Isleworth Crown Court in west London on Tuesday.

Asked how often she found the banknotes, Grillo said: "Frequently. Every time I went through her handbag there was some notes. It was very frequent."

Asked if she ever raised the issue of drugs, she replied: "No. I didn't think it was my place."

Lawson would tell Francesca "you're good at finding things" and ask her to look for belongings in her handbags, the jury heard.

Lawson would sometimes come downstairs with white powder on her nose and Francesca would point it out to her, but would be told by the cook it was make-up.

Asked by defence counsel Karina Arden if the substance could have been make-up, Grillo replied: "Too white to be make-up."

She also noted that the TV cook often had a runny nose, the court heard.

Francesca Grillo, 35, and her sister Elisabetta, 41, are accused of defrauding the celebrity couple by spending 685,000 euros ($A1.06 million) on credit cards belonging to them.

The court has heard the siblings bought designer clothes, shoes and luxury holidays on the cards.

Francesca also recalled how she improvised an excuse to protect her employer when a child discovered a hollow book containing what the employee thought were drugs.

The defendant told the court: "She (the child) said 'Look what I found in (the) book!'.

"It was a small plastic bag with white powder. I made up something."

Grillo said the clandestine book also contained items of jewellery belonging to Lawson's late husband John Diamond.

She said she found cannabis in a child's room in the home, and the television cook would swig from bottles containing liquid medication.

She told the court: "Tazepam, Xanax ... Ms Lawson had medication for depression.

"She would take it directly from the bottle."

Asked by Arden how frequently she would see Lawson take medication in this way, Francesca said: "Very often. She had one bottle in the kitchen and one bottle in the bedroom."

She told the court she did not originally mention the alleged drug use in her first statement to police, but did so after photographs of Saatchi and Lawson at Scott's restaurant in Mayfair emerged in the press during the year.

"The one that stuck in my mind was the one of him picking her nose. Maybe he found something relating to drugs.

"I maybe thought if he didn't know that, he probably didn't know about the authorisation - the allowance - of the signatures (by Ms Lawson, on personal expenditure)."

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Business as usual as Pope turns 77

THOUSANDS of goodwill messages have poured in to the Vatican for Pope Francis, who has turned 77.

But no special celebrations were planned for the leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics, with Tuesday expected to be a normal working day for him.

The pope celebrated his daily mass in the Santa Marta chapel at 7am (1700 AEDT), and was preparing his speech for his weekly audience, scheduled for Wednesday.

Francis was given a surprise party at the weekend, when he met a group of children at a charity office inside the Vatican.

They each sported a letter of the alphabet on their shirt, and lined up to spell out the message Happy Birthday, Pope Francis. There was also a cake, with candles.

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Bus carrying 13 rolls in NT

A BUS has rolled in the Northern Territory, seriously injuring two people.

Police say the crash happened on the Stuart Highway 128 kilometres south of Alice Springs, about lunchtime on Tuesday.

Thirteen people were on board.

The seriously hurt pair are being treated at Alice Springs Hospital.

The other 11 reportedly received minor injuries.

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Syria peace talks to open in Montreux: UN

The UN has called for $US6.5 billion in aid for the expected 4.1 million Syrian refugees in 2014. Source: AAP

THE long-delayed "Geneva II" peace conference for Syria will open in the Swiss lakeside town of Montreux because of a lack of hotel space in Geneva, the United Nations says.

"The international conference on Syria ... will be held due to logistical reasons ... in Montreux," said Khawla Mattar, spokeswoman for UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, who is trying to organise the conference.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last month finally set January 22 as the date for the talks, which have been repeatedly postponed since June.

But a luxury watch fair will be taking place in Geneva at the same time.

The global elite will also begin gathering for the annual World Economic Forum that begins in the Swiss ski resort of Davos on January 22, many of them passing through Geneva.

As a result, the city's hotels are fully booked, leading organisers to look for alternatives.

Montreux was decided upon, Mattar said, for a variety of reasons, including security considerations and the availability of hotel space in the scenic town at the other end of Lake Geneva known for its jazz festival.

The conference centre at the Montreux Palace will only host the first day of high-level talks on January 22, hosted by Ban and including all invited country delegations.

Negotiations between the two Syrian delegations and Brahimi will then continue at the UN's European headquarters in Geneva on January 24, but it has not been decided how long the talks will continue, Mattar said.

Meanwhile, UN agencies have launched what they say is the biggest-ever relief appeal for a single emergency, as they called for $US6.5 billion ($A7.3 billion) in funds for Syrians in 2014.

The UN's humanitarian affairs and refugee agencies said on Monday that $US2.3 billion is needed to provide for people inside the war-torn country, with the remainder for Syrian refugees in the region.

"We're facing a terrifying situation here, where, by the end of 2014, substantially more of the population of Syria could be displaced or in need of humanitarian help than not," UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said in Geneva.

"This goes beyond anything we have seen in many, many years, and makes the need for a political solution all the greater."

The agencies warned that they were planning for up to 4.1 million refugees by the end of 2014 - of a total pre-war population of 22.4 million.

More than 2.3 million Syrians have so far fled the country since the conflict began in 2011, with more than four million estimated to be displaced inside its borders.

The UN's World Food Programme (WFP), one of the bodies participating in the multi-agency plan, separately announced it would feed 4.25 million Syrians next year, at a cost of $US2 billion.

The WFP said almost 6.3 million people in the country needed "urgent, life-saving food assistance".

It pledged to focus on preventing child malnutrition, giving food supplements to 240,000 children aged 6 to 23 months.

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Family reunions recommended in WA prisons

A prison inspector says male and female inmates of the same family should be able to mix in prison. Source: AAP

WESTERN Australia's prison inspector has recommended male and female inmates from the same family be allowed to visit each other in jail - despite serious reservations of guards.

In a report into young female prisoners in WA, Inspector of Custodial Services Neil Morgan revealed a "wish list" of teenaged girls being held at Banksia Hill young offender's prison in Perth's south.

As well as asking for a water fountain in the prison's outdoor area, many of the girls said they wanted the ban lifted on visiting male family members in the same jail.

Mr Morgan concluded it was a good idea.

"During the 2013 inspection no such interaction was occurring at all," Mr Morgan wrote.

"The female detainees said that they would like to be able to have visits with male relatives at Banksia Hill ... however no such visits were occurring or seemed even to be under management consideration.

"The apparent perception of some staff being that interaction between male and female detainees should be avoided at any cost."

Despite this, Mr Morgan recommended the Department of Corrective Services should introduce inter and intra-prison visits for detainees and their family members, a recommendation the report says has been supported by Banksia Hill.

Mr Morgan also recommended that some adult female prisoners be housed alongside younger girls at Banksia Hill, to make education and training courses more economical.

"This recommendation is not made lightly, for ... the Young Offenders Act, in line with the provisions of United Nations conventions, is premised on the separation of adults and children," Mr Morgan said.

"However, in the interests of the community, more needs to be done for incarcerated young women and girls."

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Stott Despoja to visit Nauru

Ex-Democrats leader Natasha Stott Despoja will become Australia's ambassador for women and girls. Source: AAP

SHE was critical of offshore processing of asylum seekers but now Australia's new ambassador for women and girls, Natasha Stott Despoja, is not sure how she can help people in detention.

The former Democrats leader, who takes over the ambassadorship from Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade diplomat Penny Williams, has been a vocal critic particularly of the detention of women and children seeking asylum.

She told the ABC on Monday she was not sure yet what she could do for people in detention as it was her first day in the job.

She is planning to visit the detention centre on Nauru.

"I am not sure what role I will have," she said.

"Having said that, I don't think the (foreign affairs) minister (Julie Bishop) would expect anything less than honest, upfront advice and views from me."

The former South Australian senator says she has had a lifelong commitment to gender equality.

She will remain based in Adelaide, but will promote greater opportunities for women and girls throughout the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions.

She said she was proud of the work Australia did in the region through its aid program and that Ms Bishop had made it clear she wanted gender equality and empowerment to be a strong priority.

The position was created by former Labor prime minister Julia Gillard.

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New Down Syndrome test "reduces risks"

A study has revealed that a new non-invasive test for Down Syndrome would increase detection rates. Source: AAP

A NEW, non-invasive test for Down Syndrome in unborn babies could significantly increase detection rates if it was available to all expectant mothers, according to a new study.

Scientists at Perth's Curtin University have found the new test could increase detection rates and significantly reduce the need for invasive diagnostic procedures, which can cause miscarriages.

The study reviewed 32,478 single baby pregnancies screened between January 2005 and December 2006 in WA.

It found the new non-invasive test would have reduced the number of invasive diagnostic procedures while procedure-related miscarriages would have been reduced in high-risk women by 88 per cent.

The results showed if all pregnant women identified as high-risk had adopted this non-invasive testing method, up to seven additional cases of the genetic disorder could have been confirmed.

It was estimated that implementing this new testing method would increase the public health system's cost of prenatal screening for Down syndrome by less than 10 per cent.

The test is currently available only in Australia's private health sector.

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David Campbell to swing on NYE in Perth

Entertainer David Campbell will perform swing favourites at Crown Perth on New Year's Eve. Source: AAP

CROONER, cabaret star, television host, actor, musical theatre performer - David Campbell has it covered.

The entertainer will perform on New Year's Eve in Perth, singing classic swing hits including Mack the Knife and Can't Take My Eyes Off You.

The host of television program Mornings, Campbell has not done a swing show in more than a year.

"It's something that is close to my heart and I wanted to dip my toe back into it," he told AAP.

Campbell often performs for New Year's Eve but has not worked the event in Perth since 1999.

The singer plans to record an album next year and says he will try some of the songs on New Year's Eve.

"The album is not a new year's resolution, but it's a new year's intention," he said.

Campbell also said he was interested in touring with his father, Cold Chisel rocker Jimmy Barnes, and his sister Mahalia, who found fame through The Voice.

"I think Cold Chisel is going to push us out next year," he said.

"So maybe in 2015-16 ... if we don't get distracted."

Next year is shaping up to be a big one for Campbell, who is part of a group setting up a cabaret and musical theatre venue in Sydney.

Their first show will be performed in February and Campbell said he hoped later productions could tour.

He said he was pleased to see musicals achieving success in films, such as Les Miserables and Mamma Mia.

He said there were also many successful revivals on stage, such as Grease and the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

"It's a very, very healthy base, where it's all coming from at the moment, and I think it's only going to grow," he said.

* David Campbell will perform at Crown Perth on New Year's Eve. Tickets are still available.

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Aussie held over alleged arson in Thailand

A 47-YEAR-OLD Australian man has been arrested by Thai police and faces charges of assault and arson after clashing with the manager of a motorbike rental company in southern Thailand.

Kent Wesley Farrar, from Victoria, was detained on Friday after becoming allegedly angered by the bike's excessive use of fuel after renting the bike for a week on the resort island of Koh Chang, and demanded a refund.

But the manager, Narong Borploy, 55, said Farrar turned down the offer of another bike and started fighting after being refused the repayment.

Farrar, who sustained head injuries in the clash, then allegedly grabbed a fuel canister and poured petrol over three rental bikes and set them ablaze.

Thai police said Farrar then grabbed a knife and began threatening passers-by before being subdued at the scene.

Farrar faces charges of arson and assault and a damage bill of 100,000 baht (A$3500).

Thai Police investigator on the case, Police Captain Banjerd Krachangsaeng, was unavailable for comment when contacted by AAP.

Farrar's arrest comes in the lead up to the peak holiday season in Thailand and an influx of Australians over the Christmas period. Up to one million Australians visit Thailand each year.

Australian travellers are regularly warned over renting motorbikes in Thailand, often associated with scams by operators to extract additional fees for unspecified damages allegedly caused during the rental period.

A Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said the department was aware of Farrar's arrest and consular staff were seeking to meet with him and provide assistance.

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Police assaulted at NSW soccer game

A POLICEMAN had to use "defensive strikes" to force a man to release his grip on his groin during a brawl at a Newcastle A-League soccer match.

Another police officer was punched in the head by another man in the melee, which saw a spectator punched in the face three times on Saturday night.

Police from the Public Order and Riot Squad and local officers were patrolling the match between the Newcastle Jets and Western Sydney Wanderers at the Hunter Stadium when a fight broke out and objects were thrown at 9.40pm.

They say the crowd turned hostile towards them when they intervened.

During a scuffle, a 21-year-old man allegedly grabbed the policeman's groin and refused to let go.

The man, police say, had been hindering police when he was pushed out of the way and fell on the ground.

He was arrested and charged with assault police.

He will appear in Newcastle Local Court on January 16.

At the same match police spoke to three spectators who were allegedly causing trouble.

One man refused to follow a police direction to return his seat.

Police allege he punched another spectator in the face three times before turning on the officers who tried to arrest him.

The 41-year-old is accused of punching one officer in the side of the head.

He was charged with assault police and behave in an offensive manner.

He will also appear in Newcastle Local Court on Monday.

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Missing Qld man found after four days

A MAN who went missing for four days in southwest Queensland, sparking a massive air and land search, has been found.

Two aircraft, police and State Emergency Service volunteers helped search a property south of Quilpie after the man, in his 50s, was reported missing on Saturday morning.

But he had not been since Thursday, December 12, police said.

The man had been working on his property and went to check bores but did not return.

His bogged vehicle was found on a neighbouring property on Saturday.

Police said the man was found at 5.20pm on Sunday on a property near Eulo, in the area they'd been searching.

He was airlifted to Roma Hospital for treatment.

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Fawcett auction items sell for $200,000

PERSONAL items belonging to late actress Farrah Fawcett have fetched $US200,000 ($A224,997.19) at auction.

Items including the iconic red swimsuit she wore for an Esquire magazine shoot, her passport, a script from her 1984 TV film The Burning Bed, and a People's Choice Award went under the hammer at Heritage Auctions in Dallas in Texas on Thursday.

Margaret Barrett, the director of entertainment and music auctions for Heritage, said: "The intense competition for Farrah's items in this auction speaks to how popular she continues to be with collectors."

In addition to Fawcett's belongings, the suit Gene Kelly got wet in 1952 movie Singin' in the Rain sold for just over $US106,000.

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