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Tuesday, December 16

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Woman, 40, shot at servo

A WOMAN, 40, is fighting for her life in hospital after being shot at a service station in Sydney's west. It is believed police are now hunting for her male partner.

$15 rail rise 'win' for public, Rees vows

SYDNEY train users will be slugged a whopping 7.5 per cent fare rise right at the start of the new year - yet Premier Nathan Rees still insists it's a "good win" for punters.

Santa letter leads to sex abuse arrest

A MAN has been arrested after a nine-year-old girl wrote a heartbreaking letter to Santa Claus asking that a relative stop touching her and her sister.

'There were so many, it's scary'

RIOT cops rushed to a Sydney hospital following a stabbing as crowds threatening vengeance blocked the path of ambulances
and frightened onlookers.

Dead P-plater's mum pleads for road safety

THE mum of a man killed when he took his car out for its first spin has issued a desperate plea for all P-platers to take care, admitting: "Young people just never learn."

Meet Facebook court order pair

WE can reveal the Canberra couple served with a court order to repay a $162k debt via Facebook - and they're rushing to keep the public from finding out.

Hugh slammed as Oscars host

CRITICS have slammed Hugh Jackman's selection as Oscars host, saying he's all style and sex appeal but no substance. Agree? Gallery: Oscar hosts

Chips recalled over rubber chunks

3:38pm: THE discovery of pieces of rubber in boxes of Smith's potato chips has triggered a national recall, with a spokesman admitting they could pose a choking hazard.

4 years for society husband killer

12:45pm: KILLER housewife Danielle Stewart has been sentenced to just four years in jail for the fatal stabbing of her husband with an antique knife.

They crossed the thin blue line

7:00am: TWO cops caught in compromising positions with scantily-clad women while they were meant to be patrolling the streets have been stood down.

Tigers give Cousins a go

RICHMOND have thrown a lifeline to former West Coast Eagles champion Ben Cousins, selecting the 2005 Brownlow medallist in the AFL pre-season draft.

Big bounty for blasted bamraiders

ATM bandits struck again early this morning, blowing up a machine in Sydney - but apparently failing to scoop the jackpot despite making a lot of mess.

Sharks board split over sacking

EXCLUSIVE: GREG Bird could receive $200,000 for doing nothing as some Cronulla board members push for the decision on the wayward star's sacking to be delayed.

Grotesque secret of door No.9

AN elderly man who died three months ago is suspected of killing his wife and keeping her remains hidden on the balcony of his Sydney unit for more than eight years.

Cops claim need for speed

POLICE officers across NSW speeding without lights and sirens can avoid fines if they are on a covert operation, it has been revealed.

Sir Don's baggy green sells for loss

1:22pm: THE owner of the baggy green cap worn by Sir Donald Bradman in his final Test for Australia has been forced to sell the irreplaceable piece of Aussie cricket history for a loss.

The man who conned the world

12:42pm: BANKS, billionaires, charities and film stars are among the victims of a $50bn fraudster, tagged the man who conned the world.

Hunt for truckie as five die on NSW roads

ALL semi-trailers travelling through the Blue Mountains are being stopped today as police hunt a truckie behind the hit-and-run death of a 73-year-old pedestrian - one of five to die on the state's roads in less than 24 hours.

Four dead in less than 24 hours

11:20am: TWO P-platers, an adult driver and a helpless pedestrian have been killed in a spate of distressing incidents on the state's roads in less than 24 hours.

Price of medicine to rise

THE cost of prescription medicines will rise by $1.60 per script to $32.90 on January 1 - an increase in excess of inflation.

Wash hands or be fired

DOCTORS will be fired for not washing their hands under one of the first major promises by the State Government to overhaul the health system. Is this a good move?

I don't know the #&@*ing woman

GORDON Ramsay reckons he's never heard of the Aussie woman who claims to have been his lover. And it seems she may have a few skeletons in her own closet.

Camp ad leaves gay man tense

A GAY activist says his human rights have been violated by the human rights watchdog itself - because it refused to ban a "homophobic" Telstra ad about two men in a tent.

Gay penguins given the flick

A PAIR of gay penguins thrown out of their zoo colony for repeatedly stealing eggs have been given some of their own to look after following a protest by animal rights groups.

You're embarrassing, Mercedes

IT'S been the best-read story of the day - TV's Tracey Spicer letting rip at the "grotesque and embarrassing" Mercedes Corby. Now see what the fuss is about.

2008's best world pictures

FROM a South Korean boot camp for kids who need to "toughen up" to devastated share traders and Olympic heroes - these are the best photos of 2008 from AP.

Kylie's biggest littlest fan

SHE is the singing, dancing mini-me who came close to upstaging Kylie Minogue's first night in Sydney. Meet five-year-old Remi Morgan.

Chopper in mystery axe attack

IT could have been ripped straight from the script of Chopper, and police are still trying to figure out exactly what happened.

Off the rails for $19 million

CRIMINAL charges could be laid against former RailCorp employees following a damning report by the NSW's corruption watchdog.

Hip hop water babe

AFTER just one week, Monifa - the first pygmy hippo born at Taronga Zoo in more than 20 years - is a water baby. Check out the picture and video here.

Inside the house of misery

TWO men are on the run, with police left "astounded" at the scale of the drug-manufacturing operation found inside the house where they once lived.

HECS debt hits West hard

THOUSANDS of school leavers face a rapidly soaring debt at uni as new figures show HECS repayments have skyrocketed by more than 50 per cent in five years.

Fourth arrested over sex abuse

A PAEDOPHILE investigation at a Bathurst school took a dramatic turn with a fourth former worker arrested and more breakthroughs expected soon.

No e-tag? No worries

AS few as 22 motorists were fined for not paying tolls on some Sydney motorways last year as a blind eye is turned to potentially thousands of free riders. No pay equals no fine?

Youth Day road changes to stay

TEMPORARY traffic changes made in Sydney's CBD for World Youth Day will become permanent despite putting pedestrian lives at risk and confusing motorists.

Kids take heat out of climate costs

MORE than five million low and middle income households are being promised they will not have to pay more when climate policy pushes up the cost of living.

Doctor struck off for romp

A CELEBRITY doctor who received oral sex from a female patient in his Sydney surgery has been struck off the medical register for two years.

Australia's 13 nominees for list

AUSTRALIA'S 13 nominees in the New7Wonders of Nature campaign are listed below. Be sure to cast your vote.

Madge gives Guy $137m divorce

DIRECTOR Guy Ritchie walked away with up to $137 million from his marriage to Madonna, which is assumed to be one the largest payouts ever given.

My guilt of granddad's death

A JUDGE has warned a man who pleaded guilty to a bizarre "water rage" killing that he will likely be sentenced to jail despite being allowed to walk free from court.

4 years for society husband killer

KILLER Sydney housewife Danielle Stewart has been sentenced to just four years in jail today for the fatal stabbing of her husband with an antique knife.

'There were so many, it's scary'

RIOT cops rushed to a Sydney hospital following a fatal stabbing as crowds threatening vengeance blocked the path of ambulances and frightened onlookers

Four dead in less than 24 hours

A SYDNEY P-plater was killed while taking an unregistered car he had been lovingly restoring for its first drive - while another motorist died early today.

Wash hands or be fired

DOCTORS will be fired for not washing their hands under one of the first major promises by the State Government to overhaul the health system.

My guilt of granddad's death

A JUDGE has warned a man who pleaded guilty to a bizarre "water rage" killing that he will likely be sentenced to jail despite being allowed to walk free from court.

Camp ad leaves gay man tense

A GAY activist says his human rights have been violated by the human rights watchdog itself - because it refused to ban a "homophobic" Telstra TV ad.

No e-tag? No worries

AS few as 22 motorists were fined for not paying tolls on some Sydney motorways last year as a blind eye is turned to potentially thousands of free riders.

Cops claim need for speed

POLICE officers across the state speeding without lights and sirens can avoid fines if they are on a covert operation, it has been revealed.

Inside the house of misery

TWO men are on the run, with police left "astounded" at the scale of the drug-manufacturing operation found inside the house where they once lived.

Off the rails for $19 million

CRIMINAL charges could be laid against former RailCorp employees following a damning report by the state's corruption watchdog.

HECS debt hits West hard

THOUSANDS of school leavers face a rapidly soaring debt at uni as new figures show HECS repayments have skyrocketed by more than 50 per cent in five years.

Fourth arrested over sex abuse

A PAEDOPHILE investigation at a Bathurst school took a dramatic turn with a fourth former worker arrested and more breakthroughs expected soon.

Grotesque secret of door No.9

AN elderly man who died three months ago is suspected of killing his wife and keeping her remains hidden on his unit balcony for more than eight years.

Youth Day road changes to stay

TEMPORARY traffic changes made in Sydney's CBD for WYD will become permanent despite putting pedestrian lives at risk and confusing motorists.

Doctor struck off for romp

A CELEBRITY doctor who received oral sex from a female patient in his Sydney surgery has been struck off the medical register for two years.

Arrested over fatal Sea King crash

AUSTRALIAN Federal Police have today arrested a man over the horrific Sea King helicopter crash that killed nine people during an emergency aid operation.

Abused tot's bound legs 'turned purple'

7:48am: THE mother of a toddler forced to stand for hours with his hands tied above his head and his legs bound was jailed last night for six years.

Cops ring in new year with stun guns

THE new year will see Queensland police armed with new crime-fighting stun guns.

Seven face charges over mill protest

SEVEN anti-logging activists have been charged with trespass over a dawn raid on a Tasmanian pulp mill.

Stranded Aussie turned car into campsite

AN Aussie with skills to rival Crocodile Dundee has emerged from a nine-day ordeal stuck in swampland with only insect bites.

Dad kept 'sickest' girl from treatment

AN alternative medicine devotee will spend six months behind bars for causing his sick daughter brain damage by refusing to take her to hospital.

Bikie gang to be outlawed - police

SOUTH Australian police have moved to effectively ban the Finks motorcycle gang using world-first legislation to crack down on their criminal activities.

$15 ticket hike 'a win for commuters'

TRAIN fares in NSW will rise by $15 a week from next month, but the state's Premier says that's actually good news.

Man 'stabbed elderly friends and fled'

AN elderly couple was allegedly stabbed repeatedly at their home by a long-time friend who fled the country just hours later.

Partner strangler jailed for 19 years

A MELBOURNE man who pleaded guilty to strangling his de facto partner has been sentenced to 19 years in prison with a non-parole period of 15 years.

Second car runs over hit-and-run victim

AN elderly woman has died after being struck in a hit-and-run accident and then run over by a second car in the New South Wales Blue Mountains.

Wife jailed for drunken stabbing death

A DRUNK woman who stabbed her husband has been jailed but the judge says his kids won't be happy with the sentence.

Queenslanders won't get Anzac Day holiday

QUEENSLANDER'S won't get a public holiday for Anzac Day falling on a weekend next year.

Ben Cousins thrown AFL lifeline

• Richmond drafts fallen star Ben Cousins
• Drafting ends year-long AFL exile
• But it is an about-face for Tigers

Crippled cat survives triple shooting

TWO bullet wounds had crippled his front legs and he had not eaten for six days. But Templar the bengal cat's will to survive surpassed the gutless cruelty of his attackers.

Brave teens save family from fire

A FAMILY of five have escaped a burning shop in Melbourne's north, after a frantic bid by local teenagers to wake them up.

Scientists urge larger emissions cuts

AUSTRALIAN scientists from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said they wish the Rudd Government had announced bigger emissions cuts.

Cops dropped over Hookers Ball shots

TWO cops caught posing with scantily-clad women while they were meant to be patrolling the streets have been stood down. .

Great Barrier Reef 'condemned to death'

AUSTRALIA'S carbon reduction target will not save the Barrier Reef even at the upper target of 15 per cent, scientists say.

P-plate driver killed on first solo drive

A SYDNEY P-plater has been killed while taking a car he was restoring for what's believed to have been its first drive, police said.

Job cuts now 'will hurt business later'

EMPLOYERS should avoid shedding jobs in reaction to the financial crisis as they will be critical in rebuilding the firm after the downturn, research suggests.

MPs' offices sandbagged in protests

THE offices of MPs around Australia will be sandbagged in a graphic protest by environmental group Friends of the Earth (FOE).

Aussies win rights to new Phantom film

AN Australian company has won the rights to bring comic book hero The Phantom to the big screen for a new generation.

Officer tried to shoot Tyler Cassidy's legs

ONE of the three police officers who shot and killed a teenage boy reportedly tried to shoot his legs as he advanced on them, allegedly wielding two stolen knives.

'Australia could flex regional muscles'

AUSTRALIA could become a strong regional power with a large fleet of advanced jet fighters, submarines, warships and even aircraft carriers if it's willing to spend an extra $101 billion over the next 15 years, a new study says.

Women hid heroin haul in stomachs - police

TWO women allegedly caught arriving in Melbourne with more than 170 pellets of heroin in their stomachs have been remanded in custody.

Doctors told wash hands or be fired

DOCTORS will be fired for not washing their hands under one of the first major promises by the New South Wales Government to overhaul the health system.

Gay activist urged to get a sense of humour

A GAY activist from Sydney says his human rights have been violated by the human rights watchdog itself - because it refused to ban a "homophobic" Telstra ad about two men in a tent.

Bid to stop taxi licence for wife killer

A SUPREME Court appeal against a decision to give a cab licence to a man who killed his wife will be launched today.

Price of medicine to rise

THE cost of prescription medicines will rise by $1.60 per script to $32.90 on January 1 - an increase in excess of inflation. Guide to controlling emissions.

The man who conned the world

BANKS, billionaires, charities and film stars are among the victims of a $50 billion fraudster, who is being tagged as the man who conned the world.

Bravery award for shoe-throwing journo

A JOURNALIST who threw shoes at US President George W. Bush has been given a bravery award.

Retiree tossed into air, dies when dropped

A 60-YEAR-old man who was thrown into the air in celebration at his retirement party died after his colleagues failed to catch him and he fell to the floor.

Explosive package found in luxury store

A SUSPECT package was found in a large store in central Paris on Tuesday following an anonymous tip off, a police spokesman said.

380,000 chickens killed in bird flu cull

CHINESE authorities have begun destroying and vaccinating poultry after an outbreak of bird flu was discovered in the east of the country, the agriculture ministry says.

Troops out of Iraq

ALL foreign troops except for those of the United States will be out of Iraq by the end of July, the head of the Iraqi parliament's foreign affairs committee said today.

New party formed in South Africa

A NEW political party has been formed in South Africa from disgruntled members of the ruling African National Congress (ANC).

Zimbabwe warns of 'terror' plot

ZIMBABWE'S embattled government claimed today be the victim of a terror campaign after an assassination bid against the air force chief, as Western powers turned up the diplomatic heat on Robert Mugabe.

Bush shoe thrower 'has broken bones'

THE family of the Iraqi TV reporter who threw his shoes at George W.Bush has told of his hatred for the US, and Iran's interference in Iraq.

Man convicted of abducting hostess

A JAPANESE court today convicted a Tokyo businessman of abducting British bar hostess Lucie Blackman but not of killing her, partly reversing a controversial earlier acquittal.

Madoff - the man who conned the world

BERNARD Madoff may have to wait awhile before his name becomes a term in the popular lexicon and bumps off "Ponzi", which has become shorthand for financial fraud.

PM 'mistaken for lost old man'

JAPAN'S gaffe-prone prime minister, Taro Aso, said he had been mistaken for a disoriented old man during his morning walk, a comment that could offend the elderly and further damage his tumbling support in an ageing society.

Kennedy wants to take Clinton's place

CAROLINE Kennedy, the daughter of slain US President John F. Kennedy, is pursuing the Senate seat of Hillary Clinton.

'Private detective to the stars' jailed

THE private detective at the centre of a wiretapping scandal that gripped Hollywood was jailed for 15 years today after being convicted of racketeering and conspiracy charges.

Obama picks energy, environment team

INSISTING on the need to develop new forms of energy, US President-elect Barack Obama today chose as his energy secretary a Nobel physics laureate who is a major promoter of alternative fuels.

Ramsay denies having Australian lover

CELEBRITY chef Gordon Ramsay says he has never heard of an Australian woman who claims to have slept with him.

College roof collapses in storm

AT least 10 people were injured after torrential rain caused a school roof to collapse as a winter storm hit of California today.

Racist murderers put behind bars

A RUSSIA court has handed jail terms of up to 20 years to seven young members of a racist group who carried out 20 murders then posted their crimes on the web.

Red Cross to wind down tsunami projects

THE Red Cross says it will have built more than 55,000 houses for people hit by the devastating 2004 South Asian tsunami by the end of 2009, when most major construction work should wind down.

Rappers hit as 'cranky old man' opens fire

A 70-YEAR-old man opened fire with his hunting rifle on a rap group at a concert in northeast Senegal at the weekend because he felt their song lyrics were insulting him.

Six men killed in gang shootout

SIX men have been killed in a gang-related shootout in the Vietnamese city of Halong, the jumping off point for scenic Halong Bay, one of the country's top tourist destinations.

Christmas far from merry for Bali Nine

LAST week it was tennis behind bars and yesterday it was a jail church service and carols for members of the Bali Nine at Kerobokan Jail.

Pakistan a terror hotbed, PM says

THREE-QUARTERS of terror plots under investigation by British police have links to Pakistan, British PM Gordon Brown says.

380,000 chickens killed in bird flu cull

CHINESE authorities have begun destroying and vaccinating poultry after an outbreak of bird flu was discovered in the east of the country, the agriculture ministry says.

India 'not planning to attack Pakistan'

INDIA'S defence minister today said that his country was not readying for military action against Pakistan in retaliation for last month's militant attacks in Mumbai.

Ink-filled eggs hurled at flags

POLICE in China have arrested two people suspected of despoiling the national flag and other symbols of the ruling Communist Party with ink-filled eggs, Chinese media reported today.

MP's wig snatched in hair-raising protest

A MAN was detained in Taiwan after snatching the wig of a member of Parliament who had complained against the former president Chen Shui-bian's release from jail, officials said today.

Bollywood eyes Mumbai attack movies

JUST weeks after the gunfire stopped, some Bollywood producers have already registered film titles about the Mumbai attacks -- suggesting that the bloody events could soon be depicted on screen.

Pakistan a terror hotbed, PM says

THREE-QUARTERS of terror plots under investigation by British police have links to Pakistan, British PM Gordon Brown says.

US clothing giant dumps Aussie wool

ONE of the world's largest retailers, Liz Claiborne, has banned Australian merino wool.

90 per cent of email is spam

ABOUT 90 per cent of all email sent worldwide is spam, according to a Cisco report released today.

Kennedy wants to take Clinton's place

CAROLINE Kennedy, the daughter of slain US President John F. Kennedy, is pursuing the Senate seat of Senator Hillary Clinton, who has been nominated Secretary of State, civil rights activist Al Sharpton said today.

'Private eye to the stars' jailed

THE private detective at the centre of a wiretapping scandal that gripped Hollywood was jailed for 15 years today after being convicted of racketeering and conspiracy charges.

Obama picks energy, environment team

INSISTING on the need to develop new forms of energy, US President-elect Barack Obama today chose as his energy secretary a Nobel physics laureate who is a major promoter of alternative fuels.

Stars divided over strike threat

MORE than 130 Hollywood stars including Oscar winners George Clooney, Tom Hanks, Charlize Theron, Morgan Freeman and Sally Field, joined today in opposing a strike authorisation vote by the Screen Actors Guild.

Army bases 'plotters inspired by holy war'

FIVE Muslim men accused of plotting to kill troops at a New Jersey army base saw themselves as soldiers in a holy war against the United States, a prosecutor said today.

Trading scandal the result of 'bad apples'

VICE President Dick Cheney said that alleged massive fraud in a Wall Street "pyramid" scheme was "very disturbing" but was the result of some "bad apples."

Canadian ambassador reported missing

TWO Canadians, including veteran diplomat Robert Fowler, have been reported missing in Niger.

Iraq, Afghanistan wars to cost $1.7 trillion

US military operations, including the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, have cost $904 billion since 2001 and could top $1.7 trillion by 2018, even with big cuts in overseas troop deployments.

Sikhs take turban rights case to UN

A SIKH rights group asked a UN human rights committee to declare that France violated a student's rights by expelling him for wearing a turban and to recommend repealing the law that led to it.

Half of women choose web over sex

NEARLY one out of two women would rather give up sex for two weeks than go without the internet, according to a survey released today.

College roof collapses in storm

AT least 10 people were injured after torrential rain caused a school roof to collapse as a winter storm hit of California today.

College roof collapses in storm

• Heavy rains block drain; buckles under strain
• Roof collapses; 10 injured
• Storm forces evacuation

Madonna settles divorce for $112m

MADONNA has settled her divorce with ex-husband Guy Ritchie for at least £50 million ($A112.32 million), her spokeswoman said today.

Smokers can sue over 'light cigarettes'

THE US Supreme Court has ruled that smokers can sue Altria and other tobacco companies for allegedly deceptive marketing of "light" or "low tar" cigarettes.

Tom Cruise regrets 'arrogant' antics

ACTOR Tom Cruise called his behaviour on NBC's Today show three years ago "arrogant" and said he learned a lesson from the interview in which he dismissed psychiatry as pseudoscience.

Markets higher as hopes hold for bailout

US stocks opened higher on Monday on cautious trading amid hopes US President George W. Bush would order the rescue of US automakers from the brink of bankruptcy and ahead of an expected interest rate cut.

Explosive package found in store

A SUSPECT package was found in a large store in central Paris on Tuesday following an anonymous tip off, a police spokesman said.

Bid to 'rebuild mafia' hit by dawn raid

ITALIAN police said they launched a pre-dawn swoop today to arrest 100 people suspected of trying to rebuild the top ranks of the Sicilian Mafia, which has been weakened by the recent arrests of powerful mob leaders.

Luhrmann's Australia a disaster - Greer

FEMINIST Germaine Greer has savaged Baz Luhrmann's outback epic Australia, branding it a "disaster".

Guns N' Roses pirate leaker faces jail

• Blogger shared unreleased songs online
• Album had been 13 years in the making
• AWOL: Axl Rose goes missing for Chinese Democracy release

Ramsay denies having Aussie lover

CELEBRITY chef Gordon Ramsay says he has never heard of an Australian woman who claims to have slept with him.

Italian publisher Carlo Caracciolo dies

CARLO Caracciolo, a publishing entrepreneur and a founder of one of Italy's leading newspapers, La Repubblica, died on Monday, the paper's website said. He was 83.

Greek president in heart op

GREECE'S president was fitted with a pacemaker today on the 10th day of civil unrest by Athens protesters, as a landswap scandal returned to haunt its troubled right-wing government.

Italy's fashion sector fears crisis

EMPLOYERS and union leaders in Italy's fashion sector on Monday called for an "urgent" meeting with Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to discuss ways to limit the impact of the world financial crisis.

Red Cross to wind down tsunami projects

THE Red Cross said it will have built more than 55,000 houses for people hit by the devastating 2004 South Asian tsunami by the end of 2009, when most major construction work should wind down.

IMF chief 'shocked' by Madoff scandal

THE International Monetary Fund chief said overnight he is shocked that US regulators failed to identify and prevent the alleged Madoff fraud.

Sarkozy moves to help car industry

PRESIDENT Nicolas Sarkozy has asked his industry minister to draft proposals to help France's struggling car industry, among the hardest-hit by the global slowdown.

Facebook closes hate group's page

SOCIAL networking site Facebook has closed down a Serbian group that celebrated the massacre of 8000 Muslims in Srebrenica after online appeals from about 14,000 people in Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia.

Racist murderers put behind bars

A RUSSIA court has handed jail terms of up to 20 years to seven young members of a racist group who carried out 20 racially-motivated murders and then posted the evidence on the internet.

Racist murderers put behind bars

• Seven gang members record attacks for internet
• 20 "unSlavic" victims murdered
• Court hands one offender 20-year jail term

Oil price soars on supply rumours

THE price of New York crude oil has soared above $US50 per barrel for the first time in two weeks as the market was driven by expectations that OPEC will cut crude output this week, traders say.

Red Cross to wind down tsunami projects

THE Red Cross says it will have built more than 55,000 houses for people hit by the devastating 2004 South Asian tsunami by the end of 2009, when most major construction work should wind down.

Troops out of Iraq

ALL foreign troops except for those of the United States will be out of Iraq by the end of July, the head of the Iraqi parliament's foreign affairs committee said today.

Bush shoe thrower 'has broken bones'

THE Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at US President George W Bush has a broken arm and ribs after being struck by Iraqi security agents, his brother said.

UAE, US in draft nuclear pact

THE United Arab Emirates has agreed to a draft pact with the United States for civilian nuclear co-operation, the first such deal between Washington and a Middle East nation.

Relatives cheer freed Palestinians

HUNDREDS of people gave a heroes' welcome overnight to more than 200 Palestinian prisoners freed by Israel as a goodwill gesture towards Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.

Shoe-throwing reporter gets bravery award

THE Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at U.S. President George W. Bush has been given a bravery award by a Libyan charity group chaired by leader Muammar Gaddafi's daughter.

Family crushed to death in storm-hit house

FIVE members of the same family were crushed to death when their house collapsed during a rainstorm in northeast Morocco, state news agency MAP reports.

New party formed in South Africa

A NEW political party has been formed in South Africa from disgruntled members of the ruling African National Congress (ANC).

Zimbabwe warns of 'terror' plot

ZIMBABWE'S embattled government claimed today be the victim of a terror campaign after an assassination bid against the air force chief, as Western powers turned up the diplomatic heat on Robert Mugabe.

Mugabe ally shot - report

A ZIMBABWEAN military commander and ally of President Robert Mugabe was shot in an assassination attempt at the weekend, state media said today.

Egypt bus plunge toll hits 60

THE number of dead after an Egyptian bus plunged into a canal hit 60 today after rescue workers pulled five more bodies from the murky water, an official said.

Cholera death toll reaches 978

THE death toll from cholera in Zimbabwe has soared to 978, with 18,413 suspected cases reported across the southern African country, UN figures show.

Retiree tossed into air, dies when dropped

A 60-YEAR-old man who was thrown into the air in celebration at his retirement party died after his colleagues failed to catch him and he fell to the floor.

Man convicted of abducting hostess

A JAPANESE court today convicted a Tokyo businessman of abducting British bar hostess Lucie Blackman but not of killing her, partly reversing a controversial earlier acquittal.

PM 'mistaken for lost old man'

JAPAN'S gaffe-prone prime minister, Taro Aso, said he had been mistaken for a disoriented old man during his morning walk, a comment that could offend the elderly and further damage his tumbling support in an ageing society.

Pumpkin dad trial 'a laughing stock'

A NEW Zealand man accused of murdering his wife and dumping his three-year-old daughter at a Melbourne train station may be without a lawyer if he does not pay his legal bills this month.

Christmas far from merry for Bali Nine

LAST week it was tennis behind bars and yesterday it was a jail church service and carols for members of the Bali Nine at Kerobokan Jail.

Anti-kidnap expert kidnapped

A TOP US anti-kidnapping expert was kidnapped in northeast Mexico last week, reports said today, in an audacious move amid a wave of drug-related violence and kidnappings.