Seven killed in Pakistan Shi'ite blast

THE Taliban has claimed a bomb blast that killed seven people near a Shi'ite procession in northwest Pakistan, despite heightened security across the country.

Four boys were among the dead and 30 other people were injured when the remote-controlled bomb packed with ball bearings exploded on the outskirts of Dera Ismail Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Saturday, police said.

The attack on Shi'ites, a minority in Sunni-dominated Pakistan, came as they marched to mourn Prophet Mohammed's grandson Imam Hussain during the holy month of Muharram which culminates Sunday in Ashura, the group's holiest day of the year.

The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility.

"We carried out the attack against the Shi'ite community," spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told AFP by telephone from an undisclosed location.

"The government can make whatever security arrangements it wants but it cannot stop our attacks."

The Taliban had dispatched more than 20 suicide bombers across the country for attacks on the minority community, he said.

The blast followed another suicide attack - also claimed by the Pakistani Taliban - that killed 23 people at a Shi'ite procession in the garrison city of Rawalpindi Thursday, the country's deadliest bombing for five months.

Authorities subsequently ordered heightened security, with services for mobile phones - which are often used to trigger bombs - suspended in major cities.

But that did not prevent Saturday's attack. Police said a 10 kilogram bomb was hidden in a dustbin on the procession route and its powerful blast could be heard several kilometres away.

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Bomb hits Damascus refugee camp

A BOMB blast in a Palestinian refugee camp in Damascus has killed four people and seriously wounded a member of a faction backing Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The explosion late on Thursday in the Yarmouk camp targeted the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command.

Four people died and a PFLP-GC activist was seriously wounded when the bomb planted under his car went off, the group said. It blamed the rebel Free Syrian Army for the attack.

Yarmouk has been pulled into Syria's fighting before, most recently earlier this month when clashes in and around the camp killed and wounded dozens.

The refugee camp is also close to two southern neighbourhoods of the capital - Tadamon and Hajar Aswad - that have seen weeks-long clashes between rebels and government troops.

Regime forces shelled the two neighbourhoods and also raided the central Damascus neighbourhood of Bab Sreijeh, said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Activists said several people were arrested.

In other violence around the country, Islamic extremists, including members of the al-Qaida inspired Jabhat al-Nusra group, battled with pro-government Kurdish gunmen in the northern town of Ras al-Ayan, near the border with Turkey.

The Islamist militants entered the town earlier this month and have since clashed almost daily with the Kurdish gunmen.

The Islamic militants and the Kurdish factions have also added to the complexity of Syria's conflict.

When government forces withdrew from Kurdish areas in northeastern Syria in July, they were quickly replaced by Kurdish fighters from the Kurdish Democratic Union Party, or PYD.

The Kurds would battle the rebels when they attacked predominantly Kurdish areas in Syria. The Kurdish group is affiliated with the PKK, rebels fighting for autonomy in the Kurdish-dominated southeast region of Turkey. For its part, Ankara has sheltered and backed Syria's opposition.

As for the Islamic militants, they are fighting on the side of the rebels and have played a bigger role in the Syrian conflict in recent months, with many openly saying they want to set up an Islamic state. The opposition is split, with some groups strongly opposed to extremism.

Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011 with an uprising against Assad's regime, inspired by other Arab Spring revolts, but quickly morphed into a civil war that has since killed more than 40,000 people, according to activists.

When the unrest began, the country's half-million Palestinians struggled to stay on the sidelines. But in recent months, many have started supporting the uprising although they insisted the opposition to the regime should be peaceful.

Earlier this month, the FPLP-GC clashed with anti-government Palestinian gunmen in Yarmouk.

The Observatory reported that the body of Syrian novelist Mohammed Rashid Roweily was found late on Thursday in the eastern city of Deir el-Zour, nearly two months after he was kidnapped.

State-TV said Roweily was "liquidated by terrorists".

Ruwiely, 65, was once the representative of Arab Writers' Union in Deir el-Zour and had written several novels. The Observatory said his decomposed body was found along with four other bodies, including that of a retired army officer. All were kidnapped around the same time.

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Girl tied up in school toilets

A SCHOOLGIRL has been tied up inside the toilets of her school in Wollongong, police say.

The 11-year-old was leaving the toilet block at Port Kembla primary school on Thursday afternoon when a man allegedly grabbed her, police say.

The man forced her into a toilet cubicle and tied her up, then fled the scene.

The girl freed herself and reported the incident to a teacher.

Police say the man was described as 165 centimetres to 170 centimetres tall, wearing black tracksuit pants, a black hooded jumper and black joggers.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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Morsi's backers, rivals clash in Egypt

OPPONENTS of President Mohammed Morsi have set fire to offices of his Muslim Brotherhood in several Egyptian cities, clashing with his supporters after the Islamist leader assumed sweeping new powers.

State TV says Morsi opponents set fire to the offices in the Suez Canal cities of Suez, Port Said and Ismailia.

Clashes also erupted between the two sides in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, the southern city of Assiut and in Giza, the sister city of the capital.

In Alexandria, Morsi opponents hurled stones at Brotherhood supporters outside a mosque and stormed a nearby office of the group.

The clashes came a day after Mr Morsi announced sweeping new powers for himself, putting himself above judicial oversight.

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Esprit raises $667 million in share sale

CLOTHING retailer Esprit says it's raised around $US667 million ($A645 million) via a rights issue as it tries to rebuild its brand with a multibillion-dollar four-year transformation drive.

A total of around 646.1 million shares were sold at HK$8 ($US1.03) each. When the share sale was announced in October Esprit said it wanted to raise $US677 million.

Funds raised from the new share sale will be used for "refurbishing existing stores", "developing the supply chain" and "fuelling future expansion plans", the company said in October.

Esprit - founded in San Francisco in 1968 and headquartered in Hong Kong - has announced its exit from Spain, Denmark and Sweden to focus on Asia, especially China, as part of a transformation after it saw a 98 per cent plunge in net profit last year.

The new focus is a change from its previous international expansion drive former CEO Ronald Van der Vis, who suddenly resigned earlier this year, said had caused the company to have "lost its soul".

While about 80 per cent of Esprit's revenue is from Europe, the Asia-Pacific region - and specifically China - is important to its turnaround plan.

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UK delays emissions decision to 2016

THE British government's long-awaited legislation that aims to secure investment in low-carbon energy will not include a target to cut emissions by 2030.

After months of wrangling, the coalition government of British Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats reached agreement on an energy bill to be published next week.

In a compromise, the coalition partners have agreed to delay until 2016 a decision about cutting emissions from the power sector by 2030, but the decision was heavily criticised by environmental campaigners.

The negotiations have been characterised as a battleground between finance minister George Osborne, who favours energy generated by gas-powered power stations and the Lib Dems, who want clean energy sources such as renewables and nuclear.

Mr Osborne believes the use of gas will keep bills down, while the Lib Dems - the junior partners in the coalition - want gas phased out of the energy system.

An estimated 110 billion pounds ($170 billion) is needed in the next decade to renew Britain's ageing electricity infrastructure, with much earmarked for low-carbon power sources such as wind farms to cut emissions.

Ministers agreed that 7.6 billion pounds can go towards securing low-carbon electricity in 2020, up from 2.35 billion pounds this year, but consumers were warned they will see their energy bills rise to pay for it.

The main opposition Labour party said the decision to delay the setting of an emissions target was a "humiliating failure" for the government, while green groups said it left Britain over-reliant on gas at a time when prices were rising.

Energy minister Ed Davey, a Lib Dem, insisted it was "a durable agreement across the coalition against which companies can invest and support jobs and our economic recovery".

"The decisions we've reached are true to the coalition agreement. They mean we can introduce the energy bill next week and have essential electricity market reforms up and running by 2014 as planned," he said.

However, Friends of the Earth's executive director, Andy Atkins, said the agreement was "the final nail in the coffin of Cameron's pledge to lead the greenest government ever.

"This decision motivated by outdated ideology will help keep the nation hooked on increasingly expensive gas, drive away green jobs and investment and jeopardise UK climate goals."

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Mining magnate Palmer resigns from LNP

Billionaire Clive Palmer says he isn't worried about being kicked out of the Liberal National Party. Source: AAP

CLIVE Palmer says he has resigned from the Liberal National Party, despite receiving a letter that he said reinstated his membership to the Queensland party.

The mining billionaire said he was resigning from the LNP because he didn't want to "become the issue".

"It's important that with the critical issues facing the state, I don't become the issue," he told ABC's Lateline program.

"So I discussed the issue with my wife and at 8.30pm (AEST) tonight I thought the best course of action for me would be to resign from the LNP straight away."

Mr Palmer said he had received a letter by the LNP president's executive committee confirming his suspension had been lifted as of Thursday morning.

Mr Palmer was suspended from the party on November 9.

The LNP executive was set to meet on Friday morning to decide whether the life member will remain in the party.

Mr Palmer told AAP earlier there was no way he would have been expelled from the party, because there had been no complaint made against him.

He said his resignation would now allow him to speak more honestly because he "wasn't restrained in any way".

"It's a bit of a shock to me to leave a party I've been a member for 43 years, and to leave in such circumstances.

"But I weighed everything up and I think it's very brave and courageous of the state executive of the LNP to restore my suspension and lift that as they did."

He reiterated earlier comments that the Queensland government was too heavily influenced by lobbyists and by business.

He said senior political figures had threatened his business interests because he'd spoken out politically.

"Well, I believe that to be true.

"I believe that our interests have been threatened because of the political stands that I've taken by people, and I think that's wrong.

"I don't want my employees to bear any burden because of the stands I've taken on what I thought was right."

But Mr Palmer did not rule out a future political role, including the possibility of setting up his own party.

"I certainly will remain interested and I certainly won't be silenced by anybody when I see people being persecuted in this country."

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Smartphone users: watch for online tricks

ATTENTION smartphone shoppers: watch for cyber criminals using phony apps or messages in an effort to hijack your device or steal your data.

Law enforcement and security experts say that as more people use their mobile devices in stores and on open Wi-Fi networks, the risks are increasing as well.

The FBI-backed Internet Crime Complaint Center is warning consumers to be on the lookout for fraudulent apps, messages and Wi-Fi networks which can trick users of mobile devices to divulge passwords, personal data or credit card numbers.

"Many times, e-mails, texts or phone calls will look or sound like they are coming from a well-known retailer, stating a need to 'verify' the full credit card number you used for a purchase or ask you to click a link to update personal account information," the center said.

The center said Android devices are often targeted by spyware, including one system called FinFisher, capable of taking a mobile device, or Loozfon, "an information-stealing piece of malware."

Security firm McAfee's Gary Davis said that as the popularity of apps surges, "so have the chances that you could download a malicious application designed to steal your information or even send out premium-rate text messages without your knowledge."

Davis said some fraudsters are using Twitter ads offering special discounts for popular gifts, linking to malicious software.

"Criminals are getting savvier with authentic-looking social ads and deals that take consumers to legitimate looking websites," Davis said.

"In order to take advantage of the deals or contests, they ask them for personal information that can obtain a shopper's credit card number, email address, phone number or home address."

Lookout, a security firm offering free apps for Android and iPhone, also urges prudence.

"Be careful what you do on public Wi-Fi networks especially when you're shopping. Do not expose passwords, account numbers or credit card information unless you are certain that you are on a secure connection," a company statement said.

"Use discretion when downloading apps. Even the most innocent-looking shopping app can contain software designed to steal personal data, make fraudulent charges or even hijack your phone. Only download apps from sites you trust."

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Five charged with Sydney home invasions

FIVE men have been charged in relation to a number of home invasions and armed robberies across Sydney.

Police say two of the men allegedly broke into a man's home at Haberfield, in Sydney's inner-west, at 5.30am (AEST) on Thursday.

The duo allegedly struck the man with a wooden bat before stealing the keys to his car.

They then fled the scene with a group of males outside the house.

Officers later located the stolen car at a fast food restaurant car park about 5km away at Hurlstone Park.

They arrested five men aged between 16 and 19 and later charged them with a number of other offences, including armed robbery and aggravated break, enter and steal.

It is alleged the five were involved in several other home invasion and armed robbery incidents within the Sydney metropolitan area.

All five were refused bail, with four to appear at Bidura Children's Court on Friday, and the other to appear at Central Local Court on Friday.

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Toshiba makes dog-like robot for Fukushima

JAPANESE nuclear reactor maker Toshiba has unveiled a remote-controlled robot resembling a headless dog that they hope will be used at the battered Fukushima power plant.

The tetrapod, which weighs 65 kilograms and is about one metre tall, is designed to be able to cover difficult terrain - such as going up steep steps - that regular robots struggle with.

The robot's triple-jointed legs are designed to give it maximum flexibility, with engineers saying it will be able to go into spaces where high radiation makes it impossible for workers to do so.

The robot can carry a load of 20 kilograms and is equipped with cameras and a radiation metre, expected to help workers decide which parts of buildings are safe to enter and for how long.

The machine can also carry a small wired vehicle equipped with a camera and send it out to crawl into small spaces to carry out inspections.

Toshiba engineer Goro Yanase on Wednesday said the as-yet unnamed robot could be upgraded to carry more than 80 kilograms, climb ladders and step over obstacles up to 50 centimetres high.

Robots have already been used inside the wrecked plant to take video footage, including the US-made PackBot and Japanese-made Quince crawler robots, but Toshiba is awaiting the go ahead from plant operator TEPCO to deploy its creation.

The massive earthquake and tsunami of March 11 last year sparked an atomic emergency at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in the northeast of the country.

Efforts to clear up after the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986 are still continuing, with high levels of radiation hampering operations.

The decommissioning of the crippled plant is expected to take several decades.

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World-first study to probe blood cancer

BLOOD cancer patients are being encouraged to bring along a family member to participate in a world-first study hoping to uncover the causes of follicular lymphoma.

Researchers from the University of New South Wales are launching a unique study into the causes of follicular lymphoma, one of the most common types of a rare group of blood cancers, or non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The study will survey patients currently being treated for the cancer along with a family member without the disease.

They'll be questioned on their lifestyle and occupation, and samples of their DNA will be taken.

It's a world-first study which tries to uncover why some members of a family develop the disease, while others don't.

"In families we share genes and share exposures, so this is using a rather novel way of designing the study, to try and find out what's different between two brothers or sisters," the study's leader, associate professor Claire Vajdic told AAP.

"This is the first time we've targeted the most common form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma to better understand why it occurs and what factors contribute to it and identify potential treatments."

The study has already begun in Victoria, and the university is now looking for participants in NSW.

"Even though is a very common disease, we need to conduct a study in two states so that we get meaningful results," Ms Vajdic said.

The study has been prompted because of an "epidemic" of new cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, with incidences increasing by 40 per cent in the last 25 years.

While the reasons behind this are not clear, researchers believe it may have something to do with occupational exposures to pesticides and insolvents.

That's why study participants will have their blood samples collected to search for pesticides and see why they've developed.

Ms Vajdic said the potential for the study's findings could be big.

"It's an incurable disease at this stage.

"We want to identify the risk factors for this disease to target better programs to guide people on how they can reduce their risk of developing it."

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Grassroots approach to alcohol works:study

CO-ORDINATED community action reduces excessive alcohol consumption and associated risks in rural communities, a ground-breaking NSW research program has shown.

The Alcohol Action in Rural Communities project saw a 20 per cent reduction in average alcohol consumption and a 33 per cent reduction in alcohol-related street offences in test communities.

There was also a 30 per cent reduction in the number of residents drinking at levels placing them at high-risk of alcohol-related violence, accidents and injuries.

The project represents the largest and most rigorous evaluation of a community approach to reducing alcohol consumption and related risks ever undertaken anywhere in the world.

Comprising 13 evidence-based community-led interventions over a five-year period, the project involved 20 NSW rural communities - 10 experimental and 10 control.

The experimental communities included Corowa, Forbes, Grafton, Griffith, Gunnedah, Inverell, Kempsey, Leeton, Parkes and Tumut.

Interventions included high school-based interactive sessions on alcohol risks, improved GP prescribing of anti-alcohol medication and targeting high-risk weekends by local police.

Report author, Associate Professor Anthony Shakeshaft, from the University of NSW's National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, said the project showed tailored community driven intervention worked in decreasing the negative impacts of alcohol in rural communities.

"There tends to be higher rates of drinking in rural areas and more harms, such as crashes involving drunk drivers," Prof Shakeshaft told AAP.

"By researching in these small communities we were also able to see the ripple effect of interventions over time in a more marked way than would be possible in a large city."

Mr Shakeshaft said the interventions had been inexpensive to implement, costing $61,000 per community, and had returned a cost benefit.

"Our research estimates that for every $1 spent on interventions the community gets about $1.50 back," he said.

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Shoppers to spend locally this Christmas

A NEW survey has found both good and bad news for retailers as the crucial Christmas season looms.

While 80 per cent of consumers intend to buy locally this festive season - either at the shops or through local websites - 36 per cent intend to spend less on gifts than last year because they feel less confident in their financial position.

The Suncorp Bank Christmas Retail Therapy Report found only 12 per cent were feeling more confident and would spend more than 2011, while 52 per cent were looking to spend the same.

"While there are some positive signs that things are moving in the right direction this Christmas, consumer confidence does remain fragile," Suncorp Bank executive general manager Craig Fenwick said in releasing the survey on Wednesday.

"With a competitive global retail market, businesses must remain innovative to target the discerning customer."

Sixty per cent of the 1004 survey respondents said they would be tackling the crowds to buy their gifts at the shops, while one in five said they would play it safe and choose gift certificates.

Around 60 per cent of people said they would be spending less than $500 in total in Christmas gifts, including presents largely for the children, with only 15 per cent set aside for the woman in their lives and 16 per cent for their man.

While eight per cent will spend more on mum's present, Mr Fenwick said dads were the forgotten member of the family, with less than one per cent of respondents choosing to spoil them the most this festive season.

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Man arrested on theft of 9 mn data files

GREEK police say they have arrested a man on suspicion of having stolen nine million Greek personal data files - which would cover nearly the entire population of the country of about 10 million people.

Police say the 35-year-old, whose name was not released, was found in possession of the data files that included identity card details, tax numbers, vehicle license plate numbers and home addresses. The files appeared to include duplicate entries, meaning the number of actual individuals affected could be lower.

Authorities are investigating how the man, who faces felony charges of data theft, came into possession of the files and whether he intended to sell the list.

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Australian workers are stressed: study

THERE are millions of stressed workers in Australia and half of them feel uncomfortable talking about mental health with their bosses.

New research by The Australia Institute, to be launched on Wednesday, showing work hours and workplace culture, is causing an epidemic of workplace-related stress and anxiety affecting around three million employees.

The study found one in two workers were uncomfortable discussing mental health with their manager and many believed their bosses lacked skills to discuss sensitive workplace issues.

The Australia Institute's executive director Richard Denniss said people working for small businesses were almost twice as likely as colleagues in bigger organisations to report a "very good" workplace culture.

They were also twice as likely to report their manager's skills in talking about mental health problems were very good compared with those working for larger employers.

Ms Carnell said every Australian workplace manager should view the e-learning programs on the beyondblue website or book a face-to-face training session to improve how they dealt with depression and anxiety among employees.

ACTU President Ged Kearney and beyondblue chief Kate Carnell will discuss the issue of improving productivity through healthier workplaces at the National Press Club launch.

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Mind fitness a no-brainer

EXERCISING your memory is just as important as working out your body, says Jennifer Goddard, convenor of the Australian Memory Championships.

A recent Newspoll survey found Australians are a forgetful bunch, with 58 per cent reporting trouble remembering names and 36 per cent having trouble recalling phone numbers, pins and passwords.

Furthermore, 81 per cent those surveyed working full or part-time thought an improved memory would help with their job.

On Saturday, the 10th annual Australian Memory Championship will be held in Brisbane, aimed at enhancing mind power by providing a fun and competitive outlet for memory-based activities.

Competitors range in age from eight to 43, travelling from the Philippines, Japan, and Hong Kong to take part.

Ms Goddard said there were many ways people could improve their memory, with lifestyle factors playing a vital role in supporting brain and memory health.

"Some memory improving activities include giving your memory a workout, having a brain-healthy diet that includes DHA Omega 3, and exercising daily", she said.

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Gillard, Noda talk on trade and security

SECURITY and trade concerns have dominated the agenda of a meeting between Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Japanese leader Yoshihiko Noda on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit.

At their bilateral meeting in Phnom Penh on Monday afternoon, Mr Noda congratulated Ms Gillard on Australia's successful UN Security Council campaign and welcomed the release of the Asian Century white paper.

The two leaders agreed to work closely on global security issues during Australia's term on the council.

Other issues on the table included the South China Sea, North Korea's nuclear program and Australia's malaria initiatives.

Working towards a free trade area in the Pacific and the ongoing talks on the Japan-Australia free trade agreement were also discussed.

Time constraints led a bilateral meeting with the Sultan of Brunei to be cancelled.

Ms Gillard and other national leaders are attending a gala dinner in Phnom Penh ahead of formal summit talks on Tuesday.

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Others' drinking habits 'affect the young'

NEW research has found almost 85 per cent of young Victorians aged between 16 to 24 have been affected by someone else's drinking.

The study by the Centre for Alcohol Policy Research (CAPR) found harms experienced by the 5000 people surveyed fell into two categories - tangible harms and amenity harms.

Tangible harms included verbal and physical assault and car accidents while amenity harms involved feeling unsafe in public or being annoyed by drinkers.

CAPR researcher Dr Sarah Callinan says the issue of subjectivity is one of the problems in measuring harms to others from alcohol use.

"Two people may live through the same experience and only one might consider themselves harmed," Dr Callinan said.

"Interestingly, it may be that the social acceptance of alcohol is in fact reducing the perception of harms."

The research found that women, people living in major cities, binge drinkers and those taking drugs other then cannabis were more likely to experience amenity harms.

People aged between 18-21, those with a positive attitude to drinking and all types of drug users were likely to experience tangible alcohol and drug harms.

Dr Callinan will present the study to the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and Other Drugs in Melbourne on Tuesday.

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Research only way to reduce dementia

THE number of Australians who will develop dementia by 2050 could be cut by one-third if research breakthroughs can delay its onset by just five years, according to a new analysis.

New medicines to delay or slow the progress of major diseases that lead to dementia are currently under trial.

But current research efforts are slower and more difficult than hoped.

A report commissioned by Alzheimer's Australia, released on Tuesday, shows that even small breakthroughs - delaying the onset by two or five years - could dramatically reduce the number of people who contract the disease.

The report, Modelling the impact of interventions to delay the onset of dementia in Australia, was prepared by the Dementia Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) at the University of New South Wales.

It's estimated that almost 900,000 people will live with dementia in 2050, about three times the current number.

Between now and 2050, more than three million people in total are likely to develop the disease.

If research comes up with a way to delay the onset by two years, and it is put into practice in 2020, it could reduce the number of people developing dementia by almost 400,000.

And if interventions or treatments can delay the onset from average age 85 to age 90 then almost a million people would be spared.

This means their quality of life would be greatly improved from if they had developed the disease, and they and their carers would be free of the stigma, loss and grief dementia brought, the report says.

Reducing the number of people likely to contract the disease would also lessen the burden on health systems.

Alzheimer's Australia has used the findings in the report to renew its calls for an extra $200 million to be put into dementia research over the next four years.

"While Australia can claim many world leading scientists, the dementia research sector lacks capacity and has been falling behind other health research areas for over a decade," president Ita Buttrose writes in the report's foreword.

Dementia CRC director Henry Brodaty said research had already found lifestyle changes people could make to reduce the risk of dementia, including looking after body, brain and heart.

"But, in the long term, an increased investment in dementia research is the only hope we have for the development of medical interventions to delay, stop or reverse the diseases that lead to dementia," he said.

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Cameron secures Australian election guru

BRITISH Prime Minister David Cameron has hired Australian election specialist Lynton Crosby to formulate the next Tory campaign.

Labelled the "wizard of Oz" by UK media outlets, and both championed and lambasted for his straight-talking style, Mr Crosby worked as a strategist for John Howard's government, leading the coalition to successive federal victories.

The appointment of Adelaide-born Mr Crosby, 55, to Mr Cameron's stable was strongly supported by London Mayor Boris Johnson - a former client - who told the British PM to "break the piggy bank" to secure the Australian's services.

However the appointment of the economics graduate, who has an Order of Australia (AO), is not without criticism.

While supporting Mr Johnson in his 2012 bid to retain the mayoralty, Mr Crosby allegedly made a racial slur.

"An insider accused the strategist of telling Mr Johnson he should concentrate on wooing traditional supporters, not 'f***ing Muslims'," reports Britain's Daily Mail newspaper.

The allegation has gained traction as it is reproduced across the UK, although a Downing Street spokesman said there was "no recollection" the comment was made.

Britain's Labour opposition has pounced on the allegation linked to Mr Crosby, telling the Financial Times his appointment means "David Cameron can't be the 'one nation' prime minister Britain needs".

The Financial Times further reported that some of Mr Cameron's colleagues are wary of Mr Crosby because his past campaigns have "focused on visceral political issues such as immigration that may turn off some floating voters".

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Businesses more lenient on customer credit

BUSINESSES have adopted stricter lending and credit policies during the tough economic climate of the past year but a new survey suggests they may be more lenient in coming months.

In its annual assessment of credit management, data provider Veda found organisations are concerned about the economic stability of Europe, increasingly cautious consumers, a lack of confidence in the housing market and the subsequent collapse of construction businesses.

"In response to these negative economic conditions and deteriorating customer payments, participants have changed the way they manage their credit application and accounts," the report released on Tuesday says.

However, it found a modest improvement in the number of businesses that expect to be negatively impacted by general economic conditions in the next six to 12 months - 59 per cent from 74 per cent in 2011.

The survey of more than 250 companies found 63 per cent had made their lending and credit criteria stricter in the past year.

However, only 16 per cent intend to do the same in the next six to 12 months.

Similarly, 64 per cent reported an increase or tightening in debt collection processes but only 22 per cent said they will follow this path in 2013.

The survey of organisations with between 500 to 10,000 customers across a range of industries found demand for credit grew by 32 per cent in 2012, building on the 47 per cent increase in 2011, but 53 per cent reported customer payments had deteriorated.

"This continues to be a problem for business cash flow," the report said.

Thirty-day payment terms remain the standard for most credit managers, although this has shrunk from 80 per cent in 2011 to 36 per cent in 2012, with a shift toward other payment options and shorter terms in response to economic conditions.

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Warning over button batteries and kids

WHEN Dr Simon Craig saw the severe damage a bright, shiny button-sized battery did to a child unlucky enough to have swallowed it, he was surprised.

Working at the Monash Medical Centre's emergency department in Melbourne, Dr Craig said he had come across two cases in the past 18 months where children suffered serious injuries after ingesting the battery.

"I was a little surprised about how severe the complications were," he told AAP.

It only takes a matter of an hour or two after the batteries are swallowed before they begin their offensive.

"If it gets stuck in the oesophagus then you see it set up a bit of an electrical current within the tissue," Dr Craig said.

The current eventually causes burns and perforations, and if it moves forward will wound the windpipe or, if it points backwards, will damage the spine.

In one case Dr Craig saw a boy aged 14 months admitted to emergency with a fever.

Doctors eventually spotted the offending item in his oesophagus and after six days of treatment the boy was discharged from hospital.

But two weeks later the boy was readmitted with a severe spinal infection, which required three months of intravenous antibiotics and ongoing treatment for a narrowing of his oesophagus.

Dr Craig said he was sharing the case at the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine's annual scientific meeting in Hobart on Monday.

"If you can prevent one of these then you are preventing a child going through a lot of pain, spending three months in hospital and one family a whole lot of heartache," he said.

He urged parents to keep the devices holding the batteries - sometimes as large as a 10-cent coin - out of children's reach.

According to the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, about four children go to emergency departments across Australia each week with an injury relating to the batteries.

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New data shows surplus of skilled labour

INDUSTRY groups might regularly complain about a skills shortage, but new data shows there is actually a current oversupply of skilled labour.

Employment services firm Clarius Group's Skills Index for the September quarter showed there was a skilled labour surplus of 19,500 across the 20 occupation categories examined, compared to a shortage of 2,300 in the June quarter for 2012.

Employees representing Generation Y are appreciating their jobs more too, now they are seeing colleagues made redundant and employers can afford to be more choosy, according to the Clarius report.

The turnaround was driven by an increase in unemployment in the three months to September 30 (5.2 to 5.4 per cent) and decrease in employment opportunities in what was a volatile economy, the study found.

However, Clarius chief executive Kym Quick warns large skills shortages still exist in the sectors expected to drive economic growth in the next 12 months.

Seven of the 20 occupations representing 2.6 million workers analysed in the report were in shortage.

The index weakened from 100.1 "balanced" in the June quarter to 99.2 "moderate" in this quarter, with a score under 100 meaning the skilled labour market has moved from a shortage to an oversupply.

The effect of that was a fundamental shift in employer and employee behaviour, especially among Generation Y (roughly aged 32 and under).

"Expectations are now more realistic and they appreciate the fact they've actually got a job, having seen many of their colleagues face a very different scenario," Ms Quick said.

In many cases the probation period for a new employee has doubled from three months to six months.

Employees were also being asked to do more work to cover redundant positions because, while the people may not be there anymore, the task still is.

The index found there was a shortage of 6,900 engineers, 5,900 information and communications technology professionals, 2,700 accountants, company secretaries and auditors, 3,200 sales and marketing professionals and 700 legal professionals.

The most "in demand" occupation was corporate service managers, with a 4.9 per cent increase in the shortfall.

That role had become increasingly important given post-global financial crisis compliance and stakeholder scrutiny, Ms Quick said.

There were surpluses in various industries, among them were finance jobs and skilled technician, clerical and administrative roles.

With signs of the Chinese economy picking up, the shortages in some professions could adversely impact Australia's ability to take full advantage of upturns in Asian economies in the short to medium term, she said.

The index reported growth in labour demand in the Australian economy was primarily occurring in higher-skilled occupations and professionals representing a significant proportion of employment in growth industries.

The unemployment rate among Australian professionals is just 1.8 per cent, compared with the national rate of 5.4 per cent, with a shortage of 15,300 professionals.

The data used for the index is from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

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Peres says Israel acting in self-defence

ISRAELI President Shimon Peres has welcomed efforts by his Egyptian counterpart to secure a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict but accused Hamas of rejecting the proposals.

He also said he could foresee a scaling back of the situation and stressed that Israel was taking great pains not to hit civilians in the Gaza Strip.

Asked by Britain's Sky News television if he saw any possibility of a de-escalation of the conflict, he replied from Jerusalem: "As far as we are concerned, the answer is yes.

"We also appreciate the efforts of the president of Egypt (Mohamed Morsi) to introduce a ceasefire. But until now, Hamas has rejected the proposal of the Egyptian president."

Hamas "don't even listen to their Arab brothers", he said.

"We don't escalate at all. What Israel is doing is self-defence.

"We don't have any purpose to conquer Gaza."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday threatened to expand the assault on Hamas-run Gaza as the Jewish state pressed ahead with a fifth day of strikes, killing six people including four children as truce efforts intensified.

"Basically our purpose is peace; their purpose is to destroy Israel. It's not an easy situation," Peres said.

"We are very careful not to hit any civilian life and they are concentrated on hitting our civilian life.

"Hamas is shooting at our settlements, at our houses, at our kindergartens, at our schools. What would any other country do but to try to stop it and do so without hitting civilian life?

"They shoot at our children. We are trying to answer and shoot against the ones who fire against us."

The 89-year-old said Israel was making a "supreme effort" to avoid civilian casualties but "unfortunately they use their homes, even their mosques to hide the arms, to make them headquarters of shooting.

"In spite of it, and until now I believe, almost no civilians were hit.

"We shall keep on with our principles. We are not being carried away by anger or misconception. The government is behaving as a responsible government that has to defend their citizens, young and old."

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