Holiday toll rises to 21

Three more people have died on Australian roads, taking the Christmas holiday road toll to 21. Source: AAP

A HORROR NSW car crash that claimed the life of a young girl and injured five others is one of three fatal smashes that has lifted the Christmas holiday road death toll to 21.

The young girl died at the scene of the single-vehicle crash that occurred about 50 kilometres south of Cessnock on George Downes Drive, Bucketty, shortly before 1pm (AEDT) Monday.

Police said a woman in her 30s, believed to be the driver, and another young girl suffering a serious head injury were airlifted to hospital.

Three other people were treated at the scene for abrasions and minor injuries then airlifted to Westmead Hospital by a second rescue helicopter, NSW Ambulance said.

The young girl's death takes the NSW road toll to seven.

In the second fatal crash on Monday, a Melbourne motorcyclist died after he collided with a car in the city's west.

The Maribyrnong man, aged in his 30s, collided with a Ford Falcon as the sedan turned into Bunbury Street at Footscray late on Saturday night.

He died at the scene.

The Ford driver, a 36-year-old Wyndham Vale man, is assisting police with their inquiries.

The motorcyclist is the third person to die on Victorian roads during the holiday period.

In Perth, a 51-year-old woman who was hit by a car on Christmas Eve died in hospital this evening.

Astrid Hall was struck on Roe Highway in Beckenham, in Perth's south-east, on December 24 and died at Royal Perth Hospital on Sunday as a result of her injuries, police said.

Three people have now died on WA roads over the holiday period.

The national road toll period runs from midnight December 23, 2013 until midnight January 3, 2014, local times, in line with the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Board.

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Perth gets ready for NYE parties

An extra 1000 police officers will be on the streets on New Year's Eve in Perth. Source: AAP

LIVE music, fancy-dress parties and fireworks are on offer in Perth for New Year's Eve, but police are warning revellers to act responsibly.

An extra 1000 police will be on the streets on New Year's Eve, to clamp down on rowdy or anti-social behaviour and drink-drivers.

Assistant Commissioner Gary Dreibergs said with so many people expected in Perth's entertainment precincts, people should look out for their mates and plan their trip home before they go out.

"To put it simply, respect yourself, and respect others," he said.

"All too often we see minor matters escalate into serious incidents because someone who has consumed too much alcohol isn't able to make the right decision to step away from a minor disagreement or other trivial occurrence, such as being bumped by someone else."

Police have also warned people not to hire drivers who are advertising their taxi services online illegally.

Family entertainment in Perth includes fireworks in Mandurah and Rockingham, and a party at Perth Zoo with live music.

On New Year's Day, about 35,000 people are expected to attend the Perth Cup at Ascot Racecourse.

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NSW workers comp changes for 2014

Controversial changes to workers comp laws are among many new laws to take effect in NSW next year. Source: AAP

INJURED workers and children attending childcare will be among the winners and losers at the start of 2014, as new laws kick in across NSW.

Among the raft of new legislation to come into effect on January 1 are controversial changes to workers compensation introduced by the O'Farrell government to rein in a $4 billion budget blowout.

Up to 20,000 injured workers across the state who need ongoing medical treatment will lose out in 2014 due to the changes, the Law Society of NSW says.

"For example a worker with an amputation injury who has, up until now, been having their artificial limbs replaced by the insurer will now lose this entitlement," President John Dobson said.

Meanwhile kids will no longer be able to enrol into a childcare facility unless their parent or guardian provides an immunisation record.

Parents or guardians reluctant to vaccinate on religious or other grounds or due to medical conditions will also have to produce documentation.

"No longer will it be at the discretion of child care operators to accept or deny children who aren't immunised," Health Minister Jillian Skinner said in a statement.

"By law these operators will be unable to do so and should they do so they can be fined."

People looking to swap the city for the country air will be some of the winners in the new year with a number of grants rolling out.

From Wednesday a move to regional NSW for full-time employment will see eligible people pocket $10,000.

An existing $7000 grant to city homeowners purchasing properties in regional areas will be extended to include long-term renters in metropolitan Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong who make the country change from January 1.

"This is about attracting much-needed skills to our regions and developing sustainable and more vibrant regional communities," Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner said.

Meanwhile the tax free threshold for land tax will increase from $406,000 to $412,000.

For those into combat sports, such as boxing, cage fighting and Ultimate Fighting, stronger health and safety requirements will come into effect, including that combatants comply with protective clothing or equipment.

The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal will also commence in 2014.

The tribunal is billed as a one-stop shop for 22 state tribunals, which the government says "will improve their quality, consistency and transparency".

"NCAT enables these services to exist as a network, rather than in isolation, which will improve their quality, consistency and transparency," acting Justice Minister Michael Gallacher said in a statement.

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Cyclone impacting WA's north coast

Residents in and near Port Hedland have been told to take shelter as Cyclone Christine intensifies. Source: AAP

A RED alert remains in place for communities from Pardoo to Mardie in the Pilbara as tropical cyclone Christine starts to impact the region.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services said the alert was current at 6.10pm (WST) for communities including Port Hedland, South Hedland, Whim Creek, Roebourne, Point Samson, Wickham, Karratha and Dampier.

"There is a threat to lives and homes." DFES said in a statement. "You are in danger and need to act immediately."

It urged residents in affected areas to "get ready to move to the strongest, safest part of your house".

"Keep your emergency kit with you. Stay away from doors and windows, and keep them closed. Stay indoors until the all-clear is given by authorities," DFES added.

It said relocation points had been set up at the JD Hardie Centre at Port Hedland, Karratha Leisureplex at Karratha, Civic Centre at Marble Bar, high school gym at Tom Price, and Ashburton Hall at Paraburdoo.

A yellow alert is current for people in or near Marble Bar, Tom Price, Paraburdoo and Pannawonica.

A blue alert has been issued for coastal areas between Wallal and Pardoo, between Mardie and Onslow, the inland area from Marble Bar to Newman, and between the Collier Ranges and Three Rivers.

In its latest update, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) said the category-three cyclone was 75kms northwest of Port Hedland and 155kms northeast of Karratha.

It's moving towards the Pilbara coast at 16km/h, the bureau advised.

BoM said the "very destructive inner core" of the system "has begun to impact the coast between Port Hedland and Whim Creek".

It said Port Hedland was currently experiencing destructive wind gusts of up to 130km/h.

The bureau expected Christine to track south southwest, with the system's centre likely to cross the coast close to Whim Creek by about midnight.

BoM warns that winds of more than 200km/h are likely near the centre as the cyclone crosses the coast.

Winds of more than 130km/h are expected in the Karratha and Dampier region later Monday night and are forecast to hit Tom Price at 8am (WST) Tuesday.

BoM says gale-force winds up to 120km/h are currently occurring between Wallal and Roebourne, and should hit Karratha Monday night.

Coastal communities between Pardoo and Wickham including Port Hedland are also being warned about the potential for a for a "very dangerous storm tide tonight".

Heavy rainfall is expected near where the cyclone is tracking, and flood warnings have been issued for the Pilbara.

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Councils, kids and cattle see 2014 changes

BUSH communities across the Northern Territory will have more say as the government begins dismantling large councils in favour of more local representation.

From January 1, the Minister for Local Government will be granted far-ranging powers in terms of local government, such as being able to abolish or constitute a council, to suspend council members, and to call, cancel, defer or suspend an election.

Minister Dave Tollner has already announced the splitting of the Victoria Daly Shire Council southwest of Darwin into two separate bodies, with a new regional council to be set up in the Wadeye and Peppimenarti area by July.

The Act will reverse some of the "disastrous" decisions the previous Labor government made in relation to local government in remote communities, Attorney-General John Elferink told AAP.

"(They) allowed bureaucracy to get in the way of service delivery ... in the process they disenfranchised the people who were governed, and that cost them dearly in the bush."

Meanwhile, the NT's child protection system will also be more accountable than it has ever been, he said.

A Children's Commissioner Act was passed to enable a transparent child protection system, with an independent commissioner who can investigate service providers that fail to support vulnerable children, and monitor the government's implementation of decisions arising from inquiries into child protection.

Previously the commissioner's legislative existence was the product of the same act that governed child protection, Mr Elferink said.

Also from January 1, farmers will be able to obtain 30-year permits to diversify income streams on land held under pastoral lease tenure.

This includes producers reliant on the live export trade who face significantly reduced income.

And from the first day of the new year the Petroleum Act will be amended to the greatest extent since 1982 to attract greater exploration interest in the NT, said Minister for Mines and Energy Willem Westra van Holthe.

It will allow the controlled release of vacant land, and allow the government to accept multiple applications for exploration permits, as the NT pursues the oil and gas exploration industry.

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Suicide bomber kills 13 in Russia's south

A female suicide bomber set off a blast in a train station in Russia killing at least 13 people. Source: AAP

AT least 13 people have been killed and scores wounded by a suicide bomber at a railway station in southern Russia, officials said.

The National Anti-Terrorist Committee said the explosion on Sunday at the central railway station in the city of Volgograd was set off by a suicide bomber, heightening concerns about terrorism ahead of February's Olympics in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Vladimir Markin, a spokesman for the nation's top investigative agency, the Investigative Committee, said at least 13 people died in the blast.

Russia's Health Ministry said about 50 people were injured.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for Sunday's attack, but it came months after Chechen rebel leader Doku Umarov called for attacks against civilian targets in Russia, including the Sochi Games.

Suicide bombings and other attacks linked to Islamic rebels have rocked Russia for years.

In October, a female suicide bomber blew herself up on a city bus in Volgograd, killing six people and injuring about 30.

Officials said the attacker came from the province of Dagestan, which has become the centre of an Islamist insurgency that has spread across the region after two separatist wars in Chechnya.

Russian state television reported that Sunday's explosion occurred at the security gate at the station's entrance.

Footage from a security camera facing the station that was broadcast by Rossiya 24 television showed the moment of explosion: a bright orange flash inside the station behind the main gate followed by plumes of smoke.

The television showed a line-up of ambulances outside the station and motionless bodies placed on the pavement.

The blast closely followed another attack on Friday in Pyatigorsk in the North Caucasus mountains, when a car rigged with explosives blew up on a street in the city, the centre of a federal administrative district intended to stabilise the North Caucasus region.

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Cyclone accelerates towards WA coast

A category two cyclone off the Western Australian Kimberley coast is expected to intensify. Source: AAP

A CATEGORY two cyclone off Western Australia's Kimberley coast is picking up speed as it heads towards the Pilbara.

Tropical Cyclone Christine was 295 kilometres off Broome at 5pm (WST) on Sunday and was moving towards the Pilbara coast about 13 kilometres an hour, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) said.

Earlier in the day BoM tracked the cyclone at 10km/h.

The bureau says the cyclone is expected to intensify as it moves towards the coast.

It has issued a cyclone warning for coastal areas from Cape Leveque to Mardie, including Broome, Port Hedland and Karratha, and extending inland to Marble Bar.

BoM forecasts the cyclone to bring heavy rainfall and gales of up to 100km/h south of Cape Leveque later on Sunday.

Gales are expected to extend west along the Pilbara coast to Whim Creek late on Sunday or Monday morning as the cyclone approaches.

The bureau said the cyclone could on Monday bring "very destructive" gales and heavy rainfall to Mardie and possibly as far west as Exmouth, with winds possibly reaching 165km/h.

Coastal communities between Pardoo and Mardie have been warned of the potential for a dangerous storm tide late on Monday or early on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, BoM says severe thunderstorms have hit Queensland's southeast around Gympie, Pomona and Amamoor.

The thunderstorms are moving northeast and are forecast to hit the area northwest of Noosa Heads and the region east of Gympie and Lake Cooloola.

Damaging winds and large hailstones are likely, the bureau says.

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Times Square preps for New Year's Eve bash

New York City's Times Square is getting ready for New Year's Eve celebrations on Tuesday night. Source: AAP

NEW York City's Times Square is getting ready for New Year's Eve.

The square will host millions on Tuesday night counting down the last few moments of 2013.

Starting on Saturday, six Citibikes from the city's bike share program were being installed in Times Square and connected to 12-volt deep cycle batteries.

New Yorkers and tourists will generate power by pedalling. That will help illuminate the famed ball that will descend New Year's Eve.

Each bike will generate an average of 75 watts an hour. It takes 50,000 watts to power the ball, which is lit by 30,000 LEDs.

Additionally, a giant paper shredder and a dumpster were installed in Times Square on Saturday to allow visitors to destroy bad memories of 2013.

The annual event is dubbed Good Riddance Day.

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Winds flaming north coast bushfire

AN out-of-control bushfire threatening homes on the state's north coast is being pushed north by strong winds, the Rural Fire Service (RFS) says.

At 9.26pm (AEDT), the RFS said the blaze was burning near the corner of Byron Bay Road and Bundaleer Road in the Lennox Head area.

It is covering about 100 hectares of bush and is expected to impact properties in the area.

The RFS says about 12 properties are now threatened by the fire.

Thirty firefighters are at the scene.

Earlier, the RFS had advised the fire had been burning further south near Byron Bay Road and Tobin Close.

It said the fire would be "uncontrollable, unpredictable and fast-moving".

"Embers will be blown ahead of the fire, creating spot fires that will move quickly and in different directions," the RFS said on its website.

It said spot fires could threaten homes earlier than a main fire front.

RFS spokesman Ben Shepherd told AAP the fire was burning in heathland in the area.

"It burns very quickly and very hot, and will create huge flame heights," he said.

He said the fire was being pushed quickly towards the threatened homes.

"They'll probably come under threat within the hour," he said.

He said conditions were expected to ease later on Sunday night "as the southerly (wind) starts to die".

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Drive-by shooting and bomb in Iraq kill 6

A DRIVE-BY shooting and a bomb in Iraq have killed at least six people.

Police say gunmen in a speeding car opened fire on Sunday at a check point run by anti-al-Qaeda, pro-government Sunni militiamen in Baghdad's western suburb of Abu Ghraib, killing four and wounding three.

The Sunni militia, known as the Awakening Council, was formed by the US forces during the height of the insurgency. They are seen as traitors by al-Qaeda local branch and other militant groups.

The officer added that two civilians were killed and eight wounded when a bomb exploded in an outdoor market in the capital's western Jihad neighbourhood.

Medical officials have confirmed the figures.

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Refugee group calls for ambassador asylum

Scott Morrison says a request for asylum by Zimbabwe's ambassador will be judged on its merits. Source: AAP

A REFUGEE advocacy group has called for the Australian government to grant asylum to the Zimbabwean ambassador to Australia.

But the Refugee Action Coalition has used ambassador Jacqueline Zwambila's plight to highlight the "government's inconsistencies in dealing with the issue of protection visas".

Ms Zwambila revealed she was asking the Australian government for asylum because she feared for her life if she returned home when her term ends on Tuesday.

She is aligned to Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party.

Refugee Action Coalition spokesman Ian Rintoul said that with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's supposed coalition with the MDC at an end, there was no doubt Ms Zwambila was at risk should she be forced to return to that country.

"The Australian government should act quickly," he said in a statement.

However, Mr Rintoul said many asylum seekers were arriving by boat with cases as compelling as Ms Zwambila's.

"But under (Immigration Minister) Scott Morrison's regime there are two rules - one for plane arrivals and another for asylum seekers coming by boat," he said.

"The Zimbabwean ambassador needs protection, and so do all those asylum seekers who arrive by boat."

Ms Zwambila told Fairfax Media on Saturday she knew it meant the end of her term when Mr Mugabe won elections earlier this year.

"Once the elections of 31 July were stolen by the current government - which is illegitimate - I knew that this was the end of the line," she says in a video on the Canberra Times website.

"End of the line for the people of Zimbabwe ... and for people like me, who were appointed by the ex-prime minister, Morgan Tsvangirai."

Mr Morrison said an application for a protection visa would be assessed on merit "and in accordance with the normal rules that apply in these circumstances".

"The government does not provide commentary on individual cases as it can prejudice their case or, worse, place people at risk," he said in a statement.

Mr Mugabe, 89, long considered an international pariah, finished with 61 per cent of the vote at the election, amid claims of intimidation and tampering with electoral rolls.

He called on his opponents to accept defeat or commit suicide, telling the New York Times that "even dogs will not sniff at their flesh if they choose to die that way".

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SA bushfire under control

A serious bushfire south of Adelaide has been contained the Country Fire Service says. Source: AAP

FIREFIGHTERS have protected a South Australian country town from an out-of-control bushfire, with two fire crew volunteers injured while quelling the blaze.

An emergency alert was issued at 3pm (AEDT) on Saturday about a serious bushfire burning towards the town of Mallala, north of Adelaide.

About 200 Country Fire Service (CFS) personnel battled the blaze at Lower Light with 35 appliances and the help of water bombers.

A CFS spokeswoman said firefighters contained the blaze after it had travelled seven kilometres in three hours.

"The fire was fast-moving and came close to a farming community and within three to four kilometres of the Mallala township," she said.

"But fortunately CFS firefighters managed to protect the township."

A male CFS firefighter was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening chest injuries.

A female CFS firefighter was treated at the fire for smoke inhalation.

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Port Hedland evacuates due to cyclone

A cyclone warning has been issued for coastal areas along Western Australia's northern coast. Source: AAP

SHIPS are being moved from a major port in Western Australia ahead of a developing tropical cyclone expected to hit on Saturday night.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) says a tropical low north of WA is expected to develop into a tropical cyclone by Saturday night as it moves southwest.

The low is 340 kilometres north-northwest of Broome, moving at nine kilometres an hour.

The Port Hedland Port Authority began the evacuation of 29 vessels in the inner and outer anchorage areas on Saturday morning.

Another 12 ships in the inner harbour also began evacuating on Saturday.

The port authority said in a statement it anticipated the last vessel would leave the shipping channel by 3am on Sunday.

Gale-force winds and widespread rainfall are expected to hit the Port Hedland area on Sunday.

Winds with gusts of up to 100km/h are forecast to develop through Saturday night on the west Kimberley coast between Cape Leveque and Broome.

BOM advises gales and heavy rainfall may extend to Exmouth and adjacent inland areas on Sunday night and Monday.

If the tropical low system develops as BOM expects, a severe tropical cyclone will likely hit the Pilbara on Monday or Tuesday.

A cyclone warning is in place for coastal areas from Cape Leveque to Whim Creek.

The State Emergency Service is urging residents in or near coastal communities between Dampier Peninsula and Onslow in the Kimberley and Pilbara to prepare emergency kits.

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China one-child policy change approved

Chinese state media says the National People's Congress has approved to change its one-child policy. Source: AAP

CHINA'S top legislature has sanctioned the ruling Communist Party's decision to allow couples to have a second child if one parent is an only child.

It's the first major easing in three decades of the restrictive national birth planning policy.

Implemented around 1980, China's birth policy has limited most couples to only one child, but has allowed a second child if neither parent has siblings or if the first born to a rural couple is a girl.

The official Xinhua News Agency said the standing committee of the National People's Congress approved a resolution on Saturday to formalise the party decision.

It says the national lawmaking body has delegated the power to provincial people's congresses and their standing committees to implement the new policy.

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Death toll in Beirut blast rises to 7

LEBANON'S state news agency says a 19-year-old man wounded in the car bombing in central Beirut has died, raising the death toll in the attack to seven.

The National News Agency says Mohammed Shaar died on Saturday from massive wounds sustained in the Friday blast, which targeted prominent Lebanese politician Mohammed Chatah.

The 62-year-old Chatah, who was a critic of Syria and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, also was killed in the explosion.

Officials say Chatah is to be buried at noon on Sunday in the towering Mohammed Al-Amin Mosque in downtown Beirut.

The Lebanese government has declared Sunday a day of mourning.

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Cambodian garment workers block traffic

STRIKING workers making shoes and clothes for Western brands have blocked roads and briefly scuffled with police in Cambodia.

The workers are demanding a two-fold increase in the minimum wage to $A180.

The protests on Friday snarled traffic in and around the capital Phnom Penh.

Human rights activist Om Sam Ath said protesters blocking a highway leading to Sihanoukville throw stones at police, who fired into the air.

He said four workers were injured, but it was unclear how serious the injuries were.

Most of the country's 500 factories have been closed since Thursday, when the manufacturers association urged its members to cease operations, citing the fear of violence.

The garment industry employs more than 500,000 people and is Cambodia's biggest export earner.

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Vic transport costs to rise in 2014

The cost of using public transport in Victoria will rise by 2.5 per cent in 2014 under new changes. Source: AAP

VICTORIANS are set to pay more to use public transport and for the first time motorcycles will pay to use the CityLink freeway from New Year's Day.

And as the new year rings in with the sting on hip pockets, motorists can say goodbye to pesky vehicle registration stickers, which will be abolished from January 1.

The labels for light vehicles in Victoria, including passenger cars, will be a thing of the past, with the state government estimating it will save Victorians $19.5 million a year by reducing the red-tape burdens.

The move follows the removal of registration labels in other states.

Upgrades in technology mean police and VicRoads can monitor registrations without the need for the windscreen stickers.

Public transport fares will rise by 2.5 per cent under changes announced recently by the state government.

Two-hour fares will expire after exactly two hours and weekend fares will jump from $3.50 to $6 for a daily zone one and two pass.

Other changes include new charges for motorcyclists, who for the first time will be tolled to use CityLink from January 1.

The road operator will toll them using technology so they will not have to carry an e-TAG.

CityLink is the only toll road in Australia that does not toll motorcycles.

Under its contract with the Victorian government, it was always expected motorcycles would be charged, but they will be tolled half the rate for cars.

The tax grab on poker machines is also set to rise from April.

Taxes on poker machines in bigger venues will be increased by 4.2 per cent, while the minimum player return ratio will be reduced from 87 per cent to 85 per cent.

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Kabul car bomb kills three

THE US-led coalition in Afghanistan says three service members have been killed when a suicide car bomber attacked their convoy in an eastern district of the capital, Kabul.

The International Security Assistance Force didn't provide details on the identities or nationalities of those killed in the attack on Friday.

Earlier, Kabul police spokesman Hashmat Stanakzai said the attack, which occurred about a kilometre from the Camp Phoenix NATO base, wounded six civilians.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the insurgent group was behind the attack.

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Holiday road toll rises to 13

The Christmas holiday road toll has risen to 12 following the death of a teenager and a cyclist. Source: AAP

THE Christmas holiday road death toll has risen to 13, with the latest victims including a teenage driver and a cyclist killed in an apparent hit-and-run accident.

An 18-year-old woman died on Friday after the ute she was driving rolled near Narrabri in northwest NSW.

Earlier, a female cyclist was killed in an alleged hit-and-run near Adelaide.

Police allege a 37-year-old woman hit the cyclist at Lower Inman Valley and drove off.

About an hour later, a police patrol on the Southern Expressway at Lonsdale spotted two people in a car with front-end damage and a cracked windscreen.

Both occupants were arrested and the female driver was charged with causing death by dangerous driving and leaving the scene of an accident.

About noon on Friday a 25-year-old truck driver died when his vehicle left the North South Road at Apple Tree Creek in Queensland and rolled.

Police believe he was not wearing a seatbelt.

Another motorist in southeast Queensland died on Friday afternoon after a crash involving a truck on the Mount Lindesay Highway.

The national road toll period runs from midnight on December 23, 2013, until midnight on January 3, 2014, local times, in line with the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Board.

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Five die in Beirut bombing

A POWERFUL bombing has rocked a central business district of central Beirut setting cars ablaze and killing five people, including a senior aide to former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, officials said.

The National News Agency said Mohammed Chatah and his driver were both killed in the explosion, which wounded more than 70 others.

Lebanon has seen a wave of bombings over the past months as tensions rise over Syria's civil war. Hariri heads the main, Western-backed coalition in Lebanon which is engaged in bitter feuding with the militant Hezbollah group, which is allied to Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The blast was heard across the city and sent thick black smoke billowing in the downtown posh commercial district behind the government house and above the seafront of the Lebanese capital.

The army cordoned off the area to prevent people from getting close to the scene, where the twisted wreckage of several cars was still smouldering. The explosion appeared to be the result of the car bomb, but security officials said they had no immediate confirmation.

Footage broadcast on Lebanese TV showed medical workers rushing the wounded to ambulances. At least two bodies could be seen lying on the pavement.

The conflict next door has raised tensions in Lebanon's Sunni and Shi'ite communities as each side lines up in support of their brethren in the conflict next door.

That has fuelled predictions that Lebanon, still recovering from its 15-year civil war that ended in 1990, is on the brink of descending into full-blown sectarian violence.

Chatah, a prominent economist and former ambassador to the US, was one of the closest aides to former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was killed in a truck bombing in Beirut in 2005, not far from Friday's explosion.

He later became finance minister when Hariri's son, Saad, took over the premiership, and stayed on as his senior adviser after he lost the post in early 2011.

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First Greenpeace activist gets exit visa

Russia has dropped charges against 29 activists following their protest at an oil rig in the Arctic. Source: AAP

RUSSIA has started issuing visas to foreign crew members of a Greenpeace protest ship and dropped the criminal case against the last member of the team of 30.

Italy's Christian d'Alessandro was notified by investigators that the case against him had been dropped, Greenpeace said on Thursday.

Earlier, Russia closed the cases of the other 29 crew members of Greenpeace's Arctic Sunrise ship under a Kremlin-backed amnesty.

The 30 were accused of hooliganism following a protest at a Russian oil rig in the Arctic.

Anthony Perrett of Britain was the first crew member to be given an exit visa, and happily showed off the document to journalists outside the offices of the Russian Federal Migration Service.

"He will be able to go home before the New Year!" Greenpeace tweeted.

But Russian officials could not guarantee all the activists would get home before 2014.

"We're not sure how it will turn out," a spokesman told AFP.

"But we are hoping that things will be in favour of the Greenpeace activists."

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Philippine rebels vow to intensify attacks

PHILIPPINE communist rebels have vowed to intensify attacks against government troops and build a 25,000-strong guerrilla force, but the military has mocked the target as unrealistic.

New People's Army guerrillas marked the 45th founding anniversary of their underground party on Thursday with a clandestine gathering at a mountain lair, where they invited journalists in southeastern Agusan del Sur province.

A communist rebel statement urged the Maoist guerrillas to "wipe out enemy units and seize their weapons" and "increase the number of our Red fighters to 25,000."

Military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala, however, said the rebels, whose armed guerrilla strength has dwindled to 4000, have been on a decline and would not achieve such a target due to problems such as the loss of community support and infighting.

"They're dreaming," Zagala said. "The reality is they have been on a decline due to the loss of their mass bases, surrenders and other problems."

The communist rebellion in the Philippines began in the late 1960s with a ragtag group armed with a few rifles. The movement peaked during the repressive years under dictator Ferdinand Marcos with several thousand full-time guerrillas.

Though it remains one of the world's longest-running Marxist insurgencies, the rebel movement has grown considerably weaker in recent years due to battle setbacks, surrenders and factionalism. They remain a national security concern.

Talks to end the rebellion have stalled since 2011 due to disagreements between the government and guerrillas over the release of several jailed rebel leaders.

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Man found dead after Brisbane siege

POLICE have discovered the body of a man believed to be a gunman who held a mother and daughter hostage for hours in Brisbane.

A gunman had held the pair at a home on Earnshaw Road at Banyo for more than five hours on Thursday while police tried to negotiate.

The pair were rescued after a police Special Response Team managed to enter the house through an upstairs bathroom window and found them tied up.

As police were still trying to negotiate with the gunman, a drone and a robot were sent to the house, the first time Queensland police have used a drone in an operation.

Inspector David Morganti said officers used a remote camera to identify where the man was.

"Eventually those remote techniques were successful and we were able to identify that he was in what appeared to be a state upstairs where he was not moving," he told reporters.

He said police entered the house and confirmed the man was dead in an upstairs room.

An emergency declaration surrounding the home and neighbouring streets was lifted after police discovered the body at 7.25pm.

Insp Morganti said police were still investigating whether there was a connection between the man and the two females held hostage.

Earlier, police Inspector Sean Cryer told reporters the woman, in her 40s, and the teenage girl rescued from the home were emotionally distraught but did not appear to have major injuries.

Officers had been called to a disturbance at the house just before 11am (AEST) and saw a man with what they believed was a gun and heard two shots.

Neighbours were evacuated and streets cordoned off as police declared an emergency situation at 11.45am (AEST).

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Donors needed to get over blood hurdle

PEOPLE are being urged to roll up their sleeves to help Australians get over one of the last hurdles of 2013.

In the lead-up to the New Year's Day holiday, the Australian Red Cross Blood Service needs to ensure it has a constant supply of platelets, a blood product often used by cancer patients.

Donations cannot be made on January 1 and the service needs 3000 Aussies to make appointments for December 31 and January 2.

Blood service spokesman Shaun Inguanzo says platelets have a shelf life of five days, which means stock collected on Friday will have expired or run out by New Year's Day, unless there's a constant flow of donations.

"In particular, we really need donors in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria," Mr Inguanzo said.

One in three Australians would need donated blood in their lifetime, he said.

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Canoeist missing at NSW dam

A MAN remains missing after falling out of a capsizing canoe and failing to surface at a dam in the NSW Southern Tablelands.

Police said the 21-year-old was one of three young men thrown into the water when the canoe tipped over on the Pejar Dam at Crookwell at about 7pm (AEDT) on Thursday.

The other two, aged in their late teens, managed to swim to shore and signal for help.

The 21-year-old did not surface and a search of the dam was conducted by local police, the SES and a rescue helicopter.

The two younger men were treated at the scene by paramedics and taken to Goulburn Hospital with suspected hypothermia.

The search was suspended at 9.30pm with weather conditions deteriorating and no sign of the man.

Local police, the Police Rescue Squad and SES volunteers will resume the search on Friday morning.

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Medicals scrapped for older SA drivers

SOUTH Australian drivers aged over 70 will no longer have to undergo annual medical tests to keep their licence.

The move is aimed at supporting older people to be more active and engaged in the community, said Health and Ageing Minister Jack Snelling.

South Australia has the youngest age for a mandatory medical check across the nation, despite having the oldest mainland population.

"While some jurisdictions have compulsory medical testing for drivers at 75 and 80 years of age, there are some who do not have aged-based testing at all and that is what South Australia will move to from 1 September, 2014," Mr Snelling said on Tuesday.

Research had not shown that age-based testing reduced crash rates for older drivers, but it had prompted some to cease driving.

SA's crash rate was similar to Victoria's, which had no age-based testing, he said.

A working group is to be set up to see what alternatives could be implemented to ensure road safety is unaffected by these changes.

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Belfast peace talks fail to reach deal

OVERNIGHT talks in Belfast have failed to resolve deep-seated divisions over parades and flags that have triggered widespread rioting in Northern Ireland.

Richard Haass, director of the New York-based Council on Foreign Relations, led the multiparty talks.

The hope was that he could forge a compromise plan by the end of the year on areas of bitter dispute: parades, British and Irish flags and emblems, and remembering the dead from Northern Ireland's four-decade conflict.

Talks ended around 4am on Tuesday without agreement.

Haass insisted the process was "still alive" and said he might return to Belfast before the end of the year.

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Qld crash takes Xmas road toll to 4

A 69-YEAR-OLD man who was killed when his car crashed into a tree northwest of Bundaberg has become the first fatality on Queensland roads in the Christmas holiday period.

His death near Avondale at around 12.30pm (AEST) on Tuesday takes the national road toll for the holiday period to four.

Police said a member of the public reported the crash and the driver and sole occupant, believed to be a local man, died at the scene.

The death follows that of a man in northern NSW who was killed when the car he was in also hit a tree and split in two during a police pursuit.

A second man in the Holden sedan was critically injured in the high speed crash about 4km north of Moree at about 11pm (AEDT) on Monday.

Police said officers were attempting to catch up with the car after it passed a stationary RBT site on the Carnarvon Highway.

The death was the first in NSW for the holiday period and followed the deaths of two women in a two-car collision on the Calder Highway near Ouyen in Victoria's northwest at about 1pm on Monday.

* The national road toll period runs from 0001 December 23, 2013 until 2359 January 3, 2014, local times, in line with the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Board.

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A very merry Christmas for Aussie shops

THE Christmas clock is ticking, and the tills have been ringing.

Last-minute shoppers have helped push Australian retailers towards what's tipped to be their biggest Christmas since the global financial crisis hit.

Australian National Retailers Association (ANRA) CEO Margy Osmond says the overall spend in the four-week run-up to Christmas this year is expected to hit $29.6 billion.

"We think Australian retailers will probably have the best Christmas they've had for four or five years," she told AAP on Tuesday.

She said the last-minute rush had favoured the big retailers.

"A lot of the specialty stores have done much better this Christmas but there's no doubt in the last couple of weeks it's the department stores that are the big winners because it's the place you can go and tick every box all in the one spot," Ms Osmond said.

Residents in smaller states - the Northern Territory, the ACT, Tasmania - had generally gotten their Christmas shopping out of the way early, while their counterparts in NSW and Victoria were more likely to have left it till the last minute.

Kevin Finch was looking harried in Sydney's CBD on Tuesday evening, ticking off the people he was still buying for.

"My mother, my father, some family friends, and my grandma," he told AAP.

"Stupidly, I thought today would be a bit quieter."

He said he wouldn't be venturing out for the Boxing Day sales on Thursday, but keen bargain-hunters can get in earlier than that.

In a break with tradition, department store David Jones has already launched its post-Christmas sale online, while the Myer online sale will kick off at 9am (AEDT) on Wednesday.

ANRA's Margy Osmond is expecting a 5.6 per cent boost on post-Christmas sales figures from a year ago, with an expected $1.9 billion spend on Boxing Day alone.

Retailers predict stores around the country will take in more than $15 billion over the next three weeks, with the bulk of that likely to be spent on Boxing Day.

Australian Retailers Association executive director Russell Zimmerman told AAP he expects "a huge number of people" to head for malls around the country when the bricks-and-mortar sales start on Thursday.

But Mr Zimmerman didn't think the lure of early sales online would take away from the familiar frenzy seen in department stores on the day.

"There's a real atmosphere around Boxing Day sales, it's full of people, it's full of excitement and noise and generally speaking there's entertainment around," he said.

"You may well find that people will be encouraged to come out, they'll think it might not be quite so busy as it's been in the past because of the online sales, but I suspect it will be just as busy."

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Two young boys taken from Qld home

TWO young boys taken from a home south of Brisbane by a man in a silver sedan may be at risk, say police, who are seeking urgent public assistance to find them.

The boys, aged three and four, were taken from a residence in Errol Street, Loganlea, at around 3.30pm (AEST) on Tuesday.

Police said the boys were taken by a 30-year-old man who was known to them and they "may be at risk".

The man is described as being of Papua New Guinean appearance, 180cm tall, of heavy build, tanned complexion, with collar length dark curly hair, a black bushy beard and wearing black shorts and a black T-shirt.

The children are described as having very short haircuts, one having a tanned complexion and the other being described as fair.

Both are believed to be wearing denim shorts and one boy was not wearing a shirt.

Police say the man was driving a silver 2003 Toyota Camry sedan bearing Queensland registration 564IGC.

The car was last seen at Logan Village on Camp Cable Road around 4.45pm and was travelling west.

Police urge anyone with information to ring 131 564.

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Ex-UK minister jailed for fudging expenses

BRITAIN'S disgraced former Europe minister Denis MacShane was jailed for six months on Monday after admitting he falsely claimed thousands of pounds in parliamentary expenses.

MacShane, 65, made bogus claims worth STG12,900 ($A23,763) to fund trips to Europe, including a visit to Paris to judge a literary competition.

The former Labour MP, a fluent French speaker, muttered "Quelle surprise" as he was led from the dock at London's Old Bailey court.

Judge Nigel Sweeney said MacShane, who was Europe minister from 2002 to 2005, would have to serve half his sentence in prison and pay legal costs of STG1500 ($A2763). "You have no one to blame but yourself," the judge said.

Sweeney told MacShane his dishonesty had been "considerable and repeated many times over a long period".

He had shown "a flagrant breach of trust" that "reduced confidence in our priceless democratic system", the judge added.

MacShane submitted fake receipts to parliament for "research and translation" and spent the money on the trips.

The fraud revelations forced him to resign as the member of parliament for Rotherham, northern England, in November 2012.

Several other MPs have been jailed for fiddling their parliamentary expenses after a major expose by the Daily Telegraph newspaper in 2009.

The expenses scandal rocked British politics and continues to fuel debate on politicians' pay.

MacShane had been an MP since 1994, serving as a minister under former prime minister Tony Blair.

Police started examining MacShane's expenses nearly three years ago after revelations published in the Telegraph, before dropping the case.

But the investigation was reopened after a parliamentary standards committee report published a year ago - which included details that had not previously been seen by police - found that he had made bogus claims.

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Remember those facing tough times: Oppn

FEDERAL Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has called on Australians to remember those facing an uncertain future this Christmas.

Mr Shorten said he was also thinking of emergency services workers and defence personnel.

"We'll be thinking of those who are working through the holidays," he said in a statement on Tuesday.

"We're also thinking of those who might be out of work this Christmas, or facing an uncertain future," he said in a statement on Tuesday.

Earlier this month, 2900 Holden workers in Victoria and South Australia found out they would lose their jobs when Holden ceases making cars in 2017.

Mr Shorten said while Christmas was a celebration and a time for being with loved ones, it could be a hard time for many families.

"If you can, please reach out to those who might not be as fortunate," he said.

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WA police crack down on demerit scam

AT least 60 West Australian drivers suspected of rorting the demerit point system by claiming someone else was driving their car when they broke a traffic law will be charged.

An audit of traffic infringements over the 12 months to November found 360 potential cases of drivers falsely declaring that another person was driving their vehicle at the time of an infringement.

Only 60 cases have clear photographic evidence to charge people, but further reviews could identify more cases for prosecution, WA police said.

The review was ordered after a driver was accused of advertising on the Gumtree website for strangers to be paid to take his demerit points for speeding.

Drivers who accrue 12 demerit points are banned from driving for three months and points can accrue over three years.

Registered vehicle owners can nominate another person as being the driver at the time of an infringement, with demerit points transferred to that person.

Commander Alf Fordham said that police would continue cracking down on the demerit points scam.

"We now have processes in place to ensure we catch people engaging in this practice and we will get you, both as the driver and the person incorrectly accepting the points," he said.

The infringement management office had now developed criteria that would trigger an investigation into a renomination, he said.

Falsely nominating another driver can lead to charges of wilfully misleading police, which can incur a $1600 fine, or false statutory declarations that can result in two years' imprisonment and a fine up to $24,000.

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Archbishop questions asylum seeker policy

THE federal government's treatment of asylum seekers suggests there would be "no room at the inn" for Mary and Joseph in a modern day Australia, Anglican Archbishop of Adelaide Jeffrey Driver says.

In a Christmas message, Archbishop Driver says that in 2013, the holy family could be called internally displaced persons, travelling to Bethlehem to comply with a census ordered by a "super-power" that "wanted to impose its administrative structures".

A few days later, fleeing across the border to Egypt to escape a massacre, they had become refugees.

Archbishop driver says recent decisions by the commonwealth on asylum seekers to call such people who flee their homes illegal arrivals and to limit the number of temporary protection visas, suggest that they would not be welcome if they arrived in Australia today.

Archbishop Driver said no one was arguing that Australia have an open-door policy for limitless arrivals.

But he said that policy must be humane.

"The story of Christmas and the holy family calls for something better than we are presently seeing, an extraordinarily expensive process that risks dehumanising even those lucky enough to get into it," he said.

"Room at the Inn?

"Surely there must be, at least for some of the most frail and vulnerable no matter how they come."

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Remember those doing it tough at Xmas: PM

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott has paid tribute to Australians spending Christmas away from their families in the service of others.

In his first Christmas message in the top job, Mr Abbott urged Australians to live up to their good nature and lend a hand to those doing it tough during the holiday season.

"We are a good and generous people," he said in a statement on Tuesday.

Mr Abbott made special mention of members of Australia's armed forces, and emergency workers who were missing Christmas lunches and dinners with their families so they can keep the community safe.

"This Christmas I pay tribute to everyone who's away from family because of their service to our country and our communities," he said.

"We all hope you have a quiet day."

He also thanked those working for charities looking after the less fortunate on Christmas Day.

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Man critical after CBD assault

Two men are in a critical condition, following a night of alcohol-fuelled violence in Brisbane

Police would like to speak to this man in relation to a serious assault in Brisbane's CBD early Sunday morning. Source: Supplied

Police would like to speak to this man in relation to a serious assault in Brisbane's CBD early Sunday morning. Source: Supplied

A MAN has come forward over a bashing in Brisbane CBD overnight, which left another man with critical injuries.

A man voluntarily attended Petrie police station a short time ago and is currently speaking with detectives.

The other man is still in hospital in a critical condition with life threatening injuries.

EARLIER, police relased CCTV images of a man as part of ongoing investigations into the serious assault of a man in Brisbane's CBD.

Police are searching for a man who intervened in a couple's fight, seriously injuring a 38-year-old man in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The couple were arguing on the footpath of Queen Street near the intersection with Wharf Street around 4am when an unidentified man stepped in, seriously injuring the 38-year-old.

Brisbane region detective inspector Ian Park said the partner of the injured Arana Hills man was by his bedside in hospital.

"She's very upset obviously by what's happened," he said.

He said the man today remained in Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital in a critical condition with serious injuries after being resuscitated at the scene.

Insp Park said alcohol may have been a factor.

"I guess it's a fair assumption that at 4 o'clock there is going to be alcohol involved, so we would appeal to people to just be careful with alcohol and look after themselves and each other and not to drink to excessive levels, which is always a deadly cocktail."

There were reports that people performed CPR on the man before paramedics arrived.

Alessandro Vosolo, who is staying on the 44th floor of the building, said the fight sounded violent and lasted less than four minutes.

"Fighting, screaming, arguing like guys getting thrown around, that sort of thing," he said.

One witness said he was on the 20th floor of the hotel and heard the fight.

"A dude got beat up... We heard it but then police rocked up."

Police insp Park said a number of witnesses had already been interviewed but appealed for more people to step forward, particularly the man, understood to be Caucasian and in his 30s, who was involved in the fight.

The injured man was taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital in a critical condition.

"Initial information suggests that a man and a woman were seen arguing on the footpath of Queen Street near the intersection with Wharf Street when another man intervened just before 4am," police said in a statement.

Police said the two men were then involved in a fight in which a 38-year-old Arana Hills man sustained a serious head injury.

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Detective inspector Ian Park said police were also investigating the assault of a man who got into a fight with a hotel staff member at the Orient about 4.30am.

A 37-year-old man fell down the stairs and suffered serious head injuries when his head hit the concrete pavement.

"I believe the may have been a disagreement between this person and a staff member but as to what actually took place is subject to investigation," Insp Park said.

The man was taken to the Princess Alexandra Hospital where he is in a serious condition.

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In a third incident, a man was allegedly glassed in the face at the Family Nightclub on McLachlan St in the Fortitude Valley about 3am Sunday.

Police said a 19-year-old was struck in the face with a glass, receiving cuts to his cheek area. Police said the man did not have life-threatening injuries.

A spokesman said security staff and patrons stopped the alleged attacker and held him until police arrived.

A 20-year-old Calamvale man has been charged with assault occasioning bodily harm. He is due to appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday morning.

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Swedish Christmas goat engulfed in flames

A giant straw goat in Sweden symbolising Christmas spirit has been burnt down for the 27th time. Source: AAP

VANDALS in Sweden have burned down for the 27th time a giant straw goat meant to symbolise Christmas spirit.

The 13-metre high and 3.6-tonne heavy straw goat was engulfed in flames early on Saturday after unidentified assailants attacked it in the Swedish town of Gavle, 150km north of Stockholm.

The straw goat is a centuries-old Scandinavian yule symbol that preceded Santa Claus as the bringer of gifts.

Since 1966, when the tradition of erecting the giant straw goat in the town square was introduced, Vandals have burnt it down 27 times.

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Businessman, Jewish advocate Bronfman dies

EDGAR M Bronfman Sr, the billionaire businessman and long-time president of the World Jewish Congress, which lobbied the Soviets to allow Jews to emigrate and helped spearhead the search for hidden Nazi loot, has died aged 84.

The Canadian-born Bronfman died at his New York home on Saturday surrounded by family, according to the family charity he led, The Samuel Bronfman Foundation.

Bronfman made his fortune with his family's Seagram's liquor empire, taking over as chairman and CEO in 1971 and continuing the work of his father, Samuel. Under Bronfman's leadership, Seagram expanded its offerings and was eventually acquired by French media and telecom group Vivendi Universal in 2000.

But Bronfman's wealth, combined with his role in the World Jewish Congress, an umbrella group of Jewish organisations in some 80 countries that he led for more than a quarter century, allowed him to be a tireless advocate for his fellow Jews.

"He was the first of his kind, a titan of industry that dedicated himself fully to advocating, advancing and encouraging the Jewish people," said Dana Raucher, executive director of The Samuel Bronfman Foundation.

In 1999, President Bill Clinton awarded Bronfman the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honour. In the citation, Bronfman was heralded for working "to ensure basic rights for Jews around the world."

In a 1986 Associated Press profile, he said his position and money helped him have access to world leaders.

"It's a combination of the two," Bronfman said.

"In the end, it doesn't really matter why that access is available, as long as it is there."

The year before, he had become the first congress president to meet with Soviet officials in Moscow, bringing his case for human rights and taking a little time to promote Seagram's interests. He visited again in 1988, by which time Jewish emigration from the Soviet Union, a key goal of the congress, had begun to rise under the reforming leadership of Mikhail Gorbachev.

During the 1980s and 1990s, the congress also helped lead the effort to gain $US11 billion ($A12.45 billion) in restitution for heirs of Holocaust victims.

Jews in German and Nazi-held countries were stripped of their possessions, their artworks and even the gold fillings from their teeth in the regime's death camps. Much of the gold wound up in Swiss banks, and the institutions came under heavy criticism decades after the war ended for failing to make adequate reparations.

In 1975, the Bronfman family made the news for a far different reason when one of Edgar Bronfman's sons, 21-year-old Samuel 2nd, was abducted in a New York suburb.

The family paid a $2.3 million ransom and Samuel was later found when authorities raided a Brooklyn apartment. The missing money was found under a bed and two men were arrested.

The two were convicted of extortion, but acquitted of kidnapping, in a sensational 1976 trial in which the defence accused Samuel Bronfman of staging his own kidnapping as a hoax intended to cheat his father out of the ransom money. Samuel Bronfman denied the allegation and the prosecution called it "ridiculous".

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Tributes flow for dead abseiler

AN abseiler who fell to his death from a Blue Mountains cliff has been fondly remembered by friends as an enthusiastic sportsman who died doing something he loved.

Darren Bull, 34, died on Saturday morning, reportedly trying to reach his girlfriend, Katherine Donahue, who had become tangled in ropes on a descent at Malaita Point, a popular abseiling spot on the edge of the Jamison Valley near Katoomba.

An operation to retrieve Mr Bull's body was completed on Saturday evening.

Ms Donahue was winched to safety at about 1.30pm (AEDT) that day and wasn't injured.

Friends of Mr Bull on Sunday fondly remembered him in posted messages on social media sites.

On Facebook, Sisha Reynolds wrote: "So sad to hear the sad news of Darren Bull a beautiful man. RIP.... Not a surprise you passing away being a hero and nice that it was while you were doing something you love but still so very sad."

Mr Bull was a former player with the Macquarie University Australian Football Club and one message from a member read: "Some very sad news this morning. It appears former player Darren Bull ... "Big Daz" ... died".

The club will observe a minute's silence before the opening match of the 2014 season in Mr Bull's honour.

Another social media post read: "when you mess with the bull, you get the horns!" Rest in peace Darren, you will be missed".

Mr Bull for some years worked as a counsellor at the Southwoods summer camp in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York.

On former colleague from the camp posted: "Difficult to even imagine but what a man! Glad I briefly got to know you mate, thoughts go out to the family."

Police are investigating how Mr Bull died and will prepare a report for the coroner.

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Fears for boy, 5, missing in Sydney river

AS darkness fell on Dolls Point and the police cars began to peel away, a distressed Sydney family knelt together to pray for a little boy.

An extensive water and aerial search for the child, who disappeared in the Georges River, was scaled back about sunset on Sunday and was set to resume at first light.

The father of the missing five-year-old broke down as he was led to the edge of the sand at Sandringham by police officers.

"Please, just leave me alone," the man yelled, wailing and cradling his head in his arms as police and family members tried to comfort him.

A woman believed to be the boy's mother was led away in tears before relatives gathered beside the St George 16ft Sailing Club to pray.

A family friend told AAP the boy had been playing in the water with his older brother when he disappeared under the waves about 3.45pm (AEDT).

Other witnesses said the boys had waded into the water outside a netted-off swimming area when the youngest was swept away by a strong current.

The family is well known among Bankstown's Lebanese community, and large crowds remained at a section of Dolls Point, cordoned off by police until late on Sunday night.

It should have been a day of fun at the popular picnic spot at the junction between Botany Bay and the Georges River.

Families had gathered on the sand as temperatures nudged 30 degrees on the first weekend of NSW school holidays.

But dog-walker Col, 77, who did not want his surname published, said tragedy had struck this picturesque stretch of coastline before.

"If you're not a strong swimmer it's easy to get sucked into the whirlpools out there," he told AAP.

Six years ago, two fiancees were left grieving after the men they were due to marry both drowned at the same spot.

The men aged 19 and 25 died in January 2007, shortly after coming to Australia from Lebanon to marry two sisters here.

It was believed the younger man had got into trouble and the other jumped in off the wharf to help.

Locals have told AAP that sand banks can create the illusion that waters off Dolls Point are shallow, but there is a deep river channel with a strong current.

The search effort involving local police, water police, PolAir, the State Emergency Service (SES) and the Westpac Life Saver helicopter ran for four hours but was visibly scaled back about 7.30pm, and police divers left the water.

An SES team also combed a stretch of beach beyond the taped-off area for signs of the boy.

It's believed water police and PolAir will remain active overnight before a full-scale operation resumes on Monday morning.

Police say the child was last seen wearing a blue singlet and blue shorts and have urged anyone with information to come forward.

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Saudi Arabia reports death from new virus

SAUDI Arabia says one more person has died from a new respiratory virus related to SARS, bringing to 56 the number of deaths in the kingdom at the centre of the outbreak.

The Health Ministry said Saturday that a 73-year-old, chronically ill man had died in a Riyadh hospital.

He was among 136 people who have been infected with the virus in Saudi Arabia since September last year.

The ministry also says three new cases have been detected, including two foreign women working in the kingdom's health care services and a Saudi man.

The new virus is related to SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, which killed some 800 people in a global outbreak in 2003. It belongs to a family of viruses that most often causes the common cold.

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Cafe fire shuts UK theme park

A THEME park near London has been forced to close after a blaze in one of its cafes.

There are no reports of any injuries.

A Chessington spokesman said no staff, visitors or animals were injured.

"The theme park and zoo were closed at the time of this incident and, therefore, no guests were involved," the park said in a statement.

"All staff areas were immediately evacuated and all staff and animals are safe and well.

"The fire has been brought under control and the fire service remain on site and in charge of the incident."

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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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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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Astronauts begin urgent space repairs

ASTRONAUTS have stepped out on the first of a series of urgent repair spacewalks at the International Space Station.

The two Americans on the crew floated outside on Saturday morning.

They will disconnect an ammonia pump that contains a bad valve.

The breakdown has crippled the space station's critical cooling system.

The pump replacement is a huge undertaking, attempted only once before, in 2010.

NASA has ordered up three spacewalks to complete the job, with the next to begin on Monday.

Astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Michael Hopkins will go back out again Christmas Day, if any work remains.

The six-man crew had to turn off all non-essential equipment inside the orbiting lab following the malfunction on December 11, when scientific research came to a near-halt.

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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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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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Milky Way to be mapped in 3D

The European Space Agency has launched a project set to provide the mapping of the Milky Way. Source: AAP

THE European Space Agency has launched a project set to provide the first realistic three-dimensional mapping of the Milky Way.

As part of the mission, a highly precise telescope dubbed Gaia will orbit the sun at a distance of 1.5 million kilometres beyond the Earth's orbit.

The rocket was launched on Thursday on a Russian Soyuz rocket, taking off from a space station in French Guiana.

The aim of the five-year mission is to map more than a billion stars, thereby creating a three-dimensional map of their positions and movement in space.

Scientists hope the information obtained will help them to better understand the structure and evolution of our galaxy, thereby shedding light on how it came into being.

New data on the movement of stars is also meant to allow scientists to predict incidents like the meteorite that exploded over Russia in February.

The comprehensive map, expected to collate data filling the equivalent of 20,000 DVDs, is set to be completed in 2020.

The first useable scientific data from the telescope is expected in January.

An earlier attempt by the agency to map the Milky Way took place from 1989 to 1993.

Experts say the mapping technology used for Gaia is 50 times more precise than that of its predecessor.

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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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Sisters cleared of fraud in UK Lawson case

TWO former personal assistants to Charles Saatchi and his ex-wife Nigella Lawson have been cleared of fraud.

The jury at Isleworth Crown Court, west London, found Italian sisters Elisabetta and Francesca Grillo not guilty of a single count of fraud each.

It was alleged that between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2012, the women committed fraud by abusing their positions as PAs, using a company credit card for personal gain - and were accused of spending more than STG685,000 ($A1.27 million) on themselves.

Elisabetta, 41, sometimes referred to in court as Lisa, and Francesca, 35, both of Kensington Gardens Square, Bayswater, west London, had been accused of living the "high life".

The court heard they used credit cards loaned to them by the TV cook and her ex-husband Saatchi to buy designer goods from Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Vivienne Westwood.

Francesca was accused of spending the largest amount on herself - a sum of STG580,000.

But the sisters insisted all of their purchases had been authorised.

And in a sensational twist their defence lawyers introduced allegations of drug-taking by Lawson and marital strife involving the celebrity couple.

It was claimed by the defence that there was a culture of secrecy within the high-profile couple's marriage and that the Grillo sisters were aware of Lawson's alleged drug use, while Saatchi was not.

The defence claimed that Elisabetta's knowledge of Lawson's supposed drug use materially affected the TV cook's attitude towards her spending.

After the three-week trial, the jury of seven men and five women rejected the prosecution's claims that the purchases on the cards had been unauthorised.

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Hockey announces financial inquiry panel

THE outgoing chief of AMP and former boss of CSL have been appointed by the federal government to a panel inquiring into Australia's financial system.

Treasurer Joe Hockey announced on Friday the four-member panel to assist inquiry chair David Murray, who are charged with reporting back to government on how to make the country's financial system more competitive and flexible.

AMP chief executive and managing director Craig Dunn and former CSL chief Brian McNamee head the list of appointees, which also include Melbourne University Professor of Finance Kevin Davis, and Carolyn Hewson, who sits on the board of BHP Billiton, Stockland and BT Investment Management.

The promised international advisory panel would be announced "early in the new year", Mr Hockey said.

The treasurer also released the final terms of reference for the inquiry, saying there were only minor changes to the draft terms published in November.

"The next step for the inquiry will be to receive submissions in line with the terms of reference," Mr Hockey said.

Submissions will open in early January and close at the end of March.

The Financial System Inquiry will provide an interim report by mid-2014, and a final report in November.

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NSA spying needed to fight terror: Putin

PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin says the National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance is necessary to fight terrorism, but added that the government must "limit the appetite" of the agency with a clear set of ground rules.

Putin's comment on Thursday was surprising support for President Barack Obama's administration, which has faced massive criticism over the sweeping US electronic espionage program.

He was speaking at his tightly choreographed annual press conference, a televised affair that goes on for many hours and attracts hundreds of journalists, some of whom were holding signs - or in one case an Olympic mascot teddy bear - in an effort to get called on for a question in front of a nationwide audience.

The Kremlin sees the event as key in burnishing Putin's father-of-the nation image.

Putin, a 16-year KGB veteran and the former chief of Russia's main espionage agency, said that while the NSA program "isn't a cause for joy, it's not a cause for repentance either" because it is needed to fight terrorism.

He argued that it's necessary to monitor large numbers of people to expose terrorist contacts. But "on political level, it's necessary to limit the appetite of special services with certain rules", he said.

Putin added that the efficiency of the effort - and its damage to privacy - is limited by the sheer inability to process such a huge amount of data.

Asked about former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, whom Russia has granted asylum, Putin insisted that Moscow isn't controlling him.

He argued that any revelations published by Snowden must have come from materials he provided before landing in Russia, and reaffirmed that Moscow made providing refuge to Snowden conditional on his halting what he called ant-American activities.

Putin said he hasn't met with Snowden. He insisted that Russian security agencies haven't worked with him and have not asked him any questions related to NSA activities against Russia.

Putin dismissed a report claiming that Moscow stationed its state-of-the art Iskander missiles in its Kaliningrad exclave region that borders NATO and EU members Poland and Lithuania, but added that he continues to consider such a move as a possible way of countering the US-led missile defence system in Europe.

Both Poland and Lithuania have expressed concern about such a possibility, and Washington warned Moscow against making destabilising moves. Putin said Russia has long considered it, but added that "we haven't made the decision yet" on deploying them.

Turning to Ukraine, Putin insisted that Russia's $US15 billion ($A16.99 billion) bailout of the economically struggling country was driven by a desire to help a partner in dire straits and wasn't linked to its talks with the European Union.

Ukraine has been an important customer for Russian gas and a key partner in industrial co-operation since Soviet times, he said.

The Kremlin's move comes as Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych faces massive street protests over his decision to spike a pact with the EU in favour of closer ties with Russia.

Asked about the possibility of similar protests hitting Moscow one day, Putin said such demonstrations must be held in strict conformity with the law to prevent the nation from sliding into chaos.

Putin confirmed that the amnesty bill passed by the Kremlin-controlled parliament on Wednesday will apply to the two members of the Pussy Riot punk band and the 30-people crew of a Greenpeace ship facing hooliganism charges for their protest at a Russian oil rig in the Arctic.

Asked whether he felt sorry for the two women, Putin stood by his strong criticism of their irreverent protest at Moscow's main cathedral, describing it as a publicity stunt that "crossed all barriers".

He also questioned the Greenpeace protesters' intentions to protect the Arctic and alleged that they were trying to hurt Russia's economic interests. He added that he did not mind that charges against the Greenpeace team were dropped under Wednesday's amnesty bill, but that he hoped that "this will not happen again".

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Two men found guilty of UK soldier murder

TWO British Muslim fanatics have been found guilty of the murder of soldier Lee Rigby.

Converts Michael Adebolajo, 29, and Michael Adebowale, 22, were convicted at the Old Bailey after running Fusilier Rigby down in a car and then hacking him to death with a meat cleaver and knives in front of horrified onlookers.

The pair lay in wait near Woolwich Barracks in south east London on May 22 and picked the 25-year-old to kill, after assuming he was a soldier because he was wearing a Help for Heroes hooded top and carrying a camouflage rucksack.

Within three minutes of hitting him at 50-60km/h in their car, they had butchered the young father and were dragging his body into the middle of the road.

Neither Adebolajo nor Adebowale had been able to offer any real defence for the barbaric attack during their trial, which was beset by legal delays.

The jury took little more than an hour to convict them of murder, but cleared them of the attempted murder of a police officer.

After the murder, Adebolajo had charged at a marksman wielding the cleaver while Adebowale brandished a gun.

Justice Sweeney ordered that the decisions be heard in silence, but relatives of Fusilier Rigby broke down in tears as the verdicts were given.

Justice Sweeney said he will pass sentence after a key appeal court ruling on the use of whole life terms in January.

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Xenophon wants new data-interception laws

FEDERAL independent Nick Xenophon wants changes to Australian telecommunications interception laws following calls for a narrowing of National Security Agency (NSA) powers.

A review board, set up by President Barack Obama in the wake of Edward Snowden's leaking of NSA secrets, has recommended a wide-ranging overhaul of its practices while preserving "robust" intelligence capabilities.

The panel issued 46 recommendations, including an end to retention of telephone "metadata" by the spy agency.

Senator Xenophon said the report was a "wake up call" and he would introduce legislation to curtail telecommunications interception powers in Australia.

The South Australian, who has previously called for a review of Australia's data surveillance practices, said if it was good enough for the US "then it's time we did the same thing".

"In the US legislation, there are safeguards for non-US citizens to avail themselves of the same procedures and judicial review as US citizens," he told AAP on Thursday.

"If the legislation doesn't pass it will be indeed ironic that Australian citizens will have more protection under US law than under their own laws."

Australia's domestic spy agencies have been under scrutiny after Snowdon leaks revealed the Defence Signals Directorate had tapped the phones of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his wife.

"All I'm asking for the prime minister and opposition to do is to support what our closest ally is doing," Senator Xenophon said.

Attorney-General George Brandis said he would not comment on the recommendations on the NSA's powers.

"We work with the intelligence agencies of our closest partners given the common threats we face, including terrorism," Senator Brandis said in a statement.

"We are committed to maintaining these relationships and protecting Australia's security interests and the safety of Australians at home and abroad.

"The Australian Government is committed to maintaining an appropriate balance between national security and privacy considerations."

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Spending rises for 15th consecutive month

SPENDING by consumers, businesses and government rose 0.5 per cent in trend terms in November, the 15th consecutive month of growth.

The latest Commonwealth Bank Business Sales Indicator showed annual spending growth was returning to pre-global financial crisis levels.

In seasonally adjusted terms, described by CBA as being more volatile, spending increased by 0.2 per cent in November, following a 4.1 per cent rise in October.

The report's author, CommSec chief economist Craig James, said consumers had become more cautious in November, but the outlook remained positive.

"November's slightly more modest spending growth preceded a dip in consumer confidence in December, with confidence levels easing from a multi-year high," Mr James said.

"Consumers have been worried by job losses across various industries, higher petrol prices, a weaker Aussie dollar and a more subdued share market.

"Nevertheless, the signs are generally positive."

Interest rates remain low, lending has increased and a lower Australian dollar was good news for the economy overall, Mr James said.

The BSI tracks debit and credit card transactions at CBA's point of sales terminals.

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Amnesty granted to Greenpeace Arctic 30

GREENPEACE'S Arctic 30 have expressed relief after the Russian parliament voted to grant them amnesty, the environmental organisation says.

Three months after 28 activists and two freelance journalists were arrested at an Arctic oil platform, the Duma has voted for an amendment that extends an amnesty decree.

The activists, who have been charged with hooliganism, are now waiting on a final vote to grant them freedom.

Greenpeace said it looked to be only a matter of time until they can return to their families.

"The legal proceedings against the Arctic 30 are now almost certain to come to an end and the 26 non-Russians will be free to return home to their families as soon as they are given exit visas by the Russian authorities," the organisation said in a statement.

Tasmanian activist Colin Russell and permanent Australian residents Alex Harris from Sydney and Jon Beauchamp from Adelaide have expressed relief at the vote.

"I know Colin Russell is desperate to get back to Tassie and return to a normal life after this extraordinary ordeal which has been so taxing for him, his wife Chrissie and daughter Maddy," Greenpeace Australia Pacific Senior Campaigner Reece Turner said on Wednesday.

Mr Turner said Ms Harris was looking forward to the simple things when she returns to Australia.

"When I was in St Petersburg recently I asked Alex Harris, who works in our office, what she was going to do first when she's back home in Australia.

"She said apart from seeing her friends and her dear cousin Gemma she was really looking forward to walking along Manly beach as a free woman."

The group of environmental activists were imprisoned in September after protesting against Russia's Prirazlomnaya oil rig in the Arctic.

The captain of the Arctic Sunrise, Peter Willcox said he should never have been charged and jailed in the first place.

"We sailed north to bear witness to a profound environmental threat but our ship was stormed by masked men wielding knives and guns.

"Now its nearly over and we may soon be truly free. But there's no amnesty for the Arctic," he said in a statement.

Greenpeace said it was unclear when the non-Russians in the group, including Mr Russell, would be able to leave the country.

Earlier this month 26 of the activists from 17 nations had their passports returned to them but they do not have the correct visas to leave Russia.

Greenpeace said the campaign to free the Arctic 30 has involved 860 protests in 46 countries.

Meanwhile more than 2.6 million people wrote to Russian embassies, the organisation said.

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