Aust mum seeks truth about Thai death

THE Australian mother of a 24-year-old man who died after a five-storey fall in Thailand hopes police reports provide fresh evidence into his death, which she believes followed an assault.

Karen Edwards, whose son Nathan died at the Hilton Arcadia Hotel in Phuket on Valentine's Day in 2010, says any new evidence will be passed on to the South Australian coroner and investigators.

Mr Edwards had been working as a flight attendant for V Australia at the time of his death and was scheduled to stay in Phuket for two nights.

Mrs Edwards, accompanied by Senator Nick Xenophon, travelled to Thailand recently to receive the Phuket police files, which will enable the South Australian coroner to review the evidence.

Doubts have been raised over the official version of events into Mr Edward's death: that he plunged from a balcony after attempting to enter the wrong room at the hotel from a night out with friends at the nearby Patong entertainment area.

Thai police reports said the guests in the room he attempted to enter called security but by the time it arrived he was dead.

Mrs Edwards told AAP that receiving the police file marked a major breakthrough.

"We have fought for three and a half years to have the file released," she said.

Mrs Edwards stands by her view that her son was assaulted before his fatal plunge.

Questions were also raised over hotel security when authorities later said CCTV footage had been accidentally erased.

The Thai police files are being translated at the Australian embassy in Bangkok before being sent to South Australia where the state's coroner and crime investigation unit will "sift through for any new information that comes to light".

"It's been a long journey," Mrs Edwards said.

"I hope (the file) will give us a few more answers. I have done all I can as a mother to get the file.

"All I hope is to get some answers."

Mrs Edwards hopes other people who might have evidence will come forward with information.

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Case of burned woman baffles NSW cops

A severely burnt woman discovered in Sydney bushland claimed she was a victim of a chemical attack. Source: AAP

POLICE are mystified as to how a woman who was critically burned in an apparent chemical attack survived for days on the streets of western Sydney with little more than basic first aid.

A resident on Ferraro Crescent at West Hoxton heard cries from nearby bushland on Friday night and called triple zero.

When police arrived they found Monika "Nikki" Chetty, who has reportedly been sleeping rough in the area for months, with extensive burns to her face and body.

The 39-year-old told police she was attacked about a week ago in a Liverpool park but she did not seek help at hospital.

"In my 41 years in the police, this is most baffling - I cannot fathom the circumstances leading up to this," Green Valley Police Detective Superintendent James Johnson told reporters on Saturday.

"She is covered in black marks. It's full-thickness burns.

"She would have been in absolute agony, in my opinion, and to survive this long is amazing."

Ferraro Crescent resident Gavin O'Brien reportedly found Ms Chetty washing her wounds around the side of his house on Boxing Day.

"I couldn't tell it was a woman, the person was that disfigured," he told Network Ten.

"Had bandages on their head, didn't look too well. I asked if they were OK, they didn't want to talk, they were quite distressed."

It has been reported the woman is a mother of three who occasionally slept in bushland near where she was found by emergency services.

"She's been hanging up bedsheets and clothes along the park fence," neighbour Frank Ravese told the Seven Network.

Ms Chetty is in the Concord hospital burns unit in critical condition and police have asked for anyone with information to come forward.

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Chinese man gets death for child deaths

A CHINESE man who hacked three children to death and injured 13 others at a daycare centre in southern China has been sentenced to death.

The official Xinhua News Agency reported on Saturday that Wu Yechang was convicted of intentional homicide in the Guigang Intermediate People's Court in China's Guangxi region for the September 2012 attack that horrified the country.

It was one of several violent attacks on children in China in recent years that have resulted in tighter security at schools and kindergartens.

The attacks also have led to calls for more attention to mental illnesses and prompted concern over rising stress in Chinese society.

Wu suffered from illness and loneliness when he targeted the children at the Red Apple daycare centre in Guangxi's Pingnan county, Xinhua said.

He told police in 2012 he initially wanted to kill himself but decided to do something bigger.

Reports say the jobless man bought an axe and was wandering when he saw the daycare centre.

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Emergency alert for Stradbroke Island fire

A watch and act alert has been issued for a bushfire on Queensland's North Stradbroke Island. Source: AAP

AN emergency bushfire alert has been issued for a blaze on Queensland's North Stradbroke Island, with warnings that homes may be lost.

Queensland police say the Public Safety Preservation Act has been invoked.

The act was declared at 7.30pm (AEST) and is in force for the area bounded by Trans Island Road - also known as Tazi Road - to the east, north along North Stradbroke Island Track - also known as Tripod Track - to the intersection of Beehive and East Coast roads, then west to the shoreline at Moreton Bay, south to the water taxi jetty in Dunwich and then east along Junner and Mallon streets back to Trans Island Road.

Police have urged those within the boundaries to follow directions from emergency service agencies.

Residents were strongly advised to leave if they were able.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) says the fire is moving quickly and is uncontrolled.

Spot fires are likely to start up to four kilometres ahead of the fire front and embers are also being thrown from the fire.

It's feared some property may be lost, and authorities said power and water supplies as well as mobile phone reception could be lost in the area during the night.

The QFES warned that conditions on the island would be very hot and windy on Saturday night, and as the fire approached people would find it increasingly difficult to breathe.

Officials say well-prepared homes can offer safety during the fire and may be defendable, but residents are advised to call triple zero if their property is threatened.

"Multiple fire crews are working to contain the blaze but firefighters will not be able to protect every affected property and residents should not expect a firefighter at their door," the QFES said in a statement.

Meanwhile, residents on the mainland and Southern Moreton Bay Islands were being asked to conserve water on Saturday morning after a treatment plant was damaged on North Stradbroke Island.

The treatment plant is one of two that service the region.

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Two dead in Vic road tragedy

THE drivers of two cars described to police as racing erratically and side-by-side on a Victorian highway before a fatal crash are aged in their 50s and 60s.

Victorian police say concerned witnesses called them about a high-speed car race on Saturday on the Calder Highway at Glenalbyn, near Bendigo, moments before two of three vehicles involved collided.

Emergency services were called to the crash about 12.40pm (AEDT).

Two of the vehicles, a blue Ford station wagon and a light brown Ford Falcon, crashed and ran off the road.

The station wagon struck a tree, killing two men inside the vehicle.

The 67-year-old male driver of the Falcon was taken to Bendigo Hospital in a serious condition.

His 35-year-old female passenger was airlifted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a serious condition.

Both have serious head injuries and remain in hospital under police guard.

The occupants of all three vehicles are known to each other, police say.

The driver of the third vehicle, a 51-year-old Wedderburn man, is in custody.

Police are investigating the circumstances leading up to the crash.

The highway remains closed while the crash scene is examined.

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Replacement party cancelled at Wet n Wild

A replacement for a cancelled New Year's Eve festival at Sydney's Wet 'n' Wild has been cancelled. Source: AAP

THE recently opened Wet 'n' Wild theme park in Sydney won't be hired out for big events in the near future following the last-minute cancellation of a New Year's Eve music festival.

Thousands of people who bought tickets to ring in the new year at the western Sydney theme park were let down at the last minute when the organisers, One Cube Entertainment, cancelled the event six hours beforehand, citing technical issues.

After announcing the cancellation on Facebook, One Cube Entertainment promised an "even better" festival would take place on Australia Day.

However, Wet 'n' Wild owners, Village Roadshow Theme Parks, on Friday said that event would not go ahead.

Ticket-holders are being refunded, with One Cube Entertainment working with promoters to ensure they are processed as quickly as possible.

Village Roadshow Theme Parks spokesman Darrin Davies said they were extremely disappointed at the cancellation.

He could not comment on media reports One Cube Entertainment was vastly inexperienced for such an event, having been set up four months ago.

"We entered into a commercial agreement with them to hire a venue and that's all it was," Mr Davies told AAP on Friday.

"From our point of view we are not currently entertaining more requests for hiring the venue."

Mr Davies said the decision was not linked directly to the New Year's Eve incident.

"We've had this event cancelled and we're focusing now on what we do best, which is running a theme park," he said.

Annual music festival the Big Day Out takes place in Sydney on Australia Day, which also played a role in the decision not to host the festival, he added.

Mr Davies said while the park had no current booking requests, it would take any on their merits.

About 8700 people bought tickets for the event, described by One Cube Entertainment as a "world first", "new and fresh" way for Sydneysiders to celebrate New Year's Eve.

Fair Trading Commissioner Rod Stowe assured all ticket holders they would receive full refunds.

Mr Davies said Village Roadshow Theme Parks returned the hiring fee to One Cube Entertainment on the grounds that refunds would take place.

The Fair Trading hotline is 1800 213 428.

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NSW nursing home resident found safe

Police are concerned about a 63-year-old man who was last seen at a Sydney aged care home on Sunday. Source: AAP

A 63-YEAR-OLD man who went missing in Sydney's inner west for five days has come home.

Police had appealed for help finding Reginald Bates, last seen leaving an aged care home on Albert Street, Campsie, on Sunday.

But about 8pm (AEDT) on Friday he returned to the nursing home safe and well, police said.

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Briton, New Zealander shot dead in Libya

LIBYAN troops have found the bodies of a British man and a New Zealand woman shot dead southwest of Tripoli, a security source says.

"The bodies of a British man and a New Zealand woman who had been killed by bullets were found on the beach in Mellitah on Thursday afternoon," the source told AFP on Friday.

The bodies had been moved to Tripoli, the source added, without giving any details on the circumstances of the deaths.

"We are aware of the tragic death of a British national in Libya and we stand ready to provide consular assistance," a spokesman for Britain's Foreign Office told AFP on Friday.

New Zealand's foreign ministry said it was aware of the report and was "working with the relevant authorities to confirm this".

It added that "the bodies have not yet been formally identified and the next of kin have not yet been informed".

The Mellitah area houses a major gas complex run by Mellitah Oil and Gas, a joint enterprise of Italy's ENI and Libya's state-owned National Oil Company, which exports natural gas to Italy through the Greenstream pipeline.

Libya has seen growing unrest following the overthrow of long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

The country is awash in weapons looted from the slain dictator's arsenals, and many former rebel brigades have refused to disarm or join the new security forces.

Last month a young American teacher was gunned down while on his morning jog in the restive eastern city of Benghazi, the cradle of the 2011 revolt which has since seen scores of attacks on security forces and foreign missions.

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Nurses to join medicare protest in Sydney

Nurses and midwives are to join a protest in Sydney against proposed changes to Medicare. Source: AAP

NURSES and midwives are to join a protest in Sydney against proposed changes to Medicare.

Acting General Secretary of the NSW Nurses' and Midwives' Association (NSWNMA), Judith Kiejda, says nurses will turn out in numbers to a rally in defence of Medicare at the Sydney Town Hall at 1pm (AEDT) on Saturday.

A National Commission of Audit in late December received a proposal for a co-payment scheme for GP consultations.

Doctor groups and political parties have criticised such a move, claiming it would destroy Medicare and limit access to GPs for some community groups.

"Wage and salary earners pay the Medicare levy to make that possible - so anyone can get treatment whether they are rich or poor," Ms Kiejda said in a statement.

"Money should never be a barrier to medical care in Australia."

Ms Kiejda likened the move to the Howard government's unpopular Workchoices legislation.

"That cost them the very next election," she said.

"An attack on Medicare, forcing pensioners and everyone else to pay to see a doctor when they have already paid a levy for years, that will have exactly the same result."

Federal Health Minister Peter Dutton said he would not comment on "speculation around what the Commission of Audit may or may not recommend".

"The commission's work is still being compiled and will be provided to the government in 2014," he said in a statement last week.

"The government will be able to consider any recommendations and respond after that time."

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European lending lags

NEW figures show that European banks are lending less to companies - another sign the continent's economic upswing remains less than robust.

The European Central Bank reported on Friday that loans to companies slipped by 3.1 per cent in November from a year earlier.

The drop was sharper than the previous month's 3.0 per cent.

Analysts say banks can be reluctant to lend given uncertain growth prospects that mean increased risk they won't be repaid.

Some companies, meanwhile, may not want to risk borrowing, and others don't need credit because they are sitting on adequate cash reserves - but don't yet see a reason to invest that cash in new production.

The economy of the euro currency union - a bloc that grew from 17 to 18 members in the new year with Latvia's accession - expanded by only 0.1 per cent in the third quarter last year, with unemployment at 12.1 per cent.

Governments' efforts to reduce debt by cutting spending and raising taxes have weighed on growth.

Analyst Howard Archer at IHS Global Insight said the weak figures increased pressure on the ECB to add stimulus to the economy in the coming months.

He said the ECB could offer cheap, long-term loans to banks on the condition the money is used for lending.

Analyst Michael Schubert at Commerzbank said that providing such loans could be complex, noting some ECB officials have expressed concern about interfering in banks' market-based decision-making.

Those considerations "suggest that for now the ECB council will remain in wait-and-see mode", he said in a note to investors.

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New year heats up in parts of Australia

QUEENSLAND is about to swelter through a heatwave, with the mercury tipped to reach close to 50C this week.

But South Australians are already sweating through 2014, with some northern centres posting temperatures in the high 40s.

In the western Queensland town of Birdsville, the mercury could soar as high as 48C on Thursday, while in Brisbane temperatures are predicted to hit a sultry 39C on Saturday.

Temperatures are expected to be five degrees to 10 degrees above the average across the state in the next few days, the Bureau of Meteorology said on Wednesday.

Diamantina Shire Mayor Geoff Morton, who lives in Birdsville, said it would be business as usual in the town despite the forecast 48C heat, 1.5 degrees shy of the 1972 record.

"Once it gets over 45 (degrees) it doesn't matter whether it's 45 or 55, it's still bloody hot," Mr Morton said on Wednesday.

"Everything's hot, everything's hot to touch, the ground is hot ... a few more degrees is not going to make much of a difference."

He said melted tar stuck to the tyres of passing freight trucks and locals would spend the day in air-conditioning or start work early to avoid the midday heat.

"If you walk down the street from 12 o'clock on you won't see anybody. They're hibernating," he said.

"They've got a pretty simple choice. Inside the pub is 23 degrees and outside is 53."

Gordon Banks from the Bureau of Meteorology said a large, dry, hot mass of air stagnating in the nation's interior was the cause.

"We do get these bursts of several days where we're seeing high 30s to low 40s through the (state's) interior," he said.

"But what we're seeing at the moment is that we're having this run of days where we're seeing mid to high 40s through the interior and that certainly is much more unusual."

In Alice Springs the heat is predicted to reach 43C on Thursday.

But the heat is already being felt further south.

In SA on Wednesday, Tarcoola recorded a maximum of 48.2C, with Oodnadatta not far behind on 47.7C, three degrees short of the town's record high of 50.7C in 1960.

The temperature in Oodnadatta had been forecast to go as high as 49C.

Other centres to go above 47C included Roxby Downs and Coober Pedy, with the scorching conditions extending as far south as Port Augusta, which had 46.2C.

The bureau said the hot conditions would continue on Thursday with Moomba and Marree expecting tops of 49C, Oodnadatta 48C, Marla 47C and Leigh Creek 46C.

Conditions were cooler in SA's south as a change moved through, with milder conditions forecast for the next 24 hours.

The bureau said Adelaide's top temperature on Thursday would be 23C with rain likely, while at Stirling, in the Adelaide Hills, a top of 19C was likely.

A slightly cooler change is expected to move through the state from Friday.

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Sydney measles outbreak spreads in NZ

AN outbreak of measles linked to a Sydney hip-hop dance festival has spread from Auckland to the New Zealand cities of Turangi and Taupo, with 10 cases confirmed.

An 18-year-old Auckland woman was the first to have been reported contracting measles while in Sydney early in December, after she took part in the 2013 World Supremacy Battlegrounds hip-hop competition.

New Zealand's Ministry of Health on Wednesday said that on top of the Auckland case, there were nine confirmed cases and one case under investigation around Turangi and Taupo.

Three of the nine Taupo/Turangi confirmed cases had attended the competition, while the remaining six cases were family or known to those who had been at the festival, acting deputy director of public health Harriette Carr said.

People affected are being kept isolated at home.

People from Huntly and Hamilton are known to have attended the festival and public health officials are trying to track them down.

"Measles can be a serious disease and is easily spread to someone who is not immunised, or who has not been exposed to measles previously," Dr Carr said.

The Auckland case was the first case of measles in the area for 18 months.

Auckland medical officer of health Catherine Jackson warns that measles is extremely infectious and can cause serious complications.

"Auckland's last major measles outbreak in 2011 demonstrates how quickly the disease can spread. One infected child resulted in nearly 500 cases and 80 hospital admissions," she said.

She told NZ Newswire the infected 18-year-old had never been immunised so she was susceptible to measles.

"She is being quarantined until she's no longer infectious," Dr Jackson said.

Measles symptoms start with a high fever, which develops about 10 days after exposure. This is followed with one or more of the following: a runny nose, cough, red eyes and small white spots inside the mouth.

A red blotchy rash on the neck and face appears, before spreading to the body.

Anyone with measles symptoms or concerns is asked to phone their GP or Healthline on 0800 611 116.

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Motorcyclist dies in Perth crash

A MOTORCYCLIST has died after being thrown off his bike while riding on a Perth highway.

Police said the 46-year-old man was riding his motorbike south on Tonkin Highway at Ascot when the incident occurred about 11.47am (WST) on Wednesday.

It's thought the man was entering the exit lane to the Great Eastern Highway when his bike clipped a guard rail and he was thrown onto the road.

The man suffered severe head injuries and was taken to Perth Royal Hospital where he died.

Police want to talk to anyone who witnessed the crash.

The man's death takes the WA road toll for the holiday period to five and the national road toll to 23.

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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Vic man lost teeth after hit on NYE

A man has lost several teeth after he was punched in the face at a New Year's party in Melbourne. Source: AAP

A MAN has lost several teeth after he was punched in the face at an out-of-control New Year's Eve party in Melbourne.

The 31-year-old Noble Park man was celebrating at Edinburgh Gardens, North Fitzroy, when he tried to break up a fight at 11.30pm (AEDT) on Tuesday.

He fell unconscious to the ground after he was punched.

He was taken to St Vincents Hospital where he will undergo surgery on Thursday for serious facial injuries.

An Ambulance Victoria triage facility had to be set up at Edinburgh Gardens to assist 20 people who required care.

Police say the offender is Caucasian, aged in his early 20s with a thin build and black hair.

He was wearing a white t-shirt and another man was with him at the time of the attack.

That man is described as being Caucasian with an English accent and wearing a green singlet.

Police are appealing for any witnesses to come forward.

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Vic fire crews contain chemical spill

FIREFIGHTERS have worked for more than six hours to contain a chemical spill at a food crate manufacturing site in Melbourne's west.

Firefighters are neutralising a sanitising agent called Oxyzan ZS after it leaked from a container at a factory in Laverton North after 4pm (AEDT).

Melbourne Fire Brigade spokesman Steve Aicher said that roughly 700 litres of the chemical leaked through a pump on the container.

He said firefighters would remove the chemical when it was safe to do so.

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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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