Pressure mounting after Sydney drunk brawl

A brawl left three men in hospital in Sydney amid pressure for action on alcohol-related violence. Source: AAP

PRESSURE is mounting on the NSW Government to explain why it hasn't acted on an approved alcohol-related violence plan following a serious assault in Sydney.

Three men were knocked unconscious early on Saturday morning in a brawl in Sydney's CBD.

According to police, a group of people was sitting in Martin Place when several men approached.

A fight started and three men were knocked unconscious.

Two men, aged 24 and 30, were taken to St Vincent's Hospital with head injuries.

A 30-year-old man was also taken to hospital with face lacerations.

Two days ago - and following weeks of public pressure - Premier Barry O'Farrell revealed the government would urgently consider measures to tackle alcohol fuelled assaults in Sydney.

Among the suite of measures that would go before cabinet were proposals to improve the regulation of alcohol licensing, he said.

But the ABC reported on Friday that Mr O'Farrell had a plan sitting on his desk for the past 16 months.

A leaked email from September 2012 reportedly shows that cabinet approved "in principle the introduction of a periodic fee system to commence from July 2013", the ABC reported.

Hospitality Minister George Souris says he will not comment on cabinet meetings.

Shadow Health Minister Andrew McDonald accused the government of running for cover.

"They are hiding, they are hoping it will go away," he said on Saturday.

"This will not go away. It is far too important."

Dr McDonald said the non-implementation of the plan was because the government was in the "pocket of the liquor lobby".

He said it was only a matter of time until the next tragic death.

On Friday friends and family farewelled 18-year-old Daniel Christie, who was fatally punched in Kings Cross on New Year's Eve.

The attack on Daniel Christie took place near the spot where Thomas Kelly was fatally assaulted in 2012.

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Two face UK terror charges against Syria

TWO men are due to appear in London court charged with travelling to Syria intending to commit acts of terrorism.

Yusuf Sarwar and Mohammed Ahmed - both 21 and from Birmingham, central England - were arrested at Heathrow Airport on Monday after arriving on a flight from Turkey.

The men stand accused of travelling to Syria on or before May 15, 2013 via Istanbul, Turkey, "with the intention of committing acts of terrorism" and preparing to engage in acts of terrorism.

They will appear on Saturday at Westminster Magistrates Court in London.

Police have said the case is not connected to the arrest on Friday of another 21-year-old from Birmingham on suspicion of attending a terrorist training camp in Syria.

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Syrian opposition still unsure on talks

THE question of whether Syrian opposition representatives will participate in the upcoming Geneva II peace conference was set to dominate a second day of talks in Turkey.

"There are differences we cannot hide, as most of the participants want guarantees that the current regime will not have any role in (a) future Syria," opposition member Salem al-Mousalet said on Saturday.

The international meeting in Switzerland, due to start on Wednesday, will seek to negotiate an end to the nearly three-year-old Syrian conflict by clearing the way towards a transitional government.

The opposition Syrian National Coalition has repeatedly said the peace conference should lead to a transitional government with no future role for President Bashar al-Assad and his family.

Assad's government has rejected this demand.

A source inside the meeting, at a secret location on the outskirts of Istanbul, said there were "heated debates" on Friday about the number of delegates who would participate in the conference.

The delegation might include around 15 members, who will represent all parties in the National Coalition, he added.

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EU advice sought on Kit Kat ruling

An EU advice has been sought on whether the shape of a Kit Kat should be registered as a trademark. Source: AAP

A UK judge deliberating on a legal dispute relating to the shape of a Kit Kat has decided to have a break - and wait for a decision from a European court.

Justice Richard Arnold is analysing a High Court argument between confectionery giants Nestle - which sells Kit Kat bars - and Cadbury.

Nestle wants to register the three-dimensional shape of a Kit Kat as a trademark. Cadbury has objected.

The judge heard legal argument from both sides at a hearing in London in December - and outlined his thoughts in a published ruling.

He said aspects of European trademark law were "unclear". And he said he would seek clarification from the Court of Justice in the European Union.

"Certain aspects of the relevant law remain unclear," said Justice Arnold.

"I have decided it is necessary to seek clarification of the law from the Court of Justice of the European Union in order to determine the (dispute)."

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Man's body found in burnt shed in NSW

A MAN'S body has been found after a shed fire on NSW's Central Coast.

The 63-year-old's body was discovered inside the shed after Fire & Rescue NSW officers extinguished the blaze behind a home on Panorama Avenue at Charmhaven after 5pm (AEDT) on Saturday.

A crime scene has been established and is being examined by forensic officers.

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Neighbour saves occupant in Vic house fire

A NEIGHBOUR has saved the occupant of a Melbourne home who was sleeping when fire broke out.

Fire crews were called to the Camberwell house just after 12.30am (AEDT) on Wednesday to find it well alight.

One occupant, who was asleep at the time, was alerted by a neighbour and evacuated safely, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade said.

The fire is estimated to have caused more than $200,000 damage and its cause will be investigated.

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Locals to return home after WA bushfire

LOCALS near where more than 50 homes were destroyed by a devastating bushfire in the Perth Hills will start returning home on Wednesday.

As firefighters continue to mop up in Stoneville, Parkerville and Mt Helena, authorities have confirmed the toll of properties lost at 52, with more than $13 million in damage already reported by insurers.

The fire is also being blamed for the death of one man, 62-year-old Ron Shaw, who collapsed as he stood on the roof of his Hovea home to prepare for the arrival of the flames.

Power remains out for about 450 homes in the region on Wednesday morning, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) says.

DFES on Wednesday said residents in the "zone where home have been lost" would be prevented from returning to the area today because it was "hazardous due to damaged infrastructure, downed powerlines and the risk of falling tree limbs".

"People outside this zone are allowed to start returning to their homes, however they are required to register for a permit and access will be restricted," DFES added in a statement.

The agency said a watch and act alert remained in place for the eastern part of the Parkerville, Stoneville and Mount Helena.

"Firefighters will continue to strengthen containment lines and ensure the area is 100 per cent blacked out throughout," DFES said.

Counselling services have been made available to the dozens of people whose homes were razed in the fire.

Fire authorities have confirmed the blaze was most likely sparked by a fallen power pole on private property.

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Stocks to watch on Wednesday

STOCKS to watch on the Australian stock exchange on Wednesday, Jan 15:

CPA - COMMONWEALTH PROPERTY OFFICE FUND - down one cent, or 0.81 per cent, at $1.23

GPT - GPT GROUP - down one cent, or 0.28 per cent, at $3.59

Property group GPT Group will not increase its offer for the Commonwealth Property Office Fund (CPA) nor extend the offer period.

CWN - CROWN - down 12 cents, or 0.7 per cent, at $17.09

Granting a 99-year licence for Melbourne's Crown Casino would be unusual and a big call, Victoria's acting premier says.

FGE - FORGE GROUP - down 22.5 cents, or 18.0 per cent, at $1.025

Shares in Forge Group have plunged again after it announced a $28 million profit write-down of its Western Australian power station.

RIO - RIO TINTO - down 16.0 cents, or 0.25 per cent, at $63.35

Mining giant Rio Tinto has paid more than $1.31 billion for 510 million Turquoise Hill shares under a rights issue, clearing the slate as it develops the Oyu Tolgoi mine in Mongolia.

RRL - REGIS RESOURCES - down 17 cents, or 5.54 per cent, at $2.90

Shares in gold miner Regis Resources have fallen more than three per cent after the company missed its quarterly production targets and flagged lower recovery rates at its Garden Well operation.

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JPMorgan returns to a profit in Q4

JPMorgan Chase, the biggest US bank by assets, says it returned to a profit in the fourth quarter. Source: AAP

JPMORGAN Chase, the biggest US bank by assets, says it returned to a profit in the fourth quarter.

The bank said it had net income of $US5.3 billion ($A5.8 billion) in the last three months of 2013, compared with a profit of $US5.7 billion in the same period a year earlier.

On a per-share basis, JPMorgan said it had earned $US1.30 a share in the quarter, compared with $US1.39 a share a year earlier.

Revenue fell one per cent to $US24.1 billion, just above analysts' expectations of $US23.9 billion.

The bank reported a loss in the third quarter, due to the bank's mounting legal costs. It was the bank's first quarterly loss in 10 years.

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Audit hearing Labor, Greens stunt: Hockey

TREASURER Joe Hockey says a Senate inquiry hearing into the Abbott government's commission of audit is just a Labor/Greens stunt.

The chair of the commission, former Business Council chief Tony Shepherd, will front the hearing in Canberra on Wednesday to answer questions about his work ahead of an interim report due to be delivered to Mr Hockey in the coming weeks.

But Mr Hockey says it's a show trial.

"This is just a new year stunt from the Greens and the Labor Party, and it reflects the lack of maturity from the opposition," the treasurer told ABC radio on Wednesday.

Mr Hockey says the commission's work will "eventually" be made public, but its recommendations need to be fully considered by the government before that happens.

"We've given them the brief, we've given them the resources - let them get on with doing the job."

He dismissed suggestions that Mr Shepherd or other commissioners may have conflicts of interest as "novel".

The commission of audit - similar to that undertaken by the Howard government in 1996 - was set up to find savings across the public service and also consider the privatisation of public assets.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Australians had a right to know what would be cut from the budget as a result of the audit.

"That's what these Senate hearings are all about - what is the truth?" Mr Shorten told ABC radio.

He said the commission would have already settled some of its recommendations, given its interim report was due soon.

"The commissioners, if they don't provide answers to questions, have clearly been gagged by the government."

He accused the government of trying to keep any cuts secret until at least after next month's by-election in former prime minister Kevin Rudd's seat of Griffith.

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Missing man feared daughter's relocation

Water police have joined the search for Greg Hutchings and daughter Eeva Dorendahl(pic). Source: AAP

A NSW man may be missing with his four-year-old daughter after discovering his former partner might have been planning to move to Finland with the child.

Greg Hutchings and his daughter Eeva Dorendahl, 4, were last seen on Pottsville Road at Pottsville in northern NSW on Saturday.

Mr Hutchings had arranged to meet his former partner, Eeva's mother, in Pottsville around midday but he never showed.

Mr Hutchings' family have since revealed the 35-year-old may have been concerned Eeva was going to go overseas.

His sister, Sheri Hutchings, said the discovery of a Finnish passport was possibly the catalyst.

"Greg has lived and loved that little girl with the lightest of love and would never compromise her safety," she wrote on her Facebook page.

"He has been concerned that Eeva's mum might relocate them to Finland without Greg's knowledge.

"His discovery of a secret Finnish passport for Eeva has probably been the catalyst for his hesitation in returning Eeva to her mum."

Ms Hutchings said she had complete trust Eeva was safe, happy and very well cared for.

Police would not comment on whether a passport was a motive for the disappearance.

Emergency services, including jet skis and a police helicopter, continued the search for Mr Hutchings and Eeva around Pottsville on Tuesday.

Crews scoured waterways and beaches but could not find the missing pair.

Tweed Police Inspector Gary Cowan said the pair had camped in the area before.

"It's an area where the dad and daughter have been camping before so if they have gone to ground for whatever reason, they've probably got food and water there," he told the ABC on Tuesday.

The search is expected to continue throughout the night and into Wednesday.

It has been reported Eeva was due to return home to the Sunshine Coast with her mother after staying with Mr Hutchings in Pottsville.

Mr Hutchings is of Caucasian appearance, about 175cm tall, with short brown curly hair and of a thin build.

Police say he was last seen wearing a black long-sleeve shirt, grey trousers and carrying a black backpack.

Eeva is also of Caucasian appearance, with long blonde hair and blue eyes.

She was last seen wearing an oversized blue and white-coloured shirt and multicoloured board shorts.

Police are urging anyone with information about this incident to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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NSW cyclist dies following crash

A FEMALE cyclist has died four days after a crash south of Sydney.

Emergency services were called to McKell Avenue at Waterfall on Saturday morning after reports a cyclist and a car had collided.

Officers found a 35-year-old woman with serious injuries.

Police were told the woman was riding along the road when she collided with a car travelling in the opposite direction.

Police say the woman died in hospital on Tuesday.

Inquiries into the crash are continuing, police say.

A 23-year-old man died late on Monday night when his car ran off the road and hit a tree late at Salamander Bay near Port Stephens.

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China expects 3.6bn Lunar New Year trips

CHINESE officials say they are expecting citizens to make 3.6 billion trips during the Chinese New Year travel period that starts on Thursday.

The holiday is the most important one in China and represents the world's largest seasonal migration of people as families reunite.

The Year of the Horse starts on January 31. The Spring Festival transportation period lasts 40 days from January 16.

Lian Weiliang, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, says they expect 200 million more journeys than in 2013.

Lian also told a news conference on Tuesday snow and bad weather could hamper the mass migration.

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Banana ban for health-kick monkeys

MONKEYS at a British zoo have been banned from eating bananas - because they are too unhealthy.

Animal nutritionists have likened giving bananas to the primates at Paignton Zoo in Devon to humans eating too much cake and chocolate.

The monkeys have been on a health kick and have been avoiding food that is too sweet and sugary - including bananas.

Amy Plowman, head of conservation and advocacy, said: "People usually try to improve their diet by eating more fruit - but fruit cultivated for humans is much higher in sugar and much lower in protein and fibre than most wild fruit because we like our fruit to be so sweet and juicy.

"Giving this fruit to animals is equivalent to giving them cake and chocolate.

"Compared to the food they would eat in the wild, bananas are much more energy-dense - they have lots of calories - and contain much more sugar that's bad for their teeth and can lead to diabetes and similar conditions.

"It can also cause gastrointestinal problems as their stomachs are mostly adapted to eating fibrous foods with very low digestibility."

Plowman said it had not been too hard to wean the monkeys off bananas and give them vegetables instead.

"They didn't get a choice but - unlike children - they couldn't complain."

A typical monkey diet now features lots of green leafy vegetables, smaller amounts of other vegetables and as much browse - leafy branches - as possible, especially for the leaf-eating monkeys.

A specialist pellet feed gives them the correct balance of nutrients, while small amounts of cooked brown rice can be scattered around enclosures to encourage foraging.

Animals do still get bananas if they are unwell and the keepers need to make sure they take medication.

"Putting it in a piece of banana works really well, as it's such a treat now," Plowman said.

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Man charged as dying passenger abandoned

A MOTORBIKE rider has been arrested for allegedly leaving a passenger who died on a Queensland road.

Police were called to Jambin-Dakenbah Road in Biloela about 4am (AEST) on January 10, where they found a man who died despite medical efforts at the scene.

Police allege the man sustained fatal injuries while he was a passenger on a motorbike a 28-year-old man was riding.

The rider, from Argoon, has been charged with a string of offences, including dangerous operation of vehicle causing death.

He was also charged for leaving the scene of the incident without getting help.

He will appear in Biloela Magistrates Court on January 29.

Police issued a special thanks to the Jambin and Biloela communities for their assistance in the case.

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Instant messaging to surge in 2014

INSTANT messaging services on mobile phones are likely to carry more than twice the number of messages sent by text in 2014, according to global predictions by Deloitte.

As 50 billion instant messages are set to be dispatched, 21 billion text messages are expected to be sent - a rapid lift from 2012, when 11 instant messages were sent for every 10 texts, the firm said.

While instant messaging services - such as WhatsApp and Snapchat - may win the battle for volume this year, text messaging will be victorious in revenue terms, according to the technology report, which will be launched tomorrow.

Text messaging is expected to continue to generate significantly greater revenues until 2018, by which point global text message revenues are expected to have started falling.

Deloitte expects instant messaging services on mobile phones to continue to supersede text messages and all other forms of communication, including email and phone calls.

Despite the burgeoning volumes of messages carried over instant messaging services, text messages are expected to generate more than STG60 billion ($A110.64 billion) in 2014, equivalent to about 50 times the total revenues from all instant messaging services.

Deloitte predicts that the fastest-growing part of the smartphone market in developed countries will be among the over-55s.

About 47 per cent of this group will own smartphones by 2014, an increase from 40 per cent in May-June 2013.

The first text was sent on December 3, 1992, when Neil Papworth, a 22-year-old British engineer, used his computer to send the message "Merry Christmas" to an Orbitel 901 mobile phone.

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Airbus logs record 2013

AFTER tallying a record number of plane orders and deliveries last year, Airbus is admittedly facing a high bar in 2014.

The European aerospace conglomerate said on Monday it delivered 626 planes last year, a company record but still 22 fewer than US rival Boeing Co.

The companies enjoyed a banner year as airlines gobbled up their offerings to renew or build their fleets, cut fuel costs and plan for continued growth in air travel.

Airbus' orders last year rose to 1169, nearly twice its expectations, leading some executives to caution against any precise predictions about how many they'll tally this year. The order backlog - jets it plans to deliver in coming years - sits at a record 5559.

"The market was extremely bullish ... more bullish than John or me would have thought, and probably Boeing," said Airbus' top executive Fabrice Bregier, meeting with journalists along with commercial director John Leahy.

Some of the biggest demand came from once-struggling US airlines as well as from emerging markets, particularly Asia.

"The real story for some of you is, where does it go from here?" said Leahy.

"The fact is, we cannot as an industry continue at this level. But what we are doing is we're continuing to increase production."

"The point is, we are in a growth industry," he added.

Losing out to Boeing in the delivery tally "doesn't matter to us at all," Leahy said.

"I think we're happy with what we've got. It's a duopoly, with a 50-50 split here. I don't really care if they have two more aeroplanes or we have two more."

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Syrian mortar attack kills at least 19

A mortar attack has killed at least 19 people in the central Syrian city of Homs. Source: AAP

A MORTAR attack has killed at least 19 people in the central Syrian city of Homs.

The official SANA news agency said late on Sunday mortar rounds slammed into the pro-government Ghouta and Karm al-Shami neighbourhoods of Homs.

It blamed "terrorists" for the attack, employing the term the government uses to describe those trying to topple President Bashar al-Assad.

Syrian rebels often lob mortar rounds into pro-government neighbourhoods of cities and towns, while the president's forces indiscriminately strike rebel-held areas with artillery, air strikes and surface-to-surface missiles.

Syria's civil war has killed more than 120,000 since the crisis began in March 2011.

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Vic man charged after triple fatality

A MAN has been charged following the deaths of three people, including a pedestrian, hit by a car in Melbourne on Sunday night.

Nei Lima DaCosta, 29, of Richmond, has been charged with three counts of culpable driving, three of negligently causing serious injury and one of reckless conduct endangering life.

Police say a 45-year-old man was crossing Dandenong Road in Oakleigh with his wife when he was fatally hit by a white Kia hatchback about 11.40pm (AEDT). He died at the scene.

The hatchback then collided with a silver Ford sedan, killing husband and wife passengers and leaving the car's driver in critical condition.

DaCosta was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with serious injuries following the crash.

Police questioned and charged him after he was released from hospital on Monday.

He has been remanded in custody and will appear in Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

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Suntory buys spirits maker Beam for $13bn

BEAM, the maker of Jim Beam and Marker's Mark alcohol brands, has agreed to be acquired by Japan's Suntory Holdings Ltd. for approximately $US13.62 billion ($A15.18 billion).

Shares of the spirits maker rose in Monday premarket trading.

Suntory will pay $83.50 per share, a 25 per cent premium to Beam's Friday closing price of $66.97. The companies put the deal's value at about $US16 billion, including debt.

Suntory has a portfolio of spirits, with whiskies including Yamazaki and Hakushu as well as Midori liqueur and other beverages.

Suntory already distributes Beam's products in Japan. Beam distributes Suntory's products in Singapore and other Asian markets.

Both companies' boards unanimously approved the transaction, which is targeted to close in the second quarter.

It needs approval from Beam Inc. stockholders.

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WA bike rider dead after police pursuit

A motorcyclist has died after being chased by police for failing to stop for a roadside breath test. Source: AAP

A MOTORCYCLIST has died after a brief police pursuit in suburban Perth.

WA Police's major crash squad and internal affairs are investigating Saturday's fatal crash in Hillarys, north of Perth.

A police spokesman said a man on a Ducati motorcycle approached a booze bus on West Coast Drive about 8.40pm (WST) but failed to stop for a breath test.

In the ensuing pursuit, the motorcyclist sped onto nearby Hepburn Avenue, where he slammed into a BMW being driven in the opposite direction.

The 28-year-old rider from Beldon was seriously injured and died at the scene.

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Miners electrocuted in Mexico mine

Two miners have been killed and three more injured by an electric shock in a silver mine in Mexico. Source: AAP

TWO miners have been killed and three others injured by an electric shock in a silver mine in the northern Mexican town of Bermejillo.

The National Union of Mine and Metal Workers said on Saturday the accident occurred in a mine operated by the Canadian firm Excellon Resources on Thursday, though the company failed to report the accident until the following day.

In its report, Excellon said the workers were immediately taken out of the mine after the accident and rushed to a hospital, where two of them died.

"Both employees were experienced and well trained, so that words cannot express the depth of our sorrow for their loss," the company said.

But according to the union, the short-circuit was "caused by a lack of supervision, non-existent safety measures and the scant interest in such matters on the part of the company" and the municipal, state and federal governments.

The union called on federal authorities to "stop the constant violations" by Excellon Resources, a company that for years has committed "systematic violations" against "workers' rights in terms of hygiene, safety and freedom of association".

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Canberra soldier missing in the US

US authorities are searching for a missing Australian Army soldier last seen on New Year's Eve. Source: AAP

US authorities are searching for a missing Australian Army soldier who was last seen in freezing conditions on New Year's Eve.

New York State police say the soldier, Captain Paul McKay, suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Forest rangers and a special response team are conducting the search.

Captain McKay, an Afghanistan veteran, emailed his father from a Best Western motel in Saranac Lake on December 30 to say he was leaving him all his possessions, Fairfax Media reports.

"In this email ... he shared some financial information and some other information that would lead us to believe he didn't plan on going back," Saranac Lake Police Chief Bruce Nason said.

The 31-year-old Canberra man was last seen walking on railway tracks near Saranac Lake the next day, wearing winter weather clothing and carrying a large backpack.

While Saranac Lake has had average daily lows of minus 16C in January, Chief Nason said the clothing Captain McKay had been seen in was an encouraging sign.

"This coupled with his military training and physical fitness make it likely that he is well prepared to survive in winter conditions," Chief Nason said.

US police believe Captain McKay was headed for Lake Placid in the state's north.

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Homicide rate drops again in Puerto Rico

There were 883 cases of homicide in Puerto Rico last year compared with 1004 in 2012. Source: AAP

PUERTO Rico closed 2013 with 883 homicides, a figure 12.1 per cent lower than in 2012 and the second straight annual decrease since 2011, when the Caribbean island experienced its bloodiest year in recent history.

That is confirmed by data on type-1 crimes (homicide, rape, robbery, physical abuse) published this week by the Statistics Institute of Puerto Rico.

According to the figures, there were 883 cases of homicide, compared with 1004 in 2012 and 1136 in 2011, the highest number on the island since 1940.

Aside from crimes of that type, the numbers of other kinds of offences declined last year. There were 26 rapes (down 18.8 per cent), 6016 robberies (down 4.4 per cent), 2395 cases of physical abuse (down 12 per cent), 29,360 cases of theft and embezzlement (down 3.9 per cent) and 5530 vehicles stolen (down 5.4 per cent).

All varieties of type-1 crimes showed declines compared with the previous year, something Puerto Rico Police Superintendent James Tuller Cintron says is a result of "the daily commitment of our forces".

"These statistics reflect the work being done by police every day to improve the quality of life in Puerto Rico," he said in a statement.

"(But) these results are insufficient and tell us not to be satisfied and to work harder."

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Syrian govt shelling kills more than 20

GOVERNMENT shelling has killed more than 20 people in the central Syrian city of Homs.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Sunday the number is expected rise because dozens of people were critically wounded in the shelling of the rebel-held Waer area.

The Observatory said the shelling happened on Saturday. The activist collective, the Local Coordination Committees, published similar information.

Forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have been widening an air assault on rebel-held areas in recent weeks, targeting opposition-held residential areas and killing civilians.

Syrian rebels have also targeted Assad-loyal areas with indiscriminate mortar fire.

On Sunday, Syria's state media said rebel-fired mortar shells killed two people in the Assad-loyal Zahra area of the city.

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