Vic union rejects sabotage claim

The CFMEU has rejected claims a fire at a Grocon building site in Melbourne was an act of sabotage. Source: AAP

THE CFMEU has rejected a claim of sabotage over a deliberately lit fire at a Grocon building site in Melbourne, saying it is a matter for police.

GROCON is claiming the fire at its Collins Street office block development on Friday is part of a string of sabotage incidents and it will refer it to police.

"This is yet another criminal act of sabotage carried out by people with no respect for the law, workplace safety or human life," Grocon spokesman Dan Blyde told News Ltd.The CFMEU released a statement on Saturday, saying any suspicious circumstances surrounding the blaze should be handled by authorities."The implication made by Grocon, as reported in the Herald Sun that this fire has been lit as some kind of industrial tool, is completely rejected by the CFMEU," union national construction secretary Dave Noonan said."It should be backed up by hard evidence or it should be withdrawn."Mr Noonan says the union condemns arson because it endangers lives and anyone behind such acts shouldn't be working in the industry."While it is no secret that the union is critical of Grocon's safety record there would never be any circumstances under which the CFMEU would sanction arson or sabotage as an industrial weapon," he said.

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Israel says Palestinians kidnapped teens

Israeli security forces are combing the West Bank in search of three missing teenagers. Source: AAP

THREE Israeli teenagers, one of them also a US citizen, have been kidnapped in the occupied West Bank, presumably by Palestinians, the army says.

THE three, all students at a Jewish seminary, went missing late on Thursday while hitchhiking between Bethlehem and Hebron.

"We believe that they have indeed been kidnapped by presumed Palestinians," a senior officer told journalists on Saturday, without giving further details.He said the search was being carried out in co-ordination with security forces from the Palestinian Authority, and that "tens of Palestinians" had been arrested in the process.He added that substantial reinforcements had been brought in, including special forces and an airborne brigade, to participate in the search around Hebron, in the southern West Bank.Asked if it was thought they had been kidnapped to hold as hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, he said the army was studying all scenarios.Military radio, quoting other officers, said without elaborating "certain progress" had been made in the search.

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Cambodian workers in exodus from Thailand

More than 80,000 Cambodians have fled Thailand, fearing a crackdown on migrant workers. Source: AAP

MORE than 80,000 Cambodians have fled neighbouring Thailand to return home, fearing a crackdown on migrant workers under Thailand's new military government.

THE governor of Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province, Kor Samsarouet, said on Saturday that more than 84,000 have returned this month through the border crossing at the west Cambodian town of Poipet, including 40,000 on Friday.

The trigger for the exodus seems to have been statements by Thailand's military government, which took power in a coup last month, that it would crack down on illegal immigrants and those employing them.Several were reportedly fired from jobs and sent home, and the belief spread that legal and illegal workers were being ejected.The numbers of those fleeing swelled as unsubstantiated rumours circulated that several workers had been shot dead by Thai authorities.

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Syria TV says 30 killed in blast near Iraq

A BOMB attack targeting a weapons bazaar in eastern Syria close to the Iraqi border has killed 30 "terrorists", state television reports.

"A big explosion hits a terrorist arms market in Mayadeen, killing 30 terrorists and wounding dozens of others," the television reported on Saturday.

Just 80km from the Iraqi border, the town is under the control of rebel groups, including al-Qaeda's Syria affiliate the Al-Nusra Front, that have been fighting the jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.ISIL is the same cross-border group which has spearheaded an offensive in neighbouring Iraq this week that has seen militants sweep down from second city Mosul towards Baghdad.A rebel spokesman from Deir Ezzor province contested the television's report, and told AFP the blast was a car bomb planted by ISIL that killed at least 15 civilians in a street market."Light weapons are sold nearby, but the targeted area was a street market and those killed were civilians," spokesman Omar Abu Leyla said.ISIL's fighters in Syria have been under attack by rival rebels since the start of the year.They have been driven out of much of northwestern Syria, but retain control of the city of Raqa up the Euphrates Valley from Deir Ezzor.They have tried repeatedly to extend their area of control to the Iraqi border to unite their forces in the two countries.

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Snow falls in Vic alpine peaks

Snow has begun falling on Victoria's alpine peaks after a slow start to the season. Source: AAP

AFTER a slow start to the season, snow has finally begun falling on Victoria's alpine peaks.

AT Mt Hotham, 3cm of snow had fallen since Saturday morning with more of the white stuff forecast through until Tuesday.

Snow is expected in Victoria's alpine peaks on Saturday and Sunday, at 1500m above sea level."We're not expecting a huge amount," Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Terry Ryan said."The days haven't been terribly cold as yet. We need the rainfall to get snow, of course, and we're getting a bit of rainfall."News the winter wonderland had arrived had snowfield operators rejoicing, while the weather bureau conceded it appears to be a warmer than average winter."There's another front on Monday with snow coming down to 1300m so it looks a bit more promising," Mr Ryan said."There's always hope we'll get some colder air through and the season can get going properly towards the end of June and early July.

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Army chief wants more women in more forces

AUSTRALIA'S top soldier has encouraged militaries around the world to open up all areas of service to women as a way of changing their culture and helping end sexual violence.

ARMY Chief Lieutenant General David Morrison made the call at the closing session of a London summit focused on ending rape in war zones.

"Make all areas of military service open to women," he said in his written speech."It wipes away the barriers to achieving potential and sends a clarion call to all who serve that talent will prevail, not gender."Lt Gen Morrison encouraged militaries to appoint an independent statutory authority to review the treatment of women and members from ethnic minorities."The first step to reaching a solution is knowing you have a problem," he said."Know that once committed, there is no going back, but that the opportunities presented will make you more capable in every respect."The four-day global conference was organised by British Foreign Secretary William Hague and actor Angelina Jolie, who is a United Nations special envoy.They hope countries will back measures to help end the "culture of impunity" for wartime sex crimes.Lt Gen Morrison argued ending sexual violence couldn't happen without fundamental reforms to how all armies recruit, retain and employ women.Australia has lifted the restriction on women serving in combat roles with internal transfers opening in January 2013.Women recruits will be able to apply direct for combat units from 2016.The army chief in 2013 delivered a blunt online video message warning troops there was no place in his organisation for degrading behaviour towards women following yet another sex scandal.It became a YouTube hit with 1.5 million views.Lt Gen Morrison on Friday said the fact some militaries were changing their culture in order to become more capable was cause for hope."Armies that revel in their separateness from civil society, that value the male over the female, that use their imposed values to exclude those who don't fit the particular traits of the dominant group, who celebrate the violence that is integral to my profession rather than seeking ways to contain it - they do nothing to distinguish the soldier from the brute."

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Suspended MP Shaw apologises to Victorians

Suspended Victorian MP Geoff Shaw will be the main attraction at a comedy event on Friday night. Source: AAP

ROGUE MP Geoff Shaw has apologised to Victorians, despite saying he was "screwed by the parliament".

HEADLINING a comedy event at Melbourne's Wheeler Centre on Friday, Mr Shaw was asked if he would say sorry for misusing his parliamentary entitlements.

He was suspended on Wednesday night until September 2, ordered to apologise and repay more than $6800."To the people of Victoria, I am exceptionally sorry, and I apologise to parliament, and to you, good people of Victoria," Mr Shaw told comedian Sammy J.When asked what he thought of his suspension, he replied: "(I was) screwed by the parliament, wasn't I?"Mr Shaw said he "probably shouldn't have" done a radio interview where he said he would vote no confidence in the government.It led to an opposition push to expel him from parliament before the government suspended him."I don't know if I regret it but I didn't expect what came after," he said.Mr Shaw said Victorian premier Denis Napthine had suspended him despite "investigation after investigation" clearing him of wilfully misusing his car."Napthine didn't like that decision of the police, of the courts, he didn't like the ombudsman's report, he didn't like what the nine-member committee said."Mr Shaw also didn't back away from his pro-life position on abortion and the "sin" of homosexuality, which attracted some jeers from the crowd.He detailed his conversion to Christianity at 25 after he was healed of a knee injury at a church service.Earlier on Friday, Dr Napthine said Mr Shaw needed to have a "good look in the mirror", and should not wait until the end of his suspension to show the Victorian public he was sorry.Sammy J brought a mirror out on stage for Mr Shaw to look into - which he did before delivering his apology.He said he would look at the polls before deciding to re-contest the November state election.Mr Shaw finished the night with a surprisingly deft bagpipes performance.Earlier, Dr Napthine said he was waiting for a sign of contrition from the suspended independent MP."I have no plans to talk to the member for Frankston," Dr Napthine said."But I would say to the member for Frankston that he has been dealt the toughest penalty in the Victorian parliament's history for over 100 years - that should be a very, very serious lesson to the member for Frankston."Mr Shaw's suspension has left the Victorian government and opposition deadlocked on 43 votes apiece in the lower house, with the government requiring the Speaker's backing to pass legislation.

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Qld premier denies Facebook sacking

Queensland Premier Campbell Newman has denied that a public servant was sacked for a Facebook post. Source: AAP

THE Queensland premier has denied a public servant was sacked for posting a Facebook message criticising the sacking of 14,000 government employees.

TROY Reeves began a six-week contract with Queensland Health on July 15 last year.

But his employment as a policy analyst at the Office of Chief Nursing was terminated two days later.Three days before starting his job, Mr Reeves had written a Facebook post criticising the government's first budget in 2012, which included mass retrenchments."There wouldn't be an unemployment problem in Brisbane if it wasn't for the fact that 14,000 sacked people are no longer spending the same amount of money in the economy," it said.The post was referred to Premier Campbell Newman's then media adviser Kylie Jacobson on Mr Reeves's second day in the job, right-to-information documents obtained by AAP show."What a f-wit," she wrote in an email to another media adviser for the premier, Kate Barwick.But a spokesman for Mr Newman said the correspondence between the two media advisers did not lead to Mr Reeves being sacked."Mr Reeves's termination is a matter for Queensland Health or the relevant department he was employed by," he told AAP."That had nothing to do with Kylie and Kate's email."Mr Reeves, a 35-year-old Masters graduate, was previously a Queensland Liberal Party member and Griffith University Liberal Club president.He has worked for Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss and Senator Ian Macdonald.

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US marshals to auction seized bitcoins

US authorities will auction off $US18 million in Bitcoins they seized from Silk Road. Source: AAP

THE US Marshals Service says it will auction about $US18 million in bitcoins seized last northern autumn from Silk Road, a website that was effectively the eBay of illegal drugs.

THE marshals said on Thursday that they will auction the virtual "coins", consisting of sets of numbers entered in an online public ledger, via the web on June 27.

Authorities say Silk Road generated more than $US1 billion ($A1.08 billion) in illicit business from January 2011 to October 2013, when alleged operator Ross William Ulbricht was arrested in a public library in San Francisco.Ulbricht has pleaded not guilty. The website took commissions in bitcoins, which are hard to track.The marshals are auctioning off 29,657 bitcoins in 10 blocks, which means buyers will need to pony up nearly $US1.8 million each.The Marshals Service is keeping another 144,342 bitcoins, worth about $US87 million at current rates, that were found on Ulbricht's computer. He's contesting their forfeiture.

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Expert questions rushing woman's syndrome

A mental health expert has dismissed a medical condition that Lisa Curry says wrecked her marriage. Source: AAP

A MENTAL health expert has dismissed the "medical condition" that Lisa Curry says played a role in her break-up with Grant Kenny.

IN an interview with A Current Affair, the former swimming star says she suffered from "rushing woman's syndrome", which created tension in her marriage by turning her into "an absolute bitch".

"I had days where I felt completely out of control," she told the Nine Network program on Thursday night."I was moody, I would cry for no reason, I wanted to kill the world."The 52-year-old said she was able to treat the condition with a "natural" hormone treatment, which she is endorsing as part of her 10-week online weight-loss program.Rushing woman's syndrome is the subject of a book by Sydney-based biochemist and "holistic nutrition specialist" Libby Weaver.Weaver says the syndrome can cause hormonal imbalances that are making women depressed, overweight and in some cases infertile.According to her website, women who want to benefit from the "Dr Libby method" can arrange a 90-minute consultation with her for $600.A search of the medical literature by AAP failed to find any published reference to the disorder.Psychologist Dr Janine Clarke of the Black Dog Institute said it was not a recognised condition and described the hormonal explanation as simplistic and undermining."There's no such diagnosis," she told AAP."There are vulnerable people who are willing to pay almost anything for an answer."But they should talk to someone close to them if they can. Or they can also see a GP, who might refer them to a mental health professional as opposed to a biochemistry expert."The syndrome was also ridiculed on Twitter."Rushing Woman's Syndrome....really? I'm sure these 'news' articles will help sell a certain book," one user tweeted.Former ironman Grant Kenny split from Curry in 2009 and is dating TV personality Fifi Box.

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Rik Mayall post-mortem inconclusive

A post-mortem examination may shed light on how British comic Rik Mayall died at the age of 56. Source: AAP

A POST-MORTEM into the death of British comic Rik Mayall has proved inconclusive, West London Coroner's Court says.

MORE tests will now be carried out in an attempt to determine how the 56-year-old star died.

Mayall, who shot to fame playing poetry-writing anarchist Rick in The Young Ones, was found dead at his London home on Monday.Police say the death is not believed to be suspicious.Mayall's career, which also included roles such as Lord Flashheart in Blackadder and the conniving Conservative MP Alan B'Stard in The New Statesman, stretched back to the start of the alternative comedy scene.Fans of the star have launched a campaign to send his failed football song, Noble England, into the charts in his memory.The track, which he recorded for the 2010 World Cup when it failed to chart, jumped 27 places overnight according to data from the Official Charts Company and is now just outside the top 10 at number 11.Official Charts Company chief executive Martin Talbot said: "Rik Mayall's death this week was a shock to a whole generation of comedy fans - and their reaction in pushing his 2010 single is a reflection of how much he was loved.Mayall, who leaves wife Barbara and three children, Rosie, Sidney and Bonnie, survived an almost-fatal quad bike accident in 1998 which left him in a coma for several days.

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Islamabad condemns US drone strikes

PAKISTAN has condemned the first US drone strikes on its soil this year despite suspicions the two countries coordinated over the attack in the aftermath of a Taliban siege of Karachi airport.

THE strikes took place over Wednesday night and early Thursday morning, killing at least 16 militants in the North Waziristan tribal district that lies on the Afghan border, in the first such attacks since December.

They came in the same week as the Taliban claimed responsibility for an all-night siege of Karachi airport that left 37 dead including 10 attackers, shredding a nascent peace process and placing pressure on Islamabad to react decisively.The foreign office issued a tersely worded statement condemning the strikes as "a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity"."Additionally, these strikes have a negative impact on the government's efforts to bring peace and stability in Pakistan and the region," the statement said.A foreign office spokeswoman told AFP that rumours of Pakistan requesting the attack were "speculation".But a senior retired diplomat who is familiar with tribal affairs told AFP: "The government must have consented to this attack. It could not have happened without that."Washington reportedly suspended its drone program in December to give Islamabad time to pursue a dialogue process with the TTP aimed at ending a seven year insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives.The dialogue resulted in a month-long ceasefire between March and April but later broke down, with Pakistan resuming air strikes in suspected militant hideouts in the tribal areas.Following the breakdown of the talks and the Karachi attack, observers believe both civil and military authorities are converging on the need for more concerted action.Leaked documents have shown deep cooperation over drone attacks in the past, but they remain controversial with critics charging they cause many civilian casualties.Some 2171 people have been killed in drone attacks since August 2008, according to an AFP tally.The latest US drone strikes took place within hours of each other.The first struck a vehicle and a compound in the village of Dargah Mandi in North Waziristan, where almost 60,000 residents have fled since May fearing a long-rumoured offensive.An intelligence official in Miranshah, the region's main town, said the missiles had struck a pick-up truck carrying about six militants and laden with explosives.The second strike came early Thursday at the same site as militants gathered to dig out the bodies of their fallen comrades at the site of the earlier attack, a local security official said.

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'Knock-about bloke' Qld's top judge

TIM Carmody is criticised for being inexperienced and too close to the government to be Queensland's top judge, but has stared down the naysayers.

HE was promoted from chief magistrate to Chief Justice of the Supreme Court on Thursday, despite never serving in the court.

Attorney-general Jarrod Bleijie had a similar meteoric rise when appointed the state's top law officer after serving as an articled clerk and solicitor.Judge Carmody, QC, who was recruited as chief magistrate from the bar nine months ago, said he couldn't ignore the criticisms and acknowledged it was something the community would be worried about.He vowed to be a fiercely independent leader."If my views happen to coincide with the government's views that's pure coincidence," he said."There will be many times when I disagree with the government's position."In the end it (the criticism) was wrong. I can do this job, I will do this job, and I shouldn't not do this job because someone else says I shouldn't."Premier Campbell Newman described Mr Carmody as a self-made man and knock-about bloke, who once lived in housing commission in Inala, west of Brisbane."We need somebody who has a fine legal mind, who Queenslanders can relate to, who gets where they are coming from," Mr Newman said."He got to this day the hard way, through the sweat of his brow."He'll inspire Queenslanders because they will see they can do as he has done."But most of all we need a leader, to lead the entire legal system for the next decade and beyond."Several lawyers, including former Crown Solicitor Walter Sofronoff QC and former Supreme Court judge Richard Chesterman QC, have raised concerns about Judge Carmody's inexperience, lack of peer support and perceived closeness to the government, especially over anti-bikie legislation.Tony Fitzgerald said the appointment of Judge Carmody, who served as the counsel assisting his 1980s corruption inquiry, could damage public perception of the courts."People whose ambition exceeds their ability aren't all that unusual," he told AAP on Thursday."However, it's deeply troubling that the megalomaniacs currently holding power in Queensland are prepared to damage even fundamental institutions like the Supreme Court and cast doubt on fundamental principles like the independence of the judiciary."After serving on the Fitzgerald Inquiry into police corruption, Judge Carmody became special prosecutor of official corruption arising from the landmark inquiry.From 1998 to 2002 he was Queensland's Crime Commissioner and was appointed a Judge of the Family Court in 2003, before returning to private practice in 2008.Before his appointment as District Court Judge and Chief Magistrate in September 2013, he served as Chairman of the Queensland Child Protection Commission of Inquiry.He'll replace Supreme Court chief justice Paul de Jersey, who becomes Governor next month.

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Abbott to press Obama for TPP

AUSTRALIA will seek American support to wrap up talks on an Asia-Pacific free trade zone when Prime Minister Tony Abbott meets with US President Barack Obama.

MR Abbott was due to meet with Mr Obama at the White House at noon on Thursday (0200 AEST), on the second-last leg of his North American visit.

Australian trade officials are quietly confident the Trans-Pacific Partnership - a 12-nation agreement to boost trade in the region - can be concluded by the end of 2015, given that 80 per cent of it has been agreed.In the meeting, in which Mr Abbott will present the president with a hand-made surfboard bearing the presidential seal, he will emphasise Australia's commitment to the alliance as well as boosting trade and investment.The US is Australia's number one source of investment, number one destination for investment abroad and its third largest two-way trading partnerCountries involved in the TPP represent a trading area of almost 800 million people with GDP worth over $27 trillion.A White House spokesman said the TPP would be on the agenda, as well as Australia's leadership of the G20, Afghanistan, and the rotation of US Marines through Darwin.Security and stability of the Asia-Pacific, Syria, Russia's actions in Ukraine and North Korea would also be discussed.Mr Abbott spent his first day in Washington DC in a round of meetings made more hectic by chaos in the Republican Party.The party was dealing with the fallout from Eric Cantor's loss of preselection in Virginia and his stepping down as House majority leader - the second most powerful position in his party.Mr Abbott held four meetings, the first of which was with House Speaker John Boehner who said Republicans broadly supported the TPP.The second meeting involved senior Democratic Party leadership.Foreign relations committee members were keen to pursue how Australia reached its free trade agreement with Japan.A fourth meeting involved about 10 senators from both parties who were interested in China and Australia's intelligence services.Some of the senators expressed regret about the scandal caused by the Edward Snowden security document leaks.It is understood he told the senators - as well as senior national security chiefs he met with later - that countries involved in the so-called "five eyes" intelligence partnership should never apologise for doing what is needed to protect allies and the national interest.Mr Abbott also met with International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde.The prime minister will tell a business breakfast in Washington that Australia has managed to be a good friend to China while also a strong ally of the US.

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US-China relations vital for world: Abbott

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott says the US-China relationship is the most vital for the world's future.

MR Abbott told a US Chamber of Commerce breakfast in Washington DC on Thursday that Australia had balanced being a good friend to China while also being the strongest possible ally of the US.

He said Australian prime ministers and ministers had been able to manage relations with China while at the same time doing such things as meeting with the Dalai Lama, visiting Taiwan, and protesting against China's unilateral declaration of an air defence identification zone over territory that Japan administers.Mr Abbott encouraged Americans to admire the success of China in its economic expansion which had delivered the "greatest and the quickest advance in human welfare of all time"."The relationship between America and China is worth all the effort that both countries are putting into it because no relationship is more vital for the world's future," Mr Abbott said.He said the rise of China was "not without its deep complications for regional stability"."But, so far, it has undeniably and indisputably been good for the world."Mr Abbott has been asked in a series of meetings with US congressional leadership how Australia achieved its recent Japan and Korea free trade agreements."I suspect regional 'mateship' was at least a subliminal factor in reaching our FTA with Japan and Korea," he said.Mr Abbott will later meet with US President Barack Obama at the White House.

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'Rapid' bacteria detector developed

A NEW device which cuts the time taken to detect bacteria in food down to a matter of hours has been developed by scientists who said it would help reduce the number of food poisoning cases.

The University of Southampton's Biolisme project has developed the new sensor which is capable of collecting and detecting Listeria monocytogenes on food industry surfaces, preventing contaminated products from entering the market.

Listeria monocytogenes is a pathogen that causes listeriosis, an infection with symptoms of fever, vomiting and diarrhoea, that can spread to other parts of the body and lead to more serious complications, like meningitis.

Transmitted by ready-to-eat foods, such as milk, cheese, vegetables, raw and smoked fish, meat and cold cuts, Listeria monocytogenes has the highest hospitalisation (92 per cent) and death (18 per cent) rate among all foodborne pathogens.

Listeriosis mainly affects pregnant women, new-born children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.

"Current techniques to detect the bacteria take days of testing in labs, but the new device aims to collect and detect the pathogen on location within three to four hours," a university spokesman said.

"This early and rapid detection can avoid the cross contamination of ready-to-eat food products.

The spokesman explained that the new device was designed to sample single cells and biofilms - groups of microorganisms where cells stick together on surfaces.

Compressed air and water is used to remove the cells before they are introduced to an antibody.

If Listeria monocytogenes is present, cells react with the antibody to produce a florescent signal, which is detected by a special camera.

Doctor Salome Giao, from Southampton's Centre for Biological Science Unit, who worked on the technique with Professor Bill Keevil, said: "The scientific research we have carried out at the University of Southampton has been used by our Biolisme project partners to develop a device which will have major implications for the food industry.

"By making the process simpler we hope that testing will be conducted more frequently, thereby reducing the chance of infected food having to be recalled or making its way to the consumer."

The prototype sensor, which is being created by a consortium of six partners across four EU countries, has been finalised in France and field trials are under way to test the device before it is demonstrated in food factories.

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Shark fin off menu in Singapore resort

A MAJOR Singaporean resort is removing shark fin from its exhibition and convention centre menus, its management has announced.

Shark fin soup is a traditional staple of wedding dinners in the predominantly Chinese city-state.

"Marina Bay Sands is a leader in the hospitality and MICE [meetings, incentives, conventions, exhibitions] industry. We have the unique opportunity to inspire and influence our customers and partners to adopt sustainable practices," said Kevin Teng, the resort's director of sustainability.

Wildlife and environmental activists welcomed the announcement on Wednesday.

"We applaud their strong commitment to marine protection and hope that other hotels will follow their excellent example," the Animal Concerns Research & Education Society.

"This move ... sends a strong and clear message that this is an important issue that needs to be addressed," said Olivia Choong, president of Green Drinks Singapore.

Sharks are hunted and harvested worldwide, mainly to satisfy the large demand for shark fin in Asian markets. The soup is considered a traditional delicacy in Chinese cuisine, and is often served during festive occasions.

But the slaughter of millions of top-tier predators each year just for the fins is cruel and upsets the delicate balance of marine ecosystems, conservationists say.

Singapore has been identified as one of the largest shark fin trading nations, and one of the top exporters to the major market of Hong Kong.

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WA animal poisonings worry RSPCA

THE RSPCA is calling for witnesses after reports of more than 40 animals being poisoned over the past six months in West Australia.

Since December, the not-for-profit organisation has investigated 29 cases of dogs being poisoned, seven cases of cat poisonings and five poisonings of birds and other wildlife.

An RSPCA spokesman said of the cases investigated, the majority of the animals died as a result of the poisoning or had to be euthanised.

Animals who survived poisoning were often left with ongoing health problems such as neurological and organ dysfunction, he said.

On Wednesday, the RSPCA received a report of a dog being poisoned at a home in the Perth Hills region suburb of Roleystone just four weeks after the owner's other dog died from poisoning.

The most recent incident comes only two days after two dogs were poisoned with snail pellets at a Singleton home near Mandurah.

RSPCA chief inspector Amanda Swift said poisoned animals could face a slow and agonising death.

"If you suspect your pet has been poisoned, they need to be taken to the nearest veterinary clinic immediately," she said.

People found guilty of poisoning an animal can face a fine of up to $50,000 and five years jail.

Anyone who has information or has witnessed any suspicious behaviour is urged to call the RSPCA cruelty hotline 1300 CRUELTY.

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Ministers talk security in Japan

Australia's defence and foreign ministers are in Japan for top level talks. Source: AAP

DEFENCE Minister David Johnston and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop are in Japan for top level talks as Australia and Japan move to deepen defence and security co-operation.

The ministers were meeting their opposite numbers in Tokyo on Wednesday for the fifth Australia-Japan Foreign and Defence Ministerial (2+2) Consultations.

That follows Prime Minister Tony Abbott's visit to Japan in April where he agreed on both a trade deal and future cooperation on defence science and technology, particularly joint research on marine hydrodynamics.

In practice, that means submarines, with Australia interested in Japan's new Soryu-class boats as it looks to replacements for the Navy's six Collins submarines.

The ministers are expected to conclude negotiations on the proposed Defence Science, Technology and Materiel Agreement, announced during Mr Abbott's visit.

The agreement will allow Australia and Japan to jointly develop defence technologies, establishing a basis to deepen defence cooperation, they said.

During the visit, Ms Bishop will meet Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and other senior Japanese ministers, parliament members and academics to discuss international and bilateral developments.

That will include the New Colombo Plan, under which students from around the region will receive scholarships to study in Australia.

Senator Johnston will meet Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera separately to discuss progress in bilateral defence engagement in areas such as logistics cooperation, exercises and training, and peacekeeping and disaster relief.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who reportedly is planning to visit Australia in July, wants Japan to play a bigger role on the global stage, loosening longstanding constitutional restrictions on the role of its defence force.

He has moved to ease tight restrictions on weapons exports, paving the way for greater defence co-operation with Australia.

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Dust mites 'may cut asthma risk'

EXPOSING babies to a dust mite could significantly reduce the risk of developing allergies including asthma and eczema as they get older, according to new research from the UK.

Researchers at the NIHR Southampton Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit recruited 111 children with a history of allergy in both parents and gave half of them oral drops of dust mite allergen and half a placebo.

They administered the treatments twice a day from the age of six months to 18 months and discovered exposure in this way to the common allergen, which is often found in pillows, mattresses and on carpets, reduced the incidence of allergy by almost two-thirds (63 per cent).

"These findings are extremely exciting as we have shown that a simple and safe treatment - oral dust mite extract - given to children at high risk reduces the early development of allergy," said Professor Hasan Arshad, a consultant in allergy based at Southampton General Hospital.

"Although dust mites are an important cause of asthma and allergy, using the same allergen in an oral extract form, known as immunotherapy, can reduce the body's reaction to not only dust mites, but also other important allergens.

"As a result, we think there is a strong possibility this could now lead to the prevention of asthma, eczema and other allergic diseases."

As many as one in four people in the UK are affected by an allergic disease and, as allergies start early in life, children bear the brunt of the diseases.

In the UK, dust mites are the most prevalent allergy-triggering substance, inducing reactions in a high proportion of children with asthma.

Prof Arshad, who is chair of allergy and clinical immunology at the University of Southampton, said previous studies carried out by his team showed that about a quarter of all high-risk children have evidence of an allergy at 18 months and they were at high risk of developing asthma later in life.

The findings, presented on Wednesday at the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Congress in Copenhagen, showed results in the placebo group were as expected - 25.5 per cent developed allergy to dust mites or other allergens - but the dust mite extract intervention group saw that happen in only 9.4 per cent.

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Choppers used again in Canada jailbreak

3 inmates in Canada have escaped from a detention centre with the help of a helicopter, police say. Source: AAP

THREE inmates have escaped from a detention centre in Quebec City with the help of a helicopter, police in Canada say.

It's the second helicopter-aided prisoner escape in Quebec province in two years.

Provincial police said the helicopter headed west from the Orsainville Detention Centre after the breakout.

"We (are working with) a few partners like the airports of Quebec City and surrounding areas, the military bases, and of course there's a ground search in the event that the helicopter is located," said police spokeswoman Audrey-Anne Bilodeau.

Police identified the inmates as Yves Denis, Denis Lefebvre and Serge Pomerleau and told anyone who sees them to not approach them and immediately contact police.

They were being held at the detention centre awaiting trial.

In March of last year, a helicopter pilot was forced at gunpoint to pluck two inmates from the St-Jerome prison on a quiet Sunday afternoon. Two inmates climbed up a rope ladder into the hovering helicopter and fled.

Police caught the two escapees and the two suspects who hijacked the helicopter within a few hours of the escape.

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Malta authorities rescue 130 boat migrants

ABOUT 130 migrants have been rescued and taken to Malta as boatloads of immigrants trying to reach Europe have set sail on the Mediterranean in recent days, authorities say.

The Armed Forces of Malta said the group of immigrants rescued from a sinking dinghy included 11 women.

In a Twitter post, Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat criticised Europe for being "totally absent" and praised the Maltese Armed Forces and the Italian and US navies for their work in the rescue.

Italy's navy, which is co-ordinating a large-scale maritime patrol mission called Mare Nostrum (Our Sea), has intercepted several thousand people at sea since Thursday, bringing the number of migrant arrivals in the country since January 1 to more than 50,000.

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Iraq Kurdish party office blasts kill 19

A double bombing at a Kurdish party office has killed 19 people in a town northeast of Baghdad. Source: AAP

A DOUBLE bombing at a Kurdish party office has killed 19 people in a town northeast of Baghdad, Iraqi officials said.

Police officials said the attack took place on Sunday morning when a suicide bomber set off his explosive vest at the gate of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan office in Jalula, 125 kilometres northeast of Baghdad in the ethnically mixed Diyala province.

Minutes later, a car bomb exploded near the building as security forces arrived to inspect the scene of the first blast.

Police put the death toll for both explosions at 19 killed and 65 wounded.

The dead included a senior police officer and four of his bodyguards, and several houses and cars were damaged in the attack.

Hospital officials confirmed the casualty figures.

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to media.

The PUK is headed by the ailing Iraqi president Jalal Talabani, who is receiving treatment in a hospital in Germany.

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Slovenes hold referendum on secret files

SLOVENIA is holding a referendum to decide whether sensitive personal information like sexual or religious orientation in communist-era state security files should be open to the public.

The small Balkan country's ruling coalition wants to restrict access to such data as a matter of privacy and human rights.

Sunday's vote has been pushed by the opposition Slovene Democratic Party.

It argues that extracting such data would be time-consuming and could thwart historical research in state archives.

The referendum centres on a parliamentary bill amendment.

Under Slovenian law, at least 20 per cent of the country's 1.7 million voters must take part in the referendum for the proposal to succeed - meaning that turnout will matter.

Slovenia was one of six republics in Yugoslavia under Josip Broz Tito's Communists before the country fell apart in 1990s.

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Portugal cops 'to quiz Madeleine suspects'

POLICE in Portugal are likely to interview "several suspects" in the near future over the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, media reports say.

British police have spent the last week searching an area of scrubland close to where she went missing in the Algarve holiday resort seven years ago.

It was reported on Friday that Scotland Yard has been granted permission from the Portuguese authorities to question three suspects about the case.

But according to a BBC report, Portuguese police said more than three people will be interviewed over the coming weeks.

Portuguese officers would conduct the interviews in the presence of British officers, who would not be allowed to intervene in questioning them, the BBC said.

Scotland Yard declined to comment.

The area of scrubland, a few minutes' walk from the the Ocean Club resort apartment in Praia da Luz where Madeleine and her family were staying, has been searched before.

Two other areas are also expected to be searched by investigators.

The operation is likely to continue next week after British police applied to the judiciary to spend an extra seven days there.

Madeleine disappeared from the holiday resort in May 2007, aged three.

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