Accused NZ drug mule collapses in court

A NEW Zealander on trial for smuggling drugs into Bali has fainted in court after clutching at his chest and complaining he couldn't understand the court translation.

ANTONY de Malmanche, 52, had to be carried from the Denpasar courthouse on Thursday and was then driven to hospital in the prosecutor's car.

The Wanganui man was arrested in December at Bali's International airport and charged with carrying 1.7kg of methamphetamine in his backpack.He faces charges that carry the death penalty.Before the trial resumed on Thursday, de Malmanche complained to the judge that he couldn't understand the translation.Translator Wayan Ana then tried to withdraw himself from the trial, saying "every time, he has complaints".The judge persuaded Mr Wayan to continue with a slower translation.Lawyer for de Malmanche, Chris Harno, then complained about the conduct of the prosecution at last week's hearing, when a customs officer told the court the Kiwi was soaked with sweat at customs, which was suspicious, given the cold airport.Mr Harno said the prosecution was "trying to hide the possibility that he is a victim of a syndicate"."We just want to seek justice," he said.Judge Cening Budiana agreed Mr Harno could discuss the possibility of bringing CCTV footage from the airport to trial, and two further witnesses from customs.Bali drug squad officer Gede Suparta was the only witness to front the trial on Thursday, before de Malmanche took ill.The officer told the court that on taking custody of de Malmanche, his team took him to the hotel he had reserved, along with his mobile phone, in expectation of people named April and Michael collecting the drugs."This was conducted based on the defendant's testimony," he said.After two days, no one showed up.Mr Harno - who has already tried to have the police dossier rejected because his client was not told of his rights for representation in the first 48 hours - asked if the officer had offered a lawyer or translator.He replied: "No, it's not my authority".Asked if he conducted fingerprinting, he said no.The judge was to call a second drug squad witness when he observed de Malmanche looked sick.The hearing was adjourned, three hours in, and the prisoner was given water and invited to lay on the bench.He then fainted, and was taken to hospital in the prosecutor's car.De Malmanche's lawyers plan a novel defence that will argue he is a victim of human trafficking, rather than a trafficker.They say he had travelled to Hong Kong believing he would meet his internet girlfriend "Jessie" before flying to Bali on the instructions of a man he thought to be her assistant.

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Handbags stolen from Vic hospital patients

A homeless woman is wanted by police after handbags were stolen from Melbourne hospital patients. Source: AAP

A HOMELESS woman is wanted for questioning after handbags were stolen from Melbourne hospital patients.

REBECCA Cheryl Porter, 33, was due to appear in the Dandenong Magistrates Court last month charged with burglary but failed to appear.

Handbags and personal items have been stolen from patients in public hospitals and other areas around inner Melbourne, and police think Ms Porter can assist their investigation.She is known to frequent the Richmond, Fitzroy and Collingwood areas.A warrant has been issued for her arrest.

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Legal aid groups welcome funding flip

Attorney-General George Brandis has defended the government's backflip to cut legal aid funding. Source: AAP

LEGAL aid groups have welcomed the government's about-face on plans to slash $25.5 million from legal aid commissions, community legal centres and indigenous legal providers.

THAT was also good news for Liberal MP Sharman Stone who said after much worry and concern, the funding would continue.

After complaints from states, territories and legal groups about the impact of the legal aid funding reduction on domestic violence victims and indigenous Australians, the government on Thursday announced it would revive a two-year funding commitment.Attorney-General George Brandis initially justified this funding reduction as a contribution to efforts to rein in the budget "train wreck" left by Labor.However, he's happy the cuts are being reversed, describing it as a more nuanced approach to the budget problem.While the government was determined to exercise fiscal discipline, it also wanted to look after the most vulnerable people in the community."Those are not inconsistent objectives," he told reporters in Canberra.National Legal Aid, the peak legal aid body, welcomed reinstatement of this funding but said it still only went part of the way to addressing the high level of unmet need for legal aid services.NLA chairwoman Gabrielle Canny said legal aid commissions were at the forefront of efforts to help victims of family and domestic violence."More than two-thirds of work done by the legal assistance sector for women and children is provided by legal aid commissions," she said."But they need to be better resourced to deliver adequate services for vulnerable women and children."Dr Stone said community centres delivered free legal advice to people with a range of issues."Most importantly these centres help people who have experienced domestic violence, family law issues, bankruptcy, defamation, discrimination, employment problems and a number of other issues," she said in a statement.

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Price-fixing French yoghurt firms fined

FRANCE'S competition authority has fined the country's dominant yoghurt makers 192 million euros ($A266.98 million) for fixing prices over several years.

THE decision announced on Thursday targets 11 companies - including Yoplait and Lactalis - that represent 90 per cent of the French market in yoghurt and related products.

The cartel was uncovered thanks to a special procedure that allows companies to report their own price-fixing activity to regulators in exchange for reduced fines. Yoplait was the first company to report the activity, and was given no fines.The companies agreed on how and when to raise prices from 2006 to 2012, as yoghurt executives held secret meetings via dedicated phone numbers and in hotels, a famed Paris cafe and an apartment, according to the ruling.The companies can appeal the decision.

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High winds set to hamper bushfire efforts

Aircraft are dumping retardant in a bid to contain a bushfire that continues to burn in Tasmania. Source: AAP

WINDS forecast to reach speeds of up to 100km/h will hamper efforts to control a bushfire which continues to tear across northern Tasmania.

BURNING for more than 48 hours and through some 1000 hectares of bushland near George Town, the fire remains out of control and is heading east toward dense forest, the Tasmanian Fire Service says.

"The winds are of quite a bit of concern to us," incident controller Steve Lowe said on Thursday afternoon."We have done some really hard work on the northern front and if we can hold it, hopefully we can get on top of it, but it all depends on these wind gusts that are coming through."The fire isn't threatening homes or infrastructure, but residents of Lefroy are being urged to remain alert.The township of about 70 homes was evacuated on Wednesday and the blaze came within a kilometre of residences."At this point in time there is no threat ... but we need all people in the area to remain up-to-date as conditions change," Mr Lowe said.Two fixed-wing aircraft brought in from Victoria spent Thursday dumping thousands of litres of retardant, while crews continued the battle on the ground.The focus has been on the northern, most active, fire front which is being fuelled by southwesterly winds expected to peak in speed by midnight.There is still no cause for the fire, which started in a state forest late on Tuesday.It was deemed safe enough for investigators to enter the fire ground on Thursday and begin their work.In other parts of Tasmania temperatures dipped on Thursday, with snow recorded on some peaks.

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Applications for US unemployment aid dive

THE number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell sharply last week, a sign that a recent string of strong job gains may continue.

THE US Labor Department says weekly applications for unemployment aid dropped 21,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 283,000. The four-week average of applications, a less volatile number, fell 6500 to 289,750, its lowest level in 15 weeks.

Applications are a proxy for layoffs. They have been near or below 300,000 since September, a very low reading by historical standards that points to solid hiring. The average has dropped 16 per cent in the past year.That decline has coincided with much stronger job gains. Employers added more than 1 million jobs from November through January, the strongest three-month pace in 17 years.

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Man to be interviewed over Vic hit-run

A 33-year-old man has been arrested over a hit-run accident that killed a teenager in Melbourne. Source: AAP

POLICE will interview a man suspected to be involved in a fatal hit-and-run incident in Melbourne.

A 33-YEAR-OLD Hillside man was arrested on Thursday after a police officer spotted a light-coloured SUV that allegedly hit two teenagers while they were crossing a road in Delahey.

A 17-year-old boy died in the Royal Melbourne Hospital from his injuries, and a 17-year-old girl remains in a critical condition.The pair were crossing on a green pedestrian light when they were struck by the vehicle in Melbourne's northwest, about 11.30pm on Tuesday.The vehicle allegedly ran a red light and did not stop.A police spokeswoman said the man would be interviewed on Friday morning.A second man is assisting police with inquiries.

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Vic park killer spent night drinking

A man who pleaded guilty to murdering a woman in a Melbourne park spent the previous night drinking. Source: AAP

A WOMAN who was raped and killed by a homeless man spent her final evening practising hymns for a performance at a Melbourne aged-care centre.

AT the same time, her killer, Scott Allen Miller, 43, was drinking in city bars and harassing women.

He told one woman he had an ability to "mentally" ask strangers if he could slap their bottoms and would then do so, according to documents tendered in the Melbourne Magistrates Court.Miller was kicked out of the Carlton Club on Bourke Street just after 5am on June 28 last year.He walked along St Kilda Road, where he crossed paths with Renea Lau, 32, and brutally attacked her.Miller pleaded guilty to two charges of rape and one charge of murder on Thursday.Court documents also indicate he initially frightened Ms Lau, who was on her way to her job at a chocolate shop in South Yarra.She ran across four lanes of St Kilda Road, but was chased by Miller.The next morning, walkers found her bloodied body near the police memorial in the Kings Domain park.Miller, who had been sleeping rough in the botanic gardens since arriving in Victoria the previous month, fled the city.He was arrested near Eden, NSW, and extradited to Victoria where he was charged.Miller told police in an interview he was blind drunk and had been stoned for five days when he attacked Ms Lau.He said he had not intended to kill the Chinese national, but he deserved to go to jail."I just exploded into this violent, violent rage," Miller told police in a transcript of an interview."I'm happy because I'll be in jail and I'll have a place to stay and I'll have food and I'll be able to speak to people, and so I do accept that I'm going to go to jail for this," he said.Ms Lau's boyfriend, Chun Hang Wong, said in a statement to police she was very much loved and was loyal to her friends.He last saw her late on June 27, at their church choir leader's house, where they practised the hymns they planned to sing at an aged-care centre."I said goodbye to Renea knowing we would see each other the following day at church," Mr Wong said."Renea was in a good and happy mood having spent the evening singing hymns."Miller will next face the Victorian Supreme Court on January 20.A date for his sentencing is yet to be fixed.

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Thieves crash car into WA toy shop

Ram raiders have left a WA toy shop with a damage bill of more than 20-thousand dollars. Source: AAP

RAM raiders have cost a WA toy shop more than $20,000 in damages and $1200 in stolen toys.

WA Police say offenders used their vehicle to burst through the doors of a toy shop in Balcatta just after midnight on Christmas Day.

They stole more than $1200 worth of items before fleeing in the same vehicle.The estimated damage bill is estimated to be more than $20,000.

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Bentley expands HQ, boosts jobs

Bentley will expand its UK headquarters, spending STG 40 million and creating 300 jobs. Source: AAP

LUXURY car company Bentley is to spend STG40 million ($A73.01 million) expanding its headquarters in a project that will create 300 jobs.

BENTLEY is building a new research and development (R&D) centre at its site at Crewe in Cheshire, with the new facility housing 1300 of the company's engineers.

In addition, 300 new posts have been created, with the staff working within engineering, manufacturing, quality, sales and marketing and project management.It is the latest step in getting Bentley ready to bring an ultra-luxury SUV model on to the roads in 2016.Chancellor George Osborne hailed the new jobs, describing Bentley as "an iconic British brand that exports around the world"."These highly skilled jobs in this export industry are exactly the kind of opportunities we want to see created which is why in yesterday's autumn statement I provided further incentives for R&D in the UK," Osborne said."The investment will not only create jobs at Bentley, but support many more through suppliers across the UK. I want Britain to be a country where companies want to invest and create jobs, as Bentley is doing today."Bentley Motors chairman and chief executive Wolfgang Durheimer said: "With Bentley's new R&D centre, we will develop a new generation of Bentleys, which will continue our commitment of luxury, performance, quality and engineering excellence. "

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Tax settlement boosts Comcast Q3 results

COMCAST Corp's third-quarter net income jumped 50 per cent in the third quarter, helped by a one-time tax settlement, growth in internet subscribers and fewer defectors from its cable service.

COMCAST is in the midst of a $US45 billion ($A48.69 billion) takeover of Time Warner Cable, a deal that is under regulatory review.

Cable providers have been consolidating as more viewers shift to watching video on mobile tablets, computers and smartphones rather than through traditional cable TV stations.AT&T is planning to buy satellite service DirecTV for $US48.5 billion in a merger also under review. Meanwhile, channels like HBO and CBS have announced standalone streaming services, signalling the industry is undergoing a sea change.The nation's largest cable provider says its net income rose to $US2.59 billion, or 99 US cents per share. That compares with net income of $US1.73 billion, or 65 US cents per share last year. Excluding a hefty one-time tax settlement, net income totalled 73 US cents per share, beating analyst expectations of 71 US cents per share, according to FactSet.Revenue rose 4 per cent to $US16.79 billion from $US16.15 billion last year. Analysts expected $US16.8 billion.Cable hookup revenue, up 5 per cent to $US11.04 billion, nearly matched the $US11.09 billion expected. NBCUniversal revenue rose 1 per cent to $US5.92 billion, also nearly matching the $US5.94 billion analysts expected.The company added a net 315,000 high-speed internet customers since the last quarter, bringing the number to 21.6 million. That's 6 per cent more than it added in the same quarter a year ago.It lost 81,000 video subscribers, ending with 22.4 million. But that's the lowest third-quarter decline in seven years. In the prior-year quarter the company lost 127,000 subscribers. Comcast said the loss was due to tough competition in the sector from other cable and satellite providers.The average customer bill edged up 4 per cent to $US137.24 per month after a 2 per cent price hike at the beginning of the year. Customers added more services and business client revenue rose.At NBCUniversal, advertising revenue rose 4 per cent to $US1.15 billion, helped by high ratings for NBC shows like The Voice, The Blacklist, Sunday Night Football and news programming.Film revenue fell 15 per cent to $US1.19 billion due to tough comparisons with last year, when the popular animated movie Despicable Me 2 was released.

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Carr dishes up conundrum for NSW govt

EIGHT years after ending his reign over NSW, Bob Carr is still giving the state Liberals a headache.

THIS time, he's forced Premier Mike Baird to reconvene a "slimmed-down" joint sitting of parliament.

The procedure is so the former premier and foreign minister can be excused from the Senate and return to private life.Mr Baird was left with a conundrum after Mr Carr decided to retire from federal politics despite winning his Senate seat last year.The premier received legal advice that Mr Carr's resignation wasn't constitutional and a joint sitting of the NSW parliament was needed to replace him.But the problem was parliament was on Thursday preparing to close its doors for its winter recess and not planning to sit again until August, well after the July 1 date of the new Senate term.The premier eventually decided to hold a very short joint sitting session in July, which would only last a few minutes, to sort the issue out.Once that happens, Labor's Deb O'Neill will formally replace Mr Carr in the Senate.

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BlackBerry results top expectations

Painkiller poisons 150 a week

IT'S the most common painkiller in every medicine cupboard – but paracetamol is now poisoning 8,000 Australians a year and here's how it's happening.

Teen prostitute worked after school

A 15-YEAR-old girl was forced by her mother to work as a prostitute in Brisbane before and after school - and if she complained she was starved.

Airlines defend online fees in court

AIRLINES accused of being sneaky with their prices have vowed to defend their right to charge booking and service fees on tickets bought online.

Facebook goes down worldwide

THE world's popular social networking site of Facebook went down last night across the world, leaving users unable to log in.

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Family heartbroken after aged home deaths

Painkiller poisons 150 a week

IT'S the most common painkiller in every medicine cupboard – but paracetamol is now poisoning 8,000 Australians a year and here's how it's happening.

Teen prostitute worked after school

A 15-YEAR-old girl was forced by her mother to work as a prostitute in Brisbane before and after school - and if she complained she was starved.

Airlines defend online fees in court

AIRLINES accused of being sneaky with their prices have vowed to defend their right to charge booking and service fees on tickets bought online.

Facebook goes down worldwide

THE world's popular social networking site of Facebook went down last night across the world, leaving users unable to log in.

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Labor, coalition fight for rural affection

IF you believe Labor, they are the party for farmers and rural Australia.

IF you believe the government, that's a complete joke.

Parliament took a country tone on Thursday when Labor's agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon brought on debate about the budget's impact on regional Australia.He was concerned about the fuel excise hike's impact on rural residents, which he says will go down as the Abbott government's "worst broken promise".Mr Fitzgibbon is behind Labor's new "country caucus" made up of regional MPs and senators who will influence party policy on rural issues.Labor has long been a champion of the bush, given it was partly born out of the shearing sheds of rural Queensland, Mr Fitzgibbon told AAP."Country Labor has been successful in NSW and it can be successful nationally," he said in a statement.But the coalition is having none of that.Liberal MP Dan Tehan derided Mr Fitzgibbon's topic for debate, given it came just after its country caucus was publicly announced."That's why we have this (debate) here today," he said."What an absolute joke."Mr Tehan said the country caucus came too late."You all should be ashamed of yourself, starting in the year 2014 a regional caucus and coming in here telling us who should stand up for regional and rural Australia."Nationals deputy leader Barnaby Joyce joined in the derision.If there was a friend for regional Australia, it was clear which side of the chamber they would find them in, he said.

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Ferry fraudster Smith 'had no choice'

Painkiller poisons 150 a week

IT'S the most common painkiller in every medicine cupboard – but paracetamol is now poisoning 8,000 Australians a year and here's how it's happening.

Teen prostitute worked after school

A 15-YEAR-old girl was forced by her mother to work as a prostitute in Brisbane before and after school - and if she complained she was starved.

Airlines defend online fees in court

AIRLINES accused of being sneaky with their prices have vowed to defend their right to charge booking and service fees on tickets bought online.

Facebook goes down worldwide

THE world's popular social networking site of Facebook went down last night across the world, leaving users unable to log in.

23.44 | 0 komentar | Read More

Psychiatric drugs soar among Aussie kids

Painkiller poisons 150 a week

IT'S the most common painkiller in every medicine cupboard – but paracetamol is now poisoning 8,000 Australians a year and here's how it's happening.

Teen prostitute worked after school

A 15-YEAR-old girl was forced by her mother to work as a prostitute in Brisbane before and after school - and if she complained she was starved.

Airlines defend online fees in court

AIRLINES accused of being sneaky with their prices have vowed to defend their right to charge booking and service fees on tickets bought online.

Facebook goes down worldwide

THE world's popular social networking site of Facebook went down last night across the world, leaving users unable to log in.

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Man charged after Sydney explosion

Last updated: June 20, 2014

A MAN has been charged following an explosion that brought peak-hour traffic to a standstill in Sydney's inner-west.

Fail Caesar: Old lingo being taught again

Tanya Chilcott IT'S being dragged back into Australian schools under a controversial revival of classical languages — and one Brisbane school is making it compulsory.

Airline fee crackdown fails to fly

EXCLUSIVE: Airlines, hotels and ticket agencies look set to keep slugging customers supersized surcharges, despite two court cases.

Hodkinson call buried a dynasty

DESPITE owning the try that ended eight years of Origin heartache halfback Hodkinson was not meant to receive the ball that led to his stirring solo run.

No straights here — just gays

A GATED housing community built solely for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people is being proposed for a European city.

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Widow reveals Mayall heart 'event'

Last updated: June 13, 2014

COMIC Rik Mayall suffered an "acute cardiac event" after returning from a morning run, his widow has said.

Boak and White return for Power

TEAMS: LEAGUE leader Port Adelaide again has captain Travis Boak on the team sheet for the flag-shaping clash with Sydney at the SCG on Saturday.

Tomlin: Beyonce sells sex to girls

LILY Tomlin reckons Beyonce is going to sic Solange on her after saying the star is part of a culture that makes young girls "too sexually available".

Turnstile Thurston key to Blue success

JOHNATHAN Thurston has missed 16 tackles in his past three games against Jarryd Hayne — will this statistic end Queensland's dynasty?

Which Aussies drink the most?

THE results are in on our drinking habits and one generation of Aussies splashes out plenty on alcohol. And it's not who you think.

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Twitter COO Ali Rowghani resigns

Last updated: June 13, 2014

TWITTER says its chief operating officer, Ali Rowghani, has resigned from his post but will stay with the company as a strategic adviser to CEO Dick Costolo.

Boak and White return for Power

TEAMS: LEAGUE leader Port Adelaide again has captain Travis Boak on the team sheet for the flag-shaping clash with Sydney at the SCG on Saturday.

Tomlin: Beyonce sells sex to girls

LILY Tomlin reckons Beyonce is going to sic Solange on her after saying the star is part of a culture that makes young girls "too sexually available".

Turnstile Thurston key to Blue success

JOHNATHAN Thurston has missed 16 tackles in his past three games against Jarryd Hayne — will this statistic end Queensland's dynasty?

Which Aussies drink the most?

THE results are in on our drinking habits and one generation of Aussies splashes out plenty on alcohol. And it's not who you think.

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