UK closes its Cairo embassy

THE British Embassy in Cairo has been closed because of security fears.

THE Foreign Office says public services were suspended on Sunday and people should not come to the embassy building in central Cairo.

It gave no details of the threat and there was no word on when the embassy would reopen.On Saturday, the Australian government said travellers should reconsider their need to travel to Egypt, citing reports "that terrorists may be planning attacks against tourist sites, government ministries and embassies in Cairo".Egypt has seen a surge in bomb attacks blamed on Islamic militants fighting the government of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

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Women who get HPV vaccine still need tests

WOMEN who have had the human papillomavirus vaccine are being reminded they still need to undergo regular screening to prevent cervical cancer.

NEW research in the Medical Journal of Australia shows that women who have received the vaccine are less likely to have Pap tests than those who have not been vaccinated.

The research found Pap test rates were 13 per cent lower among vaccinated women aged 25 to 29, while for women aged 20 to 24, the rate was 10 per cent lower.Associate Professor Marion Saville, from the Victorian Cytology Service, says the vaccine only protects against two HPV types, which cause about 70 per cent of cervical cancers."So it's crucial that young women participate in cervical screening whether they're vaccinated or not, especially once they reach 25," she said.Cancer Council Victoria's screening manager Kate Broun said the research highlighted the need for continued awareness campaigns."Historically, younger women are less likely to undergo regular Pap test than women in older age groups, so the misconception that vaccinated women don't need cervical screening is a real concern," she said.

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Swan disputes PM's 'we saved Aust' comment

WAYNE Swan has hit out at Tony Abbott's claims to have "saved Australia", releasing a letter from Treasury Secretary Martin Parkinson praising his role during the global financial crisis.

FRESH from the launch of his book The Good Fight - which plots out his actions as Labor treasurer during the GFC - Mr Swan took aim at the prime minister's comments to the Nationals federal council meeting on Saturday.

Mr Abbott told his coalition colleagues they had "collectively saved Australia from the worst government in our history".But an angry Mr Swan said "Australia needs saving all right"."From Tony Abbott and his incompetent and out-of-touch government," he told AAP.Disputing coalition claims of an economic emergency, the now Labor backbencher released Dr Parkinson's 2011 letter congratulating him on winning Euromoney's Finance Minister of the Year award.In it, the head of treasury speaks glowingly of the Labor government's efforts in avoiding a recession, which he describes as a "very significant achievement"."In his correspondence, Dr Parkinson notes the role of the federal Labor government in contributing to the resilience of the Australian economy during the global financial crisis," Mr Swan said."His letter also notes that our response was an important contributor to the outperformance of the Australian economy during the downturn."

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German arms decision for Iraq 'difficult'

A SENIOR German minister says Berlin's decision to send arms to Kurdish fighters in northern Iraq had been the toughest of his political career.

"THIS is the most difficult decision that I have had to make in my career," said German Economics Minister Sigmar Gabriel, who is also the vice chancellor in Angela Merkel's ruling coalition.

The German government is due to announce later on Sunday details of the military equipment that Berlin plans to send to help the Kurds in their fight against Islamic State militants.This is despite Germany's long-standing reluctance to join military operations in international flashpoints, due in part to the legacy of the Nazis' military aggression last century and the consequent deep sense of pacifism in the country.The German army, the Bundeswehr, has already flown nearly 180 tonnes of blankets, food and medicines to northern Iraq as part of a worldwide humanitarian effort to help those displaced by the Islamic State's advance in the region.About 4000 protective vests and helmets, 700 radios, 680 night-vision equipment and mine detectors also stand ready to be dispatched to northern Iraq.Merkel is to meet with senior ministers on Sunday to decide which firearms and anti-tank missiles from Bundeswehr stocks will be provided to the Kurds.Lawmakers in the Bundestag are set to vote on the government's decision on Monday following a statement to parliament by Merkel setting out the reasons for Berlin's arms shipment.The government does not require the backing of parliament but has agreed to hold the vote so to demonstrate the widest possibly support for the decision.Merkel's Christian Democrat-led political bloc and its Social Democratic (SPD) coalition partner plan to back the move. Gabriel is SPD chief.While the German government is committed to providing military support to Kurdish forces fighting the Islamic State, Merkel has repeatedly ruled out sending ground troops to Iraq.

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Pacific islands leaders in Samoa for talks

AUSTRALIA is set to discuss oceans, disasters, gender equality and economic growth with its tiny Pacific island neighbours at a United Nations conference this week.

FOREIGN Minister Julie Bishop and Parliamentary Secretary Brett Mason have travelled to Apia, Samoa for the third UN Small Island Developing States conference, which starts on Monday and runs until Thursday.

Ms Bishop will address a forum on private sector partnerships and their role in development.She will also announce a special training program to help Vanuatu citizens get jobs in the cruise industry, which is worth more than $53 million to its economy.Senator Mason's agenda includes a special ocean themed event about how marine resources can help drive economic growth.

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Militia takes over US compound in Libya

A MILITIA group says it has "secured" a US embassy compound in Libya's capital, more than a month after US personnel evacuated from the country over ongoing fighting.

AN Associated Press reporter walked through the compound on Sunday after the Dawn of Libya, an umbrella group for Islamist militias, invited onlookers inside.

Windows at the compound had been broken, but it appeared most of the equipment there remained untouched.A commander for the Dawn of Libya group said his forces had entered and been in control of the compound since last week.A video posted online showed men playing in a pool at the compound.In a message on Twitter, US ambassador to Libya Safira Deborah said the video appeared to have been shot at the embassy's residential annex.She also said it appeared the compound was being "safeguarded" and was not "ransacked".On July 26, US diplomats evacuated to neighbouring Tunisia under a US military escort.The State Department said embassy operations would be suspended until the security situation improved.The Dawn of Libya militia is deployed around the capital and has called on foreign diplomats to return now that the fighting in the city has subsided.

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Australia and NZ 'learning from adversity'

SOME of the Australian emergency workers who helped out after the devastating earthquake in Christchurch 2011 are returning to New Zealand.

THE workers are attending a conference on what lessons have been learnt from it and other disasters.

The annual Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council (AFAC) and Bushfire and Natural Hazards Co-operative Research Centre conference is being held in Wellington from Tuesday. It is held in New Zealand once every eight years.President Greg Mullins says many AFAC members travelled to New Zealand to help in the response immediately following the earthquake."We are pleased to be able to return now for this conference and to share in the learning from this disaster with our New Zealand colleagues," said Mr Mullins, the Fire and Rescue NSW commissioner.New Zealand Fire Service chief executive Paul Baxter says the theme of the conference is "after disaster strikes - learning from adversity".There was no shortage of disasters to learn from, he said.Last summer, Australia experienced some of its most extreme heat waves. New Zealand is still coping with the devastating Canterbury earthquakes, while several Pacific neighbours are still recovering from cyclones and tsunami.Fire Service data reveals increasing demand for its services at wind, rain and flood events.The Fire Service was putting increased emphasis on developing leadership and excellence in incident management, Mr Baxter said.

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Take climate more seriously, PM told

MORE than half of all Australians think the Abbott government should take climate change more seriously, a poll commissioned by environment group the Climate Institute has found.

BUT only 20 per cent trust Prime Minister Tony Abbott to do so.

The institute says its new climate survey shows a "rebound in desire" for action on climate change, with 61 per cent of people wanting Australia to be a world leader in solving the problem.It said 57 per cent wanted the Abbott government to take climate change more seriously, with only 22 per cent supporting its Direct Action plan to reduce emissions.The survey also found opposition to the carbon tax had decreased by 22 per cent in the past two years, with 47 per cent saying carbon pricing was better than not taking any action at all.Only 20 per cent said they trusted Mr Abbott when he said he was concerned about climate change, compared with 31 per cent for Labor leader Bill Shorten."Australians continue to be uncertain, if not cynical, about political parties and their policies on climate change," Climate Institute chief John Connor says."Yet a clear majority think the Abbott government should take climate change more seriously."

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Refugee drowns in Nauru

A REFUGEE who was resettled in Nauru after being sent to the Australian immigration detention centre there has drowned along with a Nauruan citizen who attempted a rescue.

IMMIGRATION Minister Scott Morrison said in a statement on Sunday evening he had been informed of the two deaths and extended his sympathies to the families and friends of both.

"We understand from initial reports that the first deceased person was a private resident of Nauru, on a Nauruan refugee visa, and was accidentally drowned," the minister said.He said the person was not a resident at the offshore processing centre.A spokesman for the minister confirmed to AAP that the refugee had been in the centre before being resettled in the Nauruan community.Mr Morrison said it was understood that a Nauruan citizen also died after attempting to rescue the first person.He said another Nauruan citizen was receiving treatment for injuries sustained during the attempted rescue."This is a matter for the government of Nauru as it pertains to an incident involving a resident and citizens of their own country that occurred within their jurisdiction," the minister said.He said Nauruan police were investigating the matter, which would become the subject of a coronial inquiry.

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Quebec helicopter escapees captured

POLICE say they have captured the three men who escaped from a Quebec City-area prison by helicopter earlier this month.

THEY say the trio were arrested at a Montreal residence at 1.30am on Sunday and more arrests are likely.

Police have not released further details on how they found the fugitives who escaped on June 7 when a helicopter plucked them from a courtyard of the Orsainville Detention Centre in suburban Quebec City.Their escape touched off a massive international manhunt.The three fugitives - Yves Denis, 35, Denis Lefebvre, 53, and Serge Pomerleau, 49 - were awaiting trial on charges including gangsterism and murder.They are due in court in Quebec City on Monday.

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Indian students charged over PM in mag

NINE students at a southern Indian college have been arrested for using "objectionable and unsavoury language" about Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a crossword puzzle in their college magazine, according to news reports.

THE nine students from Sree Krishna College in Kerala's Guruvayur town were charged with various offences, including defamation, the NDTV news channel reported, citing local police.

They were arrested and released on bail, police said.The students included the editor, subeditors and members of the editorial advisory committee of the magazine, which is an annual publication.The Guruvayur Sree Krishna temple-managing committee, which runs the college, asked its principal for an explanation, NDTV reported.This is the second such case reported from Kerala.The principal and some students of a state-run polytechnic college in Thrissur town were arrested and released on bail last week after the college magazine featured Modi in a list of "negative faces" along with Adolf Hitler, Osama bin Laden, George W Bush and Indian sandalwood smuggler Veerappan.Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party were voted into power in recent elections in India. He took office May 26.Modi, who campaigned on reviving the economy and bringing development, has been criticised in the past for failing to control some of India's worst Hindu-Muslim riots in Gujarat in 2002 while he was chief minister.More than 1000 people died in the month-long riots, most of them Muslims.

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Dr Harry Cooper, Wilkins, Munro honoured

VET Dr Harry Cooper, news reader Mike Munro and showbiz ace Richard Wilkins are among seven entertainment professionals who received Queen's Birthday honours.

The other four were the late radio announcer Keith McGowan, film and TV director and producer Sandra Levy, radio presenter Angela Catterns and Canberra-based ABC sports reporter Tim Gavel.

Cooper and Wilkins both received Member of the Order of Australia (AM) honours.

Cooper says he feels more like an ambassador for veterinary science than he does a TV identity. It's his third award in less than a decade for his services to veterinary science.

"I've been honoured by the profession, I was honoured by the university last year, because of my achievements, and now I have been honoured by my country," Cooper told AAP.

While many know Wilkins because of his entertainment reports on the Nine Network's breakfast show Today, it's his charity work for which he has been largely recognised.

Wilkins was 18 when the first of his five children, Adam, was born with Down Syndrome.

Since then he has tried to help out as many charities as possible and use his profile in Australia for the cause of raising money for the less privileged.

"Because of Adam I see more reason to say yes whenever I can to helping than saying no," Wilkins told AAP.

Munro received an AM for his services to television but also for his charitable work that includes being a board director for Alcoholics Anonymous for 10 years.

Levy received an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for her work in the TV and film industry which dates back to 1971 when she was a director and producer of drama at the ABC.

Her other roles include CEO of the Australian Film, Television and Radio School, executive director for development for the Nine Network and acting chair, deputy chair and board member for the Sydney Theatre Company (2001-2011).

McGowan, who died in December, received an OAM for his 54 years in radio at 17 stations across four states.

Like McGowan, Catterns (AM) has had an extensive career in radio, and among the stations she has worked at are Triple J, ABC Local Radio and 702 ABC Sydney.

Gavel (OAM) has worked with the ABC since 1988 and is a patron for the Early Morning Centre, which provides meals and services for the homeless and disadvantaged in Canberra.

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Hey there, it's The Seekers, AO

AS one of the few bands from the 1960s still with their original line-up, The Seekers have proved their staying power. Now they're being recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

Judith Durham, Athol Guy, Keith Potger and Bruce Woodley have been appointed officers in the Order Of Australia (AO) for their services to the performing arts.

Celebrating 50 years since they began their distinguished career, The Seekers have been on the road performing sold-out shows across Australia, the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Speaking from London after one of the supergroup's shows at the Royal Albert Hall, double bass player Athol Guy said there was a nice "royal connection" about their award and tour location.

"It was a perfect bit of timing because we've just finished our 50th-anniversary tour over here in London with two sell-out shows at the Royal Albert Hall, so there's a nice royal connection coming up to the Queen's birthday," he told AAP.

With each member being recognised for their career, whose hits have included Georgy Girl, I'll Never Find Another You and A World of Our Own, Guy said the honour was particularly special.

"It's a lovely moment for the four of us, to each individually be named in that way," he said. "Collectively, we've had so many honours as a group, it's hard to imagine that there'd be any more to come. And this one came right out of the blue for all of us."

The group suffered a setback in 2013 when singer Judith Durham was admitted to hospital with a cerebral haemorrhage after the first Melbourne show of their 50th-anniversary concert.

However, after three months of rehabilitation, doctors gave Durham the OK to perform.

"It's a very nasty thing to happen to anyone, but the lovely thing about it is I think it was her belief that she could always get back with us and finish that Australian tour," Guy said.

"It really kept her moving along in positive mode."

Durham said she hoped the award would encourage others.

"We were just four unknown, aspiring Australian musicians singing happy, uplifting, melodic and inspiring songs, and being true to ourselves," she said.

"We hope that this award might serve as encouragement to other Aussies to do the same.

"We are thrilled and delighted to accept such an honour."

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Clinton to decide 'when it feels right'

HILLARY Clinton says she will decide whether to run for president again "when it feels right for me to decide".

The former US secretary of state has told ABC News in an interview aired on Sunday potential Democratic rivals are free to choose what they would like to do.

Clinton said she was focused on promoting her new book and helping fellow Democrats in November's House of Representatives elections.

She said she will be "on the way to making a decision" on running for the White House by the end of 2014.

Asked whether she will testify before a select congressional committee investigating the deadly 2012 attacks on a US installation in Benghazi, Libya, Clinton said that would be up to the people running the hearing.

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Tertiary education more accessible: Ziggy

FORMER Telstra boss Ziggy Switkowski says tertiary education is now more accessible than ever before as he is honoured for his work in the sector.

Dr Switkowski, who is chancellor of RMIT University in Melbourne and chairman of NBN Co, has been recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours as an officer in the Order of Australia for his service in tertiary and education administration, scientific organisations and the telecommunications sector, business and the arts.

He said universities and employers were now mindful they were addressing a generation that was well informed, ambitious and flexible with relatively short-term horizons.

"Tertiary education is more accessible now than ever before," Dr Switkowski said.

"That's a direction that all governments have encouraged.

"It's good for the nation. We build up our pool of trained and intellectually curious people and I think we are a better country and society for it."

Participation in the tertiary sector had grown, with more than one-third of year 12 students undertaking some form of higher education, he said.

Dr Switkowski said he had been fortunate to embark on a business career, which had included chairing the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation.

"That enabled me to engage in the debate around clean energy, climate change and be an advocate for nuclear power in Australia, which was a very worthwhile and stimulating period," he said.

Helping Opera Australia become resilient and engaging with students and academics as chancellor of RMIT in Melbourne had also been rewarding.

Meanwhile, Sydney businessman and environmental advocate Geoffrey Cousins and former Westpac chief executive and Santos director Frank Conroy have been appointed members of the Order of Australia.

Mr Cousins has been recognised for services to the community through the establishment of the Starlight Children's Foundation and to the visual and performing arts.

"The Starlight foundation has been a massive part of my life," he said.

"In the early days we had no money, no staff, no support."

Mr Cousins said he was pleased to see the organisation grow to have a national presence and grant more than 8000 wishes to extremely sick children.

"It's tremendously satisfying to see that happen," he said.

Mr Conroy has been recognised for his service to the finance and banking sector, to corporate administration as well as the arts, health and secondary education.

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Aerial reenactment caps D-Day celebrations

NEARLY a thousand paratroopers have dropped out of the sky in Normandy - but this time in peace, instead of wresting western France from the Nazis as they did in World War II.

Drawing huge crowds who braved hot weather and lined the historic landing area at La Fiere, the aerial spectacle re-enacted the drama of the Normandy landings on Sunday and served to cap commemorations marking the 70th anniversary of D-Day.

Among the planes ferrying paratroopers for the event was a restored C-47 US military transport plane that dropped Allied troops on the village of Sainte-Mere-Eglise - a stone's throw from La Fiere - on June 6, 1944.

And the pilots who originally flew it took the controls again, 70 years later, remembering their experiences.

Sunday saw dozens of veterans escorted down a sandy path to a special section to watch the show alongside thousands of spectators - most of whom lined two sides of the field. Others took shelter in the shade as the lack of wind caused the sun to beat down hard.

Planes including the C-47 aircraft flew by loudly overhead several times, with two dozen military paratroopers - from countries including the US, Britain, France and Germany - jumping with each passage.

They were scenes reminiscent of the pivotal event, when around 15,000 Allied paratroopers were dropped in and around the village of Sainte-Mere-Eglise on D-Day. It became the first to be liberated by the Allies and remains one of the enduring symbols of the Normandy invasion.

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Obama visits US troops in Afghanistan

PRESIDENT Barack Obama has slipped into Afghanistan to see US troops serving in America's longest war.

Air Force One arrived on Sunday at the main US base in Afghanistan after an overnight flight from Washington.

Obama was expected to spend just a few hours at Bagram Air Field. It is understood he had no plans to meet with outgoing Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who has had a rocky relationship with the White House.

Obama is considering keeping a small number of US troops in Afghanistan for training and counterterrorism missions beyond year's end. The US and NATO are withdrawing most of their forces by then.

Karzai has refused to sign a security agreement that the US needs to keep troops in Afghanistan. The candidates running to succeed Karzai say they will sign.

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Gunmen kill 6 police officers in Pakistan

GUNMEN have stormed a tribal police post in southwestern Pakistan, killing six police officers and wounding three, authorities say.

The attack took place in Wadh area of Baluchistan province's Khuzdar district, where insurgents have launched previous attacks, said Baroz Khan, a senior government official.

Officers manning the post returned fire and pushed the gunmen back toward nearby mountains, Khan said. Reinforcements from the paramilitary Frontier Corps later reached the post, some 300 kilometres south of Quetta, the provincial capital, he said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion immediately fell on Baluch nationalist groups who have claimed responsibility for such attacks in the past.

For over a decade, Baluchistan has been the scene of a low-intensity insurgency by some nationalist groups demanding autonomy or a greater share from mineral and gas resources being extracted from the impoverished province. It is also believed to be home to many Afghan Taliban members.

Residents say a crackdown has sparked disappearances in Baluchistan blamed on security forces. They say the disappearances swelled in the mid-2000s, when Gen. Pervez Musharraf's government cracked down on insurgents there.

Two years ago, the Voice for Baluch Missing Persons organisation handed the United Nations a list of 12,000 names they said belonged to people missing in the conflict.

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Poland's Jaruzelski dies at 90

POLAND'S last communist leader, General Wojciech Jaruzelski, has died at a military hospital where was being treated after a stroke. He was 90.

Jaruzelski died on Sunday just days before Poland marked 25 years since a crucial parliamentary election in which Poles voted against the country's communist rulers and in support of the Solidarity freedom movement that soon formed Poland's first democratic government in over four decades.

Hospital spokesman Grzegorz Kade confirmed Jaruzelski's death. He suffered a stroke earlier this month and was previously treated for cancer at the hospital.

On December 13, 1981, Jaruzelski imposed martial law in Poland against the wishes of pro-democratic Solidarity union that grew into a nationwide movement. Solidarity eventually prevailed, ousting the communists from power in the 1989 election.

Jaruzelski is survived by his wife Barbara and a daughter Monika.

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Swiss vote against raising minimum wage

SWISS voters have overwhelmingly rejected a proposal that would have introduced the world's highest minimum wage, early results from a referendum indicate.

About 77 per cent of voters cast ballots on Sunday against the measure that would have set an hourly minimum wage of 22 francs ($A27), Swiss broadcaster SRF projected.

The referendum was launched by left-wing parties and trade unions, which argued that such a salary was necessary for making a decent living in Switzerland, where the cost of living is among the highest in the world.

The government and employers associations had campaigned against the plan, warning that companies would shift operations to neighbouring countries and Switzerland's important tourism sector would suffer.

"This is a great success," said Hans-Ulrich Bigler, director of the Swiss trade association, told SRF.

"This is a clear endorsement by the people for the economy and the system to negotiate the wages between employer and employee."

Voters previously backed employers when they opted against extending annual paid holidays in 2012 and against capping manager salaries in 2013.

However, in another referendum last year, Swiss citizens supported a set of policies to stop what were perceived as excessive executive salaries.

In a separate referendum decision on Sunday, 54 per cent of voters narrowly rejected a government plan to modernise the air force by buying 22 Swedish Gripen jets.

Left-wing parties and groups had launched the referendum to stop the 3.1-billion-franc deal, arguing that the money would be better spent on education.

The gap between supporters and opponents of the Gripen deal narrowed in recent months, after a highjacking incident in February exposed the fact that existing Swiss fighter jets are only operational during office hours.

Conservative politicians had also pointed to the Ukraine crisis to make the point that Switzerland needed to be able to defend itself.

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Focus turns to Afghan landslide families

AS Afghans observe a day of mourning for the hundreds of people killed in a horrific landslide, authorities are trying to help the 700 families displaced by the torrent of mud that swept through their village.

The families left their homes due to the threat of more landslides in the village of Abi Barik in Badakhshan province, Minister for Rural Rehabilitation Wais Ahmad Barmak said on Sunday.

Aid groups and the government have rushed to the remote area in northeastern Afghanistan bordering Tajikistan and China with food, shelter and water.

A spokesman for the International Organisation of Migration, Matt Graydon, said the group is bringing solar-powered lanterns, blankets and shelter kits.

He said after a visit to the area on Sunday that some residents have gone to nearby villages to stay with family or friends while others have slept out in the open.

"Some people left with almost nothing," Graydon said.

Authorities gave $US400,000 ($A432,700) to the provincial governor on Saturday to use in the aid effort, said Barmak, who promised the government would provide more money if it's needed.

President Hamid Karzai designated Sunday as a day of mourning for the hundreds of people who died in Abi Barik when a wall of mud and earth broke off from the hill above and turned part of the village into a cemetery.

Authorities still don't have an exact figure on how many people died in the landslide.

Estimates have ranged from 250 to 2700, but authorities say it will be impossible to dig up all the bodies.

The government has identified 250 people who died and estimated that 300 houses were buried under tons of mud, Barmak said.

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Number of children in Japan falls again

THE number of children in Japan has fallen for the 33rd-consecutive year to 16.33 million as of April 1.

It's down 0.1 per cent from the same time a year earlier, the government says, as it struggles to raise the declining birth rate.

The number of those aged 14 and under was the lowest since the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications started compiling such data in 1950.

Children in Japan constituted 12.8 per cent of the population, the lowest percentage among 30 countries with populations of at least 40 million, the ministry said on Sunday.

In 1950, children made up 35.4 per cent of the country's population.

The ministry's report was released ahead of the Children's Day national holiday on Monday.

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French mountain climber dies in Nepal

A FRENCH mountain climber has died in Nepal due to altitude sickness.

Yannick Claude Sylvain Gagneret, 39, was climbing the 8481-metre-tall Mount Makalu in Sankhuwasabha district in northeastern Nepal when he died at its Camp One on Friday.

Police say his body was flown to Solukhumbu district after bad weather prevented flights to the capital.

An autopsy was to be conducted once the body was airlifted to Kathmandu.

On Tuesday, two Russian climbers died in the Everest region due to altitude sickness.

Meanwhile, a Slovakian tourist has been missing in the Everest region since April 21. Tamas Princzkel, 28, a Hungarian-speaking Slovakian citizen went missing in Dingboche, where he was travelling alone.

Police say they are still looking for him.

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US TV shows ordered off Chinese websites

VIDEO streaming websites in China have been ordered to stop showing four popular American TV shows, including The Big Bang Theory and The Good Wife.

The move suggests government attention is intensifying on the online industry, which is freer than state television and China's cinemas to show foreign productions and other content and has stretched the boundaries of what can be seen in the country.

A spokeswoman for a leading video site, Youku, said on Sunday it had received notification not to show sitcom The Big Bang Theory, political and legal drama The Good Wife, crime drama NCIS and legal drama The Practice.

The State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television didn't give a reason for its order, she said.

A senior manager at another site, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said it received the surprise order last week to "clean their website".

The edict, which was identical to the one sent to Youku and other companies, also listed a Chinese slapstick miniseries made by another site, Sohu, as having to be removed.

Online streaming sites regularly receive orders to take down Chinese or foreign TV programs and movies, but usually because the regulator considers them too salacious or violent or because they infringe copyright laws.

Sohu's most popular US shows are crime drama Nikita - episodes from the first and second seasons have been watched a combined total of 472 million times - and Masters of Sex, which weren't included in the order.

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WA remains Australia's strongest economy

WESTERN Australia remains the nation's best performing economy but the Northern Territory is a close second.

The Top End is leading the way when it comes to economic activity, due to strong growth in construction, according to CommSec's quarterly State of the States report.

South Australia and Tasmania were the weakest performing states, while NSW came in third, followed by Queensland in fourth place and Victoria in fifth.

Every three months, CommSec uses eight key indicators to rank the states and territories - economic growth, retail spending, equipment investment, unemployment, construction work done, population growth, housing finance and dwelling commencements.

CommSec chief economist Craig James said the rebalancing of the Australian economy away from mining investment would soon cause a shake-up in the rankings.

"Western Australia continues to lead the rankings of best performing economies but in the latest quarter there was little to separate it from the Northern Territory economy," he said.

"The mining construction boom is over, replaced by the home construction boom.

"As a result, winners and losers will change across Australia, not just industries but also state and territory economies."

NSW lifted from fifth to third place following improvements in its economic growth, business investment, population growth and dwelling starts.

NSW is now the strongest state for new housing construction, with starts over 39 per cent above decade averages, Mr James said.

"The outlook for housing construction continues to strengthen, underpinned by low interest rates and strong demand by investors," Mr James said.

The jobs market was strongest in the Northern Territory and ACT and weakest in South Australia, where the jobless rate is up almost 28 per cent on the decade average, Mr James said.

He said the outlook for the Tasmanian and South Australian economies remained challenging.

"The hope is that property investors will soon switch attention away from NSW and Victoria to more affordable housing sectors," he said.

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Muslim world body heading to CAR

THE world's largest bloc of Islamic countries is sending 14 delegates to the strife-torn Central African Republic on a fact-finding and solidarity mission.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation said on Sunday delegates would be in the capital, Bangui, for three days from Tuesday.

Guinea's Foreign Minister Lounceny Fall will head the delegation, which will include Turkey's foreign minister and diplomats from some of the 57 member-states, as well as OIC Secretary-General Iyad Ameen Madani and the body's special envoy to the Central African Republic, Sheikh Tidiane Gadio.

The OIC said the delegates were expected to meet with interim President Catherine Samba-Panza, the prime minister and foreign minister, as well as Muslim and Christian religious leaders.

Central African Republic exploded into violence in early December amid mounting resentment toward a Muslim rebel government that had seized power in March 2013 by overthrowing the president of a decade.

The rebel leader-turned-president had little control over his forces, who were blamed for raping, torturing and killing civilians particularly among the country's Christian majority.

Once the government fell in January, Christian militia fighters began attacking Muslim civilians, prompting tens of thousands to flee the country and leaving an untold number dead.

The OIC visit follows that of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who was in Central African Republic earlier this month.

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NAB lags on business customer ratings

NATIONAL Australia Bank continues to lag behind its major rivals when it comes to business customer satisfaction, despite a slight improvement.

NAB, Australia's biggest business lender, had an average customer satisfaction rating of 7.0 out of 10 in March, which lagged behind ANZ, Commonwealth Bank and Westpac, which all scored 7.4.

But according to the monthly DBM Consultants Business Financial Services Monitor (BFSM), NAB has improved its standing among small and medium sized business.

DBM Consultants director Maria Claridad said the NAB ranked alongside the Commonwealth and Westpac in both categories, with ANZ lagging behind.

However, the bank's performance had been weighed down by its relatively weak standing among micro businesses.

"The key is to delight the micro businesses, as they make up close to 90 per cent of all Australian businesses," she said.

"NAB's score amongst these businesses is 6.9, although it has shown signs of improving in recent months."

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Nigerian economy becomes biggest in Africa

OFFICIALS say Nigeria's recalculated economy is worth $US510 billion ($A554 billion), by far the biggest in Africa and easily surpassing that of previous continental titleholder, South Africa, at $US353 billion.

Figures announced on Sunday are the first recount since 1990 of the GDP of Africa's biggest oil producer but do little for the 112 million Nigerians scrabbling to survive in poverty.

The International Monetary Fund had used the 1990 base to estimate Nigeria's GDP in 2013 at $US292 billion.

But that did not take into account new industries like telecommunications, information technology, music, airlines, burgeoning online retail outlets and Nollywood film production that didn't exist when the last GDP count was made in 1990.

Then, there were 300,000 landlines, while today, Nigeria has 100 million cell phone users.

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One burger 'enough to max out on salt'

A SINGLE Australian burger can contain more salt than an adult can safely eat in a day.

That's without chips, and even after four years of declining sodium in pizzas, burgers and takeaway chicken.

New research shows fast-food companies are using less salt in their products, but health experts say the reduction is not co-ordinated, and is also too little and too slow.

Too much salt is a killer, causing high blood pressure that leads to heart attacks and strokes. It has also been linked to bone damage and stomach cancer.

Research leader Dr Elizabeth Dunford, of The George Institute for Global Health and the University of Sydney, compared the salt content of more than 300 fast-food products over four years.

It will take government intervention to achieve significant sector-wide improvements, says Dr Dunford, whose study is published in the Medical Journal Of Australia.

The average Australian eats more than double the recommended four grams or single teaspoon of salt a day.

People can consume their entire daily quota in one burger, says Dr Dunford, who compared nutrition information on the Pizza Hut, Hungry Jacks, KFC, McDonald's, Subway and Domino's websites.

Overall salt content fell during the four years, but levels in side dishes rose.

Pizza Hut was the only brand to increase the amount of salt on its menu, mainly because of increased serving sizes and side dishes such as chicken bites.

"Salt levels in Australian fast food remain high. These small reductions in salt levels could be easily undone by the trend towards larger portion sizes," Dr Dunford says.

She urges Australia to adopt a strategy similar to the UK's government-led salt-reduction program, which has achieved lower salt levels than other countries.

"Salt reduction is one of the most cost-effective options for improving public health," Dr Dunford says.

Asked for comment, Professor Garry Jennings of the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute called for more action.

"The inconvenient truth is that there's too much salt in many commercial foods and being blind to it can cause significant damage," he says.

"Better labelling and a stronger commitment from processed food companies would go a long way to tackling Australia's burden of cardiovascular disease."

The Heart Foundation's Dr Robert Grenfell described the findings as a step in the right direction.

"But we're mindful that what's in the actual product can, in some instances, vary from what's stated on the company's nutritional panels."

"Research suggests that if we cut the nation's salt intake by an average of three grams a day, we could prevent 6000 deaths every year."

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PM to meet Japan's emperor at palace

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott will meet Japan's revered emperor at his palace ahead of an announcement about the outcome of free trade talks in Tokyo.

Mr Abbott on Monday will be formally welcomed to Japan, after spending the prior day in Tokyo mingling with business leaders and dining with his counterpart Shinzo Abe.

He wants to finalise a free trade deal with Japan during his visit, but negotiators in Tokyo have failed to reach a satisfactory agreement so far.

Mr Abbott is confident a deal can be struck, but as talks get down to the wire he won't miss an opportunity to sell the benefits of freer trade with Australia.

"More trade will make both countries richer and our relationship even stronger," he will tell the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Monday.

"Eventually, this will be seen as a milestone in our relationship."

Mr Abbott promised at the September election to secure free trade deals with Japan, China and South Korea within 12 months, despite some negotiations having dragged on for years.

The outcome of these latest talks is expected to be announced by both leaders on Monday evening ahead of a formal dinner with Prime Minister Abe at Japan's state guest house.

But before then Mr Abbott will meet Emperor Akihito, the head of Japan's royal family, at the Imperial Palace in the nation's capital.

He will also make history on his first official trip to North Asia when he later becomes the first foreign leader to speak at Japan's high-level National Security Council.

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Guinea passengers screened for Ebola

HEALTH officials in Guinea say all passengers departing from the capital city's airport must fill out a health form and have their temperature taken as part of an effort to combat the spread of the deadly Ebola hemorrhagic fever.

Dr Sakoba Keita, director of prevention at the health ministry, said anyone with a temperature higher than 38 degrees Celsius would be tested for the disease, which has killed 86 people in the West African nation since an outbreak began in February.

French Health Minister Marisol Touraine said Saturday that French doctors from the Pasteur Institute would be on hand to watch boarding procedures at the airport in Conakry.

Two Ebola deaths have been confirmed in neighbouring Liberia, and suspected cases have also been reported in Mali.

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Three killed by gunmen in Kenyan church

THREE people have died and at least 10 have been wounded after gunmen opened fire in a church outside Kenya's coastal city of Mombasa.

The three gunmen opened fire inside the Joyland Church in a Mombasa suburb of Likoni, killing two people, Kenyan officials said on Sunday, while a nurse at a nearby hospital reported a third person had died while being treated.

Kenya has suffered dozens of small attacks, many on churches, over the last several years. Muslim-Christian tensions on Kenya's coast are high.

Sunday's shooting comes about a week after police on the coast intercepted a car packed with explosives police believe were to be used for an attack.

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Bravery award for shark attack rescuer

A MAN who dived into open water to rescue a shark attack victim on the NSW mid north coast has been awarded one of the nation's highest bravery awards.

Rowan Cutbush was parasailing with two friends at Jimmies Beach, near Port Stephens, when one of them fell off a wakeboard into the water.

The woman was then attacked by a shark, suffering injuries to her arm, neck and face.

On seeing the attack, Mr Cutbush dived off his vessel and swam around 20 metres through "bloodied water" to reach the victim.

Mr Cutbush then held onto the woman until the pair was pulled back to the vessel with a rope.

With a mate, Mr Cutbush assisted the woman out of the water then treated her severely lacerated arm, before driving the vessel at high speed back to ambulance officers at a nearby jetty.

The woman received treatment for lacerations sustained in the attack.

Mr Cutbush was awarded one of 14 Aussies to this year win a Bravery Medal from Governor-General Quentin Bryce.

The Bravery Medal is awarded for acts of "bravery in hazardous circumstances".

It is the third highest Australian Bravery Decoration behind the Star of Courage and the Cross of Valour.

Ms Bryce said the 2014 national bravery awards recognised "the heroic actions of those amongst us who have placed the safety and lives of others before their own".

"We are privileged to have such role models in our society, and it is an honour to be able to recognise their acts of selfless bravery and thank them publicly for their brave actions," she said in a statement.

There were 47 Australians awarded national bravery decorations this year.

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Avalanche kills two skiers at Sochi resort

AN avalanche has killed two skiers at the Russian mountain resort used for the Sochi Olympics the day after it opened to the public.

Six skiers were on the middle section of Labirint run when the avalanche struck, Roza Khutor said in a statement on Sunday.

The snow buried two women, and rescuers who dug them out were unable to save them, it said, while the four other skiers escaped unharmed.

The Kuban regional branch of state Rossiya television, citing witnesses, reported earlier that three people had been killed in the avalanche.

Roza Khutor was the site of the Alpine skiing competitions during the Winter Games in February and the Paralympics that followed.

The resort re-opened to the public on Saturday.

The resort said it was clearing the snow from the run and trying to determine the cause of the avalanche.

The Roza Khutor management also expressed its condolences to the family and friends of the two skiers who died.

A map of the mountain shows the Labirint run located at the far edge of the resort and labelled black, the most difficult of four categories.

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F-35 fighter purchase reasonable: report

AUSTRALIA is likely to push ahead with the acquisition of its first operational F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft, according to a report by an independent defence think tank.

In a report released on Monday, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute says it makes most sense for the federal government to commit to spending between $8 billion and $10 billion on 58 of the fighters, which are expected to enter service in 2020.

Report authors Andrew Davies and Harry White say the F-35 is a capable fighter with an ability to penetrate sophisticated air defences, but note that other factors, including political relations, point towards a likely buy.

"Because we're an international program partner on the JSF, the economies of scale for other buyers - including the US - will be reduced if we don't purchase the aircraft," they say.

Start-up costs to take on the JSF are predicted to be $2 billion, with a ongoing annual cost of about $200 million.

"In the final analysis, the government seems likely to be prepared to pay a moderate premium to maintain a high-end air-combat capability, and to preserve the other benefits to industry and the alliance with Washington," the report says.

"On balance, that looks like a reasonable decision for Australia."

As the government keeps a watchful eye on Australia's budget, the report suggests an option of reducing the F-35 order to 50, thus saving about $800 million on the initial cost.

Australian industry has secured contracts worth more than $US300 million ($A332.54 million) to manufacture F-35 components, with the injection to the economy possibly reaching $US5 billion over the lifetime of the program.

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Mining tax repeal before the Senate

THE Senate will turn its attention to mining tax repeal legislation after rejecting the Abbott government's plans to scrap the carbon tax last week.

The repeal bill has been listed as the first item of business in the upper house when parliament resumes on Monday.

Trade Minister Andrew Robb has urged Labor to get out of the government's way on the issue.

"Bill Shorten has big responsibilities, he's starting to look like the Bob Brown of the new parliament - walking sovereign risk," he told Sky News on Sunday.

The Abbott government says the tax is anti-Western Australian but WA Labor frontbencher Alannah MacTiernan dismissed that proposition as silly.

"The mining tax has not been a jobs killer," she told ABC TV on Sunday.

Ms MacTiernan admitted there have been times when it has not been a popular tax.

"I think people are pretty smart ... they understand that where you've got those companies paying the tax still investing, still recording record ... profits, that quite clearly the mining tax hasn't been the problem."

Labor supports the concept of a profits-based mining tax and will consult with the mining industry and states over the issue ahead of the next election, she said.

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Pell to take stand at abuse inquiry

FORMER archbishop of Sydney George Pell takes the stand at a hearing on Monday to answer questions on how he handled an abuse complaint by former altar boy John Ellis.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse enters the third week of a hearing in Sydney in which Dr Pell's senior associates have been grilled on why the archdiocese disputed in court that Mr Ellis had been abused when an internal church process had accepted his allegation as true.

Dr Pell is expected to shed light on his role in instructing the church's legal team, which "vigorously defended" the case. It ended in a landmark finding, which some say created church immunity from abuse-related civil actions.

Mr Ellis was a 13-year-old altar boy at Bass Hill in Sydney in 1974 when Father Aidan Duggan first sexually abused him.

In 2002 Mr Ellis sought help from Towards Healing, the internal church process for dealing with victims of abuse.

In the past two weeks the commission has heard how that process failed and Mr Ellis sued Dr Pell and the trustees of the archdiocese.

Witnesses have included Michael Casey, Dr Pell's private secretary, and Monsignor Brian Rayner, the then chancellor of the archdiocese.

Mons Rayner's evidence contradicted Dr Pell's claim that he did not know Mr Ellis was willing to settle at one stage for an ex-gratia payment of $100,000. The church spent $1.5 million defending the claim.

Dr Pell's evidence comes just before he departs for Rome to become financial head of the Vatican and Holy See.

The commission has already heard a statement from Dr Pell that said: "Whatever position was taken by the lawyers during the litigation, or by lawyers or individuals within the archdiocese following the litigation, my own view is that the church in Australia should be able to be sued."

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China, Netherlands sign trade pacts

CHINA and the Netherlands have signed a trade pact pledging Dutch dairy expertise to help Chinese producers boost the quality and quantity of their milk.

The deal signed at a ceremony at Prime Minister Mark Rutte's official residence in The Hague on Sunday is another step by China to rehabilitate the reputation of its dairy industry in the aftermath of tainted milk product scandals.

It was part of a raft of deals and memoranda of understanding inked on the second day of a state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is in the Netherlands with a large trade delegation.

In 2008, some Chinese milk brands were found to be tainted with the chemical melamine, which can cause kidney damage and other injuries. Some suppliers added it to fool protein tests on watered-down supplies.

Imported milk products like baby formula still have a reputation for safety in China and command far higher prices than local brands.

The Dutch government said in a statement that experts will help China increase its annual milk production to 40 billion kilograms in coming years.

After his meeting with Rutte, Xi spoke to a business conference in the seaside resort town of Noordwijk before visiting the world famous Keukenhof flower garden, where his wife Peng Liyuan christened a new strain of tulip called the Cathay.

After his state visit ends on Sunday, Xi is staying in the Netherlands to take part in the two-day Nuclear Security Summit starting on Monday in The Hague before travelling to France, Germany and Belgium later in the week.

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Defence Minister attends Jakarta meeting

THE government is taking another step towards improving strained ties with Indonesia with Defence Minister David Johnston attending a top level conference in Jakarta on building maritime collaboration.

Senator Johnston will be accompanied by Defence force chief General David Hurley and defence department secretary Dennis Richardson.

The event is the fourth annual Jakarta International Defence Dialogue (JIDD) to be held in Jakarta on Wednesday and Thursday.

The conference agenda document says maritime security and the complex issues it encompasses require collaboration among states and regional bodies for the peaceful regulation of trade, migration and military forces on the open sea.

"This cooperation is not only in the national interest of individual states but can also make the world more secure and protected from threats arising or crossing borders by sea," it says.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will make the opening remarks at an event the Indonesian government says aims to promote intergovernmental cooperation to meet common threats and challenges.

This will be President Yudhoyono's final JIDD. Under Indonesia's constitution, he can't seek a third term at the election on April 9.

Late last year relations with Indonesia were strained by media reports of Australian intelligence monitoring of the mobile phones of Indonesia's leaders.

That sparked a slowdown in defence cooperation at the time when the Abbott government was moving to implement its policy to stop the influx of asylum seeker boats.

Senator Johnston will be a panellist in a conference session on "exploring the Indo-Pacific" which will examine the shift of the global balance of power to this region.

Also attending are China's defence minister General Chang Wanquan and US secretary of defense Chuck Hagel.

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Science back on political agenda

AUSTRALIA'S science community is pushing for specialist advisers across all federal government departments.

Following the Abbott government's scrapping of a science ministry, Science and Technology Australia boss Catriona Jackson said industry leaders are hoping to follow the UK's lead and spread expert knowledge throughout federal divisions.

"We have certainly discussed the idea with the government and there has been some movement, with an appointment in agriculture," Ms Jackson told AAP.

"It is certainly something we would advocate."

While there is a federal chief scientist, and one for each state and territory, greater consultancy would be valuable, she said.

After coming to power in 2013, Prime Minister Tony Abbott reshuffled portfolios and split science between industry and employment, removing the role of dedicated science minister, which had been in place since 1931.

"It's fair to say scientists around the country were concerned when no one was appointed as a science minister," Ms Jackson said.

"But we have suspended our opinions until we see the government's first budget."

In an attempt to fuse stronger bonds between science and politicians, hundreds of the nation's industry leaders will converge on Canberra from Monday to meet with parliamentarians.

Ms Jackson denies there is a greater emphasis on the 2014 event in light of the political restructure but said increased interest and resourcing of the science sector is essential.

"Education and training opportunities leading to jobs in science and technology are a must because those are the jobs that will secure the future," she said.

While Australia is punching above its weight in the sector, more must be done to harness, grow and capitalise on the knowledge, Ms Jackson added.

Mr Abbott and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, who is also Labor's science spokesman, are both due to attend the Science meets Parliament event.

"Parliament will be filled with talk of ideas and possibilities, of better ways to cure disease, to build bridges, to search for new life on other planets," Ms Jackson said.

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Dubai refinancing deal on $22bn debt

DUBAI has reached an agreement with Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates' central bank to extend payment of $US20 billion ($A22.23 billion) of debt due this year.

Dubai built up tens of billions of dollars in debt during a building boom but struggled to repay it as the global financial crisis battered its economy and property market.

Dubai is one of seven emirates in the UAE.

The UAE's official WAM news agency reported on Sunday the deal gives Dubai five more years to repay the debt at a fixed interest rate of 1 per cent. The term is renewable.

The debt consists of a $US10 billion loan from the oil-rich emirate of Abu Dhabi, which is also the UAE's capital city, and another $US10 billion in central bank bonds.

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Motorcyclist killed in Melbourne's north

A MOTORCYCLIST has died in a collision with a car in Melbourne's north.

Victoria Police say the man, who is believed to be aged in his late 30s, died at the scene of the accident in Greenvale at about 11.30pm on Sunday.

They say the exact cause of the crash has yet to be determined but they think the car struck the man's motorbike at the junction of Somerton Road and Fleetwood Drive.

The female driver was alone in the car and uninjured. She is assisting police with their inquiries.

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Council demands action after record summer

THE Climate Council says Australia experienced "another angry summer" this year, with more than 150 temperature records broken.

The environmental group's report Angry Summer will be released by Professor Tim Flannery on Monday, who said Australia witnessed substantial heat records, heatwaves and extreme weather events over the season.

According to the report, Sydney had its driest summer in 27 years, and Melbourne experienced its hottest ever 24 hour period with an average temperature of 35.5 degrees celsius.

Perth had its second hottest summer and its hottest ever night, and Adelaide suffered through a record 11 days of 42 degrees or more.

Meanwhile, towns from Tamworth to Mount Gambia to Roma all broke records for the daily maximum temperature.

Professor Flannery said the scorching summer was part of an overall trend of more extreme weather events in Australia, and called for action on cutting carbon emissions.

"The latest summer was an another example of climate change tearing through the record books," he said in a statement.

"If we want to stop them getting worse this is the critical decade for action."

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NSW inquiry into Ellis case opens

A PUBLIC hearing into the Catholic Church's handling of a child sexual abuse claim that ended up in the NSW courts opens in Sydney on Monday.

John Ellis, a lawyer who was abused as a child by a priest in the Sydney parish of Bass Hill, sued the Archdiocese of Sydney as well as the trustees of the church in 2005.

The case ended up in the High Court, which decided a trust could not be held liable for abuse.

The same court upheld a lower court decision that Archbishop George Pell could not be sued over abuse that occurred decades before he became archbishop of Sydney.

The case has become known as the Ellis defence and it is alleged the church uses it to persuade abuse victims to settle complaints through the internal process called Towards Healing.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse hearing will focus on Mr Ellis's experiences in the Towards Healing process and in civil litigation.

The hearing will be the second commission case study examining the application of Towards Healing.

Royal Commission CEO Janette Dines said the hearing will be an opportunity for the commission to examine the response of the Catholic Church to Mr Ellis's claim, including "the circumstances in which the Catholic Church raised what is commonly referred to as the Ellis defence".

Cardinal Pell, who has just been appointed to a senior position as head of Vatican finances in Rome, will give evidence during the hearing, which may run for two weeks.

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Qld plane family 'braced for worst'

RELATIVES of a Queensland couple feared dead after the Malaysia Airlines plane they were travelling on disappeared over the South China Sea have thanked Australians for their support but say they are braced for bad news.

"All the family members are trying to remain positive for any hope of survivors (but) we are bracing ourselves for the worst possible outcome," the family of Cathy and Bob Lawton said in a statement released by Queensland police.

The Lawtons, who are parents to three children and grandparents to two, were among six Australians on board Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 when it vanished from radar early Saturday somewhere at sea between Malaysia and Vietnam.

The flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing had 239 people on board, including a second Queensland couple, Rodney and Mary Burrows, and Paul Weeks, a New Zealander living in Western Australia.

Authorities are still searching for the plane while investigating suspect passengers who boarded with stolen passports.

"We wish to thank the Australian public for their well wishes and prayers," the statement said.

"Our family is at present trying to come to terms with this terrible tragedy.

"Our family's hearts go out to all of the 239 passengers, crew and their families on board this flight."

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Syrian rebels battle al-Qaeda fighters

SYRIAN rebels have seized a compound held by al-Qaeda-linked militants as their one-time allies used car bombs against them, in some of the most serious infighting between fighters challenging the rule of President Bashar Assad.

The rebel-on-rebel fighting against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant is the strongest pushback yet from Syrian rebels who have seen their uprising to topple Assad hijacked by al-Qaeda forces seeking to impose Islamic rule in opposition-held portions of the country.

The clashes began on Friday after residents accused the al-Qaeda-linked fighters of killing a doctor in the northern Syrian province of Aleppo. Fighting quickly spread to rebel-held areas of the northeast province of Idlib and the central province of Hama.

The clashes widened on Sunday, with at least one outside of Aleppo pitting the ISIL against the Nusra Front, which is also an al-Qaeda-aligned group, said Rami Abdurrahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Another clash struck the town of Tabqa in the eastern province of Raqqa, where ISIL forces are most dominant, Abdurrahman said.

The Observatory obtains its information from a network of activists on the ground.

Rebels seized the ISIL compound in the town of Manbij in the northern province of Aleppo, activists said.

The Observatory said ISIL fighters also used car bombs for the first time to defend its territory. Other activists reported ISIL was pushed out of the town of Atmeh.

There always has been resentment against ISIL in Syria, whose fighters, a mix of foreigners and locals, fanned into the country last year, taking advantage of the upheaval to assert power in areas seized by rebels.

It is seen as particularly brutal in Syria's civil war for its abductions and killings of anti-Assad activists, journalists and civilians seen as critical to their rule.

But other residents welcome the group for chasing out thugs who terrorised residents in opposition-held areas, and for distributing food and aid to the poor.

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Bombings kill 20 in Baghdad

A NEW wave of bombings has hit Iraq's capital, Baghdad, killing at least 20 people.

The deadliest attack took place in Baghdad's Shi'ite northern Shaab neighbourhood, when two parked car bombs exploded simultaneously near a restaurant and a tea house. Officials say those blasts killed 10 people and wounded 26.

Authorities say a parked car bomb ripped through in capital's Shi'ite eastern district of Sadr City, killing five and wounding 10. Another bombing killed three civilians and wounded six in a commercial area in the central Bab al-Muadham neighbourhood, officials said. Two other bombings killed two civilians and wounded 13, police said.

Medical officials confirmed the causality figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to release information.

The attacks come as Iraqi security forces are besieging two key cities country's western Anbar province after they were taken over by militants from al-Qaeda's local branch, known as the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant.

Clashes have been taking place since Monday in Anbar's provincial capital, Ramadi, and nearby Fallujah between al-Qaeda militants and pro-government Sunni tribesmen. The Baghdad bombings could be seen as an attempt by militants to distract security forces.

Earlier on Sunday, a senior Iraqi military commander said that it will take a few days to fully dislodge al-Qaeda-linked fighters from two key western cities.

Lieutenant General Rasheed Fleih, who leads the Anbar Military Command, told the state television Sunday that "two to three days" are needed to push the militants out of Fallujah and parts of Ramadi.

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Rescuers search for Goa collapse survivors

THE death toll in a building collapse in India's southern state of Goa has risen to 15, as rescuers raced against the clock to save up to 20 people feared trapped beneath the debris.

A five-storey building under construction caved in on Saturday at the seaside town of Canacona, trapping workers on the site.

Police, who had earlier confirmed 11 deaths, say more bodies have since been recovered.

"The death toll stands at 15, with 14 bodies recovered from the debris and one person dying at the hospital," police inspector Prashel Desai said by telephone from the scene on Sunday.

Twenty five injured workers were being treated at hospitals.

"We cannot confirm how many people are still trapped, but according to witnesses there should be 20 more people inside," he added.

Media reports say the number of those trapped could be higher.

The rescue operations continued into Sunday night, with the chances of finding survivors fading by the minute and piles of concrete still needing to be removed.

Marshy land around the site was also making rescue operations more difficult.

Rescue workers were using cranes and bulldozers, shovels and bare hands to free the trapped workers. About 150 army soldiers had joined police, firemen and disaster management personnel in the effort.

"They are using gas cutters and other machines, but reaching those trapped inside is not easy," Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said.

"It looks like the foundation was not laid properly so the entire building has toppled," he said.

A criminal case has been filed against the builder, contractor and municipal engineer of the residential complex, who have yet to be arrested.

Building collapses are common in India. More than 60 people died in an apartment building that crumbled in the city of Mumbai in September.

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Cyclist critical after Helensburgh crash

A CYCLIST is in intensive care after being struck by a vehicle south of Sydney.

The 58-year-old man was riding south on the Old Princes Highway at Helensburgh about 6.15am (AEDT) on Sunday when he was hit by a vehicle, police say.

He was found injured next to the road by a group of cyclists a short time later.

The man was treated at the scene for suspected fractures before being taken to St George hospital.

Police have appealed for anyone who may have witnessed the incident to come forward.

They are particularly interested in speaking to the driver of an older model white Ford Laser with Victorian registration and green P plates.

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