UK warns of terror attack in Somalia

THE British government says it believes terrorists are in the final stages of planning attacks in Somalia and urged UK nationals to leave the country.

The Foreign Office already advises against all travel to Somalia, including Somaliland, where it says there is a specific threat to Westerners.

It said on Saturday it had revised its travel advice to reflect concerns that terrorists are in the final stages of plotting attacks in Mogadishu, the Somali capital.

Britain has no diplomatic representation in Somalia and is unable to provide consular assistance in the country.

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Kenya to toughen poaching sentences

KENYA plans to bolster lenient sentences for convicted wildlife poachers or ivory smugglers in a bid to stamp out a spike in elephant killings, the government says.

Poaching has recently risen sharply in east Africa, with whole herds of elephants massacred for their ivory. Rhinos have also been targeted.

Last year poachers slaughtered 384 elephants in Kenya, up from 289 in 2011, according to official figures, from a total population of around 35,000. This year, poachers have already shot dead 74.

"We intend to fight poachers at all levels to save our elephants," government spokesman Muthui Kariuki said in a statement on Saturday.

A major obstacle to this is that Kenyan courts are limited in their powers to jail or fine those convicted of wildlife crimes, he said.

"One of the major setbacks are lenient penalties and sentencing for wildlife crime by the courts," he said.

"The government is concerned about this and has facilitated the process of reviewing the wildlife law and policy with a view to having more deterrent penalties and jail terms."

Passing tougher wildlife laws will be made a priority for Kenya's parliament, elected last month but which has yet to begin business.

"We look forward to... parliament giving priority to passing of a new wildlife law and policy," Kariuki added.

Kenya's wildlife act caps punishment for the most serious wildlife crimes at a maximum fine of 40,000 Kenyan shillings ($A450), and a possible jail term of up to 10 years.

Last month, a Chinese smuggler caught in Kenya with a haul of ivory was fined less than a dollar a piece.

The smuggler, who was arrested carrying 439 pieces of worked ivory while in transit in Nairobi as he travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Hong Kong, was fined $US350 ($A337) and was then set free.

Such fines pose little if any deterrence, with experts suggesting a kilogram of ivory has an estimated black market value of some $A2406.

The illegal ivory trade is mostly fuelled by demand in Asia and the Middle East, where elephant tusks and rhinoceros horns are used to make ornaments and in traditional medicine.

Africa is now home to an estimated 472,000 elephants, whose survival is threatened by poaching as well as a rising human population that is encroaching on their habitat.

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Italian police find tonne of hashish

ITALIAN police have uncovered a tonne of hashish worth 15 million euros ($A18.7 million) in a frozen foods truck carrying potatoes and arrested its Dutch driver.

The police said they became suspicious when they noticed the truck on the outskirts of Rome as part of an anti-drug investigation and found out that it was very far from its registered delivery point.

Behind the potato boxes being shipped from the Netherlands they found "various boxes containing hashish in bars weighing around 100 grams each and wrapped in cellophane", the statement said on Saturday.

"The total quantity of drugs found was around one tonne," it added.

Police spokesman Alessandro Langello said: "The investigation is ongoing. We are trying to uncover the criminal organisation behind this shipment."

Dutch authorities in 2011 busted a large-scale operation to export homegrown cannabis from the Netherlands to countries including Italy.

Although cannabis is technically illegal in the Netherlands, the country in 1976 decriminalised possession and sale of less than five grammes of the drug.

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Jewel thieves strike at three homes

Police are investigating the theft of $250,000 worth of jewellery from a residence in Paddington. Source: Supplied

BURGLARS with an eye for expensive jewellery have raided three homes in the southeast over the past fortnight, including snatching $250,000 worth of jewels from a Paddington home to the dismay of its owners.

But police do not believe the same thief or thieves are responsible for all three robberies.

"There is nothing to indicate so far that these incidents are linked," a police media spokesman said.

Police are investigating the theft of $250,000 worth of jewellery from a residence in Paddington.

In the latest incident, a home on Grove St, Toowong, was broken into during daylight on April 4 while one person was asleep inside.

Detectives said they made off with a wall safe containing jewellery, including rings.

The rings stolen from Wolffdene include a white gold emerald ring with diamonds and a white gold ring with tanzanite stone and diamonds.

It followed the theft of a quarter of a million dollars' worth of jewellery from a home in Reading St, Paddington between 9am on Thursday March 28 and 3pm on Friday March 29.

Police said that particular haul jewellery - which included what appears to be an oval-shaped diamond necklace - held "significant sentimental value" to the owners.

Detectives said the third robbery took place at a home on Beenleigh-Beaudesert Rd at Wolffdene during the day on March 25.

Thieves broke into the home and escaped with valuable jewellery, including a white gold emerald ring with diamonds, a white gold ring with tanzanite stone and diamonds, and a gold ring with a sapphire.

Police are appealing for anyone who may have observed any suspicious behaviour in the three areas to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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US, Philippine troops start war games

THOUSANDS of US and Filipino troops have begun annual military exercises that the Philippines say are vital to building its defence capabilities to face the rising threat of China.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario used the launch of the 12-day Balikatan manoeuvres on Friday to accuse China of destabilising Asia with aggressive and illegal actions in the South China Sea.

"For our region, excessive and exaggerated maritime and territorial claims have not only created uncertainty, but have undermined the rule of law," del Rosario said in a speech at the nation's military headquarters in Manila.

"Regional peace and stability have been placed at serious risk."

Del Rosario later said he was referring specifically to China.

China claims most of the South China Sea, including waters and tiny rock outcrops near the coasts of smaller neighbours such as the Philippines.

Tensions have escalated in recent years as China has sought to stamp its authority over the region.

The Philippines has accused China of occupying a shoal close to its main island, and appealed to the United Nations to rule on the validity of Chinese claims to the resource-rich sea.

And last month China's navy began patrolling disputed waters, sending vessels to within 80 kilometres of the Malaysian coast and at one point firing "warning signal shells" at a Vietnamese boat.

Amid the rising tensions, the Philippines has sought closer diplomatic and military ties with the United States, its former colonial ruler.

The two countries share a 61-year-old mutual defence pact, which requires the United States to come to the aid of the Philippines if it is attacked.

Del Rosario said the Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) exercises were a very important part of the Philippines' efforts to secure US support.

"For my country we need to secure our borders and protect our territorial integrity more vigorously than we have before," he said.

"Balikatan... is an important contribution in not only preparing both our armed forces to work together but also in building my country's own capacity to defend itself."

The manoeuvres involve more than 8,000 US and Filipino troops, 30 military aircraft including a dozen US F/A-18 Hornets and three naval vessels, the two countries said.

Friday's launch only involved speeches from military and political leaders from the two sides.

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China closes markets as flu toll rises

Shanghai authorities are culling poultry at a market as the H7N9 bird flu virus was detected there. Source: AAP

SHANGHAI has ordered all live poultry markets in the city closed after culling more than 20,000 birds to curb the spread of the H7N9 flu virus, which has killed six people in China.

The latest fatality was a 64-year-old farmer who died in Huzhou, in the eastern province of Zhejiang, local officials said on Friday, according to the state Xinhua news agency.

He is thought to be among 14 previously confirmed human cases of H7N9, and is the second person from Zhejiang province to die from the new bird flu strain, with the other four fatalities in Shanghai, China's commercial hub.

Shanghai has a population of 23 million people and city government spokesman Xu Wei said its live poultry markets were being shuttered temporarily for "public safety" purposes, and all trade in live poultry banned.

The moves came after the virus was found in pigeon samples from the Huhuai market in Shanghai, where Xinhua said a total of 20,536 chickens, ducks, geese and pigeons had been slaughtered.

Images posted on the Sina Weibo microblog by a local television reporter showed men in protective clothing and face masks entering the market in the city's western suburbs during the night, and dozens of empty birdcages.

On Friday, the entrance to the poultry section was concealed with wooden boards and sealed off with plastic tape, with a police car parked nearby and white disinfectant powder sprinkled in the street.

Two staff members at the market told AFP the slaughter was completed overnight, but one of them added: "Of course, I'm worried."

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has played down fears over the H7N9 strain, saying there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission, but that it was crucial to find out how the virus infects humans.

Like the H5N1 variant which typically spreads from birds to humans through direct contact, experts fear such viruses could mutate into a form easily transmissible between humans, with the potential to trigger a pandemic.

Shanghai city health official Wu Fan also said on Friday there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission. One person who had been in close contact with a victim had shown flu-like symptoms, but tested negative for H7N9, she said.

"There is no possibility of spreading the infection overseas," Wu told a press conference.

The first two deaths from the virus, which had not been seen before in humans, occurred in February but were not reported by authorities until late March. Officials said the delay in announcing the results was because it took time to determine the cause of the illness.

The state-run China Daily on Friday quoted the ministry of health in Beijing as pledging "open and transparent exchanges with the WHO and other countries and regions".

In 2003, Chinese officials were accused of trying to cover up the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which killed about 800 people across the world.

US health authorities said on Thursday they were liaising with domestic and international partners to develop a vaccine for the virus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a US federal agency, said it was "gathering more information to make a knowledgeable public health risk assessment, and developing a candidate vaccine virus".

According to the WHO, the animal source of the infection and its mode of transmission are not yet clear.

"We do not yet know enough about these infections to determine whether there is a significant risk of community spread," the UN's health agency said in an online H7N9 update.

Experts are concerned that the virus appears to have spread across a wide geographical area, with people sickened not only in Shanghai, but also the nearby provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui.

"I am cautiously worried," virologist John Oxford of the Queen Mary University of London told AFP.

"If there were four cases in Shanghai, I would be much less concerned, but because it is so geographically widespread I think it is trying to tell us something."

State broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Friday that health ministry officials were meeting with agricultural personnel to draw up an action plan aimed at "preventing the spreading of the disease".

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Lego denies pulling toy after racism claim

LEGO is denying that the withdrawal of its Star Wars: Jabba's Palace box set is due to accusations of Islamaphobia and racism.

The decision to discontinue the product at the end of 2013 "was taken last year and communicated in January," but Austria's Turkish Cultural Community "interpreted this a little differently," spokeswoman Katharina Sasse told AFP on Thursday.

She added however that the large amount of "feedback" about the product, not only from the Austrian organisation but also from others, had been "passed on to our development department".

"We listen very closely and take feedback very seriously. It must be said though that when it comes to the Star Wars line, we develop our products in line with the films," she said.

A statement from the Turkish organisation gave the impression the Danish firm had decided to stop making the set because the group's representatives had made clear in a recent meeting that it was a "clear case of cultural racism".

The organisation said the building in the set closely resembled the Hagia Sophia mosque in Istanbul, while a figure with an axe and machine gun in the minaret-like structure could be mistaken for a muezzin, who calls the Muslim faithful to prayer.

"This toy depicts Jabba the Hut as a villain who smokes an oriental water pipe who has captured a princess to be a belly dancer. This has no place in a child's bedroom," the organisation's head Birol Kilic said.

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European stocks mostly higher

EUROPEAN stock markets have risen ahead of interest rate decisions due from the ECB and Bank of England and with Japan unveiling more aggressive monetary easing.

Investors are also keeping a close watch over escalating Korean tensions.

In late morning Thursday trade, London's FTSE 100 index of leading companies was down 0.03 per cent at 6,418.11 points, despite improved services sector data raising hopes of Britain avoiding a third recession in five years according to analysts.

Frankfurt's DAX 30 grew 0.40 per cent to 7,906.32 points and in Paris the CAC 40 increased 0.85 per cent to 3,786.51.

France on Thursday placed 10-year bonds on the primary market at a yield of under 2.0 per cent for the first time, according to data released by the country's debt management agency.

"Although the noises out of North Korea have increased by many decibels causing concerns, there are other attractions today staying in the focus of the markets," said Gekko Markets trader Anita Paluch.

"It is all about the central banks today as ECB and BoE are holding their meetings and announcing the rates decisions. As such investors are holding their breath.

"Certainly there are hopes for abundant liquidity since it is the main factor that drives the markets nowadays. It's highly unlikely that we see a change in the interest rate, but the ECB is certainly considering its options, given the Cyprus situation, the fact inflation in the eurozone has eased up, and the region is facing prolonged recession," she added.

A key survey on Thursday showed private sector business activity in the 17-nation eurozone fell sharply in March, adding to an increasingly gloomy outlook for the economy.

The Markit Eurozone Composite Purchasing Managers Index dropped to 46.5 points, unchanged from the initial estimate but well short of February's 47.9 and the boom-bust line of 50 points.

In foreign exchange trade on Thursday, the euro fell to $1.2793 from $1.2845 late in New York on Wednesday. Sterling was weaker against the dollar and euro, while on the London Bullion Market, gold prices climbed to $1,547.47 an ounce from $1,540.29 on Wednesday.

In Britain, which is not a member of the eurozone, the country's services sector recorded an activity reading of 52.4 in March, the Markit/CIPS purchasing managers index (PMI) showed.

Across in Asia, Tokyo shares bounced and the yen tumbled on Thursday after the Bank of Japan's policy action, but other Asian markets slipped, with Seoul hit by growing tensions on the Korean peninsula, analysts said.

The yen sank against the dollar and the euro after the Bank of Japan (BoJ), in its first meeting under a new governor, announced a raft of measures aimed at ending decades of deflation and dragging the economy out of years of insipid growth.

The Nikkei index closed up 2.20 per cent to 12,634.45 points. The Nikkei index had slumped as much as 2.3 per cent in the morning, with dealers concerned new BoJ governor Haruhiko Kuroda would fall short on promises to boost the economy.

Seoul ended down 1.20 per cent after North Korea blocked access to its Kaesong joint industrial zone with South Korea for the second day running. There were also reports Pyongyang has moved a medium-range missile to its east coast.

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Anger as Palestinians bury prisoner, teens

HEBRON, Palestinian Territories, April 4 AFP - The West Bank simmered with anger on Thursday as thousands mourned a prisoner who died in an Israeli jail and two teenagers shot dead in subsequent protests.

Furious crowds lined the streets of the southern city of Hebron as the cortege carrying the body of 63-year-old prisoner Maisara Abu Hamdiyeh passed by, on the way to a local mosque before being buried, an AFP correspondent said.

Abu Hamdiyeh, who had served 10 years of a life sentence for attempted murder, died of throat cancer on Tuesday in an Israeli hospital, with the Palestinian leadership blaming Israel for medical negligence.

As news of the prisoner's death spread, protests erupted in several places, quickly turning into clashes with the Israeli army, notably in Hebron, Abu Hamdiyeh's hometown.

Near the northern village of Anabta close to Tulkarem, the clashes turned deadly, with two teenagers shot dead overnight by troops, Israeli and Palestinian sources said.

Palestinian security officials said Amer Nasser, 17, was killed by a bullet to the head and Naji Balbisi, 19, was shot in the chest.

The Israeli military said troops had opened fire at "rioters who hurled petrol bombs" at a military post.

In Anabta, where schools and shops were closed in mourning, about 6000 people gathered for the funeral, with many calling for revenge as the two bodies, both wrapped in Palestinian flags, arrived, an AFP correspondent said.

Speaking to AFP, Maath Kanaan spoke bitterly about the loss of his friend Amer.

"He always had a nationalist spirit and he was the first one to go to demonstrations. They killed him in cold blood," he said.

With Palestinian anger at boiling point, Gaza militants fired a mortar shell at southern Israel early on Thursday, public radio said.

The army confirmed the fire but could not say whether it was a mortar round or rocket, although it caused no damage or casualties.

Since news of Abu Hamdiyeh's death emerged, Hebron has been wracked by ongoing clashes between stone-throwing youths and Israeli troops, and since Tuesday the city has been shut down for a three-day general strike by mourners.

In Gaza, Salafist militants have fired a handful of rockets over the border in protest, prompting a retaliatory airstrike and a warning from Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon that Israel would not tolerate attacks on its territory.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State John Kerry is heading to the Middle East for his third trip in a month, looking for signs Israel and the Palestinians are ready to make tough sacrifices for peace.

In a surprise move, the State Department announced on Wednesday that Kerry would return to Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories early next week to build on a series of talks last month between American and regional leaders.

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Mandela much better after week in hospital

NELSON Mandela is "much better" and responding "satisfactorily" to treatment after a week in hospital for pneumonia.

The ailing 94-year-old, who served as South Africa's first black president, was making a steady improvement and doctors were happy with his progress, President Jacob Zuma's office said in a statement on Wednesday.

"His doctors say he continues to respond satisfactorily to treatment and is much better now than he was when he was admitted to hospital on the 27th of March 2013," it said.

"He has been visited by family and continues to make steady progress."

No details on a possible release were given.

The global peace and anti-apartheid icon was admitted to hospital shortly before midnight a week ago, his third stay since December.

Doctors last week drained excess fluid on the lining of Mandela's lungs caused by recurring infection.

The procedure helped him breathe without difficulty.

Last month Mandela spent a night in hospital for a scheduled checkup and in December was admitted for 18 days for a lung infection and gallstones surgery.

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Eddie Murphy refused Mel B visa form:court

Eddie Murphy (pic) has refused to sign a consent form for his child with Mel B to come to Australia. Source: AAP

AMERICAN actor Eddie Murphy refused to sign a visa consent form allowing his child with Spice Girl Melanie Brown to come to Australia, a Sydney court has heard.

The Seven Network is battling in the Supreme Court to retain what it claims is an exclusive Australian television agreement with the singer known as Mel B until January 31, 2014.

The network took Brown to court after it was announced earlier this year that she would be appearing on the Nine Network's Australia's Got Talent.

Lawyers for Brown told the court last week Seven had no plans to use Brown this year and simply wanted to stop her appearing on the rival network.

But Seven's director of production, Brad Lyons, said on Wednesday that Seven "really wanted" Brown to appear on its successful X-Factor series for a third year running and so had secured her for the 2013 series.

"She was a very good judge. That's why we exercised the option to have her return. She is outspoken and a big international star," Mr Lyons said.

Brown's husband and manager Stephen Belafonte said in a phone call earlier this year Brown would not be able to come to Australia because they were having consent problems with the fathers of her children, Mr Lyons said.

Brown has three children - one from her first marriage to dancer Jimmy Gulzar, one with ex-boyfriend Murphy and one with Mr Belafonte.

"(Mr Belafonte said) we're fighting custody battles in LA and London. It's looking increasingly likely Mel will have to live and work in LA," Mr Lyons said.

Seven production lawyer Jane Oswald said she was told the problem was with Murphy.

"Eddie Murphy ... wouldn't sign the documents, and (they said) they would have to take him to court to get the documents signed," Ms Oswald said.

Mr Lyons said he was upset that Mel B needed to live and work in LA, but told Mr Belafonte: "We're not going to tear her away from her kids."

He said he started "working towards a solution" to use Brown in the show, including possibly making her a fifth judge who would fly in and out.

Under cross-examination from Brown's lawyer, Thomas Blackburn SC, Mr Lyons agreed he did not specifically tell Mr Belafonte that Seven and Brown "have an existing and continuing agreement".

But Mr Lyons said he was convinced the agreement was in place.

The hearing resumes on Thursday.

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Down's syndrome boy sets Everest record

A 15-YEAR-OLD American has become the first teenager with Down's syndrome to reach Everest Base Camp, according to his father, in an attempt to inspire different attitudes towards disabilities.

Eli Reimer, from Oregon, reached the 5364-metres high camp in Nepal's Himalayan mountains in mid-March after 10 days of trekking.

"Part of the focus of this trek was on having at least one disabled trekker go with us and, through their attempt, point to the abilities of the 'dis'-abled," said his father Justin, who was part of the expedition team.

The trek was also a fundraiser for the Elisha Foundation, founded by Eli's parents, which works with disabled people and their families.

While Eli is thought to be the first teen to reach the base camp, a 35-year-old man with Down's syndrome from Britain had previously made the same trip.

Down's syndrome, a condition in which the person has an extra chromosome, can cause cognitive delays, but advances in medicine, education, and social inclusion have meant that many live independently as adults.

"He's sort of a superstar at school now," his father said, explaining that Eli is in his second year of high school and attends a combination of "life skills" and mainstream courses.

Asked what he would tell his classmates when he returned to school this week, Eli said: "I liked base camp and being with my new friends on the trekking team."

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the first summit of Mount Everest, which has subsequently been scaled thousands of times including by dozens of world record breakers.

Tom Whittaker, a British mountaineer, became the first person with a disability to summit the peak in 1998 after a car crash almost two decades earlier had forced him to have his foot amputated.

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Egypt taxi drivers storm finance ministry

EGYPTIAN taxi drivers have stormed the gates of the finance ministry in Cairo during a protest against the terms of loan payments on their cars, security officials say.

Other taxi drivers in the protest were upset the government had not yet replaced their old black and white taxis with the more recent white cars equipped with metres.

Ministry employees armed with clubs and chairs prevented the drivers from entering the building on Tuesday.

Egypt had replaced most antiquated black and white taxis in Cairo with more modern white ones over the past four years, but some older models were not eligible for the program.

The new taxis were bought through financing, and many drivers now say they cannot afford to keep up with payments amid increasing inflation.

Taxis, relatively cheap compared with Western fares, are one of the main forms of transportation in Cairo.

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Eurozone unemployment hits record 12%

EUROZONE unemployment ran at a record 12 per cent in February, with more than 19 million people on the dole as the debt crisis continued to sap the economy, official data shows.

The Eurostat data agency said on Tuesday unemployment in the 17-nation eurozone at 12 per cent was unchanged from January when the figure was initially given as 11.9 per cent.

In the full 27-member EU, unemployment in February rose to 10.9 per cent from 10.8 per cent, with 26.34 million out of work, it said.

Some 33,000 joined the jobless queues in the eurozone and 76,000 in the EU over the month of February, Eurostat said.

Compared with a year earlier, the increase in registered unemployment was 1.78 million in the eurozone and 1.81 million in the EU.

The highest unemployment rates in February were found in Spain with 26.3 per cent and neighbour Portugal, on 17.5 per cent. Greece was put at it 26.4 per cent but this figure is for December, the latest available.

The lowest rates were 4.8 per cent in Austria and 5.4 per cent in Germany, Europe's biggest economy.

With youth unemployment a huge cause of concern, Eurostat said the jobless rate for under-25s ran at 23.9 per cent in the eurozone and 23.5 per cent in the EU.

Among the countries with the highest youth jobless levels, Spain was on 55.7 per cent, followed by Portugal on 38.2 per cent and Italy with 37.8 per cent.

Greece was the highest with 58.4 per cent but this figure was for December, the last available.

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Indian court fines Vedanta $20m

INDIA'S top court has fined British resources giant Vedanta more than $A19 million over pollution from its huge copper smelter, which has just been shut by a new row over a "toxic" gas leak.

The court on Tuesday told Sterlite Industries, a unit of London-listed Vedanta Resources, to pay one billion rupees over five years for air pollution from its copper plant - India's biggest - in Tamil Nadu state's port city of Tuticorin.

"Compensation must act as a deterrent and any amount less than one billion rupees would not have the desired impact," the bench headed by Justice A. K. Patnaik ruled.

But the judge set aside a 2010 Madras High Court order to close the copper plant, which produces nearly 400,000 tonnes annually, sending shares of Indian-listed Sterlite soaring nearly three per cent.

The Madras court had told Sterlite to shut the plant, one of the world's leading copper smelters which lies in an ecologically fragile coastal area, to protect "mother nature" from "unabated air and water pollution".

Vedanta, controlled by billionaire Anil Agarwal, has frequently been the target of environmental criticism.

The company's plans to be a major global metals player rest on developing its Indian assets, and have suffered a string of setbacks.

In 2010, the government blocked Vedanta's plans to mine bauxite in eastern India on land held sacred by tribes to feed its nearby aluminium refinery and blocked the refinery over fears of wrecking the area's fragile eco-system.

And on Tuesday, the 17-year-old Tuticorin plant, which has frequently been targeted by protesters, remained shut due to a new pollution dispute.

Sterlite on Monday announced it had closed the plant following weekend orders issued by the Tamil Nadu state pollution control board after local media alleged a "toxic" gas leak had caused breathing, throat and eye problems among residents.

The Vedanta unit denied in a statement any gas leak and said "key readings of the particular period were well within the permissible range".

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Protest 'polar bear' floats past Kremlin

A GREENPEACE activist in a polar bear suit has floated along the Moscow River past the Kremlin before being briefly detained in a stunt by the environmental group to protest against energy exploration in Russia's Arctic waters.

The activist in a furry white suit stood on a white air cushion designed to look like an ice floe with signs reading "Help!" and "Arctic not for Sale" before a river patrol came out in a motorboat and bundled the activist inside.

The activist was later released from a police station with no charge, Greenpeace said on Twitter, adding that "the crimes are being committed in the Arctic."

Greenpeace said Monday's protest aimed to draw attention to a planned joint venture between Norway's Statoil and Russia's Rosneft to explore Russia's Barents Sea for untapped oil reserves.

Greenpeace said in a statement on its website it was starting to collect signatures for a petition calling on Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg to halt the project, warning of the risk of oil spills.

It accused Statoil of being ready to take on environmentally risky projects in Russia that it would not consider doing in its home country.

Greenpeace activists in polar bear costumes last year picketed the headquarters of state-owned energy giant Gazprom. They were charged with breaking rules on protests and fined.

Russia's Arctic is seen as one of the world's last remaining natural wildernesses, but the Russian authorities are increasing looking to exploit its energy reserves as deposits elsewhere run out.

"If there was a disaster in the Barents Sea, the damage to the northern environment and also fish resources and population of littoral towns would be catastrophic," Greenpeace warned.

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The world's dumbest drink drivers?

A COUPLE have each been charged with drink driving not once but twice in a day in a bizarre chain of events on North Stradbroke Island, off Brisbane.

Dunwich police conducted a road side breath test on a female driver in Snapper Street, Point Lookout about 1pm.

The 27-year-old recorded a reading of .126 per cent and was charged with drink driving.

A short time later police stopped the same car which was now being driven by the passenger, a 34-year-old man from Redbank Plains.

He recorded a breath test reading of .110 per cent and was also charged with drink driving.

The couple were released but shortly afterwards the man was observed by police in Point Lookout driving the vehicle again.

The man again recorded a positive breath test and was charged with drink driving as well as driving while suspended.

Incredibly the couple returned to their vehicle and the woman again got behind the wheel.

They were again stopped by police and the woman was n charged with drink driving and driving while suspended.

Both will appear in the Cleveland Magistrates Court on May 14.

Anyone with information which could assist with this matter should contact Crime Stoppers anonymously via 1800 333 000 or crimestoppers.com.au 24hrs a day.

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Abbott gay marriage views bizarre: ALP MP

Frances and Bridget Abbott have told News Limited that same-sex couples should be able to marry. Source: AAP

A FEDERAL Labor backbencher has accused Opposition Leader Tony Abbott of "trotting out his daughters' views" in support of gay marriage to counterbalance his own opposition to marriage equality.

Frances and Bridget Abbott have told News Limited they believe same-sex couples should be able to marry and they have discussed the matter with their father.

But Mr Abbott on Sunday reaffirmed the coalition's position that marriage should remain between a man and a woman.

"As long as it is party policy - and that's a matter for the party room - there's no conscience vote," he told Sky News.

Labor MP Graham Perrett, who has two gay brothers, said Mr Abbott's stern opposition to a conscience vote was puzzling.

"He's saying it's set in stone," Mr Perrett told Sky News on Monday.

"(Mr Abbott is saying) because it's the policy now, it must be the policy forever, which is a bizarre approach."

He added that Mr Abbott was "trotting out his daughters' views to counterbalance his hardcore views about marriage equality".

"I would've thought it's the sort of issue that Tony Abbott, with that free-thinking family of his, might allow his party ... to have a conscience vote," Mr Perrett said.

Liberal MP Paul Fletcher said he'd consulted widely with in his upper North Shore Sydney electorate of Bradfield and had found a "strong majority view" in favour of maintaining the status quo on marriage law.

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Iraq Christians mark Easter

AFTER years of flight from violence-racked Iraq to more stable countries, Baghdad's dwindling Christian community marked Easter Sunday by praying for a visit from the new Pope.

Worshippers attended services at 28 churches across the Iraqi capital, often under heavy security that meant they were frisked before entering while soldiers and police stood guard outside.

"It would be so important for us if he came," said Acil Aysar, a 17-year-old attending mass at the Mar Yusuf church in Baghdad's central Karrada neighbourhood.

"Our Pope is simple and good," added 70-year-old Mowafaq Akrawi, who placed a photograph of Pope Francis behind the Virgin Mary that greets visitors at the Chaldean church.

Though a visit seems unlikely - Iraq remains very violent, and persistent rumours of impending papal visits have been repeatedly denied in previous years - the newly enthroned Chaldean patriarch of Iraq, Archbishop Louis Sako, said this month that Pope Francis had expressed an interest in such a trip.

The Chaldean church, which has 700,000 followers worldwide and uses Aramaic, the language that Jesus Christ spoke, is one of the oldest Christian communities in the world.

But along with other Iraqi Christian churches, it suffered persecution, forced flight and killings in the aftermath of the 2003 US-led invasion.

The bloodiest single attack on the community came on October 31, 2010, when Islamist militants killed 44 worshippers and two priests in Baghdad's Our Lady of Salvation church.

And although violence is markedly lower than during the worst of Iraq's sectarian war, attacks are still common, with 263 people killed in March, according to an AFP tally.

"With the violence, I do not think (the Pope will visit)" said Aysar, clad in a blue silk dress.

"Even for us, it is dangerous."

She said her mother had been wounded in the leg three years ago by shrapnel.

Estimates of the number of Christians living in Iraq before 2003 vary from more than one million to around 1.5 million. But now they are estimated at fewer than 500,000.

The dramatic decline in their numbers is visible on the ground.

Hind Kamal, a young mother, noted that "during Saddam's time, we could not even get into the church because there were so many people."

"Now, because it is Easter, the church is full. But normally there are usually no more than 100 people."

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Fears for Aussie amid Savile sex scandal

A SHOWBIZ friend of the high-profile Australian entertainer arrested last week in England on suspicion of sex offences fears his mate's life may have been ruined even if he's never charged.

The 83-year-old Australian celebrity was questioned on Thursday by a British police task force set up following the Jimmy Savile sex abuse scandal.

He was released hours later on police bail.

"It appears there's a witch-hunt going on looking at the number of high-profile celebrities arrested," the unnamed friend of the 83-year-old told UK tabloid, The Sunday Mirror.

"Even if those arrested are never charged, their lives will still have been ruined and that's unfair.

"It's easy making historic allegations against showbiz names."

The friend said he was "dumbfounded" by the latest events.

The Australian will not be named by the Metropolitan Police unless he is charged at a later date.

He is the 11th person to have been arrested as a result of Operation Yewtree.

It was established after a TV documentary alleged former BBC disc jockey Savile, who died in 2011 aged 84, sexually abused countless children over decades.

While the Australian was in the media spotlight at the same time, police have stressed his arrest was not connected to the specific allegations made against Savile.

The 83-year-old has reportedly moved out of his Berkshire home and into a London flat in recent weeks to avoid press scrutiny.

He was first interviewed under caution in late November 2012, five days after a search warrant was executed at his home.

The entertainer's British agent has not returned AAP's calls in recent days.

No one answered the door at his Berkshire home on Friday.

A police investigation concluded earlier this year that Savile was a predatory sex offender who abused youngsters as young as eight over more than 50 years, using his fame to rape and assault victims on BBC premises, in schools and hospitals.

The scandal has led to the arrests of singer Gary Glitter, comedians Freddie Starr and Jim Davidson and radio presenter Stuart Hall.

Prosecutors last week said there wasn't enough evidence to charge former BBC producer Wilfred De'ath who had also been arrested.

De'ath subsequently hit out at the MET which he said had been "arresting people on rather spurious allegations" having failed "to get" Savile when he was alive.

"Operation Yewtree has gone too far ... it really is getting silly," De'ath told the BBC.

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Media man dies in Sydney cliff top fall

Sydney sport and media circles are in mourning over the death of PR consultant Rod "Rocket" Allen. Source: AAP

SYDNEY sport and media circles are mourning journalist-turned-PR consultant Rod "Rocket" Allen, whose body was discovered on Cockatoo Island.

It is understood Mr Allen had been camping with his wife Laila on the Sydney Harbour island on Saturday night to celebrate a former colleague's 50th birthday.

Police believe Mr Allen fell from a cliff overnight, but investigations into his death continue.

A spokeswoman could not confirm a News Ltd report he became disoriented when he was returning to his tent on the northern side of the island in the early hours of Sunday morning and fell from a viewing platform overhanging a sandstone cliff.

News Ltd reported investigations by water police would focus on whether there was adequate fencing, lighting and signage around the 20-metre drop and the pathways leading to the platform.

The man nicknamed Rocket joined the media industry more than 20 years ago, as a cadet with News Ltd, and eventually became a sports managing editor for Fairfax before going on to found the public relations firm Rocket Group in 2009.

As media manager for the Western Sydney Wanderers Football Club, he watched the Wanderers win the Premiers Plate on Friday in the team's inaugural season.

Club executive chairman Lyall Gorman said football had lost a great friend.

"On this day of immense shock and sadness, we remember Rod's wonderful warm nature," Mr Gorman said.

"I am not sure that in the nine years I have known Rod that I have ever seen him happier or prouder when it came to football (than on Friday)."

As news of his death spread on Sunday evening, friends and colleagues took to Twitter to express their grief.

"Wow.. Can't believe it, Rod Allen, amazing guy, love to his family and friends. Shocked," said Socceroos captain Lucas Neill.

One colleague wrote: "Rod Allen was an inspirational sports editor and a wonderful mentor for all who worked with him,"

Another described the media man as a "master of his craft and an even better bloke", while a third remembered him as a "good guy with a ready smile".

Mr Allen had worked as head of media relations for Football Federation Australia, supporting Australia's bids for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, the Socceroos' campaigns for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar.

FFA CEO David Gallop paid tribute to Mr Allen's professionalism.

"His no-nonsense approach to the task at hand was his trademark and many who dealt with him appreciated this dedication to getting the story, hitting deadline or managing an issue," Mr Gallop said.

"On behalf of the Australian Football Community, we offer our deepest condolences to his family during this extremely sad time."

Fairfax reported friends and family left the island about 2pm (AEDT) on Sunday before gathering in Balmain to mourn.

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