Romania opens Ceausescu execution spot

THE military base where brutal Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife Elena were executed in 1989 has been restored and will open to the public in September, local media reports.

"Visitors will be able to see the wall where the Ceausescus were shot," Ovidiu Carstina, the director of the museum site at Targoviste in central Romania, told the Mediafax news agency on Saturday.

"The inside of the building has been repainted in the same colours as in 1989, the furniture will be the same. We are recreating both the room where the trial took place and the bedroom where they spent their last night," he said.

Authorities decided to open up the base after interest from foreign tourists in seeing the spot where the dictator died, Mediafax said.

On December 22, 1989, as angry crowds gathered in front of the Communist Party headquarters, the Ceausescus fled the capital Bucharest in a helicopter, but were stopped by the army.

After a three-day trial by a special military tribunal, the couple were sentenced to death by firing squad.

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Kenyan police quizzed over airport looting

INVESTIGATORS in Kenya are questioning police and airport workers suspected of taking advantage of a fire at Nairobi's main airport on Wednesday to steal cash and alcohol, an officer says.

"It is embarrassing because some of them concentrated on looting instead of raising alarms," said a police officer in the probe team who did not want to give his name.

"We're questioning all of them. Police officers, immigration staff, civilians who work in other areas and even taxi drivers," he added.

Security cameras caught some thieves in action, he said.

Kenyan paper Daily Nation said seven police officers would appear in court on Monday. The men were found with cash and alcohol on them, the paper said.

The cause of the fire that broke out at 5am local time at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Wednesday and blazed out of control for several hours has not yet been determined.

The airport's main arrivals hall was gutted in the blaze.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has ruled out terrorism.

But "those responsible for negligence will have to be punished", he warned on a visit to the airport Friday.

The fire caused no casualties but paralysed the airport, which is the principal aviation hub for east Africa, on Wednesday.

International and domestic flights were cancelled.

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Japan national debt at one quadrillion yen

JAPAN'S eye-watering national debt has topped Y1 quadrillion, official data shows, a record figure that underlines Tokyo's struggle to curb its huge borrowing.

The figure supplied by the finance ministry of Y1.008 quadrillion by the end of June amounts to about $A11.51 trillion at current exchange rates.

A quadrillion is one thousand trillion.

Tokyo has the dubious distinction of having, proportionately, the biggest debt pile among industrialised nations, more than twice the size of its economy.

The lion's share of that debt is from long- and short-term Japanese government bonds, as well as other borrowing.

The staggering figure, about 1.7 per cent higher than the previous quarter, comes a day after Japan pledged to slash its budget and get spending under control.

Japan has not faced a public debt crisis like the kind seen across the debt-riddled eurozone, largely because most of its low-interest debt is held domestically rather than by international creditors.

But the International Monetary Fund and others have issued warnings about Tokyo's ever-increasing borrowing, after a series of sovereign credit rating downgrades in recent years.

This week, the IMF called on Japan to adopt a "credible" fiscal plan to repair its books, including raising sales taxes to generate new revenue.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government is mulling whether to go ahead with a series of sales tax rises that would double the rate to 10 per cent by 2015, a key source of new income but one that some fear would stall his economy-boosting plan dubbed "Abenomics".

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Tokyo investors eye Japan, US data

TOKYO investors will be eyeing Japanese and US economic data next week, but trading is expected to be thin with many dealers off for a national holiday.

US economic figures including retail sales and industrial output are due out as markets look for clues as to when the US Federal Reserve will start rolling back its huge stimulus drive.

The Fed has said any pull back from its quantitative easing scheme rested on evidence of a solid recovery in the world's largest economy.

"If it is confirmed that the US economy is keeping in good shape, that would support the (Tokyo) market," Nomura Securities said in a client note.

Eurozone GDP figures will also be in focus while, closer to home, second-quarter economic growth figures for Japan will be eyed as Tokyo mulls a series of sales tax hikes aimed at chopping its mounting public debt, already the worst in the industrialised world.

There are fears that a drive to stimulate the world's third-largest economy could be cut short by raising taxes.

In the week to August 9, Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei 225 index lost 5.88 per cent, or 850.97 points, to 13,615.19.

The Topix index of all first-section shares lost 4.62 per cent, or 55.26 points, to 1,140.91.

The tumble was largely due to a 4.0 per cent drop in the Nikkei on Wednesday as selling pressure soared because of a stronger yen and after Wall Street fell sharply.

On Friday, Tokyo stocks ended flat after zigzagging in and out of positive territory, with market heavyweight Nikon diving after a big drop in the camera giant's quarterly profit.

"The market remains in the summer doldrums," said SMBC Nikko Securities general manager of equities Hiroichi Nishi.

Next week, many traders will be off for national holidays.

"The markets could see some renewed buffeting if trading volume drops off even more than we have seen in recent weeks," said an equity derivatives trader at a foreign brokerage.

On Friday, Nikon dropped 14.29 per cent to Y1,726 after saying on Thursday its net profit fell 72 per cent in the April-June quarter as digital camera sales slumped, while slashing its sales and profit outlook for the fiscal year to March.

Toyota rose 0.16 per cent to Y6,170, Sony gained 0.83 per cent to Y1,943 while Sharp was down 0.74 per cent to Y401.

In Tokyo afternoon trading, the US dollar was nearly flat at Y96.66 from Y96.64 in New York on Thursday.

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Schools key in Corangamite: Shorten

Senior minister Bill Shorten believes Labor's battle for the seat of Corangamite will be tough. Source: AAP

LABOR can win the election, senior minister Bill Shorten says, but he's less confident it will retain its most marginal seat.

Campaigning in the Victorian seat of Corangamite, which the ALP's Darren Cheeseman holds by only 0.3 per cent, Mr Shorten told students the government could win the election.

"Bookmakers have us not as the favourite in a two horse-race," Mr Shorten said at a Geelong school.

"Bookmakers can be wrong. It's four weeks to go.

"We can win. That's for sure."

When asked if Labor could retain Corangamite, Mr Shorten qualified his response by saying the ALP would prevail in the seat if the election was fought on education policy.

"Corangamite is an electorate which has got a great future," Mr Shorten said.

"If this is an election that is fought on education policies, Darren Cheeseman will remain the member for Corangamite."

Mr Cheeseman said he would have to work hard to show voters how Labor was addressing their concerns.

"This going to be a very close contest here. Every single vote will count," Mr Cheeseman said.

"If we campaign hard ... I think we've got every chance of winning this seat again."

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Peter Garrett's talents wasted: Blundell

Senate candidate James Blundell (R) says Peter Garrett's intellect was wasted in politics. Source: AAP

COUNTRY music star James Blundell says fellow artist Peter Garrett's intellect was wasted in politics.

But the lead Queensland Senate candidate for Katter's Australian Party has vowed his celebrity status won't be exploited, in the same way Labor used the former Midnight Oil frontman.

"I think Peter Garrett is the greatest misuse of intellect I've seen in my adult, politically active lifetime," he told AAP.

"The decision makers and policy makers should have been listening to what Peter was saying because the reason Peter Garrett and Midnight Oil became incredibly famous was because they really, really connected with their peers, and half a generation above and below."

Blundell says he and Mr Garrett chatted about the shaved-head rock star's future career as they sat side-by-side at country music legend Slim Dusty's funeral in 2003.

He also feels that Mr Garrett, who is retiring from politics at this election, was unfairly tied to the failed pink batts scheme.

"To give him pink batts is the stupidest thing I've seen in my life," he said.

The 28-year music veteran and Golden Guitar winner says his own celebrity status won't be exploited, after persistent pleas from party leader Bob Katter for him to stand.

"If a celebrity is there for the glory of it, they will be badly hurt," he said.

Blundell called State of Origin coach and rugby league great Mal Meninga for advice, and to ask why he famously aborted a 2001 run for the ACT parliament.

"Mal is a bloke I absolutely love and he was one of the people ... I had a list of people to call because I wanted to know what happened," Blundell said, adding he hoped not to "go the Mal route".

Blundell also admits to being in favour of gay marriage, unlike many in his party.

"We have an agreement to disagree or to keep that whole issue away from the top 20 important things to discuss," he said.

"We don't see eye-to-eye on it 100 per cent."

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Delays expected as Virgin system crashes

VIRGIN Australia has warned passengers to expect delays and cancellations to flights on Tuesday night following a worldwide computer glitch which crashed the airline's check in service.

Thousands of frustrated passengers are banked up in queues at Sydney airport with Virgin one of several airlines affected by problems with the Sabre booking and check-in system.

A Virgin spokeswoman said the airline had cancelled 35 flights on its domestic and international network and there were currently delays of up to an hour at airports.

The airline said the temporary outage occurred between 2pm (AEST) and 4pm on Tuesday but the disruptions were expected to continue.

It was working with Sabre to get flight back on track.

"We're working to get it back to normal as soon as possible," the spokeswoman told AAP.

The airline has cancelled flights on Tuesday afternoon and is busily arranging accommodation and new travel plans for stranded passengers.

Among the travellers was NSW south coast resident Beverley King, whose 2pm flight to Cairns, to play squash in Great Barrier Reef Games, was cancelled.

She's been waiting at the airport for nearly six hours.

Asked if the airline was looking after her, Mrs King told AAP: "Oh you've got to be kidding!"

Mrs King has to stay with a friend overnight before making a second trek to the airport on Wednesday.

Insurance agent Bodo Lenitschek was also bound for Cairns after a work training trip in Sydney.

"Things happen, it's frustrating, it's taken too long for them to tell us what's going on," he told AAP.

"The staff are friendly enough but no information is coming through."

Welsh backpacker Richie Morgan was looking forward to a few beers in tropical paradise in far north Queensland with his mates.

"It is what it is," he told AAP.

The airline's provided an $8 meal voucher and staff have been handing out water bottles.

Swiss backpacker Noura Imhof and her group of friends had the best seats in the house, sitting on their bags eating chips and playing with their tablets.

Virgin advised passengers to check its website for updates.

People who miss flights on Tuesday will be provided with a full credit for the cost of the flight and customers will be able to change their flight to the same destination to another service until August 13 for free.

Customers stranded overseas may be eligible for hotel accommodation.

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Rudd too sensitive to media: Howard

John Howard has criticised Kevin Rudd (pic) for "whingeing" over a Sydney newspaper front page. Source: AAP

WHEN John Howard opposed the idea of Australia becoming a republic, he knew his view wasn't shared by most of the country's media.

If he didn't, Rupert Murdoch's The Daily Telegraph certainly drilled it home during 1998's Constitutional Convention to nut out a referendum on the issue.

The Sydney News Corp tabloid ran a photo of the former prime minister sitting on his own during the 10 days of deliberations.

The headline?

"Alone on the Queen's bench."

But Mr Howard didn't take it personally.

"It was a very clever headline," he quipped to a lunchtime audience in Sydney on Tuesday.

When petrol prices rose a few years later, the tabloid dressed him and then treasurer Peter Costello up as Middle Eastern oil tycoons.

"They had Peter Costello and me dressed up as Sheikhs, the implication we were responsible."

Mr Howard conceded he's had his ups and downs with the media.

"But you've just got to cop that in Australian politics."

Which is what he says Prime Minister Kevin Rudd should do after the Telegraph led its Monday edition with a full-page photo of Mr Rudd and an editorial under the headline: "Kick this mob out".

Mr Rudd hit back, saying News Corp boss Rupert Murdoch had repeatedly made his political stance clear through his publications and public statements.

Mr Howard said his successor was "sensitive" for "whinging" so early on in an election campaign.

"One of the big mistakes this government made is to single out people in Rupert Murdoch's pretty successful business," he said.

"It's not good for our country, to have political leaders attacking individuals."

There are a healthy range of views in the media, which has more diversity than in the past, Mr Howard said.

"The argument for more control of the media is less now than it's ever been."

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott on Monday denied the coalition had the support of News Corp.

"Over the years I've copped a fair bit of criticism from News Limited papers along with some support," Mr Abbott told ABC radio.

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Rolf Harris silent after new arrest

ROLF Harris is staying silent in the face of fresh sex abuse allegations after he was arrested for a second time by a UK police taskforce set up in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal.

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NZ govt officials put in Fonterra offices

New Zealand's PM says there are "gaps" in the information Fonterra has provided to the government. Source: AAP

NEW Zealand government officials will be stationed in Fonterra's offices to get to the bottom of a whey contamination scandal.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce has been sent to Auckland for meetings with Fonterra bosses, and officials from the Ministry for Primary Industries have been put into the dairy giant's offices to get "absolute clarity" about the problem, Prime Minister John Key says.

There are "gaps" in the information Fonterra has provided to the government.

Mr Key says he doesn't believe Fonterra is deliberately withholding information, but the breadth of the problem appears to be wider than originally thought.

A ministerial response team has been established for a whole-of-government approach to the issue, and Food Safety Minister Nikki Kaye will meet with grocery sector representatives on Monday night, after MPI advised consumers to avoid two infant formula products made by Nutricia.

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Hong Kong stocks rise 0.14% by close

HONG Kong stocks have risen 0.14 per cent, following a late surge on Wall Street that saw US stocks end at a record high last week despite weaker-than-expected jobs growth.

The benchmark Hang Seng Index on Monday gained 31.04 points to 22,222.01 on turnover of $HK42.37 billion ($A6.16 billion).

Investors were looking ahead to a semi-annual earnings report from British banking giant HSBC where shares closed up 0.8 per cent at $HK89.55, accounting for nearly all of the index's gains.

Shortly after the market closed the British bank announced its half-year net profits had jumped 22 per cent to $US10.28 ($A11.59) billon on lower costs and falling bad-debt charges.

The stock "looks much more expensive than the mainland banks but considering the transparency and uncertainties on the latter, (I'd) rather hold the global bank", said Kim Eng investment advisory head Edward Fung.

Shares in China Modern ended near a two-month high at $HK2.59, while Biostime rose 9.8 per cent to $HK43.35 and China food giant Want Want fell 3.2 per cent to $HK10.16.

Chinese shares closed up 1.04 per cent. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index rose 21.06 points to 2,050.48 on turnover of 73.3 billion yuan ($A13.53 billion).

The government said last week that its official purchasing managers' index, a gauge of manufacturing activity, rose to 50.3 in July from 50.1 in June, in a positive sign for recovery.

Chinese authorities had also introduced measures, including tax reductions on small firms and speeding up infrastructure investment, to boost its economy.

"Market expectations were not as pessimistic as earlier and the government has made clear of its policy stance to stabilise economic growth, so there's upward momentum," BOC International analyst Shen Jun told AFP.

Dairy producers led gains on hopes a scandal involving tainted whey products from New Zealand industry giant Fonterra could turn customers toward domestic brands.

Beijing Sanyuan Foods jumped 4.75 per cent to 6.62 yuan while Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group gained 3.06 per cent to 37.09 yuan.

Locomotive car makers were higher after the country's top economic planner said over the weekend it sped up approvals for some urban rail projects in the first half.

China CNR Corp advanced 2.28 per cent to 4.49 yuan while CSR Corp rose 1.71 per cent to 4.17 yuan.

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Iran leader names technocrats to cabinet

PRESIDENT Hassan Rowhani has unveiled a cabinet of technocrats to help him tackle the formidable challenges of shoring up Iran's economy and opening up dialogue with the West over Tehran's controversial nuclear drive.

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Mugabe faces growing fallout from election

ROBERT Mugabe looked to a seventh term as Zimbabwe's president after winning elections denounced by the opposition as "stolen" and criticised by Western powers.

Mugabe, 89, who has run the country since he helped end white rule in 1980, trounced his long-standing political rival, Morgan Tsvangirai, in Wednesday's election, Zimbabwean election officials said.

By the time he completes his new tenure, he will have ruled the former British colony in southern Africa for 38 years.

Official results showed Mugabe won 61 per cent of the presidential vote and his party got a super majority in parliament that will allow it to change the constitution. He routed Tsvangirai who trailed heavily with 34 per cent.

But 61-year-old Tsvangirai, who has unsuccessfully tried to unseat Mugabe three times, condemned the vote as "fraudulent and stolen".

The reaction in the Sunday press was divisive with state-controlled newspaper The Herald proclaiming "President Mugabe romps to victory", while the independent Daily News said "It's a crisis".

US Secretary of State John Kerry meanwhile described the election as "deeply flawed" and said the US "does not believe that the results ... today represent a credible expression of the will of the Zimbabwean people."

British Foreign Secretary William Hague added his own "grave concerns" over the conduct of the vote in the former colony.

On Sunday, Australia called for Zimbabwe to go to the polls again.

"Given our doubts about the results, Australia calls for a re-run of the elections based on a verified and agreed voters roll," Foreign Minister Bob Carr said in a statement.

Tsvangirai vowed to challenge the result in court and said his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) would boycott government institutions.

"We will not join government," he said. "We will go to court."

"The fraudulent and stolen election has plunged Zimbabwe into a constitutional, political and economic crisis."

With gentler assessments from African observers who nonetheless noted flaws, President Jacob Zuma of powerful neighbour South Africa offered his "profound congratulations" to Mugabe on Sunday.

"President Zuma urges all political parties in Zimbabwe to accept the outcome of the elections as election observers reported it to be an expression of the will of the people," a foreign ministry statement said.

Tsvangirai has been in a coalition with Mugabe since 2009. He defended the decision then to enter into an uneasy power-sharing government with Mugabe, who has had him arrested, beaten and charged with treason.

"Our participation rescued this country. Schools had closed, hospitals had closed. We were using the Zimbabwe dollar which was worthless, there were no goods in the shops, everyone was desperate," he said.

But Mugabe's ZANU-PF party says there is no more need for the MDC in the new government.

"We have received over 60 per cent of the vote, we have two thirds majority, why would we want to bring someone else on board," State Security Minister Sydney Sekeramayi said to AFP.

The MDC now has until Wednesday to present evidence of fraud to the high court, but finding a smoking gun may prove difficult. Inauguration is expected within 48 hours of the court's decision.

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Boy found after night in SA bush

A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD boy survived a night in the bush south of Adelaide by sleeping under a tree.

Simon Kruger wandered off from a family picnic in the Deep Creek Conservation Park on early on Saturday afternoon, sparking a massive search and rescue effort.

He spent a night in the bush before being found safe and well at around midday (ACST) on Sunday.

Simon was found about half a kilometre from his family's campsite with only a few minor scratches.

His first words to father Etienne upon being reunited were, "Dad I'm okay - I slept under a tree and there were kangaroos".

Mr Kruger said the family were thrilled to see Simon again.

"Ecstatic, we're over the moon," he told The Advertiser.

"I couldn't survive another night without him."

Mr Kruger thanked the huge search party who had volunteered to help.

"He left a quiet picnic and came back to a large crowd," he said.

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