A light aircraft exploded Tuesday in a &quot;massive fireball&quot; with police saying none of the five people aboard survived as it smashed into a shopping centre near the Australian city of Melbourne.

The Beechcraft plane veered just after take-off into the shopping centre, that was still closed, next to Essendon Fields airport.

&quot;Five on the aircraft and looks like no-one has survived the crash,&quot; said Victoria police assistant commissioner Stephen Leane.

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<h5>Live television footage showed burned out wreckage, flames and major damage at the shopping centre and adjacent buildings</h5>
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Victoria premier Daniel Andrews described it as the state&#39;s worst air accident in three decades.

The private charter from Essendon, north of Melbourne, to King Island, 55 minutes to the south, came down just short of a major motorway packed with the heavy traffic of early morning commuters.

Live television footage showed burned out wreckage, flames and major damage at the shopping centre and adjacent buildings.

A column of thick black smoke rose into the air as witnesses spoke of an explosion.

&quot;It appears a light plane, which is a charter flight, has impacted the DFO (Direct Factory Outlet) at Essendon Fields,&quot; police minister Lisa Neville said.

The centre was not due to open for another hour and the authorities confirmed no one inside was hurt.

&quot;There&#39;s also debris that&#39;s been left on the freeway,&quot; she added.

A taxi driver called ABC radio and told of the &quot;massive fireball&quot;.

&quot;I saw this plane ... when it hit the building there was a massive fireball,&quot; said the man called Jason.

&quot;I could feel the heat through the window of the taxi, and then a wheel -- it looked like a plane wheel -- bounced on the road and hit the front of the taxi as we were driving along.&quot;

Victoria police superintendent Mick Frewen said investigations centred on a &quot;catastrophic engine failure&quot;.

The flight made a May-Day call before crashing, he added.

A DFO shopworker identified as Ash told Sky News he saw &quot;the fireball go up into the air&quot;, adding it &quot;felt like a bomb had gone off&quot;.

&quot;The fire was just so hot we could not get anywhere near it,&quot; he said. &quot;We could see the wreckage, or what was left of it.

Plumber Michael Howard, 29, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation he saw a &quot;blue flash&quot;.

&quot;I was ... just looking out the window ... and then all of a sudden I just saw a blue flash come down and then all of a sudden there was a massive fireball.&quot;

&quot;It was like something from a movie,&quot; Howard said.

Melbourne fire brigade chief Paul Stacchino tweeted that &quot;more than 60 firefighters have worked hard to bring the fire ... under control. Crews to remain on scene for some time&quot;.

The Australian Safety Transport Bureau said it had sent investigators to the scene.

Essendon Fields had been closed and all traffic diverted to Melbourne&#39;s two larger airports Tullamarine and Avalon.

One side of a major freeway which runs alongside the local airport remained shut to allow wreckage to be cleared.

(AFP)

&nbsp;

All five casualties were on board the plane

A light aircraft exploded Tuesday in a "massive fireball" with police saying none of the five people aboard survived as it smashed into a shopping centre near the Australian city of Melbourne. The Beechcraft plane veered just after take-off into the shopping centre, that was still closed, next to Essendon Fields airport. "Five on the aircraft and looks like no-one has survived the crash," said Victoria police assistant commissioner Stephen Leane. Live television footage showed burned out wreckage, flames and major damage at the shopping centre and adjacent buildings × Victoria premier Daniel Andrews described it as the state's worst air accident in three decades. The private charter from Essendon, north of Melbourne, to King Island, 55 minutes to the south, came down just short of a major motorway packed with the heavy traffic of early morning commuters. Live television footage showed burned out wreckage, flames and major damage at the shopping centre and adjacent buildings. A column of thick black smoke rose into the air as witnesses spoke of an explosion. "It appears a light plane, which is a charter flight, has impacted the DFO (Direct Factory Outlet) at Essendon Fields," police minister Lisa Neville said. The centre was not due to open for another hour and the authorities confirmed no one inside was hurt. "There's also debris that's been left on the freeway," she added. A taxi driver called ABC radio and told of the "massive fireball". "I saw this plane ... when it hit the building there was a massive fireball," said the man called Jason. "I could feel the heat through the window of the taxi, and then a wheel -- it looked like a plane wheel -- bounced on the road and hit the front of the taxi as we were driving along." Victoria police superintendent Mick Frewen said investigations centred on a "catastrophic engine failure". The flight made a May-Day call before crashing, he added. A DFO shopworker identified as Ash told Sky News he saw "the fireball go up into the air", adding it "felt like a bomb had gone off". "The fire was just so hot we could not get anywhere near it," he said. "We could see the wreckage, or what was left of it. Plumber Michael Howard, 29, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation he saw a "blue flash". "I was ... just looking out the window ... and then all of a sudden I just saw a blue flash come down and then all of a sudden there was a massive fireball." "It was like something from a movie," Howard said. Melbourne fire brigade chief Paul Stacchino tweeted that "more than 60 firefighters have worked hard to bring the fire ... under control. Crews to remain on scene for some time". The Australian Safety Transport Bureau said it had sent investigators to the scene. Essendon Fields had been closed and all traffic diverted to Melbourne's two larger airports Tullamarine and Avalon. One side of a major freeway which runs alongside the local airport remained shut to allow wreckage to be cleared. (AFP)

Five dead after light plane crashes into shopping centre near Melbourne

Australia on Wednesday appointed its first indigenous minister, a former labourer who has credited education for his rise from humble beginnings in a country where Aborigines remain among the most disadvantaged.

Ken Wyatt became minister for aged care and for Indigenous Health when Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull reshuffled his executive following the resignation of the health minister in an expenses scandal.&nbsp;

Wyatt was the first Aboriginal person elected to Australia&#39;s lower house in 2010 and had previously been assistant health minister.

&quot;Just as Ken was the first indigenous person to be elected to the House of Representatives and the first to be appointed to the executive of the Commonwealth Government, he is now the first indigenous person appointed to the Commonwealth ministry,&quot; Turnbull told reporters in Sydney.&nbsp;

&quot;His extensive knowledge and experience as a senior public servant in indigenous health, coupled with his work as an assistant minister in this portfolio, makes him an ideal minister for this area.&quot;

Aborigines, who make up about three of the national population of 24 million, suffer disproportionate levels of disease, imprisonment and social problems as well as significantly lower education, employment and life expectancy.

Western Australian Wyatt, a former teacher who worked in indigenous health and education, made a moving maiden speech upon entering parliament.&nbsp;

Wearing a traditional kangaroo cloak, he spoke of humble beginnings -- from trapping rabbits as a child to his life as a labourer -- saying education was a driver for his success.

A member of Australia&#39;s conservative Liberal Party, Wyatt said indigenous people should be empowered to determine their own solutions, calling for greater representation for Aboriginals in parliament.

In the shake-up, Turnbull moved Industry Minister Greg Hunt to the health and sport portfolios, taking over from Sussan Ley who resigned last week.

Turnbull is setting up an independent agency to monitor and administer all expenses claims by parliamentarians.

(AFP)

Ken Wyatt has has become the new minister for aged care and for indigenous health following a cabinet reshuffle by PM Turnbull

Australia on Wednesday appointed its first indigenous minister, a former labourer who has credited education for his rise from humble beginnings in a country where Aborigines remain among the most disadvantaged. Ken Wyatt became minister for aged care and for Indigenous Health when Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull reshuffled his executive following the resignation of the health minister in an expenses scandal. Wyatt was the first Aboriginal person elected to Australia's lower house in 2010 and had previously been assistant health minister. "Just as Ken was the first indigenous person to be elected to the House of Representatives and the first to be appointed to the executive of the Commonwealth Government, he is now the first indigenous person appointed to the Commonwealth ministry," Turnbull told reporters in Sydney. "His extensive knowledge and experience as a senior public servant in indigenous health, coupled with his work as an assistant minister in this portfolio, makes him an ideal minister for this area." Aborigines, who make up about three of the national population of 24 million, suffer disproportionate levels of disease, imprisonment and social problems as well as significantly lower education, employment and life expectancy. Western Australian Wyatt, a former teacher who worked in indigenous health and education, made a moving maiden speech upon entering parliament. Wearing a traditional kangaroo cloak, he spoke of humble beginnings -- from trapping rabbits as a child to his life as a labourer -- saying education was a driver for his success. A member of Australia's conservative Liberal Party, Wyatt said indigenous people should be empowered to determine their own solutions, calling for greater representation for Aboriginals in parliament. In the shake-up, Turnbull moved Industry Minister Greg Hunt to the health and sport portfolios, taking over from Sussan Ley who resigned last week. Turnbull is setting up an independent agency to monitor and administer all expenses claims by parliamentarians. (AFP)

Australia gets its first indigenous minister

The deep-sea search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 ended on Tuesday without any trace being found of the plane that vanished in 2014 with 239 people on board, the three countries involved in the search said.

The location of Flight MH370 has become one of the world&#39;s greatest aviation mysteries since the plane disappeared en route to Beijing from the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. &quot;Despite every effort using the best science available ... the search has not been able to locate the aircraft,&quot; Malaysian, Australian and Chinese authorities said in a statement.

The last search vessel left the area on Tuesday, the three countries said, after scouring 75,000 square mile&nbsp;area of the Indian Ocean sea floor. Malaysia, Australia and China had agreed in July to suspend the search if the plane was not found or new evidence uncovered once that area had been checked.

Australia in December 2016 dismissed an investigators&#39; recommendation to shift the search further north, saying that no new evidence had emerged to support it. A next-of-kin support group called Voice 370 said in a statement investigators could not leave the matter unsolved.

&quot;In our view, extending the search to the new area defined by the experts is an inescapable duty owed to the flying public in the interest of aviation safety,&quot; Voice 370 said. Most of the passengers were from China. The only confirmed traces of the plane have been three pieces of debris found washed up in Mauritius, the French island Reunion and an island off the coast of Tanzania.

As many as 30 other pieces of wreckage were found there and also at beaches in Mozambique, Tanzania and South Africa are suspected to have come from the plane.

(Reuters)

The Malaysia Airlines plane vanished in 2014 with 239 people on board

The deep-sea search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 ended on Tuesday without any trace being found of the plane that vanished in 2014 with 239 people on board, the three countries involved in the search said. The location of Flight MH370 has become one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries since the plane disappeared en route to Beijing from the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. "Despite every effort using the best science available ... the search has not been able to locate the aircraft," Malaysian, Australian and Chinese authorities said in a statement. The last search vessel left the area on Tuesday, the three countries said, after scouring 75,000 square mile area of the Indian Ocean sea floor. Malaysia, Australia and China had agreed in July to suspend the search if the plane was not found or new evidence uncovered once that area had been checked. Australia in December 2016 dismissed an investigators' recommendation to shift the search further north, saying that no new evidence had emerged to support it. A next-of-kin support group called Voice 370 said in a statement investigators could not leave the matter unsolved. "In our view, extending the search to the new area defined by the experts is an inescapable duty owed to the flying public in the interest of aviation safety," Voice 370 said. Most of the passengers were from China. The only confirmed traces of the plane have been three pieces of debris found washed up in Mauritius, the French island Reunion and an island off the coast of Tanzania. As many as 30 other pieces of wreckage were found there and also at beaches in Mozambique, Tanzania and South Africa are suspected to have come from the plane. (Reuters)

Three years on & with no plane found, search for MH 370 ends

&nbsp;

David Warner clubbed the second fastest half-century in Test history to help fire Australia to the verge of a 3-0 series sweep over Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The tourists were 55 for one at close of play on the rain-disrupted fourth day of the third Test, still&nbsp;410 runs short of their unlikely victory target of 465.

Warner needed just 23 balls to score his half-century - two more than the record set by Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq against Australia&nbsp;in Abu Dhabi in 2014 - to help the hosts knock off 241-2 before declaring after tea.

Steve Smith (59), Usman Khawaja (79 not out) and Peter Handscomb (40 not out) also poured on the runs after Warner was dismissed for a swashbuckling 55 off 27 deliveries.

&quot;The way the guys batted today, especially Warner&nbsp;of course, to get those runs as quickly as possible and do some pretty unselfish batting, and got us in the position we are in now,&quot; said paceman Josh Hazlewood, who took 4-55.

&quot;The wicket&#39;s still pretty good, but I think there&#39;s enough there to create nine more chances, if it&#39;s reverse swing or spin.&quot;&nbsp;

Earlier, after the opening session was washed out for the second day in a row, Younus Khan completed an imperious 175 not out before running out of partners as Pakistan were dismissed for 315, still 223 behind Australia&#39;s first innings 538-8.

Khawaja opened in his place but spent his first 40 minutes mostly a spectator as Warner, who on Tuesday become the first batsman to score a century in the opening session of a Test in Australia, again attacked the Pakistan bowlers.&nbsp;Warner slapped a four over midwicket from the first ball he faced and had added 10 more boundaries by the time Wahab Riaz removed him&nbsp;some 42 minutes later.&nbsp;In one stunning over, the left-hander smashed spinner Yasir for two sixes and two fours from the first four deliveries before adding a single off the fifth for good measure.&nbsp;

&quot;We want to finish this Test series on a good note, so I think it will be better for us if we show some fight,&quot; Younus said.

&quot;It will not be easy because it is the fifth day&nbsp;in Sydney and they have two spinners and good fast bowlers as well. It is our wish that we finish this Test match on a good note,&quot; the Pakistani batting legend added.

David Warner clubbed the second fastest half-century against Pakistan on the fourth day of the Sydney Test.

David Warner clubbed the second fastest half-century in Test history to help fire Australia to the verge of a 3-0 series sweep over Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The tourists were 55 for one at close of play on the rain-disrupted fourth day of the third Test, still 410 runs short of their unlikely victory target of 465. Warner needed just 23 balls to score his half-century - two more than the record set by Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq against Australia in Abu Dhabi in 2014 - to help the hosts knock off 241-2 before declaring after tea. Steve Smith (59), Usman Khawaja (79 not out) and Peter Handscomb (40 not out) also poured on the runs after Warner was dismissed for a swashbuckling 55 off 27 deliveries. "The way the guys batted today, especially Warner of course, to get those runs as quickly as possible and do some pretty unselfish batting, and got us in the position we are in now," said paceman Josh Hazlewood, who took 4-55. "The wicket's still pretty good, but I think there's enough there to create nine more chances, if it's reverse swing or spin." Earlier, after the opening session was washed out for the second day in a row, Younus Khan completed an imperious 175 not out before running out of partners as Pakistan were dismissed for 315, still 223 behind Australia's first innings 538-8. Khawaja opened in his place but spent his first 40 minutes mostly a spectator as Warner, who on Tuesday become the first batsman to score a century in the opening session of a Test in Australia, again attacked the Pakistan bowlers. Warner slapped a four over midwicket from the first ball he faced and had added 10 more boundaries by the time Wahab Riaz removed him some 42 minutes later. In one stunning over, the left-hander smashed spinner Yasir for two sixes and two fours from the first four deliveries before adding a single off the fifth for good measure. "We want to finish this Test series on a good note, so I think it will be better for us if we show some fight," Younus said. "It will not be easy because it is the fifth day in Sydney and they have two spinners and good fast bowlers as well. It is our wish that we finish this Test match on a good note," the Pakistani batting legend added.

Cricket: David Warner puts Australia on top

Two Australian tourists accused of stealing a bicycle have been forced to take a &quot;walk of shame&quot; through an Indonesian island with signs round their necks, an official said Tuesday.

&quot;I am thieve (sic). Don&#39;t do what I did,&quot; the signs read.

The tourists, whose identities were not revealed, allegedly stole the bicycle about 10 days ago on Gili Trawangan, a popular tourist destination in central Indonesia. &nbsp;

CCTV recordings showed the two Australians taking a bike from the hotel, said village chief Muhamad Taufik.

The hotel manager reported the case to the authorities who caught the pair the following day, Taufik added.

&quot;We interrogated them, made an agreement, paraded them around the island and forced them to leave Gili,&quot; Taufik told AFP.

The two were the first foreigners this year to undergo a &quot;walk of shame&quot; on the island. A few Indonesians have been forced to take part this year in similar parades for theft.

National laws are in force on the island but it is unclear whether the Australians underwent a formal police investigation.

&quot;The walk of shame parade is a regulation in our village. I don&#39;t know whether the police are charging them now, what matters to me is that they&#39;re now gone,&quot; Taufik said.

Such parades have taken place for years on Gili Trawangan, a tiny island off the coast of Lombok and just east of the major resort island of Bali.

(AFP)

CCTV footage showed two Australian tourists allegedly stealing the bicycle from a hotel in Indonesia.

Two Australian tourists accused of stealing a bicycle have been forced to take a "walk of shame" through an Indonesian island with signs round their necks, an official said Tuesday. "I am thieve (sic). Don't do what I did," the signs read. The tourists, whose identities were not revealed, allegedly stole the bicycle about 10 days ago on Gili Trawangan, a popular tourist destination in central Indonesia. CCTV recordings showed the two Australians taking a bike from the hotel, said village chief Muhamad Taufik. The hotel manager reported the case to the authorities who caught the pair the following day, Taufik added. "We interrogated them, made an agreement, paraded them around the island and forced them to leave Gili," Taufik told AFP. The two were the first foreigners this year to undergo a "walk of shame" on the island. A few Indonesians have been forced to take part this year in similar parades for theft. National laws are in force on the island but it is unclear whether the Australians underwent a formal police investigation. "The walk of shame parade is a regulation in our village. I don't know whether the police are charging them now, what matters to me is that they're now gone," Taufik said. Such parades have taken place for years on Gili Trawangan, a tiny island off the coast of Lombok and just east of the major resort island of Bali. (AFP)

Tourists Paraded In 'Walk Of Shame' Over Bicycle Theft In Indonesia

Austarlia&#39;s biggest theme park, Dreamworld, announced it&#39;s re-opening on Wednesday, six weeks after four people were killed on a malfunctioning water ride.

This fatal&nbsp;accident took place after an all-clear safety review was given to the ride.

Two women and two men died when rafts on the Thunder River Rapids ride collided on October 25, at Dreamworld -- a popular tourist attraction on the Gold Coast.

Ardent Leisure, the company which owns the park, initially came in for heavy criticism by the public for the way it handled the accident.&nbsp;

It said that it would resume operations on December 10, and all funds from the opening weekend are going to charity.

It had previously announced that the Thunder River Rapids ride in the park will be permanently demolished and a permanent memorial will be erected for the victims of the accident.

&quot;Every ride and slide open on 10th December will have passed a rigorously conducted, multi-level safety review,&quot; said chief executive Craig Davidson.

Ardent has also admitted that the closure of the park has cost it millions of dollars.

A coroner is currently investigating the accident.

The park has hosted 30 million people since it&#39;s opening in 1981 and October&#39;s disaster was its first fatal accident.

(WION&nbsp;with inputs from AFP)

The theme park came in for heavy criticism after four people were killed on a malfunctioning water ride

Austarlia's biggest theme park, Dreamworld, announced it's re-opening on Wednesday, six weeks after four people were killed on a malfunctioning water ride. This fatal accident took place after an all-clear safety review was given to the ride. Two women and two men died when rafts on the Thunder River Rapids ride collided on October 25, at Dreamworld -- a popular tourist attraction on the Gold Coast. Ardent Leisure, the company which owns the park, initially came in for heavy criticism by the public for the way it handled the accident. It said that it would resume operations on December 10, and all funds from the opening weekend are going to charity. It had previously announced that the Thunder River Rapids ride in the park will be permanently demolished and a permanent memorial will be erected for the victims of the accident. "Every ride and slide open on 10th December will have passed a rigorously conducted, multi-level safety review," said chief executive Craig Davidson. Ardent has also admitted that the closure of the park has cost it millions of dollars. A coroner is currently investigating the accident. The park has hosted 30 million people since it's opening in 1981 and October's disaster was its first fatal accident. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Australia's Dreamworld to re-open after ride deaths

The deal struck between Australia and the outgoing Obama administration to relocate as many as 1,200 asylum seekers to the United States will begin after President-elect Donald Trump takes over the office in January 2017, Reuters reported Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as saying.

Turnbull on Sunday&nbsp;said that the US had agreed to take &ldquo;substantial&rdquo; number of refugees held in the detention camps of Papua New Guinea and the island of Nauru, Reuters reported. Many of the refugees are Muslims who have fled conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Trump&#39;s transition team, however, has not commented on the deal that was announced earlier this month.&nbsp;

The spokesperson for the US State Department, too, refused to provide the details on Turnbull&#39;s comments, but said that &ldquo;the United States had a longstanding programme of accepting refugees referred for resettlement by the UN refugee agency and would determine the size of in consultation with that agency&rdquo;.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Asylum seeker&nbsp;deals

The resettlement deal was announced as a quid pro quo after the Australian government agreed to accept people from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador as part of Australia&#39;s annual intake of 18,750 asylum seekers, thus helping the Central American refugees from Washington to resettle.&nbsp;

Analysts have, however, suggested that the timings of the deal, that came days before in the anticipation of Democrat Hillary Clinton winning the US presidency, might mean that the deal could be dashed. Trump, notorious&nbsp;for his anti-immigration stance, on Sunday said that he &nbsp;would deport up to three&nbsp;million illegal immigrants living in the US.&nbsp;

&quot;But by holding off and starting the process in the expectation that Hillary Clinton would win the US presidency, it gives Trump the ability to reject the deal,&rdquo; said Peter Chen, professor of political science, University of Sydney. Should Trump reject the deal, Turnbull would have to look for another country that would take the refugees, Reuters said.

Turnbull, however, expressed confidence in the new US administration standing by the deal, since it did not require any increase in the United States&#39; annual intake of asylum seekers, Reuters reported.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

Trump's anti-refugee comments during the election makes it uncertain if this already made US-Australia asylum seeker deal will be honoured

The deal struck between Australia and the outgoing Obama administration to relocate as many as 1,200 asylum seekers to the United States will begin after President-elect Donald Trump takes over the office in January 2017, Reuters reported Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as saying. Turnbull on Sunday said that the US had agreed to take “substantial” number of refugees held in the detention camps of Papua New Guinea and the island of Nauru, Reuters reported. Many of the refugees are Muslims who have fled conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Trump's transition team, however, has not commented on the deal that was announced earlier this month. The spokesperson for the US State Department, too, refused to provide the details on Turnbull's comments, but said that “the United States had a longstanding programme of accepting refugees referred for resettlement by the UN refugee agency and would determine the size of in consultation with that agency”. Asylum seeker deals The resettlement deal was announced as a quid pro quo after the Australian government agreed to accept people from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador as part of Australia's annual intake of 18,750 asylum seekers, thus helping the Central American refugees from Washington to resettle. Analysts have, however, suggested that the timings of the deal, that came days before in the anticipation of Democrat Hillary Clinton winning the US presidency, might mean that the deal could be dashed. Trump, notorious for his anti-immigration stance, on Sunday said that he would deport up to three million illegal immigrants living in the US. "But by holding off and starting the process in the expectation that Hillary Clinton would win the US presidency, it gives Trump the ability to reject the deal,” said Peter Chen, professor of political science, University of Sydney. Should Trump reject the deal, Turnbull would have to look for another country that would take the refugees, Reuters said. Turnbull, however, expressed confidence in the new US administration standing by the deal, since it did not require any increase in the United States' annual intake of asylum seekers, Reuters reported. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

After Trump takes office, about 1,200 asylum seekers to be resettled in US: Australian PM Turnbull

An Australian theme park ordered an independent safety review of all its attractions on Wednesday and said the ride that killed four people in October will be demolished.

Rafts on the Thunder River Rapids ride at the Dreamworld tourist attraction on the Gold Coast had collided, killing two women and two men on October 25.

&quot;Out of respect for the memories of Cindy Low, Roozbeh Araghi, Kate Goodchild and Luke Dorsett, and their deeply affected families, the ride will be permanently decommissioned,&quot; said chief executive Deborah Thomas, AFP reported. &quot;The closure of the ride is the only respectful and appropriate course of action.&quot;

Ardent Leisure, which owns the theme park, has been under heavy criticism for the way it handled the tragedy.

The police investigation into the accident closed earlier this week but Dreamworld is yet to announce when the park will reopen.

In the aftermath of the accident, the Australian Workers&#39;&nbsp;Union said it had voiced concerns about the operation and maintenance of some equipment at Dreamworld last year, while media reported alleged safety mishaps, reported AFP.

On Tuesday, Dreamworld announced an independent probe of all its rides and operating systems. Management said it was also working with workplace health and safety officials and no ride would operate until all reviews were complete.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP)

Rafts on the Thunder River Rapids ride at the Dreamworld tourist attraction had collided on Oct 25, killing two men and two women

An Australian theme park ordered an independent safety review of all its attractions on Wednesday and said the ride that killed four people in October will be demolished. Rafts on the Thunder River Rapids ride at the Dreamworld tourist attraction on the Gold Coast had collided, killing two women and two men on October 25. "Out of respect for the memories of Cindy Low, Roozbeh Araghi, Kate Goodchild and Luke Dorsett, and their deeply affected families, the ride will be permanently decommissioned," said chief executive Deborah Thomas, AFP reported. "The closure of the ride is the only respectful and appropriate course of action." Ardent Leisure, which owns the theme park, has been under heavy criticism for the way it handled the tragedy. The police investigation into the accident closed earlier this week but Dreamworld is yet to announce when the park will reopen. In the aftermath of the accident, the Australian Workers' Union said it had voiced concerns about the operation and maintenance of some equipment at Dreamworld last year, while media reported alleged safety mishaps, reported AFP. On Tuesday, Dreamworld announced an independent probe of all its rides and operating systems. Management said it was also working with workplace health and safety officials and no ride would operate until all reviews were complete. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Australian theme park ride where 4 died to be demolished

A passenger doused a bus driver with an&nbsp;inflammable liquid and burned him to death in front of horrified passengers in the Australian city of Brisbane on Friday, police said.&nbsp;

There was no apparent motive for the killing of the 29-year-old man named by local media as Manmeet Alisher, a well-known singer in the Indian Punjabi community.

Police superintendent Jim Keogh told reporters &quot;it&#39;s a horrific incident here in the quiet suburb of Moorooka.&quot;

&quot;This is a rare one where it appears to be no apparent motive.

&quot;A bus driver, going about, doing his business, supporting the community, has had his life taken from him in what is a senseless and needless act.&quot;

A 48-year-old suspect was arrested at the bus stop and placed in custody.

Bystanders kicked down the back doors of the municipal bus to rescue passengers, who were &quot;traumatised&quot; by the incident, Keogh said.

&quot;It&#39;s lucky the whole bus didn&#39;t become engulfed in flames,&quot; Keogh said.

Around half-a-dozen passengers were aboard the vehicle and some were treated for smoke inhalation.

(AFP)

There was no apparent motive for the killing of 29-year-old man Manmeet Alisher, a well-known singer in the Indian Punjabi community

A passenger doused a bus driver with an inflammable liquid and burned him to death in front of horrified passengers in the Australian city of Brisbane on Friday, police said. There was no apparent motive for the killing of the 29-year-old man named by local media as Manmeet Alisher, a well-known singer in the Indian Punjabi community. Police superintendent Jim Keogh told reporters "it's a horrific incident here in the quiet suburb of Moorooka." "This is a rare one where it appears to be no apparent motive. "A bus driver, going about, doing his business, supporting the community, has had his life taken from him in what is a senseless and needless act." A 48-year-old suspect was arrested at the bus stop and placed in custody. Bystanders kicked down the back doors of the municipal bus to rescue passengers, who were "traumatised" by the incident, Keogh said. "It's lucky the whole bus didn't become engulfed in flames," Keogh said. Around half-a-dozen passengers were aboard the vehicle and some were treated for smoke inhalation. (AFP)

Indian-origin bus driver burnt alive by passenger in Brisbane, Australia

With the Pokemon Go fever gripping the countries across the world, the true Pokemon fans can now also munch on their favourite Pokemon characters. Dine-N-Out, a restaurant run by a group called Hashtag Burger in Australia&#39;s Sydney has created limited-edition Pokemon burgers.&nbsp; 
 
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3HS88d2A0lQ?list=PLmWa9ZZLlCjt0Jlg7kN3JBNX4LH1sRsGh" width="970"></iframe> &nbsp; 
 
There are three types of Poke burgers -- Pikachu burger, Bulbasaur burger and Charmander burger. The flavours of these Pokemon burgers match the Pokemon&#39;s characteristics and personality.&nbsp; 
 
The most fun part of ordering these burgers is that the person who orders them, cannot choose the type of burger they want. They will randomly receive any Poke burger out of the three types available. Also, the restaurant allows only one burger per person.?

The flavors of the Pokemon burgers match the Pokemon's characteristics and personality

With the Pokemon Go fever gripping the countries across the world, the true Pokemon fans can now also munch on their favourite Pokemon characters. Dine-N-Out, a restaurant run by a group called Hashtag Burger in Australia's Sydney has created limited-edition Pokemon burgers. There are three types of Poke burgers -- Pikachu burger, Bulbasaur burger and Charmander burger. The flavours of these Pokemon burgers match the Pokemon's characteristics and personality. The most fun part of ordering these burgers is that the person who orders them, cannot choose the type of burger they want. They will randomly receive any Poke burger out of the three types available. Also, the restaurant allows only one burger per person.?

Video: Get a Pokemon burger at this Sydney restaurant

A new Australian&nbsp;banknote, which went into circulation from September 1, 2016, is good news for the visually impaired. The&nbsp;A$5 note has two raised dots on both&nbsp;long sides, allowing those who cannot see to identify its value. This is&nbsp;the country&#39;s first note to feature tactile markings, and is being hailed as a major breakthrough. The authorities feel that this will bring about a change in the lives of the 360,000 Australians who are visually impaired.&nbsp;

 
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lX5U_mzKHGc?list=PLmWa9ZZLlCjt0Jlg7kN3JBNX4LH1sRsGh" width="970"></iframe>

The new design follows a 2012 petition by teenager Connor McLeod,&nbsp;who is blind from birth.&nbsp;The petition&nbsp;gathered more than 57,000 signatures and is being credited with persuading the Reserve Bank of Australia to make the change.&nbsp;

Australia is making efforts to make theirs a disabled-friendly country

A new Australian banknote, which went into circulation from September 1, 2016, is good news for the visually impaired. The A$5 note has two raised dots on both long sides, allowing those who cannot see to identify its value. This is the country's first note to feature tactile markings, and is being hailed as a major breakthrough. The authorities feel that this will bring about a change in the lives of the 360,000 Australians who are visually impaired. The new design follows a 2012 petition by teenager Connor McLeod, who is blind from birth. The petition gathered more than 57,000 signatures and is being credited with persuading the Reserve Bank of Australia to make the change.

Video: Why a new Australian banknote is a blessing for the visually impaired

Australia on Tuesday rejected claims by rights group Amnesty International that conditions on a tiny South Pacific island where some 400 Australian-bound asylum seekers are held &quot;amount to torture&quot;.

In a detailed report titled Island of Despair, Amnesty alleged that many of the asylum seekers on Nauru are being driven to attempt suicide to escape the prison-like conditions they face in indefinite detention.

Under Australia&#39;s tough immigration policy, asylum seekers intercepted trying to reach the country by boat are sent for processing at a camp in Nauru or to Manus Island in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and are not eligible for resettlement in Australia.

&quot;I reject that claim totally. It is absolutely false,&quot; Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told Australian Broadcasting Corp radio of the torture claim. &quot;The Australian government&#39;s commitment is compassionate and strong.&quot;

Amnesty, which said its findings were based on both desk research and field work in Nauru between July and October, said the detention was a &quot;systematic regime of neglect and cruelty.&quot;

&quot;The conditions on Nauru,refugees&#39; severe mental anguish, the intentional nature of the system, and the fact that the goal of offshore processing is to intimidate or coerce people to achieve a specific outcome,amounts to torture,&quot; the report said.

The Nauru government did not respond directly to the Amnesty report but criticised an ABC TV story that made similar allegations and quoted children on Nauru, where refugees are mainly from Iran and Afghanistan.

&quot;It was clear these children were coached,&quot; the government said in a statement, adding the ABC report was &quot;biased political propaganda and lies, and was an insult to the people of Nauru.&quot;

Almost 60 people, or about 15 percent of the 410 men, women and children on the island, reported they had either attempted suicide or had thoughts about harming themselves, Amnesty said.&nbsp;

Despite receiving refugee status, they continue to be confined to poor accommodation with little access to medical care, Amnesty said, adding that children, who make up little more than a tenth of the number of detainees, suffer disproportionately.&nbsp;

&quot;I met children as young as nine who had already tried to kill themselves and were talking openly about ending their lives,&quot; said Anna Keistat, an Amnesty official.

Amnesty joins a chorus of criticism by human rights groups of Australia&#39;s immigration policy, and comes just weeks after the United Nations said Nauru was failing to protect children.&nbsp;

Turnbull&#39;s government has been trying to organise resettlement of the asylum seekers in other countries, but has so far only struck a deal with Cambodia that has proved unpopular with refugees.

Asked if he was in negotiations with the United States to take some of the detainees, Turnbull declined to comment but stressed that they would not be allowed to enter Australia.&nbsp;

&quot;If you seek to come to Australia with a people smuggler or you&#39;ve sought to come to Australia with a people smuggler, you will not settle in Australia,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

Australia is also facing pressure over a second detention centre in Papua New Guinea that holds 823 men after that country&#39;s Supreme Court in April ordered its closure.

(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

An Amnesty report had said many asylum seekers, who are detained and sent to Nauru, were considering suicide due to 'regime of cruelty'

Australia on Tuesday rejected claims by rights group Amnesty International that conditions on a tiny South Pacific island where some 400 Australian-bound asylum seekers are held "amount to torture". In a detailed report titled Island of Despair, Amnesty alleged that many of the asylum seekers on Nauru are being driven to attempt suicide to escape the prison-like conditions they face in indefinite detention. Under Australia's tough immigration policy, asylum seekers intercepted trying to reach the country by boat are sent for processing at a camp in Nauru or to Manus Island in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and are not eligible for resettlement in Australia. "I reject that claim totally. It is absolutely false," Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told Australian Broadcasting Corp radio of the torture claim. "The Australian government's commitment is compassionate and strong." Amnesty, which said its findings were based on both desk research and field work in Nauru between July and October, said the detention was a "systematic regime of neglect and cruelty." "The conditions on Nauru,refugees' severe mental anguish, the intentional nature of the system, and the fact that the goal of offshore processing is to intimidate or coerce people to achieve a specific outcome,amounts to torture," the report said. The Nauru government did not respond directly to the Amnesty report but criticised an ABC TV story that made similar allegations and quoted children on Nauru, where refugees are mainly from Iran and Afghanistan. "It was clear these children were coached," the government said in a statement, adding the ABC report was "biased political propaganda and lies, and was an insult to the people of Nauru." Almost 60 people, or about 15 percent of the 410 men, women and children on the island, reported they had either attempted suicide or had thoughts about harming themselves, Amnesty said. Despite receiving refugee status, they continue to be confined to poor accommodation with little access to medical care, Amnesty said, adding that children, who make up little more than a tenth of the number of detainees, suffer disproportionately. "I met children as young as nine who had already tried to kill themselves and were talking openly about ending their lives," said Anna Keistat, an Amnesty official. Amnesty joins a chorus of criticism by human rights groups of Australia's immigration policy, and comes just weeks after the United Nations said Nauru was failing to protect children. Turnbull's government has been trying to organise resettlement of the asylum seekers in other countries, but has so far only struck a deal with Cambodia that has proved unpopular with refugees. Asked if he was in negotiations with the United States to take some of the detainees, Turnbull declined to comment but stressed that they would not be allowed to enter Australia. "If you seek to come to Australia with a people smuggler or you've sought to come to Australia with a people smuggler, you will not settle in Australia," he said. Australia is also facing pressure over a second detention centre in Papua New Guinea that holds 823 men after that country's Supreme Court in April ordered its closure. (Reuters)

Australia denies report on asylum seekers being driven to kill selves

Former Australian captain Michael Clarke has described Shane Watson as part of a group that was &quot;like a tumour&quot; on the team.

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&nbsp;

The batsman spoke about his stormy relationships ahead of the release of his biography in a television with Channel Nine on Sunday.

&nbsp;

Clarke talked about his 2009 dressing-room spat with Simon Katich, who grabbed the then vice-captain&rsquo;s throat during a disagreement about when the team song should be sung after Australia&#39;s Test win against South Africa, international news agency AFP reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

He denied branding Watson a &ldquo;cancer&rdquo;on the team, a claim that was made by Mickey Arthur in paperwork connected to the former coach&rsquo;s legal action against cricket Australia following his sacking three years ago after a 4-0 defeat in India.

&nbsp;

&quot;No, I didn&#39;t say that,&quot; Clarke said. &quot;I said that there is a number of players, or a group in this team at the moment that are like a tumour, and if we don&#39;t fix it, it&#39;s going to turn into a cancer.&quot;

&nbsp;

Asked if Watson was one of them Clarke replied: &quot;Shane was one of those players, yes.&quot;, AFP reported.

&nbsp;

&quot;I think a lot of us were getting wound up, so I think I had every reason to be pissed off,&quot; Clarke said. &quot;But I don&#39;t think my language was appropriate to Kato (Katich).&rdquo;, Clarke admitted while talking about the run-in with Katich caused a divide between him and the older players.

&nbsp;

Clarke who retired after the Ashes last year, said some of his problems started when he was appointed vice-captain to Ricky Ponting.

&nbsp;

&quot;I don&#39;t think I was a good vice-captain at all,&quot; he told the programme. &quot;As soon as I got given the vice-captaincy, I think the perception was I was automatically the next captain, and that built.&quot;

&nbsp;

The star batsman revealed he struggled with the Public perception of his personality.

&nbsp;

&quot;I hated not knowing why people didn&#39;t like me or why the media perception was they didn&#39;t like me,&quot; Clarke said.

&nbsp;

&quot;You know, you&#39;re selfish, you don&#39;t care about the team, you&#39;re an upstart&#39; - that was hard to deal with.&quot;

 
(WION with inputs from AFP)

The former Australian captain revisited old feuds with team members in a television interview ahead of the release of his autobiography

Former Australian captain Michael Clarke has described Shane Watson as part of a group that was "like a tumour" on the team. The batsman spoke about his stormy relationships ahead of the release of his biography in a television with Channel Nine on Sunday. Clarke talked about his 2009 dressing-room spat with Simon Katich, who grabbed the then vice-captain’s throat during a disagreement about when the team song should be sung after Australia's Test win against South Africa, international news agency AFP reported. He denied branding Watson a “cancer”on the team, a claim that was made by Mickey Arthur in paperwork connected to the former coach’s legal action against cricket Australia following his sacking three years ago after a 4-0 defeat in India. "No, I didn't say that," Clarke said. "I said that there is a number of players, or a group in this team at the moment that are like a tumour, and if we don't fix it, it's going to turn into a cancer." Asked if Watson was one of them Clarke replied: "Shane was one of those players, yes.", AFP reported. "I think a lot of us were getting wound up, so I think I had every reason to be pissed off," Clarke said. "But I don't think my language was appropriate to Kato (Katich).”, Clarke admitted while talking about the run-in with Katich caused a divide between him and the older players. Clarke who retired after the Ashes last year, said some of his problems started when he was appointed vice-captain to Ricky Ponting. "I don't think I was a good vice-captain at all," he told the programme. "As soon as I got given the vice-captaincy, I think the perception was I was automatically the next captain, and that built." The star batsman revealed he struggled with the Public perception of his personality. "I hated not knowing why people didn't like me or why the media perception was they didn't like me," Clarke said. "You know, you're selfish, you don't care about the team, you're an upstart' - that was hard to deal with." (WION with inputs from AFP)

Shane Watson part of Aussie team tumour: Michael Clarke

Australian fast bowler Mitchel Starc underwent a surgery today that required 30 stitches, following a training mishap.

The 26-year-old left-armer suffered deep lacerations after colliding with training equipment on Thursday, Cricket Australia said.&nbsp;

Starc will have his left shin in a brace for up to three weeks to aid his recovery and won&#39;t take part in Australia&#39;s South African tour later this month, according to media reports.&nbsp;

&quot;There were no bone fractures or tendon damage to his leg and he underwent surgery to clean the wound and received approximately 30 stitches,&quot; Cricket Australia chief medical officer John Orchard said.

&quot;He will remain in hospital for the next few days to minimise movement to his leg and will use an extension brace for the next two to three weeks until his stitches are removed.&nbsp;

&quot;At this stage, barring any complications, we are hopeful he is on track to play at the start of the Australian summer.&quot;

Australia is pitted against South Africa in the first of a three-Test series, starting in Perth on November 3 
 
Starc&nbsp;was Austalia&#39;s star performer in Sri Lanka &nbsp;last month&nbsp;with 24 wickets at 15.16.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

Starc suffered deep lacerations after colliding with training equipment

Australian fast bowler Mitchel Starc underwent a surgery today that required 30 stitches, following a training mishap. The 26-year-old left-armer suffered deep lacerations after colliding with training equipment on Thursday, Cricket Australia said. Starc will have his left shin in a brace for up to three weeks to aid his recovery and won't take part in Australia's South African tour later this month, according to media reports. "There were no bone fractures or tendon damage to his leg and he underwent surgery to clean the wound and received approximately 30 stitches," Cricket Australia chief medical officer John Orchard said. "He will remain in hospital for the next few days to minimise movement to his leg and will use an extension brace for the next two to three weeks until his stitches are removed. "At this stage, barring any complications, we are hopeful he is on track to play at the start of the Australian summer." Australia is pitted against South Africa in the first of a three-Test series, starting in Perth on November 3 Starc was Austalia's star performer in Sri Lanka last month with 24 wickets at 15.16. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Australian fast bowler Mitchel Starc undergoes surgery, won't take part in South Africa tour

Apple loyalists in Sydney became the first in the world to purchase the newly-launched iPhone 7 as sales for the new model begins today across 28 countries around the world, the biggest launch of the phone yet, as per UK-based, the Telegraph.&nbsp; 
 
About 200 people queued up outside the Apple store in the Australian city in light rain, according to international news agency Reuters. 
 
A customer, however, was disappointed when he was not able to purchase the much sought-after, jet-black colour he wanted which had sold out to pre-orders.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We were sad. &nbsp;I&#39;m happy personally to get the matt black 7, like I&#39;m cool with that but I&#39;m still very sad that I&#39;m not going to get a jet black of any phone. I thought Apple being Apple they would have some, they wouldn&#39;t sell out through pre-orders, they would have some aside for loyal fans like me that lineup,&quot; Marcus Barsoum told Reuters.&nbsp; 
 
In US, the iPhone model starts at $649. &nbsp;The American tech giant had launched the smartphone, that features improved cameras, in San Francisco earlier this month. However, the traditional head jack has been removed in favour of the new technology. 
 
The smartphone also hit the shelves in the Asian markets, including China and Japan. 
 
Queues of customers could be seen outside stores in Hong and Beijing, Reuters said. &nbsp;The activity at the Hong Kong store, however, was reportedly subdued.&nbsp; 
 
Crowds in front of Apple stores in downtown Tokyo were also smaller than in past years, according to reports.&nbsp; 
 
It is being speculated that success with the iPhone7 in China is crucial for Apple, though an economic slowdown has slammed the brakes on what was once touted as the firm&#39;s next big growth engine. 
 
Some observers are also of the view that Samsung Galaxy Note 7&#39;s battery fiasco may end up benefitting Apple. &nbsp; The Korean company has already announced that it would recall or replace 1 million Galaxy Note 7 smartphones in US&nbsp;in the wake of reports of battery fires.&nbsp; 
 
 
(WION with inputs from Reuters)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The crowds in Asian markets in Tokyo, Hong Kong were reportedly smaller, compared to previous years

Apple loyalists in Sydney became the first in the world to purchase the newly-launched iPhone 7 as sales for the new model begins today across 28 countries around the world, the biggest launch of the phone yet, as per UK-based, the Telegraph. About 200 people queued up outside the Apple store in the Australian city in light rain, according to international news agency Reuters. A customer, however, was disappointed when he was not able to purchase the much sought-after, jet-black colour he wanted which had sold out to pre-orders. "We were sad. I'm happy personally to get the matt black 7, like I'm cool with that but I'm still very sad that I'm not going to get a jet black of any phone. I thought Apple being Apple they would have some, they wouldn't sell out through pre-orders, they would have some aside for loyal fans like me that lineup," Marcus Barsoum told Reuters. In US, the iPhone model starts at $649. The American tech giant had launched the smartphone, that features improved cameras, in San Francisco earlier this month. However, the traditional head jack has been removed in favour of the new technology. The smartphone also hit the shelves in the Asian markets, including China and Japan. Queues of customers could be seen outside stores in Hong and Beijing, Reuters said. The activity at the Hong Kong store, however, was reportedly subdued. Crowds in front of Apple stores in downtown Tokyo were also smaller than in past years, according to reports. It is being speculated that success with the iPhone7 in China is crucial for Apple, though an economic slowdown has slammed the brakes on what was once touted as the firm's next big growth engine. Some observers are also of the view that Samsung Galaxy Note 7's battery fiasco may end up benefitting Apple. The Korean company has already announced that it would recall or replace 1 million Galaxy Note 7 smartphones in US in the wake of reports of battery fires. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Australian customers first in the world to purchase iPhone 7 as sales begin today

Glenn Maxwell scored a century to power Australia to 263, the highest score in T20I, to beat Sri Lanka by 85 runs in Pallekele. 
 
Making a comeback, the allrounder helped Australia cross the previous highest score of 260, which was incidentally scored by Sri Lanka against Kenya in 2007.&nbsp; 
 
Put in to bat, Australia asked Maxwell to open the innings with David Warner. The 27-year-old ensured that his maiden outing as an opener was an affair to remember as he hit nine sixes and 14 fours to set Sri Lanka a stiff target. 
 
Maxwell&#39;s&nbsp;century made him the first opener to score a T20I hundred in his first attempt. This was also the second-highest individual score in a T20I, falling just 11 runs short of teammate Aaron Finch&#39;s 156. 
 
Needing to score over 13 runs per over, Tillakaratne Dilshan was castled by Australian speedster MItchell Starc in the very first over of the innings. 
 
The opening blow proved too much for the rest of the Lankan batsmen to handle. Only Dinesh Chandimal (58) and Chamara Kapugedera (43) provided some resistance.&nbsp; 
 
(WION) 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

The allrounder's pyrotechnics helped his team beat Sri Lanka by 85 runs

Glenn Maxwell scored a century to power Australia to 263, the highest score in T20I, to beat Sri Lanka by 85 runs in Pallekele. Making a comeback, the allrounder helped Australia cross the previous highest score of 260, which was incidentally scored by Sri Lanka against Kenya in 2007. Put in to bat, Australia asked Maxwell to open the innings with David Warner. The 27-year-old ensured that his maiden outing as an opener was an affair to remember as he hit nine sixes and 14 fours to set Sri Lanka a stiff target. Maxwell's century made him the first opener to score a T20I hundred in his first attempt. This was also the second-highest individual score in a T20I, falling just 11 runs short of teammate Aaron Finch's 156. Needing to score over 13 runs per over, Tillakaratne Dilshan was castled by Australian speedster MItchell Starc in the very first over of the innings. The opening blow proved too much for the rest of the Lankan batsmen to handle. Only Dinesh Chandimal (58) and Chamara Kapugedera (43) provided some resistance. (WION)

Glenn Maxwell blitzkrieg powers Australia to highest ever T20I total

Australia has decided to expand its military action against Islamic State and will amend its domestic laws, the country&rsquo;s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Thursday. 
 
Australia became a part of the US-led coalition against IS in September 2014 but Turnbull said that the country&#39;s role has been crippled by differences between local and international law, a loophole that will be closed with the new legislation.&nbsp; 
 
Law in the country only allows targeting personnel who are playing an active role in hostilities.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;There is a legal argument that Australia&#39;s domestic law is more restrictive than international law. This legal risk posed a major challenge to the effectiveness of our operations. It meant that the [Australian Defence Force&#39;s] targeting base in Iraq and Syria was restricted, and we could not operate as freely as our coalition partners,&quot; Turnbull told Australia&#39;s Parliament. 
 
Turnbull said military operations can expand once the law changes progress. 
 
&quot;So I can announce that the government has reviewed its policy on targeting enemy combatants and earlier this year made an important decision to ensure our forces are empowered to act against Daesh in Iraq and Syria(IS) to the maximum extent allowed by international law and we will move quickly to introduce the necessary amendments to the Commonwealth Criminal Code that will bring our domestic laws into line with international norms. This means that ADF [Australian Defence Force] personnel will be supported by our domestic laws, they will be able to target Daesh at its core, joining with our coalition partners to target and kill a broader range of Daesh combatants which is consistent with international law. This will ensure that our efforts in Syria and Iraq are resolute and effective and our forces are fully empowered to roll back Daesh,&quot; Turnbull said. 
 
Turnbull said his government will also press ahead with measures to combat domestic acts of terror. 
 
He stressed on stronger oversight of potential local supporters of Islamic State. 
 
He said approximately 200 people in Australia are being investigated for providing support to individuals and groups in the Syria/Iraq conflict. 
 
&nbsp;Australia is on high alert for attacks by home-grown radicals since 2014, having suffered several &quot;lone wolf&quot; assaults.&nbsp; 
 
In July, a legislation was proposed to indefinitely detain people convicted of terrorism-related charges if they pose an ongoing danger to society upon their release. 
 
The legislation will be introduced to Parliament next week, Turnbull said and added he was working with Southeast Asia on this. 
 
&quot;My ministers and I have been active in reassuring our regional neighbours that Australia will work with them to further strengthen co-operation to mitigate the risks. We are committed to working with our regional partners to preserve the security and stability of our region.&quot; 
 
&quot;We must combat all of Daesh including its financiers and its propagandists, it is why we must give our agencies the powers they need to detect, to disrupt, to arrest and to target. Safety and security at home will always be the Government&#39;s first priority, success requires strong laws, modern powers and importantly it requires social unity,&quot; added Turnbull. 
 
(WION with inputs from Reuters)

The country's current domestic law only allows targeting personnel who play an active role in hostilities

Australia has decided to expand its military action against Islamic State and will amend its domestic laws, the country’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Thursday. Australia became a part of the US-led coalition against IS in September 2014 but Turnbull said that the country's role has been crippled by differences between local and international law, a loophole that will be closed with the new legislation. Law in the country only allows targeting personnel who are playing an active role in hostilities. "There is a legal argument that Australia's domestic law is more restrictive than international law. This legal risk posed a major challenge to the effectiveness of our operations. It meant that the [Australian Defence Force's] targeting base in Iraq and Syria was restricted, and we could not operate as freely as our coalition partners," Turnbull told Australia's Parliament. Turnbull said military operations can expand once the law changes progress. "So I can announce that the government has reviewed its policy on targeting enemy combatants and earlier this year made an important decision to ensure our forces are empowered to act against Daesh in Iraq and Syria(IS) to the maximum extent allowed by international law and we will move quickly to introduce the necessary amendments to the Commonwealth Criminal Code that will bring our domestic laws into line with international norms. This means that ADF [Australian Defence Force] personnel will be supported by our domestic laws, they will be able to target Daesh at its core, joining with our coalition partners to target and kill a broader range of Daesh combatants which is consistent with international law. This will ensure that our efforts in Syria and Iraq are resolute and effective and our forces are fully empowered to roll back Daesh," Turnbull said. Turnbull said his government will also press ahead with measures to combat domestic acts of terror. He stressed on stronger oversight of potential local supporters of Islamic State. He said approximately 200 people in Australia are being investigated for providing support to individuals and groups in the Syria/Iraq conflict. Australia is on high alert for attacks by home-grown radicals since 2014, having suffered several "lone wolf" assaults. In July, a legislation was proposed to indefinitely detain people convicted of terrorism-related charges if they pose an ongoing danger to society upon their release. The legislation will be introduced to Parliament next week, Turnbull said and added he was working with Southeast Asia on this. "My ministers and I have been active in reassuring our regional neighbours that Australia will work with them to further strengthen co-operation to mitigate the risks. We are committed to working with our regional partners to preserve the security and stability of our region." "We must combat all of Daesh including its financiers and its propagandists, it is why we must give our agencies the powers they need to detect, to disrupt, to arrest and to target. Safety and security at home will always be the Government's first priority, success requires strong laws, modern powers and importantly it requires social unity," added Turnbull. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Australia will rework laws to expand military action against IS

A 21-year-old British woman was killed at an Australian backpacker&#39;s hostel, after a Frenchman allegedly stabbed three people while saying &nbsp;&quot;Allahu Akbar&quot;, police said today. 
 
The incident took place late on Tuesday at the rural town of Home Hill in far north Queensland, deputy commissioner Steve Gollschewski told reporters in Brisbane. 
 
According to Gollschewski, officers were called to the hostel at about 11.15 pm (local time) and found the woman dead and a 30-year-old British man in a critical condition. A local man was also injured in the attack but has since been released from hospital, he added. 
 
&quot;Initial inquiries indicate that comments which may be construed of being of an extremist nature were made by the alleged offender,&quot; he added. 
 
&quot;It is alleged that the suspect used the phrase &#39;Allahu Akbar&#39; when arrested by police. 
 
&quot;While this information will be factored into the investigation we are not ruling out any motivations at this stage, whether they be political or criminal.&quot; 
 
When asked if the 29-year-old Frenchman, who is in police custody, had links to the so-called Islamic State group, Gollschewski said &quot;no&quot; and added that there was no ongoing threat to the community. 
 
&quot;At this stage there&#39;s no indications... other than the fact he was acting alone,&quot; Australian Federal Police Commander Sharon Cowden added at the same press conference. 
 
&quot;It is a shocking incident and the community should remain vigilant. He was lawfully in Australia and at this stage he is not known to any authorities.&quot; 
 
Canberra has been increasingly concerned about extremism in the country, and in particular about home-grown radicalisation, and raised the terror threat alert level to high in September 2014. 
 
Authorities have conducted a series of counter-terrorism raids in various cities, while the government has passed new national security laws.
(AFP)

A British man and an Australian man were also injured in the attack that took place in a backpackers' hostel

A 21-year-old British woman was killed at an Australian backpacker's hostel, after a Frenchman allegedly stabbed three people while saying "Allahu Akbar", police said today. The incident took place late on Tuesday at the rural town of Home Hill in far north Queensland, deputy commissioner Steve Gollschewski told reporters in Brisbane. According to Gollschewski, officers were called to the hostel at about 11.15 pm (local time) and found the woman dead and a 30-year-old British man in a critical condition. A local man was also injured in the attack but has since been released from hospital, he added. "Initial inquiries indicate that comments which may be construed of being of an extremist nature were made by the alleged offender," he added. "It is alleged that the suspect used the phrase 'Allahu Akbar' when arrested by police. "While this information will be factored into the investigation we are not ruling out any motivations at this stage, whether they be political or criminal." When asked if the 29-year-old Frenchman, who is in police custody, had links to the so-called Islamic State group, Gollschewski said "no" and added that there was no ongoing threat to the community. "At this stage there's no indications... other than the fact he was acting alone," Australian Federal Police Commander Sharon Cowden added at the same press conference. "It is a shocking incident and the community should remain vigilant. He was lawfully in Australia and at this stage he is not known to any authorities." Canberra has been increasingly concerned about extremism in the country, and in particular about home-grown radicalisation, and raised the terror threat alert level to high in September 2014. Authorities have conducted a series of counter-terrorism raids in various cities, while the government has passed new national security laws. (AFP)

Frenchman fatally stabs British woman in Australia while shouting  'Allahu Akbar'

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has recommended that a vote on whether to allow same sex marriage be delayed, but a spokesman for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Sunday no decision had been made. 
 
Australia has been criticised by international human rights groups over its slowness to act on same-sex marriage. Several countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, United States, France, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa, have already amended their marriage laws to recognise same-sex unions. 
 
The Daily Telegraph reported on Saturday that the plebiscite, which Turnbull had promised to hold this year, had been delayed until at least February, but a spokesman for the prime minister said no date had been set. 
 
&quot;Late last week the AEC provided advice to the Special Minister of State that strongly recommended against the conduct of a plebiscite this calendar year,&quot; the spokeswoman said. 
 
&quot;The government has always said that a decision on same-sex marriage will be made by a vote of all Australians in a national plebiscite to be held as soon as practicable. That commitment has not changed.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The mechanics of the plebiscite, including the specific question and also the timing, are subject to the usual cabinet processes. No decisions have as yet been made.&quot; 
 
The Daily Telegraph reported that Turnbull would reveal his timeline for the plebiscite at a party room meeting of the ruling coalition on September 13. 
 
(Reuters)

While the country's electoral commission wants delay in vote date, PM Turnbull's spokesperson said no date has been set yet

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has recommended that a vote on whether to allow same sex marriage be delayed, but a spokesman for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Sunday no decision had been made. Australia has been criticised by international human rights groups over its slowness to act on same-sex marriage. Several countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, United States, France, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa, have already amended their marriage laws to recognise same-sex unions. The Daily Telegraph reported on Saturday that the plebiscite, which Turnbull had promised to hold this year, had been delayed until at least February, but a spokesman for the prime minister said no date had been set. "Late last week the AEC provided advice to the Special Minister of State that strongly recommended against the conduct of a plebiscite this calendar year," the spokeswoman said. "The government has always said that a decision on same-sex marriage will be made by a vote of all Australians in a national plebiscite to be held as soon as practicable. That commitment has not changed. "The mechanics of the plebiscite, including the specific question and also the timing, are subject to the usual cabinet processes. No decisions have as yet been made." The Daily Telegraph reported that Turnbull would reveal his timeline for the plebiscite at a party room meeting of the ruling coalition on September 13. (Reuters)

Australia denies reneging on equal marriage plebiscite date

A sophisticated bugging device has been found in an All Blacks&#39; hotel meeting room ahead of their test against Australia in Sydney, officials confirmed on Saturday. 
 
The device was planted inside a chair and found during a routine sweep of the room in the lead up to the opening Rugby Championship clash on Saturday night. 
 
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) said in a statement that police have been called in to investigate. 
 
&quot;A listening device was found in a meeting room this week during a routine security check,&quot; NZR chief executive Steve Tew said. 
 
&quot;The hotel immediately launched an investigation, we have informed the Australian Rugby Union, and jointly we have now decided to hand over the investigation to the Australian police. 
 
&quot;We are taking this issue very seriously, and given it will be a police matter, it would not be prudent to go into further details.&quot; 
 
The device -- described as similar to that used by law enforcement and spying agencies -- was found inside a chair in the hotel on Monday, a day after the All Blacks arrived. 
 
The foam of the seat appeared to have been deliberately and carefully cut to make way for the surveillance device and then sewn or glued back together to be almost undetectable, according to the New Zealand Herald. 
 
It was discovered after team management asked the security detail looking after them in Australia to sweep the room for bugs. 
 
The Herald said it had been told that hiding the device &quot;was a highly skilled and meticulous act and whoever put it there would have needed a significant amount of time to have pulled off such an accomplished job.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

The device was found inside a chair in the hotel a day before the opening Rugby Championship clash

A sophisticated bugging device has been found in an All Blacks' hotel meeting room ahead of their test against Australia in Sydney, officials confirmed on Saturday. The device was planted inside a chair and found during a routine sweep of the room in the lead up to the opening Rugby Championship clash on Saturday night. New Zealand Rugby (NZR) said in a statement that police have been called in to investigate. "A listening device was found in a meeting room this week during a routine security check," NZR chief executive Steve Tew said. "The hotel immediately launched an investigation, we have informed the Australian Rugby Union, and jointly we have now decided to hand over the investigation to the Australian police. "We are taking this issue very seriously, and given it will be a police matter, it would not be prudent to go into further details." The device -- described as similar to that used by law enforcement and spying agencies -- was found inside a chair in the hotel on Monday, a day after the All Blacks arrived. The foam of the seat appeared to have been deliberately and carefully cut to make way for the surveillance device and then sewn or glued back together to be almost undetectable, according to the New Zealand Herald. It was discovered after team management asked the security detail looking after them in Australia to sweep the room for bugs. The Herald said it had been told that hiding the device "was a highly skilled and meticulous act and whoever put it there would have needed a significant amount of time to have pulled off such an accomplished job." (AFP)

Bugging device found in All Blacks' hotel room ahead of Australia match

Guns N&#39; Roses on Tuesday announced concerts in Japan and Australia, extending a long-awaited reunion tour into 2017. 
 
The hard rock legends said they would play three shows in Japan in January, one in Osaka and two at Saitama Arena near Tokyo, followed by five Australian dates. 
 
Guns N&#39; Roses, whose 1987 &quot;Appetite for Destruction&quot; remains the top-selling debut album ever, in April reunited with their classic lineup of singer Axl Rose and guitarist Slash for the first time since 1993.&nbsp;The rockers, who had passed up years of lucrative reunion offers amid bad blood between Rose and Slash, are touring North America and afterward plan shows in Latin America. 
 
The reunion has gone smoothly, with longtime fans of Guns N&#39; Roses startled that the notoriously hard-partying band is even starting sets on time.&nbsp;The band is taking a break after the North American dates as Rose tours with Australian rock elders AC/DC, replacing singer Brian Johnson who risked hearing loss if he kept performing. 
 
The Guns N&#39; Roses reunion is nonetheless without Izzy Stradlin, the rhythm guitarist, and writer of some of the band&#39;s best-known songs, who has declined to participate. 
 
(AFP)

The reunion has gone smoothly, with old fans of Guns N' Roses startled that the notoriously hard-partying band is even starting sets on time

Guns N' Roses on Tuesday announced concerts in Japan and Australia, extending a long-awaited reunion tour into 2017. The hard rock legends said they would play three shows in Japan in January, one in Osaka and two at Saitama Arena near Tokyo, followed by five Australian dates. Guns N' Roses, whose 1987 "Appetite for Destruction" remains the top-selling debut album ever, in April reunited with their classic lineup of singer Axl Rose and guitarist Slash for the first time since 1993. The rockers, who had passed up years of lucrative reunion offers amid bad blood between Rose and Slash, are touring North America and afterward plan shows in Latin America. The reunion has gone smoothly, with longtime fans of Guns N' Roses startled that the notoriously hard-partying band is even starting sets on time. The band is taking a break after the North American dates as Rose tours with Australian rock elders AC/DC, replacing singer Brian Johnson who risked hearing loss if he kept performing. The Guns N' Roses reunion is nonetheless without Izzy Stradlin, the rhythm guitarist, and writer of some of the band's best-known songs, who has declined to participate. (AFP)

Guns N'Roses to extend reunion tour to Japan, Australia

Australian shooting champion Michael Diamond was banned on&nbsp;Thursday to appear at his seventh Olympics in Rio after being charged with drunk-driving and firearms offences. 
 
The 44-year-old double Olympic gold medallist was arrested in May after an alleged domestic incident with his brother and his future had been in the balance since. 
 
&quot;Shooting Australia today advised Michael Diamond and the Australian Olympic Committee that he is ineligible for nomination to the AOC for selection to the 2016 Australian Olympic team,&quot; the AOC said in a statement. 
 
&quot;Shooting Australia arrived at its position after considering the AOC&#39;s nomination and selection standards.&quot; 
 
Diamond, a trap shooting gold medallist at the Atlanta and Sydney Olympics, denied the offences, including having a shotgun and 150 rounds of ammunition in his car, when he appeared before a court this month. 
 
On his way to the hearing at AOC headquarters in Sydney on Thursday, he said: &quot;I am innocent, totally innocent. And I am prepared to fight it all the way.&quot; 
 
He further added&nbsp;&quot;I am a professional sportsman at the end of the day, and obviously going to seven (Olympics) in a row, that should say something,&quot;&nbsp; 
 
AOC rules state that any athlete nominated must be in good standing with their national federation and must not have brought themselves, their sport or the Olympic movement into disrepute. 
 
&quot;The incident involving Michael Diamond has, in our view, put our sport in a position which is inappropriate,&quot; said Shooting Australia chief executive Damien Marangon. 
 
&quot;This is an extremely difficult time for Michael and Shooting Australia will continue to be there for him as he needs.&quot; 
 
Diamond made his Olympic debut at Barcelona in 1992. He finished just outside the medals in fourth at London four years ago. 
He is also a five-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist. 
 
(AFP)

The five-time commonwealth games gold-medalist was facing charges for drunk-driving and firearms offences

Australian shooting champion Michael Diamond was banned on Thursday to appear at his seventh Olympics in Rio after being charged with drunk-driving and firearms offences. The 44-year-old double Olympic gold medallist was arrested in May after an alleged domestic incident with his brother and his future had been in the balance since. "Shooting Australia today advised Michael Diamond and the Australian Olympic Committee that he is ineligible for nomination to the AOC for selection to the 2016 Australian Olympic team," the AOC said in a statement. "Shooting Australia arrived at its position after considering the AOC's nomination and selection standards." Diamond, a trap shooting gold medallist at the Atlanta and Sydney Olympics, denied the offences, including having a shotgun and 150 rounds of ammunition in his car, when he appeared before a court this month. On his way to the hearing at AOC headquarters in Sydney on Thursday, he said: "I am innocent, totally innocent. And I am prepared to fight it all the way." He further added "I am a professional sportsman at the end of the day, and obviously going to seven (Olympics) in a row, that should say something," AOC rules state that any athlete nominated must be in good standing with their national federation and must not have brought themselves, their sport or the Olympic movement into disrepute. "The incident involving Michael Diamond has, in our view, put our sport in a position which is inappropriate," said Shooting Australia chief executive Damien Marangon. "This is an extremely difficult time for Michael and Shooting Australia will continue to be there for him as he needs." Diamond made his Olympic debut at Barcelona in 1992. He finished just outside the medals in fourth at London four years ago. He is also a five-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist. (AFP)

Olympics: Aussie shooter Diamond ineligible for seventh Games

The Australian Olympic Committee has demanded Rio 2016 organisers enforce a strict ban on smoking in the athletes&#39; village after saying a fire in the basement of their building was probably caused by a cigarette tossed into rubbish. 
 
Delegation head Kitty Chiller said it was also &quot;completely unacceptable&quot; that a previously tested fire alarm system had been switched off at the time without the Australians being informed. 
 
The incident, which filled the stairwells with smoke on Friday evening, came after the Australians and several other teams had complained about unfinished and dirty rooms before moving in. 
 
&quot;The fire did seem to be accidental, probably a cigarette thrown into rubbish in the building,&quot; Chiller told a news conference on Saturday. 
 
&quot;We have asked Rio 2016 to enforce a very strict non-smoking policy. Every athletes&#39; village in the Olympic Games should be non-smoking so we&rsquo;ve asked for that to be enforced because at the moment it&#39;s not.&quot; 
 
A spokesman for the local organisers confirmed that a discarded cigarette butt was suspected. 
 
Firemen were stationed on every floor, with security guards in the basement, as a precaution after the scare but Chiller said such measures would not continue. 
 
Chiller said she had spoken to several other national committees warning them to check basements for refuse, and the matter would be raised at a meeting of team chiefs today. 
 
She said organisers and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had been &quot;extremely responsive&quot; and had promised a full report by Saturday evening. 
 
An investigation on Friday night had already established that the fire alarm system was turned off for several hours pending work on the next door building occupied by Germany and Belgium. 
 
&quot;We&rsquo;ve now absolutely insisted that that fire alarm system is never deactivated again,&quot; said Chiller. 
 
The Australians had complained last weekend about exposed wiring and blocked toilets, saying accommodation in the village was &quot;not safe or ready&quot; for the Games which open on Aug. 5. 
 
Organisers then deployed a task force of 600 workers to tackle repairs. 
 
Friday&#39;s scare saw some 100 athletes and officials evacuated under an emergency response plan, but some still managed to sleep through it. 
 
Shooter Warren Potent, a 2008 bronze medallist in the 50m rifle prone category, confessed he was one of them and made light of the situation. 
 
&quot;They had the protocol in place but that doesn&rsquo;t actually work when I&rsquo;m asleep and the phone&rsquo;s on silent,&quot; he told reporters. &quot;At least now I can say I&rsquo;ve survived a burning building.&quot; 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Australia claims a fire in the basement of their building was probably caused by a cigarette tossed into rubbish

The Australian Olympic Committee has demanded Rio 2016 organisers enforce a strict ban on smoking in the athletes' village after saying a fire in the basement of their building was probably caused by a cigarette tossed into rubbish. Delegation head Kitty Chiller said it was also "completely unacceptable" that a previously tested fire alarm system had been switched off at the time without the Australians being informed. The incident, which filled the stairwells with smoke on Friday evening, came after the Australians and several other teams had complained about unfinished and dirty rooms before moving in. "The fire did seem to be accidental, probably a cigarette thrown into rubbish in the building," Chiller told a news conference on Saturday. "We have asked Rio 2016 to enforce a very strict non-smoking policy. Every athletes' village in the Olympic Games should be non-smoking so we’ve asked for that to be enforced because at the moment it's not." A spokesman for the local organisers confirmed that a discarded cigarette butt was suspected. Firemen were stationed on every floor, with security guards in the basement, as a precaution after the scare but Chiller said such measures would not continue. Chiller said she had spoken to several other national committees warning them to check basements for refuse, and the matter would be raised at a meeting of team chiefs today. She said organisers and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had been "extremely responsive" and had promised a full report by Saturday evening. An investigation on Friday night had already established that the fire alarm system was turned off for several hours pending work on the next door building occupied by Germany and Belgium. "We’ve now absolutely insisted that that fire alarm system is never deactivated again," said Chiller. The Australians had complained last weekend about exposed wiring and blocked toilets, saying accommodation in the village was "not safe or ready" for the Games which open on Aug. 5. Organisers then deployed a task force of 600 workers to tackle repairs. Friday's scare saw some 100 athletes and officials evacuated under an emergency response plan, but some still managed to sleep through it. Shooter Warren Potent, a 2008 bronze medallist in the 50m rifle prone category, confessed he was one of them and made light of the situation. "They had the protocol in place but that doesn’t actually work when I’m asleep and the phone’s on silent," he told reporters. "At least now I can say I’ve survived a burning building." (Reuters)

Olympics: Australia demands smoking ban after fire

On the eve of Rio 2016 opening ceremony today, the Sydney Opera House was lit up in Australia&#39;s Olympic colours of green and gold with the Olympic rings and national emblem covering the sails of the iconic building. 
 
Despite media reports over the past months of possible difficulties surrounding the games, many are confident the games will be a success. 
 
&quot;I think they&#39;ve got some great facilities and I know a lot of people are knocking all the problems they&#39;ve had but, you know what, on the day, I think they&#39;ll deliver,&quot; said John Beadle from London. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m really looking forward to the opening ceremony and all the different colours of the flags and the different uniforms, they look really cool,&quot; said school girl, Charlotte Mowler. 
 
&quot;I think Rio will pull it off and I&#39;m hoping all the best for all the teams and all the countries that are there and it&#39;s going to be a wonderful spectacle, and here down in Australia we&#39;re going to be watching TV and making sure we watch our home town Canada do the best they can,&quot; added Canadian tourist, John Vantol. 
 
The Rio de Janeiro Olympics opening ceremony will be held today. Some $21 million US dollars have been spent on the show, about half of London&#39;s outlay four years ago. 
 
(Reuters)

The Rio Olympics opening ceremony will be held today. Some $21 million were spent on the show, about half of what London spent 4 years ago

On the eve of Rio 2016 opening ceremony today, the Sydney Opera House was lit up in Australia's Olympic colours of green and gold with the Olympic rings and national emblem covering the sails of the iconic building. Despite media reports over the past months of possible difficulties surrounding the games, many are confident the games will be a success. "I think they've got some great facilities and I know a lot of people are knocking all the problems they've had but, you know what, on the day, I think they'll deliver," said John Beadle from London. "I'm really looking forward to the opening ceremony and all the different colours of the flags and the different uniforms, they look really cool," said school girl, Charlotte Mowler. "I think Rio will pull it off and I'm hoping all the best for all the teams and all the countries that are there and it's going to be a wonderful spectacle, and here down in Australia we're going to be watching TV and making sure we watch our home town Canada do the best they can," added Canadian tourist, John Vantol. The Rio de Janeiro Olympics opening ceremony will be held today. Some $21 million US dollars have been spent on the show, about half of London's outlay four years ago. (Reuters)

Sydney Opera House lights up in green and gold

Indian women&#39;s hockey team dished out a disappointing performance to suffer a 1-6 thrashing at the hands of a rampaging Australia in their third fixture at the Rio Olympics today. 
 
The Indians, who were playing in the Olympics after a gap of 36 years, were simply outplayed by the higher-ranked Australians who exposed the defensive frailties of their opponents with a comprehensive win in a lop-sided match. Jodie Kenny struck twice (43rd and 46th minute) while Kathryn Slattery (5th), Georgina Morgan (9th), Jane Claxton (35th), Georgina Parker (36th) scored once each to route the Indians. 
 
For India, Thokchom Anuradha scored the lone goal with just 8.3 seconds left on the clock.&nbsp;The Australians, who were the 2014 World Cup losing finalists, laid seize of the Indian 25-yard with waves of attacking runs and forced seven penalty corners from which they scored four times. 
 
India, on the other hand, got just one penalty corner which they failed to convert. They could barely string a goal-bound attack in the whole match as they suffered their second consecutive match.&nbsp;The Indian forwards could not make any opening and Rani Rampal was fielded for very less time. The margin of loss would have been bigger for India had goalkeeper Savita Punia not come up with some fine saves in the match. 
 
With today&#39;s loss, India is at the bottom of Pool B with just one point which they earned from the drawn match against Japan in their opening match. They had lost to Great Britain 0-3 in their previous match. 
 
India has two matches to play in the six-team Pool B, against higher ranked Argentina and United States. Only the top four finishers will advance to the quarterfinals. 
 
Australia took a 2-0 lead at the end of the first quarter of 15 minutes before the Indians denied them any goal in the second quarter. They scored three goals in the third quarter before pumping in another one in the final quarter to win the one-sided match. The Hockeyroos went into the attacking mode as soon as the match began and with better trapping and faster movement, they surged ahead in the fifth minute itself with Kathryan sounding the board from the first penalty corner they got. 
 
Two minutes later, Preeti Dubey earned the only penalty corner for India in the match. However, her deflected shot from a penalty corner variation went wide. 
 
Australia scored their second goal in the ninth minute with Georgina Morgan sounding the board from the second penalty corner they earned. Indian goalkeeper could have saved that low shot to her right, but she failed to do that. 
 
In the 20th minute, Anuradha got a rare chance to shoot at the Australian goal but her effort went over the bar. Next minute, Australia got a penalty corner but the Indian was up to the task. The Indians put up a better performance in the second quarter and denied them a goal. 
 
The Indian resistance in the second quarter did not last long as Australia scored in the fifth minute of the third quarter with Jane Claxton scoring a field goal. Georgina Parker than scored another field goal barely one minute later to make it 4-0 for Australia. 
 
Jodie Kenny struck her double late into the match, one from a penalty stroke after Indian captain Sushila Chanu was hit on her foot just in front of the goal following a penalty corner. 
 
In the final quarter, Kenny got the sixth goal for Australia from the penalty corner to complete the route. 
 
India scored the consolation goal through Anuradha with barely nine second left in the match as she volleyed a high ball into the Australian goal. 
 
(PTI)

With today's loss, India is at the bottom of Pool B and has two matches to play against higher ranked Argentina and US

Indian women's hockey team dished out a disappointing performance to suffer a 1-6 thrashing at the hands of a rampaging Australia in their third fixture at the Rio Olympics today. The Indians, who were playing in the Olympics after a gap of 36 years, were simply outplayed by the higher-ranked Australians who exposed the defensive frailties of their opponents with a comprehensive win in a lop-sided match. Jodie Kenny struck twice (43rd and 46th minute) while Kathryn Slattery (5th), Georgina Morgan (9th), Jane Claxton (35th), Georgina Parker (36th) scored once each to route the Indians. For India, Thokchom Anuradha scored the lone goal with just 8.3 seconds left on the clock. The Australians, who were the 2014 World Cup losing finalists, laid seize of the Indian 25-yard with waves of attacking runs and forced seven penalty corners from which they scored four times. India, on the other hand, got just one penalty corner which they failed to convert. They could barely string a goal-bound attack in the whole match as they suffered their second consecutive match. The Indian forwards could not make any opening and Rani Rampal was fielded for very less time. The margin of loss would have been bigger for India had goalkeeper Savita Punia not come up with some fine saves in the match. With today's loss, India is at the bottom of Pool B with just one point which they earned from the drawn match against Japan in their opening match. They had lost to Great Britain 0-3 in their previous match. India has two matches to play in the six-team Pool B, against higher ranked Argentina and United States. Only the top four finishers will advance to the quarterfinals. Australia took a 2-0 lead at the end of the first quarter of 15 minutes before the Indians denied them any goal in the second quarter. They scored three goals in the third quarter before pumping in another one in the final quarter to win the one-sided match. The Hockeyroos went into the attacking mode as soon as the match began and with better trapping and faster movement, they surged ahead in the fifth minute itself with Kathryan sounding the board from the first penalty corner they got. Two minutes later, Preeti Dubey earned the only penalty corner for India in the match. However, her deflected shot from a penalty corner variation went wide. Australia scored their second goal in the ninth minute with Georgina Morgan sounding the board from the second penalty corner they earned. Indian goalkeeper could have saved that low shot to her right, but she failed to do that. In the 20th minute, Anuradha got a rare chance to shoot at the Australian goal but her effort went over the bar. Next minute, Australia got a penalty corner but the Indian was up to the task. The Indians put up a better performance in the second quarter and denied them a goal. The Indian resistance in the second quarter did not last long as Australia scored in the fifth minute of the third quarter with Jane Claxton scoring a field goal. Georgina Parker than scored another field goal barely one minute later to make it 4-0 for Australia. Jodie Kenny struck her double late into the match, one from a penalty stroke after Indian captain Sushila Chanu was hit on her foot just in front of the goal following a penalty corner. In the final quarter, Kenny got the sixth goal for Australia from the penalty corner to complete the route. India scored the consolation goal through Anuradha with barely nine second left in the match as she volleyed a high ball into the Australian goal. (PTI)

Rio Olympics 2016: Indian women's hockey team lose 1-6 to Australia

Australia on Thursday accused asylum seekers held in Pacific detention camps of falsely reporting sexual assault in order to get sent to Australia, a day after a newspaper published leaked documents detailing abuse at the Nauru immigration centre. 
 
More than 2,000 incidents, including sexual abuse, assault and attempted self-harm, were reported over two years at the Australian-funded Nauru detention centre, more than half involving children, Guardian Australia reported. 
 
Immigration minister Peter Dutton on Thursday said asylum seekers were lying about sexual abuse, and repeated comments he made earlier this year that refugee advocates were encouraging detainees to self-harm and set themselves on fire. 
 
&quot;I have been made aware of some incidents that have reported false allegations of sexual assault, because in the end, people have paid money to people smugglers and they want to come to our country,&quot; Dutton said in an interview on Australian radio.&nbsp;&quot;Some people have even gone to the extent of self-harming and people have self-immolated in an effort to get to Australia. Certainly some have made false allegations.&quot; 
 
Under its hardline immigration policy, asylum seekers intercepted trying to reach Australia by boat are sent for processing to Australian-funded camps on Nauru, which holds about 500 people, and on Manus island in Papua New Guinea. They are told they will never be settled in Australia. 
 
The harsh conditions and reports of systemic child abuse at the camps have drawn wide criticism at home and abroad. Australia, however, has vowed there will be no change to the policy, which has been pursued by successive governments.&nbsp;Australia says the policy is needed to stop asylum seekers dying at sea on the dangerous boat journey from Indonesia to Australia. Hundreds of people died attempting the trip in the years before the policy was put in place. 
 
Refugee advocates said the leaked reports show the urgent need to end Australia&#39;s offshore detention policy, and that asylum seekers must be given medical and psychological support. 
 
Hayley Ballinger, a child protection worker at the Nauru detention centre from 2014-15, said that it was an &quot;absolute insult&quot; to suggest that refugees had lied about abuse that has now been widely documented. 
 
&quot;All of the statements speak for themselves. Certainly the clients I saw there suffered and they really suffered. And this stuff really, really did happen. We witnessed it first-hand,&quot; Ballinger told Reuters. 
 
(Reuters)

Some people have even gone to the extent of self-harming and self-immolation in an effort to get to Australia: Immigration minister

Australia on Thursday accused asylum seekers held in Pacific detention camps of falsely reporting sexual assault in order to get sent to Australia, a day after a newspaper published leaked documents detailing abuse at the Nauru immigration centre. More than 2,000 incidents, including sexual abuse, assault and attempted self-harm, were reported over two years at the Australian-funded Nauru detention centre, more than half involving children, Guardian Australia reported. Immigration minister Peter Dutton on Thursday said asylum seekers were lying about sexual abuse, and repeated comments he made earlier this year that refugee advocates were encouraging detainees to self-harm and set themselves on fire. "I have been made aware of some incidents that have reported false allegations of sexual assault, because in the end, people have paid money to people smugglers and they want to come to our country," Dutton said in an interview on Australian radio. "Some people have even gone to the extent of self-harming and people have self-immolated in an effort to get to Australia. Certainly some have made false allegations." Under its hardline immigration policy, asylum seekers intercepted trying to reach Australia by boat are sent for processing to Australian-funded camps on Nauru, which holds about 500 people, and on Manus island in Papua New Guinea. They are told they will never be settled in Australia. The harsh conditions and reports of systemic child abuse at the camps have drawn wide criticism at home and abroad. Australia, however, has vowed there will be no change to the policy, which has been pursued by successive governments. Australia says the policy is needed to stop asylum seekers dying at sea on the dangerous boat journey from Indonesia to Australia. Hundreds of people died attempting the trip in the years before the policy was put in place. Refugee advocates said the leaked reports show the urgent need to end Australia's offshore detention policy, and that asylum seekers must be given medical and psychological support. Hayley Ballinger, a child protection worker at the Nauru detention centre from 2014-15, said that it was an "absolute insult" to suggest that refugees had lied about abuse that has now been widely documented. "All of the statements speak for themselves. Certainly the clients I saw there suffered and they really suffered. And this stuff really, really did happen. We witnessed it first-hand," Ballinger told Reuters. (Reuters)

Australia accuses refugees of falsely reporting sexual abuse

An Australian man with reported links to far-right extremist groups was charged on Sunday with planning a terrorist attack after his Melbourne home was raided following police fears of a &quot;specific threat&quot;. 
 
The 31-year-old, named in local media as Phillip Galea, appeared in court after he was charged with planning or preparing for a terrorist act and collecting or making documents to facilitate an attack. 
 
Galea told the Melbourne Magistrates&#39; Court he would fight the charges, adding that they were &quot;a conspiracy against the patriot movement&quot;. 
 
Police would not confirm if he was a member of the anti-Islam Reclaim Australia group but said he had a &quot;number of affiliations to different organisations&quot;. 
 
There were violent clashes between left and right-wing groups over immigration in Australia&#39;s second-largest city in May and June, sparking a push by the Victoria state government to boost police powers. 
 
Victoria state premier Daniel Andrews said there was &quot;no imminent threat&quot; after the weekend police raids but that authorities remained vigilant. 
 
Anti-Muslim sentiment has mounted in Australia in recent years after a series of attacks by radicalised youth, including the killing of a police employee in Sydney in October. 
 
The Joint Counter-Terrorism Team, which took part in the operation on Saturday, has been carrying out a series of raids in various cities amid increasing concern about home-grown extremism. 
 
Canberra raised the terror threat alert level to high in September 2014, while parliament has passed a suite of new national security laws. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

The 31-year-old Phillip Galea told the Melbourne Magistrates' Court there was 'a conspiracy against the patriot movement'

An Australian man with reported links to far-right extremist groups was charged on Sunday with planning a terrorist attack after his Melbourne home was raided following police fears of a "specific threat". The 31-year-old, named in local media as Phillip Galea, appeared in court after he was charged with planning or preparing for a terrorist act and collecting or making documents to facilitate an attack. Galea told the Melbourne Magistrates' Court he would fight the charges, adding that they were "a conspiracy against the patriot movement". Police would not confirm if he was a member of the anti-Islam Reclaim Australia group but said he had a "number of affiliations to different organisations". There were violent clashes between left and right-wing groups over immigration in Australia's second-largest city in May and June, sparking a push by the Victoria state government to boost police powers. Victoria state premier Daniel Andrews said there was "no imminent threat" after the weekend police raids but that authorities remained vigilant. Anti-Muslim sentiment has mounted in Australia in recent years after a series of attacks by radicalised youth, including the killing of a police employee in Sydney in October. The Joint Counter-Terrorism Team, which took part in the operation on Saturday, has been carrying out a series of raids in various cities amid increasing concern about home-grown extremism. Canberra raised the terror threat alert level to high in September 2014, while parliament has passed a suite of new national security laws. (AFP)

Australian 'patriot' charged with planning terror attack

Dilruwan Perera ripped the heart out of the Australian order to spin Sri Lanka to a series-clinching 229-run victory inside three days of the second test at Galle today. 
 
The 34-year-old off-spinner laid bare Australia&#39;s spin frailties, claiming 6-70 as the world&#39;s top ranked test team folded for 183 in their pursuit of an improbable 413-run victory target. 
 
Perera, who had claimed 4-29 in the first innings and scored 64 in his team&#39;s second innings, became the first Sri Lankan player to score a fifty and claim 10 wickets in the same match as his side clinched their first test series victory over Australia since 1999. 
 
Resuming on 25 for three, Australia captain Steve Smith (30) and deputy David Warner (41) showed positive intent, frequently using their feet against the spinners and dealing mostly in boundaries even though it was merely delaying what looked inevitable. 
 
Perera separated them, trapping Warner leg-before with a straight delivery. The batsman reviewed the decision but could not get it overturned. 
 
The spinner then returned to induce Smith into giving a bat-pad catch to Kusal Mendis at forward short leg. 
 
Perera, whose all-round performance earned the man-of-the-match award, completed his five-wicket haul when Adam Voges (28) attempted a reverse sweep only to have his leg stump pegged back. 
 
Kusal Mendis then displayed tremendous reflexes as he stopped a Peter Nevill shot at forward short leg and flicked it back on the stumps to run out the batsman and trigger wild celebrations at the Galle International Stadium. 
 
(Reuters)

Sri Lanka clinched their first test series victory over Australia since 1999

Dilruwan Perera ripped the heart out of the Australian order to spin Sri Lanka to a series-clinching 229-run victory inside three days of the second test at Galle today. The 34-year-old off-spinner laid bare Australia's spin frailties, claiming 6-70 as the world's top ranked test team folded for 183 in their pursuit of an improbable 413-run victory target. Perera, who had claimed 4-29 in the first innings and scored 64 in his team's second innings, became the first Sri Lankan player to score a fifty and claim 10 wickets in the same match as his side clinched their first test series victory over Australia since 1999. Resuming on 25 for three, Australia captain Steve Smith (30) and deputy David Warner (41) showed positive intent, frequently using their feet against the spinners and dealing mostly in boundaries even though it was merely delaying what looked inevitable. Perera separated them, trapping Warner leg-before with a straight delivery. The batsman reviewed the decision but could not get it overturned. The spinner then returned to induce Smith into giving a bat-pad catch to Kusal Mendis at forward short leg. Perera, whose all-round performance earned the man-of-the-match award, completed his five-wicket haul when Adam Voges (28) attempted a reverse sweep only to have his leg stump pegged back. Kusal Mendis then displayed tremendous reflexes as he stopped a Peter Nevill shot at forward short leg and flicked it back on the stumps to run out the batsman and trigger wild celebrations at the Galle International Stadium. (Reuters)

Perera spins Sri Lanka to historic win against Australia

Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath claimed his maiden test hat-trick to consign Australia to their lowest total against Sri Lanka today as the hosts put themselves in a commanding position for a series-clinching victory at Galle. 
 
As many as 11 wickets fell in the dramatic morning session of the second day&#39;s play as Australia, resuming on 54-2, collapsed for 106 runs to concede a 175-run first innings lead. 
 
Sri Lanka lost three wickets before lunch but recovered to reach 143-6 at tea, leading Australia by 318 runs with four wickets in hand. 
 
Dhanajaya de Silva (19) and Dilruwan Perera (12) will return after the break, hoping to bat Australia out of the match as Sri Lanka close in on their second win in the three-test series. 
 
Herath had tormented Australia in the first test at Pallekele too, exposing their vulnerability against spin bowling and claiming nine wickets in Sri Lanka&#39;s 106-run victory. 
 
The 38-year-old haunted them again today, castling captain Steve Smith for five runs with the first delivery of his third over. 
 
He ripped the heart out of Australia&#39;s batting in his eventful seventh over, getting Adam Voges caught at extra cover with his fourth delivery and trapping Peter Nevill plumb in front with an arm ball. 
 
Herath struck Starc&#39;s pad with his next delivery but the leg-before appeal was turned down. After a brief chat with the spinner, home captain Angelo Mathews decided to review the decision and Herath, who claimed 4-35, was mobbed by team mates as the not-out decision was overturned. 
 
Off-spinner Perera mopped the tail to finish with 4-29 as Australia folded inside 34 overs. 
 
Sri Lanka got off to a shaky start and for the second time in the match, Kusal Mendis walked out to bat with his team reeling at nine for two. 
 
Mendis, the architect of Sri Lanka&#39;s Pallekele win and their top-scorer in the first innings, however, made only seven runs before Starc sent him back. 
 
The left-arm paceman returned figures of 3-33 to go with the five wickets he had claimed in the first innings but Kusal Perera (35) and Mathews (47) ensured Sri Lanka earned a big lead in the bowler-dominated contest. 
 
(Reuters)

Sri Lanka lost three wickets before lunch but recovered to reach 143-6 at tea, leading Australia by 318 runs with four wickets in hand

Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath claimed his maiden test hat-trick to consign Australia to their lowest total against Sri Lanka today as the hosts put themselves in a commanding position for a series-clinching victory at Galle. As many as 11 wickets fell in the dramatic morning session of the second day's play as Australia, resuming on 54-2, collapsed for 106 runs to concede a 175-run first innings lead. Sri Lanka lost three wickets before lunch but recovered to reach 143-6 at tea, leading Australia by 318 runs with four wickets in hand. Dhanajaya de Silva (19) and Dilruwan Perera (12) will return after the break, hoping to bat Australia out of the match as Sri Lanka close in on their second win in the three-test series. Herath had tormented Australia in the first test at Pallekele too, exposing their vulnerability against spin bowling and claiming nine wickets in Sri Lanka's 106-run victory. The 38-year-old haunted them again today, castling captain Steve Smith for five runs with the first delivery of his third over. He ripped the heart out of Australia's batting in his eventful seventh over, getting Adam Voges caught at extra cover with his fourth delivery and trapping Peter Nevill plumb in front with an arm ball. Herath struck Starc's pad with his next delivery but the leg-before appeal was turned down. After a brief chat with the spinner, home captain Angelo Mathews decided to review the decision and Herath, who claimed 4-35, was mobbed by team mates as the not-out decision was overturned. Off-spinner Perera mopped the tail to finish with 4-29 as Australia folded inside 34 overs. Sri Lanka got off to a shaky start and for the second time in the match, Kusal Mendis walked out to bat with his team reeling at nine for two. Mendis, the architect of Sri Lanka's Pallekele win and their top-scorer in the first innings, however, made only seven runs before Starc sent him back. The left-arm paceman returned figures of 3-33 to go with the five wickets he had claimed in the first innings but Kusal Perera (35) and Mathews (47) ensured Sri Lanka earned a big lead in the bowler-dominated contest. (Reuters)

Herath hat-trick wrecks Australia, Sri Lanka in charge

Australian pacer Mitchell Starc toiled hard against Sri Lanka&#39;s top order today to leave the hosts on 216 for five at tea on the opening day of the second Test in Galle. 
 
Sri Lanka were looking confident after Kusal Mendis and Kusal Perera&#39;s 108-run stand, but their departure after lunch saw the hosts in some trouble. 
 
Skipper Angelo Mathews, with his unbeaten 49, then ensured Sri Lanka stay in the hunt after electing to bat first on a bright sunny day. 
 
He has Dhanajaya de Silva (9 not out) for company. 
 
Starc (3-44), who marked the day with his 100th Test wicket, denied first-match centurion Mendis his second consecutive ton after getting the in-form batsman caught behind for 86. 
 
Off-spinner Nathan Lyon got the first wicket of the afternoon session after sending Perera (49) trudging back to the pavilion. 
 
Mathews came to the crease with a positive mindset as he made the reverse-sweep his stock shot against Lyon. His 55-ball stay was laced with two fours and three sixes. 
 
Earlier Mendis 137-ball stay was laced with 10 fours and two sixes as he entertained a lively home crowd at the Galle International Stadium. 
 
(AFP)

Skipper Angelo Mathews, with his unbeaten 49, ensured Sri Lanka stay in the hunt after electing to bat first

Australian pacer Mitchell Starc toiled hard against Sri Lanka's top order today to leave the hosts on 216 for five at tea on the opening day of the second Test in Galle. Sri Lanka were looking confident after Kusal Mendis and Kusal Perera's 108-run stand, but their departure after lunch saw the hosts in some trouble. Skipper Angelo Mathews, with his unbeaten 49, then ensured Sri Lanka stay in the hunt after electing to bat first on a bright sunny day. He has Dhanajaya de Silva (9 not out) for company. Starc (3-44), who marked the day with his 100th Test wicket, denied first-match centurion Mendis his second consecutive ton after getting the in-form batsman caught behind for 86. Off-spinner Nathan Lyon got the first wicket of the afternoon session after sending Perera (49) trudging back to the pavilion. Mathews came to the crease with a positive mindset as he made the reverse-sweep his stock shot against Lyon. His 55-ball stay was laced with two fours and three sixes. Earlier Mendis 137-ball stay was laced with 10 fours and two sixes as he entertained a lively home crowd at the Galle International Stadium. (AFP)

Aussie bowlers chip away against Sri Lanka

The Australian Olympic Committee has demanded Rio 2016 organisers enforce a strict ban on smoking in the athletes&#39; village after saying a fire in the basement of their building was probably caused by a cigarette tossed into rubbish. 
 
Delegation head Kitty Chiller said it was also &quot;completely unacceptable&quot; that a previously tested fire alarm system had been switched off at the time without the Australians being informed. 
 
The incident, which filled the stairwells with smoke on Friday evening, came after the Australians and several other teams had complained about unfinished and dirty rooms before moving in. 
 
&quot;The fire did seem to be accidental, probably a cigarette thrown into rubbish in the building,&quot; Chiller told a news conference on Saturday. 
 
&quot;We have asked Rio 2016 to enforce a very strict non-smoking policy. Every athletes&#39; village in the Olympic Games should be non-smoking, so we&rsquo;ve asked for that to be enforced, because at the moment it&#39;s not.&quot; 
 
A spokesman for the local organisers confirmed that a discarded cigarette butt was suspected. 
 
Firemen were stationed on every floor, with security guards in the basement, as a precaution after the scare but Chiller said such measures would not continue.&nbsp;Chiller said she had spoken to several other national committees warning them to check basements for refuse, and the matter would be raised at a meeting of team chiefs today. 
 
She said organisers and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had been &quot;extremely responsive&quot; and had promised a full report by Saturday evening. 
 
An investigation on Friday night had already established that the fire alarm system was turned off for several hours pending work on the next door building occupied by Germany and Belgium. 
 
&quot;We&rsquo;ve now absolutely insisted that that fire alarm system is never deactivated again,&quot; said Chiller. 
 
The Australians had complained last weekend about exposed wiring and blocked toilets, saying accommodation in the village was &quot;not safe or ready&quot; for the Games, which open on August 5. 
 
Organisers then deployed a task force of 600 workers to tackle repairs.&nbsp;Friday&#39;s scare saw some 100 athletes and officials evacuated under an emergency response plan, but some still managed to sleep through it. 
 
Shooter Warren Potent, a 2008 bronze medallist in the 50m rifle prone category, confessed he was one of them and made light of the situation.&nbsp;&quot;They had the protocol in place but that doesn&rsquo;t actually work when I&rsquo;m asleep and the phone&rsquo;s on silent,&quot; he told reporters. &quot;At least now I can say I&rsquo;ve survived a burning building.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Smoke detectors were turned off, and Rio organisers confirmed that the fire was likely started by a discarded cigarette butt

The Australian Olympic Committee has demanded Rio 2016 organisers enforce a strict ban on smoking in the athletes' village after saying a fire in the basement of their building was probably caused by a cigarette tossed into rubbish. Delegation head Kitty Chiller said it was also "completely unacceptable" that a previously tested fire alarm system had been switched off at the time without the Australians being informed. The incident, which filled the stairwells with smoke on Friday evening, came after the Australians and several other teams had complained about unfinished and dirty rooms before moving in. "The fire did seem to be accidental, probably a cigarette thrown into rubbish in the building," Chiller told a news conference on Saturday. "We have asked Rio 2016 to enforce a very strict non-smoking policy. Every athletes' village in the Olympic Games should be non-smoking, so we’ve asked for that to be enforced, because at the moment it's not." A spokesman for the local organisers confirmed that a discarded cigarette butt was suspected. Firemen were stationed on every floor, with security guards in the basement, as a precaution after the scare but Chiller said such measures would not continue. Chiller said she had spoken to several other national committees warning them to check basements for refuse, and the matter would be raised at a meeting of team chiefs today. She said organisers and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had been "extremely responsive" and had promised a full report by Saturday evening. An investigation on Friday night had already established that the fire alarm system was turned off for several hours pending work on the next door building occupied by Germany and Belgium. "We’ve now absolutely insisted that that fire alarm system is never deactivated again," said Chiller. The Australians had complained last weekend about exposed wiring and blocked toilets, saying accommodation in the village was "not safe or ready" for the Games, which open on August 5. Organisers then deployed a task force of 600 workers to tackle repairs. Friday's scare saw some 100 athletes and officials evacuated under an emergency response plan, but some still managed to sleep through it. Shooter Warren Potent, a 2008 bronze medallist in the 50m rifle prone category, confessed he was one of them and made light of the situation. "They had the protocol in place but that doesn’t actually work when I’m asleep and the phone’s on silent," he told reporters. "At least now I can say I’ve survived a burning building." (Reuters)

Olympics: Australia demands smoking ban be enforced after athletes village fire

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