Australian athletes briefly had to evacuate their apartments yesterday after a small fire in the troubled Rio Olympics Village. 
 
The Australian delegation, preparing to compete in the Games that start August 5 in Rio de Janeiro, went into the street until given the all clear. No one was hurt and there was no serious damage. 
 
&quot;There has been a small fire in the basement of the team building in the Olympic Village. All athletes and staff were evacuated and are fine,&quot; the team said in a Tweet. 
 
Team spokesman Mike Tancred told AFP &quot;there was a lot of smoke and we had to evacuate. The fire fighters came, it was controlled and we returned.&quot; 
 
&quot;There was no big drama,&quot; he said. 
 
Tancred did not know the cause of the fire. The Australian team initially refused to move into its Village accommodations last weekend, citing shoddy conditions, including blocked toilets and dangerous wiring. 
 
Workers have been fixing the defects all week and the Australian team chief, Kitty Chiller, has said the site is now in good shape. 
 
(AFP)

There was no serious damage and no one was hurt in the incident. The cause of fire was unknown

Australian athletes briefly had to evacuate their apartments yesterday after a small fire in the troubled Rio Olympics Village. The Australian delegation, preparing to compete in the Games that start August 5 in Rio de Janeiro, went into the street until given the all clear. No one was hurt and there was no serious damage. "There has been a small fire in the basement of the team building in the Olympic Village. All athletes and staff were evacuated and are fine," the team said in a Tweet. Team spokesman Mike Tancred told AFP "there was a lot of smoke and we had to evacuate. The fire fighters came, it was controlled and we returned." "There was no big drama," he said. Tancred did not know the cause of the fire. The Australian team initially refused to move into its Village accommodations last weekend, citing shoddy conditions, including blocked toilets and dangerous wiring. Workers have been fixing the defects all week and the Australian team chief, Kitty Chiller, has said the site is now in good shape. (AFP)

Small Olympic Village fire forces Australia evacuation

Australia faced an uphill struggle to save the first Test against Sri Lanka&#39;s rampant spinners after losing three early second innings wickets Friday while trying to chase down a formidable target of 268. 
 
The tourists were precariously placed at 83 for three, with skipper Steve Smith unbeaten on 26, when bad light forced an early end to play for the fourth day running in Pallekele. 
 
The world number one Test team still need another 185 runs for victory on the final day on Saturday, when Sri Lanka&#39;s trio of spinners will expect to capitalise on their early inroads against the tourists. 
 
The hosts&#39; leading left-arm spinner Rangana Herath struck in only the second over of the Australian innings when he bowled vice-captain David Warner for one. 
 
Usman Khawaja started positively with three fours but he was ruled leg before wicket to off-spinner Dilruwan Perera when he attempted a sweep shot after making 18, leaving Australia reeling at 33/2. 
 
Then the debutant Lakshan Sandakan joined the party with a ball that turned sharply and bowled opener Joe Burns, who had looked well set on 29. 
 
One run later, first innings top scorer Adam Voges was ruled lbw to Perera for no score, but the batsman reviewed the decision successfully. 
 
With the ball turning alarmingly, Smith and Voges then suppressed their urge to play attacking shots while keeping the scoreboard ticking over with some sharply run singles. 
 
&quot;It should be an interesting game if we get the full quota of 90 overs... We are still confident,&quot; Australia batting coach Stuart Law told reporters. &quot;We saw Sri Lankans sweeping a lot. Our guys being a bit taller, sweep shot is a bit difficult so we try to use our feet,&quot; Law said. 
 
Aussie rearguard, Smith&#39;s 54-ball innings has not featured any boundaries so far, while his partner Voges was batting in a similarly steadfast mood, reaching nine at the close of play off 25 deliveries. 
 
Australia&#39;s struggles against the Sri Lankan bowlers further underlined the importance of Kusal Mendis&#39; superb maiden Test century in what has been a low-scoring Test. 
 
No other player on either side has passed 50. After starting the day unbeaten on 169, Mendis only managed another seven runs before he played away from his body to a full length delivery from Mitchell Starc to be caught behind by wicketkeeper Peter Nevill. 
 
Starc was the pick of the Australian bowlers, finishing the innings with figures of four for 84. Herath and Nuwan Pradeep added 30 runs for the last wicket off 29 deliveries before the Sri Lanka innings ended after substitute fielder Moises Henriques took a spectacular catch at extra cover. 
 
Sri Lanka, who were 282 for six overnight, eventually managed to reach a total of 353, 267 runs ahead of the Australians. 
 
It was a remarkable turnaround after they conceded a first innings lead of 86 to the tourists, who were presented with the mace as the world&#39;s number one team on the eve of the match. 
 
Much of their hopes of victory will rest on the shoulders of the 38-year-old Herath, who took four wickets in the first innings and has a reputation of cleaning up on the last day in home Tests. &quot;Pleasingly, a few balls started to turn quite sharply before the players came off for bad light,&quot; said Sri Lanka&#39;s head coach Graham Ford. 
 
&quot;Hoping tomorrow that a few things will go our way, and we&#39;ll be able to press home and hopefully finish off with a big victory,&quot; he said. The second Test will be held in Galle from August 4-8 and the third in Colombo from August 13-17. 
 
(AFP)

Sri Lanka, who were 282 for six overnight, eventually managed to reach a total of 353, 267 runs ahead of the Australians

Australia faced an uphill struggle to save the first Test against Sri Lanka's rampant spinners after losing three early second innings wickets Friday while trying to chase down a formidable target of 268. The tourists were precariously placed at 83 for three, with skipper Steve Smith unbeaten on 26, when bad light forced an early end to play for the fourth day running in Pallekele. The world number one Test team still need another 185 runs for victory on the final day on Saturday, when Sri Lanka's trio of spinners will expect to capitalise on their early inroads against the tourists. The hosts' leading left-arm spinner Rangana Herath struck in only the second over of the Australian innings when he bowled vice-captain David Warner for one. Usman Khawaja started positively with three fours but he was ruled leg before wicket to off-spinner Dilruwan Perera when he attempted a sweep shot after making 18, leaving Australia reeling at 33/2. Then the debutant Lakshan Sandakan joined the party with a ball that turned sharply and bowled opener Joe Burns, who had looked well set on 29. One run later, first innings top scorer Adam Voges was ruled lbw to Perera for no score, but the batsman reviewed the decision successfully. With the ball turning alarmingly, Smith and Voges then suppressed their urge to play attacking shots while keeping the scoreboard ticking over with some sharply run singles. "It should be an interesting game if we get the full quota of 90 overs... We are still confident," Australia batting coach Stuart Law told reporters. "We saw Sri Lankans sweeping a lot. Our guys being a bit taller, sweep shot is a bit difficult so we try to use our feet," Law said. Aussie rearguard, Smith's 54-ball innings has not featured any boundaries so far, while his partner Voges was batting in a similarly steadfast mood, reaching nine at the close of play off 25 deliveries. Australia's struggles against the Sri Lankan bowlers further underlined the importance of Kusal Mendis' superb maiden Test century in what has been a low-scoring Test. No other player on either side has passed 50. After starting the day unbeaten on 169, Mendis only managed another seven runs before he played away from his body to a full length delivery from Mitchell Starc to be caught behind by wicketkeeper Peter Nevill. Starc was the pick of the Australian bowlers, finishing the innings with figures of four for 84. Herath and Nuwan Pradeep added 30 runs for the last wicket off 29 deliveries before the Sri Lanka innings ended after substitute fielder Moises Henriques took a spectacular catch at extra cover. Sri Lanka, who were 282 for six overnight, eventually managed to reach a total of 353, 267 runs ahead of the Australians. It was a remarkable turnaround after they conceded a first innings lead of 86 to the tourists, who were presented with the mace as the world's number one team on the eve of the match. Much of their hopes of victory will rest on the shoulders of the 38-year-old Herath, who took four wickets in the first innings and has a reputation of cleaning up on the last day in home Tests. "Pleasingly, a few balls started to turn quite sharply before the players came off for bad light," said Sri Lanka's head coach Graham Ford. "Hoping tomorrow that a few things will go our way, and we'll be able to press home and hopefully finish off with a big victory," he said. The second Test will be held in Galle from August 4-8 and the third in Colombo from August 13-17. (AFP)

Sri Lankan spinners corner Aussies in tricky chase

The use of hoods, restraints and teargas on Australian aboriginal children in youth detention centres by police, as shown in footage released this week, could violate the United Nations (UN) treaty barring torture, a top UN official said today. 
 
Australia&#39;s Northern Territory on Wednesday suspended the use of hoods and restraints on children after the broadcasting of CCTV footage showing guards at a juvenile detention centre teargassing aboriginal inmates and strapping a half-naked, hooded boy to a chair. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has ordered a Royal Commission in the treatment of children in the detention centre, the most powerful inquiry in the country, rejecting calls for a national inquiry. 
 
UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Juan Mendez, told Australia&#39;s Radio National today that the video suggested torture may have taken place and welcomed the inquiry but warned against limiting its scope. &quot;It&#39;s hard to tell only from the video or the press coverage but I do think that it&#39;s a very worrisome development that can amount to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment under any circumstance,&quot; he said. 
 
He said there was no question that very severe pain and suffering had occurred and that the perpetrators seem to be representatives of the state. If others knew and did nothing, they too could be punished alongside those who actually committed the violence, he said. 
 
The footage, showing six aboriginal boys being stripped naked, strapped to a chair with a hood, thrown by the neck into a cell and held for long periods in solitary confinement, was shot between 2010 and 2014 at the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre near Darwin in the Northern Territory. 
 
A report into some of the incidents by the Northern Territory Children&#39;s Commissioner in 2015 found fault with the guards&#39; behaviour, but the findings were disputed by the then head of prisons and not acted upon, said Australian Broadcasting Corp, who aired the footage. The Northern Territory&#39;s corrections minister was sacked on Tuesday, just hours after the broadcast. 
 
The case highlights concern about the disproportionate numbers of aboriginal youth in custody, with indigenous leaders calling for politicians to deal with the wider issue of the treatment of aborigines in Australia. Aborigines comprise just three per cent of Australia&#39;s population but make up 27 per cent of those in prison and represent 94 per cent of the Northern Territory&#39;s juvenile inmates. Australia&#39;s roughly 700,000 indigenous citizens track near the bottom of almost every economic and social indicator for the country&#39;s 23 million people. 
 
(Reuters)

CCTV footage showed guards at a juvenile detention centre tear-gassing aboriginal inmates and strapping a half-naked, hooded boy to a chair

The use of hoods, restraints and teargas on Australian aboriginal children in youth detention centres by police, as shown in footage released this week, could violate the United Nations (UN) treaty barring torture, a top UN official said today. Australia's Northern Territory on Wednesday suspended the use of hoods and restraints on children after the broadcasting of CCTV footage showing guards at a juvenile detention centre teargassing aboriginal inmates and strapping a half-naked, hooded boy to a chair. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has ordered a Royal Commission in the treatment of children in the detention centre, the most powerful inquiry in the country, rejecting calls for a national inquiry. UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Juan Mendez, told Australia's Radio National today that the video suggested torture may have taken place and welcomed the inquiry but warned against limiting its scope. "It's hard to tell only from the video or the press coverage but I do think that it's a very worrisome development that can amount to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment under any circumstance," he said. He said there was no question that very severe pain and suffering had occurred and that the perpetrators seem to be representatives of the state. If others knew and did nothing, they too could be punished alongside those who actually committed the violence, he said. The footage, showing six aboriginal boys being stripped naked, strapped to a chair with a hood, thrown by the neck into a cell and held for long periods in solitary confinement, was shot between 2010 and 2014 at the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre near Darwin in the Northern Territory. A report into some of the incidents by the Northern Territory Children's Commissioner in 2015 found fault with the guards' behaviour, but the findings were disputed by the then head of prisons and not acted upon, said Australian Broadcasting Corp, who aired the footage. The Northern Territory's corrections minister was sacked on Tuesday, just hours after the broadcast. The case highlights concern about the disproportionate numbers of aboriginal youth in custody, with indigenous leaders calling for politicians to deal with the wider issue of the treatment of aborigines in Australia. Aborigines comprise just three per cent of Australia's population but make up 27 per cent of those in prison and represent 94 per cent of the Northern Territory's juvenile inmates. Australia's roughly 700,000 indigenous citizens track near the bottom of almost every economic and social indicator for the country's 23 million people. (Reuters)

Australia prison abuse could violate torture conventions: UN

Australia&#39;s Nathan Lyon today became the country&#39;s first off-spinner to bag 200 Test wickets, during his team&#39;s first Test against Sri Lanka in Pallekele. 
 
Lyon claimed Sri Lanka&#39;s Dhanajay de Silva, who was caught at midoff, to reach the milestone in the second session of the third day`s play, triggering celebrations in the Aussie camp. 
 
Lyon, who had already passed former Australian off-spinner Hugh Trumble&#39;s tally of 141 wickets, has now picked up five wickets in the game which looks evenly balanced. 
 
Lyon, playing in his 55th Test, made his debut in 2011 in Sri Lanka&#39;s Galle, the venue for the next match in the series. 
 
(AFP)

Nathan Lyon playing in his 55th Test made his debut in 2011 in Sri Lanka's Galle, the venue for the next match in the series

Australia's Nathan Lyon today became the country's first off-spinner to bag 200 Test wickets, during his team's first Test against Sri Lanka in Pallekele. Lyon claimed Sri Lanka's Dhanajay de Silva, who was caught at midoff, to reach the milestone in the second session of the third day`s play, triggering celebrations in the Aussie camp. Lyon, who had already passed former Australian off-spinner Hugh Trumble's tally of 141 wickets, has now picked up five wickets in the game which looks evenly balanced. Lyon, playing in his 55th Test, made his debut in 2011 in Sri Lanka's Galle, the venue for the next match in the series. (AFP)

Lyon becomes Australia's first off-spinner to bag 200 Test wickets

Australia dismissed Sri Lankan opener Kusal Perera cheaply after building up an 86-run first innings lead over their hosts as they took firm command today of a low-scoring Test in Pallekele. 
 
Perera fell to the last ball of the day, with the umpires once again forced to call a premature halt to proceedings following a downpour at the picturesque ground on the outskirts of Kandy. 
 
Australia were all out for 203 in reply to Sri Lanka&#39;s first innings total of 117, with spinner Lakshan Sandakan taking four wickets on his debut.&nbsp; 
 
The early loss of Perera on the second day of the first Test was another bitter blow for the struggling hosts. Perera fell for just four when he was lbw to paceman Mitchell Starc, leaving Sri Lanka wobbling on six for one at close of play. 
 
The downpour initially prompted the umpires to call an early tea break, but they were later forced to abandon play early for the second day running.&nbsp; 
 
Veteran Sri Lankan left-arm spinner Rangana Herath and the 25-year-old rookie Sandakan had earlier taken four wickets apiece as the Australian batsman also struggled to cope with a turning pitch. 
 
Adam Voges top-scored for the Australians with 47, meaning no player from either side managed to score a half-century in the first innings. 
 
As the pitch is showing no sign of respite, the Australians&#39; first innings lead could well prove decisive as they try to cement their position as Test cricket&#39;s number one side. 
 
The 38-year-old Herath, who has hinted that he may soon retire from Test cricket, was the pick of the bowlers and was unlucky not to record a five-wicket haul. 
 
He dismissed both overnight batsmen, skipper Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja, in successive overs and had a third wicket in the morning session when wicketkeeper Peter Nevill was caught at mid-on. 
 
After lunch, wicketkeeper Perera dropped a chance off Josh Hazlewood, denying Herath what would have been his 24th five-wicket haul. 
 
Australia scored at less than two runs per over off Herath as his 25 overs went for only 49. While Herath was providing captain Angelo Mathews both the attacking and containing options, Sandakan ran through the lower order to finish with four for 58. 
 
Seamer Nuwan Pradeep finished with two wickets, including that of the resolute Voges who was brilliantly caught by Kusal Mendis at gully. Voges, who faced 115 deliveries and hit three fours, added 60 for the fifth wicket with Mitchell Marsh, who was among Sandakan&#39;s victims. 
 
(AFP)

The early loss of opener Kusal Perera on the second day of the first Test was a bitter blow for struggling hosts Sri Lanka

Australia dismissed Sri Lankan opener Kusal Perera cheaply after building up an 86-run first innings lead over their hosts as they took firm command today of a low-scoring Test in Pallekele. Perera fell to the last ball of the day, with the umpires once again forced to call a premature halt to proceedings following a downpour at the picturesque ground on the outskirts of Kandy. Australia were all out for 203 in reply to Sri Lanka's first innings total of 117, with spinner Lakshan Sandakan taking four wickets on his debut. The early loss of Perera on the second day of the first Test was another bitter blow for the struggling hosts. Perera fell for just four when he was lbw to paceman Mitchell Starc, leaving Sri Lanka wobbling on six for one at close of play. The downpour initially prompted the umpires to call an early tea break, but they were later forced to abandon play early for the second day running. Veteran Sri Lankan left-arm spinner Rangana Herath and the 25-year-old rookie Sandakan had earlier taken four wickets apiece as the Australian batsman also struggled to cope with a turning pitch. Adam Voges top-scored for the Australians with 47, meaning no player from either side managed to score a half-century in the first innings. As the pitch is showing no sign of respite, the Australians' first innings lead could well prove decisive as they try to cement their position as Test cricket's number one side. The 38-year-old Herath, who has hinted that he may soon retire from Test cricket, was the pick of the bowlers and was unlucky not to record a five-wicket haul. He dismissed both overnight batsmen, skipper Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja, in successive overs and had a third wicket in the morning session when wicketkeeper Peter Nevill was caught at mid-on. After lunch, wicketkeeper Perera dropped a chance off Josh Hazlewood, denying Herath what would have been his 24th five-wicket haul. Australia scored at less than two runs per over off Herath as his 25 overs went for only 49. While Herath was providing captain Angelo Mathews both the attacking and containing options, Sandakan ran through the lower order to finish with four for 58. Seamer Nuwan Pradeep finished with two wickets, including that of the resolute Voges who was brilliantly caught by Kusal Mendis at gully. Voges, who faced 115 deliveries and hit three fours, added 60 for the fifth wicket with Mitchell Marsh, who was among Sandakan's victims. (AFP)

Pallekele test: Australia builds 84-run lead over hosts Sri Lanka

Vatican finance chief George Pell is being investigated by Australian police over child sexual abuse allegations, a report by the national broadcaster said on Thursday, as the leading Catholic cleric denounced the claims as &quot;totally untrue&quot;. 
 
The new allegations against Pell being probed by police in Victoria state span two decades, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. They came just months after the cardinal admitted he &quot;mucked up&quot; in dealing with paedophile priests in the state. 
 
When he was the Catholic Archbishop of Sydney in 2002, Pell was accused of historic sex abuse claims, but was later cleared of any wrongdoing. 
 
The ABC said it had obtained eight police statements from complainants, witnesses and family members helping the police investigation. 
 
But the 75-year-old strongly denied the allegations in a statement to the ABC, saying &quot;claims that he has sexually abused anyone, in any place, at any time in his life are totally untrue and completely wrong&quot;. 
 
A Victoria police spokeswoman told AFP they would not be making any comment. Victoria police chief commissioner Graham Ashton said in June police were looking into allegations against Pell. 
 
The allegations include claims from two men, now in their 40s, who said they were groped by Pell in summer 1978-79 at Eureka pool in Ballarat, where the cleric had grown up and worked. 
 
They also include allegations that Pell was naked in front of three young boys believed to be aged eight to 10 years old in a Torquay surf club changing room in summer 1986-87. 
 
The national royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse in Australia was established after a decade of growing pressure to investigate widespread allegations of paedophilia. 
 
The police investigation into Pell -- which the ABC said has lasted more than a year and involves allegations from Ballarat, Torquay and Melbourne -- is part of a wider probe into complaints that emerge from the royal commission. 
 
The commission has heard harrowing allegations of child abuse involving places of worship, orphanages, community groups and schools. 
 
Pell previously told the commission he was not aware of offences that had occurred in Victoria, where paedophile priests abused dozens of children in the 1970s and 1980s. 
 
While consistently denying any wrongdoing, Pell has admitted he &quot;should have done more&quot; to follow up on claims of abuse. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Australian Broadcasting Corporation said it had obtained eight police statements from complainants, witnesses and family members

Vatican finance chief George Pell is being investigated by Australian police over child sexual abuse allegations, a report by the national broadcaster said on Thursday, as the leading Catholic cleric denounced the claims as "totally untrue". The new allegations against Pell being probed by police in Victoria state span two decades, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. They came just months after the cardinal admitted he "mucked up" in dealing with paedophile priests in the state. When he was the Catholic Archbishop of Sydney in 2002, Pell was accused of historic sex abuse claims, but was later cleared of any wrongdoing. The ABC said it had obtained eight police statements from complainants, witnesses and family members helping the police investigation. But the 75-year-old strongly denied the allegations in a statement to the ABC, saying "claims that he has sexually abused anyone, in any place, at any time in his life are totally untrue and completely wrong". A Victoria police spokeswoman told AFP they would not be making any comment. Victoria police chief commissioner Graham Ashton said in June police were looking into allegations against Pell. The allegations include claims from two men, now in their 40s, who said they were groped by Pell in summer 1978-79 at Eureka pool in Ballarat, where the cleric had grown up and worked. They also include allegations that Pell was naked in front of three young boys believed to be aged eight to 10 years old in a Torquay surf club changing room in summer 1986-87. The national royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse in Australia was established after a decade of growing pressure to investigate widespread allegations of paedophilia. The police investigation into Pell -- which the ABC said has lasted more than a year and involves allegations from Ballarat, Torquay and Melbourne -- is part of a wider probe into complaints that emerge from the royal commission. The commission has heard harrowing allegations of child abuse involving places of worship, orphanages, community groups and schools. Pell previously told the commission he was not aware of offences that had occurred in Victoria, where paedophile priests abused dozens of children in the 1970s and 1980s. While consistently denying any wrongdoing, Pell has admitted he "should have done more" to follow up on claims of abuse. (AFP)

Australian police probes top pope aide over child sex abuse allegations: ABC report

Australia&#39;s bowlers ripped through Sri Lanka&#39;s brittle batting lineup to dismiss the home side for 117 early in the middle session on the first day of the opening test at Pallekele today. 
 
Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood and off-spinner Nathan Lyon shared six wickets, while Mitchell Starc and Steve O&#39;Keefe picked up two apiece as the hosts were shot out shortly after lunch. 
 
Debutant all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva (24) was the top scorer for Sri Lanka, who have lost their last two test series in New Zealand and England. 
 
Earlier, Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews had won the toss and had no hesitation in opting to bat on a dry pitch in the first match of the three-test series. 
 
Any hopes Mathews had of enjoying a strong start were soon shattered, however, after Australia pace duo Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc ensured the tourists took full control with the new ball by reducing the hosts to 18-3 inside 10 overs. 
 
Left-armer Starc, making his comeback after a long injury layoff, sent back Dimuth Karunaratne, with the opening batsman failing to get the umpire&#39;s leg before wicket verdict overturned on review. 
 
The 25-year-old Hazlewood, bowling an impeccable line and length, then dismissed Kusal Mendis and Kaushal Silva and returned for another spell before lunch to lure Dinesh Chandimal into an edge behind to wicketkeeper Peter Nevill. 
 
Left-arm spinner Steve O&#39;Keefe, who was included alongside Lyon, was brought on in the ninth over by Australia captain Steve Smith and he was rewarded when he dismissed Mathews. 
 
Lyon found a lot of turn from the surface and picked up his three wickets from just seven deliveries after the lunch interval as Sri Lanka&#39;s batsman appeared keen to return to the pavilion as quickly as they departed it. 
 
Rangana Herath became Starc&#39;s second victim and Australia&#39;s ninth after Smith successfully overturned the umpire&#39;s &#39;not out&#39; decision for leg before on review. 
 
O&#39;Keefe finished off proceedings when he captured his second wicket of the innings with the removal of Nuwan Pradeep. 
 
Injury-ravaged Sri Lanka, ranked seventh in the world, also handed a debut to left-arm slow bowler Lakshan Sandakan against the world&#39;s top-ranked test side, who have won just one out of their last 15 tests in Asia. 
 
(Reuters)

Debutant all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva was the top scorer for Sri Lanka

Australia's bowlers ripped through Sri Lanka's brittle batting lineup to dismiss the home side for 117 early in the middle session on the first day of the opening test at Pallekele today. Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood and off-spinner Nathan Lyon shared six wickets, while Mitchell Starc and Steve O'Keefe picked up two apiece as the hosts were shot out shortly after lunch. Debutant all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva (24) was the top scorer for Sri Lanka, who have lost their last two test series in New Zealand and England. Earlier, Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews had won the toss and had no hesitation in opting to bat on a dry pitch in the first match of the three-test series. Any hopes Mathews had of enjoying a strong start were soon shattered, however, after Australia pace duo Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc ensured the tourists took full control with the new ball by reducing the hosts to 18-3 inside 10 overs. Left-armer Starc, making his comeback after a long injury layoff, sent back Dimuth Karunaratne, with the opening batsman failing to get the umpire's leg before wicket verdict overturned on review. The 25-year-old Hazlewood, bowling an impeccable line and length, then dismissed Kusal Mendis and Kaushal Silva and returned for another spell before lunch to lure Dinesh Chandimal into an edge behind to wicketkeeper Peter Nevill. Left-arm spinner Steve O'Keefe, who was included alongside Lyon, was brought on in the ninth over by Australia captain Steve Smith and he was rewarded when he dismissed Mathews. Lyon found a lot of turn from the surface and picked up his three wickets from just seven deliveries after the lunch interval as Sri Lanka's batsman appeared keen to return to the pavilion as quickly as they departed it. Rangana Herath became Starc's second victim and Australia's ninth after Smith successfully overturned the umpire's 'not out' decision for leg before on review. O'Keefe finished off proceedings when he captured his second wicket of the innings with the removal of Nuwan Pradeep. Injury-ravaged Sri Lanka, ranked seventh in the world, also handed a debut to left-arm slow bowler Lakshan Sandakan against the world's top-ranked test side, who have won just one out of their last 15 tests in Asia. (Reuters)

Australia dismiss Sri Lanka for 117 in opener

Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews won the toss and opted to bat on a dry pitch in the first test of the three-match series against Australia at Pallekele today. 
 
The injury-ravaged hosts, ranked seventh in the world, handed debuts to all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva and left-arm slow bowler Lakshan Sandakan. 
 
Mathews side, who lost their last two test series in New Zealand and England, are missing pacemen Dhammika Prasad and Dushmantha Chameera while Suranga Lakmal was also ruled out from the match due to an ankle complaint. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s obvious, we&#39;ll have a bat,&quot; Mathews said after his counterpart Steve Smith called wrongly at the toss. 
 
&quot;Pitch looks pretty good but it can turn, probably around day two. We would like to put the runs on the board.&nbsp;We&#39;ve got a good set of young players you can look forward to.&quot; 
 
Australia captain Smith had earlier informed that the world&#39;s top-ranked test side, who have won just one out of their last 15 tests in Asia, will go into the match with two slow bowlers in off-spinner Nathan Lyon and left-armer Steve O&#39;Keefe. 
 
Left-arm quick Mitchell Starc was back after a long injury layoff to lead Australia&#39;s pace attack. 
 
Smith, who is yet to lose a test when leading the side, said he would also have batted first had he won the toss. 
 
&quot;Looks like a pretty dry wicket and they&#39;re playing about four spinners so would have had the bat,&quot; said Smith, who is ranked number one among test batsmen in the world.&nbsp;&quot;(Opener David Warner)&#39;s back, which is pretty exciting for us, he is in great form so hopefully he&#39;s got some runs in this match.&nbsp;It&#39;s been a great prep and the boys are ready to go.&quot; 
 
Teams: 
 
Australia: David Warner, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (captain), Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill, Steve O&#39;Keefe, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon 
 
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews (captain), Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Perera, Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera, Nuwan Pradeep, Lakshan Sandakan 
 
(Reuters)

All-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva and left-arm slow bowler Lakshan Sandakan make their debuts with this match

Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews won the toss and opted to bat on a dry pitch in the first test of the three-match series against Australia at Pallekele today. The injury-ravaged hosts, ranked seventh in the world, handed debuts to all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva and left-arm slow bowler Lakshan Sandakan. Mathews side, who lost their last two test series in New Zealand and England, are missing pacemen Dhammika Prasad and Dushmantha Chameera while Suranga Lakmal was also ruled out from the match due to an ankle complaint. "It's obvious, we'll have a bat," Mathews said after his counterpart Steve Smith called wrongly at the toss. "Pitch looks pretty good but it can turn, probably around day two. We would like to put the runs on the board. We've got a good set of young players you can look forward to." Australia captain Smith had earlier informed that the world's top-ranked test side, who have won just one out of their last 15 tests in Asia, will go into the match with two slow bowlers in off-spinner Nathan Lyon and left-armer Steve O'Keefe. Left-arm quick Mitchell Starc was back after a long injury layoff to lead Australia's pace attack. Smith, who is yet to lose a test when leading the side, said he would also have batted first had he won the toss. "Looks like a pretty dry wicket and they're playing about four spinners so would have had the bat," said Smith, who is ranked number one among test batsmen in the world. "(Opener David Warner)'s back, which is pretty exciting for us, he is in great form so hopefully he's got some runs in this match. It's been a great prep and the boys are ready to go." Teams: Australia: David Warner, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (captain), Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill, Steve O'Keefe, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews (captain), Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Perera, Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera, Nuwan Pradeep, Lakshan Sandakan (Reuters)

Sri Lanka opt to bat against Australia in first test

Australia will indefinitely detain people convicted of terrorism-related charges if it feels they pose an ongoing danger to society upon their release, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Monday. 
 
Turnbull compared the measures to those employed against some child sex offenders and cited what he called a growing number of attacks such as the recent Bastille Day attack in Nice, France, that killed dozens. 
 
&quot;Together the measures that we&#39;re announcing today are designed to deter terrorism, prevent it, ensure that the nation and our people are kept safe and to provide reassurance that Australians can and should continue going about their daily lives and enjoying their freedom in the usual way because they should understand and recognise that the Australian Government and it&#39;s agencies are doing everything possible to keep them safe,&quot; Turnbull said on Monday. 
 
&quot;The existence of post sentence preventative detention as a measure will serve as a very real incentive for those imprisoned for terrorist offenses to reform. It will provide a very real incentive for people imprisoned for terrorist offenses not to engage in continued extremist activity.&quot; 
 
Attorney General George Brandis, speaking with Turnbull in Sydney, said indefinite detention would be decided by a court-supervised process, which included medical and psychological assessments, and details of a prisoner&#39;s behaviour in custody. 
 
There will be a periodic review, an annual report to parliament and a statutory review of the efficacy and need for the scheme after the first several years, Brandis said. 
 
&quot;Of course, the issue of radicalisation while in imprisonment is an important issue, and that is a matter which the states and territories which manage prisons have in hand. But as the Prime Minister said before, one of the virtues of the post-sentence detention regime scheme that we are proposing is that it provides very powerful incentive to people who may be in prison not to participate in further radicalisation, or not to renew their malevolent intent, but rather gives them an incentive to be genuinely rehabilitated because they face the risk that if they continue to demonstrate these attitudes, these intentions that they may very well find themselves the subject of an application for preventative post-sentence detention,&quot; he added. 
 
A staunch US ally, Australia has been on heightened alert for attacks by home-grown radicals since 2014, having suffered several &quot;lone wolf&quot; assaults, including a cafe siege in Sydney in which two hostages and the gunman were killed. 
 
About 100 people have left Australia for Syria to fight alongside organisations such as Islamic State, Australia&#39;s immigration minister said last month. 
 
(Reuters)

'The indefinite detention will give the convicts the incentive to be genuinely rehabilitated to not engage in continued extremist activity'

Australia will indefinitely detain people convicted of terrorism-related charges if it feels they pose an ongoing danger to society upon their release, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Monday. Turnbull compared the measures to those employed against some child sex offenders and cited what he called a growing number of attacks such as the recent Bastille Day attack in Nice, France, that killed dozens. "Together the measures that we're announcing today are designed to deter terrorism, prevent it, ensure that the nation and our people are kept safe and to provide reassurance that Australians can and should continue going about their daily lives and enjoying their freedom in the usual way because they should understand and recognise that the Australian Government and it's agencies are doing everything possible to keep them safe," Turnbull said on Monday. "The existence of post sentence preventative detention as a measure will serve as a very real incentive for those imprisoned for terrorist offenses to reform. It will provide a very real incentive for people imprisoned for terrorist offenses not to engage in continued extremist activity." Attorney General George Brandis, speaking with Turnbull in Sydney, said indefinite detention would be decided by a court-supervised process, which included medical and psychological assessments, and details of a prisoner's behaviour in custody. There will be a periodic review, an annual report to parliament and a statutory review of the efficacy and need for the scheme after the first several years, Brandis said. "Of course, the issue of radicalisation while in imprisonment is an important issue, and that is a matter which the states and territories which manage prisons have in hand. But as the Prime Minister said before, one of the virtues of the post-sentence detention regime scheme that we are proposing is that it provides very powerful incentive to people who may be in prison not to participate in further radicalisation, or not to renew their malevolent intent, but rather gives them an incentive to be genuinely rehabilitated because they face the risk that if they continue to demonstrate these attitudes, these intentions that they may very well find themselves the subject of an application for preventative post-sentence detention," he added. A staunch US ally, Australia has been on heightened alert for attacks by home-grown radicals since 2014, having suffered several "lone wolf" assaults, including a cafe siege in Sydney in which two hostages and the gunman were killed. About 100 people have left Australia for Syria to fight alongside organisations such as Islamic State, Australia's immigration minister said last month. (Reuters)

Australia to detain convicted extremists indefinitely

Ben Barba inspired the Cronulla Sharks to their 15th consecutive victory with a 36-4 hammering of bottom team Newcastle Knights in Australia&#39;s National Rugby League today. 
 
Barba scored two of Cronulla&#39;s eight tries to continue his team&#39;s winning run and maintain a two-point lead over Melbourne Storm after 18 rounds. 
 
He set up two other tries and had another two tries denied by the video referee. 
 
Melbourne kept within reach of the Sharks with a 26-10 win over the Sydney Roosters at home. 
 
The Storm grabbed two late tries, through Tohu Harris and Kevin Proctor, to ease to victory after they were pushed for much of the contest by the lowly Roosters. 
 
Champions North Queensland are in third spot after a commanding 36-0 win over fellow finals contenders Canterbury Bulldogs in Townsville. 
 
The easy win was marred by a hamstring injury to their inspirational skipper Johnathan Thurston, who could miss the next two matches. 
 
Ricky Stuart&#39;s Canberra Raiders fill out the top four after a 26-22 golden point win over the New Zealand Warriors at home.&nbsp;Skipper Jarrod Croker scored the match-winning try in extra time - his third of the game - to seal a fourth consecutive win. 
 
Anthony Griffin enjoyed a triumphant return to Brisbane as Penrith moved into the top eight with a 31-12 win over the Broncos.&nbsp;Griffin was axed two years ago as the Broncos coach making way for the return of Wayne Bennett. 
 
Wests Tigers moved into the post-Robbie Farah era with a 25-12 win over St George Illawarra today. 
 
Tigers coach Jason Taylor made the big call during the week to dump State of Origin hooker Farah to reserve grade and threaten his chances of staying at the club where he has played 247 top grade games. 
 
(AFP)

Barba scored two of Cronulla's eight tries to continue his team's winning run and maintain a two-point lead over Melbourne Storm

Ben Barba inspired the Cronulla Sharks to their 15th consecutive victory with a 36-4 hammering of bottom team Newcastle Knights in Australia's National Rugby League today. Barba scored two of Cronulla's eight tries to continue his team's winning run and maintain a two-point lead over Melbourne Storm after 18 rounds. He set up two other tries and had another two tries denied by the video referee. Melbourne kept within reach of the Sharks with a 26-10 win over the Sydney Roosters at home. The Storm grabbed two late tries, through Tohu Harris and Kevin Proctor, to ease to victory after they were pushed for much of the contest by the lowly Roosters. Champions North Queensland are in third spot after a commanding 36-0 win over fellow finals contenders Canterbury Bulldogs in Townsville. The easy win was marred by a hamstring injury to their inspirational skipper Johnathan Thurston, who could miss the next two matches. Ricky Stuart's Canberra Raiders fill out the top four after a 26-22 golden point win over the New Zealand Warriors at home. Skipper Jarrod Croker scored the match-winning try in extra time - his third of the game - to seal a fourth consecutive win. Anthony Griffin enjoyed a triumphant return to Brisbane as Penrith moved into the top eight with a 31-12 win over the Broncos. Griffin was axed two years ago as the Broncos coach making way for the return of Wayne Bennett. Wests Tigers moved into the post-Robbie Farah era with a 25-12 win over St George Illawarra today. Tigers coach Jason Taylor made the big call during the week to dump State of Origin hooker Farah to reserve grade and threaten his chances of staying at the club where he has played 247 top grade games. (AFP)

Rugby League: Barba stars as Cronulla Sharks stretch winning streak

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O&#39;Neill survived a no-confidence vote today, EMTV reported, an outcome unlikely to end upheaval in a country developing lucrative projects with energy majors ExxonMobil Corp and French giant Total SA. 
 
The Supreme Court last week ordered parliament to reconvene, for the first time since June protests between students and police boiled over into violent clashes, for the express purpose of allowing the opposition to lodge a no-confidence motion against O&#39;Neill. 
 
Deputy opposition leader Sam Basil moved the motion at the opening of the session today, detailing numerous accusations of corruption against O&#39;Neill since he took office in 2010. 
 
&quot;To make the wrong decision here would be a mistake,&quot; Basil told parliament. &quot;Today, it is up to us on the floor to make a change.&quot; 
 
But Basil only secured 21 of the 56 lawmakers needed to oust O&#39;Neill, leaving unclear how long a strike by aviation, maritime and public transport workers that has effectively cut off the rugged, mountainous nation, would continue. 
 
Anti-incumbency sentiment prevails&nbsp; 
 
Meanwhile, Australia&#39;s Oil Search Ltd yesterday cleared the way for ExxonMobil to take over InterOil Corp for $2.2 billion, giving the US giant access to a rich new gas field to expand its exports from Papua New Guinea. 
 
The move could lead ExxonMobil and Total to tie together their competing gas interests in the South Pacific nation, cooperating to reduce costs as they battle cheap oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices. 
 
However, despite the growing resource wealth, corruption and violence are endemic in the island nation of seven million people, raising concern about its long-term stability and the ability to deliver a higher quality of life to its citizens. 
 
Martyn Namorong, head of the PNG Resource Governance Coalition, urged protesters to respect the decision in order to avoid a further descent into chaos and violence. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m a little bit deflated personally, but I respect the decision of parliament,&quot; he told Reuters. 
 
&quot;Papua New Guineans have suffered a lot more than the politicians, and we should not create more suffering for ourselves.&quot; 
 
Student protest leader Noel Anjo urged Australia, which has said little about the crisis, to speak out. 
 
&quot;They should come out and say something, because this country, the leadership, is not right,&quot; he said. &quot;Under O&#39;Neill, the leadership has gone from bad to worse.&quot; 
 
Namorong argued that Australia&#39;s traditional role as the indispensable nation in the Asia-Pacific region was eroding. 
 
&quot;I think the Australian influence in PNG has declined and that is reflected in how indifferent Australia is to what happens in Papua New Guinea,&quot; he said. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

?Deputy opposition leader Sam Basil moved the motion today detailing numerous accusations of corruption against PM O'Neill

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill survived a no-confidence vote today, EMTV reported, an outcome unlikely to end upheaval in a country developing lucrative projects with energy majors ExxonMobil Corp and French giant Total SA. The Supreme Court last week ordered parliament to reconvene, for the first time since June protests between students and police boiled over into violent clashes, for the express purpose of allowing the opposition to lodge a no-confidence motion against O'Neill. Deputy opposition leader Sam Basil moved the motion at the opening of the session today, detailing numerous accusations of corruption against O'Neill since he took office in 2010. "To make the wrong decision here would be a mistake," Basil told parliament. "Today, it is up to us on the floor to make a change." But Basil only secured 21 of the 56 lawmakers needed to oust O'Neill, leaving unclear how long a strike by aviation, maritime and public transport workers that has effectively cut off the rugged, mountainous nation, would continue. Anti-incumbency sentiment prevails Meanwhile, Australia's Oil Search Ltd yesterday cleared the way for ExxonMobil to take over InterOil Corp for $2.2 billion, giving the US giant access to a rich new gas field to expand its exports from Papua New Guinea. The move could lead ExxonMobil and Total to tie together their competing gas interests in the South Pacific nation, cooperating to reduce costs as they battle cheap oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices. However, despite the growing resource wealth, corruption and violence are endemic in the island nation of seven million people, raising concern about its long-term stability and the ability to deliver a higher quality of life to its citizens. Martyn Namorong, head of the PNG Resource Governance Coalition, urged protesters to respect the decision in order to avoid a further descent into chaos and violence. "I'm a little bit deflated personally, but I respect the decision of parliament," he told Reuters. "Papua New Guineans have suffered a lot more than the politicians, and we should not create more suffering for ourselves." Student protest leader Noel Anjo urged Australia, which has said little about the crisis, to speak out. "They should come out and say something, because this country, the leadership, is not right," he said. "Under O'Neill, the leadership has gone from bad to worse." Namorong argued that Australia's traditional role as the indispensable nation in the Asia-Pacific region was eroding. "I think the Australian influence in PNG has declined and that is reflected in how indifferent Australia is to what happens in Papua New Guinea," he said. (Reuters)

Papua New Guinea PM survives no-confidence vote?amid     strikes

Roger Federer will kick off his 20th season as a professional at the Hopman Cup next year, returning to the international team tournament in Perth for the first time since he teamed up with his now wife Mirka in 2002. 
 
The 34-year-old Swiss will be partnered at the Perth Arena from Jan. 1-7 by compatriot Belinda Bencic, who was a year old when Federer turned professional in July, 1998. 
 
&quot;I do remember it was a good preparation way back when so I thought it would be nice to do it again,&quot; the 17-times grand slam champion, a Hopman Cup winner with Martina Hingis in 2001, said in a video release. 
 
&quot;I can&#39;t wait to come back because I think it will be the perfect way to start the new season.&quot; 
 
Federer and the then Miroslava Vavrinec lost two of their three group matches at the 2002 Hopman Cup, which was won by Tommy Robredo and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario for Spain. 
 
Earlier this year, Nick Kyrgios and Daria Gavrilova teamed up to give Australia their first Hopman Cup triumph since 1999. 
 
(Reuters)

Roger Federer returns to the international team tournament in Perth for the first time since he teamed up with his now wife Mirka in 2000

Roger Federer will kick off his 20th season as a professional at the Hopman Cup next year, returning to the international team tournament in Perth for the first time since he teamed up with his now wife Mirka in 2002. The 34-year-old Swiss will be partnered at the Perth Arena from Jan. 1-7 by compatriot Belinda Bencic, who was a year old when Federer turned professional in July, 1998. "I do remember it was a good preparation way back when so I thought it would be nice to do it again," the 17-times grand slam champion, a Hopman Cup winner with Martina Hingis in 2001, said in a video release. "I can't wait to come back because I think it will be the perfect way to start the new season." Federer and the then Miroslava Vavrinec lost two of their three group matches at the 2002 Hopman Cup, which was won by Tommy Robredo and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario for Spain. Earlier this year, Nick Kyrgios and Daria Gavrilova teamed up to give Australia their first Hopman Cup triumph since 1999. (Reuters)

Federer to open 20th pro season at Hopman Cup

US and Australian troops plan to step up training so they are &quot;fully prepared&quot; to answer challenges in the Pacific, US Vice President Joe Biden said today amid rising tensions over Beijing&#39;s claims in the South China Sea.&nbsp; 
 
Speaking in Sydney after meeting Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Biden said the two nations were a &quot;genuine brotherhood&quot; committed to &quot;making sure the sea lanes are open and the skies are free for navigation&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;They are the life bloodlines of commerce and the economic growth worldwide,&quot; Biden said in the wake of last weeks ruling by a UN-backed tribunal against Beijings claims in the disputed waters. 
 
Beijing asserts sovereignty over almost all of the South China Sea, despite rival claims from its Southeast Asian neighbours -- most notably US ally the Philippines, which took the case to the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration.&nbsp; 
 
The United States, like Australia, has no claims of its own in the South China Sea, but insists that all shipping has a right to pass through seas it regards as international waters.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We also discussed the steps that Australia and the United States are taking so our troops can train more together and increase our interoperability so that we are fully prepared to respond to any challenges, any challenges, in the Pacific with a united front,&quot; Biden said. 
 
&quot;It is important we stand together,&quot; he added, as he stressed that the United States was a Pacific power and intended to remain so. 
 
Turnbull used a short media briefing alongside Biden to announce that Australia was expanding its role in Iraq to include the training of law enforcement officers and police as well as its current training of the Iraqi army. 
 
Australia has been a staunch ally of the United States in Iraq and in the fight against the Islamic State group. 
 
Biden&#39;s visit, which comes as President Barack Obama enters the final months of his administration, ends on Wednesday when he travels to New Zealand. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

Australia has been a staunch ally of the United States in Iraq and in the fight against the Islamic State group?

US and Australian troops plan to step up training so they are "fully prepared" to answer challenges in the Pacific, US Vice President Joe Biden said today amid rising tensions over Beijing's claims in the South China Sea. Speaking in Sydney after meeting Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Biden said the two nations were a "genuine brotherhood" committed to "making sure the sea lanes are open and the skies are free for navigation". "They are the life bloodlines of commerce and the economic growth worldwide," Biden said in the wake of last weeks ruling by a UN-backed tribunal against Beijings claims in the disputed waters. Beijing asserts sovereignty over almost all of the South China Sea, despite rival claims from its Southeast Asian neighbours -- most notably US ally the Philippines, which took the case to the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration. The United States, like Australia, has no claims of its own in the South China Sea, but insists that all shipping has a right to pass through seas it regards as international waters. "We also discussed the steps that Australia and the United States are taking so our troops can train more together and increase our interoperability so that we are fully prepared to respond to any challenges, any challenges, in the Pacific with a united front," Biden said. "It is important we stand together," he added, as he stressed that the United States was a Pacific power and intended to remain so. Turnbull used a short media briefing alongside Biden to announce that Australia was expanding its role in Iraq to include the training of law enforcement officers and police as well as its current training of the Iraqi army. Australia has been a staunch ally of the United States in Iraq and in the fight against the Islamic State group. Biden's visit, which comes as President Barack Obama enters the final months of his administration, ends on Wednesday when he travels to New Zealand. (AFP)

South China Sea dispute: US, Australia a 'united front' in Pacific, says Biden?

A man has pleaded guilty to cutting off someone&#39;s left testicle in an Australian motel room after responding to an online advert asking for help with a sensitive medical problem. 
 
Allan George Matthews, 56, admitted &quot;removing tissue&quot; from the 52-year-old &quot;without consent or authority&quot; in Port Macquarie, north of Sydney, in May, a local court in the town heard on Wednesday. 
 
Police alleged that Matthews was not a qualified or registered doctor. 
 
The other man, who was not named, posted the ad because he could not afford a proper medical procedure for the testicle, which had troubled him since being kicked in the groin some years ago, Sydney&#39;s Daily Telegraph reported. 
 
Matthews also pleaded guilty to several other charges including illegally possessing a gun, with police saying they became aware of the case in late June when the man went to a hospital for treatment on a wound he suffered during the operation. 
 
He is due back in court in August. 
 
(AFP)

Allan George Matthews, 56, responded to an online advert of a 52-year-old who could not afford a proper medical procedure for his testicle

A man has pleaded guilty to cutting off someone's left testicle in an Australian motel room after responding to an online advert asking for help with a sensitive medical problem. Allan George Matthews, 56, admitted "removing tissue" from the 52-year-old "without consent or authority" in Port Macquarie, north of Sydney, in May, a local court in the town heard on Wednesday. Police alleged that Matthews was not a qualified or registered doctor. The other man, who was not named, posted the ad because he could not afford a proper medical procedure for the testicle, which had troubled him since being kicked in the groin some years ago, Sydney's Daily Telegraph reported. Matthews also pleaded guilty to several other charges including illegally possessing a gun, with police saying they became aware of the case in late June when the man went to a hospital for treatment on a wound he suffered during the operation. He is due back in court in August. (AFP)

Australia testicle remover pleads guilty

Kangaroos may be Australia&#39;s national icon, but they are actually a major cause of car accidents in the country, according to new data. 
 
Statistics released by Australian Associated Motor Insurers Limited (AAMI) showed that kangaroos are responsible for nine out of 10 road accidents involving animals nationwide, Daily Telegraph Australia reported. 
 
AAMI analysed almost 19,000 animal collision claims reported in 2014 and found that claims start to rise in May with the peak danger period between June and August, increasing by 30 per cent in these winter months. 
 
&quot;Colliding with a large kangaroo, wombat or wallaby is not only traumatic for both the animal and driver but often causes considerable damage to cars and can also result in serious injury and death,&quot; said Reuben Aitchison, AAMI spokesperson. 
 
&quot;Wildlife is unpredictable and often drivers will not get any warning before an animal appears in front of them,&quot; said Aitchison.&nbsp; 
 
(PTI)

The statistics released by AAMI showed that kangaroos are responsible for nine out of 10 road accidents involving animals nationwide

Kangaroos may be Australia's national icon, but they are actually a major cause of car accidents in the country, according to new data. Statistics released by Australian Associated Motor Insurers Limited (AAMI) showed that kangaroos are responsible for nine out of 10 road accidents involving animals nationwide, Daily Telegraph Australia reported. AAMI analysed almost 19,000 animal collision claims reported in 2014 and found that claims start to rise in May with the peak danger period between June and August, increasing by 30 per cent in these winter months. "Colliding with a large kangaroo, wombat or wallaby is not only traumatic for both the animal and driver but often causes considerable damage to cars and can also result in serious injury and death," said Reuben Aitchison, AAMI spokesperson. "Wildlife is unpredictable and often drivers will not get any warning before an animal appears in front of them," said Aitchison. (PTI)

Kangaroos major cause of car accidents in Australia

Australians have elected a divided parliament stacked with fractious independents and minor parties but the nation&#39;s weary political leaders are united on at least one front: the need for electronic voting. 
 
Counting in Australia&#39;s July 2 election dragged into its 10th day on Tuesday, drawing unfavourable comparisons with Japan, Iceland and Spain, where recent elections were all decided in less than a day. 
 
Britons took just seven hours to calculate their contentious Brexit vote to leave the European Union last month. 
 
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition leader Bill Shorten have backed e-voting as a solution to Australia&#39;s snail-paced count, although experts warn of security issues and others bemoan the potential loss of typically Australian election day quirks like the &quot;sausage sizzle&quot;. 
 
Shorten said on Sunday, after already more than a week of hand-counting of ballot papers, that it shouldn&#39;t take &quot;a grown-up democracy&quot; so long to figure out who has won. 
 
Counting in Australia, where voting is compulsory, is usually resolved on the same evening that Australia&#39;s 15 million voters cast their ballots. 
 
But a tight election this year and a close-run poll in 2010 demonstrate how polls can drag on for weeks before final results are declared, with electoral officials recounting by hand as they painstakingly pore over slender margins and wait for postal ballots to arrive. 
 
By comparison, more than 45 million votes were cast in Japan on Sunday and more than 33 million were cast in the Brexit referendum. Both polls produced results within hours. 
 
E-voting could solve Australia&#39;s quandary by delivering an instant, computer-counted result, but experts warn the risks might outweigh the benefits. 
 
Electronic voting is currently available to vision-impaired voters via an automated telephone system. It has also been trialled at state polls. In a 2015 trial in New South Wales, Australia&#39;s most populous state, internet security experts found the process vulnerable to hacking. 
 
&quot;Security issues around electronic voting are not solved. Software errors and security problems could potentially impact the election result,&quot; said Vanessa Teague, a lecturer in computer and information systems at University of Melbourne. 
 
(Reuters)

E-voting is available for vision-impaired voters, though in a 2015 trial in New South Wales, experts found the process vulnerable to hacking

Australians have elected a divided parliament stacked with fractious independents and minor parties but the nation's weary political leaders are united on at least one front: the need for electronic voting. Counting in Australia's July 2 election dragged into its 10th day on Tuesday, drawing unfavourable comparisons with Japan, Iceland and Spain, where recent elections were all decided in less than a day. Britons took just seven hours to calculate their contentious Brexit vote to leave the European Union last month. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition leader Bill Shorten have backed e-voting as a solution to Australia's snail-paced count, although experts warn of security issues and others bemoan the potential loss of typically Australian election day quirks like the "sausage sizzle". Shorten said on Sunday, after already more than a week of hand-counting of ballot papers, that it shouldn't take "a grown-up democracy" so long to figure out who has won. Counting in Australia, where voting is compulsory, is usually resolved on the same evening that Australia's 15 million voters cast their ballots. But a tight election this year and a close-run poll in 2010 demonstrate how polls can drag on for weeks before final results are declared, with electoral officials recounting by hand as they painstakingly pore over slender margins and wait for postal ballots to arrive. By comparison, more than 45 million votes were cast in Japan on Sunday and more than 33 million were cast in the Brexit referendum. Both polls produced results within hours. E-voting could solve Australia's quandary by delivering an instant, computer-counted result, but experts warn the risks might outweigh the benefits. Electronic voting is currently available to vision-impaired voters via an automated telephone system. It has also been trialled at state polls. In a 2015 trial in New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, internet security experts found the process vulnerable to hacking. "Security issues around electronic voting are not solved. Software errors and security problems could potentially impact the election result," said Vanessa Teague, a lecturer in computer and information systems at University of Melbourne. (Reuters)

In rare consensus, Australian MPs call for e-voting as poll count drags into 10th day

Thousands of hectares of mangroves in Australia&#39;s remote north have died, scientists said on Monday, with climate change the likely cause. 
 
Some 7,000 hectares (17,300 acres), or nine per cent of the mangroves in the Gulf of Carpentaria, perished in just one month according to researchers from Australia&#39;s James Cook University, the first time such an event has been recorded. 
 
The so-called dieback, where mangroves are either dead or defoliated, was confirmed by aerial and satellite surveys and was likely to have been the result of an extended drought period, said Norm Duke, a mangrove ecologist from James Cook University. 
 
&quot;This is what climate change looks like. You see things push the maximums or minimums... what we are looking at here is an unusually long dry season,&quot; Duke said.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The reason that there&#39;s dieback now is because of this drought. Droughts are normal, but not so severe, and that&#39;s the difference,&quot; he said. 
 
Local rangers told scientists they were seeing creatures like shellfish, which need the shade of the trees, dying and that turtles and dugongs that are dependent on the ecosystem could &quot;be starving in a few months&quot;, he added. 
 
Duke said researchers believe the event took place in the semi-arid region in late November or early December last year. 
 
&quot;The dieback occurred synchronously across 700 kilometres (434 miles) in one month,&quot; he said, which is about the distance between Sydney and Melbourne. 
 
He added that &quot;by all accounts, the climate is going to become more erratic, so we can expect these type of events to become more common&quot;. 
 
Some of the mangroves suffering &quot;dieback&quot; were defoliated, meaning they were not yet dead but had lost their leaves, and could recover. But most &quot;won&#39;t recover, and will be dead&quot;, with satellite images matching ground surveys, said Duke. 
 
(AFP)

7,000 hectares or nine per cent of the mangroves in the Gulf of Carpentaria perished in just one month

Thousands of hectares of mangroves in Australia's remote north have died, scientists said on Monday, with climate change the likely cause. Some 7,000 hectares (17,300 acres), or nine per cent of the mangroves in the Gulf of Carpentaria, perished in just one month according to researchers from Australia's James Cook University, the first time such an event has been recorded. The so-called dieback, where mangroves are either dead or defoliated, was confirmed by aerial and satellite surveys and was likely to have been the result of an extended drought period, said Norm Duke, a mangrove ecologist from James Cook University. "This is what climate change looks like. You see things push the maximums or minimums... what we are looking at here is an unusually long dry season," Duke said. "The reason that there's dieback now is because of this drought. Droughts are normal, but not so severe, and that's the difference," he said. Local rangers told scientists they were seeing creatures like shellfish, which need the shade of the trees, dying and that turtles and dugongs that are dependent on the ecosystem could "be starving in a few months", he added. Duke said researchers believe the event took place in the semi-arid region in late November or early December last year. "The dieback occurred synchronously across 700 kilometres (434 miles) in one month," he said, which is about the distance between Sydney and Melbourne. He added that "by all accounts, the climate is going to become more erratic, so we can expect these type of events to become more common". Some of the mangroves suffering "dieback" were defoliated, meaning they were not yet dead but had lost their leaves, and could recover. But most "won't recover, and will be dead", with satellite images matching ground surveys, said Duke. (AFP)

Australia: climate change blamed for dying mangrove

An Australian man who filmed himself biting off the head of a live rat and posted the video on Facebook was banned today from owning pets for three years and ordered to do community service. 
 
Matthew Maloney, known as &quot;Mad Matt&quot;, was charged following a raid by RSPCA investigators after the bizarre stunt in January, which attracted hundreds of thousands of online views. 
 
The 25-year-old admitted one count of animal cruelty in Brisbane Magistrates Court and was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service, while being slapped with the pet ban. 
 
Magistrate Suzette Coates described him as a &quot;narcissist&quot; and he expressed remorse, although he told reporters outside court that his actions &quot;weren&#39;t that bad&quot;, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 
 
The video shows Maloney storming into a room, biting off the rat&#39;s head and washing it down with three shots of vodka. He then gets punched in the face and has a chair broken over his back before saying &quot;beat that&quot;. 
 
The clip was reportedly an attempt to create a disturbing new social-media challenge. 
 
He was unrepentant at the time after a string of comments branding him disgusting. 
 
&quot;All your comments are cracking me up and not one person out there will be able to say anything that will make me feel bad or make me regret what i did,&quot; he wrote on Facebook. 
 
&quot;Its mother nature and mans gotta eat!&quot;&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

The video attracted hundreds of thousands online views

An Australian man who filmed himself biting off the head of a live rat and posted the video on Facebook was banned today from owning pets for three years and ordered to do community service. Matthew Maloney, known as "Mad Matt", was charged following a raid by RSPCA investigators after the bizarre stunt in January, which attracted hundreds of thousands of online views. The 25-year-old admitted one count of animal cruelty in Brisbane Magistrates Court and was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service, while being slapped with the pet ban. Magistrate Suzette Coates described him as a "narcissist" and he expressed remorse, although he told reporters outside court that his actions "weren't that bad", according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The video shows Maloney storming into a room, biting off the rat's head and washing it down with three shots of vodka. He then gets punched in the face and has a chair broken over his back before saying "beat that". The clip was reportedly an attempt to create a disturbing new social-media challenge. He was unrepentant at the time after a string of comments branding him disgusting. "All your comments are cracking me up and not one person out there will be able to say anything that will make me feel bad or make me regret what i did," he wrote on Facebook. "Its mother nature and mans gotta eat!" (AFP)

Aussie who bit off rat's head banned from owning pets for 3 years

Australia&#39;s opposition Labour Party conceded defeat in the federal election today, clearing the way for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to retain power. 
 
Counting of votes in the marathon election continues, but Bill Shorten, the leader of the Labour Party, said the ruling coalition government led by Turnbull would gain enough seats to hold on to power. 
 
&quot;It is clear that Mr Turnbull and his coalition will form a government,&quot; Shorten told a news conference in Melbourne. &quot;Whether it is a minority government or majority government with one or two seats, it is clear they will form the government.&quot; 
 
The coalition has won 74 seats in Parliament. With vote counting continuing into an eighth day, it is expected to win at least two of the five seats that remain in doubt, giving Turnbull the support needed to form a majority government. 
 
Although Turnbull is expected to form a majority government, he is likely to be forced to depend on several independent members to get legislation through the lower house, raising questions about the long-term functioning of his government. 
 
Labour vowed not to unduly disrupt the new Parliament, however. 
 
&quot;Australians have made it clear, with the representatives they have selected, that they expect us to work together,&quot; said Shorten. &quot;I pledge, and I have indicated to Mr Turnbull, that where there is common ground, we work very hard to accomplish it.&quot; 
 
(Reuters) 
 
&nbsp;

The counting of votes continues but party leader says the ruling coalition will gain enough seats to hold on to power

Australia's opposition Labour Party conceded defeat in the federal election today, clearing the way for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to retain power. Counting of votes in the marathon election continues, but Bill Shorten, the leader of the Labour Party, said the ruling coalition government led by Turnbull would gain enough seats to hold on to power. "It is clear that Mr Turnbull and his coalition will form a government," Shorten told a news conference in Melbourne. "Whether it is a minority government or majority government with one or two seats, it is clear they will form the government." The coalition has won 74 seats in Parliament. With vote counting continuing into an eighth day, it is expected to win at least two of the five seats that remain in doubt, giving Turnbull the support needed to form a majority government. Although Turnbull is expected to form a majority government, he is likely to be forced to depend on several independent members to get legislation through the lower house, raising questions about the long-term functioning of his government. Labour vowed not to unduly disrupt the new Parliament, however. "Australians have made it clear, with the representatives they have selected, that they expect us to work together," said Shorten. "I pledge, and I have indicated to Mr Turnbull, that where there is common ground, we work very hard to accomplish it." (Reuters)

Australia's opposition Labour Party concedes defeat in national poll

Australia will pay an extra $300 million to help develop Afghanistan&#39;s security forces, the government said on Friday ahead of a NATO leaders&#39; summit in Warsaw, where tenuous security in Afghanistan will be a central discussion topic. 
 
Australia, a firm US ally in its wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, had originally pledged $500 million from 2010-2017 but will now provide an extra $100 million annually until 2020. 
 
The announcement of extra funding came two days after US President Barack Obama said he had decided to postpone plans to cut the number of US forces in Afghanistan almost in half by the end of the year, instead keeping 8,400 troops there from January. 
 
There are also another 3,000 international troops serving in the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan. 
 
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visited Kabul in January, and the Australian Defence Force announced two months later its troops would remain there for at least another three years. About 270 Australian troops are serving in the NATO-led force. 
 
No senior Australian government members will attend the Warsaw summit, with a cliffhanger nation election a week ago still without a clear result. 
 
The $100 million annual commitment comprises an $80 million contribution to the Afghan National Army and $20 million for the Afghan police. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

The announcement came two days after US President said he had decided to postpone plans to cut the number of US forces in Afghanistan

Australia will pay an extra $300 million to help develop Afghanistan's security forces, the government said on Friday ahead of a NATO leaders' summit in Warsaw, where tenuous security in Afghanistan will be a central discussion topic. Australia, a firm US ally in its wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, had originally pledged $500 million from 2010-2017 but will now provide an extra $100 million annually until 2020. The announcement of extra funding came two days after US President Barack Obama said he had decided to postpone plans to cut the number of US forces in Afghanistan almost in half by the end of the year, instead keeping 8,400 troops there from January. There are also another 3,000 international troops serving in the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visited Kabul in January, and the Australian Defence Force announced two months later its troops would remain there for at least another three years. About 270 Australian troops are serving in the NATO-led force. No senior Australian government members will attend the Warsaw summit, with a cliffhanger nation election a week ago still without a clear result. The $100 million annual commitment comprises an $80 million contribution to the Afghan National Army and $20 million for the Afghan police. (Reuters)

Ahead of NATO summit, Australia pledges extra $300 million for Afghan security forces

Australia&#39;s cricket board has banned two players for betting on matches and given a suspended ban to a third as part of its &quot;zero tolerance&quot; approach to gambling-related corruption. 
 
Hayley Jensen and Corinne Hall, who play in the national women&#39;s league and women&#39;s domestic Twenty20 tournament, were both given two-year bans with 18 months suspended, Cricket Australia (CA) said in a media release on Wednesday. 
 
Jensen had admitted placing one bet on the result of the men&#39;s test match between Australia and New Zealand in Brisbane last November.&nbsp;Hall had made two bets relating to two matches in the men&#39;s domestic one-day competition in 2015-16. 
 
&quot;Jensen and Hall are prohibited from participating in any form of cricket or cricket-related event for a period of six months until 21 October 2016,&quot; CA said. 
 
Joel Logan, who plays for South Australia in the men&#39;s domestic competition, was sanctioned for placing two bets on the winner of the World T20 tournament. 
 
Logan was also given a two-year ban but it was wholly suspended due to &quot;circumstances relating to his match contracts and the specific timing&quot; of his bets.&nbsp;All three players were required to participate in anti-corruption education programs, the board said. 
 
&ldquo;We take a proactive, zero-tolerance approach to maintaining the integrity of our sport and this includes any form of betting on cricket globally,&quot; CA&#39;s integrity boss Iain Roy said. 
 
&quot;These players have accepted the seriousness of their errors and have voluntarily accepted their sanctions.&quot; 
 
CA in February banned 19-year-old woman cricketer Piepa Cleary for six months, with another 18 months suspended, for placing six bets on a men&#39;s test match between Australia and New Zealand in November. 
 
That followed a two-year suspended sentence given to Sydney-based women&#39;s cricketer Angela Reakes in December for placing five bets on the man-of-the-match for last year&#39;s cricket World Cup final. 
 
World cricket has been rocked by a number of gambling-related scandals in recent years. 
 
Three Pakistani players were banned from cricket and jailed in 2011 after they were convicted of criminal charges related to spot-fixing in a test match during their tour of England the previous year. 
 
(Reuters)

In its drive to clean up the sport, Cricket Australia has penalised two women and one man for gambling

Australia's cricket board has banned two players for betting on matches and given a suspended ban to a third as part of its "zero tolerance" approach to gambling-related corruption. Hayley Jensen and Corinne Hall, who play in the national women's league and women's domestic Twenty20 tournament, were both given two-year bans with 18 months suspended, Cricket Australia (CA) said in a media release on Wednesday. Jensen had admitted placing one bet on the result of the men's test match between Australia and New Zealand in Brisbane last November. Hall had made two bets relating to two matches in the men's domestic one-day competition in 2015-16. "Jensen and Hall are prohibited from participating in any form of cricket or cricket-related event for a period of six months until 21 October 2016," CA said. Joel Logan, who plays for South Australia in the men's domestic competition, was sanctioned for placing two bets on the winner of the World T20 tournament. Logan was also given a two-year ban but it was wholly suspended due to "circumstances relating to his match contracts and the specific timing" of his bets. All three players were required to participate in anti-corruption education programs, the board said. “We take a proactive, zero-tolerance approach to maintaining the integrity of our sport and this includes any form of betting on cricket globally," CA's integrity boss Iain Roy said. "These players have accepted the seriousness of their errors and have voluntarily accepted their sanctions." CA in February banned 19-year-old woman cricketer Piepa Cleary for six months, with another 18 months suspended, for placing six bets on a men's test match between Australia and New Zealand in November. That followed a two-year suspended sentence given to Sydney-based women's cricketer Angela Reakes in December for placing five bets on the man-of-the-match for last year's cricket World Cup final. World cricket has been rocked by a number of gambling-related scandals in recent years. Three Pakistani players were banned from cricket and jailed in 2011 after they were convicted of criminal charges related to spot-fixing in a test match during their tour of England the previous year. (Reuters)

Australian cricket board slaps bans on three players for betting

An &quot;enraged&quot; Australian man phoned the police to complain that his father had burned his prized cannabis plants, authorities said on Wednesday.&nbsp;Northern Territory police said the man called them on Tuesday evening from Humpty Doo, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Darwin, to report he had a fight with his father. 
 
&quot;As retribution, his father burnt the son&#39;s prized cannabis plants in a bonfire on the property,&quot; duty superintendent Louise Jorgensen said in a Facebook post.&nbsp;&quot;The son felt this was wrong and reported the matter to police. Officers attended and confirmed that was indeed the case.&quot; 
 
Police did not give the ages of the men involved&nbsp;but said the son had been in conflict with his father ever since he moved back to the Northern Territory a short while ago.&nbsp;&quot;Things came to a head yesterday evening and that&#39;s when the contraband was destroyed,&quot; Jorgensen said. 
 
&quot;The son was indignant and enraged. It was questioned whether he was aware that possession of cannabis was unlawful and he could be liable to prosecution for the same.&nbsp;He seemed to believe that the destruction of the same was far worse than the possession in the first instance.&quot; 
 
Police said no charges had been laid.&nbsp;&quot;The evidence has been destroyed,&quot; admitted Jorgensen, confirming that the son was now living elsewhere.&nbsp;The post sparked lively comments on Facebook, with one person suggesting the police should have brought beers and munchies to the bonfire. 
 
&quot;What a twit!&quot; said another user. &quot;He should be arrested for stupidity.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

'It was questioned whether he was aware that possession of cannabis was unlawful and he could be liable to prosecution for the same'

An "enraged" Australian man phoned the police to complain that his father had burned his prized cannabis plants, authorities said on Wednesday. Northern Territory police said the man called them on Tuesday evening from Humpty Doo, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Darwin, to report he had a fight with his father. "As retribution, his father burnt the son's prized cannabis plants in a bonfire on the property," duty superintendent Louise Jorgensen said in a Facebook post. "The son felt this was wrong and reported the matter to police. Officers attended and confirmed that was indeed the case." Police did not give the ages of the men involved but said the son had been in conflict with his father ever since he moved back to the Northern Territory a short while ago. "Things came to a head yesterday evening and that's when the contraband was destroyed," Jorgensen said. "The son was indignant and enraged. It was questioned whether he was aware that possession of cannabis was unlawful and he could be liable to prosecution for the same. He seemed to believe that the destruction of the same was far worse than the possession in the first instance." Police said no charges had been laid. "The evidence has been destroyed," admitted Jorgensen, confirming that the son was now living elsewhere. The post sparked lively comments on Facebook, with one person suggesting the police should have brought beers and munchies to the bonfire. "What a twit!" said another user. "He should be arrested for stupidity." (AFP)

Australian man calls cops after dad burns cannabis plants

Independent candidates, who will likely determine a cliffhanger Australian election, shot to prominence on Monday, one of them renewing the anti-Asian rhetoric first heard 20 years ago, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull under fire for a failed political gamble. 
 
Pauline Hanson, founder of the controversial far right One Nation party, used the political limbo that has resulted from Saturday&#39;s close vote to push her far-right agenda that first won her international notoriety in 1996, warning that Australia was being &quot;swamped by Asians&quot;. 
 
&quot;A lot of Australians feel that Asians are buying up prime agricultural land, housing,&quot; Hanson said at a fiery media conference in Brisbane on Monday, where she also reiterated her anti-Islam stance. 
 
&quot;Do you want to see terrorism on our streets here? Do you want to see our Australians murdered?&quot; she said. 
 
With the two major parties, the conservative Liberal-National coalition and Centre-Left Labor, sitting on the sidelines waiting for a result that could take days, it was left to another independent, centrist Nick Xenophon, to mount a defence of multicultural Australia. 
 
The power vacuum that allowed Hanson to re-emerge showed just how badly Turnbull&#39;s gamble of dissolving both houses of Parliament, to clear out minor parties and independents he said were blocking his reformist agenda, had failed. 
 
Saturday&#39;s election was meant to end political turmoil that had seen four prime ministers in three years. Instead, it left Turnbull&#39;s own leadership in question less than a year after he ousted then prime minister Tony Abbott in a party-room coup. 
 
&quot;I think in the end he should be asking himself if he has done the Liberal Party a service or a disservice,&quot; Corey Bernardi, a senator from Turnbull&#39;s Liberal Party, said. 
 
Labor leader Bill Shorten also called on Turnbull to quit, likening his position to that of British Prime Minister David Cameron after last month&#39;s &quot;Brexit&quot; vote. 
 
Turnbull, acting as caretaker prime minister while vote counting continues, appeared to have underestimated the protest vote that stole support from both major parties and must now negotiate with minor parties and independents to retain power. 
 
Hostile Senate 
 
Labor had won 67 seats to the coalition&#39;s 65 before counting was paused on the weekend, with the Greens picking up one seat and independents claiming four. The major parties need 76 seats to form a majority government in the House of Representatives. 
 
With the result of 13 seats still in doubt, political pundits were predicting one of two main scenarios: the coalition scrapes across the line by picking up nine or more of the undecided seats, or it fails to reach 76 and has a hung parliament where neither side holds power. 
 
Even if the government scrapes through, Turnbull will likely face an even more hostile upper house Senate, leaving his election agenda that includes cuts to healthcare and a A$50 billion corporate tax break over 10 years further in doubt. 
 
Moody&#39;s Investor Service warned that policy paralysis when it comes to repairing the budget deficit could have an impact on Australia&#39;s coveted triple A credit rating. 
 
&quot;Looking ahead, trends in Australia&#39;s credit profile will be determined by whether fiscal objectives are effectively implemented, whether external financing conditions remain favourable and how housing market developments affect domestic growth and financial conditions,&quot; Marie Diron, Senior Vice President at Moody&#39;s, said in a statement. 
 
Turnbull said on Sunday he remained &quot;quietly confident&quot; of returning his coalition to power for another three-year term. Vote counting could still take several days, electoral officials have said. 
 
While the counting dragged on, Andrew Wilkie, one of the key independents, told ABC radio he was adamant he would &quot;do no deals&quot;. &quot;Neither the Labor Party or the Liberal Party have a God-given right to rule,&quot; he said. 
 
A second independent, Cathy McGowan, also said she did not intend to decide which side to support until the votes were counted and parliament resumed. 
 
&quot;There is enormous disappointment with the way the government has been working,&quot; McGowan said. 
 
Vote counting for the upper house Senate resumed on Monday but counting for the lower House of Representatives does not restart until Tuesday. The delayed counting is a result of new security measures by the Australian Electoral Commission. 
 
(Reuters)

Independent candidates are likely to determine a cliffhanger Australian election, one of them is renewing anti-Asian rhetoric

Independent candidates, who will likely determine a cliffhanger Australian election, shot to prominence on Monday, one of them renewing the anti-Asian rhetoric first heard 20 years ago, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull under fire for a failed political gamble. Pauline Hanson, founder of the controversial far right One Nation party, used the political limbo that has resulted from Saturday's close vote to push her far-right agenda that first won her international notoriety in 1996, warning that Australia was being "swamped by Asians". "A lot of Australians feel that Asians are buying up prime agricultural land, housing," Hanson said at a fiery media conference in Brisbane on Monday, where she also reiterated her anti-Islam stance. "Do you want to see terrorism on our streets here? Do you want to see our Australians murdered?" she said. With the two major parties, the conservative Liberal-National coalition and Centre-Left Labor, sitting on the sidelines waiting for a result that could take days, it was left to another independent, centrist Nick Xenophon, to mount a defence of multicultural Australia. The power vacuum that allowed Hanson to re-emerge showed just how badly Turnbull's gamble of dissolving both houses of Parliament, to clear out minor parties and independents he said were blocking his reformist agenda, had failed. Saturday's election was meant to end political turmoil that had seen four prime ministers in three years. Instead, it left Turnbull's own leadership in question less than a year after he ousted then prime minister Tony Abbott in a party-room coup. "I think in the end he should be asking himself if he has done the Liberal Party a service or a disservice," Corey Bernardi, a senator from Turnbull's Liberal Party, said. Labor leader Bill Shorten also called on Turnbull to quit, likening his position to that of British Prime Minister David Cameron after last month's "Brexit" vote. Turnbull, acting as caretaker prime minister while vote counting continues, appeared to have underestimated the protest vote that stole support from both major parties and must now negotiate with minor parties and independents to retain power. Hostile Senate Labor had won 67 seats to the coalition's 65 before counting was paused on the weekend, with the Greens picking up one seat and independents claiming four. The major parties need 76 seats to form a majority government in the House of Representatives. With the result of 13 seats still in doubt, political pundits were predicting one of two main scenarios: the coalition scrapes across the line by picking up nine or more of the undecided seats, or it fails to reach 76 and has a hung parliament where neither side holds power. Even if the government scrapes through, Turnbull will likely face an even more hostile upper house Senate, leaving his election agenda that includes cuts to healthcare and a A$50 billion corporate tax break over 10 years further in doubt. Moody's Investor Service warned that policy paralysis when it comes to repairing the budget deficit could have an impact on Australia's coveted triple A credit rating. "Looking ahead, trends in Australia's credit profile will be determined by whether fiscal objectives are effectively implemented, whether external financing conditions remain favourable and how housing market developments affect domestic growth and financial conditions," Marie Diron, Senior Vice President at Moody's, said in a statement. Turnbull said on Sunday he remained "quietly confident" of returning his coalition to power for another three-year term. Vote counting could still take several days, electoral officials have said. While the counting dragged on, Andrew Wilkie, one of the key independents, told ABC radio he was adamant he would "do no deals". "Neither the Labor Party or the Liberal Party have a God-given right to rule," he said. A second independent, Cathy McGowan, also said she did not intend to decide which side to support until the votes were counted and parliament resumed. "There is enormous disappointment with the way the government has been working," McGowan said. Vote counting for the upper house Senate resumed on Monday but counting for the lower House of Representatives does not restart until Tuesday. The delayed counting is a result of new security measures by the Australian Electoral Commission. (Reuters)

Far-right candidates emerge to fill vacuum after close Australia vote

Economists on Monday warned that a hung parliament may risk Australia&#39;s coveted AAA credit rating with the inconclusive result of weekend elections seen as bad news for the economy and investment markets. 
 
A final outcome from the polls won&#39;t be known for days, if not weeks, with millions of postal and absentee votes still to be processed, which could prove crucial in a race too close to call. 
 
It adds to the global trend of rising political uncertainty, amid concern about Donald Trump&#39;s run for the White House and Britain&#39;s vote to leave the European Union (EU). 
 
Despite this, markets were undeterred with the benchmark ASX/200 only marginally lower at 5,235.4 in morning trade while the Aussie dollar being down by 0.4 per cent at 74.66 US cents. 
 
So far Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull&#39;s Liberal/National coalition and the Labor opposition both have 67 seats, the Greens one and independents four, according to results from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 
 
That leaves 11 seats to be decided with 76 needed to rule outright in the 150-seat House of Representatives, raising the prospect of a second hung parliament in three years, where neither side can form a majority government. 
 
Instead, support would be needed from the often obstructionist minor lawmakers. A similar scenario is forecasted for the upper house Senate, which does not bode well for getting legislation passed, potentially causing policy gridlock. 
 
Economists said this could stymie efforts to rein in debt and deficits, undermining business and consumer confidence with repercussions for the economy. 
 
&quot;Even if the coalition does win government it won&#39;t have control of the Senate with the balance of power remaining with the Greens and minority parties which will act as a huge constraint on the government,&quot; said AMP Capital chief economist Shane Oliver. 
 
&quot;The end result will be poor prospects for getting government spending and the budget deficit under control over the next three years and for the coalition implementing its policy to cut corporate taxes let alone undertaking serious productivity enhancing economic reforms.&quot; 
 
Australia is one of only a handful of nations to hold the top AAA credit rating from all three major agencies, having dodged recession during the global financial crisis. 
 
They are yet to pass judgement on the weekend polls but Oliver said political uncertainty never boded well. 
 
&quot;Whoever wins it means that the risk of a sovereign credit rating downgrade has increased further,&quot; he said, in a view echoed by leading independent economist Saul Eslake. 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t know whether any of them will formally downgrade Australia&#39;s rating, or put Australia on a &#39;negative watch&#39;, but I wouldn&#39;t be surprised if at least one of them does,&quot; he told the Australian Financial Review. 
 
A downgrade would mirror what happened in Britain in the days after its decision to exit the EU, due to the economic uncertainties. 
 
Generally, losing a AAA rating means the nation would be forced to pay higher interest on its debt. 
 
TD Securities analyst Annette Beacher said hung parliaments had never historically been conducive to good governance and policy reform and &quot;the risk of losing AAA/stable is not insignificant&quot;. 
 
&quot;There is a significant probability that Australia experiences another three years of fiscal policy paralysis,&quot; she said, adding that it would leave the Reserve Bank of Australia &quot;as the only public authority with tools to manage the business cycle&quot;. 
 
The central bank holds its monthly board meeting on Tuesday. With rates already at a historic low of 1.75 per cent, most economists do not expect it to intervene again just yet. 
 
But they see a possibility of a cut to 1.5 per cent in August should official inflation figures continue to point to benign price pressures, a sign of a flagging economy. 
 
(AFP)

Australia is one of the only nations to hold top AAA credit rating, having dodged recession during the global financial crisis

Economists on Monday warned that a hung parliament may risk Australia's coveted AAA credit rating with the inconclusive result of weekend elections seen as bad news for the economy and investment markets. A final outcome from the polls won't be known for days, if not weeks, with millions of postal and absentee votes still to be processed, which could prove crucial in a race too close to call. It adds to the global trend of rising political uncertainty, amid concern about Donald Trump's run for the White House and Britain's vote to leave the European Union (EU). Despite this, markets were undeterred with the benchmark ASX/200 only marginally lower at 5,235.4 in morning trade while the Aussie dollar being down by 0.4 per cent at 74.66 US cents. So far Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's Liberal/National coalition and the Labor opposition both have 67 seats, the Greens one and independents four, according to results from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. That leaves 11 seats to be decided with 76 needed to rule outright in the 150-seat House of Representatives, raising the prospect of a second hung parliament in three years, where neither side can form a majority government. Instead, support would be needed from the often obstructionist minor lawmakers. A similar scenario is forecasted for the upper house Senate, which does not bode well for getting legislation passed, potentially causing policy gridlock. Economists said this could stymie efforts to rein in debt and deficits, undermining business and consumer confidence with repercussions for the economy. "Even if the coalition does win government it won't have control of the Senate with the balance of power remaining with the Greens and minority parties which will act as a huge constraint on the government," said AMP Capital chief economist Shane Oliver. "The end result will be poor prospects for getting government spending and the budget deficit under control over the next three years and for the coalition implementing its policy to cut corporate taxes let alone undertaking serious productivity enhancing economic reforms." Australia is one of only a handful of nations to hold the top AAA credit rating from all three major agencies, having dodged recession during the global financial crisis. They are yet to pass judgement on the weekend polls but Oliver said political uncertainty never boded well. "Whoever wins it means that the risk of a sovereign credit rating downgrade has increased further," he said, in a view echoed by leading independent economist Saul Eslake. "I don't know whether any of them will formally downgrade Australia's rating, or put Australia on a 'negative watch', but I wouldn't be surprised if at least one of them does," he told the Australian Financial Review. A downgrade would mirror what happened in Britain in the days after its decision to exit the EU, due to the economic uncertainties. Generally, losing a AAA rating means the nation would be forced to pay higher interest on its debt. TD Securities analyst Annette Beacher said hung parliaments had never historically been conducive to good governance and policy reform and "the risk of losing AAA/stable is not insignificant". "There is a significant probability that Australia experiences another three years of fiscal policy paralysis," she said, adding that it would leave the Reserve Bank of Australia "as the only public authority with tools to manage the business cycle". The central bank holds its monthly board meeting on Tuesday. With rates already at a historic low of 1.75 per cent, most economists do not expect it to intervene again just yet. But they see a possibility of a cut to 1.5 per cent in August should official inflation figures continue to point to benign price pressures, a sign of a flagging economy. (AFP)

Australia may risk its AAA credit rating over possible hung Parliament

Early counting in Australia&#39;s national election showed a sizeable swing to the opposition Labor Party, bolstering fears a close vote will deny current Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull the outright majority he needs to enact major economic reforms. 
 
The leader of Australia&#39;s conservative Liberal Party-led coalition dissolved both houses of parliament in May in a bid to oust intransigent independents in the upper house Senate who had blocked his agenda, including company tax cuts. 
 
But Turnbull&#39;s gamble is at risk of backfiring as the coalition faces a strong challenge not only from the main opposition Labor Party but from independents who could win enough seats to hold the balance of power in the Senate or force a minority government in the lower house. 
 
With polling closed across the country, the Australian Electoral Commission reported a three per cent swing to the Labor Party on a two party count with the coalition with around 20 per cent of the vote counted. It projected 63 seats to the coalition and 62 to Labor. 
 
Labor requires a uniform swing of about four per cent to win government, but a significant smaller shift will likely leave the coalition with a minority government. 
 
At the Labor Party&#39;s federal election headquarters at the Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne, the mood was initially subdued but cheers began to ring out as Labor pulled ahead in key seats - the parties had 16 seats each in Victoria state in early voting. 
 
Kim Jago, a party volunteer during the election campaign, said concerns about the coalition cutting funding to education and a perceived soft touch on banking reforms had swayed her support. 
 
&quot;People are getting cranky,&quot; she told Reuters as she watched the count at the racecourse. Opposition leader Bill Shorten has spearheaded an opposition campaign focusing on coalition cuts to health and education policies. 
 
With 150 seats in the House of Representatives, the coalition requires 76 seats to maintain outright power, otherwise it will need to form alliances with small parties and independents to get a majority. 
 
Turnbull has invoked Brexit fears in his campaigning, arguing that minor parties, possibly in a coalition with centre-left Labor, could not be trusted to manage an economy hampered by the first mining downturn in a century and balance public finances after years of deficits. 
 
At the coalition&#39;s headquarters in Sydney, the mood was nervous and quiet with Finance Minister Mathias Cormann arriving but heading straight to a back room. A Reuters reporter was prevented from taking a photo of a champagne-filled fridge. 
 
In contrast, supporters at the Adelaide headquarters of the independent centrist Nick Xenophon Team, which is expected to emerge as a powerful force in the Senate, gave a huge cheer to candidate Rebekah Sharkie. Sharkie is on track to win the lower house seat of Mayo in South Australia, representing another potential lost seat for the Turnbull government. 
 
Xenophon has vowed to block the Coalition&#39;s cornerstone A$50 billion ($37 billion) corporate tax cuts if his party holds the balance of power in the senate. 
 
Far-right parties, including Pauline Hanson&#39;s One Nation, have campaigned on anti-immigration, anti-Muslim agendas. Hanson is also strong contender to win a position in the Senate. 
 
(Reuters)

The Australian Electoral Commission reported a 3% swing to the Labor Party with around 20% votes counted

Early counting in Australia's national election showed a sizeable swing to the opposition Labor Party, bolstering fears a close vote will deny current Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull the outright majority he needs to enact major economic reforms. The leader of Australia's conservative Liberal Party-led coalition dissolved both houses of parliament in May in a bid to oust intransigent independents in the upper house Senate who had blocked his agenda, including company tax cuts. But Turnbull's gamble is at risk of backfiring as the coalition faces a strong challenge not only from the main opposition Labor Party but from independents who could win enough seats to hold the balance of power in the Senate or force a minority government in the lower house. With polling closed across the country, the Australian Electoral Commission reported a three per cent swing to the Labor Party on a two party count with the coalition with around 20 per cent of the vote counted. It projected 63 seats to the coalition and 62 to Labor. Labor requires a uniform swing of about four per cent to win government, but a significant smaller shift will likely leave the coalition with a minority government. At the Labor Party's federal election headquarters at the Moonee Valley Racecourse in Melbourne, the mood was initially subdued but cheers began to ring out as Labor pulled ahead in key seats - the parties had 16 seats each in Victoria state in early voting. Kim Jago, a party volunteer during the election campaign, said concerns about the coalition cutting funding to education and a perceived soft touch on banking reforms had swayed her support. "People are getting cranky," she told Reuters as she watched the count at the racecourse. Opposition leader Bill Shorten has spearheaded an opposition campaign focusing on coalition cuts to health and education policies. With 150 seats in the House of Representatives, the coalition requires 76 seats to maintain outright power, otherwise it will need to form alliances with small parties and independents to get a majority. Turnbull has invoked Brexit fears in his campaigning, arguing that minor parties, possibly in a coalition with centre-left Labor, could not be trusted to manage an economy hampered by the first mining downturn in a century and balance public finances after years of deficits. At the coalition's headquarters in Sydney, the mood was nervous and quiet with Finance Minister Mathias Cormann arriving but heading straight to a back room. A Reuters reporter was prevented from taking a photo of a champagne-filled fridge. In contrast, supporters at the Adelaide headquarters of the independent centrist Nick Xenophon Team, which is expected to emerge as a powerful force in the Senate, gave a huge cheer to candidate Rebekah Sharkie. Sharkie is on track to win the lower house seat of Mayo in South Australia, representing another potential lost seat for the Turnbull government. Xenophon has vowed to block the Coalition's cornerstone A$50 billion ($37 billion) corporate tax cuts if his party holds the balance of power in the senate. Far-right parties, including Pauline Hanson's One Nation, have campaigned on anti-immigration, anti-Muslim agendas. Hanson is also strong contender to win a position in the Senate. (Reuters)

Early counting in Australian poll shows sizeable swing to opposition Labor

In an apparent hate crime, a mosque in Australia has been targetted with a firebomb and sprayed with anti-Islamic graffiti while hundreds of Muslims were inside for evening prayer, prompting the Prime Minister to condemn the incident. 
 
The attack occurred on Tuesday night near the Australian Islamic College in Perth.&nbsp; 
 
Local police said that accelerant was used to set the vehicles alight outside the Thornlie Mosque.&nbsp; 
 
A car was gutted and four other vehicles were also damaged by heat, according to media reports. 
 
&quot;This, undoubtedly is a criminal act of hate, but it is the act of a person or group, not the greater whole,&quot; a teacher at the Australian Islamic College said on Facebook. 
 
An offensive anti-Islam message was also sprayed on a nearby wall, but was later removed. 
 
Further, three men were seen fleeing the area after the attack, police said. Police have released CCTV footage of the men wearing hooded jumpers, who were last seen running through an alley. 
 
According to the Imam of the mosque, hundreds of worshippers were praying inside at the time of the suspected petrol bomb attack, however, no-one was injured. 
 
The incident was condemned by the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull who said, &quot;Australia is founded on a fundamental, a foundation of mutual respect. It&#39;s the golden rule... I deplore and I cannot condemn strongly enough any attacks of that kind.&quot; 
 
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the incident appeared to be politically motivated. 
 
(PTI)&nbsp;

Imam says hundreds of Muslims were inside at the time, but nobody was injured

In an apparent hate crime, a mosque in Australia has been targetted with a firebomb and sprayed with anti-Islamic graffiti while hundreds of Muslims were inside for evening prayer, prompting the Prime Minister to condemn the incident. The attack occurred on Tuesday night near the Australian Islamic College in Perth. Local police said that accelerant was used to set the vehicles alight outside the Thornlie Mosque. A car was gutted and four other vehicles were also damaged by heat, according to media reports. "This, undoubtedly is a criminal act of hate, but it is the act of a person or group, not the greater whole," a teacher at the Australian Islamic College said on Facebook. An offensive anti-Islam message was also sprayed on a nearby wall, but was later removed. Further, three men were seen fleeing the area after the attack, police said. Police have released CCTV footage of the men wearing hooded jumpers, who were last seen running through an alley. According to the Imam of the mosque, hundreds of worshippers were praying inside at the time of the suspected petrol bomb attack, however, no-one was injured. The incident was condemned by the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull who said, "Australia is founded on a fundamental, a foundation of mutual respect. It's the golden rule... I deplore and I cannot condemn strongly enough any attacks of that kind." Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the incident appeared to be politically motivated. (PTI)

Australian mosque targeted in suspected petrol bomb attack

Australia&#39;s Bernard Tomic thinks he is playing some of the best grasscourt tennis of his career, and is in a good place off the court, as he heads into the Wimbledon championships main draw for the seventh time. 
 
The 23-year-old&#39;s campaign at the All England Club ended in the third round last year and was followed by a very public and bitter row with Tennis Australia over what he said was their lack of backing for him. 
 
Since then, there have been rows over his suitability to be part of Australia&#39;s Olympic team, which he defused by withdrawing his name from consideration, and the now traditional woes of his claycourt season. 
 
After a second-round departure at the French Open that surprised few given his dislike of the Roland Garros surface, however, Tomic has rediscovered his form on grass at &#39;s-Hertogenbosch and Queen&#39;s Club. 
 
&quot;I&#39;d say probably it&#39;s the best it&#39;s been leading into Wimbledon,&quot; the 19th seed told Australia&#39;s Fox Sports TV. 
 
&quot;I managed to play two grasscourt tournaments, played really well, making the quarters in the Netherlands and the semis at Queen&#39;s.&nbsp;I feel like I&#39;m playing some of my best tennis on grass and now we&#39;re here at the famous Wimbledon tournament and I&#39;m ready to go.&quot; 
 
Tomic made his grand slam breakthrough when he reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals as a qualifier in 2011, and it remains his favourite of the sport&#39;s four majors. 
 
&quot;It was a huge moment for my career that turned everything around and I always look back on that leading into any grasscourt tournament,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;I take back that memory and I&#39;m always in a position to play my best tennis on grass. On grass, I always seem to be intense and on my feet and I always seem to play really well.&quot; 
 
Lapses of concentration and intensity have been a problem for Tomic throughout a career that promised so much when he won two junior grand slam titles. 
 
Allegations of giving up, or tanking, have dogged him in recent years and reached fever pitch when he faced match point at the Madrid Open in May with his racket upside down. 
 
He knows, however, that he will have to be on his toes for his first round match against tricky Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco, who he beat at Queen&#39;s Club to take a 4-1 lead in their career head-to-head. 
 
&quot;Last week was an incredible match,&quot; Tomic said. 
 
&quot;He&#39;s going to come out swinging, doing some different things, he knows he&#39;s down in the record against me but that&#39;s not going to stop him playing well.&quot; 
 
Off court, the presence of Lleyton Hewitt in London should also ensure no repeat of the rows with Tennis Australia. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m happy now, I&#39;ve got a good team around me, and I&#39;m at my favourite tournament as well,&quot; he added. 
 
(Reuters)

After a second-round departure at the French Open, Bernard Tomic rediscovered his form on grass at 's-Hertogenbosch and Queen's Club

Australia's Bernard Tomic thinks he is playing some of the best grasscourt tennis of his career, and is in a good place off the court, as he heads into the Wimbledon championships main draw for the seventh time. The 23-year-old's campaign at the All England Club ended in the third round last year and was followed by a very public and bitter row with Tennis Australia over what he said was their lack of backing for him. Since then, there have been rows over his suitability to be part of Australia's Olympic team, which he defused by withdrawing his name from consideration, and the now traditional woes of his claycourt season. After a second-round departure at the French Open that surprised few given his dislike of the Roland Garros surface, however, Tomic has rediscovered his form on grass at 's-Hertogenbosch and Queen's Club. "I'd say probably it's the best it's been leading into Wimbledon," the 19th seed told Australia's Fox Sports TV. "I managed to play two grasscourt tournaments, played really well, making the quarters in the Netherlands and the semis at Queen's. I feel like I'm playing some of my best tennis on grass and now we're here at the famous Wimbledon tournament and I'm ready to go." Tomic made his grand slam breakthrough when he reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals as a qualifier in 2011, and it remains his favourite of the sport's four majors. "It was a huge moment for my career that turned everything around and I always look back on that leading into any grasscourt tournament," he said. "I take back that memory and I'm always in a position to play my best tennis on grass. On grass, I always seem to be intense and on my feet and I always seem to play really well." Lapses of concentration and intensity have been a problem for Tomic throughout a career that promised so much when he won two junior grand slam titles. Allegations of giving up, or tanking, have dogged him in recent years and reached fever pitch when he faced match point at the Madrid Open in May with his racket upside down. He knows, however, that he will have to be on his toes for his first round match against tricky Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco, who he beat at Queen's Club to take a 4-1 lead in their career head-to-head. "Last week was an incredible match," Tomic said. "He's going to come out swinging, doing some different things, he knows he's down in the record against me but that's not going to stop him playing well." Off court, the presence of Lleyton Hewitt in London should also ensure no repeat of the rows with Tennis Australia. "I'm happy now, I've got a good team around me, and I'm at my favourite tournament as well," he added. (Reuters)

All England grass a tonic for Tomic

Thousands of Australians marched at same-sex marriage rallies across the country today, calling on whichever party wins a July 2 national election to quickly introduce same-sex marriage laws. 
 
Conservative Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull supports same-sex marriage and has pledged a public vote on the issue before the end of 2016. 
 
The Labour opposition will skip a public vote and introduce a bill to parliament within 100 days if it wins the election. 
 
Opinion polls say Turnbull&#39;s Conservative coalition and Labour are neck-and-neck ahead of the election. 
 
Protesters in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth marched carrying rainbow flags and signs which read &quot;Equality now&quot;. 
 
Some dressed up in costumes of former prime minister Tony Abbott, an opponent of same-sex marriage, who Turnbull ousted in a party room coup last September. 
 
Openly-gay Labour candidate Pat O&#39;Neill, who marched in Brisbane, said the election will give the gay community a &quot;voice at the ballot box&quot;, reported Australian Associated Press (AAP). 
 
Greens senator Larissa Waters told the crowd a public vote was a waste of time. &quot;It&#39;s not going to be binding on their (government) members - what a joke,&quot; said Waters, reported AAP. 
 
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. 
 
Turnbull, considered a moderate, brushed off criticism from conservatives to become the first sitting prime minister to attend Sydney&#39;s annual gay Mardi Gras parade in March. 
 
Australia has seen a revolving door of political leadership in recent years. If Turnbull loses on July 2, the change in prime minister would be the fifth since 2010. 
 
(Reuters)

The rally-goers demand that whichever party wins the July 2 national election should quickly introduce same-sex marriage laws

Thousands of Australians marched at same-sex marriage rallies across the country today, calling on whichever party wins a July 2 national election to quickly introduce same-sex marriage laws. Conservative Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull supports same-sex marriage and has pledged a public vote on the issue before the end of 2016. The Labour opposition will skip a public vote and introduce a bill to parliament within 100 days if it wins the election. Opinion polls say Turnbull's Conservative coalition and Labour are neck-and-neck ahead of the election. Protesters in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth marched carrying rainbow flags and signs which read "Equality now". Some dressed up in costumes of former prime minister Tony Abbott, an opponent of same-sex marriage, who Turnbull ousted in a party room coup last September. Openly-gay Labour candidate Pat O'Neill, who marched in Brisbane, said the election will give the gay community a "voice at the ballot box", reported Australian Associated Press (AAP). Greens senator Larissa Waters told the crowd a public vote was a waste of time. "It's not going to be binding on their (government) members - what a joke," said Waters, reported AAP. 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. Turnbull, considered a moderate, brushed off criticism from conservatives to become the first sitting prime minister to attend Sydney's annual gay Mardi Gras parade in March. Australia has seen a revolving door of political leadership in recent years. If Turnbull loses on July 2, the change in prime minister would be the fifth since 2010. (Reuters)

Thousands rally in Australia for same-sex marriage

Darren Bravo&#39;s third hundred and impressive fast bowling from Shannon Gabriel propelled the West Indies to a comprehensive 100-run victory over South Africa in the ninth and final preliminary match of the Tri-Nation One-Day International Series at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Friday. 
 
Bravo&#39;s stroke-filled 102 anchored an impressive recovery from 21 for four to lift the West Indies to 285 all out off 49.5 overs batting first. 
Gabriel, in just his second ODI, then tore through the Proteas&#39; vaunted top-order, taking the wickets of Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis and captain A.B. de Villiers in the space of four fearsome overs. 
 
It was a setback from which they never recovered, eventually being dismissed for 186 off 46 overs despite a last-wicket partnership of 51 between Morne Morkel and Imran Tahir. Sunil Narine ensured there would be no escape for the South Africans after Gabriel&#39;s early blast, the spinner taking three for 28 off ten overs. 
 
With their second win in three matches against the Proteas in the tournament, the hosts advance to face World Cup-holders Australia in the final on Sunday at the same venue. It is also the first time in ten years that South Africa have failed to reach the final of a tri-nation ODI series. 
 
Of concern for the West Indies looking ahead to the final though will be the fitness of Gabriel, who left the field nursing a right leg injury after claiming the impressive figures of three for 17 from five overs of extreme pace. He should have also snared the wicket of Hashim Amla but wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin missed the straightforward opportunity offered by the prolific opener. 
 
West Indies were themselves rocked back at 21 for four when pacer Kagiso Rabada led the assault after de Villiers chose to field. However Bravo&#39;s third one-day century, embellished with 12 fours and four sixes off 103 deliveries, proved invaluable. He found an able partner in Kieron Pollard, who curbed his usual all-out aggression in compiling 62 off 71 balls. 
 
Their fifth-wicket stand of 156 was a new West Indian record for the wicket against South Africa and wrested the initiative from the visitors who did not help their cause with characteristically untidy cricket in the field, fast-medium bowler Morne Morkel delivering six of the 17 wides conceded by the Proteas. 
 
Morkel&#39;s nine overs cost 68 runs yet for all that indiscipline, he should have still claimed the important wicket early on of Bravo who, on 11, top-edged an attempted hook only for Wayne Parnell to misjudge the catch at fine-leg and parry the ball over the boundary rope. 
 
Imran Tahir, who routed the West Indies in their last meeting in St Kitts with record-breaking figures of seven for 45, was kept wicketless through his ten overs for the first time in ODI cricket against these opponents. 
 
South Africa&#39;s bowling star without doubt was Rabada, whose returns of three for 31 were highlighted by a devastating opening burst after Parnell had removed Andre Fletcher in his opening over. 
 
Generating tremendous pace, Rabada induced an edge from the other opener, Johnson Charles, for Chris Morris to take a comfortable catch at second slip. He then uprooted Marlon Samuels&#39; off-stump first ball to have the West Indies tottering at 12 for three. 
 
Ramdin avoided the hat-trick but subsequently succumbed to the lethal hostility of the 21-year-old fast bowler, first ducking into a short ball to take a blow on the back of the helmet before being comprehensively bowled off the next delivery. 
 
Bravo and Pollard then countered the rampant South Africans with determination and forceful strokeplay before the big-hitting all-rounder was caught at long-on off the suffering Morkel. 
 
Morris claimed three wickets at the end of the innings with West Indies captain Jason Holder (40) and Carlos Brathwaite (33 not out) pushing the home side to a challenging final total. 
 
(AFP) 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

After their second win in three matches against the Proteas, West Indies have advanced to face Australia in the finals of the Tri-nation ODI

Darren Bravo's third hundred and impressive fast bowling from Shannon Gabriel propelled the West Indies to a comprehensive 100-run victory over South Africa in the ninth and final preliminary match of the Tri-Nation One-Day International Series at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Friday. Bravo's stroke-filled 102 anchored an impressive recovery from 21 for four to lift the West Indies to 285 all out off 49.5 overs batting first. Gabriel, in just his second ODI, then tore through the Proteas' vaunted top-order, taking the wickets of Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis and captain A.B. de Villiers in the space of four fearsome overs. It was a setback from which they never recovered, eventually being dismissed for 186 off 46 overs despite a last-wicket partnership of 51 between Morne Morkel and Imran Tahir. Sunil Narine ensured there would be no escape for the South Africans after Gabriel's early blast, the spinner taking three for 28 off ten overs. With their second win in three matches against the Proteas in the tournament, the hosts advance to face World Cup-holders Australia in the final on Sunday at the same venue. It is also the first time in ten years that South Africa have failed to reach the final of a tri-nation ODI series. Of concern for the West Indies looking ahead to the final though will be the fitness of Gabriel, who left the field nursing a right leg injury after claiming the impressive figures of three for 17 from five overs of extreme pace. He should have also snared the wicket of Hashim Amla but wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin missed the straightforward opportunity offered by the prolific opener. West Indies were themselves rocked back at 21 for four when pacer Kagiso Rabada led the assault after de Villiers chose to field. However Bravo's third one-day century, embellished with 12 fours and four sixes off 103 deliveries, proved invaluable. He found an able partner in Kieron Pollard, who curbed his usual all-out aggression in compiling 62 off 71 balls. Their fifth-wicket stand of 156 was a new West Indian record for the wicket against South Africa and wrested the initiative from the visitors who did not help their cause with characteristically untidy cricket in the field, fast-medium bowler Morne Morkel delivering six of the 17 wides conceded by the Proteas. Morkel's nine overs cost 68 runs yet for all that indiscipline, he should have still claimed the important wicket early on of Bravo who, on 11, top-edged an attempted hook only for Wayne Parnell to misjudge the catch at fine-leg and parry the ball over the boundary rope. Imran Tahir, who routed the West Indies in their last meeting in St Kitts with record-breaking figures of seven for 45, was kept wicketless through his ten overs for the first time in ODI cricket against these opponents. South Africa's bowling star without doubt was Rabada, whose returns of three for 31 were highlighted by a devastating opening burst after Parnell had removed Andre Fletcher in his opening over. Generating tremendous pace, Rabada induced an edge from the other opener, Johnson Charles, for Chris Morris to take a comfortable catch at second slip. He then uprooted Marlon Samuels' off-stump first ball to have the West Indies tottering at 12 for three. Ramdin avoided the hat-trick but subsequently succumbed to the lethal hostility of the 21-year-old fast bowler, first ducking into a short ball to take a blow on the back of the helmet before being comprehensively bowled off the next delivery. Bravo and Pollard then countered the rampant South Africans with determination and forceful strokeplay before the big-hitting all-rounder was caught at long-on off the suffering Morkel. Morris claimed three wickets at the end of the innings with West Indies captain Jason Holder (40) and Carlos Brathwaite (33 not out) pushing the home side to a challenging final total. (AFP)

West Indies topple South Africa in Tri-Nation

Cameron McEvoy has that rare ability to bend water to his will and the sprinter could help Australia to a bumper haul of swimming medals at the Rio Games, five-time Olympic champion Ian Thorpe has told Reuters. 
 
McEvoy posted a time of 47.04 seconds in the 100 metres freestyle at Australia&#39;s Olympic trials in April, the fastest recorded since synthetic suits were banned at the end of 2009. 
 
That put the 22-year-old among the favourites for Rio&#39;s blue riband sprint in August and to Thorpe was evidence that being a champion swimmer is about more than just physique. 
 
&quot;He is one of the most exciting swimmers I have seen,&quot; Thorpe, who won five gold, three silver and a bronze medal at the Sydney and Athens Olympics, told Reuters in an interview. 
 
While McEvoy, at 1.85m, is still towered over by many of his rivals, Thorpe said his technique and afinity with the water set him apart. 
 
&quot;I think people who are very successful in swimming are those that can capture the water, they learn how the water moves and how you can move within it,&quot; he added. 
 
&quot;A lot of people look to physical characteristics to explain people&#39;s brilliance and it really has very little to do with this. 
 
&quot;And with someone like Cameron McEvoy&#39;s stature, it shows those people &#39;I want to master the water.&#39;&quot; 
 
Thorpe, who will act as a panellist for India&#39;s Star Sports during the Olympics, also has high hopes for the Campbell sisters, Cate and Bronte, in Rio and said their sibbling rivalry can only bode well for the country&#39;s medal prospects. 
 
At the April trials, sprint queen Cate set the second fastest 50m freestyle of all time in 23.84 seconds, just 0.11 seconds shy of Britta Steffen&#39;s 2009 world record set in a synthetic swim-suit. 
 
She also set the year&#39;s fastest time of 52.38 seconds in the 100 freestyle, edging her sister and world champion Bronte, who was a runner-up despite carrying a shoulder injury. 
 
The sisters are set to clash in the 50 and 100 freestyle in Rio while teaming up in the women&#39;s 4x100m relay and 4x100m medley relays. 
 
&quot;I think the match-up between the Campbell sisters is very interesting,&quot; said Thorpe. &quot;Those two girls have swam so well and they are the best of friends. And number one and two in the world, which looks very good for our relay ...&quot; 
 
Australia has long relied on its swimmers to provide a bulk of medals at Olympics but won only a single relay title in London four years ago. 
 
The worst medal haul in 20 years led to a series of reviews that found evidence of bullying, drunkenness and the abuse of prescription drugs by some team members. 
 
Thorpe said the swim team would be out to redeem themselves at Rio. 
 
&quot;Australia has a very strong team. It&#39;s the best team that we have fielded for a decade I think when it comes to swimming,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;I feel we will win a number of gold medals. I am hesitant to say an exact number but I think it will be between four and six gold medals. 
 
&quot;We have more people that are ranked world number one than we did going into the London and we are very strong in a number of events .We will win some of the higher profile Olympic gold medals.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)

McEvoy posted a time of 47.04 seconds in the 100 metres freestyle at Australia's Olympic trials in April

Cameron McEvoy has that rare ability to bend water to his will and the sprinter could help Australia to a bumper haul of swimming medals at the Rio Games, five-time Olympic champion Ian Thorpe has told Reuters. McEvoy posted a time of 47.04 seconds in the 100 metres freestyle at Australia's Olympic trials in April, the fastest recorded since synthetic suits were banned at the end of 2009. That put the 22-year-old among the favourites for Rio's blue riband sprint in August and to Thorpe was evidence that being a champion swimmer is about more than just physique. "He is one of the most exciting swimmers I have seen," Thorpe, who won five gold, three silver and a bronze medal at the Sydney and Athens Olympics, told Reuters in an interview. While McEvoy, at 1.85m, is still towered over by many of his rivals, Thorpe said his technique and afinity with the water set him apart. "I think people who are very successful in swimming are those that can capture the water, they learn how the water moves and how you can move within it," he added. "A lot of people look to physical characteristics to explain people's brilliance and it really has very little to do with this. "And with someone like Cameron McEvoy's stature, it shows those people 'I want to master the water.'" Thorpe, who will act as a panellist for India's Star Sports during the Olympics, also has high hopes for the Campbell sisters, Cate and Bronte, in Rio and said their sibbling rivalry can only bode well for the country's medal prospects. At the April trials, sprint queen Cate set the second fastest 50m freestyle of all time in 23.84 seconds, just 0.11 seconds shy of Britta Steffen's 2009 world record set in a synthetic swim-suit. She also set the year's fastest time of 52.38 seconds in the 100 freestyle, edging her sister and world champion Bronte, who was a runner-up despite carrying a shoulder injury. The sisters are set to clash in the 50 and 100 freestyle in Rio while teaming up in the women's 4x100m relay and 4x100m medley relays. "I think the match-up between the Campbell sisters is very interesting," said Thorpe. "Those two girls have swam so well and they are the best of friends. And number one and two in the world, which looks very good for our relay ..." Australia has long relied on its swimmers to provide a bulk of medals at Olympics but won only a single relay title in London four years ago. The worst medal haul in 20 years led to a series of reviews that found evidence of bullying, drunkenness and the abuse of prescription drugs by some team members. Thorpe said the swim team would be out to redeem themselves at Rio. "Australia has a very strong team. It's the best team that we have fielded for a decade I think when it comes to swimming," he said. "I feel we will win a number of gold medals. I am hesitant to say an exact number but I think it will be between four and six gold medals. "We have more people that are ranked world number one than we did going into the London and we are very strong in a number of events .We will win some of the higher profile Olympic gold medals." (Reuters)

Water whisperer McEvoy will lead Australia charge: Thorpe

Gunmen in Southern Nigeria have killed a local driver and kidnapped seven people, at least three of whom are Australian citizens and one an Australian resident, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Thursday.&nbsp; 
 
There was some initial confusion over the number of victims and nationalities of those involved, as police in Nigeria gave conflicting accounts.&nbsp; 
 
The workers, two of whom police said later escaped, were contractors for cement company Lafarge Africa. They were attacked on the outskirts of the city of Calabar at around 4:30 am GMT, police said. 
 
Calabar is a coastal city about 354 miles east of Lagos, and the capital of Cross River State in the Niger Delta region, where both criminal gangs and militants have been active. 
 
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called the incident a &quot;very serious kidnapping&quot; in response to a journalist&#39;s question and urged calm in reporting the incident.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;These are the facts as we know them: three Australians and one Australian resident were among seven people kidnapped in an attack on an Australian contractor`s operations in Nigeria. One person was killed in the attack,&quot; Turnbull told reporters. 
 
Two expatriates managed to flee, said Irene Ugbo, a spokeswoman for Cross River state police, adding that she did not know the nationality of any of the workers feared still held. 
 
Ugbo had earlier said that only two of the kidnapped were Australians, and one was a New Zealander, while another police officer said a South African had been abducted. 
 
The kidnappers had not contacted police, she said. 
 
Kidnappings of foreigners are common in the Delta region, which holds most of the crude oil whose sales make about 70 per cent of Nigeria&#39;s national income.&nbsp; 
 
OPEC member Nigeria was Africa&#39;s top oil producer until a recent spate of attacks on oil facilities pushed it behind Angola. Production has fallen from 2.2 million barrels at the start of the year to around 1.6 million barrels, helping push up global oil prices. 
 
Lafarge Africa said it had been informed of the incident by Australian contractor Macmahon. 
 
&quot;Macmahon is working with the security agencies to resolve this situation,&quot; said Viola Graham-Douglas, a spokeswoman for Lafarge Africa.&nbsp; 
 
Macmahon Holdings Ltd, which was placed on a trading halt in the wake of the incident, could not immediately be reached for comment. 
 
(Reuters)

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed the kidnapping of three Australians and one Australian resident

Gunmen in Southern Nigeria have killed a local driver and kidnapped seven people, at least three of whom are Australian citizens and one an Australian resident, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Thursday. There was some initial confusion over the number of victims and nationalities of those involved, as police in Nigeria gave conflicting accounts. The workers, two of whom police said later escaped, were contractors for cement company Lafarge Africa. They were attacked on the outskirts of the city of Calabar at around 4:30 am GMT, police said. Calabar is a coastal city about 354 miles east of Lagos, and the capital of Cross River State in the Niger Delta region, where both criminal gangs and militants have been active. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called the incident a "very serious kidnapping" in response to a journalist's question and urged calm in reporting the incident. "These are the facts as we know them: three Australians and one Australian resident were among seven people kidnapped in an attack on an Australian contractor`s operations in Nigeria. One person was killed in the attack," Turnbull told reporters. Two expatriates managed to flee, said Irene Ugbo, a spokeswoman for Cross River state police, adding that she did not know the nationality of any of the workers feared still held. Ugbo had earlier said that only two of the kidnapped were Australians, and one was a New Zealander, while another police officer said a South African had been abducted. The kidnappers had not contacted police, she said. Kidnappings of foreigners are common in the Delta region, which holds most of the crude oil whose sales make about 70 per cent of Nigeria's national income. OPEC member Nigeria was Africa's top oil producer until a recent spate of attacks on oil facilities pushed it behind Angola. Production has fallen from 2.2 million barrels at the start of the year to around 1.6 million barrels, helping push up global oil prices. Lafarge Africa said it had been informed of the incident by Australian contractor Macmahon. "Macmahon is working with the security agencies to resolve this situation," said Viola Graham-Douglas, a spokeswoman for Lafarge Africa. Macmahon Holdings Ltd, which was placed on a trading halt in the wake of the incident, could not immediately be reached for comment. (Reuters)

Nigerian gunmen kill one and kidnap seven, including Australians

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