Albo calls for patience on poll date

The Deputy Prime Minister has called for people to be patient about the federal poll date. Source: AAP

DEPUTY Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says no one in the Rudd government has a "rush to the polls mentality" but it will be before or after his league team wins the premiership.

Mr Albanese on Saturday called for patience, as speculation about the federal election date reaches fever pitch.

"No one in the government has had a rush to the polls mentality," he told reporters, flanked by scores of red balloons at a community campaign event for Chinese Australian lawyer Jason Yat-sen Li, Labor's candidate for the Sydney seat of Bennelong.

He said the government would consider calling the election at an appropriate time.

"It will be before or after the Souths win their twenty first premiership," he joked.

Mr Albanese is a South Sydney Rabbitohs supporter.

Opposition leader Tony Abbott urged Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to stop "playing games" and name the date.

"The government of our country is not about showbiz," he told reporters at the Stockman's Hall of Fame at Longreach in western Queensland.

"Electing a national government is not a version of celebrity Big Brother."

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Sydney teen mum reveals abduction ordeal

A TEENAGE mother has described her terrifying ordeal after her baby son was abducted at knife point in Sydney by her ex-partner.

As the hunt continues for Steven Hume, who forced his way into the Chester Hill home of his ex-girlfriend on Thursday night, the baby's mother said she tried to escape.

Casey Mifsud, 16, told the Seven Network Hume broke into her southwest Sydney home, took out a knife and told her to get in the car with her eight-month old son.

"He told me he was going to kill me ... and my son," said Ms Mifsud, who had cuts to her face.

"Every time he would ask me a question and I would answer it, he would punch me in the head ... smash my head into the car window and then told me that he's really sorry and that he only does it because he loves me."

When Hume stopped for tissues to wipe her bloody face she fled the car with her baby.

Ms Mifsud said she banged on a driver's door begging for help but the driver took off.

This is when the 24-year-old grabbed baby Zhaiden and took off.

Hume's car was found abandoned on Avon Dam Road at Bargo, south of Sydney, on Friday morning after it slammed into a tree.

Ms Mifsud said she thought her child was dead until one of Hume's family members handed him to Campbelltown police station around 5pm (AEST) on Friday.

"It just makes me feel like I failed as a mum," Ms Mifsud said while sobbing heavily.

"He should get jail time for beating a woman."

The baby is currently in the care of the NSW Department of Family and Community Services.

Hume, who has a thin build, brown hair and several tattoos on his arms and chest, was last seen wearing a blue jumper and green track pants.

Police warn he's considered dangerous and should not be approached.

"I ask that members of the public do not approach him, but contact triple zero immediately," Superintendent Dave Eardley, from the Bankstown Local Area Command, said on Saturday.

"I urge Steven Hume to attend the nearest police station and hand himself in, or contact us and commence some dialogue."

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Sydney baby back after knifepoint kidnap

A Sydney man who threatened his ex-girlfriend and abducted his eight-month-old remains on the run. Source: AAP

A DRAMATIC search for an eight-month-old Sydney boy abducted at knifepoint by his father has ended in relief, with a family member handing him over to police.

Zhaiden Mifsud was handed in about 5pm (AEST) on Friday - about 20 hours after he went missing - at Campbelltown police station by a female relative of his father.

"He seems to be well and uninjured," a senior police source told AAP.

"It's a good result."

The baby was checked out by ambulance officers and may attend hospital as a precaution.

His father, Steven Hume, is known to police, to community services and is subject to an apprehended violence order.

Police continue to search for the 24-year-old.

He allegedly forced his way into the Chester Hill home of his ex-girlfriend Casey Mifsud, 16, and their son about 8.30pm on Thursday.

He grabbed both of them at knifepoint and put them into his 2007 Toyota Camry before later allegedly assaulting Ms Mifsud at a highway rest stop, and driving off with the baby, police say.

Zhaiden was in a booster seat and Mr Hume had no supplies for the baby, who was lightly dressed when abducted.

His car was found abandoned on Avon Dam Road at Bargo, south of Sydney, on Friday morning after it slammed into a tree.

Local police, PolAir, the Dog Squad and volunteers from the State Emergency Service and Rural Fire Service scoured the area, but were unable to find the pair.

Superintendent Dave Eardley made a final plea for anyone with information to come forward just minutes before Zhaiden was turned in to police.

He also said Mr Hume had a number of associates in the Bargo area who had been assisting police.

Supt Eardley defended the eight hour gap between the abduction being reported to police and a public alert being issued.

"I believe the investigation that we conducted was thorough and proper and we followed the correct processes," Supt Eardley said.

He said Ms Mifsud had been released from hospital after treatment and was distraught over the incident.

Ms Mifsud's sister, Jade Lee, says she reported the couple to the NSW Department of Family and Community Services as recently as two weeks before the abduction.

Her concern was directed at Mr Hume and the safety of the baby.

"Just so everyone no's (sic) yes I did report my sister to docs," Jade Lee wrote on her Facebook page on July 10.

She also said her sister reacted negatively to the action.

A week prior to that, she posted a general comment about abusive relationships.

"I really can't stand guys that hit and abuse girls and vise verser (sic)," she wrote on June 4.

" ... makes it worse when there r children in the picture cuz if they grow up with it they think it's normal and they end up in abusive relationships."

Speaking about Mr Hume's abduction of Zhaiden, she wrote: "This is what I didn't want to happen this is why I called docs cuz I new what was gonna happen."

Community Services Minister Pru Goward and the department declined to comment about any action taken in relation to the family.

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Asian shares mixed, strong yen sinks Tokyo

ASIAN markets have closed mixed, with Tokyo tumbling as the US dollar fell to a two-week low against the yen after suffering a sell-off in New York.

A disappointing batch of jobs and consumer data out of the United States kept Wall Street muted, although they provided hope that the Federal Reserve will hold off winding down its stimulus for the time being.

Tokyo on Friday dived 2.97 per cent, or 432.95 points, to 14,129.98 and Shanghai was 0.51 per cent off, shedding 10.32 points to 2,010.85.

Seoul was flat, edging up 1.20 points to 1,910.81, while Sydney added 0.13 per cent, or 6.4 points, to close at 5,042.0. Hong Kong was up 0.31 per cent by the close, adding 67.99 points to 21,968.95.

The Nikkei on Friday suffered its worst loss since the start of June after the US dollar tumbled against the yen as dealers absorbed the weak US figures.

The Labor Department said initial jobless claims rose to 343,000 in the week ending July 20, an increase of 7,000 from the prior week's upwardly revised 336,000 claims, and more than the 340,000 expected.

Durable goods orders rose 4.2 per cent in June, but BK Asset Management managing director Boris Schlossberg said the result missed expectations when the volatile transportation sector is excluded, leaving orders flat.

The figures increased the likelihood the Fed would keep its bond-buying scheme in place for the rest of the year to make sure the US economy can get back on track. It also means the bank will continue pumping dollars into the financial system, meaning it is less in demand.

The greenback sank to Y99.24 in New York on Thursday, from Y100.00 earlier in Tokyo.

And in early Japanese trade on Friday, the US unit fell even further to Y98.55.

The US dollar also fell against the euro on Thursday in the wake of a closely watched German business climate index, which rose more than forecast this month.

The euro traded at $US1.3290 on Friday from $US1.3277 in New York, and well up from Thursday's level of $US1.3209. The single currency was also at Y130.99 from Y131.75 in New York.

In US equity trading the Dow edged up 0.09 per cent and the S&P 500 added 0.26 per cent. But the Nasdaq rose 0.71 per cent, driven by Facebook, which soared 30 per cent following a better-than-expected earnings report.

On oil markets, New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate for September, eased 79 US cents to $US104.70 a barrel, while Brent North Sea crude for September tumbled 65 US cents to $US107.00.

Gold cost $US1,332.58 per ounce at 1810 AEST, compared with $US1,313.40 late on Thursday.

In other markets:

- Taipei fell 0.17 per cent, or 14.18 points, to 8,149.40.

Smartphone maker HTC fell 0.57 per cent to $Tw175.0, while Hon Hai was 0.39 per cent lower at $Tw78.9.

- Manila fell 0.54 per cent, or 36.49 points, to 6,763.62.

Metropolitan Bank and Trust slipped 1.53 per cent to 109.30 pesos while BDO Unibank dropped 3.15 per cent to 83 pesos.

- Wellington rose 0.11 per cent, or 5.19 points, to 4,581.99.

Fletcher Building was up 0.48 per cent at $NZ8.31 and Telecom was steady at $NZ2.35.

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Chinese man throws toddler in parking row

BEIJING, July 25 AFP - A two-year-old Chinese girl is in critical condition after being thrown to the ground by a man in a row with her mother over parking, a hospital and state media say.

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Asian shares slip on Wall Street losses

ASIAN markets have slipped following a sell-off on Wall Street fuelled by US housing data that raised concerns about the Federal Reserve's stimulus program.

The US dollar lost some of the gains it made against the yen in New York, while the euro was also slightly lower after enjoying some support on Wednesday thanks to some rare good news for the eurozone economy.

Tokyo fell 1.14 per cent on Thursday owing to a pick-up in the yen against the US dollar. The Nikkei lost 168.35 points to end at 14,562.93, while Seoul closed 0.13 per cent lower, shedding 2.47 points to 1,909.61. Sydney was flat, edging up 0.5 points to 5,035.6.

Hong Kong shed 0.31 per cent, or 67.97 points, to 21,900.96 and Shanghai lost 0.60 per cent, or 12.16 points, to end at 2,021.17.

On Wall Street, the Dow fell after hitting a record high on Tuesday, with US dealers also moving out on a government report showing an unexpected 8.3 per cent surge in sales of new homes in June, their fastest pace in five years.

The Dow fell 0.16 per cent after hitting another record on Tuesday, while the S&P 500 slipped 0.38 per cent and the Nasdaq was flat.

While pointing to a pick-up in the US economy, the figures struck investors with fear that the Fed will start to wind down its $US85 billion-a-month bond-buying scheme soon.

Such a move by the Fed would leave fewer dollars in the financial system, lifting demand and in turn sending the currency higher.

By the end of US trade on Wednesday, the greenback rose to Y100.26, from Y99.48 the previous day. And in Tokyo on Thursday the unit fell further, to Y99.92.

In other forex trade, the euro bought $US1.3209 and Y132.01, from $US1.3199 and Y132.34.

The single currency was given support by news that private business across the eurozone returned to growth in July for the first time in 18 months, possibly signalling an end to recession, analysts said.

The Markit Eurozone Composite Purchasing Managers Index logged 50.4 points, above the 50-mark signalling growth, and a bigger-than-expected rise, after posting 48.7 points in June.

On oil markets, New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate for delivery in September, was down 32 US cents at $US105.07 a barrel, while Brent North Sea crude for September shed 31 US cents to $US106.88.

Gold cost $US1,319.60 per ounce at 1810 AEST compared with $US1,343.70 late on Wednesday.

In other markets:

- Taipei dropped 0.40 per cent, or 32.61 points, to 8,163.58. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co rose 0.49 per cent to $Tw102.5 while China Airlines fell 0.44 per cent to $Tw11.3.

- Manila ended flat, dipping 4.05 points to 6,800.11.

Philippine Long Distance Telephone lost 0.32 per cent to 3,068 pesos and Ayala Land fell 0.48 per cent to 31.25 pesos, while parent Ayala Corp dropped 4.22 per cent to 613 pesos.

- Wellington fell 0.49 per cent, or 22.41 points, to 4,576.79.

Telecom eased 0.42 per cent to $NZ2.345 while Fletcher Building was down 2.82 per cent at $NZ8.27.

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Thomson lawyer seeks damages from Labor

The lawyer for federal MP Craig Thomson (pic) claims NSW Labor promised him$35,000 in legal fees. Source: AAP

THE lawyer for federal MP Craig Thomson is seeking $35,000 in legal fees he claims NSW Labor promised him.

Lawyer Chris McArdle on Wednesday lodged a statement of claim in the NSW Local Court for $35,000 damages plus $1000 in costs.

Mr McArdle says NSW Labor secretary Sam Dastyari came to his office on February 21 and agreed to pay him $25,000 in seven days and $10,000 within the following 10 days.

The lawyer said Mr Dastyari - who had discussed the matter with Mr Thomson before the meeting - had made it clear the money was being offered to cover the former Labor MP's legal services.

Mr Thomson, who now sits as the Independent MP for the NSW seat of Dobell, is defending charges of misusing Health Services Union funds while he was the union's general secretary.

In the statement of claim, Mr McArdle cites text messages and emails between him and Mr Dastyari regarding account details.

Mr Dastyari, who was being sought for comment, has 28 days to file his defence.

Mr McArdle told AAP on Thursday he had never before met Mr Dastyari, nor had he done legal work for the ALP.

"He has been to my office but I've never been to his," Mr McArdle said.

The lawyer said he understood Mr Dastyari had told Mr Thomson that the reason the payment hadn't been made was because there was "some sort of delay".

"When time passed, he (Mr Dastyari) started denying that that which had taken place had ever taken place, which was rather pathetic," Mr McArdle told AAP.

Mr Thomson was suspended from the ALP in April 2012.

Mr Thomson declined to comment on the McArdle case.

But he told AAP two supporters, Mark Worthington and Rodney Allan, had so far raised close to $50,000 to cover his own legal bills.

"I am delighted with the support I have received through many, many donations from across Australia and from my region of the NSW Central Coast," Mr Thomson said.

"I would like to thank everybody who has supported me."

About 30 people attended the $150-a-head fundraiser in central Sydney on Thursday night.

Blogger Peter Wicks said he bought a ticket because Mr Thomson deserved a fair go.

"They haven't been able to prove anything yet," he said.

"It is Australia we're living in, not North Korea."

Reporters were prevented from entering the fundraiser but Mr Thomson spoke briefly to them outside.

He said he had received plenty of small donations totalling about $50,000.

He wouldn't say how much of his legal expenses this would cover but expected they would cost 'lots'.

Mr Thomson added that he wasn't worried about the turnout at the fundraiser.

"We've got money in the bank," he said.

"We've raised just around $50,000.

"It's a good start."

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Asian shares mixed after weak China data

ASIAN shares have closed mixed following data showing that Chinese manufacturing activity shrank further in July, adding to mounting concerns about the world's second-biggest economy.

Profit-takers also weighed on bourses following the previous day's regional rally, although the Dow provided another record-breaking lead.

Tokyo on Wednesday slipped 0.32 per cent, or 47.23 points, to 14,731.28 and Shanghai was down 0.52 per cent, or 10.55 points, at 2,033.33. Hong Kong added 0.24 per cent, or 53.51 points, to 21,968.93.

But Sydney rose 0.36 per cent, or 18.0 points, to 5,035.1 and Seoul finished 0.42 per cent higher, adding 7.93 points to 1,912.08.

HSBC's preliminary Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) of Chinese manufacturing activity fell to 47.7 in July - an 11-month low - from a final reading of 48.2 in June.

A figure above 50 points to growth while anything below shows a contraction.

"The lower reading of the July HSBC Flash China Manufacturing PMI suggests a continuous slowdown in manufacturing sectors thanks to weaker new orders and faster destocking," HSBC economist Qu Hongbin said in a statement.

The result is the latest in a series of data suggesting previous double-digit growth rates in China are a thing of the past as Beijing looks to shift its growth engine from exports to domestic consumption.

Shanghai at one point tumbled more than one per cent, but it pared those losses towards the end of the day.

The market had climbed almost two per cent on Tuesday after a report that Premier Li Keqiang had said economic growth should not be allowed to fall below seven per cent. The comments suggested the government would be willing to step in with support should the economy look to be in trouble.

HSBC's Qu added: "As Beijing has recently stressed to secure the minimum level of growth required to ensure stable employment, the flash PMI reinforces the need to introduce additional fine-tuning measures to stabilise growth."

On Wall Street, the Dow was up 0.14 per cent to yet another record high, although the S&P 500 gave up 0.19 per cent and the Nasdaq slid 0.59 per cent.

US shares were hit by a mixed bag of corporate earnings, although a surprisingly downbeat manufacturing report reinforced expectations the Federal Reserve would hold off winding down its stimulus anytime soon.

In Asian forex trading, the US dollar bought Y100.00 compared with Y99.48 in New York late on Tuesday, while the euro fetched $US1.3237 and Y132.39, against $US1.3222 and Y131.53.

In oil markets New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate for delivery in September, was up 17 US cents at $US107.40 a barrel and Brent North Sea crude for September delivery shed 22 US cents to $US108.20.

Gold cost $US1,340.09 per ounce at 1800 AEST, compared with $US1,328.50 late on Tuesday.

In other markets:

- Wellington rose 0.51 per cent, or 18.61 points, to 4,599.20.

Telecom was up 0.86 per cent at $NZ2.35 and Contact Energy rose 0.55 per cent to $NZ5.50.

- Manila rose 0.90 per cent, or 60.95 points, to 6,804.16.

- Taipei fell 0.22 per cent, or 18.46 points, to 8,196.19.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co put on 2.0 per cent to $Tw102.0, while smartphone maker HTC fell 2.85 per cent to $Tw170.5.

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Man charged over NSW road death

A MAN has been charged with running over a pedestrian found fatally injured in northern NSW five months ago.

The 58-year-old was discovered with extensive injuries lying in Wallaby Lane at Brooms Head on February 5.

He was taken to Lismore Hospital where he later died.

Police on Wednesday charged a 52-year-old with dangerous driving occasioning death and negligent driving occasioning death over the incident.

He's due before Maclean Local Court on September 10.

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Rheinmetall, MAN in $A1.6bn ADF deal

GERMAN defence technology group Rheinmetall says its military vehicles joint venture with truck maker MAN has landed a 1.1 billion euro ($A1.58 billion)) contract in Australia.

"The Australian Defence Force has contracted with Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) to supply it with an extensive fleet of advanced logistical vehicles," Rheinmetall said in a statement on Tuesday.

As part of a modernisation program, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) would procure "some 2,500 protected and non-protected logistical vehicles from Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles Australia," the statement said.

The contract covered trucks "in a number of different weight classes in various configurations," Rheinmetall continued.

They would include medium and heavyweight recovery vehicles, heavy-duty logistical vehicles, integrated load handling systems, as well as medium-sized cargo bed variants with cranes, fuel and water modules and tipper bodies.

Rheinmetall said RMMV had beaten leading European and US rivals to secure the contract in what had been "a hard-fought contest."

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Afghan donkey bomber kills 3 NATO soldiers

A SUICIDE bomber rode a donkey into an Afghan and NATO military convoy, killing three Western soldiers and their Afghan interpreter, officials say.

NATO's International Security Assistance Force confirmed three casualties in a bombing in eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday, but gave no details.

Afghan authorities said the attack happened in Wardak province, a hotbed of the Taliban insurgency just south of the capital Kabul.

Ataullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the provincial administration, said a suicide bomber riding a donkey blew himself up and killed three NATO soldiers and their Afghan interpreter.

Four Afghan soldiers who were also in the convoy in Sayedabad district were wounded.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but the Taliban are behind almost all the suicide attacks in the country.

Along with roadside bombings, the suicide attacks - often carried out by multiple insurgents storming buildings and government facilities in big cities - are the group's main tactic.

Wardak is traversed by the highway between Kabul and southern and western provinces, including the key city of Kandahar in the south.

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Tokyo points to recovery in Japan economy

Japan's Cabinet Office says the economy is showing some movements on the way to recovery. Source: AAP

JAPAN has lifted its view of the world's third-largest economy, as the government used the word "recovery" for the first time in a nearly a year and hinted an end to deflation was near.

The upbeat outlook comes after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling party won upper house elections on Sunday, giving him more legislative muscle to press on with a big-spending program aimed at boosting growth.

In its July report, the Cabinet Office gave its third monthly upgrade, saying: "The economy is picking up steadily and shows some movements on the way to recovery."

It is the first time it has used the word in 10 months.

Officials added that years of falling prices, which have crimped private spending and business investment, appear to be reversing course.

"Recent price developments indicate that deflation is easing," it said.

The comments from the government come after the Bank of Japan this month also used the word "recover" for the first time since 2011, pointing to a pick-up in investment as well as consumer and business confidence.

Voters on Sunday gave the thumbs up to Abe's efforts to drag Japan out of long-running deflation with a mix of big government spending and monetary easing, similar to the US Federal Reserve's huge stimulus drive.

Official data indicate the efforts are working as consumer prices in May were flat from year-earlier levels, after half a year of declining figures.

The moves have also pushed the yen down sharply since late last year - giving a boost to exports - as the economy grew at an annualised rate of 4.1 per cent in the first quarter.

But, while the outlook was upbeat, an annual government report on Tuesday cautioned that the national debt, already the worst among industrialised nations at more than twice the size of the economy, had to be reined in.

"Improving Japan's fiscal health is a pressing issue, given sovereign debt crises" in Europe, it said.

Tokyo is set to make a decision later this year on hiking the nation's sales tax, which is seen as crucial for getting its fiscal house in order.

However, there are fears tax increases could bring bring a halt to Abe's momentum, as Tokyo looks at ushering in painful structural reforms to the economy that have stirred concern among cosseted industries such as the farming sector.

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NZ pet sheep killed in 'grotesque manner'

NEW Zealand police are on the hunt for party-goers they believe brutally attacked a pet sheep and set it on fire on its owner's doorstep.

The pet sheep was stolen from the Dunedin property early on Sunday morning, before it was discovered by its owners, burning at their front door.

Police said the sheep was killed in a "grotesque manner" with it's head stomped on so badly it's skull was crushed.

"Then what we think happened is the sheep was put in a wheelbarrow and taken back up to where they've taken it from and put it on the front door step and set it alight," Sergeant Dean Pearce told AAP.

Police believe the thief or thieves were attending a party at a nearby residence when they took the sheep.

"At the party, there were a number of intoxicated persons," Sergeant Pearce said.

"You could draw the conclusion that perhaps the people are known to each other, given the fact that the property is well off the road and you wouldn't know the sheep was there."

He said police had been given some names, but were searching for more people who may have been involved.

If caught, the culprits face charges of burglary and cruelty to an animal.

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Newman stands by police minister

QUEENSLAND Premier Campbell Newman is backing his police minister who is accused of manufacturing an official event in Cairns to coincide with a personal trip.

Labor's Bill Byrne asked Jack Dempsey last week in a budget estimates hearing whether he instructed staff to prepare official business, which would enable him to use his government travel allowance.

An email from Mr Dempsey's senior media adviser to police media on May 21, 2012, explained that the minister was visiting Cairns on a personal trip and asked if there was a "quick event we can throw together for this?".

The visit, on May 26-27, was Mr Dempsey's first to Cairns as police minister.

He met emergency service workers and police.

Mr Newman believes the case is closed and Mr Dempsey doesn't have any questions to answer.

"He was the new police minister, getting going in the job, and I have no problems what he was doing in terms of asking what the availability was to go out and talk about local issues," Mr Newman said.

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At least 54 dead in twin China quakes

AT least 54 people have been killed and more than 300 severely injured when two shallow earthquakes struck northwest China , officials said, as rescuers battled to reach survivors in the remote, mountainous area.

The local government in Dingxi in Gansu province, where the 5.9- and 5.6-magnitude tremors struck, gave the figures on its verified social media account.

"More than 21,000 buildings were severely damaged and more than 1,200 have collapsed," an official at the provincial earthquake bureau told AFP, adding that 371 aftershocks had been recorded.

The US Geological Survey said the initial 5.9-magnitude quake hit at 7:45 am , with its epicentre 151 kilometres west of Beidao in Gansu at a depth of just 9.8 kilometres.

A second 5.6-magnitude tremor hit the same region at 9:12 am and was 10.1 kilometres deep, USGS said.

A resident of Min county said he was at work at a medicine production plant when the tremor struck and he saw tower blocks shake "ferociously".

"I was in the workshop. I felt violent shaking and so I ran to the yard of the plant immediately," said the man, surnamed Ma.

"Our factory is only one floor. When I came to the yard, I saw an 18 storey building, the tallest in our county, shaking ferociously, especially the 18th floor."

An official surnamed He from the Min county Communist Party committee told AFP there were more than 200 injured in seven affected townships in the area.

While Gansu is one of China's more sparsely populated provinces, Dingxi city, which includes the worst-hit counties, has a population of about 2.7 million.

A report on the 163.com internet news portal said 500 troops, including 120 specialised rescuers were on their way to the disaster zone.

Pictures broadcast on state television showed rural villages with rubble-strewn streets.

A total of 380 buildings collapsed and thousands were damaged in Zhang county, according to an online post by the Dingxi local government. Communications were cut off in 13 towns in the county, the official Xinhua news agency said, and power was off in some areas.

The quake was felt in the provincial capital Lanzhou and as far away as Xian, the capital of the neighbouring province of Shaanxi, Xinhua reported.

People posting on China's hugely popular microblogs expressed sympathy for the victims. "I hope the dead will rest in peace," read one typical remark.

Beijing's own China Earthquake Networks Centre put the magnitude of the larger quake at 6.6, it added.

The China Earthquake Administration said the same fault zone was linked to a magnitude 8.0 quake on July 21, 1654, Xinhua added.

The USGS rated Monday's main tremor at seven on its "shakemap", with shaking perceived to be "very strong" and the potential to cause "moderate" damage.

Weather reports also said rain was expected in the area, which could hamper rescue efforts in the mountainous region.

Disaster relief agencies have sent 500 tents and 2,000 quilts to the quake-hit area, Xinhua said.

Much of western China is prone to earthquakes.

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Nurses to strike at 160 NSW hospitals

Nurses and midwives will strike at more than 160 public hospitals and community health services. Source: AAP

NURSES and midwives at every major hospital in NSW will be walking off the job on Wednesday.

Staff at more than 160 public hospitals and community health services across the state have notified the union about their plans to strike.

They are protesting over what they say is the state government's failure to provide safe nurse staffing levels.

NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association General Secretary Brett Holmes said more branches were expected to join the cause by Wednesday.

"For a few hundred million dollars a year the state government can dramatically improve patient care in our public hospitals," he said in a statement on Sunday.

The union wants one nurse to four patients in all general medical, surgical and acute inpatient mental health wards.

It's also calling for one nurse per three children in general children's wards and one nurse to three patients in emergency departments.

The extra staffing would "save lives and money", Mr Holmes said, adding that the nurse-to-patient ratios needed to be consistent at every hospital in NSW, including those in the country.

A special general meeting will be held at Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre from 11.30am (AEST) on Wednesday, with a live webcast to 17 regional centres, including Albury, Broken Hill, Kempsey, Tamworth and Wagga Wagga.

During the strike life-preserving services will be maintained in all hospitals and community health services, the union said.

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Rudd's PNG boat deal a fake fix: Abbott

Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison says asylum seekers could still be resettled in Aus. Source: AAP

THE coalition has launched a broad attack on Labor's asylum seeker deal with Papua New Guinea, accusing Kevin Rudd of misleading Australians to win votes ahead of an election.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says the central thrust of the deal - that all asylum seekers arriving by boat will be sent to PNG and will not be resettled in Australia - simply is not true.

"It's clear that neither of Mr Rudd's assertions are actually borne out by the document," he told reporters in Melbourne on Sunday.

"Mr Rudd has been misleading to the point of dishonesty."

Mr Abbott, accompanied by his immigration spokesman Scott Morrison, detailed a long list of alleged flaws with the deal, signed on Friday by Mr Rudd and his PNG counterpart Peter O'Neill.

Under the arrangement, people arriving by boat without a visa were to be sent to Australia's Manus Island facility in PNG for assessment and, if found to be refugees, would be settled there.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus earlier said it was unlikely PNG's leader would have told the coalition anything different.

"I'm certain that's not what Prime Minister O'Neill said," Mr Dreyfus told Network Ten.

But Mr Abbott said the document wasn't even legally binding, but a scant two pages "held together with blue tac and sticky tape" to last until the election.

"This is simply another fake fix from someone who is the great pretender of Australian politics," he said.

Mr Morrison said it was clear from examining the details that PNG was not bound to the agreement, and that Labor had no plan for children arriving by boat.

PNG would not take an unlimited number of asylum seekers, despite Labor claims to the contrary, and it could be years before Manus Island could handle a surge in arrivals, he added.

He said people who are found not to be refugees would become Australia's problem, and those with communicable diseases, terrorism charges or a criminal background would remain in Australia.

"The devil is always in the detail with Mr Rudd, and Mr Rudd always proves to be the devil in that detail," Mr Morrison said.

Mr Rudd's hardline policy will likely feature at a meeting of Labor MPs meeting in Sydney on Monday, with Cabinet member Mark Butler acknowledging a level of discomfort within the party ranks.

"There would be people within the Labor movement and the Labor party and the broader community who would feel uncomfortable with this," he told Sky News.

It comes as Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare announced that the Australian Federal Police would pay rewards of up to $200,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of people smugglers.

But Foreign Minister Bob Carr said asylum seekers were arriving at the rate of 40,000 to 50,000 a year, and a tough response to stop that rising even further was unavoidable.

"If it continues at this level - the prime minister was very persuaded by this - it could rise further as people smugglers really close in to make a financial killing," he told Sky News.

The coalition has said it would "salvage" what it could from the deal if elected to government, but wouldn't be replaced its foremost policy of turning back asylum boats where it's safe to do so.

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10 rebels and soldiers killed in Colombia

Six guerillas from the FARC rebel group and four Colombian soldiers have been killed in clashes. Source: AAP

SIX guerillas from the leftist FARC rebel group and four Colombian soldiers have been killed in clashes in southwest Colombia.

Military officials say the fighting occurred in the town of El Doncello, in the department of Caqueta, a stronghold of the southern bloc of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

Three soldiers were injured and two militants captured.

The latest casualties of Colombia's almost half-century-old insurgency came a day after the rebel group announced it had captured a US-ex soldier but said it was ready to release him as a gesture toward peace talks with the government.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, is the country's largest guerrilla group with 8000 fighters.

Talks between the rebels and the government opened last November in Cuba, in the fourth attempt since the 1980s to end the conflict that has left 600,000 dead, more than 3.7 million displaced and 15,000 missing.

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