BROADCASTER Derryn Hinch has denied he's asked his fans to pay off a giant contempt of court fine, but he won't turn down any offers to cover his legal bills.
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A TEENAGE boy has drowned and two others have been rescued in Victoria after they were swept into the ocean.
The group had been standing on a rock shelf at Eagles Nest near Inverloch, about 150km southeast of Melbourne, when waves knocked them into rough seas.
Two boys managed to make it back to shore on Saturday afternoon, but a third couldn't be found for up to 20 minutes.
Sergeant Matt Simpson says police and paramedics performed CPR for nearly an hour after the boy was dragged back on to the beach by his mates.
"All attempts to revive the young man were unsuccessful," he told reporters at the scene.
His friends then helped carry his body from the beach while two of his friends were taken to hospital for shock and minor injuries.
It was the first beach drowning of the spring and summer season, a Life Saving Victoria spokesman said.
One of the boy's friends has paid tribute to him after the sunny beach day among a group of friends, aged around 16 and 17, turned into a tragedy.
"No one can replace who he was and we're all going to miss him so much," he told the Seven Network.
Surf Life Saving Australia has given Eagles Nest a 7 out of 10 hazard rating for strong rips and big waves that can sweep over the rocks, making it dangerous for swimmers and fishing.
A YOUNG electrician has suffered second-degree burns to his face and hands during a fire which destroyed a supermarket in northwest NSW.
The 20-year-old sparkie, who is due to be airlifted to Sydney for treatment, was on Saturday afternoon working in the closed supermarket at Walgett when the blaze started.
The fire has been brought under control.
Police will investigate the cause of the fire, but it's not being treated as suspicious.
DUAL international Brad Thorn's desire to make a nostalgic return to Brisbane Broncos colours has been scuttled.
A SUICIDAL fan wrote to comic artist Matt Fraction, the genius behind Iron Man, Thor and The Defenders, for help. What he wrote back will floor you.
IT'S set to become the ultimate toy for billionaires. But this dazzling new yacht is so strange it will not only turn heads, it will leave many scratching them as well.
IF YOU look completely different in every photo - sometimes great, sometimes totally awkward - then this is the story for you.
THE Twitter juggernaut is about to be opened up to investors for the first time but it could be a challenge for Australians to buy stock.
Six Australians were among those killed when a Lao Airlines plane crashed into the Mekong River. Source: AAP
IT will be a slow process recovering the bodies from the Lao Airlines plane that crashed into the Mekong River, killing all 49 people on board, including six Australians.
The Lao Airlines ATR 7620 twin turboprop aircraft, purchased from France in March this year, was making an approach to the airport in "severe weather" and strong winds on Wednesday evening when it plunged into the Mekong River near Pakse Airport in southern Laos.
A formal investigation has been launched but Australia's ambassador to Laos, Lynda Worthaisong, said it would be a slow process because the area was difficult to access and the plane is underwater.
A team of Lao aviation investigators was dispatched early on Thursday, as recovery of bodies from the brown waters of the Mekong River pressed ahead at the crash site near Pakse in Champasak province, the final destination of flight QV301.
Lao Airline officials at a press conference in Vientiane on Thursday confirmed there were six Australians among the 49 passengers and crew on board the ATR 7620 twin turboprop aircraft.
The passenger list also included 17 Laotians, seven French, five Thais, three South Koreans, two Vietnamese, a Chinese, a Canadian, a Myanmarese, a Taiwanese and an American.
Among the Australians killed was Sydney tax agent Gavin Rhodes, his wife Phoumalaysy (Lea), their daughter and baby son. The other Australian victims was Michael Creighton, 42, an aid worker, and his father Gordon Creighton, 71, who was visiting his son in Laos.
Ms Worthaisong told AAP the crash site, while close to Pakse town, was difficult to access, "so that's obviously hampering recovery efforts and the plane is in the river presumably with most of the passengers on board."
However, as of late Thursday, contacts close to the investigation said none of the bodies of the six Australians had yet been recovered.
"We're in contact with the families and providing consular support," Ms Worthaisong said.
She said hopes held by airline officials of rapid progress in any investigation were optimistic.
"To be honest the plane is still under the water. It may take some time, given the challenges associated with the recovery effort. I think it may take some time," she said.
Debris could be seen floating in the river at the scene of the disaster, while suitcases were wedged in mud on the riverbank.
Backpacks, an aeroplane propeller and passports were among the debris scattered on the riverbank.
A team of 50 divers from the Thai navy as well as a charity foundation from the northern Thai town of Ubon Ratchathani are assisting in the recovery efforts.
"So far eight bodies have been found. We don't yet know their nationalities," said Yakao Lopangkao, director-general of Lao's Department of Civil Aviation, who was at the crash site in Pakse, in southern Laos.
"We haven't found the plane yet. It is underwater. We're trying to use divers to locate it," he told AP.
He ruled out any chance of finding survivors.
"There is no hope. The plane appears to have crashed very hard before entering the water."
Some bodies were found as far as 20 kilometres from the crash site, he said.
"We have asked villagers and people who live along the river to look for bodies and alert authorities when they see anything," he told AP.
Some of the bodies were taken to a mortuary at a Chinese temple in Pakse.
Three bodies draped in blue plastic sheets were seen in the building, which was guarded by about 10 policemen, some armed, who turned away onlookers.
"They are foreigners from the crash," staff at the centre told AFP, adding that their nationalities were unknown.
Mr Lopangkao told the Vientiane Times the accident was probably caused by the bad weather associated with tropical storm Nari.
HUNDREDS of homes were feared destroyed and the premier believes it will be a miracle if no lives are lost in the most grave bushfire crisis NSW has seen in a decade.
While the extent of the devastation was unclear on Thursday night, one of the worst-hit areas was Springwood, in the Blue Mountains, where up to 30 homes were known to be lost.
Elsewhere, thousands of firefighters were struggling against around 100 blazes across the state - on the central coast and further north, the Southern Highlands and the south coast.
Premier Barry O'Farrell and Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons told reporters the public should brace for widespread destruction.
"It will take some days until we see the end of these fires," Mr O'Farrell warned.
"I suspect that if we get through that without the loss of life we should thank God for miracles."
Mr Fitzsimmons said firefighters faced the worst of conditions.
"This is as bad as it gets," he said.
It was too soon to estimate how many properties had been lost, but he predicted: "we'll be counting properties in the dozens, if not the hundreds."
RFS Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers said it was one of the worst days he'd seen.
"It's probably the most serious fire risk we've faced since the early 2000s," he said.
For most of the day there were six fires at "emergency warning" level, meaning homes were at risk and residents were being asked to consider fleeing.
Before 6pm, a cool change brought temperatures down from the mid-30s to the mid-teens.
But it also created new chaos, swinging fire fronts around and pushing blazes into new areas.
There were unconfirmed reports of properties being lost at North Doyalson, on the Central Coast; at Lithgow; at Yanderra and Balmoral, in the Southern Highlands; and in Port Stephens, where a fire is burning near Newcastle Airport, which has been closed.
Scores of Blue Mountains residents were seeking refuge at evacuation centres on Thursday night, including the Springwood Sports Club and Springwood Country Club.
Among them was Joe Moore, who was on the phone to his son, a Rural Fire Service volunteer, as he was trying to protect their family home at Springwood.
"All the neighbours were trying (to protect it) and then they got evacuated and my son got to stay back and tried to fight it but it got too much," he told AAP.
It was Mr Moore's "dream home" - and also home to his wife, three sons and four Aboriginal boys in their foster care.
Other Springwood parents were anxious to be reunited with their children, with two schools at Springwood drawn into the drama.
While St Columba's students were kept in their school, St Thomas Aquinas School was evacuated.
Buses were standing-by to take the kids to a safe location to meet their parents when the fire conditions allowed.
At least two firefighters were injured, with one man sent to Sydney's Concord Hospital with burns to his face.
The fires created traffic chaos around Sydney, with a 20km-queue on the Hume Highway for city-bound traffic.
On Thursday night the other most serious fires were burning at Wyong, on the Central Coast, Wandandian in the Shoalhaven, and Muswellbrook in the Hunter Valley.
The HSU has secured a $5 million court judgement against its disgraced ex-boss Michael Williamson. Source: AAP
THE Health Services Union says it's determined to wring a $5 million settlement from its disgraced former boss Michael Williamson, who has apparently declared himself bankrupt.
The former HSU secretary and Labor Party president on Tuesday pleaded guilty to various charges including defrauding the union of almost $1 million.
It's reported he declared himself bankrupt on the same day.
With hopes of putting an end to "the Williamson era", the HSU also revealed it had secured a $5 million judgment in a Supreme Court civil claim.
The HSU's Gerard Hayes says the union will do what it can to claw back the money from Williamson, bankrupt or not.
For starters, it hopes to recoup what it can from Williamson's six-bedroom home at Maroubra, which went to auction on Wednesday night. But according to Macquarie Radio, the property failed to sell, with no one putting up a bid.
The three-level rendered brick home on Meagher Ave - with parquet floors, in-ground pool, wine cellar and ocean views - was expected to fetch $1.5 million.
Mr Hayes said union members could still take some comfort from Williamson's guilty plea, the civil settlement and an apology that came with it.
"He's in survival mode and manoeuvring however he can," he told AAP.
"At least the apology is an acknowledgment that he's done what he's done."
In addition, under the civil settlement, the union will not have to pay Williamson's $1.1 million superannuation and $600,000 of claimed leave entitlements.
"This is 1.7 million that is not flowing out of the union," Mr Hayes said.
The agreement was brokered through mediation by former federal attorney-general Robert McClelland, the HSU says.
In the apology, Williamson said he wished to "place on record my sincere apology to all of you".
"You placed your trust in me when I was the General Secretary and I abused that trust," he said.
"I apologise unreservedly to all of you for my actions, which were not in keeping with the position I formerly held."
He says he will "have to live with this matter until the day I die" and urged members "not to desert the union".
Williamson faces up to 30 years in jail.
A date for his sentencing will be set on October 25.
ITALY appears set to send the body of Nazi war criminal Erich Priebke to Germany as it commemorated the 70th anniversary of a round-up of Jews from the historic Jewish quarter of Rome.
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The White House has rejected the latest effort by Republicans to resolve an impasse over the budget. Source: AAP
THE US is hours from a fateful fiscal deadline, with a chaotic political stand-off threatening to trigger a debt default and rock the global economy.
Hopes that congress would agree to raise the government's borrowing authority as required by midnight on Wednesday (1500 AEDT Thursday) rested with last-gasp talks in the Senate - with America's top-notch credit rating on the line.
Any deal though would have to make it through the Republican-led House of Representatives, where conservative Tea Party lawmakers have thwarted previous compromise efforts in a bid to undermine Democratic President Barack Obama.
If congress fails to raise the $US16.7 trillion ($A17.56 trillion) debt ceiling in time, the US Treasury would begin to run out of money to meet all US obligations and slip towards a historic default.
Such a scenario could badly damage the US recovery, saddle American consumers with higher interest payments and send economic shock waves into fragile global economies.
In Asia, stocks fell early on Wednesday as investors kept an eye on the American impasse.
Hopes for an exit strategy rest with talks between Senate majority leader Harry Reid and Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell.
The two old foes saddled up after manoeuvring by the House on Tuesday dissolved in chaos. Republican Speaker John Boehner proved unable to win support from his caucus and unwilling to use minority Democratic votes to raise the debt ceiling and reopen the US government after a two week shutdown.
In the face of the deadline, the US political system, divided between Obama's Democrats and Republicans who run the House, has virtually ground to a halt.
Major world powers have been left looking on in dismay at the brinkmanship in Washington, unable to do anything to protect their own economic interests, with many deeply invested in US Treasuries - hitherto seen as one of the safest global safe havens.
Amid rising anxiety on the markets, the financial rating agency Fitch put the US on warning for a downgrade from its top-grade AAA spot.
Despite the deepening impasse, Obama said he still expected the issue would be resolved in the end.
"My expectation is that this gets solved, but we don't have a lot of time," he told an ABC television affiliate in New York.
"What I'm suggesting to the congressional caucus is to avoid any posturing ... do what's right, open the government and make sure we pay our bills."
What was essentially a wasted day, with precious few hours to spare on Tuesday, unfolded as House Republicans tried to extend US borrowing authority until February 7 and reopen the government until December 15.
Several draft bills would have constrained aspects of Obama's signature healthcare law - and in effect stood no chance to pass the Democratic-led Senate.
But Boehner used the measures to try to corral the Tea Party faction and to pressure the Senate - but in the end was unable to amass sufficient Republican votes to even put the measures on the floor.
Senate talks, which had been on hold all day pending developments in the House, were quickly resumed on Tuesday evening.
Leadership aides on both sides said they were "optimistic" that an agreement was within reach.
"We're making very, very good progress, we're not there yet, but we're getting real close," said Democratic senator Chuck Schumer.
"I think the markets should feel pretty good about what's going on here tonight."
Republican congressman Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania told CNN: "I believe that John Boehner will likely be in a position where he will have to essentially pass the bill that is negotiated between senators McConnell and Reid, and I believe that the House will first pass it and send it to the Senate."
The likely Senate deal would require Democrats to make a minor concession on Obamacare. But the provision would fall well short of the drive to delay or defund the historic law which prompted Republicans to launch the government shutdown strategy and to use the debt ceiling hike as leverage.
Earlier, Reid furiously accused Boehner of seeking to save his own political skin at the expense of the US.
"Let's be clear: The House legislation will not pass the Senate," Reid said. "I am very disappointed with John Boehner, who would once again try to preserve his role at the expense of the country."
Boehner may once again on Wednesday be left with the unenviable choice that has come to define his speakership in Washington's divided government.
Does he stick with the Tea Party faction of his party, and possibly save his job but risk culpability in sending the US economy into a first default of modern times?
Or does he try to pass a compromise plan acceptable to Senate Democrats and Obama, with the help of minority Democratic votes - a scenario that could fritter away his party power-base and possibly cost him his job?
RESIDENTS in Western Australia's north are being urged to prepare for the cyclone and flood season, which starts in a fortnight.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) says there is a 55 per cent chance of a near-average wet season, with five tropical cyclones expected in waters off the northwest coast between November 1 and April 30.
Two cyclones are forecast to hit the coast, one of which could be severe, the BoM says.
BoM spokesman Greg Browning urged residents in the northwest, especially between Broome and Exmouth, to begin preparations.
"Although we are forecasting the number of cyclones to be close to average, no one can say if this is going to be the season when your community cops a big hit," he said.
A TEEN from one of Australia's lowest-vaccinated regions has triggered a new measles scare after visiting a Gold Coast theme park on school holidays.
UPDATE: Bandidos president, who apparently lives with his parents in Brisbane, has been banned from going near his gang's Gold Coast turf.
A SERIES of earthquakes in Western Australia's Wheatbelt is a coincidence and not a cluster, Geoscience Australia says.
On Tuesday, a 2.2 magnitude earthquake struck northeast of Koorda, where two further quakes - magnitude 2.6 and 2.2 - hit the following day.
Geoscience Australia senior seismologist Johnathan Bathgate says there is an active fault in the Wheatbelt, where more than 200 earthquakes have been recorded this year.
That isn't unusual, he says.
While last week's string was notable, it wasn't a cluster or "swarm" of earthquakes, which was defined as dozens of them in a radius of about 10km, he said.
A TEENAGE boy has been killed by a train in Victoria as he attempted to change platforms by crossing the tracks.
The boy was at Riddells Creek train station, about 50km north of Melbourne, when he was hit by a train bound for Bendigo about 2pm (AEDT), police say.
He died at the scene.
The Labor Party will announce the result of the caucus and leadership ballot on Sunday. Source: AAP
NEW federal Labor leader Bill Shorten is prepared to force a parliamentary showdown with the coalition government over the carbon tax.
Junior minister Jamie Briggs said opposition to Prime Minister Tony Abbott's planned repeal of the carbon tax would show Labor had learnt nothing from defeat in last month's federal election.
But Mr Shorten, who took the ALP's top job on Sunday despite a rebuff from the party's rank and file, is undeterred.
"It is important to maintain a price on carbon pollution," Mr Shorten said.
In a pointed reference to Mr Abbott's tactics as opposition leader, Mr Shorten vowed not to wage a campaign of relentless negativity.
Labor's grassroots members were given a say in electing a party leader for the first time and 60 per cent voted for Anthony Albanese in the historic ballot.
But caucus backed Mr Shorten 55 votes to 31 and, when the two tallies were weighted against each other, Mr Shorten had 52 per cent of the vote.
Despite the conflict, the new leader is confident he has whole-hearted party support and vows to be a consultative leader.
"This ballot shows that there are still things for me to learn," he said.
Mr Shorten's election almost forced his mother-in-law, Governor-General Quentin Bryce into earlier-than-expected retirement.
Mr Abbott revealed Ms Bryce offered to resign to avoid any perception of bias.
"I have thanked her for her magnanimity but declined to accept her resignation," the prime minister said.
The Labor caucus meets again on Monday to elect a deputy leader, likely to be Mr Shorten's pick Tanya Plibersek, and members of the shadow ministry.
Mr Shorten will allocate portfolios on Friday.
Mr Albanese won't be a contender, however.
In an emotional media conference, Mr Shorten's beaten rival told his son Nathan he will instead spend time as deputy coach of the under-14 Rebels Canterbury division six-a-side soccer team.
In a sign of goodwill, former prime minister Julia Gillard, whose dumping by caucus in June was precipitated by Mr Shorten turning against her, tweeted best wishes.
"Congratulations to Bill Shorten on becoming Labor leader. A great honour! I wish Bill all the best. JG"
A TIE-breaking Jesse Parahi try in double extra-time won Australia a thrilling entry into tonight's final of the Gold Coast Sevens.
AFTER all those times you cursed your telco for dropped calls and outages, it may be the sun that was to blame for it all. Researchers find massive solar flares are taking out entire mobile phone networks.
NATIONAL tourist icons the Grand Canyon, the Statue of Liberty and Mount Rushmore have reopened despite the US government shutdown.
MOST of us have it for breakfast every day and don't give it a second thought. But imagine if this common household spread could save millions of lives.
A YOUNG Philippine woman who posted pictures online of her lavish life including one showing her bathing in money is to be charged with tax evasion.
