US man sets himself on fire in capital

A man has set himself on fire near the US congress, a fire official says. Source: AAP

A US man has been flown to hospital after setting himself on fire on the National Mall, a fire official says.

Fire crews responded on Friday afternoon to a report of a man on fire.

A witness said she saw a man dump a red canister of petrol on his head and then set himself on fire.

Fire Department spokesman Tim Wilson said the man has life-threatening injuries.

His name and age were not immediately known.

* Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.

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Prince wows Sydney on first official visit

Prince Harry has arrived at Sydney's Garden Island Naval Base for the International Fleet Review. Source: AAP

HE may like to party, but Prince Harry was all business as he greeted adoring fans, inspected warships, and met the prime minister and his family on his first official visit to Australia.

Thousands of Harry fans turned out to catch a glimpse of the fourth-in-line to the British throne in Sydney as part of the International Fleet Review.

The 29-year-old prince is the big drawcard of the eight-day navy extravaganza, which marks 100 years since the Royal Australian Navy fleet sailed into Sydney Harbour.

Dressed in a white tropical dress uniform of the British Army and a blue Army Air Corps beret, the 29-year-old began the day by saluting naval officers before being greeted by navy Vice Admiral Ray Griggs at Sydney naval base Garden Island.

Captain Wales, as he's known in the British military, then boarded the HMAS Leeuwin where Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Defence Minister David Johnston and a host of other dignitaries were waiting for him.

After being welcomed on the harbour by a 100 gun salute, Harry spent the next few hours on board HMAS Leeuwin inspecting the warship fleet alongside Governor General Quentin Bryce.

The prince's appearance on the harbour coincided with a dazzling display by navy aircraft and helicopters, thrilling thousands lining the foreshore.

Back on land and donning a crisp navy-coloured suit, blue tie and white shirt, Harry turned his attention to his Sydney fans.

Making a surprise appearance at the Rocks, there were screams, smiles and waves as the red-haired prince emerged from his car at Sydney Harbour to greet a heaving crowd of fans.

In the 10-minute stop, Harry shook hands and said hello to hundreds who were hugging the barricades in an effort to see him.

Linda Wickens handed him a stuffed dingo as a present for his nephew Prince George.

The prince then stopped for a quick photo with her 12-year-old daughter Annabel who summed up the experience in one word: "awesome".

From there, the prince took a boat to Kirribilli House, where he was greeted by Mr Abbott, his wife Margie and daughters Bridget and Frances.

They posed for official photographs and walked through the gardens before greeting a crowd that had gathered at the gates of the prime minister's Sydney residence.

"What do you think of your new neighbour?" Harry asked one of the locals, referring to the newly-elected Mr Abbott.

Inside, the prime minister reflected on the special day, joking that Prince Harry appealed to even those Australians who aren't royalists.

"Prince Harry, I regret to say not every Australian is a monarchist," he said.

"But today everyone feels like a monarchist."

The prince is understood to be later hosting a private function for injured veterans of Afghanistan, a cause he actively supports.

He is due to leave Sydney for Perth on Sunday morning for the next leg of his Aussie tour.

The Fleet Review's Fireworks and Lightshow Spectacular is due to start at 7.30pm (AEST) at Sydney Harbour.

Up to one million people are expected to gather on the foreshore for the event.

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Qld police nab five more Bandidos

Five more Bandidos have been arrested as the police crackdown on bikie gangs continue in Queensland. Source: AAP

FIVE more Bandidos have been arrested as the police crackdown on bikie gangs continues in Queensland.

The arrests were made during police raids in Brisbane and Logan on Friday morning, that seized cash and drugs.

Officers from Taskforce Hydra, which targets outlaw bikie gangs, executed search warrants at Birkdale, Alexandra Hills and in the Logan suburb of Crestmead on Friday morning.

They seized money, drugs and drug producing equipment.

Three men, aged 32, 29 and 25, and a woman, 27, are facing drug charges.

Officers from the Gold Coast also arrested a 27-year-old man from Birkdale for rioting.

The charge is related to last week's violent bikie brawl on the Gold Coast.

He will face Southport Magistrates Court on October 25.

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$3m paid out by defence abuse taskforce

Victims of abuse in the defence force who are yet to lodge key paperwork are being warned to act. Source: AAP

VICTIMS of assault and mistreatment in the defence force yet to lodge paperwork are being warned to act soon, with more than $3 million already paid out in 70 cases.

People who have made complaints to the Defence Abuse Response Taskforce have until November 30 to provide all relevant documentation.

A budget of $70 million has been allocated to the reparation payments scheme, and 981 complaints are at various stages of the assessment process.

As of September 16, the taskforce's reparations assessor had approved in excess of $3 million in payments over 70 cases, 50 of which were for the maximum $50,000 payment.

Slater and Gordon's military compensation lawyer Brian Briggs warned time was nearly up for victims.

"When the scheme was established, it was always made clear that it would run for a set period of time," he said.

Complainants may also have the opportunity to meet with senior defence leaders in conferences.

The third interim report by the taskforce was tabled to federal parliament on Friday, providing an update on the progress of outcomes to individual complaints of abuse in the military.

The outcomes may include a referral to counselling, reparation payments, referral of appropriate matters to police or military justice authorities, referral to the chief of the defence force for administrative action or participation in a restorative engagement conference.

"The conferences will give people who have suffered abuse in defence a powerful opportunity to have their stories heard," said taskforce chair Len Roberts-Smith QC.

More than 2400 complaints have been made to the taskforce about abuse suffered in defence prior to April 2011.

As of September 16, 10 matters had been referred to police and 11 matters had been resolved in other ways.

The taskforce's crime group also has a further 41 active matters under assessment.

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Afghan soldier who killed Diggers caught

AN Afghan National Army sergeant blamed for an "insider" attack and shooting deaths of three Australian soldiers, has been captured and could hang or face a firing squad if found guilty.

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US politicians still get paid in shutdown

In the US, the 532 members of Congress continue to be paid despite the government shutdown. Source: AAP

THERE'S at least one constant in a government shutdown: The 532 members of congress continue to be paid - at a cost of $US10,583.85 ($A11,379.87) per hour to taxpayers.

Legislators are getting their pay even as hundreds of congressional staffers are sent home, packs of tourists are turned away at the Capitol, and constituent services in many offices grind to a halt.

House members and senators can't withhold their own pay even if they want to.

Under the Constitution's 27th Amendment, legislators can only change the pay of those in a future congress, not the one in which they serve.

Lawmakers aren't oblivious to how it looks.

Republican Senator Ted Cruz and others are pledging to donate their salaries to charity during the shutdown.

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Vic bikies appear in court after raids

MEMBERS of the rival Comanchero and Hells Angels bikie gangs will face separate court hearings following a number of drive-by shootings in Melbourne.

Police charged eight men after raids across Melbourne on Tuesday night, during which guns, explosives and cash were seized.

The raids came a day after the Hells Angels Seaford clubhouse in the city's south was sprayed with bullets.

Hells Angels member Dennis Basic, 33, of Frankston, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday charged with 13 offences, including making explosives and illegally possessing seven guns.

Deputy Chief Magistrate Jelena Popovic was told the members of the two gangs would require separate dates for their committal mention hearings.

Comanchero members Gemino Aloia, 26, of Glenroy, Bemir Saracevic, 26, of Cranbourne North, Emir Jaha, 27, of Mt Martha, and Mark Balsillie, 29, of Gladstone Park also faced the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Additional police and security officers were present in the court room and outside the building.

Basic's charges were adjourned until December 20, while the other four men were remanded to appear on the previous day.

None of the five applied for bail.

Police say the Seaford attack was in retaliation for a suspected Hells Angels shoot-up of two businesses owned by a rival Comanchero member.

High-powered military weapons such as AK-47s or M1 carbines were used in both shootings, police say.

Also charged after the raids are Bashkim Gashi, 30, of Dandenong North and Mohammed Khodr, 26, of Balwyn North.

All three are expected to appear in court on Wednesday.

A ninth man, aged 22, was charged late on Wednesday with drugs, weapons and explosives offences.

Police said the man, with alleged links to the Hells Angels, was arrested in Carrum Downs by Special Operations Group officers.

The man, from Carrum Downs, has been bailed to appear at the Frankston Magistrates Court on November 27.

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NSW police get new flood rescue boats

NSW flood rescue boats made in the 1970s and '80s have been replaced ahead of the summer rains. Source: AAP

NSW police say their brand new flood rescue fleet will help back up rescue missions but will also be used to round up anyone looting or breaking the law.

Devastating flooding across the state last summer resulted in the death of a man in Grafton and a 17-year-old boy who was sucked into a drainpipe as he collected golf balls in Port Macquarie.

Launching the six new boats in Sydney on Tuesday, NSW Police Marine Area Commander Mark Hutchings said that as well as backing up SES rescue operations, they would be used to maintain order in emergency situations.

"Sometimes we get reports of people looting etcetera, so our boats are out there ... so they can actually go out there and do arrests," he told reporters.

The Bureau of Meteorology is not warning emergency services to expect bad flooding but Mr Hutchings' command is preparing for a worst case scenario.

"We assume we are going to get a flood and we're ready trained and ready to respond," he said.

Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione said the new boats "may well be the boats that will come and rescue you should you be unfortunate enough to be caught in a flood".

The boats replace older vessels that were made more than 30 years ago.

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