Japanese whaler stops outside Aust waters

The government is being urged to prevent a Japanese whaling vessel from entering Australian waters. Source: AAP

A JAPANESE whaling ship that was pursuing anti-whaling activists has stopped just outside Australian waters after an apparent intervention by the government.

The Yushin Maru No.3, one of three Japanese harpoon ships, was tailing the Sea Shepherd's Bob Barker vessel.

Sea Shepherd says the Bob Barker crossed into Australia's exclusive economic zone 320 kilometres from Macquarie Island at 2.50pm AEDT on Friday, but the Japanese ship stopped about a kilometre outside the zone.

Sea Shepherd Australia chair Bob Brown said Environment Minister Greg Hunt had been in touch with Japanese authorities over the impending incursion into the Australian Whale Sanctuary.

"Once again Sea Shepherd has seen the Japanese whaling fleet's tactics thwarted," Dr Brown said in a statement.

"But we are mindful that the fleet is publicly committed to killing another 931 Minke whales as well as 50 fin whales and 50 humpbacks."

Australian Whale Sanctuary managing director Jeff Hansen said he called Mr Hunt to pass on Sea Shepherd's sincere thanks and appreciation for his efforts.

Comment is being sought from Mr Hunt.

Sea Shepherd has three ships and about 100 crew members from 21 countries in Antarctic waters to confront Japanese hunting in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, where commercial whaling is banned.

Earlier this week, Sea Shepherd said its ships drove the Japanese fleet's factory ship, Nisshin Maru, out of the Antarctic Treaty zone following a 580km chase.

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Pakistani teen recommended for hero award

POLICE in Pakistan have recommended that a teenager killed stopping a suicide bomber from attacking a school be awarded a civilian honour.

Aitzaz Hassan, 15, a student in Hangu district, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in the country's northwest, tackled the bomber on Monday.

He died in hospital after the bomber blew himself up at the school gates. No one else was hurt in the incident.

Nasir Khan Durrani, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief of police, has written to the provincial chief minister recommending Hassan for the posthumous award, a police statement issued on late Thursday said.

"The suicide bomber tried to enter the school where hundreds of students were studying. Aitzaz Hassan sacrificed his life and stopped the bomber with bravery and courage," the statement said.

"He saved the lives of hundreds of innocent students with his extreme valour and bravery."

Pakistan has several categories of civilian award and it will fall to the government to decide which, if any, Hassan should receive.

The boy's father, Mujahid Ali Bangash, told AFP on Thursday that he felt not sadness but pride at his son's death.

"Many people are coming to see me but if they try to express sympathy, I tell them to congratulate me instead on becoming the father of a martyr," he said.

"I will be even more than happy if my second son also sacrifices his life for the country."

An editorial in Dawn, the country's oldest English-language newspaper, said Hassan's selfless bravery should be an inspiration to other Pakistanis and a lesson to the authorities in the courage needed to stand up to extremists.

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SA murder victim is bikie's son

BIKIE links have emerged in the stabbing murder of an 18-year-old Adelaide man but police say they still believe the killing was drug and not gang related.

A 51-year-old man has appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court charged over the murder of Kayne David Cluse, the son of a senior Hells Angels bikie.

Mr Cluse was dropped off at an Adelaide hospital on Wednesday night with serious stab wounds but died soon after.

The driver of the car fled the scene but police questioned two women who were passengers and also seized the Holden Commodore.

The women failed to co-operate but detectives later found blood at a suburban Parafield Gardens house and said they believed it was the scene of the stabbing.

The man charged over the killing surrendered to police on Thursday night and was charged with murder on Friday morning.

In court he made no application for bail and was remanded in custody to appear again on March 18.

His identity was suppressed.

The father of his alleged victim is a senior Hells Angels bikie based in Darwin, while his brother is Arron Cluse, 23.

A District Court judge last month reserved his verdict at the trial of Arron Cluse, who is accused of shooting the 11-year-old son of former Finks bikie, Mark Sandery, 42, during a 2011 home invasion.

Despite the murder victim's relationship to known bikies, police said major crime detectives remained of the view that the motive for his death was drug related.

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Defence chief disputes asylum-seeker claim

Indonesia's military head has discussed Tony Abbott's boat policy with Australia's defence chief. Source: AAP

DEFENCE chief General David Hurley has rejected claims Australian navy personnel mistreated asylum seekers, while not denying reports that boats were towed back to Indonesia.

General Hurley says Defence personnel conduct themselves in a "humane and considerate" way while protecting Australia's borders, contrary to the claims of the asylum seekers who say members of the navy verbally and physically mistreated them.

One, 28-year-old Yousif Ibrahim of Sudan, told news agency AFP they were handcuffed and called insulting names during a voyage back to Indonesia this month.

"We asked for water, they didn't want to give us," he said.

"They called us inhuman words, like illegal refugees, monkeys from Africa."

General Hurley did not confirm the tow-back operation took place, but he issued a statement disputing the asylum seekers' account.

"Defence Force personnel assigned to Operation Resolute are required to conduct operations in an unpredictable and demanding environment under intense scrutiny," he said.

"They are trained to operate with the highest degree of professionalism and integrity and consistently demonstrate great compassion and courage, often at great risk to their own safety."

Conflicting messages are coming from Indonesia about its views of Australia's turn-back policy, with Indonesian military commander General Moeldoko saying he has discussed the measure with General Hurley in recent weeks.

"Therefore, we do not need to feel offended," the Jakarta Post quoted Moeldoko as saying.

His apparent sanction of the policy contradicts the opposition of Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, who on Tuesday said turn-backs were "not a solution".

Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Thursday defended the government's secrecy about asylum-seeker operations.

He said he preferred to be a "closed book" than give rise to "mischief-making".

"The point is not to provide sport for public discussion, the point is to stop the boats," Mr Abbott told Macquarie Radio.

"I'm pleased to say it is now several weeks since we've had a boat, and the less we talk about operational details on the water, the better when it comes to stopping the boats."

But Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said it was time Mr Abbott told the public what was happening.

"The government needs to stop hiding the truth and start answering the most basic questions," he told reporters.

Meanwhile, Nauru has confirmed the cost of a media visa is set to soar from $200 to $8000.

Labor and the Greens have questioned whether the hike is designed to deter Australian reporters from visiting the tiny island's controversial Australian-run detention centre, linking it to the Abbott government's secretive approach.

But a Nauru government spokeswoman says the change - yet to come into force - is for "revenue purposes".

Asked whether the Australian government requested the change, she told AAP: "I haven't been told anything to suggest that."

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SA Libs want more overseas students

The SA opposition wants to lift international student numbers in Adelaide to 40,000 in 10 years. Source: AAP

THE South Australian opposition wants to lift the number of international students in Adelaide to 40,000 in 10 years.

Opposition Leader Steven Marshall says if the Liberals win the state election in March, they will develop a plan to attract more students including funding for Education Adelaide, which provides visiting students with continuing support.

"This 40,000 student target in 10 years is an important economic driver for our state," Mr Marshall said on Thursday.

"The more people active in our economy, the better. International students shop, rent, travel, and contribute to CBD vibrancy. This means job creation."

Mr Marshall said boosting student numbers would have a knock-on effect for the construction, retail and tourism industries.

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Indonesian police hold bodies in Bali

Bali police won't release the bodies of a mother and daughter until they can rule out foul play. Source: AAP

INDONESIAN police won't release the bodies of an Australian mother and daughter who died in Bali until they can rule out criminal activity in their deaths.

Queensland nurse Noelene Bischoff and Yvana Bischoff, 14, died on Saturday, a day after checking into the beachfront resort of Padang Bai in Karangasem, on the east coast of the Indonesian island.

The cause of death isn't known at this stage, but there is speculation toxic fish caused them to fall fatally ill.

Indonesian authorities initially agreed to the family's request for the bodies to be flown to Queensland for autopsies.

But lead Detective Adnan Pandibu says local police now want to continue their investigation after finding 29 types of medication in the Bischoffs' hotel room.

"We have not ruled out criminal activity and we will not yet allow the release of the bodies from the morgue," he told the Daily Mail.

Antar-Bangsa Funeral Service, who was contacted by Australian authorities about transporting the bodies, says there has been a delay.

"For now we're not sure, we haven't heard anything after we were first contacted (by Australian authorities)," spokesman Agus Prababe told AAP.

"We don't know what's happened."

Bali taxi driver Kadek Budi has told how he drove Ms Bischoff and her daughter around on their last day alive.

He said when he dropped them off at their hotel, they were healthy and happy.

"She said 'thank you, we are very happy today, you are a good driver and after the Gili Islands, when I am back in Seminyak, I will call you again'," Mr Budi told News Corp Australia.

"She was very friendly, the conversation was good and I thought I would see her again, and drive her again."

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Taliban deny sending Afghan girl to attack

The Taliban say they did not send a 10-year-old girl to carry out a suicide attack. Source: AAP

THE Taliban have denied that they sent a 10-year-old girl as a suicide bomber against Afghan police, a day after she said her brother had put her in an explosives-packed vest but that she refused to blow herself up at a checkpoint in Helmand province.

Border police in the southern Afghan province arrested the girl's father, Abdul Ghfar, and were searching for the brother, a police commander said.

The girl, who was detained on Monday and identified herself only as Spozhmai, said her brother is a Taliban commander.

Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahamdi denied any involvement in the alleged plot, which he dismissed as government propaganda.

"We never do this, especially with girls," he said.

Spozhmai spoke to journalists Monday after Afghanistan's Interior Ministry announced her detention.

Addressing television cameras, she said her brother, named Zahir, told her to approach a checkpoint and ask the deputy commander for a ride with him to neighbouring Kunar province.

"I agreed, then he attached the vest on my body and told me to spend the night here and leave in the morning," she said.

But after she and her brother spent the night somewhere, she said she had second thoughts.

"I said I won't go, then he took off the vest and tried to convince me that they [police] will die and I will remain alive," Spozhmai said. She said her brother then fled with the vest.

Police said they believed her account.

"The guy named Zahir had the suicide vest and escaped, but she was still there and when our commander of the battalion heard her voice, they surrounded the area and brought this girl to their base, and we all heard her story on how she was forced into this action," Colonel Hamidullah Sediqi said.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemned the Taliban, saying that "using a child as a suicide bomber is un-Islamic and goes against Afghan culture and beliefs".

Although the Taliban deny it, human rights groups say the insurgent group has occasionally dispatched children for suicide bombings. But girls have been used only rarely, according to Heather Barr, Afghanistan senior researcher at Human Rights Watch.

"There have been very few documented cases of girls being involved in suicide bomb attacks," Barr said. According to Human Rights Watch, an eight-year-old girl was killed in central Oruzgan province in 2011 when a bag of explosives the Taliban instructed her to carry to a police checkpoint detonated.

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Segways to hit Melbourne city streets

Tourists will soon be gliding through the city of Melbourne on Segways after changes to regulations. Source: AAP

TOURISTS will soon be gliding through the city of Melbourne on upright scooters to take in the sights.

Changes in state government regulation will allow tour businesses to apply for a permit to operate Segway tours around tourist attractions on the city's perimeter.

Until now, vehicle registration provisions have stopped businesses from operating tours using the two-wheeled machines.

The changes are among 36 announced by the Victorian government on Wednesday aimed at cutting red tape.

Treasurer Michael O'Brien says there had previously been concern about whether the speed of Segways could pose a danger to others.

"What we've been able to do through these reforms is work out if you have an appropriate permit system, you can deal with those concerns," he told reporters.

Other changes introduced to cut red tape include lifting restrictions on the sale of plastic knives to minors, raising height limits for walls that can be built without need for a council permit and making it easier for liquor-licensed venues to stage alcohol-free under-age events.

Most of the reforms will be put in place to meet the government's 25 per cent red tape reduction target by July.

Mr O'Brien says the changes will reduce the burden on businesses, government and cut costs to consumers and contribute to more than $715 million in red tape savings over the term of the government.

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NSW gran had cannabis 'for dying daughter'

A great-grandmother claims the cannabis found with cash in her home was used by her dying daughter. Source: AAP

AS a 79-year-old great-grandmother living in Sydney's eastern suburbs, Barbara Stiff did not fit the bill for a drug supplier.

But hidden in her Malabar unit were 67 grams of cannabis, which she admitted to police that she planned to sell.

Stiff was given a four-month suspended jail sentence when she appeared in Waverley Local Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to drug supply and dealing with the suspected proceeds of crime.

Magistrate Robbie Williams told the court that based on Stiff's submissions to police, she saw monetary gain from the cannabis.

Barrister William Barber told the court that Stiff had allowed her ill daughter to smoke cannabis in her home when she lived with her.

"She was in a great deal of pain and was using cannabis for pain relief," he said of the daughter.

Mr Barber said the daughter, who died last year, would obtain cannabis in bulk with other people in a "similar position" in the public housing that Stiff lived in.

Police raided Stiff's unit on June 27 last year and found 67g of cannabis in multiple locations around the home.

Mr Barber said the drugs had been there for a very long time and Stiff no longer had any use for the cannabis after her daughter's death.

But according to the facts, Stiff admitted to police that $295 found in her wallet was from selling cannabis to six people.

During the raid, police also found $100 cash in a tin with cannabis and five plastic deal bags.

Stiff admitted to police that she planned to sell the cannabis.

Cannabis was also found in a bag in a bedroom and another kitchen tin.

Magistrate Williams told the court that while it was not a sophisticated system, there was a clear system of supply.

He said police also found a "drug ledger" at Stiff's house, with names and amounts of money listed.

The court was told that Wednesday marked nine months since Stiff's daughter died.

Mr Barber said his client was embarrassed by the case, which had attracted wide media coverage.

He said the housing commission was trying to remove her from her unit where she had been for more than 30 years.

Stiff received a four-month suspended jail sentence and a four-month good behaviour bond.

Outside court, Mr Barber said Stiff had been through a very difficult 12 months and was relieved that the case was over.

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More Vics drive while on drugs

VICTORIA has recorded a big jump in the number of drug-affected drivers on the roads, but fewer drink-drivers are getting behind the wheel.

There were 723 motorists found to be on drugs on Victorian roads during operation Summer Stay, compared with 396 over the same period last year.

The road safety blitz, conducted between November 15 and midnight on Monday, detected more than 79,000 traffic offences including 2371 drink-drivers.

That was a big reduction on 2863 caught in 2012/13.

But there was a large rise in the number of speeding motorists, with almost 3000 more caught than in 2012/13.

Road Policing Command Superintendent Neville Taylor said it was encouraging to see a reduction in the number of drink-driving offences, but people were still taking unacceptable risks on the roads.

"In 52 days we have caught more than 27,000 people speeding on our roads," Supt Taylor said.

"That's completely unacceptable and it's incredibly disappointing to find that there are still people in our community who are taking huge risks on the road, endangering their own lives and the lives of others."

Supt Taylor said while the number of drink-driving offences had dropped, it was still far too high.

Five people died on Victorian roads during the Christmas road toll period, five fewer than during the same period last year.

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