Aussie sheik on suspect's playlist?

US authorities are investigating what they believe to be the YouTube playlist of the killed Boston bombing suspect, which included video by Australian Muslim cleric Sheik Feiz Mohamed, above. Pic: Brianne Makin Source: Supplied

US authorities are investigating if the Boston Marathon bombing suspect killed in a shootout was responsible for a YouTube playlist that included a video of controversial Australian Muslim cleric Sheik Feiz Mohammed.

A YouTube page with the user name TamerlanTsarnaev features religious videos, including one of the Sydney-born sheik titled, And They Say, It's Only Sunnah.

Sheik Feiz founded the Global Islamic Centre in Liverpool in 2000 and gained notoriety worldwide for his teachings, including blaming women for being rape victims.

Boston residents Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, and his brother Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev, 19, were identified by the FBI in security footage walking through the crowd of spectators at Monday's Boston Marathon carrying backpacks. Just hours later, a wild shootout and police chase left the older brother dead.

A manhunt continues for the younger brother and much of Boston is in lockdown.

A user with the name Tamerlan Tsarnaev posted a video playlist on YouTube which included a video of the teachings of Sheik Feiz.

The same user added two videos five months ago to the playlist titled Terrorists, but each video was deleted and has the message: "This video is no longer available."

Fugitive Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, left, and his late brother and suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev in an image released by the FBI. Picture: AP/FBI

Another video, titled The Emergence of Prophecy: The Black Flags from Khorasan, begins with: "The prophet said when you see the black flags coming from the direction of Khorasan, you will join their army. That army has already started its march."

Authorities have not confirmed if the TamerlanTsarnaev who posted the videos is the Boston Marathon bombing suspect, but are scouring through any piece of information to determine why the brothers would want to bomb the marathon.

In the anti-Harry Potter clip, which Tamerlan Tsarnaev registered a "like", Sheik Feiz tells a story about visiting a house where Muslim children are watching a Harry Potter movie and the father describes it as "harmless fiction".

"Harmless?" Sheik Feiz shouts in the video.

"This film, whatever you think about it, glorifies, magnifies, promotes paganism.

"... What does Harry Potter do in his films with his devilish school mates?

"They cast spells, learn magic, brew potions, learn how to tell the future."

23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Diggers join US- Korea war drill

A South Korean army K1A1 fires during the South Korea-US joint military live-fire drills at Seungjin Fire Training Field near the border with North Korea last year. Picture: AP

AUSTRALIAN combat troops have for the first time taken part in annual South Korea-US joint military drills.

The 18-member army unit joined a landing drill held near the southeastern city of Pohang as part of the Foal Eagle US-South Korea joint military exercise, a South Korean defence ministry spokesman said.

Australia is a member of the 16-nation United Nations Command, and fought alongside South Korea during the Korean War against North Korea and China.

Australian casualties in the 1950-53 war numbered more than 1500, of whom 340 were killed, according to the Australian War Memorial's official website.

It was the first time combat troops from a United Nations Command member state had joined a US-South Korea joint exercise since the Korean War, the South Korean spokesman said.

Australian soldiers on patrol in Afghanistan ... now troops have joined war drills in South Korea for the first time. File picture: Craig Greenhill

The inclusion of Australian troops followed a request from Canberra "to gain experience in joint military exercises'', he added.

The month-long exercises started on April 5 involving 3000 South Korean and US Marines.

The Korean peninsula has been in a state of heightened military tension since North Korea carried out its third nuclear test in February.

In response to fresh UN sanctions and joint South Korea-US military exercises, Pyongyang has spent weeks issuing blistering threats of missile strikes and nuclear war.

U.S. soldiers gather during annual military drills in Yeoncheon, South Korea, near the border with North Korea. AP

23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Are we prepared for a Boston attack?

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus will be a guest on Meet The Press. File picture: Ray Strange Source: News Limited

Kathryn Robinson, new host of Meet the Press TV program. Picture: Craig Greenhill Source: Supplied

• Meet The Press screens at 1030am Sunday on Network Ten

AS more details emerge about the men that carried out this week's bombings in Boston, Network Ten's Meet the Press will talk to Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus about Australia's preparedness for a similar attack.

In the wake of the blasts which killed three people and injured nearly 200 on Tuesday, Mr Dreyfus insisted there was a constant threat of "violent activities'' on home soil but that Australian counter-terrorism organisations remained vigilant.

The Attorney-General will also face questions on the government's stance on same-sex marriage after New Zealand legalised the practice this week.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott on Friday indicated he could be prepared to allow his MPs a conscience vote on the issue in the next parliament if that's what the party wants.

Meet The Press, which airs at 10:30am Sunday on Network Ten, will also look at the issue of immunisation with the Australian Medical Association President, Dr Steve Hambleton appearing as a guest.

Dr Hambleton this week warned the that the H3N2 influenza virus that killed 20 children in the US was heading to Australia and those who weren't vaccinated could die.

"It's absolutely true (that it is a killer flu), and some of the people reading this might be the victims, I'm sorry to say. It will kill people,'' he said.

As Australian's prepare to mark Anzac Day, Meet the Press will also examine whether troops returning from conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq are being forgotten.

Dr Andrew Khoo from Brisbane's Toowong Private Hospital and David Catteral from the Federation of Totally and Permanently Incapacitated Ex Servicemen and Women will join the program to look at the issues faced by returning service personnel.
 

23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ford's great wall of silence

Ford Australian-designed Escort for the Chinese market. Source: Supplied

• Ford Australia designs new small car for China
   
• But foreign execs won't give Australia credit where it's due
   
• Escort name makes a comeback after 11 years, but not in Australia

FORD Australia has played a leading role in designing what could become the best-selling car in China, but Ford's global bosses won't give Australians the credit for doing the work.

A skilled team of Australian stylists based at Broadmeadows in Victoria designed the sleek new version of the Ford Escort, which is intended to be built in China and sold alongside the Ford Focus - the best-selling car in the world's biggest car market.

But Ford Australia has inexplicably been robbed of sharing the good news - against the backdrop of an uncertain future for its manufacturing operations - about its close ties with the world's automotive superpower.

While the future of Ford Australia's manufacturing operations remains in doubt beyond 2016 - following record-low sales and no application for government funding beyond that deadline - the company has gradually restructured its business to supply designers and engineers to the rest of the Ford world.

But when Ford executives were asked about Australia's involvement in the car unveiled at the Shanghai motor show overnight, senior management of the company claimed it was a "global effort" with "some Australian input".

Jim Farley, Ford's global head of sales and marketing declined to nominate where the car was designed, as did the former boss of Ford Australia (and Geelong resident) Marin Burela, who is now based in China.

The Asia-Pacific boss of Ford, David Schoch, and the new design chief for Ford in the Asia Pacific region, Joel Piaskowski, also downplayed or refused to confirm Australia's involvement.

Ford does not have a design studio in China; Australia is the nearest - and one of only five fully fledged design centres in the Ford world.

Australia's design and engineering workforce has grown from a staff of 350 in the early 2000s to more than 1100 today, as the company takes on more work for the rest of the region.

Ford Australia has also sent up to 50 designers and engineers to China on assignment to help establish a new development centre there.

Kumar Kalhotra, Ford's Asia Pacific product development chief, told News Limited: "Ford Australia isn't designing products just for Australia, they're designing products for the globe." But he stopped short of revealing Australia's involvement in the new Ford Escort.

When asked if Ford Australia wasn't given more credit for the work on such an important car because other international divisions might take offence, Kalhotra said: "I don't think it's about offending anybody, it really is a total team effort."

This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling
 

Ford Australian-designed Escort for the Chinese market.

23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Shop carpeted over 12.5pc credit, fee

Matt Levey, head of Campaigns for Choice outside at Leichhardt Carpet Court where they are believed to be the biggest card surcharge in Australia, a whopping 12.5 per cent if you use Visa, Mastercard - or even more incredibly, eftpos . Picture: Nic Gibson Source: News Limited

Businesses will come clean about credit card surcharges. Source: Supplied

IS this the biggest credit card surcharge in Australia?

A carpet store in Sydney has been charging customers 12.5 per cent if they use Visa, Mastercard - and even eftpos.

But in a win for consumers, the impact of new limits on credit-card surcharges has finally begun to be felt with businesses forced to bring down fees.

On March 18, changes imposed by the Reserve Bank of Australia, which runs the payment system, took effect.

The new rules limit surcharges to the "reasonable cost of acceptance". The central bank made the changes because it was concerned about excessive surcharging.

Since then Visa has received more than 50 consumer complaints, which it is in the process of investigating.

Victories include putting an end to the biggest surcharge in the country - a 12.5 per cent fee for paying for carpet offcuts with plastic. And a consumer's complaint about a $63 fee on a tour booking led to the Sydney travel agent's 2.5 per cent surcharge being halved.

But some major merchants are still ripping off their customers.

Visa Australia head Vipin Kalra said fees of more than 1.2 per cent for paying with its card could no longer be justified.

"Anything over ... would be considered very excessive," Mr Kalra said.

The average Visa and Mastercard fee paid by merchants is 0.79 per cent; American Express is 1.81 per cent.

Under the RBA's "guidance note", the reasonable cost of acceptance can include some other expenses, such as fraud losses and IT expenses - but not staff time, which is what News Limited found a Sydney flooring shop was doing.

Both Visa and Mastercard forced Carpet Court Leichhardt to remove a 12.5 per cent "administration charge" on their cards after the fee was brought to their attention.

Owner Sandro Landini said the surcharge served mainly as "deterrent", was almost always waived and applied only to "remnant pieces". There was no charge on the "full service" side of his business.

While defending the charge, Mr Landini admitted he only paid a fee of 1 to 2 per cent to Visa and Mastercard before pointing to the time cost of accepting cards and cheques.

It required him to set up a customer account, write an invoice and do additional bookwork. He argued the cost of his time to do these things was part of his reasonable cost of acceptance. .

"Under the RBA's guidance note, that's just not going to cut it," said Choice Magazine's head of campaigns, Matt Levey, who has led the fight against excessive surcharges.

Mr Levey said that while the carpet store's fee was the biggest he knew of, airlines were still worse.

Lachlan Colquhoun, head of markets analysis at East & Partners - which does surcharge research for the RBA - said airline and ticket company surcharges were "almost outrageous".

No airline has taken any action to reduce their fees.

Jetstar was recently presented with a petition of 35,000 people fed up with its $8.50 "booking fee". It denies even having a credit card surcharge.

Mr Colquhoun said surcharges were now 1 per cent higher than the fee paid to Visa and Mastercard.

"Many retailer are now looking at those surcharges as part of their margin," Mr Colquhoun said. Jetstar and its parent, Qantas, have repeatedly denied making money from booking fees.

Got a news tip? Email John Rolfe

23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Banned flu vaccine given to tots

Fluvax caused minor to severe side-effects in nearly 80 per cent of the children according to one study.

A FLU vaccine dangerous to children was rolled out across Australia despite serious side effects detected in a clinical trial.

And some doctors are still mistakenly injecting kids with the CSL-produced Fluvax - three years after it was banned for young children due to the risk of high fevers and fits.

News Limited can reveal that a baby suffered a febrile convulsion and 20 other children recorded such high fevers they could not be given their second dose during a clinical trial that began a year before Fluvax triggered febrile convulsions in 100 children.

GPs and clinics began mass immunisations at the start of the flu season in March 2010.

Within weeks, Fluvax was banned for the under-fives after triggering febrile convulsions in one in every 100 children - 10 times the expected rate.

The 1992 healthy children involved in the CSL-funded clinical trial were injected between March and August 2009, and data was collated by February 2010.

But the Therapeutic Goods Administration said yesterday CSL did not provide preliminary data until April 26, 2010 - three days after the Chief Medical Officer ordered a halt to the entire immunisation program.

And a synopsis of the findings - which revealed that a seven-month old baby suffered a febrile convulsion, high fever and severe vomiting within four hours of the flu shot - was not given to the TGA until June 2010.

The findings were published this month in the international medical journal, Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses.

The study recorded 588 episodes of fever, and 26 "serious adverse events", including 19 among children younger than three.

Fluvax caused minor to severe side-effects in nearly 80 per cent of the children, the study team reported, with at least one in four of the youngest children developing a fever after their first dose.

The study team recommended "further research" to understand why the vaccine triggered fevers.

CSL spokeswoman Sharon McHale yesterday said all CSL's flu vaccine trials had met international requirements, "including the timely reporting of adverse events and disclosure of clinical trial data to regulatory agencies."

"Febrile events are known side-effects of vaccination in children," she said.

"Based on the clinical data available to CSL at the time, the significant increase in febrile convulsions that occurred in children in 2010 were unexpected and could not have been predicted."

Australian National University microbiologist Professor Peter Collignon - an adviser to the World Health Organisation - said the febrile convulsion and high fevers detected in the clinical trial "should have been a red flag".

The Health Department spokeswoman said drug companies were not required to complete clinical trials before supplying new vaccines because there was not enough time between selecting new flu strains and manufacturing the vaccine. Subs: do not remove

An investigation by News Limited reveals that some doctors have mistakenly given the CSL-produced Fluvax to 11 children in recent weeks,

Two children in Western Australia, three in Queensland, three in NSW, one in the Northern Territory were given Fluvax shots, and Victorian Health is investigating two cases.

The federal Health Department said it was "concerned" doctors had given Fluvax to the under-5s "contrary to very clear instructions".

Australian Medical Association president Steve Hambleton said four alternative vaccines were still available for children ahead of a potentially deadly flu season.

Got a story tip? Email Natasha Bita

23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Anzac Day terror warning for Turkey

Australians are being warned of the possibility of terror attacks in Turkey as Anzac Day approaches. File image. Source: AFP

AUSTRALIANS attending Gallipoli's Anzac Day dawn service are being warned of the possibility of a terrorist attack in the country.

Visitors making the April 25 pilgrimage are being told to "exercise a high degree of caution in Turkey because of the high threat of terrorist attack".

The warnings, contained in the Department of Foreign Affairs' Smartraveller bulletin for Turkey and Anzac travellers, ask people to be aware terrorists are constantly active in the country.

The latest attack was in February when a suicide bomber targeted the US Embassy in Ankara, killing himself and a security guard and injuring others.

The Turkish Government has warned the group claiming responsibility is planning further attacks.

There have been nine notable events since 2010, and Australian Amanda Rigg, 22, was killed when a suicide bomber hit an Istanbul police station in 2001.

A gate of the US embassy just after a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device at the embassy in the Turkish capital, Ankara earlier this year.

"Terrorist attacks can occur anywhere at any time in Turkey," the travel advice says.

"In recent years, terrorist attacks have occurred in tourist areas and locations frequented by foreigners.

"Foreigners have been killed and injured."

Terrorism expert Professor Clive Williams, from the Australian National University, said Australian tourists were not usually targets but the advice was sensible.

Travellers risked being caught in "the wrong place", as Ms Rigg had been, he said.

"She was not targeted, she just happened to be where a bomb went off," Professor Williams said.

"In Turkey, the main target is the government and then second is the United States and then third is the UK.

"You just need to be careful where you go and what you do in Turkey."

Travellers should avoid government offices, embassies and consulates, be wary in busy areas like transport hubs and exercise particular care around significant local dates, like May Day on May 1.

Those considering travelling to areas bordering with Syria, Iraq and Iran are told to reconsider their need to travel.

23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More

Fears over Labor 'jobs for the boys'

Prime Minister Julia Gillard  with Governor General Quentin Bryce and some of her ministers. There are concerns about Labor appointing a new Governor-General before the September 14 election. File picture: Gary Ramage Source: News Limited

• Fears Gillard wants to lock-in jobs before election
• Ex-Labor Premiers touted for plum overseas postings
• Abbott says Coalition could overturn appointments

TONY Abbott has warned Julia Gillard against racing to appoint Australia's next Governor-General before the election and is threatening to overturn key Labor appointments if the Coalition wins power.

In a dramatic escalation of pre-poll tensions, the Opposition leader plans to directly raise his concerns over Australia's head of state with Ms Gillard, amid fears Labor wants to lock-in a raft of "jobs for the boys"- style appointments.

An investigation by News Limited can reveal an unprecedented number of one-time Labor MPs and union officials have been appointed to key Commonwealth agencies and statutory bodies, often on lucrative salaries.

At the same time, former Labor Victorian premiers John Brumby and Steve Bracks have been touted as candidates for one of Australia's high-profile overseas posts, Consul-General in New York. The plum role comes with an annual base salary of around $250,000 and luxurious living conditions in a $25 million apartment on the East River.

A large number of former State MPs wiped out in the most recent NSW and Queensland elections have received generous appointments to Commonwealth boards, including former NSW Minister Verity Firth, ex-Queensland Premier Anna Bligh, ex-West Australian Premier Geoff Gallop and one-time Deputy Victorian Premier John Thwaites.

News Limited does not suggest that any of the appointments were made without merit.

John Howard was attacked for appointing a number of like-minded conservative warriors to Commonwealth boards during his 13 years in office but seasoned Canberra observers say the Gillard Government is "without peer".

Former Victorian Premier Steve Bracks, pictured right with Bob Hawke at his book launch, is being touted for a plum overseas position. File image

The Opposition believes this process will accelerate but is warning that an incoming Coalition government could overturn key reappointments, including the heads of the Australian Electoral Commission and Screen Australia.

There are high-level concerns that Ms Gillard would like to anoint the next Australian head of state before voters go to the polls on September 14.

Senior Coalition sources believe the Government is sifting through a raft of names for the vice-regal position, even though Quentin Bryce's current term finishes in March 2014.

Mr Abbott yesterday issued a blunt warning to Ms Gillard as the Prime Minister was revving up Labor Pary faithful at the Victorian ALP Conference.

"The Coalition is concerned at the Gillard Government's increasing practice of making government appointments now that will not even commence until after the September 14 election," a spokesman for Mr Abbott said.

"Quite properly, appointments to government positions that will commence after the next election should be the responsibility of either a re-elected Gillard Government, or a new Coalition Government.

Former Queensland Premier Anna Bligh is one Labor figure appointed to a government board. File image:  Rob Maccoll

"We want to make it very clear that while notnecessarily reflecting on the merits of putative appointees, should it be elected, the Coalition expressly reserves its rights to reconsider any appointments that will commence after the September 14 election."

The latest stoush between the Coalition and the Government comes amid speculation the Government will shortly announce a number of important diplomatic posts, including the role of Consul General to New York.

That position has been filled in the past by Liberal figures, including former South Australian Premier John Olsen and long-time Senator and John Howard ally, Michael Baume.

Mr Brumby, who once employed Ms Gillard as his chief of staff, said the position was "not on my agenda" although he has discussed the possibility of taking the role with business colleagues.

Mr Bracks, who currently holds a number of senior board positions, has also been touted as a potential replacement to Phil Scanlan, whose term expires in September. He was unavailable for comment yesterday.

The Coalition and business have been highly critical of recent appointments to the Fair Work Commission, including former ACTU President Jeff Lawrence, who will earn up to $425,000 in remuneration as a vice president.

But other appointments have been made with little fanfare.

Just weeks ago, former NSW Minister Verity Firth was quietly appointed to the board of the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care while former ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope was given a lucrative job as Administrator of Christmas and Cocos Islands a role that brings an annual salary of $226,340.

John Thwaites, Victoria's deputy premier between 1999 to 2007, has been well looked after, being appointed Chair of the National Sustainability Council last October, adding to his role as Chair of the Australian Building Codes Board.

23.50 | 0 komentar | Read More