No tsunami risk from Tongan quake

A 6.3-MAGNITUDE earthquake has struck off the coast of the Pacific Island nation of Tonga but experts say there is no threat of a tsunami.

The quake reportedly struck in waters northeast of the Tongan capital, Nuku'alofa, at about 7pm local time (1600 AEST) on Saturday.

Geoscience Australia reports the impact could have been felt by people more than 600-kilometres away.

Seismologist Marco Maldoni said residents of the island nation would definitely felt shaking after the movement of tectonic plates and that that part of the world was prone to earthquakes.

"That earthquake itself happened where the Australian plate meets the Pacific plate," Dr Maldoni told AAP on Saturday.

"Thankfully this is a non-tsunamigenic earthquake - something that can potentially generate a tsunami."

Dr Maldoni said that in the past five years there had been about 200 earthquakes within that area, with another one occurring near Tonga at a magnitude of 6.2 as recently as Friday.

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Woolworths investigates mushroom poisoning

CANBERRA residents who may be feeling ill after consuming mushrooms bought from a Woolworths supermarket are being advised to seek immediate medical attention following a possible Death Cap mushroom poisoning.

ACT Health is investigating after three patients from the same household attended Canberra's Calvary Hospital in the last 48 hours with poisoning symptoms.

They claim to have been affected by mushrooms purchased from a Woolworths in the suburb of Dickson on April 17.

"This appears to be an isolated incident and there have been no other recent reports of Death Cap mushroom poisoning in the ACT," the territory's chief health officer Dr Paul Kelly said.

In a statement on Saturday, Woolworths advised that customers follow ACT Health's recommendations, which include seeking immediate medical attention if they experience stomach aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.

ACT Health also recommends throwing away any mushrooms bought from Woolworths in Dickson around that time as a precaution.

Woolworths says it is not aware of any other cases.

"We take customer safety very seriously and are working closely with our supplier and ACT Health to investigate the claims," the company said.

In Canberra in 2012, a man and a woman died and two others were poisoned but recovered after consuming a meal which contained Death Cap mushrooms.

"People are reminded not to pick and eat any wild mushrooms. It can be extremely difficult for even experienced collectors to distinguish Death Cap mushrooms from other edible mushrooms," Dr Kelly said.

The highly toxic Death Cap mushroom is a native to Europe but has spread around the world, with populations observed in Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide. It resembles a common edible variety used in Chinese cooking.

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Smaller crowd falls silent at Gallipoli

THIS year's dawn service at Gallipoli was billed as a dress rehearsal for the 2015 centenary but a smaller-than-expected turnout made it a very intimate affair.

Some 4400 mostly Australian and New Zealand pilgrims were at North Beach 12 months out from the 100th anniversary when 10,500 people will be crammed on to the site.

The crowd on Friday was reminded that reverential silence on the often eerily quiet Turkish peninsula is a tribute to the diggers who died in 1915.

Veterans' Affairs Minister Michael Ronaldson said the soldiers who landed at Anzac Cove 99 years ago were, by their own admission, ordinary men.

"They did not seek glory, nor did they want their actions to be glorified - for it was they who quickly came to know the true horror of war," the minister said as the sun rose over the Gallipoli cliffs.

"That these ordinary men, however, did extraordinary things is beyond doubt."

Senator Ronaldson said the Anzacs left a vanquished fighting force but "were victorious in helping forge the identity of our two new nations".

"As the dawn of this new day breaks over the peninsula our tribute to the spirit of Anzac is a reverential silence," he said.

Some 8700 Australians died during the eight-month campaign alongside 2700 New Zealanders.

It's estimated up to 87,000 Turks lost their lives.

The modern Turkish nation, too, was built partly on the back of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's success as a commander at Gallipoli. He went on to become the republic's first president in 1923.

Young Australian Erinn Cooper camped out overnight to represent her father and grandfather at the dawn service.

The 22-year-old comes from a military family - her father served in East Timor and Iraq while her grandfather fought in World War II.

"It's really mind-blowing to be here," she said.

"Anzac Day is our biggest day of the year. It's a really big thing in our family."

Ms Cooper considered applying for the centenary in 2015 but decided the ballot was too risky.

"Coming this year was something we could actually make happen."

Organisers saw this year's service as a dress rehearsal for 2015.

But while the crowd will be much bigger next year, it will also potentially be more manageable.

Authorities know exactly who's coming because the event is ticketed.

Further, the pilgrims will be older on average because 1600 passes were set aside for direct descendants and veterans.

In 2015, only 25 per cent of visitors will be under 35, whereas usually 60 per cent are in that age group.

Australian authorities think it's likely Prince Charles will attend the centenary service in Gallipoli although his spokeswoman has told AAP it is "too early to say".

Prince William this week revealed he was looking forward to "taking part in next year's Gallipoli centenary" along with wife Kate and brother Prince Harry.

That led to speculation they'd be at North Beach but a palace spokesman has clarified they could attend any number of Anzac ceremonies anywhere in the world.

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HMAS Darwin makes record heroin bust

Australian HMAS Darwin has seized a record one-tonne haul of heroin from a vessel off Kenya. Source: AAP

AUSTRALIAN warship HMAS Darwin has seized more than a tonne of heroin valued at almost $290 million from a smuggling boat off Kenya.

The record 1032kg haul was discovered aboard a dhow in the Indian Ocean, about 27 nautical miles east of Mombasa, Defence says in a statement.

Darwin's crew spotted the vessel on Wednesday and a boarding team discovered 46 sacks of heroin hidden among bags of cement.

HMAS Darwin's Commander Terry Morrison said the seizure removed a major source of funding for terrorist and criminal networks.

"The search tested the steel of Darwin's boarding parties who were working in difficult conditions throughout the night," he said in a statement.

Darwin is taking part in the UK-led Combined Task Force 150.

It's one of three multinational task forces conducting security and counter-piracy operations in the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf region.

Coalition Maritime Force (CMF) director of operations, Australian Captain Craig Powell, said the heroin haul was the largest in the history of the CMF, with a street value of about $289 million.

Australian warships have destroyed large quantities of heroin, hashish and amphetamines during patrols off Africa in the past year.

Drugs are destroyed by dumping them in the sea, and crews of smuggling vessels are sent on their way.

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No review of Michael Jackson doctor's case

The California Supreme Court has refused to review the conviction of Michael Jackson's doctor. Source: AAP

THE California Supreme Court has refused to review the involuntary manslaughter conviction of Michael Jackson's doctor, rejecting his lawyer's petition without comment.

The decision by the state's highest court on Wednesday was the latest stop on Dr Conrad Murray's legal odyssey. A state appeals court upheld his conviction earlier this year and then refused to reconsider its decision.

Lawyer Valerie Wass said Murray will take his fight to federal court. "We're greatly disappointed, but we intend to pursue this in federal court," Wass said.

She said she telephoned Murray with the news and, "He said, 'The fight is not over.' "

Authorities said Murray gave Jackson a lethal dose of the anaesthetic propofol in 2009 while the singer prepared for a series of comeback concerts.

Murray was convicted in 2011 and served two years in jail. He was released in October because of a change in California law requiring nonviolent offenders to serve their sentences in county jails and as a result of credits for good behaviour.

The six-week trial focused on Murray's care of Jackson, including nightly doses of propofol to help the entertainer sleep.

The earlier appellate court decision said, "The evidence demonstrated that Mr Jackson was a vulnerable victim and that (Murray) was in a position of trust, and that (Murray) violated the trust relationship by breaching standards of professional conduct in numerous respects."

Since his release, Murray has been travelling and spending time with family, "trying to get his life back together", Wass said.

The federal appeal she plans to file will focus on media coverage of the trial and exposure of the unsequestered jury to the internet, Wass said. Murray has maintained throughout his appeals that the jury should have been sequestered because of the flood of publicity surrounding the case.

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GM 1Q profit dragged down by recalls

Highway shambles after traffic crash

UPDATE: Bruce Highway, north of Brisbane, reopens in both directions but traffic still heavy as thousands of commuters kick off Anzac Day long weekend..

Man finds horse's head on car bonnet

A MAN has found the severed head of a horse dumped on the bonnet of his car in Western Sydney in a crime that mimics a notorious scene from 1970s cult film The Godfather.

Donation riddle in mayoral bid

WOULD-BE mayor and ex-minister says he is baffled as to why he received a $5000 political donation from water company facing corruption probe.

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Applications for US unemployment aid jump

THE number of people seeking US unemployment benefits surged 24,000 to a seasonally adjusted 329,000 last week, though the gain likely reflected temporary layoffs in the week before Easter.

The US Labor Department says the four-week average of applications, a less volatile number, rose 4750 to 316,750. The four-week average fell two weeks ago to its lowest level since October 2007, two months before the recession began.

Applications can be volatile around Easter, because many school systems temporarily lay off bus drivers, cafeteria workers and other employees during spring break. Some of those workers file for unemployment benefits.

Despite the volatility, applications have generally been declining in recent months, a hopeful sign for the job market. Three weeks ago, applications fell to 301,000, the lowest level in nearly seven years.

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Bieber sorry for Japan war shrine visit

Canadian singer Justin Bieber has apologised for visiting Japan's Yasukuni war shrine. Source: AAP

JUSTIN Bieber has apologised to those he offended by visiting Japan's Yasukuni war shrine this week, saying he was misled to see it as only a place of prayer.

The Shinto shrine in Tokyo honours 2.5 million war dead, including 14 convicted war criminals. China and South Korea in particular see Yasukuni as a symbol of Japan's past militarism and see visits to it as a lack of understanding or remorse over wartime history.

Two photos posted late on Tuesday and subsequently removed from Instagram showed Bieber praying outdoors at the shrine and standing beside a Shinto priest. The images outraged China as well as many commenters on Instagram and Twitter.

In a new Instagram post on Wednesday evening, Bieber said he asked his driver to stop when he saw the shrine.

"I was mislead to think the Shrines were only a place of prayer. To anyone I have offended I am extremely sorry," the post said.

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Special royal birthday for one in Adelaide

IT was a royal visit focused on the young, but the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also made time for the young at heart during their stopover near Adelaide.

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Nepal officials deny sherpa exodus

NEPALESE mountaineering officials on Wednesday denied that sherpa guides on Mount Everest plan to abandon this year's climbing season out of respect for 16 colleagues killed in an avalanche last week.

The Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), a national body representing tourism promoters, released a statement saying they had not received any confirmation regarding the abandonment) of the expeditions on Everest.

"Whatever the news disseminated in the media about the abandon(ment) of the expedition is false and does not hold any sense," the statement said.

Several guides and Western mountaineers said Tuesday that the sherpas held a meeting on Tuesday following an emotional remembrance ceremony at which they had agreed not to climb the peak this season.

Local guide Pasang Sherpa, part of the International Mountain Guides expedition at base camp, told AFP the sherpas still intend to sit out this season.

"We don't know what is happening in Kathmandu, but ... we don't want to go up the mountain this year," he said after the statement by the NMA.

The situation at base camp, described as tense by climbers there amid fears this year's season could be wrecked, remains highly fluid. Representatives of the sherpas are locked in talks with the government in Kathmandu.

The government, expected to earn at least $US3 million ($A3.21 million) this year from Everest climbing fees alone, is eager to protect Nepal's reputation as one of the world's leading mountaineering destination.

Before the walkout threat on Tuesday, the sherpas had made a series of demands including higher compensation for the dead and injured, an agreement to raise insurance payments and a welfare fund.

Last Friday's avalanche struck a party of sherpas preparing routes for commercial climbers up the mountain, killing 13 and leaving three missing in the most deadly day on the 8,848-metre (29,029-foot) peak.

The government has offered to set up a relief fund for injured guides using up to five per cent of fees paid by climbers, while increasing life insurance payments by 50 per cent.

The amounts fall short of demands by the sherpas who want 30 per cent of climbers' fees to be earmarked for the fund and life insurance payments, set at $US10,000 ($A10,711.80), to be doubled.

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More than 400 charges in Operation Unite

MORE than 400 charges have been laid for assaults and drink driving offences in Western Australia during the eighth Operation Unite targeting alcohol-fuelled anti-social behaviour.

Total statistics from Thursday to Sunday night included 433 charges, 165 arrests and 200 summons.

They include 21 assaults, as well as 15 people caught driving under the influence, 43 people in excess of 0.08 per cent, 12 people in excess of 0.05 per cent and two people in excess of 0.02 per cent.

Specialist squads made up of officers from the Liquor Enforcement Unit and the Regional Operations Group joined the operation in WA for the first time.

Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan said last week that the excessive consumption of alcohol was still the most significant factor contributing to night-time violence.

Operation Unite is not about restricting people from having a good time, it is about continuing to raise community awareness about the dangers of determined drunkenness and the impact it has on others, he said.

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Mickey Rooney laid to rest in California

New break in Gold Coast swimmer mystery

UPDATE: Police continue to hold fears for a mystery blonde woman who reportedly disappeared swimming off a Gold Coast beach, despite a new twist to the story.

More arrests in booze crackdown

THE final night of a Queensland police operation targeting alcohol misuse wrapped up this morning with another 85 arrests across the state.

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Mourners arrive for Peaches Geldof funeral

MOURNERS have started to arrive ahead of the funeral of Peaches Geldof as a host of celebrities prepare to say farewell to the television presenter and model.

Bob Geldof is expected to lead tributes to his daughter later on Monday at the same church where the funeral of her mother, Paula Yates, was held.

Musician and television personality Jools Holland was among the first to arrive at St Mary Magdalene and St Lawrence church in the village of Davington, near Faversham in Kent.

Dozens of locals also looked on as cars began to arrive outside the church, which is where the 25-year-old socialite married musician Tom Cohen, the father of her children, in 2012.

The funeral of TV presenter Yates was held there after she died from an accidental heroin overdose in 2000, aged 41.

Bono and Annie Lennox are expected to be among the mourners who will attend the funeral, according to reports.

The Geldof family have said the service will be held in private.

Mystery still surrounds the sudden death of Geldof on April 7.

Her body was found at the home she shared with her husband and their two young sons, Astala, 23 months, and 11-month-old Phaedra, in Kent, after officers were called "following a report of concern for the welfare of a woman".

Former Boomtown Rats singer Geldof paid tribute to his daughter alongside his partner Jeanne Marine and Peaches' sisters Fifi Trixibelle, Pixie and Tiger, saying she was the "wildest, funniest, cleverest, wittiest and the most bonkers of all of us".

Kent Police said it was being treated as a "non-suspicious, unexplained sudden death".

An inquest is not expected to be opened until after the results of toxicology tests are known.

Cars carrying flowers for the funeral arrived outside the church, which is next to Sir Bob's Davington Priory country estate, where Peaches grew up.

There were bouquets and cards left by well-wishers outside the entrance to the property's driveway.

Peaches' ashes are expected to be scattered in the estate's garden, where she played as a child, according to reports.

Written in chalk on the church's wall, a message read "RIP Peaches".

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Labor loses 'giant' in Neville Wran

Former long-serving New South Wales Premier Neville Wran, has died aged 87. Source: AAP

AUSTRALIAN Labor has lost a "giant" with the death of Neville Wran, who led NSW as premier for a decade.

Mr Wran, 87, died with his family by his bedside just before 6pm on Sunday at the Lulworth House nursing home in Sydney's eastern suburbs, where he had been in care for the past two years.

He suffered from dementia.

"This is of course a very sad time for us all, but in fact a blessed release for Neville," his wife, Jill Hickson, said in a statement to AAP.

"Dementia is a cruel fate and I have been grieving the loss that comes with it for some years.

"But I hope now, especially in this political climate, people will join me in celebrating the life of a great man, a true political hero."

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the Australian Labor Party had lost a giant.

"Few are made as tough, as smart and as honourable as Neville Wran," he said.

"After 1975, the Wranslides helped rebuild Labor in New South Wales and nationally. It was Neville who kept the light on the hill burning bright."

Mr Wran was a decent man of the utmost integrity, he said.

Liberal Mike Baird, who became NSW Premier last week, said he was deeply saddened and described Mr Wran as a towering figure in the NSW Labor Party and in the state during the 1970s and '80s.

Federal Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Mr Wran was a dear friend, great business partner and mentor.

"We send our love and condolences to his family especially Jill, his wife, and his children Kim, Glenn, Harriet and Hugo," he said.

"He was a true believer, a doer, a reformer and a builder.

"There was nobody better to have on your side in a crisis than Neville - a remarkable combination of sagacity and solidarity."

Bob Carr, who surpassed Mr Wran's record for the longest continuous service as NSW premier, said Mr Wran set a template for successful Labor leaders, including prime ministers Bob Hawke and Paul Keating.

"He was a master politician," Mr Carr told Sky News.

"He presented a model of stable state government that had a big impact on future Labor governments that followed his."

Barry O'Farrell, who last week stood down as NSW premier, tweeted: "Sad news. Neville Wran helped build NSW including initiating our sister-state relationship with China's Guangdong province in 1979."

Mr Wran led the Labor government in NSW from May 1976 to July 1986, before dramatically announcing his resignation to a shocked Labor conference.

He was a successful lawyer before entering parliament in the Legislative Council in 1970. He moved to the lower house in 1973 before becoming Labor leader.

In 1976, he led Labor to government in a tight election, forming government after a 10-day wait, with the support of an independent.

Mr Wran and his government were involved in damaging scandals.

In 1983, he stepped aside while a royal commission examined allegations he'd tried to influence a magistrate over a misappropriation hearing against rugby league boss Kevin Humphreys. He was cleared.

Prisons minister Rex Jackson was jailed for selling early releases and chief magistrate Murray Farquhar was jailed for perverting the course of justice. Senior police were caught up in corruption scandals.

Mr Wran was fined $25,000 for contempt of court after declaring his belief in the innocence of his old friend Lionel Murphy, the High Court judge facing a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

After politics, Mr Wran had success in the business world, including running a merchant bank with Mr Turnbull.

Mr Wran was married twice, first to Marcia Oliver, whose son he adopted before they had two more children, and then to Ms Hickson, with whom he had two children.

He was put into care as dementia took hold two years ago.

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Rush to play composer Lionel Bart

GEOFFREY Rush has reportedly signed up to star in a movie musical based on the life of celebrated Oliver! composer Lionel Bart.

The Australian star will portray the music maestro, who created the score and lyrics for the hit Oliver Twist stage show, in a new film by director Vadim Jean, according to Britain's Daily Mail newspaper.

The movie will feature some of Bart's most famous works and tell the story of his rise to fame.

Jean says: "It's a full-blown musical, and we're using versions of his songs in ways that you've never heard before ... The idea is to place the songs - some very well-known, others less so - into situations that help tell his story."

Rush will play Bart in his later years.

During his career, Bart also wrote a number of hit pop songs, including Sir Cliff Richard's Living Doll and the theme song for 1963 James Bond film From Russia with Love. He died in 1999 aged 68.

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Online lover kills woman after meeting her

A 22-YEAR-OLD man shot dead a woman he had befriended online and then shot himself after discovering she had misled him about her age and marital status, police in India say.

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