14 killed after Egypt soccer verdict

FOURTEEN people have been killed in riots outside the main prison in Port Said following a controversial verdict related to one of the world's deadliest incidents of soccer violence.

Two police were shot dead outside the prison when angry relatives tried to storm the facility to free the defendants on trial, 21 of whom were earlier sentenced to death.

The death toll has risen to 14 after the clash, in which police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the crowd outside the prison.

At least 75 people were injured.

Egyptian security officials say the military is being deployed to the city.

Port Said residents also cut off the main road leading to the city.

Officials spoke anonymously in line with regulations.

Earlier in the courtroom, families of the deceased wailed and raised their hands in the air shouting "Allahu Akbar", Arabic for "God is great".

The judge said in his statement read live on state TV that he would announce the verdict for the remaining 52 defendants on March 9.

Among those on trial are nine security officials.

The soccer melee on February 1, 2012 between Port Said's Al-Masry fans and Cairo's Al-Ahly fans was the world's deadliest soccer violence in 15 years, killing 74 people.

As is customary in Egypt, the death sentences will be sent to a top religious authority, the Grand Mufti, for approval.

20.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

Cassar-Daley dominates Golden Guitars

Country music fans have marked Australia Day at the annual Tamworth Country Music Festival. Source: AAP

THOUSANDS of country music fans have kicked off their Australia Day celebrations at the annual Tamworth Country Music Festival cavalcade.

Donning Australian T-shirts and waving flags, fans lined Tamworth's iconic Peel Street to catch a glimpse of their favourite stars on the back of utes and semi-trailers.

Lee Kernaghan, Beccy Cole and Troy Cassar-Daley were among the celebrities who travelled on the more than 80 floats and cars meandering down the main drag.

A caravan of camels dressed in Australian flags and carrying guitar-playing locals also joined in the procession.

The cavalcade marks the start of a big day of Australia Day celebrations in Tamworth, including an Australia Day concert in Bicentennial Park.

On Saturday night, some of country music's biggest names will walk the red carpet at this year's Country Music Awards of Australia (CMAA).

Catherine Britt and Troy Cassar-Daley are among 13 acts who will take to the stage at country music's night of nights.

Both artists are also nominated for seven awards each.

The CMAAs mark the conclusion of the 10-day Tamworth Country Music Festival.

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Troy Cassar-Daley humbled by awards haul

TROY Cassar-Daley has a big place in his heart for the Golden Guitars.

When he inspected the flood-ravaged basement of his Queensland farmhouse the first item he salvaged was one of the statuettes.

He also dragged out a banjo, given by his wife Laurel, upon which he would later write award-winning songs, but even that didn't match the relief of accounting for his collection.

"The award was for a song called Born To Survive so it couldn't have been a more fitting one to find," recalled Cassar-Daley.

"I didn't even have the heart to wipe off all the mud properly just so that I'd be reminded about that moment forever.

"I was more worried about finding that award than our car."

While "cooler" musicians play down the significance of awards in the context of their art, Cassar-Daley has been gratefully receiving Australia's greatest country music accolade since 1996.

The prolific singer-songwriter has 25 Golden Guitars after winning four more at the CMAA Awards, the finale to this year's Tamworth Music Festival.

The latest haul, including best male, song, and album of the year, moves him level with John Williamson as the third most celebrated artist in CMAA history.

"Winning awards is nothing to be scoffed at but I always get embarrassed when there's that many to tell you the truth," Cassar-Daley said before Saturday's ceremony.

"You find yourself running out of people to thank but I'm always grateful for each one."

Fortunately for Australian country music fans, Cassar-Daley has not been running out of things to say on record.

Over 10 albums, the 43-year-old singer has been moving closer to the heights he sets in emulating the songwriting prowess of his idols Slim Dusty and Merle Haggard.

His musicianship was never in question but his lyrics have sharpened.

"I've always prided myself as a musician more than a singer or lyricist so there's always been room to grow.

"When you're learning you've got to be living so I'm continually trying to express myself in different ways."

Cassar-Daley's latest album Home, recorded last year, was a direct response to the 2010-2011 floods that claimed lives, livestock, livelihoods and homes.

Songs such as The River Runs and Country Is were directly inspired by the disaster, and Cassar-Daley was determined his sympathies would not only be conveyed through song.

He went on tour to entertain flood victims, on occasions requiring a boat to reach flood-affected areas, and held a number of benefit concerts including one for a family who could not afford to bury their baby son.

Despite having to rescue his own property, Cassar-Daley's attentions were concerned at the people around him.

"We only spend half of our time at the farm but for the people around us it was their absolute home," he said.

"To me the album was a chance to re-evaluate the meaning of home and talk about the importance of family. I took it for granted until I saw how disaster can affect entire communities."

Born to Maltese-Australian father and an Aboriginal mother, Cassar-Daley grew up in Grafton with a guitar in hand.

He started busking on the streets of Tamworth at 11 under the wing of his uncle Jimmy, a "one-man PR machine" who badgered the big artists of the day like Jimmy Little to give him a break.

He honed his songwriting skills on a seven-month tour with Brian Young before returning home and replacing James Blundell as frontman of The Blue Heeler Band.

After going solo, his debut album Dream Out Loud scooped the 1995 ARIA for best country record and a year later he won a first Golden Guitar.

Cassar-Daley hopes to win more.

"I never stop writing and I'm always looking forward but I have to be inspired before I write an album. There's got to be a reason behind it."

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Fire rips through Hobart's Queens Domain

A LARGE fire is spreading from hilly bushland just northeast of Hobart's CBD.

The fire was moving uphill from the northeast side of the Queens Domain, fanned by strong winds, Tasmania Police said at 10.30pm (AEDT) on Thursday.

Motorists are being urged to avoid the area and be mindful of police directions and firefighting operations.

Authorities say no buildings are currently threatened.

The blaze has so far consumed around five hectares of long, dry grass at a city council reserve next to the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, with at least 14 crews battling to bring it under control, a Tasmania Fire Service (TFS) spokesman said.

"It's quite visual with everybody around Hobart, (but) it's not threatening any properties," he told AAP.

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Spainish newspaper sorry for Chavez bungle

A TOP Spanish newspaper has apologised after publishing a front-page photograph supposedly of ailing Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in his hospital bed, and then discovering the patient was someone else.

El Pais, Spain's best selling newspaper and one of the most influential in the Spanish-speaking world, said Thursday's issue of the newspaper was recalled and the photograph remained on its online site for about half an hour. Some copies of paper were sold before distribution was halted.

The dramatic photograph, which claimed to show Chavez lying in a Cuban hospital after his cancer operation with tubes emerging from his mouth, sparked a furious reaction from Venezuela.

"It is as grotesque as it is false," Venezuelan Information Minister Ernesto Villegas said in a comment on his official Twitter account. The photograph was actually taken from a video of an operation posted on YouTube, he said.

"El Pais apologises to its readers for the harm caused. The newspaper has opened an investigation to determine the circumstances of what happened and the errors that may have been committed in verifying the photograph."

El Pais said it received the photo from the Gtres Online news agency, which claimed the image was of the Venezuelan leader.

It stressed that the caption on the photograph had emphasised that El Pais was unable to independently verify the circumstances, the place and date of the photograph.

El Pais said print editions of the newspaper could be unavailable to readers because of the interruption to distribution.

Chavez, who has been convalescing in Cuba since his fourth round of cancer surgery, has not been seen in public since December 10 and official information about his health has been sketchy.

The Venezuelan leader was too ill to attend his scheduled inauguration on January 10, but in recent days officials have said he has been making encouraging progress.

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Amgen 4Q profit falls on higher spending

DRUGMAKER Amgen Inc has posted a 16 per cent drop in fourth-quarter profit, as higher costs for production, marketing, research and other items offset higher sales for many of its biologic medicines.

The results fell a bit short of Wall Street expectations.

The world's biggest biotech company said net income was $US788 million ($A750 million), or $US1.01 per share, for the three months ended December 31. That was down from $US934 million, or $US1.08 a share, a year earlier.

Excluding one-time items, net income would have been $US1.40 per share. That's four cents less than analysts expected, on average, according to research provider FactSet.

In after-hours trading, Amgen shares fell 24 cents to $US82.83. They had fallen 22 cents in the regular session before the results were released.

The maker of anemia treatments Aranesp and Epogen said revenue rose 11 per cent to $US4.42 billion. Analysts predicted sales of $US4.37 billion.

"Overall, I would say it was a fine quarter," Edward Jones analyst Judson Clark said. "It was not remarkable."

Clark said the higher expenses generally seemed "legitimate", such as a nine per cent jump in spending on research and development as a half-dozen experimental drugs are in, or about to start, expensive late-stage patient testing.

Company executives told analysts on a conference call on Wednesday that they have increased ads targeting consumers for some existing medicines, or plan to do so.

Amgen also has increased the sales force for immune disorder treatment Enbrel, one of its top money makers.

A partnership, under which Amgen sells the drug in the US and Pfizer Inc. sells it in other countries, is going to wind down, with Amgen likely handling all the marketing eventually.

Clark said Pfizer was switching its focus to its own competing drug, Xeljanz, which was approved for treating rheumatoid arthritis in November.

In addition, Amgen last month agreed to pay $US762 million to resolve federal criminal and civil liability over its marketing of some drugs for unapproved uses.

Amgen's sales were led by Enbrel, up 23 per cent from the 2011 quarter to $US1.16 billion, and Neulasta and Neupogen for fighting infection in cancer patients. They had a combined $US1.31 billion in sales, down one per cent.

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Pope prays for victims of Jakarta floods

POPE Benedict XVI has offered his prayers to the victims of floods in Indonesia's capital Jakarta and said "no one should go without the necessary aid".

The 85-year-old pope said during his weekly general audience on Wednesday: "I have been following with preoccupation the news from Indonesia where a large flood has devastated Jakarta, leaving in its wake victims, thousands without shelter and significant damage,"

"I wish to express my closeness to the populations hit by this natural calamity, assuring them my prayers and encouraging solidarity so that no-one should go without the necessary aid," he said in front of some 2,000 faithful gathered at the Vatican.

At least 15 people were killed last week by the floods, which forced 18,000 people from their homes and were the worst to hit the capital since 2007.

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Indian panel gets tough on women's safety

AN Indian government panel has recommended the strict enforcement of sexual assault laws, a commitment to speedy rape trials and an overhaul of the country's antiquated penal code.

The three-member panel received more than 80,000 idea submissions in the month since it was set up by the government to help quell street protests and demands for reform sparked by the fatal gang-rape of a student.

The panel on Wednesday recommended that police and other officials who fail to act against crimes against women be punished.

It called for a crack down on dowry payments to enhance women's status, since families are often forced into massive debt to get their daughters married.

It also suggested the government appoint more judges to lessen the backlog of cases and ensure swift justice. It called for updating the law to outlaw acts such as voyeurism, stalking and other crimes against women.

"We hope the parliament will take the legislative suggestions given by the committee," and translate these into law, said retired Chief Justice JS Verma, who headed the panel.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's office had no immediate comment about what it would do with the recommendations.

Verma advocated for strict punishment to prevent sexual harassment and assaults against women and sought reforms in how police treat rape victims.

He called for speedy justice and the setting of a time frame to deal with cases of crimes against women.

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Alan Parker to get BAFTA's highest honour

ALAN Parker, the lauded British director whose work includes Midnight Express, Fame and Mississippi Burning, is to receive the British Academy Film Awards' highest honour.

The academy announced on Wednesday that the 68-year-old will collect the BAFTA Fellowship at a London ceremony next month.

While known for being outspoken, Parker says he'll be "gracious and thankful" on the big night, rather than political.

He tells The Associated Press, "you always worry, does that mean the end of my career, when you get this kind of thing - but it's very nice."

The BAFTA winner and Oscar nominee's other films include Bugsy Malone, The Commitments and Evita.

Previous fellowship recipients include Charlie Chaplin, Alfred Hitchcock and Elizabeth Taylor.

The BAFTA Film Awards take place on February 10 at London's Royal Opera House.

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Bolshoi chief undergoes plastic surgery

THE Bolshoi ballet's artistic director has undergone successful plastic surgery following an acid attack that left the former dancer barely able to see the fingers on his hand.

Doctors said Sergei Filin was receiving family visits on Tuesday after undergoing a high-tech procedure to remove lesions from the third-degree burns to the face.

He was attacked outside his home on Thursday night.

"The operation was a success," the Moscow city health department said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies.

The violent incident shook the global artistic community and cast a spotlight on rivalries raging between superstars of the 237-year-old institution - one of Russia's most prominent brands.

Police have since spoken to several Bolshoi staff members as they sift through allegations that the attack was triggered by either personal rivalries or criminals with links to the globetrotting troupe.

Filin - a principal dancer before moving into the artistic management side - said in his first detailed post-attack interview that he had felt threatened for several weeks.

"I associate what happened with my work," Filin told the mass-circulation Komsomolskaya Pravda daily.

"The only thing I blame myself for is carelessness," he added. "I should have told the media about the threats right away, before New Year."

Friends said that Filin had told them about his car tyres being slashed and his social media account being hacked - and its explicit content republished - within the past few weeks.

Filin named no suspects in the interview while hinting darkly that he knew where the trouble was coming from.

Doctors said the hooded assailant threw the sulphuric acid cocktail on the right side of Filin's face.

As a result, the former dancer has begun recovering his vision first in his left eye, while his right could barely distinguish between shadows of dark and light.

"My eyes worry me the most," Filin said in the interview.

Doctors said Monday they hoped to restore Filin's vision in at least his left eye while ruling out the possibility of his travelling abroad for treatment because of his weakened state.

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