Detention centre could save Nhulunbuy

AN immigration detention centre or a defence facility may be part of a contingency plan to save the outback town of Nhulunbuy as crunch time for its future approaches.

A representative of mining giant Rio Tinto suggested scenarios for the town's survival at a meeting on Monday night, including a new detention centre or a defence installation, people who attended the gathering said.

The miner did not reveal any concrete plans.

Residents in Nhulunbuy, a town of about 4000 people in eastern Arnhem Land, are waiting anxiously to learn whether Rio Tinto will continue the local operations of its subsidiary Pacific Aluminium.

The huge alumina refinery and mine at Gove employ about 1400 people, nearly all of whom live in Nhulunbuy.

A downturn in alumina prices and the high cost of powering the remote plant, which runs on diesel that is shipped in, have pushed it into a loss-making position.

The NT government has been trying to arrange for a $900 million gas pipeline 600km long to be built to serve the operation.

The pipeline has been criticised as a bid by Australia's second largest resources company to blackmail the government into acting to give it cheaper power.

A spokesman for Pacific Aluminium said that interpretation was wrong, that the company would pay for the pipeline's construction but the federal government would underwrite the project.

"We would pay for the pipeline through a transportation tariff. We are not seeking any handout," he said.

Rio Tinto has set a deadline of January 31 for a decision on the future of the site.

It could decide to mothball the Gove operation until prices pick up, or close it permanently if the cheap power from the gas line isn't made available.

Ross Theedom, town administrator for Nhulunbuy Corporation Ltd that runs the town, confirmed a detention centre or defence installation were discussed at the meeting.

He said he was hopeful the gas line would be built though.

"Not a lot has been talked about in terms of the contingency, but they were looking at all sorts of projects," Dr Theedom said.

A small detention centre for illegal immigrants is currently located at the town.

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BOC Aviation to order 50 Airbus aircraft

CHINA-OWNED plane-leasing company BOC Aviation says it has ordered 50 Airbus aircraft of the A320 family, including 25 of the more fuel-efficient "neos".

The statement on Tuesday did not disclose the amount of the transaction, but price tags in the 2012 catalogue ranged from $US4.41 billion ($A4.19 billion) for 50 classic A320s to $US5.66 billion for 50 A321neos.

BOC Aviation said an announcement on the exact make-up of the order, which is scheduled for delivery between the second half of 2014 and the end of 2019, would be made later.

The order was the first by BOC Aviation for Airbus's new engine option.

Robert Martin, BOC Aviation's managing director and chief executive officer, said the firm was keen to offer its clients the latest energy efficient aircraft, explaining the presence of the new neo engine option in the order.

BOC Aviation, which is owned by the Bank of China, owns or manages 203 aircraft operated by airlines worldwide with another 100 planes on order.

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Government grants to help Tas fire victims

AS Tasmania's bushfire victims try to piece their lives together after the devastating fires, the federal and state governments announced grants to help with the massive clean-up and rebuilding.

Up to $25,000 will be available to eligible small businesses, not-for-profit organisations and primary producers in the Sorell, Tasman and Glamorgan/Spring Bay local government areas in an effort to get businesses back on their feet as quickly as possible,

Tasmanian Bushfires Recovery Taskforce co-ordinator Michael Stevens says there is a wide range of assistance payments and programs available.

"We believe some people may be unclear about their eligibility for grants and other forms of assistance so we're urging them to visit the websites and talk to the Bushfire Recovery Unit and other departments about what is available," Mr Stevens said.

The grants include temporary living assistance of up to $8875 over a maximum period of six months to assist with living expenses and an essential household goods grants of up to $5600 per household (plus $500 per additional household member up to a maximum of $8875) for costs not covered by insurance.

Mr Stevens said the state government is bearing the cost of the clean-up of homes and other structures destroyed by bushfires.

People should register and request a consent form to participate in the clean-up.

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Life on the run ends for celebrity pigs

IT'S the tale of three little pigs, and it's kept Darwin enthralled.

Last Wednesday police in the Northern Territory warned motorists that "wild boars" were causing a nuisance along one of Darwin's busiest roads.

Apparently the animals were near a McDonalds and creating a traffic hazard.

People took to Facebook to say they had seen them wandering around town for weeks, and the pigs - actually piglets - became mini-celebrities.

Some clever investigating tracked down their home, which wasn't made from bricks, sticks or straw. They'd escaped from the Minmarama indigenous community.

As the pigs' notoriety grew, police, much to their embarrassment, repeatedly tried to apprehend them without success.

Some suggested drugging their food supply, while others favoured employing crossbows or hunting dogs as a way of eradicating them before they grew into dangerous boars.

The animals consistently gave police the slip, though, despite reports from residents who had sighted them racing around a golf course and along roads.

Some people said the little guys had come forward for a pat before scurrying off.

"Pig chasing was not a topic taught at the police college, as it became obvious this afternoon," said Senior Sergeant Garry Smith at the height of the chase last week.

But for two of the pigs, their life on the run ended at the weekend when officers cornered them in a safe area at a reserve and opened fire.

One of the surviving critters really did go all the way home after the shooting.

His owner, Davina Kenyon, has told the NT News he may be sent to exile to Humpty Doo.

"There is not much I can do. I am sad," she said.

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Shots fired at Greek party headquarters

SHOTS have been fired at the headquarters of main Greek ruling party New Democracy in Athens, with one of the bullets penetrating the office of Prime Minister Antonis Samaras.

Two men fired at the building located on a busy Athens highway at around 2.30am (1130 AEDT) on Monday, police said. No one was injured.

A window was pierced on the side of the building, an AFP photographer said, and a bullet was found in Samaras' office, according to government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou.

"A symbolic bullet for the prime minister, this is unheard of," Kedikoglou told state television NET.

"We will not let them terrorise us," he said. "The government will do what is required to protect democracy."

Police forensic teams collected nine Kalashnikov assault rifle casings from the scene and were investigating a stolen car believed to have been used in the attack which was later found burnt in a neighbouring district.

Early on Saturday, two district offices belonging to the conservative New Democracy party were hit by an arson attack, while an office of the socialist party Pasok, a partner in the ruling coalition, had its front windows smashed.

This came after similar arson attacks against the homes of five Greek journalists early on Friday that caused material damage but no casualties.

On Sunday, the home of the brother of the government spokesman was also targeted in an arson attack.

The burst of violence is believed to be linked to recent police operations against squatters in public buildings that has sparked tension with the main opposition radical leftist party Syriza.

A large protest over the issue was held in Athens over the weekend.

The coalition government has introduced additional austerity measures in the recession-weary nation to secure continued access to EU-IMF bailout loans.

Last week it bolstered taxation legislation, and additional reforms are due to be voted on in parliament late on Monday.

Kedikoglou said the violence "undermines our economy at a critical juncture".

Friday's arson attacks were claimed by two previously unknown groups - Fighting Minority and Circles of Offenders/Nuclei of Lawlessness Lovers - who described the media as "the official representation of the system".

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Fallen Vic firefighter was 30-year veteran

HIGHLY experienced and passionate about firefighting, Victorian firefighter Peter Cramer died doing what he'd devoted half his life to.

The 61-year-old, from Tyers in Victoria's Gippsland region, was one of more than 70 Victorian emergency services workers sent to Tasmania on Thursday to help fight the state's devastating fires, which have destroyed more than 130 homes since January 4.

Mr Cramer died on Sunday at Taranna, east of Hobart, while working on foot to identify potential containment lines on the southern boundary of the Forcett fire, about 2-3 kilometres from the active fire edge.

He was to have returned home on Tuesday, but was found dead at 5pm (AEDT) on a bush track after he failed to make a scheduled call-in.

Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) chief fire officer Alan Goodwin said Mr Cramer had been a DSE firefighter for more than 30 years and a CFA volunteer for more than two decades.

A well respected firefighter, he was a DSE training co-ordinator who also volunteered his time to train CFA volunteers.

"As training co-ordinator he loved teaching and passing on his knowledge and had a passion for fire and land management," Mr Goodwin told reporters in Melbourne on Monday.

His wife Julie and family remembered him as a "tremendous husband, father, brother and mate" who loved helping people.

"We knew that firefighters were his second family," a family statement said.

"Peter truly believed his work made a difference to the community. He was a truly dedicated firefighter."

They also remembered a man with a great sense of humour and larrikin charm who was known for his cheeky smile and kind words.

Mr Goodwin first met Mr Cramer on a deployment to the US in 2003, which his family said was a career highlight.

"He was always fun, he greeted you with a smile and a solid handshake, and that's how I will remember him," Mr Goodwin said, echoing the family's sentiments.

Mr Goodwin said the cause of death was unknown and Mr Cramer had recently passed a fitness test.

"Certainly all our firefighters that we send away, all our firefighters go through our fit-for-fire program, through medical testing and so forth, and Peter was certainly part of that," he said.

David Hamilton, president of the United Firefighters Union Victorian branch, said Mr Cramer's death highlighted the strenuous conditions and mental and physical demands placed on firefighters.

"These things can always be done better, and if, unfortunately, these high dangers and situations are occurring, I think the agencies and government probably should look at managing it better or increasing firefighter numbers," Mr Hamilton said.

Fire Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley said losing a firefighter came as a shock.

"To lose someone in active duty is something you don't plan for," he said.

"We take our caps off to what Peter has done in three decades of service to Victoria through firefighting."

A CFA spokesman said Mr Cramer was well known and well regarded in the Gippsland region and his colleagues at Swifts Creek and Tyers, where he was a member, were devastated by the news.

Mr Cramer would volunteer his time to work with "dozens and dozens and dozens" of new recruits, he said.

"He was a pretty remarkable person," the spokesman said.

The Tasmanian and Victorian premiers have sent their condolences to his family.

Julie Cramer said her husband was a fun-loving guy who was her soulmate and would be missed terribly.

"We respect Pete's wishes when he goes out. He enjoys doing it, helping other people, and we just wait for him to come home," she told the Seven Network.

Friend Kevin Giblin said he, Mrs Cramer and Mr Cramer's son had headed to Tasmania "to bring him home".

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Narelle no longer a threat to WA towns

SEVERE Tropical Cyclone Narelle is no longer a threat to West Australian communities but residents have been warned to avoid potential hazards caused by storm damage.

The all clear has been given to the state's north in and near Exmouth and Coral Bay.

However, Coral Bay residents should remain cautious with strong winds still impacting the area.

The Bureau of Meteorology said at 2.30pm (WST) on Sunday the category three cyclone was about 355km west of Exmouth and 440km northwest of Carnarvon, and moving south southwest at 14km/h.

It is expected to continue south southwest and not come closer to the coast before weakening.

The bureau says the cyclone is also unlikely to produce gales on the coast, although a severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Sunday afternoon and evening for parts of the Gascoyne and Central West districts, including coastal areas between Cape Cuvier and Northampton.

Tides along the west Pilbara coast and down the west coast are likely to rise above the normal high tide mark with flooding of low lying coastal areas possible, the bureau said.

Road users have been advised gusty winds, thunderstorm activity and high tides may affect driving conditions, and road conditions could change.

"Please approach all floodways with extreme caution, obey road closure signs and do not drive into water of unknown depth and current," the State Emergency Service advises.

"If driving through heavy rain, please slow down and turn your lights on, or if visibility becomes poor, pull over and park until it passes."

Authorities said there was no damage to homes or other infrastructure during the cyclone threat.

Incident management teams in Karratha and Carnarvon have both begun demobilising.

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Tas fire crews dig in ahead of Thursday

Police are planning to reopen the Arthur Highway on the bushfire-ravaged Tasman Peninsular. Source: AAP

TASMANIAN fire crews have made solid progress on consolidating containment lines around bushfires still burning ahead of higher fire danger conditions forecast for Thursday.

Tasmania Fire Service spokeswoman Shannon Fox said the watch and act message for the uncontained 24,040-hectare blaze at Forcett would be reviewed later on Sunday.

Firefighters had been strengthening containment lines around Bream Creek and Marion Bay and also at Lagoon Bay, but had to eventually pull out due to increased winds, she said.

"In Taranna, we've got a good, strong containment line in but we're working on looking after some hot spots that are within the already burnt out areas," she told AAP.

"What we are really trying to do is be prepared for Thursday when we expect fire danger ratings to increase again."

At Lake Repulse, fire crews consolidated containment lines to the south of Brown Mountain and New Zealand firefighters worked on containment lines at the Broad River Valley, Ms Fox said.

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Six arrested in new India bus gang-rape

Six men have been held over the rape of a passenger on a coach in northern India, police say. Source: AAP

SIX men have been arrested over the rape of a passenger on a coach in India, police say, weeks after the gang-rape and murder of a student on a bus in New Delhi sparked nationwide protests.

The victim had boarded the service to her in-laws' home in the northern state of Punjab when she was abducted and driven to a house in a district bordering the city of Amritsar, local police officer Raj Jeet Singh said on Sunday.

Five men joined the driver and conductor and took turns to rape the victim before dropping her off near her in-laws' village on Saturday morning, he said.

"Six men have been arrested on allegations of having raped a 29-year-old woman ... after forcibly taking her to an unknown location on the night of January 11," the policeman told AFP, adding that a seventh suspect was being hunted.

The attack echoes the December 16 gang-rape and murder of a 23-year-old student in Delhi, with five men on trial in the case, which has fuelled anger across India over the treatment of women.

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US man has been found years being abducted

A boy who was abducted 19 years ago has been found living in Minnesota under a different name. Source: AAP

A MAN who was abducted his paternal grandparents 19 years ago when he was five years old has been found living in Minnesota under a different name.

Richard Wayne Landers Jr was five years old when he and his grandparents, who were upset over custody arrangements, disappeared from the town of Wolcottville.

Indiana State Police say the now 24-year-old Landers was found in Long Prairie, Minnesota, thanks in part to his Social Security identification number.

His grandparents were living under aliases in a nearby town and confirmed his identity, investigators said. Police declined to say whether the couple would face charges, citing the ongoing investigation.

Landers' mother, Lisa Harter, screamed and was "jumping up and down for joy" when she learned a few days ago that her son had been found, her husband Richard Harter told The Associated Press in a telephone interview on Thursday. He said his wife is "the happiest woman on earth".

Harter said he and his wife were working with an attorney and hoped to reunite with his stepson soon. Police said Landers is married and expecting his first child.

Harter declined further comment and referred questions about the case to his attorney, who didn't immediately return phone messages on Thursday. Investigators declined to release the names under which Landers and his grandparents had been living.

Police said the boy's paternal grandparents, Richard and Ruth Landers, abducted him in July 1994 because they were "upset over pending court proceedings" regarding his placement.

Police said it appears the boy's father was never in the picture. Lisa and Richard Harter had married a year earlier.

Authorities believe the grandparents took the boy from their home in Wolcottville and fled. They were charged at the time with misdemeanour interference with custody, which was bumped up to a felony in 1999. But the charge was dismissed in 2008 after the case went cold.

Investigators reopened the case in September when Richard Harter turned over the boy's Social Security card to an Indiana State Police detective.

That turned up a man with the same Social Security number and date of birth living in Long Prairie, Minnesota. A driver's licence photo for the man appeared to resemble Landers, police said.

The grandparents were found living under aliases in nearby Browerville, Minnesota, and verified the Minnesota man was Landers.

"By all accounts, it didn't appear he suffered from any abuse, either physical or mental," Galaviz said.

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