Kylie gears up for a special Sydney NYE

POP princess Kylie Minogue will meet with Sydney New Year's Eve planners to put the finishing touches on plans for the big night.

As creative ambassador for the event in 2012, the UK-based singer developed the event's theme "embrace" and chose its colour scheme and soundtrack.

She arrived in Sydney early on Friday, and will meet with New Year's Eve organisers on Saturday afternoon.

Minogue told reporters on Saturday she was jet-lagged, but excited to be welcoming the new year from Sydney streets.

"It's so exciting to be seeing signage in the streets. I keep telling anyone who'll listen: 'Look! Look up there!'" she said.

"I can't wait."

She said she designed the New Year's Eve "embrace" theme to mean different things to different people - but for her, it means sharing a big hug with that special someone.

Asked who or what she would be embracing during the midnight countdown on Monday, the star did not hesitate.

"My boyfriend, firstly," she said.

"And I have some family coming up for New Year's Eve.

"I love the concept of embrace. It can mean so many different things, and I'm looking forward to embracing new possibilities for the next year."

Event producer Aneurin Coffey said Minogue had been a hands-on creative ambassador.

"She's been a lot more involved than we expected," he told reporters on Friday.

"When you actually get someone like Kylie on board, you never know quite what you're going to get, but she was absolutely ecstatic to be involved."

She will be honoured with a one-of-a-kind sparkling musical note firework.

The semiquaver will be one of 100,000 individual pyrotechnic creations this year, including brand new koala, octopus and hand images up in lights.

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Australia won't monitor Japanese whaling

The Australian government has vowed to continue its fight against Japan's whaling. Source: AAP

AUSTRALIA will take diplomatic action to encourage Japan to drop its "scientific whaling" program, amid reports the Japanese fleet has begun its journey south.

Environment Minister Tony Burke has restated the government's strong opposition to Japan's whaling expeditions and dismissed Japanese claims that the program is for scientific research.

"There is nothing scientific about going out and chasing whales, aiming a harpoon at them, so that you can pull them in and chop them up for food," Mr Burke told reporters in Sydney on Saturday.

Australia would lobby Japan to respect a moratorium on whaling in the Southern Ocean, taking "all diplomatic action that a government can take", he said.

But Mr Burke said the government would not respond to coalition calls for a customs vessel to be sent to the Southern Ocean to monitor the annual whale hunt.

"The information that we have on the way Japan has alternated this each year is that in all likelihood they'll be in the New Zealand search-and-rescue zone anyway," he said.

Opposition environment spokesman Greg Hunt on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Julia Gillard saying it was vital an Australian vessel be present in case of any clashes between Japanese whalers and the anti-hunt group Sea Shepherd.

"There is a real risk of conflict or collision causing injury, death or a major environmental spill in the event of a sinking," Mr Hunt said.

Greens acting leader Adam Bandt says the government should seek a court injunction to stop the whaling.

"The government says it wants to do something about it and has commenced proceedings in the court, but it hasn't done the simple thing that would actually stop the whaling, and that is go off and seek an injunction," Mr Bandt told reporters in Melbourne.

The Australian government started legal proceedings at the International Court of Justice in May 2010.

Both Australia and Japan have filed their detailed written arguments to the court and the case has been set down for oral hearing at The Hague, probably next year.

Attorney-General Nicola Roxon said the decision to start legal proceedings was not taken lightly.

"The Australian government considers Japan's whaling program is contrary to its international obligations and should stop," Ms Roxon said.

Citing the Fisheries Agency, Kyodo News reported on Friday three vessels had left from the far-western port of Shimonoseki, while environmental group Greenpeace said the mother ship had left another port, also in the country's west.

The fleet plans to hunt up to 935 Antarctic minke whales and up to 50 fin whales through March, the fisheries agency said earlier.

The Australian government had not yet received official confirmation that Japan's annual whaling hunt was beginning, and did not expect to.

"Last year there was no stage when the Japanese government actually confirmed its whaling fleet was heading south," Mr Burke said.

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Apple must pay on copyright: Chinese court

A CHINESE court has ordered Apple Inc to pay 1.03 million yuan ($A159,740) to eight Chinese writers and two companies who say unlicensed copies of their work were distributed through Apple's online store.

The Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People's Court ruled on Thursday that Apple violated the writers' copyrights by allowing applications containing their work to be distributed through its App Store, according to an official who answered the phone at the court and said he was the judge in the case.

He refused to give his name, as is common among Chinese officials.

The award was less than the 12 million yuan ($A1.84 million) sought by the authors.

The case grouped together eight lawsuits filed by them and their publishers.

An Apple spokeswoman, Carolyn Wu, said the company's managers "take copyright infringement complaints very seriously".

She declined to say whether the company would appeal.

Unlicensed copying of books, music, software and other products is widespread in China despite repeated government promises to stamp out violations.

Apple's agreement with application developers requires them to confirm they have obtained rights to material distributed through the company's App Store.

"We're always updating our service to better assist content owners in protecting their rights," Wu said.

The Chinese writers said they saw applications containing unlicensed versions of their books last year.

In November, a court ordered Apple to pay 520,000 yuan to the Encyclopedia of China Publishing House for copyright infringement in a separate case.

Apple is appealing, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

In the latest case, the Beijing court awarded 605,000 yuan to one company and 21,500 yuan to the second, according to the court official.

The biggest individual judgment went to writer Han Ailian, who was awarded 186,000 yuan.

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Leighton wins two LNG contracts

LEIGHTON Holdings has secured $1.2 billion worth of contracts linked to the $34 billion Ichthys liquefied natural gas project in Darwin.

The first contract, worth $923 million, is to build infrastructure such as roads, foundations and trenches, at Blaydin Point for Ichthys' onshore facilities.

Construction is due to start in May and be completed by July 2016, Leighton's wholly-owned subsidiary Leighton Contractors said in a statement on Friday.

It is the third project Leighton had won for Ichthys' onshore processing site.

Separately, the company said it had clinched a $280 million operations and maintenance contract for Blaydin Point's temporary facilities.

Leighton Contractors will operate and maintain services for all temporary site facilities, including power supply, water treatment plants and pest control, for more than four years during the construction phase.

The temporary facilities were currently being built by Leighton Contractors' infrastructure division.

"We see the LNG and coal seam methane markets offering significant opportunities for the Leighton Group, which has developed a high degree of competency in delivering essential infrastructure for large resources projects," Leighton chief executive Hamish Tyrwhitt said.

The Ichthys gas field lies about 200kms off the West Australian coast.

It is expected to produce 8.4 million tonnes of LNG and 1.6 million tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas a year.

Gas will be piped from the Ichthys field to Darwin, about 900km away, for processing and shipping.

Leighton shares were cents at $17.96.

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Tropical storm kills five in Philippines

At least Five people are dead after Tropical Storm Wukong hit the Philippines, officials say. Source: AAP

FIVE people have died and three are missing after tropical storm Wukong hit the central Philippines, following devastating Typhoon Bopha that killed hundreds earlier this month, officials say.

The toll from the latest storm was relatively low as the public, alarmed by the huge number of fatalities caused by Bopha, were quick to take precautionary measures, regional civil defence officer Maria Nogra told AFP.

"It's the awareness of the people regarding disasters. They were prepared. They had pre-emptive evacuations before the storm struck. They saw what happened (with Bopha)," she said.

Three people were killed when a tree fell on their home in the central island of Samar while most of the other dead and missing were washed away by overflowing rivers, Nogra added.

Wukong hit the central islands on Christmas Day, bringing strong winds and rains but gradually weakening as it moved across the region.

On Thursday the storm was expected to hit the tip of the westernmost island of Palawan.

While Wukong was not as strong as the typhoon, more than 6000 people were still huddling in evacuation centres and many roads and bridges were impassable, said Nogra.

Bopha, which hit on December 4, was the strongest storm to batter the disaster-prone country this year. It unleashed floods and landslides, killing more than 1000 people and hundreds more remain missing, according to officials.

Relief efforts are continuing in the southern Philippines, where entire towns have been wiped out by flash floods.

The Philippines is hit by about 20 major storms or typhoons each year that occur mainly during the rainy season between June and October.

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Tas Boxing Day sales fail to match nation

BIG crowds of bargain hunters may have packed the Hobart CBD on Boxing Day and spent a collective $20 million but it still won't match the rest of the nation.

The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) estimates Tasmanians spent about $20 million on Boxing Day alone and a total of $280 million in the post-Christmas period.

However, sales were down 5.7 per cent from last year, which makes Tasmania the only state to record a decline in 2012.

The ARA's Tasmania spokesman, Robert Parker, said the figures were still pleasing, despite the drop in sales from last year.

"It was OK, it wasn't disastrous, and probably in line with retail sales, so it wasn't bad.

"We did have big crowds, queues outside the department stores. Hobart was buzzing with tourists and families, and we also noticed younger people spending their Christmas cash."

Mr Parker said Tasmania's retail industry has been struggling.

"There are a lot of things affecting retail, from job losses in the forestry industry, to political uncertainty and a lack of consumer sentiment," he told AAP on Thursday.

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Greens call for new bushfire body

THE nation's bushfire research body should be replaced with a new one because it's set to run out of government funding, Greens MP Adam Bandt says.

The Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre (BCRC) examines the social, environmental and economic impacts of bushfires.

It's funded on a project-by-project basis by the commonwealth until June 30, 2013, at which point its fate remains uncertain.

Mr Bandt says the body should be replaced with a new national fire institute which will ensure it's work continues.

"It's time to transfer to a national body ... to oversee Australia's preparedness to deal with major fires, with the growing risk of climate change meaning more frequent fires of greater severity," Mr Bandt told AAP on Wednesday.

The risk of losing the body would be not having an accurate national response to major fire emergencies, he said.

"We are potentially going to face a Black Saturday every year or two, and that's a terrifying prospect," Mr Bandt said.

The body's CEO Gary Morgan welcomed the idea, saying its work was far from finished and there was still a lot more needed to understand a range of issues, including how to manage volunteers, smoke management, creating models to prevent fire risk and better biodiversity management.

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Russia's Kalashnikov in intensive care

Russian rifle designer Mikhail Kalashnikov has been hospitalised after complaining of weakness. Source: AAP

RUSSIA'S legendary rifle designer Mikhail Kalashnikov has been hospitalised in intensive care after complaining of general weakness, his assistant says.

The 93-year-old father of the AK-47 has been having heart problems and feeling poorly since March, when he stopped showing up for work, his aide told the RIA Novosti news agency on Tuesday.

"When I visited him at home last week, he told me that nothing seemed to hurt, but that he simply had no strength left," his assistant Nikolai Shklyayev was quoted as saying.

"It seems that this is just his age showing," Shklyayev said.

The assistant said Kalashnikov was sent to intensive care on Thursday after complaining of swelling.

"I last got in touch with (Kalashnikov's) driver. He said that everything was fine," Shklyayev told the Interfax news agency.

Kalashnikov designed his iconic rifles - staples of armies across the world for the past half century - at the Izhmash factory in the central city of Izhevsk.

Originally formed in 1807, Izhmash remains one of the main producers of Russian weapons.

But like several other specialised industrial firms, it has been hit by dwindling post-Soviet demand and its failure to make up for this with foreign orders.

Kalashnikov and 16 colleagues raised the alarm about the situation at Izhmash in an open letter to President Vladimir Putin last month, saying production had fallen to an all-time low and the factory needed to be saved.

According to popular legend, Kalashnikov began designing weapons after having trouble with the rifles the Soviet Red Army was using during World War II.

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Top Putin foe Navalny faces new charges

Prominent Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is facing his third criminal case in five months. Source: AAP

RUSSIAN investigators have opened their third criminal case in five months against an opposition leader who poses one of the main challenges to President Vladimir Putin in opinion polls.

The Investigative Committee said it had charged anti-corruption blogger and lawyer Alexei Navalny with "swindling committed by an organised group or on an especially large scale".

The charge - which relates to allegations over a case dating back five years - carries a jail sentence of up to 10 years.

Navalny spearheaded the opposition movement that emerged last year in the wake of disputed parliamentary elections that the ruling party won despite suspicions of fraud.

The 36-year-old - often ranked as the most popular opposition campaigner and an emerging politician who has not ruled out running for president - denies all the charges and views the probes against him as political.

"Lord, they have opened another criminal case against me," Navalny tweeted moments after the news was announced. "The Investigative Committee - what are you doing... Enough."

He later told Russian media that investigators were simply trying to intimidate him "by showing that they could next arrest me for crossing the street in the wrong place".

Navalny is already the focus of an embezzlement probe linked to a murky business deal conducted by a small regional timber company in which he was involved. That offence also risks a 10-year sentence.

Investigators last week also launched a money laundering investigation against Navalny and his brother related to a little-known trading firm.

The latest case concerns 100 million roubles ($A3 million at current exchange rates) allegedly stolen from a liberal political party called the Union of Rightist Forces (SPS) in 2007.

The charges say a company involving Navalny secured an SPS advertising contract that was never fulfilled.

SPS disbanded in 2008 after badly losing a series of elections and Navalny continued with other projects.

But the group's former members expressed amazement at charges that emerged five years after the alleged theft.

"If there was something dirty going on, I would have known about it," said top former party member Leonid Gozman.

An aide to current regional governor and former SPS leader Nikita Belykh also told Moscow Echo radio that no money had been stolen from the party.

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Severe storm warning for NSW

THE Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for large parts of NSW, with emergency authorities urging residents to be prepared for flash flooding and damaging winds.

The warnings, issued at 2.06pm (AEDT) on Tuesday are for the central tablelands, parts of the mid-north coast, the Hunter region, northwest slopes and plains, central west slopes and plains and the lower western, upper western and northern tablelands forecast districts.

Thunderstorms are likely to produce heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding and damaging winds over the next several hours, the bureau said.

Locations which may be affected include Scone, Orange, Mudgee, Bathurst, Katoomba, Tamworth, Gunnedah, Narrabri, Dubbo, Parkes, Nyngan, Wilcannia and Cobar.

The State Emergency Service (SES) is advising people to move cars under cover and away from trees, secure loose items around dwellings, keep clear of fallen power lines, creeks and storm drains, and to call triple zero if trapped by flash flooding.

People are also being urged to avoid using phones during storms, to unplug computers and appliances and to stay indoors and away from windows.

A strong wind warning has also been issued for NSW coastal waters between Yamba and Crowdy Head.

Winds are north-easterly, then tending southeast to south-westerly and increasing up to 30 knots by Wednesday morning, with combined sea and swell increasing up to three metres.

But the bureau noted that wind gusts could be 40 per cent stronger than the averages given, with maximum waves up to twice the quoted heights.

For emergency help in floods and storms in NSW and the ACT, ring the SES on 132 500.

A spokesman for the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) said about 50 calls for help had been received by 3.30pm.

He told AAP many calls were for minor damage to property caused by high winds.

Calls were fairly widespread but many were from Sydney's northern suburbs and from Bathurst, in the state's west, the spokesman said.

No serious incidents or injuries had been reported.

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Pell apology could signal change in church

Cardinal George Pell's apology to those abused by priests has been labelled a "minimal response". Source: AAP

VICTIMS' support groups say the Catholic Church could be preparing to acknowledge its involvement in historic child sexual abuse in Australia after Cardinal George Pell apologised to those who "suffered at the hands" of priests.

In a Christmas message, the Australian church's most senior cleric said he was "deeply sorry" for the hurt that had occurred, describing it as "completely contrary" to Christ's teachings.

But he stopped short of specifically mentioning allegations of child sex abuse by members of the clergy.

"I feel too the shock and shame across the community at these revelations of wrongdoing and crimes," Cardinal Pell said.

His apology came after the federal government this year announced a royal commission to the response of institutions, including the church, to cases of child sexual abuse in Australia.

Bravehearts founder Hetty Johnston said Cardinal Pell's statement represented a "cultural shift" in the church as it comes to terms with the role played by some its clergy.

Not all victims would find solace in his words, but it was an important message that needed to be said, she added.

"The silence, secrecy and the shame which the church have been leaders in, are the offenders best friend and our children's worst enemy," Ms Johnston told AAP on Monday.

"I think they're finally ready to face the demons and face the past and to hopefully put it behind them."

Catholics who had deserted the church over its handling of child abuse might also find some comfort in knowing Cardinal Pell had acknowledged the suffering, she said.

A spokesman for victims support group Broken Rites Dr Wayne Chamley said the church was beginning to "appreciate" the scale of its involvement in child abuse since the royal commission was announced.

"It's pleasing that he's opening up his heart to these people," Dr Chamley told ABC television.

"I don't think we've seen a statement in the past which was reflecting on the scale of what's gone on."

The church has been accused of covering up its involvement in child sexual abuse by silencing victims, hindering police and alerting offenders.

One senior NSW police investigator's damning testimony into how the church destroyed evidence and moved accused priests around the country prompted Prime Minister Julia Gillard to announce the royal commission in November.

In his statement, Cardinal Pell said people had "suffered at the hands" of fellow Christians, Christian officials, priests and religious teachers.

Adults Surviving Child Abuse president Dr Cathy Kezelman said the church still needed to be more transparent and forthright about its role in the systematic abuse of children over the years.

"It's an absolutely minimal response to express regret," she told AAP on Monday.

"It's very important that we also acknowledge the failure of religious organisations, including the Catholic Church, to respond appropriately to victims."

Last week, the federal government announced the terms of reference for the royal commission would not be available until January, instead of this month.

The inquiry is due to begin in 2013 and could run for years.

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Thatcher 'in good spirits' after op

Former British prime minster Margaret Thatcher is recovering from minor surgery in hospital. Source: AAP

FORMER British prime minister Margaret Thatcher is said to be "in good spirits" as she recovers from minor surgery but is expected to spend Christmas in hospital.

The 87-year-old was operated on two days ago to remove a growth from her bladder after suffering pain earlier in the week.

"I understand she is in good spirits," a spokesman said.

"Given her age, I don't think she will be coming out for a few days."

Thatcher's public appearances have been restricted over recent years due to continued ill health.

She was unable to join the Queen for a Diamond Jubilee lunch with former and serving prime ministers this summer and missed a birthday party thrown for her at 10 Downing Street.

In October, Thatcher was sufficiently well, however, to mark her 87th birthday with lunch at a restaurant in London's exclusive St James's district with her son Mark and his wife.

Her health was thrust into the global spotlight this year when Meryl Streep starred in a controversial Hollywood film about her.

The Iron Lady drew criticism from British Prime Minister David Cameron and others for concentrating on the dementia she suffers after a series of small strokes.

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North Korean leader calls for more rockets

NORTH Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called for the development of more powerful rockets after last week's successful launch of a satellite into space.

The North's official media said on Saturday that Kim made the call at a banquet for rocket scientists on Friday in Pyongyang.

The December 12 launch of a long-range rocket put the country's first satellite in orbit. The United States, South Korea and others have condemned the launch as a test of ballistic missile technology banned under UN security council resolutions.

Kim had already called for sending more scientific satellites into space on the day of the launch. But his speech on Friday marks the first time he has explicitly called for the advancement of his country's long-range rocket program.

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Police seek man for NSW shooting

POLICE have identified a man they are looking for over a shooting in Sydney's southwest last week.

Officers were called to a home in Panania on reports five children and their mother were inside a house when a window was broken by a gunshot about 1.20am (AEDT) on Thursday.

No one was injured.

Police said two men, who are know to them, were arguing outside the property when a struggle ensued and a shot was fired.

They are seeking Victor Vladymtsev, 22, who is wanted over an arrest warrant for the offence of firing a firearm in manner likely to injure person.

He is described as being of Caucasian appearance with an olive complexion, medium build and brown hair.

Police have warned members of the public not to approach Vladymtsev as he may be armed.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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