Two men glassed in separate attacks

TWO men have suffered cuts, bruising and swelling after being glassed in the face in separate attacks at bars in NSW.

A 27-year-old man allegedly attacked a 37-year-old man with a glass bottle at a local bar at Sydney's Cockle Bay Wharf about 3.25am (AEST) on Saturday.

He suffered cuts, swelling, bruising and injuries to his ribs and was taken to hospital for treatment.

The 27-year-old man was later charged with reckless wounding and granted conditional bail to appear before Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday.

Earlier in Tamworth, a fight erupted at a bar hotel on Marius Street between two 19-year-olds about 10pm (AEST) on Friday.

One of them allegedly grabbed the other man's neck before hitting his face with a glass,

A hotel employee, who tried to intervene, was also punched during the melee.

The alleged glasser left the hotel but was arrested a short distance away and charged with common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and offensive language.

He has been granted conditional bail to appear at Tamworth Local Court on August 19.

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Drones approved for civilian use in US

Federal regulators in the US have certified two types of unmanned drone aircraft for civilian use. Source: AAP

FEDERAL regulators in the United States have certified two types of unmanned aircraft for civilian use, a milestone expected to lead to the first approved commercial drone operations later this year.

The Federal Aviation Administration said on Friday the drones are Insitu's Scan Eagle X200 and AeroVironment's PUMA.

A major energy company plans to fly the Scan Eagle off the Alaska coast starting in August to survey ice floes and migrating whales. The PUMA is expected to support emergency response crews for oil spill monitoring and wildlife surveillance over the Beaufort Sea.

Most non-military use of drones in the US. has been limited to police and other government agencies.

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Indonesia favours consultation on boats

INDONESIA has again rejected unilateral action by an Australia government on asylum seeker boats, saying more consultation on the issue is needed.

Indonesian Defence Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro was in Perth on Friday to meet his counterpart Stephen Smith.

Asked if Opposition Leader Tony Abbott had flagged with Indonesia the Liberal's plan to turn back boats where it was safe to do so, Dr Yusgiantoro said solutions required discussions.

"We should talk, we should discuss," he told reporters.

"But we don't want to see unilateral action."

Dr Yusgiantoro would not say whether he preferred Labor's plan to resettle processed asylum seekers in Papua New Guinea over the coalition plan because it was an Australian domestic issue.

He also said invitations had been sent to the governments of Australia, New Zealand, Iran, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Malaysia and Thailand to attend a special conference on asylum seekers in Jakarta on August 20.

AAP

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Cancer dads cause more distress than mums

MORE young people are likely to be highly distressed if their father has cancer than if their mother has the disease, a new study shows.

The finding surprised researchers, who are trying to understand what support younger people need when a parent is diagnosed with cancer.

"One possible explanation is that the caregiver within a couple often experiences higher levels of distress than the patient," says Dr Pandora Patterson, head of research at the youth charity CanTeen.

"If the mother is caring for the father, this could potentially have a greater impact on the children.

"Every year, another 21,000 young people face the challenge of having a parent diagnosed with cancer, which often leaves them feeling vulnerable, frightened and confused."

In Australia overall, nine per cent of young people feel high or very high levels of distress.

This leaps to 55 per cent when a mother has cancer and to 72 per cent for a father, according to the research among 255 young people.

Another finding was that cancer returning to a family through a parent relapsing leads to more psychological distress than the initial diagnosis.

"These results are astounding in terms of the levels of distress," says Dr Patterson, a speaker at a Cancer Nurses Society convention in Brisbane on Friday.

"In general, females have and exhibit more stress, which in turn could have a strong impact on the children.

"It is also known that when women are in the caring role they have a greater fear of the patient relapsing than the patient themselves."

CanTeen supports people aged 12 to 24 who are living with cancer, either their own or that of a family member.

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Fake drug lobby says highs 'like wine'

THE lobby group for synthetic drug retailers says artificial highs are no stronger than two glasses of wine, despite user reports of panic attacks.

The Eros Association's public relations campaign comes only weeks after Sydney teenager Henry Kwan jumped to his death from the third floor of his home under the effects of an LSD-like substance bought online by a high school friend.

The 17-year-old North Shore schoolboy's death prompted the NSW government to extend its interim ban on artificial hallucinogens.

A month before the tragedy, Queensland became the first jurisdiction in Australia to ban any synthetic that mimicked the effects of an illicit drug.

There are now calls for a federal ban.

Eros this week described synthetic drugs as a "social tonic", releasing a survey of its retail members.

"They mostly have a mild psychoactive effect which is generally one where people do not lose control of their personality or consciousness," it said.

It quoted anecdotal evidence estimating that three-quarters of legal products sold produced a "psychoactive effect that is no stronger or more intense than a couple of glasses of wine".

But a 25-year-old Brisbane professional says he will never try legal synthetic marijuana again, after a bad experience with a product known as 'incense', which a mate bought from a sex shop.

"The high didn't last as long as actual marijuana but it was far more intense," he told AAP.

"It was fun at first but after a rollercoaster of emotions I was left with some pretty intense anxiety and panic attacks.

"It might be fine for some but it certainly didn't sit well with me."

Eros chief executive Fiona Patten said Henry Kwan's death was not connected to legal synthetic highs. But she declined to guarantee products sold legally were safe. Products such as 'kronic', 'skunk' and 'black widow' continue to be sold.

"Without regulation, it's very hard to give any guarantee," she said.

The product Henry took was not the kind sold legally at Australian adult shops.

"That substance was actually illegal, almost completely around Australia," Ms Patten said.

"It was not bought at a retail level. It was bought from a Chinese website offshore and delivered from overseas."

Brisbane-based criminal solicitor Patrick Quinn, from Creevey Russell Lawyers, says Queensland's three-month-old amendment to existing drug laws, which was actually flagged by the previous Labor government, could see young people jailed for possessing synthetic drugs.

"With that comes the possibility of prison, not just monetary penalty," he told AAP, adding the legal changes were yet to be tested in a courtroom.

Eros says average age of synthetic drug users is 33 in metropolitan areas and two years older in the regions.

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China charges Bo Xilai with corruption

CHINA'S once high-flying communist politician Bo Xilai has been indicted for bribery and abuse of power, state media say, following a scandal that exposed deep divisions at the highest levels of government.

Bo, the former party chief of the southwestern city of Chongqing, will be the highest-profile Communist official to be put on trial in China for decades.

He has not been seen in public for more than a year since he was detained following the murder of a British businessman by his wife and his right-hand man's flight to a US consulate, triggering a huge political controversy.

"The indictment paper was delivered" to a court in Jinan, China's official Xinhua news agency said, citing prosecutors in the city in the eastern province of Shandong.

Bo "took the advantage of his position to seek profits for others and accepted an 'extremely large amount' of money and properties", it said, quoting the indictment.

A source with direct knowledge of the case, who requested anonymity, said the trial could begin in mid-August.

News of the proceedings comes at a time when the party is trying to show it is cracking down on corruption and government waste.

It has also had to manage the political rifts exposed by the downfall of Bo - once one of 25 members of the ruling party's Politburo.

The decision to oust such a high-ranking leader would have required tough backroom negotiations among top leaders.

The trial would be an easier final step after the harder task of defusing any backlash among Bo supporters, said David Goodman, a China expert at the University of Sydney.

Holding the proceedings now would also allow leaders to draw a line under the scandal ahead of a key Communist Party plenum expected in the northern autumn.

A Xinhua commentary warned against resistance to the decision, calling on local governments to "defend the authority" of the Beijing leadership.

It urged people to "soberly recognise the ugly face" of officials "who sought personal gain".

The scandal emerged last year ahead of a once-a-decade leadership transition, in which Bo had been considered a candidate for the Politburo Standing Committee - China's most powerful body.

His downfall was triggered after his police chief and right-hand man Wang Lijun fled to a US consulate in Chengdu city near Chongqing, allegedly to seek asylum. Bo was detained a month later.

He had cultivated an unusually populist public image and led a high-profile anti-mafia campaign, which resulted in scores of arrests but led to allegations of torture against suspects.

Bo also revived some elements of 1960s Communist Party culture as part of a "Sing Red" campaign involving massive rallies, which drew comparisons with China's tumultuous Cultural Revolution period.

Bo's wife was given a suspended death sentence last August for fatally poisoning businessman and family friend Neil Heywood. The penalty is normally commuted to a life sentence in China.

Wang was sentenced to 15 years in prison in September for defection and other crimes.

Bo himself was removed from his party and government posts, losing his legal immunity at the end of 2012.

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PNG deal right ethical response: Rudd

PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd has told MPs his regional resettlement deal with Papua New Guinea is the right ethical response to asylum seeker drownings at sea.

Some federal MPs expressed concerns to Mr Rudd about the policy for asylum seeker boat arrivals at a special caucus meeting in Sydney on Monday.

But Mr Rudd said the challenge was to deal a "fatal blow" to people smugglers, whose illegal businesses risked people's lives.

"I will not be prime minister of Australia and see the entire orderly immigration system itself threatened by not sending a message such as this to the people smuggling industry around the world," he told reporters.

"This is the right response and the right ethical response to drownings at sea, the proliferation of this industry and the fact that people languishing in camps for 10 or 20 years aren't getting a fair go."

Mr Rudd agreed the practicalities of the agreement will take quite a while to rollout and said he was fully prepared to address the political challenges along the way.

"This is what happens when you are seeking to act decisively on something as fundamental as this," he added.

He accused Opposition Leader Tony Abbott of "deliberately undermining" the government's message to people smugglers.

"This is not in the national interest," he said.

"It might be in Mr Abbott's political interest, but frankly, if you do that sort of stuff you raise the question of your ultimate fitness to hold the high office of prime minister."

Under the agreement with PNG, people who arrive in Australia by boat and seek refugee status will be sent on to Manus Island for processing.

If they are found to be refugees, they will be settled in PNG.

If not, they will be either sent back to their country of origin or on to a third, safe country - but not Australia.

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Tasmanian bishop slams PNG policy

A SENIOR Anglican bishop has told the prime minister "Jesus weeps" over the PNG asylum seeker policy.

The bishop of Tasmania, John Harrower, has taken to Twitter to question Kevin Rudd's decision to refuse boat arrivals a chance of settling in Australia.

"Mr Prime Minister, Jesus weeps. Whatever you do for the least of these..." Bishop Harrower wrote.

The bishop has told ABC radio Mr Rudd and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, who are both Christians, should be finding a more compassionate solution.

"(I'd like to) bang two heads together in a good and godly way," he said.

"I'm appalled at both of our major parties and the two men leading them, who are Christian men, who are making these decisions."

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Concerns over Billabong deal

A SHAREHOLDERS' rights group has taken aim at Billabong's planned recapitalisation deal, arguing competing offers for the surfwear icon should be considered.

Billabong last week announced it had reached a $US294 million ($A325 million) deal with US private equity group Altamont Capital Partners which will allow it to repay its debts.

Altamont is expected to take a stake of up to 40 per cent in the company under the deal.

But two of Billabong's main creditors, Centerbridge Partners and Oaktree Capital, have lodged a challenge to the deal with federal regulator the Takeovers Panel.

The challenge centres around a 35 per cent interest rate levied on a $A44 million convertible loan held by the company, which will be charged until shareholders approve the deal, and a reported $A65 million break fee which Billabong will have to pay if it scraps the deal with Altamont.

The panel has yet to decide whether to hold hearings into the matter.

Australian Shareholders' Association chairman Ian Curry on Sunday said the panel should declare the break fee to be "unacceptable".

The panel had previously said break fees should not equate to more than one per cent of the equity value of the transaction, he said.

"ASA is not currently a party to the proceedings, but we are concerned by media reports about the break fee and urge the Takeovers Panel to declare it to be 'unacceptable'," Mr Curry said in a statement.

Centrebridge and Oaktree have submitted their own refinancing proposal which involved them taking a 61.2 per cent stake in Billabong, but their offer has been rejected by the company's board.

Mr Curry wants the Billabong board to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure an orderly and competitive process that allows shareholders to consider alternative proposals to the Altamont deal.

"Billabong shareholders have suffered enough at the hands of a board and management team which have imperilled the company," he said.

"At the very least, the board should facilitate a truly competitive auction so that all serious bidders can lodge their best offers."

Shares in Billabong have risen sharply since the Altamont deal was announced, jumping from 25 cent to 40 cents between Wednesday and Friday.

The company has been subject to a string of takeover attempts in recent years as it tries to combat weak revenues and high debts.

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Cracker idea at Qld LNP conference

A FIREWORKS night to rival Guy Fawkes Day is on the agenda in Queensland, and it's all in the name of tourism.

The Liberal National Party, after a close vote, adopted the proposal on the last day of its three-day state conference in Brisbane.

The plan was hatched by the younger party members, many of whom were not alive to see the maimings associated with firecrackers before sales were banned in the 1970s.

Young LNP state president Hermann Vorster urged the government to now adopt the policy and believes the "Cracker Night" could be a boon for tourism.

"I think more than anything this is about sending a message that we don't necessarily subscribe to the notion of the nanny-state," Mr Vorster said.

"If something is safe and can be done in a reasonable way and it is in keeping with reasonable expectations, then I guess we ask, as the Young LNP, why not?"

Mr Vorster had the support of Senator Ian MacDonald who believes the handling of fireworks could teach parents and children to be more careful and take responsible.

"I don't want to confess that I'm old enough to have remembered when we had Guy Fawkes night, but it was great fun," he said.

Despite their success with "Cracker Night", the young Libs didn't have enough support to get two other controversial policies across the line.

Random illicit drug testing for long term unemployed and welfare recipients was voted down, as well as removing Australian content quotas for free-to-air television.

The party agreed to ban all sports gambling on free-to-air television and increase mobile coverage to address blackspots.

The party faithfull gave a long and warm welcome to Premier Campbell Newman, who started his speech with "Queensland is a place where all your dreams come true."

His 30-minute address covered achievements over the last 16 months, such as reducing red tape and approving major projects.

However, Mr Newman blamed Labor for the sacking of 14,000 public servants and cost of living pressures.

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