Central African Republic troops fight back

The Central African Republic troops are battling to re-capture a rebel-held city, officials say. Source: AAP

GOVERNMENT soldiers in the Central African Republic are battling to re-capture a rebel-held city, a military official says, despite regional efforts to seek a peaceful end to the growing crisis.

The military official said the fighting in Bambari, which rebels from the Seleka coalition seized on Sunday, was "especially violent", and a humanitarian source said witnesses some 60 kilometres away could hear detonations and heavy weapons fire for several hours.

The new violence came the same day as the Central African Republic's neighbours took steps to tackle the crisis in the chronically unstable country, where rebels have advanced towards the capital Bangui, stoking local and international alarm.

Foreign ministers in the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) announced late on Friday that more troops of the Central African Multinational Force (FOMAC) would be sent to the country.

"Five hundred and sixty men are already on the ground, and we agreed to a request by the ECCAS general secretariat to increase their numbers and allow them to accomplish their mission as a rapid deployment force", as Seleka rebels threaten the capital, Chad's Foreign Minister Moussa Faki Mahamat said after a meeting in the Gabonese capital Libreville, which is seen as a potential venue for peace talks.

The international force is "to deploy so Bangui and all cities that have not been captured (by the rebels) so far cannot be targeted by the rebels", added Gabon's Foreign Minister Emmanuel Issoze Ngondet.

ECCAS deputy secretary general Guy-Pierre Garcia said earlier that the rebels and the Central African government had agreed to unconditional talks.

"The goal is to get to negotiations (between the government and the rebels) by January 10," a source in the Central African Multinational Force said.

Central African (CAR) President Francois Bozize's appeals for help from former colonial power France and from the United States have fallen on deaf ears.

French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said on Friday that France had no intention of getting involved in the crisis, and would only intervene to protect its own nationals there.

The French defence ministry said late on Friday that 150 troops had arrived in Bangui from Libreville as a "precautionary measure" to protect French and other European citizens.

Fears about the deteriorating security situation led Washington to evacuate its embassy in Bangui and the United Nations to pull out staff.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said on Friday that it too had evacuated some workers, although it stressed it would continue to provide aid to the growing number of displaced people.

A diplomatic team from FOMAC has begun talks with authorities in Bangui and sent a delegation to the rebel-held strategic town of Ndele in the north to meet members of the rebel coalition Seleka, which launched its offensive on December 10.

The UN has demanded rebels halt their offensive, and urged Bozize's government to ensure the safety of civilians amid fears of a breakdown in law and order in the country.

A coalition of three rebel movements known as Seleka - or the "alliance" in the Sango language - has taken a string of towns, including four regional capitals, among them the garrison town and key diamond mining hub of Birao.

The coalition wants the government to fulfil the terms of peace pacts signed in 2007 and 2001, providing for disarmament and social reintegration, including pay.

Bozize took power in a 2003 coup and has twice been elected into office.

In 2006, France, which supported Bozize in his rise to power, had lent logistical help and air support to fight off rebels.

While Seleka says it has no plans to move on the capital, a statement last week announcing it had suspended its advance was followed within a day by news of further rebel victories.

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Chile seeks arrests in singer's 1973 death

A Chilean court has sought to prosecute any suspects in the killing of singer Victor Jara. Source: AAP

A CHILEAN judge has ordered the arrest of eight ex-army officers for the brutal murder of leftist folk singer Victor Jara, killed in 1973 just days after General Augusto Pinochet came to power.

This is the first time a Chilean court has sought to prosecute any suspects in the killing of the pacifist singer - a crime that became emblematic of the bloody Pinochet dictatorship that left more than 3000 people dead.

Two of the former soldiers were accused of murder, while the others were said to be accomplices, Chilean justice officials said in a statement.

An international arrest warrant was issued for one of the suspects, Pedro Barrientos Nunez, who lives in the United States.

"After bringing together many elements, there comes a time when one must end the investigation and try to move toward a resolution," Judge Miguel Vazquez Plaza told reporters.

Jara family lawyer Nelson Caucoto said he was "quite satisfied" with the decision.

The singer, whose lyrics spoke of love and social protest, became an icon of Latin American popular music with songs like The Right to Live in Peace, The Cigarette and I Remember Amanda.

Jara was married to British dancer Joan Turner, with whom he had two daughters.

He was also a member of Chile's Communist Party and a fervent supporter of the Popular Unity coalition that backed Marxist president Salvador Allende, who came to power by popular vote in 1970.

Jara was arrested the day after the September 11, 1973 coup that installed Pinochet as dictator.

His body was found days later, riddled with 44 machine gun bullets. He had been held, along with around 5,000 other political prisoners, in Santiago's biggest stadium, where he was interrogated, tortured and then killed. He was 40.

Among other horrors, the singer-guitarist's fingers were crushed, broken by rifle butts and boots.

The case was revived in 2009, and Jara's body was exhumed, after a soldier who had been in the stadium after the coup admitted to the shooting - though he later retracted his confession.

In December 2009, thousands of Chileans attended an official funeral for the singer, whose original burial had been conducted by his widow in near-secrecy and almost total anonymity.

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Gillard, Abbott pay tribute to Greig

Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott have paid tribute to cricket great Tony Greig who has died in Sydney. Source: AAP

JULIA Gillard and Tony Abbott have paid tribute to Tony Greig, saying Australia has lost a sporting icon and legend.

Greig, a former England captain and cricket commentator, died in a Sydney hospital on Saturday after suffering a heart attack. He was 66.

Responding to the news, Prime Minister Gillard called Greig a "wonderful example of someone who came to Australia from somewhere else in the world and embraced his adopted country as his own".

"As a superb all-rounder, ambitious national captain and authoritative commentator over the best part of half a century, Greig's standing in the game is matched by very few others," Ms Gillard said in a statement.

"Australia has lost one of the iconic voices of sport."

Ms Gillard said Greig's life in cricket "wasn't always without controversy, but no one could doubt his passion and commitment to the sport he loved".

The Sydney-based, South African-born Greig had been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in October and suffered a heart attack at his home on Saturday morning.

It's understood his family were at his side at St Vincent's Hospital when he died.

The opposition leader described Greig as an "Australian legend".

"Tony Greig is an icon of cricket and a household name in Australia," Mr Abbott said in a statement.

"His distinctive voice was synonymous with cricket every Australian summer for more than three decades.

"He may have played for and captained the old enemy England, but Tony Greig will be remembered as an Australian legend too."

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Toxic cough syrup kills 16 in Pakistan

AT least 16 people, mostly drug addicts seeking a fix, have died after drinking toxic cough syrup in an eastern Pakistani city.

The deaths started occurring on Wednesday in the industrial city of Gujranwala, about 70 kilometres north of Lahore, police and doctors said.

"We have received 54 patients at hospital who said their condition deteriorated after taking cough syrups and 16 of them have died," local hospital chief Anwar Aman told AFP on Saturday.

The victims were aged between 20 and 40 and most had a history of drug addiction, Aman said, adding that so far the culprit syrup had not been identified.

Senior police official Azam Mehr confirmed the toll and said samples of cough syrups available at local pharmacies have been collected and sent to laboratories.

"Police and the health department have started inquiries and investigations into the deaths," Mehr said.

Last month at least 19 people were killed in Lahore after drinking toxic cough syrup.

In January about 100 heart patients died in Lahore, Pakistan's second-largest city, after taking locally made tainted medicine.

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Russia presses Syria regime to hold talks

Peace envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi called for real change and a transitional government in Syria. Source: AAP

RUSSIA, one of the few remaining allies of President Bashar al-Assad, says it is pressing the Syrian leadership to put into action previous pledges for dialogue with the opposition.

"We actively encouraged ... the Syrian leadership to maximally put into action its declared readiness for dialogue with the opposition," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters on Friday when asked about his meeting Thursday with Syria's deputy foreign minister.

Lavrov said Russia also encouraged Assad's government "to underscore that they are open to discussing the widest range of items in line with the agreements reached in Geneva on June 30".

Russia's top diplomat warned on Thursday that time was running out for the parties to save an accord reached by global powers in Geneva that calls for the introduction of a transitional government, but makes no explicit call on Assad to step down.

UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi pushed on Thursday for the plan after several days of talks with the leadership and opposition representatives in Damascus.

Lavrov said after his meeting with Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Muqdad that "the chances for such a solution ... are diminishing."

Russia has refused to back international pressure on Assad to step down and Lavrov made clear on Friday that Moscow's position on this point had not changed.

"The international community must not incite either side towards violence or pose preliminary conditions," said Lavrov.

"With all due respect to the international community, it is, of course, the Syrian people who must decide" Assad's fate, Lavrov stressed.

Moscow on Saturday will host Brahimi in a new bid to save efforts at ending a 21-month conflict that is estimated to have claimed more than 45,000 lives.

A top Russia official had earlier on Friday said Moscow had also sent an invitation for talks to the head of the opposition National Coalition as it presses on with its diplomatic campaign.

Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told the RIA Novosti news agency the talks with National Coalition head Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib could take place in Moscow or at a foreign location such as Geneva or Cairo.

Lavrov told reporters that "as far as we understand, they (the National Coalition leaders) are not against this offer" for new talks.

The last Moscow meeting with representatives of the National Council in July ended in mutual recriminations and saw the opposition accuse Russia of inciting further violence by supporting Assad.

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East Timor facing challenges as UN leaves

THE UN ends its peacekeeping mission on Monday after 13 years in Asia's youngest nation East Timor, with the country still hoping to overcome its bloody past and rampant poverty.

East Timor this year held largely peaceful elections, voting in a new president and parliament, as the country marked a decade of formal independence and paved the way for the foreign forces to leave.

But as the last remaining UN police and troops depart, the fragile democracy is still struggling with widespread malnutrition, high unemployment and maternal mortality rates among the worst in the world.

East Timor was occupied by Indonesia for 24 years, with about 183,000 people dying from fighting, disease and starvation before the half-island state voted for independence in 1999 in a bloody referendum, prompting the first UN mission.

There is little concern about violence in the immediate future, yet few employment opportunities, crushing poverty and a rapidly expanding population could threaten peace in the long term, analysts say.

"There's always in this situation the potential for something serious to go wrong," Professor George Quinn from the Australian National University College of Asia and the Pacific told AFP.

More than 40 per cent of young Timorese are jobless, according to AusAID, and although the predominantly Catholic nation has a small population, the fertility rate of 6.5 per woman is the world's fourth-highest, UN data shows.

Despite $US1.5 billion ($A1.45 billion) of aid pouring into the nation of 1.1 million people in a decade and abundant offshore oil and gas reserves, about 41 per cent of the population live on less than the local poverty line of 88 US cents a day.

In the capital Dili, barefoot children eat scraps from the ground in slums and vendors make a pittance at fruit and vegetable markets.

World Bank data from 2010 showed 45.3 per cent of children under five were malnourished, up from 40.6 per cent in 2002. On the UN's human development index, East Timor ranks 147th out of 187 nations, below Pakistan and Bangladesh, and well below the regional average.

East Timor's economy has also become visibly two-tier since 1999 - some are raking in US dollars from government infrastructure projects in urban areas, while the majority are subsistence farmers in far-flung villages.

Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao insisted after his July re-election that energy revenue would transform East Timor "from being an undeveloped, low-income country by 2030, by making use of all our material and human potential".

While the country's Petroleum Fund has swollen to $US10.5 billion and makes up between 80 to 90 per cent of government revenue, critics point out the reserves are fast falling as they call for diversification of the economy.

Rural Timorese also complain the money has not changed their lives.

"East Timor has always had a problem with properly disbursing its income, and that problem still persists," Professor Quinn said.

Despite East Timor's problems, the departure of the remaining UN forces - which numbered 1600 at the mission's peak - underscores the progress the country has made.

The withdrawal has been welcomed by most, especially leaders who insisted the country was able to handle its own security well before responsibility was handed back to national police in October.

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Miner Lonmin says ill CEO will step down

BRITISH platinum miner Lonmin says chief executive Ian Farmer, off work since August due to a "serious illness", is stepping down permanently from his role at the troubled group.

Simon Scott will continue as interim head until a permanent successor is found, the world's third-largest platinum producer said in a statement on Friday. Scott would eventually revert to being chief financial officer, it added.

Friday's announcement follows a turbulent end to the year for Lonmin, whose shareholders last month approved a rights issue to boost its finances after violent strikes disrupted work at its Marikana platinum mine in South Africa.

"Lonmin plc announces that Ian Farmer, who is being treated for a serious illness, has informed the board of his request to step down as chief executive officer (CEO) and as a director of Lonmin with immediate effect," the company said.

"The board has appointed an executive search agent to pursue the selection and engagement of Ian's successor as CEO. In the meantime, Simon Scott will continue in his role as acting CEO with the full support of the Lonmin board.

"Simon has requested that he should not be considered as a candidate for the role of CEO. Following the appointment of a new CEO, Simon will dedicate his time fully to his role as chief financial officer."

Farmer, 50, was chief executive for four years at the end of a career with Lonmin lasting more than a quarter of a century.

Lonmin chairman Roger Phillimore said Farmer's ability, commitment and drive would be missed.

"He has been CEO for the last four years and the consistent improvement in Lonmin's operating performance over that period owes much to his leadership," he said.

The end of Farmer's tenure was overshadowed by the violence at Marikana that left 46 people dead, including 34 who were killed by police gunfire on August 16.

The recently announced rights issue, worth $US817 million ($A790.94 million), was aimed at reducing Lonmin's level of debt and increasing its financial strength in the wake of the violence.

Major shareholder, Swiss commodities giant Xstrata has called for a management shake-up at Lonmin, citing serious financial problems at the mining group.

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Vic govt to wait on tender for hospital

THE Victorian government will delay a decision on a major construction tender until a union bid to halt the process is heard.

The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) made an application in the Federal Court on Friday to stop the state's tender process for the new $630 million Bendigo hospital until a full hearing next year.

The union, which has a union-friendly agreement with builder Lend Lease, sought an injunction to temporarily stop the government's tender process, arguing the state could be breaking the Fair Work Act if it excludes the company.

Earlier this month, it emerged building giant Lend Lease - one of two companies shortlisted to build the project - could lose the project because it breached the Baillieu government's new building code by signing a four-year pay and conditions deal with the CFMEU.

Lawyers for the state told Justice Peter Gray on Friday the government would not make a decision on the tender until April 1 or before a further court hearing, whichever comes first.

A date will be set for a full hearing in the Federal Court before the end of March.

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Man held over elderly Vic couple's death

VICTORIAN police have made a breakthrough during the investigation of the deaths of an elderly couple found dead in their burning house at Yarraville last Saturday.

They have arrested a man in relation to the deaths and are now interviewing him.

At this stage they are not releasing any more details about the arrest other than to say the man is assisting police with their inquiries.

The fire that destroyed the house is believed to have been deliberately lit with police treating the circumstance of the deaths as suspicious.

On the day of the fire detective inspector John Potter described the incident as "gruesome".

He said police believed both people, aged in their 70s and 80s, could have been killed before the house was set alight.

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Five die on NSW roads on Boxing Day

NSW police are pleading for drivers to slow down after a grim day on the roads with five people killed.

An elderly Fijian couple spending Christmas with family members died when their seven-seater Nissan, in which they were passengers, left the Hume Highway and rolled over near Holbrook in the state's south.

A 14-year-old Fijian boy was critically injured in the accident which happened just before 7am (AEDT) on Boxing Day.

"We have seen a significant rise in the number of people injured on our roads," warned Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander John Hartley.

"This is a pattern seen during poor driving conditions," he said.

A 27-year-old man died in a two-car collision at Marsden Park in Sydney's northwest at 6.50am.

The 24-year-old driver of the other car was taken to Westmead Hospital for treatment for head and facial injuries.

Police alleged he was an unaccompanied learner driver.

In separate accidents, two men died when their cars left the road and hit trees - one at Abernethy in the Hunter Valley and the other at Hargreaves, in the state's central west.

Queensland's first holiday road death came after a sedan veered off the Bruce Highway on the state's east coast and rolled at about 3.15am (AEST) on Wednesday, killing its male driver and sole occupant.

Victoria, which has had five deaths since the holiday toll began on Sunday, was fatality-free on Boxing Day.

However, police expect to lay charges over a Christmas Day collision that involved a car slamming into a taxi that had been stopped at traffic lights in Geelong, killing the male driver, a father of five.

The nationwide road toll now stands at 16 so far this holiday season, with six dead in NSW, five in Victoria, two in South Australia with Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia each recording one fatality.

* The national road toll period runs from 0001 December 23, 2012, until 2359 January 3, 2013, local times, in line with the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Board.

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Abe confirmed as Japan's next PM

Shinzo Abe has been confirmed as Japan's prime minister by the lower house of parliament. Source: AAP

SHINZO Abe has been confirmed as Japan's prime minister by the lower house of parliament after he swept to power on a hawkish platform of getting tough on diplomatic issues while fixing the economy.

Abe, who was prime minister from 2006 to 2007, unveiled his new cabinet within hours of winning the lower house's approval on Wednesday as he rushed to draft an extra budget to spur the flagging economy.

Taro Aso, another former prime minister in Japan's revolving-door political system, was tapped as both Abe's deputy and also finance minister.

Earlier on Wednesday, the yen tumbled against the US dollar on growing speculation that the Bank of Japan would usher in further easing measures - a key plank of Abe's campaign.

Abe, 58, achieved a resounding election victory this month for his Liberal Democratic Party over the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ).

On Wednesday he secured 328 votes to 57 for the DPJ's new leader Banri Kaieda, the industry minister during last year's Fukushima nuclear crisis.

Abe, Japan's seventh prime minister in less than seven years, replaces Yoshihiko Noda whose DPJ suffered a stinging defeat at the polls.

The party, which came to power in 2009, was seen as being punished for policy flip-flops and its clumsy handling of the atomic disaster.

The foreign minister job in the new cabinet went to Fumio Kishida, who was a state minister in charge of Okinawan affairs during Abe's previous tenure.

The appointment was seen as a reflection of Abe's desire for progress on the relocation of US military bases in the southern island chain, and comes as Japan is embroiled in a territorial row with China.

The defence portfolio went to Itsunori Onodera, who served as deputy foreign minister for a year during Abe's earlier prime ministership and during that of his successor Yasuo Fukuda.

Sadakazu Tanigaki, the head of the LDP when the party was in opposition after ruling Japan for most of the past six decades, became justice minister.

Abe has vowed to pressure the central bank for further easing measures to boost growth, while also promising big government spending to spur the economy.

He won conservative support with nationalistic pronouncements on diplomacy amid the row with Beijing over a group of East China Sea islands, saying Japan would stand firm on its claim to the chain.

Abe has also said he would consider revising Japan's post-World War II pacifist constitution, alarming officials in China and South Korea.

But Abe quickly toned down the campaign rhetoric and has said he wants improved ties with China, Japan's biggest trading partner. He called for a solution through what he described as "patient exchanges".

China called on Abe to meet it "halfway" to try to improve relations that have been hurt by the debilitating territorial dispute.

"We hope the new Japanese administration will meet the Chinese side halfway and make concrete efforts to overcome difficulties in bilateral relations," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters.

South Korea has its own islands dispute with Japan. But President Lee Myung-Bak sent Abe his congratulations, saying the countries have engaged in "close cooperation and exchanges as close neighbours and friendly nations".

Analysts said Abe was likely to delay drastic policy measures ahead of upper house elections next year, while the LDP's moderate junior coalition partner New Komeito could also balance his right-leaning instincts.

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Qld police investigate 'suspicious' death

POLICE are treating the death of a man in Brisbane's north on Christmas night as suspicious.

Police said they were called to a residence at Nina Court in Marayfield about 9.35pm (AEST) on Tuesday night following reports of a disturbance.

An injured man, thought to be in his 40s, was found in the front yard of the residence and was taken to Royal Brisbane Hospital.

The man died a short time later, police said in a statement.

They said investigations into the incident were under way, but that no more information was currently available.

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Northern NSW prepares for severe storm

Thunderstorms may cause heavy rain and flash flooding over large parts of NSW, forecasters warn. Source: AAP

HEAVY rain and damaging winds are expected to lash large parts of NSW as a storm front moves north.

A severe thunderstorm warning is in place for the remainder of Christmas for the north-west slopes and plains, northern tablelands and parts of the northern rivers, mid-north coast, Hunter and upper western forecast districts.

"Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding and damaging winds in the warning area over the next several hours," the Bureau of Meteorology said when it issued the warning at 7.35pm (AEDT) on Tuesday.

Residents in towns including Scone, Armidale, Tenterfield, Glen Innes, Inverell, Tamworth, Gunnedah, Moree, Narrabri, Walgett, Mungindi and Lightning Ridge are being warned to batten down the hatches.

A spokesman for the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) said that by 6.30pm the service had received about 50 calls on Christmas Day.

Most of these calls were for help patching up minor property damage and no injuries had been reported, he said.

The SES has warned residents to secure loose items around homes and gardens, keep pets and children indoors during the storm, and keep clear of creeks, storm drains and fallen power lines.

An earlier storm warning for the central tablelands and central west slopes and plains districts was cancelled by Tuesday evening.

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Japan's new PM promises action on economy

JAPAN'S prime minister elect has announced his top lieutenants and promised he will pursue fresh policies to tackle the nation's economic woes and bolster its sagging influence on the international stage.

Shinzo Abe, who led his conservative Liberal Democratic Party to victory in elections on December 16 after three years in opposition, was to be formally installed as prime minister on Wednesday.

This will be his second term at the nation's helm. He was also prime minister in 2006-07.

In filling the top party posts, Abe vowed to take bold measures to bring Japan out of its doldrums and win back public trust in the government, which has taken a beating for failing to shore up the economy, deal with a swelling national debt and come up with a recovery plan following last year's devastating earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crises.

"The Liberal Democratic Party has changed," he told a news conference on Tuesday.

"We are not the party we once were."

The new top party line-up includes two women - more than previous LDP administrations - and is also more youthful, with several members aged in their fifties.

The LDP governed Japan for decades after it was founded in 1955 but became the top opposition party after the 2009 elections were won by the left-leaning Democratic Party of Japan.

Before it was ousted, the LDP was hobbled by scandals and its own problems getting key legislation through a divided parliament.

Abe has promised to make the economy his priority and is expected to push for a two per cent inflation target designed to fight a problem that was until recently relatively unique in the world - deflation, or continually dropping prices, which deadens economic activity. The Japanese economy has been stuck in deflation for two decades.

Besides generous promises to boost public-works spending - by as much as 10 trillion yen ($A115 billion), according to party officials - Abe is pressuring the central bank to work more closely with the government to reach the inflation target.

Abe has also stressed his desire to make Japan a bigger player on the world stage.

This stance has resonated with many voters who are concerned that their nation is increasingly taking a back seat both economically and diplomatically to China.

Abe has vowed to stand up to Beijing over an ongoing territorial dispute and strengthen Tokyo's security alliance with Washington.

He has acknowledged, however, that the road ahead for Japan will be bumpy.

"Our party leadership will undoubtedly have to deal with many issues," he said.

Meanwhile, the ousted Democrats have named a new party leader to replace outgoing prime minister Yoshihiko Noda.

Banri Kaieda, a former trade minister, vowed to keep the left-leaning Democratic Party of Japan from collapsing after its stinging defeat in the latest elections. Kaieda also said the party must continue to fight the conservatives.

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UK archbishops tweet Xmas sermons

THE Archbishops of Canterbury and York are tweeting their sermons for the first time to "bring the meaning of Christmas to a new digital audience".

Dr Rowan Williams and Dr John Sentamu - with the incoming Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby - will deliver their Christmas Day messages simultaneously from their pulpits and over the micro-blogging site.

Their words will be "live tweeted" to the UK's 10 million Twitter users as part of a campaign to reach out to social networkers across the country.

The Church of England has asked members in its 16,000 parishes to join in by tweeting snippets from services containing the hashtag #ChristmasStartsWithChrist to spread the Christian message.

The Rev Arun Arora, director of communications at the Archbishops' Council, said: "This is a brilliant opportunity for parishes to take the good news of the first Christmas out of churches and into people's lives and homes.

"It is the first time that the joy and excitement of Christmas will have been broadcast widely on Twitter.

"There are large numbers of social media enthusiasts to be found in pews and pulpits across the country.

"This is an invitation for them to join together to celebrate the joy of the Christ Child coming into the world, taking the real meaning of Christmas to a new digital audience."

Tweets were also fed out from carol, crib and midnight services on Christmas Eve as churches from all denominations were encouraged to broadcast their messages online.

A Twitter spokesman said: "It is fantastic to see the Church of England embracing Twitter and using it to share their Christmas message with new audiences."

Dr Williams has previously branded the site a potentially "poisonous" and destructive tool.

But he has also spoken of its power to do good.

The outgoing archbishop - who does not own a mobile phone and admits he struggles with "any kind" of technology - addressed the issue earlier this month when he said it was often assumed that clergy were "too unworldly" for social media.

But he insisted not all clergy should be assumed to be as "dim" as he is in this area.

Twitter users can track the sermons at Canterbury Cathedral, Durham Cathedral and York Minster by following Dr Williams (@lambethpalace), Dr Sentamu (@johnsentamu) and the Archbishop Designate, Bishop Welby (@bishopofdurham), who already has nearly 15,000 followers.

Dr Williams will stand down as Archbishop of Canterbury at the end of this month after a decade in office.

He will take up a new post as master of Magdalene College, Cambridge and will also serve as chairman of the board of trustees at Christian Aid, the international development agency.

Bishop Welby will be enthroned as his successor at Canterbury Cathedral in March.

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Japan officials inspect Mitsubishi offices

DOZENS of Japan's transport ministry officials have inspected Mitsubishi Motors' offices after the automaker last week widened a recall to about 1.7 million vehicles.

The inspection of Mitsubishi's Tokyo headquarters and quality-control offices nationwide on Tuesday came after the ministry criticised the firm after it widened its oil leak recall.

"We are inspecting the company's offices to see whether the quality improvement program that Mitsubishi submitted to us is appropriate," ministry official Tsuneki Matsuo told AFP.

The inspection, which involves about 40 ministry staff, would include Mitsubishi dealerships in Japan, he added.

Two years ago, Mitsubishi recalled nearly 250,000 vehicles, adding about 300,000 more vehicles to the call back this year, after anonymous tips to the transport ministry prompted officials to order the firm to revisit the glitch.

Last week, the company said it was adding another 1.2 million vehicles to the recall, the latest in a string of safety and quality issues to affect Japan's auto sector.

A faulty engine part could trigger an oil leak and light the oil pressure gauge on the dashboard. In a worst-case scenario the engine could seize, the company said, adding that no accidents had been linked to the glitch.

The latest recall prompted a rebuke from transport ministry officials, who said last week they would meet with Mitsubishi officials to press them on the issue, saying the company had not made proper disclosures to the public.

It ordered the firm to report on the status of internal measures taken to prevent a recurrence of the problem, and said it would ask government-chosen experts to probe the recall.

In a statement on Tuesday, Mitsubishi said "we will fully co-operate with the on-site inspection and will make steady progress to prevent a repeat".

The transport ministry reprimand comes a decade after Mitsubishi admitted to keeping the ministry and public in the dark about tens of thousands of complaints filed by car owners dating back to the late 1970s.

There were some fatal accidents linked to those safety problems.

Bigger rivals Toyota, Nissan and Honda have recalled millions of vehicles in recent years, dealing a blow to their safety and quality image.

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Mongolia graft probe clears Aussie lawyer

Mongolian authorities have cleared an Aussie lawyer of corruption allegations, freeing her to leave. Source: AAP

AN Australian lawyer who had been barred from leaving Mongolia has been cleared of involvement in a corruption case and allowed to leave the country.

Sarah Armstrong was stopped at Ulan Bator airport in mid-October because authorities wanted to question her in relation to corruption allegations.

On Christmas Eve, a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman confirmed the 32-year-old had boarded a flight out of the country, which had taken off by 7pm (AEST).

Her mother, Yvonne, said she had been bracing for a Christmas spent thinking of her daughter stuck in Mongolia.

"All I wanted to hear was that she was on a plane," she said from her Tasmanian home.

She got the good news via text message from a friend in Mongolia.

Mrs Armstrong said her daughter had told her on Friday that she thought she would be allowed to leave within days, but she had been trying not to get her hopes up.

Also on Friday, it is understood, Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr again contacted the Mongolian ambassador to Australia about Ms Armstrong's case.

Senator Carr also flagged the Australian government's concerns when he met the Mongolian foreign minister in November.

Ms Armstrong is a lawyer for Rio Tinto mining subsidiary SouthGobi Resources.

The company on Monday said Mongolia's Independent Authority Against Corruption had ended its questioning of the lawyer.

SouthGobi has been informed by the IAAC that the 32-year-old "is no longer a suspect in their investigations", the coal firm said in a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange where it is listed.

Mongolian officials said Armstrong was wanted over an investigation into the former chief of Mongolia's mining authority, who is suspected of illegally handling mining licences, according to Dow Jones Newswires.

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Thousands flock to Bethlehem for Christmas

THOUSANDS of Palestinians and tourists are flocking to the West Bank city of Bethlehem to celebrate Christmas at the site where many believe Jesus Christ was born.

This year's celebration carries special significance for many Palestinians, coming after 12 months in which their status on the world stage has been significantly upgraded.

Last month the United Nations granted Palestine status as a non-member observer state. Earlier this year Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity was recognised as a UNESCO world heritage site.

The designation also included part of a pilgrimage route in Bethlehem, along which the traditional Christmas procession headed by the Latin Patriarch Fuad Twal will march later on Monday.

Thousands of tourists are expected to join Palestinian residents of the city - Muslim and Christian alike - in lining the route to welcome the procession, which includes dozens of musicians and scout troupes from across the West Bank.

The parade will end in Manger Square, in front of the Church of the Nativity, which is built over the site where Christians believe Mary gave birth to Jesus in a cattle shed.

Several hours later, Twal, the most senior Roman Catholic bishop in the Middle East, will deliver the traditional midnight mass to the faithful.

Scout troupes were already marching in the square to the rhythm of drums and bagpipes mid-morning, while hundreds of tourists looked on.

The mass is traditionally attended by top officials from the Palestinian Authority including president Mahmud Abbas and prime minister Salam Fayyad.

Last week, in his pre-Christmas press conference, Twal praised the UN decision to upgrade Palestinian status, calling it a "step towards peace and stability in the region".

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US gun advocates seek CNN host deportation

US Gun advocates have set up a petition to have British CNN host Piers Morgan deported. Source: AAP

US gun rights advocates have signed a White House petition calling for British CNN host Piers Morgan to be deported for allegedly attacking the Second Amendment rights of ordinary Americans.

The outspoken former British tabloid editor has launched something of a personal crusade for greater gun control measures in the wake of the December 14 massacre at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.

On Tuesday, Morgan held an especially contentious interview with executive director of Gun Owners of America Larry Pratt, appearing to become incensed and incredulous when Pratt suggested more, not fewer, weapons as the solution.

"You're an unbelievably stupid man, aren't you?" Morgan said at one point during the heated debate. "You have absolutely no coherent argument. You don't actually give a damn about the gun murder rate in America."

Following the interview, a Texas journalist posted a petition on the White House website alleging Morgan "is engaged in a hostile attack against the US Constitution by targeting the Second Amendment".

"We demand that Mr Morgan be deported immediately for his effort to undermine the Bill of Rights and for exploiting his position as a national network television host to stage attacks against the rights of American citizens," it says.

Many Americans believe in the literal interpretation of the Second Amendment, which enshrines the "right to bear arms" in the US constitution.

Morgan insists America can outlaw military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines without infringing on people's constitutional rights and says he has no quarrel with the Second Amendment.

Two days after the petition calling for Morgan's deportation was posted, it had already garnered more than 19,000 signatures, closing in quickly on the 25,000 required to get a response from the White House.

A defiant Morgan refused to back down from his position.

"Ironic US gun rights campaign to deport me for 'attacking 2nd Amendment rights' - is my opinion not protected under 1st Amendment rights?," he posted on his Twitter feed on Saturday, referring to freedom of speech provisions.

Morgan continued to post incendiary comments on the gun control debate, including a response on Sunday morning to an NBC interview with a top official in the powerful pro-gun lobby group, the National Rifle Association.

"Watching @davidgregory expose Wayne Lapierre for what he is - a dangerous, dim-witted, deluded menace to American safety. @NRA," Morgan tweeted.

At least some Americans have come out in support of the British citizen.

In one message, reposted by Morgan, Lee Cox in Arizona wrote: "I'm a native-born US citizen, and I agree 100% with Mr Morgan. If he goes back to the UK, should I go with him?"

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Aussie lawyer gets early Christmas gift

Mongolian authorities have cleared an Aussie lawyer of corruption allegations, freeing her to leave. Source: AAP

THE parents of an Australian lawyer who was barred from leaving Mongolia for two months have received an early Christmas present, with the news their daughter is finally on her way home.

Sarah Armstrong was stopped at Ulan Bator airport in mid-October because authorities wanted to question her in relation to corruption allegations.

On Christmas Eve, a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman confirmed the 32-year-old had boarded a flight out of the country, which had taken off by 7pm (AEST).

Mum, Yvonne, told AAP she had been bracing for a Christmas spent thinking of her daughter stuck in Mongolia.

"All I wanted to hear was that she was on a plane," she said on Monday from her Tasmanian home.

She got the good news via text message from a friend in Mongolia.

Mrs Armstrong said her daughter had told her on Friday that she thought she would be allowed to leave within days, but she had been trying not to get her hopes up.

Also on Friday, it is understood, Foreign Minister Bob Carr again contacted the Mongolian ambassador to Australia about Ms Armstrong's case.

Senator Carr also flagged the Australian government's concerns when he met the Mongolian foreign minister in November.

Ms Armstrong is a lawyer for Rio Tinto mining subsidiary SouthGobi Resources.

The company on Monday said Mongolia's Independent Authority Against Corruption (IAAC) had ended its questioning of the lawyer.

SouthGobi has been informed by the IAAC that the 32-year-old "is no longer a suspect in their investigations", the coal firm said in a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange where it is listed.

Mongolian officials said Armstrong was wanted over an investigation into the former chief of Mongolia's mining authority, who is suspected of illegally handling mining licences, according to Dow Jones Newswires.

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Young people stressed over Xmas tension

Young Australians are citing family tension as a reason for feeling negative about Christmas. Source: AAP

YOUNG Australians are citing family tension as a reason for feeling negative about Christmas and are turning to social media to escape the stress, a survey has found.

Around 57 per cent of young people say they feel happy about Christmas, but about 88 per cent also admit there are things that make them feel negative about the jolly season, a survey by the National Youth Mental Health Foundation headspace has found.

More than 65 per cent cited tensions between family members as a factor that made them feel negative about Christmas, up from 58 per cent last year.

Headspace chief executive Chris Tanti said families should be supporting each other over Christmas.

"This survey clearly shows that many young people approach Christmas with trepidation, rather than excitement," Mr Tanti said in a statement on Sunday.

The survey shows that, for 24 per cent of young people, Christmas made them feel depressed and for 28 per cent, the festive season made them feel worse than usual.

More than 86 per cent of young people said they would be using social media on Christmas Day, with 62 per cent saying they used social media to escape family tensions and 54 per cent using it to help them feel less lonely.

"We know about the dangers of social media, but this survey also shows that it's an important tool for coping with difficult situations," Mr Tanti said.

The report surveyed 500 young Australians aged between 12 and 25.

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Five die on first day of holiday period

The Christmas period has got off to a terrible start on Australian roads with five people killed. Source: AAP

THE 12-day Christmas period has got off to a terrible start with five road fatalities, including three deaths in separate accidents in Victoria.

The deaths follow three in the Northern Territory and one in Queensland on Saturday night before the start of the official 12-day road toll period.

On Sunday, an elderly woman passenger died when the car she was in crashed into a light pole in Bentleigh East in Melbourne's southeast.

The crash came hours after a man died when his car veered off the road in nearby Moorabbin and smashed into a tree, flipping on its side.

The third fatality occurred at 4.15pm (AEDT) in Kerang in the state's far north when a sedan veered into truck on the Murray Valley Highway.

The driver of the sedan, a woman and sole occupant, died at the scene while the truck driver was taken to hospital.

Tasmania recorded its first fatality of the holiday season when a motorist died when his car when crashed on East Bagdad Road near Bagdad, north of Hobart, about 1.45pm (AEDT).

In South Australia, a 22-year-old woman died after her car crashed into a tree at Black Hill, near Mannum, east of Adelaide about 1.50am (CST).

On the Gold Coast, two people were airlifted to hospital in a critical condition after a bus rolled down an embankment on Mount Tamborine in the hinterland.

Police say 18 people, mostly Chinese tourists, were involved in the accident, which occurred about noon (AEST).

The deaths took the national holiday road toll to five.

On Saturday night, before the start of the national Christmas road toll, three people died in the Northern Territory after their car rolled and landed on its top near Hermannsburg.

Police had called off a pursuit of a Commodore about 8.30pm (CST) on Saturday after the driver refused to stop and then sped off.

The car was later found about 4km west of Hermannsburg having rolled onto its roof, police said on Sunday.

Two women, aged 26 and 32, died after being ejected from the car and a 30-year-old man also died at the scene, police said.

A 26-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman were also taken to hospital.

In far north Queensland, a man died after crashing an overloaded car.

Police say the vehicle was travelling along Pormpuraaw St, in Pormpuraaw on the Cape York Peninsula, about 11.30pm (AEST) on Saturday when it left the road and rolled.

Six people were in the car at the time of the crash, police say.

The driver, a 27-year-old Aurukun man, died at the scene.

* The national road toll period runs from 0001 December 23, 2012 until 2359 January 3, 2013, local times, in line with the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Board.

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Police seek man for NSW shooting

Police have identified a man they want to speak to in connection with a shooting in Sydney. Source: AAP

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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Afghanistan Taliban pair pledge tolerance

Taliban have held talks with Afghan government officials at a landmark meeting in France. Source: AAP

TWO senior Taliban representatives have pledged to accept a multiparty political system and respect women's rights in future post-war governments.

The officials last week attended a two-day conference in Paris with Afghan parliamentarians, opposition leaders and government officials organised by a research institute.

In a declaration made public after the conference, they promised political tolerance, but criticised Kabul and the United States government for not being serious about their peace efforts.

They also called for a new constitution based on "the Islamic principles, national interests, social justice, and historical gains".

Such a charter would "guarantee, without prejudice, equal rights for all ethnic groups".

The rebels said they did not accept the current constitution because it was "written under the pressure of B-52 war planes" in 2004.

In a conciliatory note, the movement said it was not "seeking an exclusive right to power".

"We want an all-Afghan, inclusive government," the statement said, adding that Taliban leader Mullah Omar "respects his opponents and insists on mutual understanding and asks them to join him in defending the country."

The Taliban also claimed they would respect "women's rights" and the role that "Islam has given them."

"A woman in Islam has the right to get married, inherit, own (possessions), education, and work."

The former Taliban regime, which was ousted by the US-led military invasion in 2001, called the country the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Its leaders say they continue to be "a legitimate force."

"It has a political representation in the world and our invitation to this conference is a good example of our political existence," the group said.

The Taliban want direct talks with the US, and have refused to talk with the Afghan government, which it regards as a "puppet administration."

"Foreigners and the Kabul administration are not interested in peace," it said. "Nor are they committed to the goals and principles of peace.

"Indeed, under the pretext of peace they want the mujahideen (militants) to surrender, lay down their weapons, accept the constitution, and obey their orders. Is that what you call a peace process?"

The Taliban insist that an end to all foreign military occupation remains a prerequisite for peace.

The officials praised France for taking steps to withdraw its troops, and called on the US and other allies to "withdraw" immediately.

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