Taxi driver punched unconscious: police

A TAXI driver has been punched unconscious and his windscreen smashed on the Gold Coast, police say.

Around 7.30pm (AEST) on Saturday, a taxi driver was returning property to an address in Nyrang Court, Palm Beach, when he was punched in the face, rendering him unconscious.

The offender also smashed the front windscreen of the taxi and kicked the rear driver's side panel before leaving the scene on foot.

The driver was treated in hospital.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or noticed suspicious behaviour in the area at the time is urged to contact police.

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US orders evacuation of Mali embassy

THE US State Department has ordered all family members of embassy employees to leave Mali, amid the country's escalating conflict with Islamist militants who control the vast arid north.

The order late on Friday follows a tumultuous week in which gunmen across the border in Algeria staged a deadly raid on a remote gas plant, taking an unknown number of foreign hostages.

"On January 18, the Department of State ordered the departure of all dependent family members who are not employed at the US Embassy in Bamako, Mali, for a period of up to 30 days," the notice stated.

It cited "ongoing fighting in northern and central Mali, fluid political conditions, the loss of government control of Mali's northern provinces, and continuing threats of attacks and kidnappings of westerners."

And although conditions in the capital remain calm, "the recent escalation of hostilities around Mopti in northern Mali has heightened tensions throughout the country," the warning said, also noting that Interim President Dioncounda Traore had declared a state of emergency on January 12.

French troops joined a regional effort to oust the militants on January 11, after the Al-Qaeda-linked rebels swooped down from their northern stronghold and threatened the Malian capital Bamako.

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Vatican welcomes Obama gun control stance

THE Vatican has praised US President Barack Obama's proposals for curbing gun violence, saying they are a "step in a right direction".

Vatican's chief spokesman the Rev Federico Lombardi, in an editorial on Saturday, said 47 religious leaders had appealed to members of the US Congress "to limit firearms that are making society pay an unacceptable price in terms of massacres and senseless deaths".

"I am with them," Lombardi declared, lining up the Vatican's moral support in favour of firearm limits.

"The initiatives announced by the American administration for limiting and controlling the spread and use of weapons are certainly a step in the right direction."

Obama is trying to rally support for reinstating a ban on assault weapons and requiring background checks on all gun sales.

He faces stiff opposition in the US Congress and from powerful gun lobbies.

Considering that Americans possess "about 300 million firearms," Lombardi said, "people cannot fool themselves that it is enough to limit the number and use (of guns) to impede in the future horrendous massacres like that of Newtown that shook the conscience of America and world, as well as that of children and adults".

He was referring to the Newtown, Connecticut, elementary school where 20 children and six adults were killed by a sole attacker last month.

"But it would be worse to be satisfied with words" of condemnation alone, Lombardi said.

And while massacres are "carried out by unbalanced or hate-driven persons, there is no doubt that they are carried out with firearms".

Lombardi renewed Vatican appeals for disarmament and encouragement for measures to fight "the production, commerce and contraband of all types of arms," an industry fuelled by "enormous economic and power interests."

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France says no more of its nationals held

FRANCE says no more of its nationals are being held hostage in Algeria by Islamist gunmen holed up at a desert gas plant.

Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on France 3 television that a Frenchman had been killed in the attack and other captured French nationals had been freed.

Le Drian said he could not confirm that a French national, who he said used the surname Le Guen, was among the attackers at the Algerian gas plant but that he expected to find out soon.

He said Le Guen had been in neighbouring Mali for the past several weeks.

The French national killed in the assault has been named as Yann Desjeux, a former special forces soldier who was also the co-owner of a restaurant in the southwestern beach town of Anglet.

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Man caught almost 'eight times over limit'

A MAN has allegedly returned a blood alcohol reading almost eight times above the legal limit, Queensland police say.

Around 6.40pm (AEST) on Saturday police were called to Deagon, in Brisbane's north, after reports an intoxicated man may try to drive his vehicle.

A short time later police allegedly found a man in a utility with the keys in the ignition. He allegedly returned a reading of 0.397 per cent.

The 38-year-old NSW man was charged with being in charge of a motor vehicle while under the influence of liquor.

He is due to appear in the Sandgate Magistrates Court on February 25.

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Rhino named S Africa newsmaker of 2012

THE rhino has been named South Africa's newsmaker for 2012, based on the extensive media coverage around the slaughter of the creature for its horn.

It is the first time that such recognition has gone to an animal, as poaching figures reach all-time highs.

"Stories of rhino poaching dominated the headlines throughout the year, the story was covered extensively locally and internationally," said Antoinette Slabbert, chairperson of South Africa's National Press Club.

Poachers are increasingly targeting South Africa's rhinos, and last year killed a record 668 of them in parks across the country.

"We made this decision after a long and serious thought," Slabbert said, adding "there wasn't any other bigger story than this."

The plight of the pachyderm eclipsed the shooting of 34 mineworkers by police during a strike at Lonmin platinum mine in August, and a host of prominent political news.

"People need to understand that we selected a newsmaker not a news event, the Marikana shooting was a news event, with many faces," Slabbert said.

South Africa is home to about three-quarters of Africa's 20,000 or so white rhinos and 4800 critically endangered black rhinos.

"While the rhino has dominated headlines for all the wrong reasons, the media has played a fundamental role in informing not only South Africans, but the world, about the massive tragedy that is unfolding in our country," Slabbert said.

Rhinos are victims of a surging demand for their horns, which some people in Asia think have medicinal properties. The claim is widely discredited.

South Africa and Vietnam last year signed a deal to tackle the trade and several Asian nationals have been arrested for involvement in poaching.

The number of rhinos poached in the country rose sharply over the last five years, from 13 in 2007 to 448 in 2011.

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Syria's Kurds urge opposition to stop Isla

SYRIAN Kurds have urged the opposition to halt a siege against them by Islamist rebels, as the UN condemned the killing of dozens of children across the country over the past week.

The Kurdish National Council, a pro-opposition umbrella group of Syrian Kurdish parties, condemned what it said was an ongoing assault "against unarmed civilians" by jihadist insurgents on the northern town of Ras al-Ain.

It said the rebels, who came across the border from Turkey, were shelling the town indiscriminately, and called on the main opposition National Coalition and the Free Syrian Army to "pressure these militants to stop this criminal war which is detrimental to the Syrian revolution."

On Saturday, one rebel was killed in shelling and fierce clashes that pitted the jihadist Al-Nusra Front against Kurdish fighters, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

A resident of Ras al-Ain told AFP both sides appeared to be preparing for a fierce battle, with Kurdish fighters building fortifications and digging trenches, and rebels bringing in reinforcements from across the border.

Turkey, which supports the revolt against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, is home to a sizeable Kurdish minority whose demands for greater independence it has moved to suppress, notably in air strikes on Kurdish militants groups.

Activists say Turkey may be using jihadists in Syria to fight its own battle against the Kurds.

Elsewhere, Syrian warplanes raided the eastern outskirts of Damascus as army reinforcements arrived in Daraya, a key battleground near the capital, the Observatory said.

The violence came a day after 149 people were killed, according to the Observatory, including 103 civilians and 18 children.

The United Nations Children's Fund condemned the killing of children in Syria.

"A series of reports from Syria this week underlines the terrible price children are paying" in a conflict that has ravaged the country for 22 months and killed more than 60,000 people, UNICEF said.

"Media reports (Friday) from the scene of mass killings in the village of Hasawiya outside Homs said whole families were among the dead," it added.

"UNICEF condemns these latest incidents in the strongest terms, and once again calls on all parties to ensure civilians - and children especially - are spared the effects of the conflict."

The Observatory, which relies on a network of activists and medics for its information, says 3,538 children have been killed since the start of the revolt in March 2011.

Meanwhile, Syria's foreign ministry criticised a petition by UN rights chief Navi Pillay and 58 countries calling for a war crimes case against Damascus to be opened at the International Criminal Court.

"The Syrian government regrets the persistence of these countries in following the wrong approach and refusing to recognise the duty of the Syrian state to protect its people from terrorism imposed from abroad," it said.

Those countries, are "hindering the Syrian national dialogue for a peaceful settlement of the crisis as proposed by Assad on January 6." Those talks would only include opposition forces tolerated by the regime, disqualifying the vast majority of the country's rebels.

Rebels offered a stark reply on Saturday by assassinating Khaled al-Hilal, a local official responsible for arranging any such talks in the southern province of Daraa.

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Savile's victims set to seek damages

AROUND 50 victims of sexual abuse by Jimmy Savile are set to seek damages from the late broadcaster's estate and from organisations including the BBC and Britain's health service, their lawyer said.

A report by British police on Friday said Savile "groomed the nation" over six decades, hiding behind his fame to assault girls, boys and adult women on BBC premises and in schools and hospitals.

Liz Dux, a lawyer representing more than 50 of Savile's victims, said that because Savile had died in 2011 aged 84, civil claims were the only way that they could get justice.

"Compensation is not at the forefront of their mind, but of course it's the only method of recompense that we can get for them now, given that he can't be prosecuted," she said.

Dux said they would consider making claims against Savile's heirs, against the BBC -- the publicly funded UK broadcaster that made Savile one of its biggest stars in the 1970s and 1980s -- and the state-run National Health Service.

"We now have to look at what was known in the organisations. Once these inquiries have taken place then we will be able to make progress with the civil claims.

"Those inquiries are hugely important to the evidence and it will be foolhardy to press ahead straight away with the civil claims now without that evidence coming forward.

"A moratorium has been agreed in respect of the majority of the potential defendants to await the outcome of the inquiry."

In the three-month investigation by police and the NSPCC children's charity, it emerged that Savile used his fame as presenter of BBC TV's Top of the Pops chart show and children's program Jim'll Fix It to rape and assault victims on BBC premises as well as in schools and hospitals where he did charity work.

The report recorded 214 criminal offences, including 34 rapes -- 28 of them of children. Three-quarters of the victims were children, mostly girls aged between 13 and 16, but the youngest was an eight-year-old boy.

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Monster tiger shark caught near beach

A Tiger shark of nearly 5 metres was caught off the coast in Coolum, Queensland. Video by Peter Hall and Glenn Barnes

A RECORD 753 "resident" sharks have been caught off Queensland beaches in the past year, new figures reveal.

The terrifying tally includes 319 predators considered dangerously large, measuring longer than 2m.

The latest monster - a 4.72m tiger shark - was reeled in near Coolum on the Sunshine Coast on Thursday as The Sunday Mail interviewed shark hunters.

The pregnant female, weighing in excess of 500kg, was the biggest caught by the local shark catcher in his five years on the job. Other species snared over the past year included great whites, bull sharks and dusky whalers.

They were caught a few hundred metres from some of the state's most popular beaches.

Shark behaviour experts say the surge in the number of sharks lured closer to shore - 53 more than 2011 and 150 more than five years ago - is linked to an abundance of food following floods in recent years.

Townsville recorded the highest number of shark catches in the state with 158, followed by Capricorn Coast on 105, Cairns (91), Mackay (69), Tannum Sands/Gladstone (67), Rainbow Beach (60) and Bundaberg (56).

A tiger shark of nearly 5 metres and more than 500kg was caught 400m off Yaroomba Beach near Coolum, on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. Picture: Glen Barnes

The Sunshine Coast notched 50 catches, 28 in the dangerous category - and the Gold Coast 49 (21 over 2m in length).

The Government says the rising figures reinforce the need for the netting and drumline program initiated in 1962 following two fatal attacks at Noosa and Mackay in 1961.

They also spark a warning for those taking a dip in the warmer months - when sharks are most active - to know the rules that reduce risks.

Fisheries Queensland's Shark Control Program manager Jeff Krause said there had been only one shark fatality at a shark control beach in Queensland since the program was launched.

Mr Krause said equipment was in place near 85 beaches and the program cost around $2.3 million a year.

He said nets did not prevent sharks entering a particular area but were intended to catch "resident sharks" and those that moved through while feeding on bait fish. They were effective against aggressive bull sharks while drumlines were better for hooking tigers.

Sunshine Coast shark catcher Paddy Dimond and deckie Lachlan Tuckwell reeling in the biggest tiger shark they caught in their 5 years, measuring 4.72 meters and weighing over 500kg off Yaroomba near Coolum on a baited drum line. Picture: Glen Barnes

"The program is designed to capture large and dangerous shark species," he said. "In 2012, we caught 753 sharks in shark control equipment, including 319 over 2m. In 2011, there were 700 sharks caught, 253 of which were considered dangerous.

"Any size shark can cause serious injury if they attack, but sharks more than 2m are particularly dangerous.

"Queensland is renowned for its beautiful beaches and people come here to swim year round, so swimmer safety is the number one priority."

Shark nets have attracted controversy due to their impact on whales, dugongs, turtles and dolphins. Since 2000, 34 whales have been caught in Queensland, 31 successfully freed.

Associate Professor of Environmental Science at Bond University Daryl McPhee is an expert on the pros and cons of netting, recently completing an analysis for the West Australian Government.

He is not convinced the program offers added protection and believes funding would be better directed towards educating the public about safe swimming.

Sunshine Coast shark catcher Paddy Dimond and deckie Lachlan Tuckwell reeling in the biggest tiger shark they caught in their 5 years, measuring 4.72 meters and weighing over 500kg off Yaroomba near Coolum on a baited drum line. Picture: Glenn Barnes

"It's debatable that they are an effective tool. Most sharks are caught on the beach side of nets, which means they already have been near the beach and potential interaction with swimmers," Dr McPhee said.

"The probability of being attacked is very low, much lower than the threat of drowning."

Dr McPhee said an interesting statistic was that 90 per cent of fatal shark attacks around the world were on males.

He believed this was linked to the fact males took more risks in the water.

Shark scientist Jonathan Werry of Ocean and Coast Research is finalising a study that will show the impact of recent flood events on shark numbers in Moreton Bay and along the Gold Coast.

Dr Werry said sharks were declining globally, but indications were that a higher concentration of the predators had moved closer to shore.

"What you get with floods is more nutrients flushed out of rivers. This becomes a feeding zone for fish and there's a flow-on effect with large sharks coming in," he said.

"There are not more sharks, just more close to shore."

SHARK catchers say it's "tiger season".

Larger sharks than in previous years have moved closer to shore and feature in latest catches.

"We're having a run of tigers . . . big ones," Sunshine Coast contractor Paddy Dimond said.

"We've had more whales and when whales come in closer, so do bigger sharks.

"They bring tigers and some white pointers. Soon, when we get rain, we will see the bull sharks. There are natural fluctuations in numbers."

The Sunday Mail went on patrol with Mr Dimond on Thursday when he hooked his largest predator.

The 4.72m tiger, caught at Yaroomba near Coolum, is believed to have been the shark that had spooked surfers in recent weeks. Weighing more than 500kg, it was too heavy to be winched aboard.

Mr Dimond's previous biggest catch was a 3.9m dusky whaler near the popular Caloundra surfing break at Moffat Headland six months ago.

"We get all different species and caught a 2.5m white pointer at Maroochydore about 18 months ago," he said.

The Sunshine Coast crew oversees 11 nets and 28 drum lines between Bribie Island and Noosa.

The equipment, designed to safeguard swimmers, is positioned between 300m and 400m from shore.

Mr Dimond checks for sharks and baits hooks with mullet or shark pieces.

One of his more unusual days saw him nab two sharks on one hook.

A 1.1m shark caught at Bribie had a 1.8m specimen "stuck on the end of it" after the first creature became bait.

Dangerous sharks are destroyed, measured and have their stomach contents examined.

This has produced interesting results, including birds, whale parts, spanner crabs, other sharks and stone fish.

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Beijing pollution at dangerous levels

DENSE fog has enveloped swathes of east and central China, with pollution levels in Beijing reaching dangerous levels for a second day and residents advised to stay indoors, state media reports.

The municipal environment warning centre issued an alert on Saturday advising the elderly, children, and those suffering respiratory or cardiovascular illness in the capital to avoid going out or doing strenuous exercise, Xinhua reported.

Those who did venture out wore facemasks for protection, with visibility low, the skyline shrouded, and the sun hidden in the smog.

Air quality in Beijing showed airborne particles with a diameter small enough to deeply penetrate the lungs at a reading of 456 micrograms per cubic metre. The quality is considered good when the figure stands at less than 100.

The heavy pollution is expected to last another three days, with weather conditions preventing pollutants from dispersing, the warning centre said, according to Xinhua.

Fog in several provinces in east and central China closed numerous highways and delayed flights, it said.

China's air quality is among the worst in the world, international organisations say, citing massive coal consumption and car-choked city streets in the world's biggest auto market.

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