Disasters last year displaced three times more people than violent conflicts, showing the urgent need to improve resilience for vulnerable people when fighting climate change, according to a study issued today.
	The Norwegian Refugee Council, an independent group that focuses on emergency aid, released the findings ahead of a United Nations summit on Tuesday aimed at building momentum for a global agreement on climate change.
	The report said that 22 million people were displaced in 2013 due to disasters brought on by natural hazards, nearly three times the number who were forced from their homes due to violence.
	The problem has been worsening, with roughly twice as many people displaced around the world due to disasters now than in the 1970s, even as better forecasting and relief operations have reduced the number of deaths.
	"It's a wake-up call, I think, to world leaders coming here -- as bad as it is today, it would be dramatically worse unless much more is invested in ...

Far more displaced by disasters than conflict: study

PTI Automatic

Rising sea levels could threaten infrastructure worth more than USD 205 billion in Australia if climate change is left unchecked, a study warned today.
	The Climate Council report said the most serious consequences of rising seas would be an increase in the frequency of coastal flooding and the retreat of shorelines.
	Both these threats could cause massive damage in Australia, where the majority of the population live on the coast and where cities, towns and infrastructure are concentrated, it said.
	"Coastal flooding is a sleeping giant," the report said, adding that the potential for economic damage was huge.
	"More than USD 226 billion in commercial, industrial, road and rail, and residential assets around Australian coasts are potentially exposed to flooding and erosion hazards at a sea level rise of 1.1 metres, a high end, but quite plausible, scenario for 2100."
	When he came to power a year ago Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who once said climate change science was "absolute ...

Rising sea levels to cost Australia billions: study

Asian Games organisers today kicked out an Iranian official for sexually harassing a female volunteer and issued strong warnings after two alleged cases in two days.
     The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) banned football equipment manager Amereh Ahmad from Games sites and asked the Iranian team to send him home for verbally harassing the volunteer on Monday.
     Also on Wednesday, police were investigating a Palestinian footballer who was accused of groping a female worker in an athletes' village laundry room the day before. The player was banned from leaving the country.
     The incidents prompted the organising committee to put up signs in Games accommodation warning against harassment, while the OCA said it had "zero tolerance" for such cases.
     "It was not a matter of a physical attack; it was verbal sexual harassment," OCA director general Husain Al-Musallam said in a statement, referring to the Iranian official.
     "The OCA will not tolerate any misbehaviour of this ...

Iranian kicked out over sexual harassment

Thailand's military ruler today questioned whether tourists in bikinis are safe in the kingdom, in comments following the murder of two Britons whose battered bodies were found on a Thai island.
	David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, were found dead on the southern island of Koh Tao on Monday, sparking a hunt for their killers. Post-mortem examinations were carried out today after the bodies were brought to Bangkok.
	But authorities have yet to make an arrest despite questioning several suspects including two British men -- who are believed to have travelled with Miller -- and a number of Myanmar migrant workers.
	"There are always problems with tourist safety. They think our country is beautiful and is safe so they can do whatever they want, they can wear bikinis and walk everywhere," Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha, who is also army chief, told government officials.
	But "can they be safe in bikinis... Unless they are not beautiful?" he said, addressing the issue of tourist .

Thai PM questions if 'tourists in bikinis' safe after murders

A disgruntled taxpayer in southern France paid her annual bill using 30 kilogrammes of small change in protest at the way taxes are collected.
	The unemployed 28-year-old woman, who gave her name only as Audrey D., had to pay USD 1,435 in tax on her 2013 salary, which was on average 1,400 euros.
	"To pay the taxes on time, I had to sell my car," she told AFP.
	Income tax in France is levied once a year in September on the salary earned the previous year.
	Initially, she went to the tax office to pay in a single cash lump sum. "It hurts less that way," she said.
	However, officials told her she could only pay 300 euros at a time. She paid the first three tranches and then decided to make a statement with the remaining 207 euros.
	She marched into the tax office with a pink piggy bank and rolls of tiny one, two and five centimes coins.
	"I've got a good friend in a bank who helped me," she explained.
	She smashed the piggy bank on the counter and handed over the small change.
	At first, 

Frenchwoman pays taxes with 30 kilos of small change

Israel's Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz today urged the European Union not to make a "bad deal" with Iran over its nuclear programme, ahead of crucial talks.
	Steinitz suggested outgoing EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton may be in a rush to conclude a deal before she steps down at the end of this year.
	He also said the fight against Islamist extremists in Iraq and Syria should not harm efforts to stop Tehran from obtaining a nuclear bomb.
	Iran and world powers are preparing for new talks starting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly this week in New York.
	Western countries accuse Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies.
	"We appreciate Catherine Ashton's efforts, but the Iranians might tend to believe that if somebody has to finish his job on this date, then somebody will have extra motivation to try to conclude a deal," he said.
	"I hope this is not the case. I hope that Catherine Ashton can say, 'OK, I've tried but if the Iranians ...

Israel warns EU against 'bad deal' on Iran

Oil prices steadied today as dealers squared positions after the previous day's bumper gains which were stoked by indications the OPEC cartel will cut its production target next year.
	The market also awaited the latest energy stockpiles report and an interest rate decision in the United States, traders said.
	In early afternoon deals, Brent North Sea crude for delivery in November firmed seven cents to USD 99.12 a barrel from yesterday's closing level.
	US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for October dipped 46 cents to USD 94.42 a barrel.
	"We are seeing some consolidation in the oil market in Asian hours after news of the OPEC production cut led to gains overnight," Ric Spooner, chief market analyst at CMC Markets in Sydney, told AFP.
	Crude futures had rebounded sharply yesterday after the head of OPEC indicated that the crude producers' cartel could cut its production target for 2015.
	WTI jumped USD 1.96 yesterday while Brent gained USD 1.17.
	In comments widely reported ...

Oil prices hold steady

Nobel laureate VS Naipaul has been dropped by an international literary festival in Bali after the event refused to meet his "11th-hour request" for a USD 20,000 fee to appear, its organisers said today.
	The Trinidad-born British writer had been one of the biggest names booked for this year's Ubud Writers and Readers Festival (UWRF), scheduled for the start of next month on the Indonesian resort island.
	However the event's founder and director, Janet DeNeefe, said they had decided to cancel his appearance after he asked for the fee.
	"After having committed to the festival months ago, Sir VS Naipaul made an 11th-hour request for a USD 20,000 appearance fee that would have jeopardised the longevity of the UWRF and all of those involved," she said in a statement sent to AFP.
	"As a not-for-profit festival, we rely on the goodwill and generosity of our sponsors, partners and the authors and artists who so graciously donate their time and resources to make the UWRF such a magical ...

VS Naipaul dropped from Bali festival 'over large fee'

Pope Francis's hopes of easing the Catholic Church's tough stance on remarried couples has hit a stumbling block, with five cardinals coming out firmly against reform ahead of a key meeting, Italian media reported today.
	The Argentine pontiff, whose defence of the poor and vulnerable has stirred up the winds of change within the centuries-old institution, rocked traditionalists last weekend by marrying couples in Saint Peter's Basilica who had been living in "sin" according to the Church's rule book.
	Of the 20 couples gathered in the heart of the Vatican to take their vows with the leader of the Roman Catholic church's blessing, some had already been cohabiting and one bride was a single mother.
	The debate began in earnest in February after Francis's close ally German Cardinal Walter Kasper, tapped by the 77-year-old pope to address the world's cardinals on hot-button issues, sparked controversy by calling for a more "merciful" approach to remarried Catholics who want to take ...

Cardinals reject pope's message of hope for remarried couples

Campaigners for and against Scottish independence scrambled for votes today on the eve of a knife-edge referendum that will either see Scotland break away from the UK or gain sweeping new powers with greater autonomy.
	The "Yes" and "No" camps mobilised thousands of volunteers to hand out leaflets and hold rallies across Scotland in a final push to win over high numbers of undecided voters.
	Three new opinion polls published in today's papers all suggested a very narrow majority supporting staying in the UK but also showed that the undecideds could swing it either way.
	"I'm really optimistic that if we do have independence, we can start building a society that works for all of us," said 24-year-old Sam Hollick, a "Yes" activist from the Green Party who was campaigning at a stand on Edinburgh's Leith Walk blaring the hit song "500 Miles" by Scottish band The Proclaimers.
	Down the road at a bus stop, Steven Andrew said he had still not made up his mind.
	"I'm going to be reading up on 

Campaigns race for votes on Scottish referendum eve

Elite Iraqi troops backed by US jets battled jihadists just south of Baghdad today as Washington devised a strategy for expanded operations against the Islamic State group.
	President Barack Obama prepared to meet with US commanders to decide how to turn the tide on the most powerful and brutal jihadist group in recent history while keeping a promise not to drag America into another military quagmire.
	The White House scrambled to play down a suggestion by the top US officer that deploying ground forces was an option but expanded air strikes were already turning up the heat on the Islamic State (IS) group.
	According to Iraqi military and tribal leaders, US jets struck three IS targets in an area south of Baghdad which has been dubbed the "triangle of death", killing at least four militants.
	A leader of the Janabi tribe in the flashpoint region of Jurf al-Sakhr, less than 50 km south of Baghdad, said Iraqi soldiers had fought IS militants until early today.
	"The main focus was an ...

Jihadists face growing pressure as US mulls strategy

Air France scrapped more than half its flights today as pilots extended a strike into a third day, defying Prime Minister Manuel Valls who urged them to stop their "incomprehensible" industrial action.
	Pilots have walked off the job in protest at the airline's plans to expand its low-cost leisure subsidiary Transavia France, whose pilots are cheaper to employ.
	Unions fear the company will seek to cut costs by running more low-cost Transavia flights at the expense of Air France operations.
	An Air France source told AFP that the hourly cost of employing a Transavia France pilot was some 40 percent less than a pilot at the senior group.
	A pilot for the French flag carrier earns about 75,000 euros ($97,000) a year on average while captains of long-haul flights can earn up to 250,000 euros.
	Air France was running only four out of 10 flights today, as frantic negotiations between unions and management failed to provide the hoped-for breakthrough.
	Valls told French radio: "We have to ..

Air France strike into third day, as PM urges pilots back to

South Korean police said today they were investigating a Palestinian football player at the Asian Games for alleged sexual harassment and had banned him from leaving the country.
     The 20-year-old player, whose name was withheld, was accused of groping a 25-year-old woman working in a laundry room at the athletes' village.
     "He was banned from leaving the country. We have questioned him and we will hand over this case to (state) prosecution authorities soon," Chief Superintendent Kim Hyun-Ja of the Namdong Police Station in Incheon told AFP.
     Prosecutors will decide whether formal charges should be brought, Kim said.
     It was the second such case involving foreign participants in the Asian Games which formally open in the South Korean port city of Incheon on Friday.
     Yesterday, police in Ansan, south of Seoul, said they had opened a similar investigation into a 38-year-old Iranian man working as a technical equipment manager for the Iranian football team.
     The ...

Harassment charge against Palestinian footballer

Sony today said it would lose USD 2.14 billion this fiscal year, more than four-times its earlier forecast as the Japanese electronics giant blamed a downturn in its mobile phone business.
	The estimated net loss of 230 billion yen in the fiscal year to March 2015 came as a surprise only months after it tipped a loss of just 50 billion yen, citing a turnaround in its hard-hit television business.
	Sony has cut expectations for sales in the smartphone business, which has been reporting operating losses as it faces off against global rivals including Apple and South Korea's Samsung.
	The announcement, which came after Japanese markets had closed, is likely to resurrect fears that the once world-leading electronics company has a lot more work ahead to cast off years of losses.
	It also said it would not pay a year-end dividend for the first time since it started trading in Tokyo in 1958, according to the leading Nikkei business daily.
	Today, the company said it had "modified" its ...

Sony warns of USD 2.14 bn annual loss, blames mobile unit

Thai police today identified a man caught on security camera as the "prime suspect" in the murder of two British tourists on a resort island, as detectives raised hopes that a post-mortem examination would yield valuable clues.
	The man was seen on closed circuit television near a bar on Koh Tao island where David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, were partying shortly before they were beaten to death early on Monday.
	Local media reports said the man -- believed to be of Asian appearance -- was twice seen on camera, the first time passing the bar and later hurriedly returning from the direction where the bodies of the British pair were found behind some rocks.
	"He is the prime suspect but we don't know his whereabouts yet," Kiattipong Khawsamang, Surat Thani provincial police commander, said, confirming the man in the CCTV footage was Asian.
	Several Myanmar nationals working on the resort have already been quizzed over the killings, which have shocked the small community of ...

Thai police hunt 'prime suspect' in murder of British pair

Lava cascaded down the Philippines' most active volcano on today as authorities rushed to evacuate thousands ahead of a possible deadly eruption.
	Mostly women, children and the elderly carrying bags of clothes were hauled out of farming villages near Mayon volcano's slopes on board army trucks and minibuses.
	Soldiers went from house to house asking residents to evacuate, after authorities on Monday raised the third highest alert in a five-step scale, meaning a full-scale eruption is possible "within weeks".
	Before dawn Wednesday, Mayon's crater glowed red as molten rocks flowed as far as halfway down its slopes.
	The volcano's world-renowned perfect cone appeared to have been deformed, swollen with lava that had risen from the Earth's core.
	At least 8,000 of the target 50,000 people had been moved to temporary shelters, with the operation expected to run for three days, regional civil defence director Bernardo Alejandro told AFP.
	However he said the evacuation operation was ...

Rushed evacuations as Philippine volcano spews lava

Steven Gerrard was Liverpool's hero with a stoppage-time penalty as the Reds marked their return to the Champions League with a win, while Arsenal endured a torrid evening against Borussia Dortmund.
     Gerrard struck from the spot right at the death to hand Liverpool a 2-1 win in their Group B opener against an awkward Ludogorets Razgrad at Anfield yesterday.
     Meanwhile, goals just either side of half-time by Ciro Immobile and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gave 2013 runners-up Dortmund a 2-0 win against Arsenal in Germany in Group D, and the hosts were unlucky not to win by more.
     The evening's big winners were the reigning champions Real Madrid, who crushed Swiss title-holders Basel 5-1 in Group B, while last season's beaten finalists Atletico Madrid suffered a 3-2 defeat against Olympiakos in Greece in Group A.
     Liverpool were making their first appearance in the Champions League since 2009 and were widely expected to start with a victory against Bulgarian debutants ...

Gerrard rescues Liverpool as Arsenal suffer

Former New Zealand cricket great Martin Crowe revealed today his cancer has returned, 15 months after announcing it was under control.
     "After a brilliant year of self discovery and recovery I have more work to do," he tweeted.
     "My friend & tough taskmaster Lymphoma is back to teach me."
     The 51-year-old was first diagnosed with lymphoma in 2012, but after months of chemotherapy he said doctors had told him the cancer had shrunk to safe levels, although there was always the possibility of a relapse.
     Crowe said he will now have to undergo further treatment.
     A cousin of Hollywood star Russell Crowe, Martin Crowe is widely regarded as the best batsman to have represented New Zealand.
     He averaged 45.36 in his 77-Test career, which included 17 centuries.
     In 1991, he scored a New Zealand record for the most runs in a single Test innings when he was dismissed for 299 playing at Wellington's Basin Reserve against Sri Lanka.
     The record was not broken ...

NZ great Crowe reveals return of cancer

England batsman Jonathan Trott said he was ready for an international recall.
     Trott dramatically quit the Ashes tour of Australia last year following the first Test in Brisbane, citing a stress-related illness, and has not played for England since.
     However, the 33-year-old South Africa-born right-hander has returned to county duty with Warwickshire, although a recurrence of the illness in April led to another break from cricket.
     But since coming back again with the Midlands county in June, Trott has been in fine form for Warwickshire with four centuries -- two each in the County Championship and the 50-over One Day Cup.
     However, his time away from the international scene meant Trott was not awarded a central contract by the England and Wales Cricket Board last week.
     Nevertheless, Trott told the BBC on Tuesday he had been "available" for England duty for several weeks.
     "The ECB and I have had our final get-together. I've been signed off by the ECB," said ..

Trott ready for England return

Batsman Phil Hughes will replace injured captain Michael Clarke in next month's one-day series against Pakistan, Cricket Australia said today.
     Clarke was ruled out yesterday after scans revealed the hamstring injury that cut short his Zimbabwe tour was worse than first thought and included tendon damage.
     The national selection panel confirmed Hughes will replace him in the three-game series in the United Arab Emirates.
     Hughes had been named in the Test squad to play Pakistan and was set to travel to the UAE earlier than his teammates to work on his batting against spin with coaching consultant and Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan.
     The three-game one-day series against Pakistan, the last for Australia before it hosts the World Cup next year, starts on October 7 with the first of two Tests not until October 22.
     Cricket Australia said Tuesday it hoped that Clarke, who has a history of back and hamstring trouble, would be fit to play in the first Test.
     ..

Hughes to replace injured Clarke in Pakistan series

Spinner Sulieman Benn took five wickets and Jerome Taylor reached the milestone of 100 Test wickets as Bangladesh crumbled to a 296-run defeat late on the fourth day of the second and final Test against the West Indies at the Beausejour Stadium.
     Set an improbable target of 489 after the home side declared their second innings at 269 for four, 45 minutes into the day, the tourists crashed from 158 for two to be dismissed for 192 just before a shower swept across the ground.
     Opening batsman Tamim Iqbal (64) and Mominul Haque (56) held up the West Indies for over three hours with a second-wicket partnership of 110, but when Tamim skied an attempted sweep off Benn to midwicket it was the trigger for the collapse.
     It was completed when Kemar Roach breached the defence of Shafiul Islam to set off the West Indies victory celebrations in their 500th Test and a 2-0 sweep of the series.
     "This is unbelievable," said an overjoyed West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin, who waited ..

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