Two die after being hit by cars in Vic

TWO people have died in hospital after being hit by cars in separate crashes in Melbourne's north.

A 29-year-old woman died in hospital on Thursday afternoon after being hit by a car on the weekend.

A passerby found her with life threatening injuries in the inner northern suburb of Thornbury about 2.50am (AEDT) on Sunday.

She was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital where she died on Thursday afternoon.

A man, 19, from Reservoir, is assisting police with their inquires.

An elderly man also died in hospital on Thursday after being hit by a car in Brunswick East last month.

Investigators believe the 82-year-old from North Fitzroy was crossing Nicholson Street near Barkly Street when he was hit by a north-bound car on the afternoon of November 8.

Victoria's road toll stands at 224 compared to 271 at this time last year.

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Batts inquiry start date announced

THE federal royal commission into Labor's home insulation program, which cost four lives and caused extensive property damage, is set to begin before Christmas.

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd launched the $2.8 billion "pink batts" scheme in 2008 to inject cash into the economy during the global financial crisis. It ran until 2010.

The commission, which is investigating whether the then-government's practices contributed to the deaths and damage, will commence with a preliminary hearing in Brisbane on the morning of December 23.

The governor-general has appointed Mr Ian Hanger AM QC to head the inquiry.

She has also asked whether laws or practices should be altered to "prevent the recurrence of any failure identified by the inquiry".

"Four young men died while undertaking installations funded by the Home Insulation Program. There are claims of homes sustaining damage and businesses suffering financial loss," Mr Hanger said.

"This Royal Commission will investigate whether the way that the Australian government established and implemented the home insulation program contributed to these consequences."

In July, a Queensland coroner found the rushed rollout of the scheme was a significant factor in the deaths of Queensland batt installers Mitchell Sweeney, Matthew Fuller and Rueben Barnes.

In New South Wales, 19-year-old Marcus Wilson, died on his first day on the job after suffering heat stroke.

The coroner cited "inadequate" training and "lax" supervision as factors in the tragedies.

Anyone who wishes to appear before the commission as a witness must apply by 4pm (AEDT) December 18.

Further information is available at www.homeinsulationroyalcommission.gov.au

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Thai protesters cut power to PM's office

Thai protesters have cut power to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's office compound in Bangkok. Source: AAP

PROTESTERS have announced they have cut off electricity to the Thai prime minister's office compound and are demanding that police abandon the premises amid a political crisis that has dragged on for weeks.

The protesters, seeking to force the replacement of caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's government before a February 2 election, have threatened to force their way in if police don't leave.

Police attempts to negotiate were rebuffed, but they did not withdraw immediately.

An Associated Press photographer inside one of the buildings said electricity had been shut off to the press office. Police confirmed that power had been cut to some buildings in the compound, collectively called Government House.

Protesters also cut barbed wire placed on top of the steel fence surrounding the compound while police stationed nearby looked on.

Yingluck was not in her offices at the time and shortly afterward gave a televised address from an unidentified location in which she announced a December 15 meeting of all sections of society to try to find a solution to the crisis.

The protest leadership has demanded a meeting with senior military and police officials, a call which has so far been rejected, at least publicly. Protest leaders did meet at a hotel with business leaders in what was billed as an effort to explain their goals.

In a previous confrontation, police withdrew from the prime minister's compound to allow the demonstrators in without a fight. That withdrawal came after two days of increasingly violent standoffs. Since the latest unrest began last month that left five people dead and nearly 300 injured.

The street fighting was suspended when both sides agreed it would dishonour the occasion of King Bhumibol Adulyadej's birthday last week.

Looking for a way out of the crisis, Yingluck dissolved the lower house of Parliament on Monday and called for early elections. Her foes, however, insist she step aside to make way for an interim appointed government, an action that cannot be taken under the country's constitution.

They claim that Thai politics is hopelessly corrupt under the influence of Yingluck's billionaire brother Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup after being accused of corruption, abuse of power and disrespect for the country's constitutional monarch.

To carry out reforms, they want to institute a less democratic system where the concept of one-man, one vote would no longer apply because they believe the masses are not well enough educated to choose responsible leaders. They also say the poor sell their votes.

Thaksin's supporters say he is disliked because he has shifted power away from Thailand's traditional ruling class.

Thaksin and his allies have easily won every national election since 2001, relying on the support of the rural majority and urban poor, who benefited from his populist policies. The opposition Democrat Party, which has allied itself with the protests, has not won an election since 1992.

Yingluck's ruling party won the last vote two years ago in a landslide, and is likely to be victorious in any new ballot.

Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban this week has been declaring that his movement has more legitimacy than the government, which he claims has acted against the constitution.

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Gaddafi's son appears in Libyan court

THE son of late dictator Muammar Gaddafi has briefly appeared before a militia-backed court in western Libya, only to have the proceedings against him adjourned until the end of February.

Since the end of Libya's 2011 civil war, Seif al-Islam Gaddafi has been held by a militia in Zintan, which has refused to hand him over for a separate trial in the capital, Tripoli - a sign of the central government's weakness.

In Tripoli, he is being tried in absentia along with 39 other Gaddafi regime figures, including notorious spymaster Abdullah al-Senoussi, for alleged crimes during Libya's conflict.

Seif al-Islam is also wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague on charges of crimes against humanity.

The only Gaddafi son in custody, Seif al-Islam looked healthy during his brief appearance in the Zintan court. Wearing a blue prison uniform, he replied with a "no" when the judge asked him whether he had any requests.

The hearings were then adjourned until February 27 because the judge demanded that "other suspects" be brought in.

In the Zintan trial, Seif al-Islam faces charges of attempting to escape prison and insulting Libya's new flag. These charges are linked to a meeting he had in June 2012 with an ICC delegation that was accused of smuggling documents and a camera to him in his cell. The four-member team from The Hague was detained by Zintan rebels but released after the international tribunal apologised and pledged to investigate the incident.

The Zintan charges are separate from both those by the ICC, which indicted Seif al-Islam for the murder and persecution of protesters in the uprising that ultimately toppled his father's regime, and those by the Tripoli court.

Thursday's hearing was held amid tight security measures, with several masked policemen guarding Seif al-Islam inside the courtroom.

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Navy suspends three over Ballarat claims

Three sailors have been suspended over allegations of unacceptable behaviour on HMAS Ballarat. Source: AAP

THREE sailors have been suspended from duties and could face prosecution for unacceptable behaviour aboard HMAS Ballarat.

Defence force investigators boarded HMAS Ballarat in early November after a sailor made allegations of sexual assault against several members of the ship's company.

Defence issued an update on its investigations on Wednesday, saying there is a reasonable suspicion three members of HMAS Ballarat ship's company have committed serious service offences.

They have been suspended from duty.

"Similar to civilian criminal investigative processes, evidence gathered will now be referred for prosecutorial review," Defence said in its statement.

Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Ray Griggs said a separate administrative inquiry into "certain aspects" relating to the HMAS Ballarat allegations has commenced.

"This inquiry is being run ... to identify any broader procedural or cultural issues that may require further action by Navy," he said.

He reiterated that Navy did not tolerate unacceptable behaviour.

"It is inconsistent with its values and the behaviours," he said.

"Unacceptable behaviour by individuals damages our people and our effectiveness to conduct operations and achieve our mission," he said.

Defence said the director of military prosecutions may consider a range of actions against the three sailors, including laying charges and referral to the Registrar of Military Justice for consideration by a Service Tribunal, or referral for civilian prosecution.

Defence has not detailed the allegations.

But after the defence investigation was made public a former naval member claimed officers were "set upon, stripped off and had things essentially put in their bums".

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UN maintains Liberia sanctions

THE United Nations Security Council has voted unanimously to maintain an arms embargo on Liberia, a travel ban on named individuals, and an asset freeze against former Liberian president Charles Taylor, his key allies and associated companies.

But a resolution adopted by the council on Tuesday asks the committee monitoring sanctions to review all those subject to the asset freeze within 90 days and determine whether they should still be subject to sanctions.

It also orders a review of all sanctions in six months "with a view to modifying or lifting all or part of the measures" depending on Liberia's progress toward disarming combatants, reforming its security sector, fully implementing a peace agreement, and maintaining stability throughout the country.

Liberia was battered by back-to-back civil wars from 1989 to 2003.

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Parliament keeps eye on post office talks

A PARLIAMENTARY committee will "keep a watching brief" on Australia Post's discussions with struggling Licensed Post Office (LPO) owners, with many fighting for survival.

In its interim report, the Senate inquiry noted there were "numerous issues" in Australia Post's relationship with post office owners.

Licensed owners have complained of having business poached by Australia Post, and of the financial viability of their agreement with the government-owned body.

"Evidence was given that many LPO operators are struggling to survive to the point where some off-site employment is undertaken to fund their operation," the report tabled in the Senate on Wednesday said.

"It is evident it has now become a fight for survival and must be considered a matter of urgency.

"To do nothing would put the future of hundreds of LPOs, principally in rural and regional areas, at risk."

The committee said it was "heartened" Australia Post was attempting to address concerns of licensed owners.

Chair of the committee, the Nationals John Williams, said the committee had agreed to keep a watching brief of the discussions.

It will release its final report by the end of March next year.

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Fire kills 16 at fruit market in China

AT least 16 people died and five were injured after a fire broke out at a wholesale fruit market in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, reports said.

The fire started early on Wednesday and spread over about 1,000 square metres of the Rongjian market in Shenzhen's Guangming district, before firefighters extinguished it 90 minutes later, local officials said.

Police were still investigating the cause of the fire and detained the manager of the market, identified only by the surname Xu, for questioning.

Many tenants of the market lived above their stalls, state media reported.

The 16 dead were from four stalls, and the youngest victim was two years old, the official Xinhua news agency quoted Zhang Xiaowei, a spokesman for the Shenzhen fire department, as saying.

The 145 firefighters initially struggled to stop the fire spreading because of low water pressure at the market, other reports said.

The area where the fire broke out opened in 2008 in buildings converted from disused factories.

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Hunger Games still on top of box office

THE Hunger Games: Catching Fire is still sparking the interest of Aussie punters, remaining at the top of the Australian box office for the third week running.

Over the weekend, the sequel, which stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Aussie Liam Hemsworth, raked in another $3.501 million, according to the Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia, bringing its total since its release to $28.311 million.

In second place was another sequel, the new animation Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2, while two more films making their debut - Vince Vaughn's comedy Delivery Man and the science fiction Ender's Game - came in third and fourth.

They pushed Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa down from No. 2 to the No. 5 spot. It had a domino effect on Chris Hemsworth's Thor: The Dark World, biopic One Chance, the Carrie remake and Tom Hanks' Captain Phillips, which all fell three places.

Clinging onto the final rung is Sandra Bullock's sci-fi survivalist thriller Gravity, which leapfrogged Enough Said to round out the Top Ten.

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Turks arrested for Nazi salutes at camp

TWO Turkish students who posed in front of the former concentration camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau while performing Nazi salutes are facing charges of propagating fascism, the Polish news agency PAP reported.

The two 22-year-olds posed in front of the sign - famous the world over for its inscription "Arbeit macht frei (Work makes you free)" - on Sunday, reported PAP.

They were both arrested and face charges of propagation of fascism.

The use of Nazi symbols is punishable under Polish law.

The two men study history in Hungary, according to the report.

Auschwitz-Birkenau was the largest Nazi concentration camp the Germans built in Poland during World War II.

The majority of the at least 1.3 million inmates murdered in Auschwitz were Jewish.

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