Karzai in Qatar to discuss Taliban office

AFGHAN President Hamid Karzai travelled to Qatar on Saturday to discuss Taliban militants opening an office in the Gulf state for peace talks that could end more than a decade of war, his office said.

Until earlier this year, Karzai was strongly opposed to the Islamist extremists having a meeting venue outside Afghanistan as he feared that his government would be frozen out of any negotiations.

The militants refuse to have direct contact with Karzai, saying he is a puppet of the United States, which has supported his rise to power after the military operation to oust the Taliban in 2001.

But, with NATO-led combat troops due to withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of 2014, Karzai agreed to the proposed Taliban office in Qatar and is expected to firm up the plan with the emir of Qatar on Sunday.

Any future peace talks still face numerous hurdles before they begin, including confusion over who would represent the Taliban and Karzai's insistence that his appointees are at the centre of negotiations.

"We will discuss the peace process, of course, and the opening of an office for the Taliban in Qatar," presidential spokesman Aimal Faizi said before Karzai left Kabul with several senior members of his government.

"If we want to have talks to bring peace to Afghanistan, the main side must be the Afghan government's representatives -- the High Peace Council, which has members from all the country's ethnic and political backgrounds."

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Pope to celebrate first Easter vigil

Pope Francis has prayed for peace in the Middle East and stronger Christian-Muslim dialogue. Source: AAP

POPE Francis is to celebrate his first Easter vigil on Saturday after praying for peace in the Middle East and stronger Christian-Muslim dialogue at a torch-lit ceremony for Good Friday.

The newly-elected Argentine Pope will preside over a mass at St Peter's Basilica, baptising four adult converts to Catholicism - an Albanian, an Italian, a Russian and a US national.

The ceremony will wrap up a series of intensive preparations leading up to Easter Sunday - the holiest day in the Christian calendar - by the first non-European Pope in nearly 1,300 years.

Tens of thousands of people are expected at mass on Sunday when the pope will issue a special blessing from the same balcony of St Peter's Basilica where he appeared on the night of his election.

Francis marked Good Friday with a traditional ceremony at the Colosseum in Rome, presiding over the re-enactment of Jesus Christ's last hours.

"Christians must respond to evil with good, taking the cross upon themselves as Jesus did," said Francis, who followed the ceremony from under a canopy overlooking the 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheatre.

The Pope also referred to a visit to Lebanon last year by Benedict, who stunned Catholic followers by resigning last month at the age of 85 saying he was too weak mentally and physically to continue.

"We saw the beauty and the strong bond of communion joining Christians together in that land and the friendship of our Muslim brothers and so many others," the 76-year-old Pope said.

At the Colosseum ceremony in Rome, prayers read out during the ceremony were written by a group of Lebanese young people who voiced hope for a Middle East "torn apart by injustice and conflicts".

The Vatican has voiced concern over the fate of Christian minorities in many parts of the Middle East and the rise of radical Islam, as well as calling for an end to conflict in the region.

Francis began the Easter season on Holy Thursday by washing the feet of 12 young prisoners including two Muslim inmates - in an unprecedented new take on an ancient pre-Easter ritual.

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Zumba teacher guilty plea to prostitution

A US Zumba instructor who has pleaded guilty to using her studio as a front for prostitution. Source: AAP

A DANCE instructor accused of using her Zumba fitness studio as a front for prostitution has pleaded guilty to 20 counts in a scandal that captivated a quiet US seaside town.

The agreement that followed a second day of plea negotiations on Friday spares Alexis Wright from the prospect of a high-profile trial featuring sex videos, exhibitionism and pornography.

Prosecutors will recommend a jail sentence of 10 months when she's sentenced on May 31.

Wright quietly answered "guilty" 20 times when the judge read the counts, which include engaging in prostitution, promotion of prostitution, conspiracy, tax evasion and theft by deception.

"We're very satisfied with it. It's an appropriate outcome, given the gravity of her actions," Assistant Attorney General Darcy Mitchell said after the brief court hearing.

The 30-year-old Wright was accused of conspiring with insurance agent Mark Strong Sr to run a prostitution business in which she kept detailed records indicating she made $US150,000 ($A144,314) over an 18-month period.

She was also accused of using a hidden camera to record sex acts without her clients' knowledge.

She was originally charged with 106 counts. All the counts in the agreement were misdemeanours, including three counts relating to welfare and tax fraud that were reduced from felonies.

Strong, 57, of Thomaston, was convicted this month of 13 counts related to promotion of prostitution and sentenced to 20 days in jail. He was originally charged with 59 counts.

The scandal became a sensation following reports that Wright had at least 150 clients, leading to a guessing game of who might be named publicly in the coastal town of Kennebunk, a community better known for its beaches and sea captains' homes than for crime.

Those who have been charged so far include a former mayor, a high school hockey coach, a minister, a lawyer and a firefighter.

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Two A380s to fly over Sydney Harbour

TWO Airbus A380s will fly in formation over Sydney Harbour on Sunday to mark the start of a partnership between airline carriers Qantas and Emirates.

A Qantas A380 and Emirates A380 will start flying north of Longreef, turn around into Sydney Harbour and pass over the Sydney Opera House before flying in tandem over the bridge at 1500 feet around 10.30am (AEDT) on Sunday, Qantas said in a statement.

The airline said it's believed to be the first time two commercial airline A380s have flown in formation.

"Qantas and Emirates have worked extremely close together to make this possible," Qantas chief pilot Philip Green said.

"Pilots from both airlines have conducted dozens of special simulator training sessions since January this year".

The flyover marks the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's approval of a Qantas and Emirates partnership earlier this week, which allowed both airlines to combine operations for an initial period of five years.

Under the alliance, Qantas will use Dubai, rather than Singapore, as the carrier's stopover point for its flights to London.

The flyover manoeuvre on Sunday has been approved by safety regulators in both Australia and the United Arab Emirates.

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Teen to face court over fatal Easter crash

A 17-YEAR-OLD South Australian girl will face court over causing death by dangerous driving after a fatal crash that killed another teenager.

Police say a 17-year-old boy died after a car carrying five passengers crashed just before midnight on Friday near Balaklava, north of Adelaide.

The girl, from Balaklava, will appear in Youth Court over causing death by dangerous driving and driving unlicensed.

The other passengers in the car, all teenage girls aged between 14 and 17 years, received non-life threatening injuries.

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China orders stepped-up scrutiny on Apple

APPLE is to face "strengthened supervision" from China's consumer watchdogs, state media reported Friday, as the US computer giant is hit by a barrage of negative publicity and court cases in the country.

China is Apple's second-biggest market, and its iPhones and other products -- many of them made in the country -- are highly popular, although it faces fierce competition from South Korea's Samsung.

State media have carried a series of attacks against Apple, with the People's Daily, the Communist Party's official mouthpiece, running critical items for five consecutive days over alleged double standards in customer service and returns policies.

Apple has denied those accusations in statements to Chinese media but the condemnations have continued unabated, with the newspaper urging consumers to "strike away Apple's unparalleled arrogance" in one of its commentaries.

The State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) has asked trading standards bodies across the country to step up "contract supervision" on electronics manufacturers "such as Apple", the People's Daily said Friday.

"Local governments are required to... investigate and punish illegal activities in accordance with the law," it quoted the SAIC as saying in an official note.

An SAIC spokesman who declined to be named confirmed the existence of the document to AFP but declined to disclose details.

The People's Daily articles follow reports on state broadcaster CCTV, but users of China's Twitter-like weibos have been split, with some backing Apple and saying state-owned Chinese firms deserved more criticism for poor service.

Speculation has mounted that it is an organised campaign, and columnist and microblogger Lian Peng said he bought a new iPad Friday "on purpose" and will "seriously consider buying an iPhone 5".

"I don't fancy electronic items. But I feel embarrassed if I don't purchase after seeing the bombardment of advertising jointly staged by CCTV and the People's Daily," he wrote.

Kai-Fu Lee compared current events to 2009, when he was the head of Google China and the US search engine firm suffered state media potshots followed by official penalties.

Google effectively shut down its Chinese search engine in 2010 after months of tensions with the government over censorship, and now sends mainland users to its uncensored site in Hong Kong.

But any underlying motive behind the attacks against Apple remains unclear.

China and the US are embroiled in a series of rows over technology and cybersecurity.

No-one from Apple's China office was available for comment on Friday.

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More victims feared in Vic wall collapse

Police are calling for witnesses to a wall collapse on Melbourne's Swanston Street. Source: AAP

A TEENAGER sacrificed his own life by falling on his sister to try and save her when a wall collapsed on them in a Melbourne street, it's been reported.

Students Alexander and Bridget Jones were walking on Swanston Street in Carlton on Thursday when a section of brick wall collapsed on them.

Alexander, 19, was killed, while Bridget, 18, suffered critical injuries and is fighting for her life in hospital.

A man who cared for Bridget until the ambulance arrived told the Nine Network he believes Alexander's actions saved his sister's life.

"I personally believe that the young man who fell on her and subsequently died is the reason why the young lady is still alive," he said.

The Jones family have told the Nine Network they believe Alexander sacrificed his own life when put himself in harm's way to save his sister.

Alexander is a former Montmorency Secondary College school captain who spoke of becoming Prime Minister, according to reports.

Bridget has undergone surgery and remains in a critical condition in the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Police believe there are more victims of the deadly wall collapse who had fled the scene out of fear before receiving treatment.

The wall collapsed as winds of up to 115km/h swept through the city.

North Melbourne resident Very Impressive, who changed his name by deed poll in 1992, said he rushed to help clear bricks after he heard the "almighty crash".

Mr Impressive said he used his jacket to Bridget warm her warm and spoke to her to try and keep her calm and aware of what was going on.

"We got more of the wall off them and we discovered there was a young man fallen against the young woman," he said.

Detective Senior Constable Brooke Manley said police want to speak to anyone who was injured in the incident, helped with the rescue or who saw it happen, including passengers on passing trams or people who recorded video footage.

"Our advice from the fire brigade is that there were other people injured," Det Manley said.

"Those people have left the scene through fear of remaining, being that they weren't entirely sure what the incident was, whether it was a wall collapsing or something on a larger scale."

Premier Denis Napthine said Planning Minister Matthew Guy would work with the building commission to examine similar walls around the state.

"It's been a free-standing wall for some time and we need to just make sure those sort of walls that are around Melbourne, around Victoria, are secure and safe," said Dr Napthine.

"This was a terrible, terrible, tragedy and we need to do everything we can to make sure it never happens again."

Eyewitnesses said a swarm of people desperately dug through bricks and rubble to help those trapped beneath when the wall collapsed about 3pm (AEDT).

The collapse occurred at the old Carlton & United brewery site, which is now a vacant building lot owned by construction company Grocon.

The company said there was no construction work under way.

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Pakistan lawyer throws shoe at Musharraf

A shoe has been thrown at former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf as he walked to a court room. Source: AAP

A PAKISTANI lawyer on Friday threw a shoe at ex-dictator Pervez Musharraf as he walked to a court room to extend his bail on charges of conspiracy to murder and sacking judges.

A group of around 20 lawyers protested against the former military ruler at the Sindh High Court, shouting "he's a dictator and he should be hanged" before one of them hurled the shoe, witnesses told AFP.

In the Muslim world, it is considered a particularly insulting gesture.

The shoe did not hit Musharraf, TV footage showed. Witnesses said the perpetrator was taken away by plain-clothed security officials.

Musharraf, who returned home from four years in self-imposed exile on Sunday, was in court to extend bail granted to him last week over the 2007 killing of Benazir Bhutto, the 2007 sacking of judges and the 2006 of a Baluch rebel leader.

Court officials said Musharraf's bail in the judges' case had been extended for another two weeks. A member of his All Pakistan Muslim League party said he had been granted a 21-day extension in the two other cases.

The ex-dictator remains hugely controversial nearly five years after he resigned in the face of impeachment proceedings and is not thought to be a serious contender at elections in May, which he has vowed to contest.

In office, he was a key US ally in the "war on terror", an alliance that became deeply controversial in Pakistan, and escaped at least three Al-Qaeda assassination attempts.

Bhutto's son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who is chairman of the outgoing Pakistan People's Party, has accused Musharraf of her murder.

In 2010 a UN report said Bhutto's death could have been prevented and accused Musharraf's government of failing to give her adequate protection.

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UN backs Congo peacekeeping force

The UN Security Council approved an "offensive" peacekeeping brigade to battle rebels in Congo. Source: AAP

THE UN Security Council has unanimously approved the first-ever "offensive" UN peacekeeping brigade to battle rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which on Friday hailed the move as a turning point for its restive east.

A council resolution gave the 3,000-strong force orders to "neutralise" and "disarm" rebel groups in the resource-rich east of the country, which has been gripped by conflict for more than two decades.

DR Congo Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponya hailed the move as "the beginning of the end of armed groups and sends a very clear signal to those supporting them."

"The DRC welcomes this vote, which marks a decisive turning point for re-establishing peace and security in the Kivu" regions in the east, he said in a statement.

The first troops in the intervention brigade will come from South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi, UN peacekeeping force chief Herve Ladsous said Thursday.

The force and surveillance drones to monitor DR Congo's borders with neighbours accused of backing the rebels will be operating by July.

The force will launch UN peacekeeping operations into a new era, said diplomats. "It's an innovation," said France's UN ambassador Gerard Araud, whose country wrote the resolution which has worried some contributing nations to UN missions.

The resolution's mandate to conduct "targeted offensive operations" has never been given to a peacekeeping mission before.

It will act "in a robust, highly mobile and versatile manner and in strict compliance with international law" to "prevent the expansion of all armed groups, neutralise these groups, and to disarm them," the resolution said.

The brigade and drones are part of a UN campaign to add military muscle to political efforts to end conflict in DR Congo's border regions with Rwanda and Uganda.

Eleven African nations signed a UN-brokered accord last month pledging not to interfere in the affairs of their neighbours. Former Irish president Mary Robinson was named UN special envoy for the Great Lakes region, leading political peace efforts.

The brigade will be made up of three infantry battalions, one artillery and one special force and a reconnaissance company with headquarters in the North Kivu provincial capital of Goma.

Ladsous told reporters there would be 3,069 troops from South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi in the force, which he said would be "an important new element in the panoply of peacekeeping."

"The Security Council and the UN have moved into new territory" with the intervention brigade, said Britain's UN ambassador Mark Lyall Grant.

The brigade has an initial one-year mandate and the resolution said it was created "on an exceptional basis and without creating a precedent." Several UN ambassadors said however the precedent had now been set.

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Filipinos in Easter mock crucifixions

Catholic zealots in the Philippines have nailed themselves to the cross in a grisly Easter ritual. Source: AAP

CATHOLIC zealots in the Philippines re-enacted the last hours of Jesus Christ on Good Friday, whipping their backs and nailing themselves to crosses in a grisly Easter ritual that persists despite Church disapproval.

Foreign and local tourists flocked to the outskirts of the city of San Fernando, a 90-minute drive from Manila, to see the annual spectacle where a Christian "passion play" is taken to its blood-soaked extreme.

At least 18 men had nails driven through their hands and were hung up on crosses under the hot sun in vacant plots around the city.

Elsewhere hooded men lashed their bloody backs with cloth and bamboo whips, doing penance for their sins while spraying onlookers with flecks of blood.

Devotees commit to undergo the mock crucifixion in exchange for a gift from God such as the healing of a sick loved one.

"I am used to it already," said Alex Laranang, 58, who was nailed up for the 14th time.

Laranang, a short, sunburnt man who sells baked buns to bus passengers, said: "It is just like a needle going through my hand. After two days, I am ready to go back to work again."

So far, he told AFP, his suffering has been rewarded as his wife and children enjoy good health and he continues to make a decent living.

"I am doing this for my family, so that no one will get sick and that my livelihood will continue. I am just a poor man. But I don't ask God to make me rich," he said.

At least two of the men hung on crosses had to be carried away on stretchers after being taken down, but most managed to walk to a medical tent for treatment as Western tourists snapped pictures.

Norwegian Charlotte Johanssen, 26, a Manila resident who was among the crowd of onlookers, said some of her visiting friends had found the sight too much to take.

"I have friends who felt sick to their stomachs and who got nauseated," said Johanssen, who works for an aid group in the Philippine capital.

"There are those who get amazed. You can't imagine how anyone can subject themselves to this kind of pain," she said.

The mock crucifixions have been going on for decades despite official disapproval from the Philippines' Catholic bishops.

"The bishops have been saying for a long time they disapprove of this. But people make such vows. They sacrifice themselves for others," said Father Francis Lucas, executive director of the Philippine bishops' media office.

"We have so many crosses to bear in life. We don't need to bear a real one," he told AFP.

He also warned against efforts to use the event to boost tourism, saying: "That is really wrong".

San Fernando City conveniently listed the locations and schedules for the mock crucifixions on its tourism website, complete with a map so visitors could follow the action.

The Philippines, a former Spanish colony, is home to more than 80 million Catholics and the Church wields strong influence, ensuring that divorce and abortion remain illegal.

Some Filipinos were disappointed that Manila archbishop Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle missed out this month when Argentina's Jorge Mario Bergoglio was chosen at a Vatican papal conclave to succeed Benedict XVI, becoming Pope Francis.

On the southern island of Mindanao a Good Friday religious procession dissolved into panic when communist rebels attacked security forces guarding the event, killing two village militiaman, police said.

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Footprints of 'extinct' rhino found

Footprints believed to be from the critically endangered Sumatran rhino have been found in Borneo. Source: AAP

A CONSERVATION group says they have discovered several footprints believed to be from critically endangered Sumatran rhino on Indonesia's Borneo island, raising hopes for an animal long thought to be extinct in that area.

A World Wildlife Fund team said in a statement on Thursday that it found the fresh tracks in February while monitoring orangutans in West Kutai forested district of East Kalimantan province.

A follow-up survey, carried out by the team along with government forestry officials and scientists, discovered more rhino footprints and other clues of its existence. The number of potential animals remains unclear.

The rhino has been thought to be extinct on Indonesia's part of Borneo since the 1990s. Fewer than 200 animals still live in the wild in Indonesia and Malaysia, threatened by loss of habitat and poaching.

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'Blade Runner' not flight risk, court told

Oscar Pistorius' older brother pleaded not guilty to the culpable homicide of a female motorcyclist. Source: AAP

LAWYERS for Oscar Pistorius have told a South African court that the Paralympic hero, facing a murder trial for the Valentine's Day killing of his girlfriend, was not a flight risk as they sought to ease stringent bail conditions.

"Why would this athlete go to a country without extradition and go and hide?" lawyer Barry Roux asked the High Court.

"He is going nowhere."

Pistorius, 26, is challenging a raft of conditions including strict travel restrictions that he says are unfair and unwarranted.

The double amputee was not in court for the appeal, which is being opposed by the state.

After being freed on one million rand ($A103,906) bail last month, the sprint star was ordered to surrender his passport and told to inform a correctional officer if he has to travel outside Pretoria.

But Roux said the strict terms the sprinter faced were tantamount to "house arrest".

The lawyers also object to the random mandatory alcohol and drug tests that are part of the bail conditions.

The athlete known as "Blade Runner" is also banned from returning to his upmarket gated home in Pretoria where he shot Reeva Steenkamp.

He claims he mistook her for an intruder - though the state maintains that the shooting was premeditated murder.

His lawyers want Pistorius to regain access to his home.

They are also challenging a condition that says he can have contact only with three people on his housing estate.

"A blanket restriction on speaking to residents is unfair and will infringe the appellant's fair trial rights," they argue in court papers.

Pistorius "is entitled to consult with persons in the estate for purposes of his own defence", they added.

He became the first double amputee to compete against able-bodied athletes in last year's Olympic Games in London.

His next court appearance is scheduled for June 4.

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WA sculpture parking fines top $100,000

More than $100,000 in parking fines have been handed out to visitors to Sculpture by the Sea in WA. Source: AAP

VISITORS to Western Australia's Sculpture by the Sea exhibition on Cottesloe Beach have been slugged more than $100,000 in parking fines, the local council has revealed.

Billed as Perth's largest free outdoor art exhibition, this year's array included includes 71 sculptures including 21 from artists in China, Spain, Finland, Japan and the US.

But the rush of over 200,000 visitors keen to take in the unique artworks has kept Cottesloe parking inspectors busy with 844 parking infringements issued at the beachfront during the three weeks of the exhibition.

The Town of Cottesloe penalises motorists $200 for infringing a "no stopping" sign, $150 for ignoring a "no parking" sign and $100 for overstaying a parking bay.

Town of Cottesloe chief executive Carl Askew said because of resident concerns, more signs were placed to warn motorists not to park on verges.

"Despite rangers being on duty and advising people of where they can and cannot park there were unfortunately people who continued to ignore both signs and rangers," Mr Askew said.

Plans will also be put to organisers about how to create more temporary parking options next year, he said.

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Emerging countries still lead way: OECD

EDS: Not for use before 2100 AEDT Thursday, March 28

By Colin Brinsden, AAP Economics Correspondent

CANBERRA, March 28 AAP - When Julia Gillard makes her second trip to China as prime minister next week, she'll be visiting one of the mainstays of global economic growth.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's (OECD) interim global economic outlook says Australia's number one trading partner will to continue to grow at an annualised rate well above eight per cent in the first half of 2013.

OECD deputy secretary-general and chief economist Pier Carlo Padoan says growth among the emerging economies remains much faster than in advanced countries.

"Given the substantial share of the world economy now accounted for by emerging economies, they will again drive growth at the global level this year," he said in the report released on Friday.

However, activity is picking up in many major economies.

The United States is expected to return to moderate growth in the first half of 2013, while Japan, Australia's second key trading partner, is expected to accelerate from low levels boosted by new policy measures.

"In Europe, a meaningful recovery is likely to take somewhat longer," Mr Padoan said.

He said within the euro area, there was a renewed divergence between growth in Germany, which is likely to pick up strongly over the first half of 2013, and other countries, which will remain slow or negative.

The overall improvement in economic activity has been a key factor behind the marked strengthening of financial markets in recent months.

"However, real activity has yet to reflect fully the improvement in financial market sentiment, especially in the euro area," Mr Padoan warns.

"This highlights the risk of asset prices getting out of line with fundamentals, especially as regards corporate securities."

The Paris-based institution expects the Group of Seven countries (US, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, UK and Canada) to be growing at an annualised rate of 1.8 per cent by mid-2013 after contracting by 0.5 per cent as of the final three months of 2012.

There were no new forecasts for Australia.

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Airport screeners drop Easter stoppages

Industrial action at Melbourne Airport over Easter is not expected to delay flights, Qantas says. Source: AAP

MELBOURNE Airport security screeners have abandoned planned industrial action over the Easter weekend after they and their employer were asked to consider further talks.

The screeners, who are employed by contractor MSS Security, had announced they would hold rolling 30-minute work stoppages from Good Friday in the Qantas domestic terminal.

But late on Thursday, United Voice, the union representing the screeners, said the planned industrial action had been shelved after the Fair Work Commission asked it to consider further talks with MSS Security.

In a statement the union said it would follow the Fair Work Commission's recommendations and continue talks.

The prospect of industrial action has been postponed until after Easter.

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Japanese shares end 0.18% higher

TOKYO stocks rose after the Dow Jones Industrial Average ended at another record high, while concerns over the Cyprus bailout receded and the US dollar picked up against the yen.

The benchmark Nikkei index was up 0.18 per cent, or 22.17 points, at 12,493.79, while the Topix index of all first-section shares added 0.20 per cent, or 2.05 points, to 1046.47.

Wall Street provided a strong lead, with the Dow ending up 0.77 per cent at another record high, while the S&P 500 added 0.78 per cent to close just two points shy of its own best finish.

US dealers were lifted by data showing durable goods orders for February rose solidly, while home prices across 20 top cities jumped 8.1 per cent in the 12 months to January, the highest year-on-year increase since mid-2006.

Those were tempered, though, as the Conference Board index of consumer confidence fell on concerns over deep budget cuts that kicked in on March 1.

Global markets have become more relaxed since Cyprus agreed a last-minute deal with its international lenders that will see it receive a $US13 billion ($A12.45 billion) rescue package to help pay its bills.

And while the decision to tax bank savings above 100,000 euros raised fears of a similar move in future rescues officials said that Cyprus was a special case.

However central bank governor Panicos Demetriades warned "superhuman" efforts are needed to reopen the island nation's banks by Thursday.

In forex trade, the euro slipped to $US1.2825 from $US1.2856 in New York late on Tuesday but was up at 121.71 yen, compared with 121.56 yen.

The US dollar was at 94.74 yen, from 94.55 yen.

The weaker yen helped lift sentiment in Tokyo, with the market's focus now on expected fresh easing measures from the Bank of Japan, dealers said.

The central bank's new governor has repeatedly pledged "aggressive" monetary easing steps to end years of deflation and meet a two per cent inflation target, adopted in January.

The BoJ's first policy meeting under new management is scheduled for next week.

Sharp fell 4.14 per cent to 278 yen after it said a deadline passed on Tuesday for a capital injection from Taiwanese manufacturing giant Hon Hai Precision, which however, denied Sharp's claim and said the deal could still be consummated.

Rival Panasonic jumped 5.20 per cent to 708 yen, Sony added 0.54 per cent to 1675 yen, Toyota slipped 0.20 per cent to 4900 yen while Honda rose 0.55 per cent to 3660 yen.

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Assad appeals to African summit for help

SYRIA'S embattled and increasingly isolated president has appealed to the leaders of a five-nation economic forum meeting in South Africa to help end his country's two-year conflict.

President Bashar al-Assad says Syria is being subjected to "acts of terrorism backed by Arab, regional and Western nations" - a reference to the Western-backed opposition fighting his regime.

Assad's appeal came in a letter sent to the BRICS forum of emerging market powers. The World Bank says these countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - are driving global economic growth.

Assad's letter was published by Syria's state media on Wednesday.

Syria's crisis began in March 2011 with protests demanding Assad's ouster. Following a harsh government crackdown, the uprising steadily grew more violent until it became a full-fledged civil war.

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Russia raids Human Rights Watch office

RUSSIAN authorities have searched the Moscow offices of New-York based Human Rights Watch as they stepped up their raids against pro-democracy groups despite growing EU concern.

HRW's Europe and Central Asia department head Rachel Denber said three representatives from the prosecutor's office and a tax official had begun what they called "an unplanned inspection" of the Moscow office early Wednesday.

She added that the Moscow headquarters of the Civic Assistance refugees centre and of the Transparency International corruption watchdog had been raided in a similar manner.

"This is part of a massive, unprecedented wave of inspections of NGOs (non-governmental organisations) in Russia that is intensifying pressure on civil society in the wake of the adoption of a number restrictive laws last year," Denber said by email.

"The scale of these inspections serves to reinforce the menacing atmosphere for civil society created by the adoption of last year's laws."

The raids followed President Vladimir Putin's signature of a law that labelled Russian political organisations with Western funding as "foreign agents" that required more rigorous checks.

Russian officials have not specifically linked the raids to the foreign agent law and they appear part of an in-depth examination into the activities of non-governmental groups whose work bothers the authorities.

The authorities began their action last week by moving in against Memorial - one of the country's most respected rights organisations whose vast catalogue of Stalin-era repressions is accessed by scholars around the world.

Groups such as Memorial have refused to change their registration to that of a "foreign agent" because they argued the legislation equated them with spies.

The raids have already raised eyebrows in Europe and threaten to further complicate ex-KGB agent Putin's uneasy relations with the West.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Tuesday called the inspections and searches "worrisome since they seem to be aimed at further undermining civil society activities in the country".

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BRICS scale back plans to challenge West

LEADERS from the BRICS group of emerging powers will unveil a scaled-back plan to challenge Western supremacy at global institutions like the World Bank.

Leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China and hosts South Africa were set to hammer out deals designed to counter the impact of Europe's dragging economic crisis and gain more influence on the world stage.

Topping the agenda on the final day of the BRICS summit is an agreement to establish an infrastructure bank designed to rival the US and European-led World Bank that has dominated development finance for several decades.

"The BRICS-led bank is intended to mobilise domestic savings and to co-fund infrastructure in developing regions," host and South African President Jacob Zuma told the gathering in the port city of Durban.

Together the BRICS economies account for 25 per cent of global output and 40 per cent of the world's population.

But members say global institutions such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the United Nations Security Council are not changing fast enough reflect their new-found clout.

Echoing the BRICS' new-found confidence, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said the summit came "at a point in time that is marked by deep economic changes, sweeping changes, which have made our BRICS nations key stakeholders and players."

The disparate BRICS grouping has, however, struggled to turn that ideological belief into concrete progress toward their goals.

BRICS negotiators had been under pressure to come up with a deal on the bank to prove it is more than a talking shop, but a wide-ranging agreement appears to be beyond reach.

A push for the bank to have a substantial $US50 billion ($A47.90 billion) starting balance is likely to be significantly scaled back and there is little agreement on the bank's mandate.

The details were "being hammered out", South Africa's Trade Minister Rob Davies admitted.

The bank is not likely to be up and running for years.

The key sticking points were defining the scope of the bank, how projects would be distributed and where it would be based.

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East Timor Operation Astute formally ends

THE Australian Defence Force (ADF) has formally concluded its operation to restore order in East Timor, with the remaining personnel returning home.

Operation Astute was launched in May 2006 in response to a request from the East Timor government following violence fanned by an army mutiny.

Chief of Joint Operations Lieutenant General Ash Power said the last ADF personnel deployed on Astute returned to Australia on Wednesday, following the ceasing of operations in November last year.

Lt Gen Power praised the Australian-led International Stabilisation Force for its success in restoring public order to the fledgling nation.

"The ADF is proud to have assisted the Timorese people in the quest for self determination and governance," he said in a statement.

Defence Minister Stephen Smith said the formal end to the operation marked a "significant milestone" for the ADF.

"I extend my thanks to all ADF personnel who have served under Operation Astute for the contribution they have made in assisting Timor-Leste to establish a peaceful and independent nation," he said in a statement.

"In recent years, Timor-Leste has seen its economy grow and institutions strengthen.

"The 2012 national elections clearly demonstrated the ability of Timor-Leste security forces, both military and police, to manage domestic security."

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Italy court orders retrial in Knox case

Italy's highest court of appeals delayed a ruling on whether Amanda Knox will face another trail. Source: AAP

ITALY'S highest court of appeal has overturned the acquittal of US student Amanda Knox and ordered a retrial over the murder of her British housemate in what prosecutors said was a drug-fuelled sex attack.

Knox and her Italian former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito - originally sentenced to 26 and 25 years in prison for killing and sexually assaulting Meredith Kercher in 2007 - were acquitted on appeal in 2011 after four years in prison.

Both now face a retrial in a Florence court after judges upheld a 2012 prosecution appeal against their acquittals.

"It's not been easy from the start. We have had to climb a mountain, but we draw great strength both from being innocent and from the fact the court's ruling today is not a guilty verdict," Sollecito's lawyer Giulia Bongiorno said.

"The retrial means the court has decided some details need to be reviewed. The battle continues," she said.

Prosecutors addressing the court on Monday had said they were convinced the former lovers were guilty of murdering Kercher.

Calling for the judges to "make sure the final curtain does not drop on this shocking and dire crime," they said the acquittal, which was based mainly on the admissibility of DNA evidence in the case, contained "omissions and many mistakes".

Prosecutor general Luigi Riello had described it as "a rare mix of violation of the law and illogicality and should be overturned," and accused the appeal judge of having "lost of way".

Kercher, 21, was found half-naked with her throat slashed in a pool of blood in her bedroom in the house that she shared with Knox in November 2007.

A third person, Ivory Coast-born drifter Rudy Guede, who like the other two accused has always denied the murder, is the only person still in prison for the crime.

Kercher family lawyer Francesco Maresca punched the air in victory as the court's decision was read out, according to journalists present.

"This decision serves to review the definitive and final truth of Meredith's murder. Guede was not alone, the judges will tell us who was there with him," he said.

The family has long claimed that Knox and Sollecito's acquittals left too many questions unanswered.

They - and investigators - insist that 47 knife wounds on Meredith and the apparent use of two different knives in the attack meant that more than one killer had been involved.

Knox is likely to be tried in absentia. The Seattle student returned home immediately after her release and the United States does not normally extradite its citizens to face legal action.

Prosecutors had alleged that Kercher was killed in a drug-fuelled sex attack involving Knox, Sollecito and Guede. They had said that it was the American student who delivered the final blows while the other two held the victim down.

The key to the appeal was an independent analysis of two pieces of evidence that had helped convict Knox and Sollecito - a kitchen knife and Kercher's bra clasp.

The appeals judge quashed the convictions of Knox and Sollecito in 2011 largely over the admissibility of DNA evidence.

The review cast serious doubt on the original analysis, with experts and video evidence pointing to sloppy practice among the police at the crime scene and possible contamination of the evidence.

Knox has been repeatedly painted by her accusers as a seductive "she-devil" who had an unhealthy obsession with sex, while her defence has insisted she is simply a naive girl-next-door, a yoga lover whose nickname "Foxy Knoxy" referred to her childhood football skills.

In her first interrogation following the murder, Knox - without a lawyer or an interpreter present - said that she was in the house at the time, and falsely identified the owner of a bar where she worked as a waitress as the killer.

She later said she was with Sollecito at his house all night and blamed her initial comments on exhaustion and police coercion.

Sollecito also changed his story under questioning, but both students later blamed exhaustion and police coercion for their contradictory statements, which were made without lawyers present.

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Monarto Zoo under threat as fire spreads

A HUGE grassfire is burning out of control at Rockleigh about 45km southeast of Adelaide.

At one stage, the fire was just 5km from the perimeter of the 1500 hectare open-range animal sanctuary Monarto Zoo but firefighters say the blaze is now moving away from it.

The fire started around noon (CST) at Rockleigh and has burnt 1400 hectares of mostly grassland area in a district scattered with farmhouses and sheds.

South Australian Country Fire Service spokesman Chris Metevelis said Monarto Zoo had taken the precaution of evacuating some staff but leaving others to care for the animals which include giraffes, lions and rhinos.

He said 250 firefighters are trying to bring the fire under control.

Three fixed wing aircraft that were fighting the fire were grounded around 7pm due to fading light.

Temperatures across South Australia surged into the mid-30Cs on Tuesday but rain and cooler conditions have been forecast for Wednesday.

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Coalition climate policy yet to be costed

Tony Abbott has hinted the coalition's climate change policy cost will be similar to a 2010 figure. Source: AAP

THE federal opposition has yet to put a budget figure on the cost of its "direct action" plan to tackle climate change but has hinted it will be similar to its 2010 election pledge.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has vowed to rescind the carbon tax and replace it with a system of incentives to help consumers and businesses achieve a five per cent national cut in carbon emissions by 2020.

The Liberals' policy direction statement, A Strong Australia, says the emissions reduction fund would spend, on average, $1 billion a year.

Asked on Tuesday about the final cost of the coalition's 2013 election policy on climate change, Mr Abbott told reporters in Sydney, "Our policy will cost what we commit to it in the policy that we will announce before the election."

"We will spend no more and no less on reducing emissions than we allocate," Mr Abbott said.

"And the amount we allocated in the last election was $3.2 billion over four years."

He said the climate change policy would be administered by the environment department.

A spokesman for Climate Change Minister Greg Combet told AAP on Tuesday the coalition was unable to cost its policy because it would do nothing to tackle climate change or help industry reduce pollution.

"Yet it would hit ordinary people hard by scrapping the Gillard government's tax cuts and increases in family tax benefits and pensions," he said.

"Labor's clean energy policies are already reducing carbon pollution and helping households and businesses."

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Qld premier pushed to refer MP to watchdog

Premier Campbell Newman (pic) is under pressure to refer Scott Driscoll to the corruption watchdog. Source: AAP

QUEENSLAND Premier Campbell Newman is under pressure to refer his suspended MP Scott Driscoll to the corruption watchdog.

The rookie MP has faced months of allegations of improper business dealings and another has been added to the list.

The Courier-Mail reports Mr Driscoll wrote to Woolworths in November on behalf of the Retail Traders and Shopkeepers Association (QRTSA) he previously headed, but denies controlling since becoming an MP.

The paper says Mr Driscoll offered to reconsider the lobby group's opposition to extended trading hours, if the grocery giant stumped up some cash.

Woolworths confirmed to AAP it had received Mr Driscoll's offer, but rejected it.

QRTSA denied claims Mr Driscoll negotiated with Woolworths on their behalf.

Mr Driscoll only introduced the lobby group as a voluntary patron, but didn't enter into any negotiations, the QRTSA said in a statement.

The QRTSA said it also "strongly refutes" other allegations raised on Tuesday.

Mr Newman, who had Mr Driscoll suspended from the LNP on Monday, said the fresh allegations caught him unawares.

"Every single allegation that has been made (so far) has been referred to the relevant investigative arms of government," Mr Newman said.

But Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk said all new allegations should be referred to the Crime and Misconduct Commission.

"Any evidence, any document must be immediately forwarded to the CMC," she said.

"This is the job for the premier to stand up and do, not be an ostrich and bury his head in the sand."

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N Korea threatens to strike US mainland

North Korea has put its rocket units on combat ready status, with prepared orders to strike the US. Source: AAP

NORTH Korea has put its artillery and "strategic" rocket units on combat ready status, with orders to prepare for strikes against the US mainland, Hawaii and Guam, state media is reporting.

A statement from the Korean People's Army supreme command on Tuesday ordered "all artillery troops including strategic rocket units and long-range artillery units to be placed under class-A combat readiness".

The units should be prepared to attack "all US military bases in the Asia-Pacific region, including the US mainland, Hawaii and Guam", as well as South Korea, said the statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency.

Despite its successful long-range rocket launch in December, most experts believe North Korea is years from developing a genuine inter-continental ballistic missile that could strike the continental United States.

Hawaii and Guam would also be outside the range of its medium-range missiles, which would be capable, however, of striking US military bases in South Korea and Japan.

The supreme command announcement came days after the South Korean and US militaries signed a new pact, providing for a joint military response to even low-level provocative action by North Korea.

While existing agreements provide for US engagement in the event of a full-scale conflict, the new protocol addresses the response to a limited provocation such as an isolated incident of cross-border shelling.

It guarantees US support for any South Korean retaliation and allows Seoul to request any additional US military force it deems necessary.

North Korea shelled a South Korean border island in November 2010, killing four people.

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Cyprus sacrifices top banks for bailout

A preliminary agreement has been reached paving the way for Cyprus to receive a $A12.49b bailout. Source: AAP

THE Cyprus bailout deal concluded in Brussels has ended uncertainty and prevented a "disorderly default" that could have seen Cyprus exit the eurozone, a Cypriot government spokesman says.

"Finally, Cyprus has ended a period of uncertainty and insecurity for the economy. A disorderly default was avoided, which would have meant leaving the euro zone, with devastating consequences," spokesman Christos Stylianides said in a statement.

"A disorderly default was avoided, which would have meant leaving the eurozone, with devastating consequences."

Early on Monday, the eurozone struck a deal with Cyprus to resurrect a bailout for its government, but only after a radical downsizing of the island's financial sector.

Under the terms of the agreement the island's second largest lender Laiki (Popular Bank) will be wound up while the Bank of Cyprus, the island's No.1 lender, will have to endure a major "haircut" on all deposits of more than 100,000 euros ($A124,900).

"The important thing is that we have reached an agreement that allows us to kick-start the economy and lay the groundwork for a new beginning," Stylianides said.

"Without doubt that there are painful aspects that will place a burden on all of us."

Diko MP and chair of parliamentary finance committee, Nicolas Papadopoulos, too spoke of the pain the deal will deliver to Cypriots.

"Without a shadow of a doubt the eurogroup deal and bailout agreement with the troika is a very painful one," he said.

Former Cyprus central bank governor Afxentis Afxentiou told state radio:

"Cyprus has suffered a big hit and our standard of living will spiral downward, although the economy maybe able to recover in 2-3 years our standard of living will take at least 10 years to return."

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades, meanwhile, sent a tweet in which he expressed gratitude to Cypriots.

"Thank you for your messages of support. They gave me strength during last night's struggle to secure the best possible outcome for #Cyprus," said the tweet.

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Knox awaits verdict from Italian court

A LAWYER says Amanda Knox is "very anxious" as Italy's top criminal court hears arguments from prosecutors appealing her acquittal in the murder of her roommate.

Lawyer Luciano Ghirga said he spoke to Knox by phone.

The Court of Cassation on Monday is considering prosecutors' contentions that the 2011 acquittals of American Knox and her Italian ex-boyfriend in the murder of British student Meredith Kercher should be thrown out and a new trial ordered.

Prosecutors in Italy can appeal acquittals. In the first trial, Knox and Raffaele Sollecito were convicted of the 2007 murder in the university town of Perugia and given long prison sentences. They were acquitted on appeal and Knox returned to the US.

Defence lawyers argue the 2011 acquittals were justified. The court could rule later on Monday.

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US cedes Bagram to Afghan forces

AFGHANISTAN has taken full control of Bagram military prison from the United States, healing one running sore in their testy relationship as US-led forces wind down more than a decade of war.

President Hamid Karzai had made the fate of the detention centre north of Kabul part of his ill-tempered push to regain sovereignty over key matters from the Americans, ahead of next year's pullout of foreign combat troops.

The US was long concerned a total handover to Afghanistan's weak and corruption-prone security forces would allow suspected Taliban and al-Qaeda militants housed at Bagram to return to the battlefield.

But US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel clinched an agreement with Karzai in a telephone call on Saturday, and the handover ceremony took place on Monday.

"The transfer of the detention facility is an important part of the overall transition of security," General Joseph Dunford, commander of the international coalition in Afghanistan, said in a statement.

"This ceremony highlights an increasingly confident, capable and sovereign Afghanistan."

Dunford and Defence Minister Bismillah Mohammadi signed a deal guaranteeing "the lawful and humane treatment of detainees and their intention to protect the people of Afghanistan and coalition forces", the statement said.

Bagram was due to be turned over to Afghan forces on March 9, but the transfer was postponed at the last minute after Karzai indicated "innocent" prisoners held there would be released.

In September, the US gave Afghan authorities control over more than 3,000 detainees at Bagram, once dubbed the Guantanamo Bay of Afghanistan because some inmates are detained without trial or knowledge of any charges.

But the Americans continued to guard 50 foreigners not covered by the agreement, as well as hundreds of Afghans arrested since a transfer deal was first signed in March 2012.

Their extended control sparked angry comments from Karzai and a warning from Afghanistan's top Islamic body that the US military was coming to be seen as an "occupation" force as it battles a long-running Taliban insurgency.

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Thirteen S.African troops killed in Bangui

AT least 13 South African troops deployed in the Central African Republic have been killed and 27 wounded in clashes with rebels who captured the capital Bangui over the weekend, President Jacob Zuma says.

"During the battle 13 of our soldiers fell, one is unaccounted for," said Zuma on Monday.

South Africa deployed 200 soldiers to Central Africa in January to support the poorly trained, ill-equipped government troops following an offensive launched by the Seleka rebel coalition in early December.

"Our soldiers paid the ultimate price in the service of their country ... we honour them," said Zuma.

"Just over 200 of our soldiers fought bandits who wanted to cause harm ... but the actions of these bandits would not deter us from from our mission of peace and security," said Zuma.

The rebels renewed their offensive last week and seized the capital Bangui on Sunday, forcing President Francois Bozize to flee the country.

"As a member of the African Union, South Africa rejects any efforts to seize power by force," Zuma told reporters.

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Russia to study impact of Cyprus deal

PRIME Minister Dmitry Medvedev says Moscow intends to study the consequences of the Cyprus bailout deal agreed in Brussels amid analyst warnings of Russian deposits suffering the biggest hit.

"We have to figure out what this story turns into in the long run, what the consequences for the international financial and monetary system will be - and thus, for our own interests as well," news agencies quoted Medvedev as saying in Russia's first official response to the rescue.

The 10 billion euro ($A12.49 billion) package will see Russians who have some $US31 billion parked in Cypriot corporate and private accounts lose cash from a so-called "haircut" placed on deposits of more than 100,000 euros in Cyprus's biggest bank.

Moscow's Alfa Bank investment house noted that "a bigger burden is to be placed on bigger, mostly Russian deposits under the deal."

Russia reacted angrily to an original plan that was to have seen a 10 per cent levy placed on deposits in Cyprus of more than 100,000 euros. That deal was dropped after being rejected by the Cypriot parliament.

European negotiators and Cypriot officials have still not worked out the final details that stipulate how painful the cut to the larger holdings in Cyprus's biggest bank will be.

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NSW man charged over child assault

A MAN has been charged with indecently assaulting a three-year-old girl at Newcastle.

Police say the child was at a department store inside the city's King Street shopping centre with her parents last weekend when they momentarily lost sight of her.

The girl returned to her parents, complaining she had been touched inappropriately by a man.

As a result of investigations, a 41-year-old Newcastle man was arrested at his home on Sunday.

He was taken to Waratah Police Station and charged with aggravated indecent assault.

He was refused bail and will appear in Newcastle Local Court on Monday.

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Kerry in Iraq to press Syria co-operation

US Secretary of State John Kerry is making a surprise visit to Iraq to push for more help over the conflict in Syria amid claims of waning American clout barely a year after US troops left.

The Sunday visit, his first to Baghdad since taking office, will also focus on concerns in Washington that months of protests in the country's Sunni-majority provinces will give militant groups including al-Qaeda room to manoeuvre.

It comes just days after the 10th anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq that ousted Saddam Hussein and sought to establish a stable democratic ally in the heart of the Middle East, but has instead left a country still grappling with deadly violence and endless political disputes.

Kerry will meet Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and parliament speaker Osama al-Nujaifi and press Iraqi officials for greater co-operation on isolating the regime of embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Washington has accused Baghdad in particular of turning a blind eye as Iran sends military equipment through Iraqi airspace, flights which Tehran insists transport only humanitarian supplies.

Kerry "will be very direct with Prime Minister Maliki about the importance of stopping the Iranian overflights and the transit across the territory, or at minimum inspecting each of the flights," a State Department official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"He himself, as secretary of state, is convinced that they include weapons and fighters. ... This is dangerous for Iraq."

Baghdad has announced the inspections of two such flights, both in October 2012, but the New York Times reported in December that Iran appears to have been tipped off by Iraqi officials as to when plane inspections would be conducted, thus helping Tehran avoid detection.

A US official this month called on Iraq to resume unannounced inspections of Iranian flights bound for Syria.

Iran has remained a steadfast ally of Assad's regime despite the conflict in his country which according to the United Nations has killed more than 70,000 people since it erupted in March 2011.

The top US diplomat will also push for Iraq's Shi'ite-led government to better engage with its Sunni Arab minority, which has been protesting since December over the alleged targeting of their community by the authorities.

In particular, Kerry will push for Maliki to reconsider a decision to postpone upcoming provincial elections, scheduled for April 20, in two large Sunni-majority provinces.

He will also call on Nujaifi, a senior leader in the Sunni-backed Iraqiya movement that is part of Maliki's unity cabinet but has boycotted government meetings, to push for ministers to return to the table.

"Secretary Kerry will be talking with Prime Minister Maliki about the importance of engaging with all elements of Iraqi society, with the Sunnis, to work out how best to counter the very serious terrorist threat that is (of) deep concern to Iraqis," the official said.

Kerry's visit comes amid claims of declining American influence in Iraq, in particular following the December 2011 withdrawal of US forces, and concerns that Baghdad's Shi'ite neighbour Iran wields greater clout.

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New pope opens Holy Week at Vatican

POPE Francis has celebrated Palm Sunday Mass in Saint Peter's Square attended by thousands of people waving olive branches and palm fronds.

The new pontiff arrived in an uncovered vehicle to start solemn Holy Week ceremonies, which lead up to Easter, Christianity's most important day.

Francis wore bright red robes over a white cassock and presided over the Mass from an altar sheltered by a canopy on the steps of Saint Peter's Basilica.

Cardinals, many of them among the electors who on March 13 chose the Roman Catholic church's first Latin American pope, sat in rows for the ceremony held under hazy skies on a breezy day.

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Central Africa rebels 'seize' presidency

REBELS in the Central African Republic say they have seized the presidential palace in the capital Bangui, with heavy fighting reported there.

"We have taken the presidential palace. (President Francois) Bozize was not there," one of the rebel commanders on the ground, Colonel Djouma Narkoyo, said on Sunday.

He said the rebels - who have vowed to topple Bozize - were planning to move on to the national radio station where rebel leader Michel Djotodia planned to make an address.

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Musharraf returns to Pakistan from exile

Former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf says he wants to "free" his homeland from terrorism. Source: AAP

PAKISTAN'S former military ruler Pervez Musharraf has returned home after more than four years in exile, defying a Taliban death threat to contest historic general elections.

Hundreds of well-wishers gathered at Karachi airport on Sunday, beating drums, dancing, waving green flags with pictures of Musharraf and Pakistan's founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah, and showering rose petals in anticipation of his arrival.

The 69-year-old ex-dictator says he is prepared to risk any danger to stand for election on May 11, in what will be the first democratic transition of power in the history of a nuclear-armed country dominated by periods of military rule.

But Musharraf is not thought likely to win more than a couple of seats for his All Pakistan Muslim League party and he remains a highly controversial figure.

He seized power in a bloodless coup as army chief in 1999 and left the country after resigning in 2008, when Asif Ali Zardari was elected president after the murder of his wife, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

Musharraf was forced to scrap plans to hold a public rally at Jinnah's tomb in Karachi over security concerns, after the Taliban threatened to dispatch a squad of suicide bombers to assassinate him.

He was whisked away by airport security after his scheduled Emirates flight landed from Dubai, but was expected to address the crowd at around 5:00 pm (2300 AEDT) .

His official Facebook and Twitter accounts provided an upbeat commentary on his return, complete with photographs. An AFP reporter said supporters on the flight shouted "long live Musharraf", annoying some of the regular passengers.

Musharraf, who has been granted protective bail to lift the threat of immediate arrest on his return to Pakistan, told reporters before leaving Dubai that he was "not feeling nervous" but admitted to some concerns.

"I am feeling concerned about the unknown... there are a lot of unknown factors of terrorism and extremism, unknown factors of legal issue, unknown factors of how much I will be able to perform (in the elections)," he said.

In one of the legal cases that has long ensnared Musharraf, Benazir Bhutto was assassinated when he was running the country in December 2007, three months after she returned to Pakistan from her own self-imposed exile.

Karachi, a city of 18 million, is already in the throes of record political and ethnic violence. On March 3, a huge car bomb killed 50 people in a mainly Shi'ite Muslim area of the city, the worst single attack in the city for years.

At the airport, local police official A.D. Chaudhry said 1,000 well-wishers had turned out although an AFP reporter said the number appeared about half that.

Supporters chanted "Long Live Musharraf" and his catchphrase, "Pakistan First". Young boys wore "Pakistan First" T-shirts emblazoned with his picture.

Security was tight with police, paramilitary and traffic police deployed in large numbers at the airport, where there was also a sizeable media contingent.

On Saturday, a suicide bomber killed 17 Pakistani soldiers by ramming a water tanker packed with explosives into a checkpoint in the tribal district of North Waziristan on the northwestern Afghan border.

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