Iran scoffs at Oscar-winning Argo

IRAN'S state TV has dismissed the Oscar-winning film Argo as an "advertisement for the CIA" and some Iranians called the award a political statement by America for its unflattering portrayal of the aftermath of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

And while Argo has not appeared in any Iranian cinema, there has been no shortage of buzz from those who saw the movie through bootleg DVD networks.

The discussions over Argo in Iran have often pried open a generational divide: Iranians who took part in the 1979 Islamic Revolution picking apart the portrayals of Tehran during the time, and Iranians too young to recall the events getting a different view of the upheavals.

"I want to know what the other side is saying," said Shieda, a 21-year-old University of Tehran student, who gave only her first name to avoid possible backlash for speaking with foreign media.

Tehran City Council member Masoomeh Ebtekar - who was one of the students who occupied the US Embassy and acted as the Iranian students' spokeswoman - says the film exaggerates the violence among crowds that stormed the compound in November 1979.

Fifty-two Americans were held hostage for 444 days, but a handful of embassy staff were sheltered by the Canadian ambassador. Their escape, using a fake movie as a cover story, is recounted in Argo.

Ebtekbar insists the hostage-takers were mostly students, but other accounts suggest militants and members of the Revolutionary Guard were closely involved in the crisis.

Actor-director Ben Affleck "goes and shows scenes of a very violent and very angry mob throughout the film," Ebtekbar said. "It is never mentioned that these are a group of students."

The semiofficial Mehr news agency called the Oscar "politically motivated" because First Lady Michelle Obama, from the White House, joined Jack Nicholson via video link in Los Angeles to help present the best picture prize.

Iran's state TV called the movie "an advertisement for the CIA."

Iran's culture minister, Mohammad Hosseini, said Hollywood has "distorted history" as part of what Iranian officials call a "soft war" of cultural influence in Iran.

But retired teacher, Reza Abbasi, who saw the Revolution first-hand, said: "I know Hollywood usually changes reality to make it attractive for movie lovers, but more or less it was close to the realities then."

Others say Argo also shows the need for Iranian filmmakers to deal more with issues from the Revolution.

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China affirms goal of Taiwan unification

CHINESE leader Xi Jinping has reaffirmed China's desire to bring Taiwan under its control in a meeting with the honorary head of the island's ruling party.

Xi's meeting on Monday with Nationalist Party honorary chairman Lien Chan was viewed on both sides as a symbolic gesture aimed a reaffirming warming ties between the former rivals following Xi's elevation to leader of the ruling Communist Party last year. Once-tense relations have given way to thriving trade, transport, and investment links, although there has been no commitment by Taiwan to political talks that might lead to China's unification goal.

Xi told Lien that he and other Communist Party leaders who took office in November will continue developing ties and pushing for unification with the island, which China claims as part of its territory.

"The new Communist Party ruling collective will continue to push forward the peaceful development of relations between the two sides and advance the cause of peaceful unification," Xi told Lien at their meeting at the Great Hall of the People, the seat of the legislature, in downtown Beijing.

Xi promised to "pragmatically forge ahead" to achieve new achievements in relations that would enrich residents on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

The meeting is the first between Xi and a leading Taiwanese politician since Xi assumed the party leadership, and comes weeks before he assumes the title of state president at the legislature's annual session.

Taiwan split from mainland China amid civil war between the Nationalists and Communists in 1949. The decades since have seen a growing independent Taiwanese identity, with opinion surveys showing only a minority favour unification with Beijing.

The Nationalists, once bitter Cold War rivals with China's Communists, support eventual unification with mainland China but only under a still-to-be negotiated framework.

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Qantas director quits amid Italian probe

QANTAS director Corinne Namblard has resigned from the airline's board after becoming caught up in an Italian corruption investigation.

Ms Namblard denies any wrongdoing in relation to the investigation into the privatisation of Siena airport, but was stepping down in the best interests of Qantas and herself while it continued.

"Ms Namblard was especially concerned to ensure that the continuing media focus on the current Italian proceedings did not distract Qantas from implementing its strategic imperatives nor detract from the achievements that Qantas has had in meeting the challenges to its business," Qantas chairman Leigh Clifford said in a statement on Monday.

"The Qantas board appreciates those sentiments.

"It is also apt to note that Ms Namblard strenuously denies any wrongdoing in relation to the matters which are the subject of the Italian proceedings, and the Qantas Board has no reason whatsoever to doubt that position."

Ms Namblard, a French financier who joined the Qantas board in 2011, has been questioned in Italy as part of an investigation into alleged bid rigging and the Tuscan Monte dei Paschi di Seina bank.

She reportedly was asked to by Italian investigators to provide evidence about her involvement in the privatisation of Siena airport in 2007.

She was chief executive of Galaxy Fund, the winning bidder, at the time.

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Hutchison loss widens as customers flee

HUTCHISON Telecommunications (Australia) has widened its full year loss to almost $400 million as nearly half a million customers abandoned its poorly performing joint venture network.

However, the beleaguered telecommunications company expects to improve its performance through this year and into 2014, but did not give any guidance.

Vodafone in Australia is a 50/50 joint venture between Hutchison Telecoms and Vodafone Group of the UK, and has been plagued by customer complaints about poor service and reliability.

During the year Vodafone's customer base declined by 443,000 to 6.6 million, leading to a fall in customer revenue by 16.8 per cent to $1.7 billion.

Earnings before interest, tax and depreciation decreased 43.3 per cent to $177.3 million.

Hutchison Australia chairman Canning Fok said Vodafone was implementing a turnaround plan with the full support of its shareholders.

He said in a statement that the network had made "meaningful inroads" in stabilising customer numbers and financial performance.

"Although continuing losses are anticipated in 2013, HTAL (Hutchison Telecommunications Australia Ltd) expects improvements in VHA's (Vodafone) performance through the year and into 2014," he said.

Hutchison Telecommunications on Monday reported a $393.5 million loss for calendar 2012 compared with a loss of $167.7 million in the previous year.

In the statement released after the close of share marketing trading, the company said its share of its joint venture in Vodafone Hutchison Australia (Vodafone) was a net loss for 2012 of $408.8 million. This compared with a net loss of $175.4 million in 2011.

Law firm Piper Alderman on Monday announced plans to proceed with the class action against Vodafone but did not reveal further details.

Piper Alderman lawyers will outline details of the legal action at a media conference in Sydney on Tuesday morning.

The legal move comes more than a year after Vodafone said it was working hard to improve its service.

This followed a damning report that outlined more than 12,000 complaints ranging from patchy network coverage to poor customer service.

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Israel, US successfully test anti-missile

A JOINT exercise with US forces has successfully tested the Arrow anti-missile system for the first time, Israel's Defence Ministry says.

The system is meant to defend Israel from the threat of an Iranian strike.

The ministry said Monday's test was "a major milestone in the development of the Arrow 3 Weapon System."

The Arrow is produced jointly by Israel Aerospace Industries and Boeing.

It detects an incoming missile and destroys it with a second missile. Iran's Shahab ballistic missile can carry a nuclear warhead and has a range of 2000km, putting Israel well within range.

The Arrow is part of Israel's multi-layered shield designed to intercept rockets and missiles. Israel sees Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile program as an existential threat.

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Centre-left are favourites as Italy votes

ITALIANS fed up with austerity went to the polls on Sunday in elections likely to be won by the centre-left, as Europe held its breath for signs of fresh instability in the eurozone's third largest economy.

The elections are Italy's first since billionaire tycoon Silvio Berlusconi was ousted in 2011 during a wave of financial market panic and replaced by former top European commissioner Mario Monti.

The most likely winner is the Democratic Party and its leader Pier Luigi Bersani, who says he will stick to reforms but also do more for growth as Italy endures its longest recession in 20 years.

"I am voting for the Democratic Party. I don't want us to end up like Greece," said Alessandro, a 63-year-old manager, as he cast his ballot in Milan.

But the scandal-tainted Berlusconi, a three-time prime minister who is also a defendant in two trials for tax fraud and having sex with an underage prostitute, could come a close second.

In third place, according to the polls, could be a new protest party led by comedian turned activist Beppe Grillo who has channelled growing social discontent and anger at traditional politicians.

"Italy votes in uncertainty," read a headline in La Stampa daily, while the Il Fatto Quotidiano said: "The undecided voters will decide it".

Polls will close at 2100 GMT on Sunday (0800 Monday AEDT) and open again for a second day of voting at 0600 GMT (1700 AEDT) on Monday, closing at 1400 GMT (0100 Tuesday AEDT).

Exit polls are expected immediately after the close and preliminary official results will begin trickling through later on Monday and perhaps into Tuesday.

Officials have called on Italians to vote, amid fears that general disenchantment with politics could mean a much lower turnout than usual.

Forty-seven million Italians are eligible to vote.

Opinion polls indicate the result may not give Bersani alone a strong enough majority to rule and he may have to seek an alliance with Monti, which could bring the economics professor back into government.

A coalition between Monti and Bersani would not be simple because of the differences between the free-marketeer Monti and a small far-left party that is already in coalition with Bersani.

Berlusconi will also continue to be a powerful force. He has risen sharply in the polls with a promise to reimburse an unpopular property tax.

He has also won votes by blaming a "hegemonic" Germany for Italy's woes.

Candidates were supposed to stay silent on Saturday on the eve of the vote but Berlusconi apparently broke the rules by speaking to journalists.

In an interview with Greek television that was reported by Italian media, Berlusconi said, "I contradicted the lords of austerity who are now trying to get rid of me."

He said Monti was "subservient and always on his knees in front of Mrs Merkel (German Chancellor Angela Merkel) and now she does not want to lose him".

"I would give her a run for her money," he said.

Berlusconi was forced out in November 2011 after a parliamentary revolt, a myriad of sex scandals and a wave of panic on financial markets.

The sober Monti, a former economics professor, has brought the markets to heel and restored Italy's image as a key player in the eurozone debate.

Italy is the euro area's third largest economy after Germany and France and a major exporter.

While its debt is sky-high at around 120 per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP) - second only to Greece's - its public deficit is under control.

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WA nurses accept 14 per cent pay rise

NURSES have accepted an in-principle offer of a 14 per cent pay increase over three years from the West Australian government, putting an end to bed closures and further strike action.

But under the agreement, there will be no changes to their work conditions.

The Australian Nurses Federation (ANF) had been threatening to go on strike for 24 hours if the state government did not offer them a 20 per cent pay increase over three years by Monday.

But union state secretary Mark Olson told AAP the ANF had only increased that demand from 12.75 per cent out of frustration at the lack of response from the state government.

The ANF had voted on Friday to keep one in five beds closed at hospitals over the weekend and to wait until Monday to decide if it should take industrial action.

This was despite the Industrial Relations Commission ordering that they cease their work bans or risk patient safety.

Premier Colin Barnett said on Sunday he had finally struck an in-principle agreement with the ANF to cease bed closures, not to strike on Monday and accept the conditional offer.

The proposed 14 per cent increase involves a five per cent increase from July 1 this year followed by a four per cent increase in 2014 and another five per cent increase in 2015.

But no official agreement can be signed until after the March 9 election because the government is still in caretaker mode.

Earlier, Labor leader Mark McGowan said he had sent the premier a letter explaining that any agreement made with the nurses would be supported by the opposition and implemented if they won the election.

Mr Barnett said he had not seen the letter but had been advised by the chief medical officer and heads of emergency departments that industrial action would place lives at risk, which was why he had to push for an in-principle agreement.

The premier denied he had caved in to pressure from the union because the election was less than two weeks away and said it should not encourage other unions to carry out similar action close to an election.

Mr Olson told AAP he was relieved to finally have the matter agreed on but was disappointed that it had taken so long to reach this point when the deal could have been struck a week ago when the first bed was closed.

"I think it's due to the determination, courage and solidarity of the nurses that we have reached this point," he said.

"The public has always supported us from day one and the premier knew that."

Mr McGowan issued a statement after the announcement was made and said while he welcomed the nurses decision to cease industrial action, the process adopted by Mr Barnett had been abysmal and had forced the saga to drag on unnecessarily.

"We will be seeking a briefing from the director-general of the Department of Premier and Cabinet to establish whether a deal was struck on behalf of the Liberal party or on behalf of the people of Western Australia and whether the government has acted in accordance with the caretaker conventions," he said.

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Iraqi president communicating after stroke

A DOCTOR who oversees Iraqi President Jalal Talabani's medical care says the president is able to speak and understand people around him as he recovers from a stroke he suffered over two months ago.

In an interview on Sunday Dr Najmaldin Karim described the improvement in the president's health as encouraging and "a good development".

Karim oversees Talabani's medical care when he is in Iraq, although the president is currently in Germany for treatment.

Karim says he is hopeful Talabani will be able to return to Iraq, but acknowledged that any decision rests with the doctors treating him in Germany.

Talabani was rushed to a hospital on December 17 for what officials described as a serious stroke. He was later moved to Germany. Few details have been released about his condition.

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Fire in Sydney store suspicious: police

POLICE say a fire in a home decorator store in Sydney's northwest was deliberately lit and are urging witnesses who may have seen suspicious activity to contact them.

Emergency services were called to Victoria Avenue in Castle Hill at about 11.30am (AEDT) on Sunday after a customer saw smoke and flames in the floor rug section of the store.

As staff evacuated the shop another employee put the blaze out with a fire extinguisher, confining damage to a stand of rugs.

Police believe the fire was deliberately lit and want shoppers who were evacuated from the store to contact them if they noticed someone acting suspiciously at the time of the fire.

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'Sex stimulant' found in Pistorius home

A SUBSTANCE found in star athlete Oscar Pistorius' home during a search by police investigating the killing of his girlfriend is a herbal sexual stimulant, a South African newspaper reported.

The prosecution said during Pistorius' bail hearing last week that police had found two boxes of "testosterone" and needles in his Pretoria home, but the defence countered that it was a legal herbal remedy known as testocompasutium coenzyme.

The City Press newspaper said on Sunday the remedy was a combination of vitamins, herbal cures partly derived from animal organs.

Sports physician Jon Patricios told the paper the product is used to boost sexual energy, but that athletes are not advised to use it since it may increase their testosterone levels.

"This is not an anabolic steroid and it is unlikely it will lead to irrational anger," he said.

The National Prosecuting Authority has said it was awaiting the results of forensic tests to determine what the product is.

"Blade Runner" Pistorius, 26, an Olympic and Paralymic hero, was freed on bail on Friday ahead of a trial on a murder charge over the Valentine's Day killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

The International Paralympic Committee said the double amputee was tested twice during the London Paralympics in 2012 and tested negative.

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