Bombers out of finals, Hird banned

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 30 Agustus 2013 | 20.02

James Hird fronts the media to discuss his 12 month ban from all official involvement in the AFL.

SUSPENDED Essendon coach James Hird says the club has been "unfairly dealt with this year", while his lawyer says the Bombers great was "heroic".

Hird held a press conference outside his Toorak mansion this morning after he was suspended for 12 months in a sensational climax to the saga.

"I am deeply sorry for what happened at our football club in 2012," Hird said.

"I do take a level of responsibility for what happened.

"I should have known what was going on, I should have done more and I'm very disappointed that I didn't."

Asked if he broke the rules, Hird said "not at all".

"I didn't break the rules that I was charged with, those charges have been dropped and we've agreed to move on."

Following the press conference, Hird's lawyer, Julian Burnside QC, said the suspended Bombers coach was "heroic" for accepting the AFL's 12-month ban.

"He (Hird) has been brutally maligned in the press over the past six months - I don't know how he has managed to survive it - and he has wanted to show that he is not guilty of anything,'' Burnside told 3AW.

"But against that, he wanted to do the right thing by the club and the game.

James Hird speaks to media at his house on Wednesday. Picture: Mark Dadswell

"I reckon what he did ... was nothing short of heroic.''

Burnside and fellow lawyer Steven Amendola have been among Hird's advisers during the supplements crisis.

Amendola was insistent that the AFL did not find Hird guilty, but rather reached an agreement on his 12-month suspension.

"Fact: he did not admit any charge. Fact: he was not found guilty of breaching (AFL rule) 1.6. Fact: the charges were withdrawn against him,'' Amendola told ABC radio.

Jobe Watson says his teammates would welcome James Hird back. Picture: Colleen Petch

"What happened was there was a negotiation and an agreement about consequence. There was no individual finding against him, in terms of a breach of 1.6.''

While Hird felt he didn't break any laws, he said that senior coaches were "responsible for a lot of things at a football club".

"There were things that went on at our football club that shouldn't have happened last year, and as senior coach I have to take some responsibility for what happened and not doing more to stop it," Hird said.

The Bombers were last night dramatically booted from September action and fined $2 million, with Hird apologising to the AFL Commission and accepting his ban.

But while Essendon has lost its first two draft picks for this year and the 2014 national draft, dogged negotiations delivered it a selection after the first round of the draft next year.

Essendon has been thrown out of this year's finals series as punishment for its 2012 supplements program.

Hird's ban expires on August 25 next year and while he cannot have an official role with his club until then, he could return to play a key role in the 2014 finals.

Hird said he was glad the saga had finally ended.

"For the good of the game and for the good of our football club, and most importantly for two entities, for our players and our supporters, I'm so glad this is finished and the game can move on."

Hird said he had spoken to his players and they were upset with the sanctions handed down.

"Speaking to the players last night and speaking to them this morning, I think we're all disappointed at the level of sanctions that have been put on the club. But we understand that some sanctions had to be placed on our club," Hird said.

"Our football club is a great football club and it has been unfairly dealt with this year. We do own those mistakes but the way it has been treated I don't think is fair."

Hird said ending his Supreme Court fight against the AFL was the "right nothing to do" even though it was a "matter of principle".

While Hird said he was disappointed not to be coaching next year, he said he was keen to return in 2015.

"I've been an Essendon supporter since I was born, it's part of my family, I don't think I could ever step away from the Essendon Football Club," Hird said.

"It's part of who I am, and it's part of who I'll always be."

MANAGER SAYS AFL SHOULDN'T RECEIVE DONS' $2 MILLION FINE

He endorsed senior assistant coach Mark Thompson to take his place next year, saying he was "the obvious choice".

In the meantime, Hird said he planned to take some time away with his family before deciding on his next move.

But he said he wanted to "tell my side of the story" in coming days to better explain what happened at Essendon last year.

Meanwhile, Essendon captain Jobe Watson says his teammates would welcome Hird back as senior coach once he has served his AFL-imposed suspension.

Speaking on Wednesday, Essendon captain Jobe Watson says his teammates would welcome Hird back as senior coach once he has served an AFL-imposed suspension.

Watson said the team didn't feel Hird had betrayed them.

"I don't think that's the right word," Watson told Fox Sports.

"In hindsight, people made mistakes. And I think people have accepted responsibility for that.

"I don't think anyone set out to intentionally cause the situation we found ourselves in."

Essendon chief Ray Gunston told Channel Nine at Windy Hill this morning that Hird was "shattered".

"He is obviously disappointed but that is the outcome of the hearing," he said.

AFL Commission Chairman Mike Fitzpatrick reveals the sanctions handed down to the Essendon Football Club, James Hird, Danny Corcoran, Bruce Reid and Mark Thompson.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said he would be making no apologies for the tough penalties.

"This reminds everyone that young people, young men that want to play our game should know that when they go to a football club they will get the best care, the best training that will be welcomed into the most, the absolutely best professional environment," Demetriou said on 3AW radio.

AFL's INTEGRITY AT HEART OF PENALTIES
AFL PLAYERS TAKE TO TWITTER

AFL deputy Gillon McLachlan told 3AW that no date had been set the $2 million fine to be paid.

"I think, rather than being too overt about it, it is over a few years," he said.

It comes as controversial sports scientist Stephen Dank refused to answer questions about the sanctions imposed on Essendon.

As he left his Ascot Vale home this morning, he would not say whether he had spoken to the AFL or if he planned to speak to ASADA investigators.

AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou and chairman Mike Fitzpatrick hand down Essendon's punishment.

Thompson, who received a fine, but no ban last night, is the favourite to be Essendon's caretaker coach. Essendon assistant coach Simon Goodwin will coach the club in Saturday's dead rubber against Richmond.

Essendon chairman Paul Little last night said Hird would not only return as senior coach, he would accept a new contract which is believed to include a two-year extension which would take him through to the end of 2016, although he cannot be paid by Essendon.

READ THE FULL CHARGE SHEET HERE
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MIDFIELD FIX MUCH HARDER TO FIX
 DANK HAS A LOT TO ANSWER FOR

"James is very keen to continue his coaching at Essendon and the Essendon Football Club is very keen to have him," he said.

Essendon chairman Paul Little says outgoing coach James Hird accepted the penalties for the good of the club.

"I don't want to give you precise details, but there is an undertaking for James to continue coaching at Essendon."

Hird can attend Essendon matches in 2014 in preparation for a return.

Essendon's VFL side can play finals this weekend.

Essendon players were anxious for the club to come to a settlement, which provided Little with a mandate to strike a deal over their finals participation.

Bombers coach James Hird leaves AFL House.

"The players made their point of view very clearly that they wanted it as a priority to be cleared up now and they did not want it to linger," Little said in accepting the penalties.

Demetriou said Essendon players were still eligible for the Brownlow Medal and All-Australian honours.

Essendon will officially finish ninth.

Hird expressed remorse to the AFL Commission, but that contrition was undermined when his QC Julian Burnside said he had "done absolutely nothing wrong" and had been "heroic" in accepting penalties for the club and players' sake.

AFL Chair Mike Fitzpatrick hands down sanctions to the Essendon Football Club.

While Demetriou said ASADA was still reviewing Essendon's case, he stressed the AFL had not issued infraction notices to players when it reviewed ASADA's interim report.

Little made it clear yesterday he did not believe there would be infraction notices.

But he apologised for Essendon's conduct, saying "we have let down a lot of people ... and we are genuinely sorry".

Essendon great Tim Watson said this morning the matter wasn't completely over, with it still unclear whether there will be sanctions against players including his son Jobe.

Essendon chairman Paul Little responds to the sanctions handed to Essendon by the AFL Commission.

"It is still a little bit unresolved. So in terms of being a parent this morning, I am not feeling completely comfortable about exactly what is going to happen from here on in either because as Andrew and others said last night there is still an ASADA investigation that is to be completed."

Club legend Matthew Lloyd said his club might take a decade to recover, and was not only worried about the "mental scarring" to Essendon players next year but the club's future without key picks.

"For Essendon it's like losing Michael Hurley, Dyson Heppell, Joe Daniher and David Zaharakis; that's four players they could lose out on in the next two years," Lloyd said.

"The draft picks in the first two rounds, it's not often Dyson Heppell can step in and have an automatic impact, but it will hit them in three years' time, those four picks they have missed out on, what a hole it has left. It is something that will haunt them in a few years' time," he told 3AW.

"As little as 14 days ago they couldn't wait for finals. They were all about getting themselves right for a finals game in two weeks' time.

"Just what this does to them, we won't know the spirit it breaks and the damage it does over the coming months and years. The scarring is not just for the next 12 months - it could be for five to 10 years."

Thompson told Channel 9 last night he was unsure if he would step in as the caretaker coach.

"After the two days I have had it's hard to think what I really want to do," he said.

Little said he could see Hird playing a role on the coaching staff if Essendon were finalists in 2014.

"James Hird told the Commission tonight that he took responsibility for the shortcomings in the club's 2012 supplements program... so the club could move on," Little said.

- with Tom Minear


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'Six-point' Diaz a no show

Jaymes Diaz cut-out at the Greenway election forum / Pic: Phil Rogers Source: Supplied

Liberal candidate for Greenway, Jaymes Diaz gets grilled by Ten reporter John Hill. Here are the highlights. Courtesy Channel Ten

THE elusive Jaymes Diaz was a no-show at a federal election forum for the federal seat of Greenway last night.

With about 100 locals in the audience at Blacktown RSL Club, candidates fielded questions on costs of living, local business, paid parental leave, coal seam gas, childcare, party preferences and how they would represent the interests of Greenway on the national stage.

However it was difficult to avoid the elephant in the room in the absence of Mr Diaz, who is currently favoured to win the marginal seat.

DIAZ DODGES QUESTIONS AT COMMUNITY FORUM

The other candidates posed with a cardboard cutout of the infamous Liberal, while members of the audience called him a coward for not showing up.

Mr Diaz made an embarrassing gaffe earlier this month when he was unable to name the key points in the Coalition's border protection policy.

Anthony Belcastro, candidate for Katter's Australia Party, took it upon himself to pose the question on everyone lips - "Where is Jaymes Diaz?"

"Here we have a candidate who wants to take your voice to Canberra and what do we end up with - an empty chair," he concluded.

Sitting Labor MP Michelle Rowland was keen to point out her list of achievements over the past three years including grants secured for community projects such as Com4Unity, increased funding for local schools, the redevelopment of Blacktown Hospital and the arrival of the National Broadband Network.

TEN's John Hill talks to Liberal candidate for Greenway, Jaymes Diaz. Courtesy Channel Ten

"In short I believe in equality of opportunity and I don't believe you should be limited by the postcode you grew up in," she said.

"I've delivered on every promise I made in my maiden speech to parliament."

Ms Rowland took aim at the generosity of the Coalition's proposed paid parental leave scheme.

"I don't think it is socially equitable," she said.

"It is more important to maintain our existing scheme as it is being used and it is affordable."

All candidates at the forum made a commitment against coal seam gas mining and promised to push for increased child care funding.

Chris Brentin from the Greens defended the carbon tax while arguing Australia's future lies in the use of renewable energy.

"We care about people and we care about the environment and the harmony between the both of them," he said.

"Clean energy is going to create 70,000 new jobs for western Sydney."

The heated debate had its lighter moments, including when Palmer United Party's Jodie Wootton was forced to defend Clive Palmer's plan to build Titanic 2 in China.

While Mr Diaz never responded to his forum invitation, Tom Lillicrap from the Australian Sex Party and Allan Green from the Christian Democratic Party declined the opportunity to attend.


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Bombers out of finals, Hird banned

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 28 Agustus 2013 | 20.02

James Hird fronts the media to discuss his 12 month ban from all official involvement in the AFL.

SUSPENDED Essendon coach James Hird says the club has been "unfairly dealt with this year", while his lawyer says the Bombers great was "heroic".

Hird held a press conference outside his Toorak mansion this morning after he was suspended for 12 months in a sensational climax to the saga.

"I am deeply sorry for what happened at our football club in 2012," Hird said.

"I do take a level of responsibility for what happened.

"I should have known what was going on, I should have done more and I'm very disappointed that I didn't."

Asked if he broke the rules, Hird said "not at all".

"I didn't break the rules that I was charged with, those charges have been dropped and we've agreed to move on."

Following the press conference, Hird's lawyer, Julian Burnside QC, said the suspended Bombers coach was "heroic" for accepting the AFL's 12-month ban.

"He (Hird) has been brutally maligned in the press over the past six months - I don't know how he has managed to survive it - and he has wanted to show that he is not guilty of anything,'' Burnside told 3AW.

"But against that, he wanted to do the right thing by the club and the game.

James Hird speaks to media at his house on Wednesday. Picture: Mark Dadswell

"I reckon what he did ... was nothing short of heroic.''

Burnside and fellow lawyer Steven Amendola have been among Hird's advisers during the supplements crisis.

Amendola was insistent that the AFL did not find Hird guilty, but rather reached an agreement on his 12-month suspension.

"Fact: he did not admit any charge. Fact: he was not found guilty of breaching (AFL rule) 1.6. Fact: the charges were withdrawn against him,'' Amendola told ABC radio.

Jobe Watson says his teammates would welcome James Hird back. Picture: Colleen Petch

"What happened was there was a negotiation and an agreement about consequence. There was no individual finding against him, in terms of a breach of 1.6.''

While Hird felt he didn't break any laws, he said that senior coaches were "responsible for a lot of things at a football club".

"There were things that went on at our football club that shouldn't have happened last year, and as senior coach I have to take some responsibility for what happened and not doing more to stop it," Hird said.

The Bombers were last night dramatically booted from September action and fined $2 million, with Hird apologising to the AFL Commission and accepting his ban.

But while Essendon has lost its first two draft picks for this year and the 2014 national draft, dogged negotiations delivered it a selection after the first round of the draft next year.

Essendon has been thrown out of this year's finals series as punishment for its 2012 supplements program.

Hird's ban expires on August 25 next year and while he cannot have an official role with his club until then, he could return to play a key role in the 2014 finals.

Hird said he was glad the saga had finally ended.

"For the good of the game and for the good of our football club, and most importantly for two entities, for our players and our supporters, I'm so glad this is finished and the game can move on."

Hird said he had spoken to his players and they were upset with the sanctions handed down.

"Speaking to the players last night and speaking to them this morning, I think we're all disappointed at the level of sanctions that have been put on the club. But we understand that some sanctions had to be placed on our club," Hird said.

"Our football club is a great football club and it has been unfairly dealt with this year. We do own those mistakes but the way it has been treated I don't think is fair."

Hird said ending his Supreme Court fight against the AFL was the "right nothing to do" even though it was a "matter of principle".

While Hird said he was disappointed not to be coaching next year, he said he was keen to return in 2015.

"I've been an Essendon supporter since I was born, it's part of my family, I don't think I could ever step away from the Essendon Football Club," Hird said.

"It's part of who I am, and it's part of who I'll always be."

MANAGER SAYS AFL SHOULDN'T RECEIVE DONS' $2 MILLION FINE

He endorsed senior assistant coach Mark Thompson to take his place next year, saying he was "the obvious choice".

In the meantime, Hird said he planned to take some time away with his family before deciding on his next move.

But he said he wanted to "tell my side of the story" in coming days to better explain what happened at Essendon last year.

Meanwhile, Essendon captain Jobe Watson says his teammates would welcome Hird back as senior coach once he has served his AFL-imposed suspension.

Speaking on Wednesday, Essendon captain Jobe Watson says his teammates would welcome Hird back as senior coach once he has served an AFL-imposed suspension.

Watson said the team didn't feel Hird had betrayed them.

"I don't think that's the right word," Watson told Fox Sports.

"In hindsight, people made mistakes. And I think people have accepted responsibility for that.

"I don't think anyone set out to intentionally cause the situation we found ourselves in."

Essendon chief Ray Gunston told Channel Nine at Windy Hill this morning that Hird was "shattered".

"He is obviously disappointed but that is the outcome of the hearing," he said.

AFL Commission Chairman Mike Fitzpatrick reveals the sanctions handed down to the Essendon Football Club, James Hird, Danny Corcoran, Bruce Reid and Mark Thompson.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said he would be making no apologies for the tough penalties.

"This reminds everyone that young people, young men that want to play our game should know that when they go to a football club they will get the best care, the best training that will be welcomed into the most, the absolutely best professional environment," Demetriou said on 3AW radio.

AFL's INTEGRITY AT HEART OF PENALTIES
AFL PLAYERS TAKE TO TWITTER

AFL deputy Gillon McLachlan told 3AW that no date had been set the $2 million fine to be paid.

"I think, rather than being too overt about it, it is over a few years," he said.

It comes as controversial sports scientist Stephen Dank refused to answer questions about the sanctions imposed on Essendon.

As he left his Ascot Vale home this morning, he would not say whether he had spoken to the AFL or if he planned to speak to ASADA investigators.

AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou and chairman Mike Fitzpatrick hand down Essendon's punishment.

Thompson, who received a fine, but no ban last night, is the favourite to be Essendon's caretaker coach. Essendon assistant coach Simon Goodwin will coach the club in Saturday's dead rubber against Richmond.

Essendon chairman Paul Little last night said Hird would not only return as senior coach, he would accept a new contract which is believed to include a two-year extension which would take him through to the end of 2016, although he cannot be paid by Essendon.

READ THE FULL CHARGE SHEET HERE
DONS THE ALL-TIME AFL VILLAIN
MIDFIELD FIX MUCH HARDER TO FIX
 DANK HAS A LOT TO ANSWER FOR

"James is very keen to continue his coaching at Essendon and the Essendon Football Club is very keen to have him," he said.

Essendon chairman Paul Little says outgoing coach James Hird accepted the penalties for the good of the club.

"I don't want to give you precise details, but there is an undertaking for James to continue coaching at Essendon."

Hird can attend Essendon matches in 2014 in preparation for a return.

Essendon's VFL side can play finals this weekend.

Essendon players were anxious for the club to come to a settlement, which provided Little with a mandate to strike a deal over their finals participation.

Bombers coach James Hird leaves AFL House.

"The players made their point of view very clearly that they wanted it as a priority to be cleared up now and they did not want it to linger," Little said in accepting the penalties.

Demetriou said Essendon players were still eligible for the Brownlow Medal and All-Australian honours.

Essendon will officially finish ninth.

Hird expressed remorse to the AFL Commission, but that contrition was undermined when his QC Julian Burnside said he had "done absolutely nothing wrong" and had been "heroic" in accepting penalties for the club and players' sake.

AFL Chair Mike Fitzpatrick hands down sanctions to the Essendon Football Club.

While Demetriou said ASADA was still reviewing Essendon's case, he stressed the AFL had not issued infraction notices to players when it reviewed ASADA's interim report.

Little made it clear yesterday he did not believe there would be infraction notices.

But he apologised for Essendon's conduct, saying "we have let down a lot of people ... and we are genuinely sorry".

Essendon great Tim Watson said this morning the matter wasn't completely over, with it still unclear whether there will be sanctions against players including his son Jobe.

Essendon chairman Paul Little responds to the sanctions handed to Essendon by the AFL Commission.

"It is still a little bit unresolved. So in terms of being a parent this morning, I am not feeling completely comfortable about exactly what is going to happen from here on in either because as Andrew and others said last night there is still an ASADA investigation that is to be completed."

Club legend Matthew Lloyd said his club might take a decade to recover, and was not only worried about the "mental scarring" to Essendon players next year but the club's future without key picks.

"For Essendon it's like losing Michael Hurley, Dyson Heppell, Joe Daniher and David Zaharakis; that's four players they could lose out on in the next two years," Lloyd said.

"The draft picks in the first two rounds, it's not often Dyson Heppell can step in and have an automatic impact, but it will hit them in three years' time, those four picks they have missed out on, what a hole it has left. It is something that will haunt them in a few years' time," he told 3AW.

"As little as 14 days ago they couldn't wait for finals. They were all about getting themselves right for a finals game in two weeks' time.

"Just what this does to them, we won't know the spirit it breaks and the damage it does over the coming months and years. The scarring is not just for the next 12 months - it could be for five to 10 years."

Thompson told Channel 9 last night he was unsure if he would step in as the caretaker coach.

"After the two days I have had it's hard to think what I really want to do," he said.

Little said he could see Hird playing a role on the coaching staff if Essendon were finalists in 2014.

"James Hird told the Commission tonight that he took responsibility for the shortcomings in the club's 2012 supplements program... so the club could move on," Little said.

- with Tom Minear


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'Six-point' Diaz a no show

Jaymes Diaz cut-out at the Greenway election forum / Pic: Phil Rogers Source: Supplied

Liberal candidate for Greenway, Jaymes Diaz gets grilled by Ten reporter John Hill. Here are the highlights. Courtesy Channel Ten

THE elusive Jaymes Diaz was a no-show at a federal election forum for the federal seat of Greenway last night.

With about 100 locals in the audience at Blacktown RSL Club, candidates fielded questions on costs of living, local business, paid parental leave, coal seam gas, childcare, party preferences and how they would represent the interests of Greenway on the national stage.

However it was difficult to avoid the elephant in the room in the absence of Mr Diaz, who is currently favoured to win the marginal seat.

DIAZ DODGES QUESTIONS AT COMMUNITY FORUM

The other candidates posed with a cardboard cutout of the infamous Liberal, while members of the audience called him a coward for not showing up.

Mr Diaz made an embarrassing gaffe earlier this month when he was unable to name the key points in the Coalition's border protection policy.

Anthony Belcastro, candidate for Katter's Australia Party, took it upon himself to pose the question on everyone lips - "Where is Jaymes Diaz?"

"Here we have a candidate who wants to take your voice to Canberra and what do we end up with - an empty chair," he concluded.

Sitting Labor MP Michelle Rowland was keen to point out her list of achievements over the past three years including grants secured for community projects such as Com4Unity, increased funding for local schools, the redevelopment of Blacktown Hospital and the arrival of the National Broadband Network.

TEN's John Hill talks to Liberal candidate for Greenway, Jaymes Diaz. Courtesy Channel Ten

"In short I believe in equality of opportunity and I don't believe you should be limited by the postcode you grew up in," she said.

"I've delivered on every promise I made in my maiden speech to parliament."

Ms Rowland took aim at the generosity of the Coalition's proposed paid parental leave scheme.

"I don't think it is socially equitable," she said.

"It is more important to maintain our existing scheme as it is being used and it is affordable."

All candidates at the forum made a commitment against coal seam gas mining and promised to push for increased child care funding.

Chris Brentin from the Greens defended the carbon tax while arguing Australia's future lies in the use of renewable energy.

"We care about people and we care about the environment and the harmony between the both of them," he said.

"Clean energy is going to create 70,000 new jobs for western Sydney."

The heated debate had its lighter moments, including when Palmer United Party's Jodie Wootton was forced to defend Clive Palmer's plan to build Titanic 2 in China.

While Mr Diaz never responded to his forum invitation, Tom Lillicrap from the Australian Sex Party and Allan Green from the Christian Democratic Party declined the opportunity to attend.


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Caine slams Connery Alzheimer's claims

British actors Michael Caine, left, and Sean Connery in Edinburgh, Scotland.  Caine has rejected a story in which he is alleged to have said that his friend Connery had "lost his senses." Source: AP

SIR Michael Caine has slammed a German newspaper report alleging he revealed his pal Sir Sean Connery is suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

Editors at Bild reported the Alfie star said Connery was struggling to cope with dementia, and was quoted as saying, "One must have serious concerns for him.''

However, the article has come under fire from Caine, who is baffled as to where the newspaper got it from.

He tells Britain's Daily Mirror, "It's all bulls&#nbsp;&#nbsp;&#nbsp;, completely preposterous. I did some interviews over in Germany for a new film and I can only assume someone has twisted my words or got the wrong end of the stick.

"I haven't seen Sean for a couple of years, but my wife and I spoke to him on the phone on his birthday this week and he was very well.

"He was fine, in complete control of his senses and his usual self. This stuff about Alzheimer's is just nonsense. I have no idea where they are getting it from.''

Bond star Connery has been plagued by rumours of ill health for several years, and only makes rare public appearances after retiring from life in the limelight in 2011.
 


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Oh. Miley. God. Can't stop cringing

Written By Unknown on Senin, 26 Agustus 2013 | 20.02

Mylie Cyrus' recent performance at the MTV Music awards raised more than a few eyebrows. Courtesy: MTV

 Miley Cyrus performed an almost X rated dance with Robin Thicke  at Video Music Awards. Courtesy MVA/Vine

Miley Cyrus twerked a little too hard on the MTV VMA stage. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

Robin Thicke, aka the Zebra Man, and Miley blur the lines preeeeeeetty hardcore. Picture: AP Source: AP

THERE'S awards ceremony shock value and then there's Miley Cyrus.

The 20-year-old singer took raunchy performances to a whole new cringe-worthy level at the MTV Video Music Awards today shocking fans with an explicit display of tongue-wagging, twerking and grinding.

While the singer has been keen to shed her teen sweetheart image, we'd like to think there are other ways of doing it.

Cyrus, who was on stage to perform her latest single We Can't Stop first entered the stage from inside a giant teddy bear in a tiny one-piece.

Thrusting her tongue out at the audience as if she's been struck down with a case of rabies, the performance only got more bizarre from there.

Miley Cyrus "twerks" against Robin Thicke and right, on stage. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

Surrounded by a gaggle of dancing care bears the star then hip-thrusted and gyrated her way around the stage, provocatively gesturing towards her crotch at regular intervals.

Pulling moves that should only be seen in a really bad porno, the star turned it up a notch when Robin Thicke entered the stage to perform a duet of his single Blurred Lines.

Miley, put the tongue away. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

And just when you thought her outfit couldn't get any skimpier, Cyrus ripped off the garment to dance around in her undies with an oversized foam hand reminiscent of the Coles "Down, Down" adverts.

Cyrus then danced around Thicke in her "underwear" before twerking on his crotch and rubbing her "Coles" foam finger across his privates.

Miley, explain THIS, young lady. Picture: Getty Images Source: Supplied

Naturally, Twitter exploded immediately after the performance, with many expressing their disgust at her racy display.

Stars including Rihanna and One Direction looked on as bewildered as most of the audience.

The reaction of Will Smith's family summed up what most were thinking as they shielded their eyes and dropped their jaws.

Will Smith and his family had the exact same reaction as this newsroom. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

But the performance, however shocking, wasn't entirely unexpected.

Speaking with MTV before the show, Cyrus promised a "crazier" VMA moment than the infamous Britney and Madonna lip lock of 2003 and boy did we get it.

Just for one more look: CANNOT UNSEE. Picture: AP Source: AP

"We've got better in store for you guys, it's going be even crazier than the kiss," she declared.

"This is just the beginning of my movement."

Hold onto your hats folks, if this is just the start, we're not sure we really want to see what else Miley has in store.

Pictures of One Direction and Rihanna's recations have gone viral. Picture: Twitter Source: Supplied


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Swift tells One Direction to 'shut the f--- up'

DON'T mess with a woman scorned, especially when it's Taylor Swift.

Taylor Swift was unimpressed by One Direction's speech. Picture: Supplied Source: NewsComAu

DON'T mess with a woman scorned - especially when it's Taylor Swift.

A vengeful Swift managed to take the spotlight at the MTV Video Music Awards, looking less than pleased with ex-boyfriend Harry Styles and his bandmates as they spoke on stage.

Swift appeared to utter "shut the f--- up" to BFF Selena Gomez as One Direction were thanking their fans for being "so awesome" - a moment that lit up Twitter and was immortalised immediately in a GIF online.

The 23-year-old and the boy band frontman called it quits in January after a few months of dating.

Swift later thanked another former beau for helping her win another moonman trophy for I Knew You Were Trouble.

"I also want to thank the person who inspired this song, who knows exactly who he is, because I got one of these," Swift said. "Thank you so much!" 


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Thompson: Ban disastrous for Hird

Essendon assistant coach Mark Thompson joins AFL 360 immediately after his hearing with the AFL.

THE AFL Commission has halted marathon talks with Essendon and its senior officials after about 14 hours of deliberations at headquarters.

The parties will reconvene at 11am.

Bombers chairman Paul Little and chief executive Ray Gunston were among the last to leave following coach James Hird, club doctor Bruce Reid, senior assistant Mark Thompson and football manager Danny Corcoran earlier this evening.

Thompson earlier said it would be "disastrous" for James Hird to be suspended for 12 months.

"He's a young coach who is learning his way and he didn't deliberately set out to do anything wrong," Thompson said on AFL 360 following prolonged negotiations at AFL headquarters today.

"I would think that if the AFL knocked him out for 12 months he would struggle to want to get back.


"I call it the perfect storm because everybody has had some responsibility to it... not too many have more (responsibility) than others.

"It was a lot of people who probably made the wrong choices based on the current rules that are in place."
Thompson refused to rule out walking away from the game.

"Anything's open... right here, right now is that I've been charged for being a drug cheat - and I'm not.

"I'm fighting for my reputation, my integrity and I want to clear my name."

But Thompson conceded he was ready to plead guilty as long as the AFL withdraw aspects of the charges laid against him.

"There was 80 per cent of it (charge sheet) that I want to fight...so unless it really gets serious and reflective of what I'm responsible for them we're going (legal action).

"We're trying to scrub as many off as we can, to be responsible and to be charged for what we think we are responsible for - what is fair in our eyes.

Negotiations involving Thompson, Essendon, coach James Hird, club doctor Bruce Reid and football manager Danny Corcoran would continue on Tuesday.

Senior Essendon officials, chairman Paul Little and chief executive Ray Gunston remain at AFL House locked in tense negotiations over potential punishment for Essendon.

Hird and his legal team, including human rights campaigner Julian Burnside SC, were expected to tell the commission that his Supreme Court action challenging the Commission's right to hear charges against the Bombers star has not been withdrawn.

SCROLL DOWN FOR LIVE UPDATES AND TO JOIN THE DEBATE

Commissioners arrived about 8am and key Essendon officials were all at AFL House by 1pm.

The Commission is expected to detail proposed penalties against Hird, most likely a 12-month suspension from any AFL activity, and precise details of the formal charges.

It would be open to Hird then to back away from his court action and to accept the sanction, as part of a wider Essendon penalties package, or to declare he will fight on in court.

Hird has claimed he has been denied natural justice by the AFL and said the AFL Commission, including CEO Andrew Demetriou, should be barred from considering charges against him.

HIRD PREPARES FOR THE LONG GAME

Essendon is clinging to the hope it could retain prized draft picks as part of a deal that will see it stood down from the finals today.

A decision regarding what penalties and sanctions will be handed down to Essendon is expected today.

The supplements drama will come to a dramatic resolution when Essendon bows out of finals consideration, with Hird almost certain to have coached his last game of the year.

The AFL Commission is currently meeting at AFL House where it is expected to hand down the punishment for Hird and the Bombers.

Essendon chairman Paul Little and the club's acting chief executive, Ray Gunston, arrived at AFL House at about 1pm.

Commission members were seen arriving at league headquarters this morning.

Hird has been considering abandoning Supreme Court action and submitting to a 12-month ban demanded by the AFL ahead of a return in 2015.

Hird and wife Tania leave talks at AFL House. Picture: Andrew Tauber

The Bombers coach today went to Windy Hill for a few hours before returning home, but did not offer any comment to the waiting media pack.

It is expected senior assistant coach Mark Thompson will escape with a fine of $20,000.

Veteran club doctor Bruce Reid is understood to be preparing to stand down as early as today. He was adamant he would not be part of a compromise deal.

Essendon will be forced to accept a fine of up to $2 million. The fourth individual charged, football manager Danny Corcoran, will be stood down for three months.

The AFL's lawyers, Minter Ellison, and Essendon's QC, Jack Rush, were locked in discussions on Sunday. Hird's legal team was not directly involved.

Essendon's president says he's confident the club can reach an agreement over punishment for the drugs saga.

KEEP HIRD'S SEAT WARM

The AFL Commission began meeting at 8am today and while many facts are agreed between the two parties, it might take all day to reach a resolution.

AFL commissioner and Wesfarmers chairman Richard Goyder arrived at AFL house around 8am.

Expecting a long day he told his driver it was unlikely he would be picked up at 4pm.

Commissioner Sam Mostyn arrived shortly before 8am. Commissioner Bill Kelty at around 8.30am.The former ACTU secretary had said he would excuse himself from AFL Commission meetings due to his friendship with Hird.

Essendon assistant coach Mark Thompson reacts to photographers as he arrives at the AFL Commission hearing. Picture Wayne Ludbey

The Bombers were lobbying the AFL to keep their draft picks or lose just the first two picks at this year's national draft in November.

They argue it would penalise the players and hurt the club for a decade, but the league has pushed for a two-year exclusion from the first two rounds of the draft.

Hird's lawyer Julian Burnside SC labelled the AFL's actions "scandalous" and accused them of bullying Hird.

But the Bombers have effectively conceded defeat. Now the club is trying to limit the damage to its reputation and future success.

An insight into what the AFL might deem acceptable was contained in a draft "accepted facts" document provided to Essendon.

Essendon CEO Ray Gunston and chairman Paul Little arrive at AFL House. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

It stated:

THE club failed to adequately protect the health, welfare and safety of the players.

THERE was an unacceptable risk that players may have been administered substances that were prohibited by the AFL Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Code.

THE club is unable to determine whether players were administered substances prohibited by the AFL Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Code.

Essendon has refused to sign an agreement that says officials deliberately set out to breach anti-doping rules.

James Hird leaves his Toorak home this morning. Picture: Hamish Blair

Hird will either accept a 12-month ban or Essendon will stand him down for next season while he continues to fight his legal battle.

But that second option looks less likely, with legal figures saying many points in his Supreme Court writ would be undermined by Essendon's guilty plea.

On Saturday night Hird issued two contradictory statements - that he wanted his punishment wrapped up in the club's sanctions, but that he wanted to clear his name first.

"First of all I want to prove I'm innocent of a lot or 99 per cent of those charges," he said.

"I look at those charges and they make me sick that they're out there and that people would believe that is the truth about me.

Bombers club doctor Bruce Reid arrives with is legal team at AFL House. Picture: Michael Klein

"I'm determined to clear that up. Then we'll go from there about suspension or not suspension."

Bombers captain Jobe Watson on Sunday continued to express support for Hird but said the fate of his coach was beyond the club's control.

"I mean, it's not whether or not we want him to coach - it's the decision of the Commission and that's the reason there is a Commission," Watson said.

Reid is determined to protect his reputation as a medical practitioner. He has told confidantes he will continue his fight separate to Essendon.

 Essendon chairman Paul Little spoke on Saturday night of a middle ground, which meant that the AFL was prepared to drop the focus on drug cheating and instead hit the Dons with governance charges.

Essendon football manager Danny Corcoran and his legal team arrive at AFL House Picture: Michael Klein

While the sanctions are unprecedented, attention will quickly turn to who fills the coaching void.

HIRD OPENS UP AFTER GRITTY WIN

Thompson would be available given he will only be fined but has made it known he is not interested in a senior coaching position.

Former Bombers stars Mark Harvey and Neale Daniher have been linked to the club but a one-year secondment would not appeal if Hird was definitely returning.

Hird's barrister Burnside said "the AFL's bullying tactics seem to be the standard in Australia now".

Essendon QC Jack Rush outside AFL House. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

"The AFL seems to think it's OK to bully a bunch of individuals and a club without letting them have a fair hearing. I think the AFL's conduct has been scandalous."

- with James Dowling, Andy Burns 

James Hird and assistant coach Mark Thompson are expected to learn their fate today. Picture: Michael Klein


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World's unluckiest man finally gets lucky

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 25 Agustus 2013 | 20.01

World's unluckiest man: Paul Murphy wants to thank generous readers for his new teeth. Source: NewsComAu

THE world's unluckiest man is in the dentists's chair smiling with his new set of false teeth.

Behind that smile are further tales of woe - we'll get to that unfortunate fire bombing and two other incidents later - but Paul Murphy is not letting it spoil his day.

"I won't be able to talk properly because it'll feel like I've got a brick in my mouth," Mr Murphy says, speaking as if he has at least half a brick in there.

"I want to thank everyone who has helped me and to promise them I'll keep on trying to help others too."

Mr Murphy is the 55-year-old pensioner whose unlucky life story on news.com.au drew an overwhelming response from readers.

His string of misfortunes - including a home invasion, getting run over, burgled, hit with an iron bar and a baseball bat, a car accident, and finally losing his false teeth - was reported in publications as far afield as the Belfast Telegraph.

Paul Murphy and the sign he posted up about his lost dentures. Source: NewsComAu

Money from around Australia and as far away as Israel, the US and France flowed in to pay for the chompers after Mr Murphy's story went global.

Mr Murphy used the money to fund his new set of dentures and travelled to Hurstville in Sydney's southern suburbs for a fitting.

Dental prosthetist Ilya Jaksic fits Paul Murphy for dentures. Source: NewsComAu

In the weeks since, he has spent his time collecting discarded bicycle parts on Sydney streets to make bikes for disadvantaged Aboriginal children at the Redfern Community Centre near his Housing Commission flat.

He is also refurbishing a "junked" wheelchair for poor elderly residents at Mission Home Australia's new residential aged care facility.

"You just wouldn't believe what people throw out," Mr Murphy said inside his flat which is crammed with parts, tools and old furniture he is restoring to supplement his pension.

And finally, this week the new teeth, funded by news.com.au readers, were ready and we joined Mr Murphy on his journey to collect them - and discovered some fresh misfortunes.

Paul Murphy with his dentist — and his new news.com.au reader-funded teeth. Source: NewsComAu

"A few weeks back I got bashed in the stairwell by this bloke who stole my phone," Mr Murphy said. "I went to the local pawn shop and they had it, so I bought it back.

"A few days later I was fixing a bike and I'd put my phone down. My door was open and I turned around and there it was disappearing on a fishing rod - the same bloke, he'd hooked it through the grille."

And the fire bombing incident?

That was back in 1986, after Mr Murphy had spent two weeks in the horror hospital, Chelmsford, and its devastation of his financial position was the forerunner to his catalogue of misfortune.

"I was running my own panel shop and I had 22 cars in there at the time. One of them was this bloke's Ferrari.

"Next door was this funeral place and one day they got the body of this criminal in there, a mobster, and the police were going to reclaim the body for an investigation.

"And the night before, I mean there were a lot of paint thinners in my shop and the funeral parlour had embalming fluid, and someone torched the place to stop the police inspecting that body.

"You wouldn't believe it. I was 16 days late with my insurance premium."

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Abbott's Mr Negative shattered

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott outlines his plan for the first hundred days if he becomes Prime Minister

Tony Abbott poses with his wife Margaret and daughters Bridget and Frances during the 2013 Coalition Campaign Launch at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre in Brisbane. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

THE Coalition's campaign launch has been peppered with positivity in a well-orchestrated show to kill off Tony Abbott's Mr Negative vibes.

The would-be prime minister was joined by his daughters Bridget and Frances, deputy Julie Bishop and Nationals leader Warren Truss as their official campaign kicked off in front of about 750 party faithful.

The two Abbott girls were the event's surprise speakers when they introduced their dad and promised he would look after Australia, as he had looked after them.

Tony Abbott sets out his vision

PM Kevin Rudd suspends campaign but has time for TV show

That was despite the family having tried to discourage him from making a tilt at the Liberal leadership, daughter Frances revealed.

"He's our dad and we didn't want to see him discouraged or disappointed," she said.

"But Dad said when you really believe in something you have to back yourself and so he did."

Video: Peter Beattie and Christine Milne on Meet the Press

Video: Voice of Australia on Coalition campaign launch: Live at 5pm

While Frances spoke of her "netball dad", daughter Bridget spoke of the man who proudly volunteers for different causes.

"My dad looks out for everyone and I know he will look after you," she said.

Tony Abbott speaks during the 2013 Coalition Campaign Launch at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre in Brisbane. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

Mr Abbott outlined his plans for the first days and months of a Coalition government in a rousing speech preceded by the launch's official song, which carried lines including "we believe in hope" and "let's build a brighter future".

Mr Abbott said his first priorities would be to launch his asylum boats policy and scrap Labor's recent tax changes to company car leasing "on day one".

Within 100 days he would scrap the carbon tax and the NBN would have new business plan.

But his biggest cheer came for his "fair dinkum paid parental leave scheme".

He promised there would be two million more jobs within 10 years and that the budget would be in surplus by the end of his first term.

The polls indicate Tony Abbott will be our next Prime Minister. What sort of leader will he be? Bolt Ep25 Seg1

Greens plan for asylum seekers

Mr Abbott also pledged $200 million towards dementia research, a HECS-style loan scheme for apprentices, and to index the Commonwealth Senior's Health Card.

The money for demential research over five years would help researchers working on a cure for the condition that affects more than 320,000 Australians, he said.

The interest-free loans for apprentices in areas of skill shortages would provide up to $20,000 over four years to help them with costs like tools and equipment.

And the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card would immediately be indexed to CPI if he won Government to give more self-funded retirees access to cheaper medication.

The card gives cost of living assistance to retirees who are of pension age but do not qualify for the age pension and the thresholds of $50,000 for singles and $80,000 for couples has not increase since 2001.

Mr Abbott did not outline any new savings during his speech that might pay for promised plans.

He waited until the end off his speech to criticise Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Labor, warning: "As you know from bitter experience, if you reward bad behaviour, you get more of it."

But the most colourful criticisms came from Ms Bishop, who spoke of "fake Kevin".

Julie Bishop compares Kevin Rudd with the Incredible Hulk during her speech at the Coalition campaign launch

She listed Mr Rudd's different personas, including ocker kevin, cool Kevin who's cooking with gas, nerdy Kevin and pious Kevin, but said while he masqueraded as mild-mannered, he was actually a monster.

"The trouble with Kevin is he's a fake".

Mr Newman drew laughter when he set about tearing down some of Labor's "lies" and referred to the ALPs use of actors in its campaign.

He said Australians were sick of Mr Rudd's negative spins and tactics.

"They have had enough of your spin, your tantrums and your amnesia," he said of the Prime Minister.

Attendees to descend on the Queensland capital for the traditional backslapping and schmooze fest at the Queensland Performing Arts Complex included coalition MPs, supporters, staffers and party members.

Former Prime Minister John Howard sat in the front row with wife Janette.

One woman who has been coming to the events since she was a child said the mood was "very positive".

"This is the best atmosphere I can recall for a long time," said Dimity, a life member of the LNP who did not wish to give her last name.

Former Prime Minister John Howard looks on during the 2013 Coalition Campaign Launch at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre in Brisbane. Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

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Night of violence: Brawls shut glam club

Sydney's Ivy nightclub, a haunt of the city's upper-crust. Picture: Supplied. Source: NewsComAu

SYDNEY'S exclusive Ivy nightclub was forced to close after riot police were called to a series of brawls that left a patron and a bouncer in hospital.

Two men were also arrested after the night of violence at the club, described on its website as a "glamorous urban oasis".

The first incident occurred at 2.15am (AEST) on Sunday when a security guard attempted to kick out a 28-year-old man, who suffered cuts to his head during the struggle.

Five minutes later a fight involving several men broke out and a 22-year-old and 17-year-old allegedly assaulted security guards as they tried to leave.

The men were arrested and taken to The Rocks Police Station. The licensee agreed to close the premises at 3am but the fighting continued on the street, resulting in a security guard being taken to hospital with facial injuries.

Inquiries are continuing, including into how a minor came to be on the premises.

It's not the first time the Ivy has been associated with violent behaviour, with four Ivy bouncers sentenced last year over the bashing of a patron.

Ivy will return to normal trading on Monday.

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'#Hate' slaying: accused's chilling tweets

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 24 Agustus 2013 | 20.02

James Edwards, 15, charged with first-degree murder. Source: Supplied

Danny Ford, Chief of Police in Duncan, Oklahoma, reveals more information on the murder of Australian student, Christopher Lane. Courtesy MMM

ONE of the Oklahoma teens accused of gunning down a jogger had allegedly tweeted an anti-white message and warned, ''It's time to start taken life's''.

The vicious comments on 15-year-old James Edwards' Twitter feed fueled speculation that the slaying of Christopher Lane, 22, was a hate crime and not a random attack by "bored" thugs.

Edwards, who is black, tweeted in April, ''90% of white ppl are nasty. #HATE THEM.''

Three days before Mr Lane, who was white, was fatally shot last Friday while jogging, Edwards tweeted, ''With my n---as when it's time to start taken life's.''

And one day before the murder, he wrote on Facebook, ''I've never been this mad in my life.''

In another post that day, he wrote cryptically, ''Bang 2 drops in one day.''

Police in the small Oklahoma town of Duncan are said to be scouring social-media for clues to the possible motives of Edwards, Chancey Luna, 16, and Michael Jones, 17, but so far have not publicly linked racial hatred to the death of Lane, an Australian student attending college in Oklahoma on a baseball scholarship.

US prosecutors handling the case said Friday there was no evidence to suggest the killing was racially-motivated.

Several commentators have questioned why authorities had not pressed to have hate crime charges added to the indictment of Edwards and Luna, who are both charged with murder. However Stephens County District Attorney Jason Hicks said while authorities were aware of the comments made by Edwards, there was not enough evidence to pursue extra charges.

"At this point, the evidence does not support the theory that Christopher Lane was targeted based upon his race or nationality," Mr Hicks said in a statement. "The evidence is insufficient to establish that race was the primary motive in the murder of Christopher Lane."

Mr Hicks later told CNN that Luna came from a mixed race family, and that the third teenager arrested with the duo, Jones, was white.

"I have nothing in my files, paperwork or audio recordings that suggest that Christopher Lane was killed because of his race or nationality," Mr Hicks said on CNN.

James Francis Edwards Jr, 15, Michael Dewayne Jones, 17, and Chancey Allen Luna, 16, have been charged over the killing of Christopher Lane. Source: AP

Police said Jones confessed, telling investigators they decided to kill someone and randomly picked their victim.

''We were bored and didn't have anything to do, so we decided to kill somebody,'' Jones was quoted as saying.

Mr Hicks agreed that this explanation appeared to be the most likely. "I tend to think that the police chief's (Danny Ford) comments, that is they did it out of boredom are probably accurate," he said.

Court documents show that when Jones was initially questioned by police, he said he couldn't reveal who pulled the trigger of the .22-caliber revolver that killed Lane because ''he would be killed,'' the Duncan Banner newspaper reported.

Joyce Smith of Duncan called 911 for emergency assistance for Christopher Lane. WARNING Sensitive material.

Another Duncan resident, James Johnson, who is black, said he alerted police when the teens threatened to kill his son because the youth had refused to join their gang, an offshoot of the Crips.

Mr Johnson called police, who quickly arrested the three teens in their black Ford Focus in the parking lot of a church near his home.

This picture was posted on the Facebook page of girlfriend Sarah Harper with the message: "I love you Christopher Ryan Lane. I love you so much babe. From 2009 until forever you will always be mine and in a very special and protected place in my heart." Supplied: Facebook Source: Supplied

Mr Johnson suggested one other explanation for the murder, claiming Lane's death was an "initiation" rite for the gang.

''I don't think it was an initiation; I know it was an initiation," he told Australian media. "My son told me that it was an initiation.''

Authorities in Duncan indicated their investigation is far from finished, noting they haven't found the murder weapon, which Jones said was given to somebody by one of the teens.

Mr Lane was a Melbourne native who went to the States to play baseball at East Central University in Ada. An online fund set up to help bring his body back to Australia topped $100,000 yesterday.

A private memorial for Lane was scheduled for tomorrow at Oklahoma Christian University in Edmond.

This article originally appeared on the New York Post. With AFP

Sarah Harper at the memorial when Christopher Lane was shot dead while jogging. Picture: AP Source: AP


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Affleck and the Batman backlash

Ben Affleck is likely to be far from the biggest issue for a Superman and Batman team-up movie, scheduled to begin shooting next year. Picture: Robyn Beck Source: AFP

  • Ben Affleck cast as batman
  • Petitions to Warner Bros to rethink its decision
  • Do you agree, or could Affleck pull off the Caped Crusader?

THE Internet erupted Thursday night after Warner Bros announced that Ben Affleck will play the Caped Crusader for its Superman and Batman team-up movie.

Jokes (many of them imagining a Batman from South Boston) flew on Twitter. Petitions with thousands of signatures were launched to urge Warner Bros to rethink its decision.

Ben Affleck played a blind superhero in 2003's Daredevil

Affleck, just months ago the toast of Hollywood for his best picture-winning Argo, hasn't had so much scorn heaped on him since Gigli.

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez starred in 2004's Gigli

The response, roughly equivalent to news of the apocalypse, was undoubtedly out of proportion. After the leaden, joyless Man of Steel, adding Affleck - an actor of light, easy charisma and an increasingly capable filmmaker - can only improve a franchise currently in the hands of Sucker Punch director Zach Snyder and the beefy but unremarkable Superman actor Henry Cavill.

Affleck is likely to be far from the biggest issue for the film, which is scheduled to begin shooting next year and be released in summer 2015. He has already proven to be a more interesting Superman, too, by playing a bitter George Reeves in the atmospheric 2006 docudrama Hollywoodland.

There's a long history of casting overreaction that's later turned out laughable. There were plenty of critics when Daniel Craig, who had the audaciousness of being blond, inherited James Bond. Some, too, questioned Jennifer Lawrence's suitability for Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games. And who would have guessed that Michael Keaton would make arguably the best of all the Batmen?

Are there any actors you think have been wrongly cast in key roles? Comment below

But Affleck's casting speaks to a larger shift in this age of the superhero blockbuster. Affleck will be following in the footsteps of Christian Bale, the star of Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy - the artistic apogee of the superhero movies, a series that treated its hero not as cartoon but a vessel for exploring themes of terrorism and justice.

The days of such aspirations, though, seem to be dwindling. Sam Raimi isn't shepherding Spider-Man anymore. Most of the most popular superheros are on their second or third reboot. After the success of Joss Whedon's The Avengers, Hollywood is looking increasingly to pairing its comics. Another Avengers film is on the way. And after the Superman-Batman movie, a Justice League film (with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Aquaman and others) is rumoured to follow.

These are the kinds of projects that could be seen as a sign of jumping the shark if this wasn't a movie genre built on men in tights. The superhero blockbuster, still the biggest draw at the multiplex - with US$408.2 million ($452 million) - Iron Man 3 is easily this year's biggest box-office hit, has made gimmickry a way of business, not a fault.

In the past, superhero movies didn't need stars: The brand was the main attraction.

But being a major star, Affleck comes with a lot of baggage that many expect will grate similar to how George Clooney did in Joel Schumacher's 1997 Batman and Robin - a film so bad, it's often been cited as a catalyst for more serious, dramatic interpretations of superheros.

It's ironic because Affleck has appeared to ape the career of Clooney (a producer on Argo) by shifting into directing and flirting with politics. Affleck, 41, will take on Batman at a slightly older age and in a more established place in his career. But he'll be best to listen to another piece of advice from Clooney: At least don't let them put nipples on the Batman suit.


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US moves for possible Syria strike

The Pentagon is moving forces into place in case President Obama opts for military action against Syria.

  • France pledges force over alleged gas attack
  • 'Chemical' horror: Activists claim 1300 dead
  • Distressing images of victims released
  • Bodies lined shoulder-to-shoulder in tragedy

THE Pentagon is moving forces into place in case President Barack Obama opts for military action against Syria, US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel suggested on Friday US time.

Amid calls for military intervention after the Syrian regime carried out an alleged chemical weapons attack this week, US commanders have prepared a range of "options" for Obama if he chooses to launch an attack on the Damascus regime, Hagel told reporters aboard his plane en route to Malaysia.

He spoke as a defence official said the US Navy will expand its presence in the Mediterranean with a fourth warship armed with cruise missiles.

The US Sixth Fleet, with responsibility in the Mediterranean, has decided to keep the USS Mahan in the region instead of letting it return to its home port in Norfolk, Virginia.

Three other destroyers are currently deployed in the region - the USS Gravely, USS Barry and USS Ramage.

The UN is increasing pressure on Syria to allow inspectors to visit the scene of an alleged chemical attack.

All four warships are equipped with several dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles.

The reinforcement allows the Pentagon to act more rapidly if Obama orders a military strike.

"The president has asked the Defence Department for options. Like always, the Defence Department is prepared and has been prepared to provide all options for all contingencies to the president of the United States," Hagel said.

The Pentagon chief and other defence officials made clear no decision had been taken on whether to employ military force against President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

President Barack Obama says a possible chemical weapons attack in Syria this week is a "big event of grave concern". Picture: AP

US newspapers have suggested disagreements within the administration over the risks of another American military intervention in the Middle East.

Hagel, who visited US Marines in Hawaii on Thursday before setting off on a week-long tour of Southeast Asia, said he expected American intelligence agencies to "swiftly" assess whether the Syrian government indeed used chemical weapons.

He said the US government would work closely with its allies.

"The international community should and will act in concert on these kinds of issues," Hagel said.

This image provided by Shaam News Network on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2013, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, purports to show a young victim of an attack on Ghouta, Syria recuperating in a hospital. Picture: AP

Earlier, Barack Obama called a possible chemical weapons attack in Syria ''a big event of grave concern'' as the UN pressed Damascus to let inspectors visit the site of the alleged massacre.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has sent Under Secretary General Angela Kane to Damascus for talks, his spokesman Eduardo del Buey said in a statement.

In an interview with CNN Obama said earlier the US was still seeking confirmation that toxic gases were used in Syria.

But he said such actions were "very troublesome" and were going to "require America's attention."

Syria has denied opposition claims that chemical attacks on several Damascus suburbs killed 1,300 people including children. Mana Rabiee reports.

However, Obama said the idea the US can solve Syria's civil war was "overstated."

The US has previously confirmed chemical weapons use in Syria, a step Obama has said would cross a "red line."

However, the American response has been minimal.

Obama's comments followed a call from UK Foreign Secretary William Hague for UN experts to be granted immediate access to the site near Damascus to investigate claims of the horrific gas attack on Wednesday that left hundreds dead.

Syrian rebels claim this  is one of the missiles carrying chemicals that targeted eastern Ghouta, on the outskirts of Damascus.

Evidence of the attack was deteriorating every day, Hague warned, who explicitly accused the Assad regime of carrying out the atrocity.

"We do believe this is a chemical attack by the Assad regime on a large scale, but we would like the United Nations to be able to assess that," Hague said in a televised statement.

According to the UN, Ban Ki-Moon has already written to Damascus to request its cooperation in investigating Wednesday's reported attack.

Images released yesterday featuring the bodies of dead children lined up on the ground - some residents placed chunks of ice on the bodies to preserve them until burial - sparked international condemnation.

Activists said the Syrian regime killed at least 1300 people with toxic gas, although casualty estimates varied substantially.

The horrific story of chemical warfare

The latest developments come as France is seeking a reaction with "force" if a massacre in Syria involving chemical weapons is confirmed, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said.

"If it is proven, France's position is that there must be a reaction," Fabius told BFM-TV, speaking of a "reaction with force" while judging it "impossible" to send ground troops.

An image grab taken from a video uploaded on YouTube by the Arbeen unified press office allegedly shows dead sheep lying on the ground in eastern Ghouta.

Damascus has denied opposition claims that the regime unleashed the attack.

Iranian President Hassan Rowhani condemned the use of chemical weapons.

"The situation prevailing in Syria today and the death of a certain number of innocent people caused by chemical weapons is very distressing,'' he said, adding that Iran, itself a victim of chemical attacks in its 1980-1988 war with Iraq, ``totally and vigorously condemned the use of chemical weapons''.

Hague said there was "no other plausible explanation" than the use of chemical weapons for "casualties so intense, in such a small area, on this scale".

He added: "This is our priority at the moment: to make sure that a UN team can investigate on the ground and establish the facts."

A handout image released by the Syrian opposition's Shaam News Network shows Syrians carrying the body of a child into a mass grave following what Syrian rebels claim to be a toxic gas attack by pro-government forces.

If this does not happen, Hague said Britain would return to the UN Security Council to "get a stronger mandate and for the world to speak together more forcefully about this so that there can be access".

Harrowing footage posted online, showing unconscious children and people foaming around the mouth, has triggered revulsion around the world.

"This is not something that a humane or civilised world can ignore," said Hague.

He said the fact a UN team in Damascus had not yet been able to visit the site suggested that "the Assad regime has something to hide."

A Syrian girl in shock screams in Arabic "I am alive" following an attack in which Syrian opposition claim the regime used chemical weapons in eastern Ghouta, on the outskirts of Damascus. The image grab taken from a video uploaded on YouTube by the Arbeen unified press office on August 21, 2013. It has not been independently verified.

Hague said he had discussed the Syria crisis with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Friday and hoped to speak to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov later.

Britain would not rule out any options on Syria, as long as they complied with international law "and could save innocent lives," Hague added.

Republican Senator John McCain warned on Thursday that Barack Obama had given Syria President Bashar al-Assad a "green light'' to commit atrocities by failing to use military force to respond to previous attacks.

"When the president of the United States says that if he uses these weapons that it would be a, quote, 'red line and a game-changer,' (Assad) now sees that as a green light,'' he told CNN.

There are claims thousands of people have been killed in a Syrian army chemical weapon bombardment.

"The word of the president of the United States can no longer be taken seriously, as it isn't throughout the entire region.''

The White House said it was appalled by reports of the attack outside Damascus, and renewed calls for Syria to allow a UN probe. 

Mr McCain has been a frequent critic of Mr Obama's reluctance to commit US military forces to protect civilians in Syria, and bemoaned the horror of the latest attack.

He said that in "couple of days'' US air power could take out Syrian air force runways. 

A handout image released by the Syrian opposition's Shaam News Network shows a woman mourning over a body wrapped in shrouds laid out in a line on the ground with other victims which Syrian rebels claim were killed in a toxic gas attack by pro-government forces.

"We can supply the right kind of weapons to rebels, establish a no-fly zone by moving Patriot missiles up to the border. This can be done very easily.''

Australian response: Will we go to war over this?

In Australia, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said he will be speaking to the UN Secretary General about the crisis today.

Rudd to break from campaign over Syria

This citizen journalism image provided by the Local Committee of Arbeen which has been authenticated based on its contents, shows a Syrian girl receiving treatment at a makeshift hospital in Arbeen town, Damascus after an alleegd toxic gas attack. (AP Photo/Local Committee of Arbeen)

"The UN's position now is investigators are in the country. We are now as an international community calling upon the Syrian Government to give them full access to this most recent horrific incident in order to establish the facts," he said.

Mr Rudd gave no indication of how he would respond if it is a confirmed chemical massacre, saying he plans to take a calm and measured approach to the situation.

Comment: How can we ignore these pictures?

Australian Zaky Mallah, who has travelled to Syria and lived with Free Syrian Army rebels engaged in the bloody civil war against President el Assad, told news.com.au the Syrian leader had used chemical weapons before.

"Assad is in desperate need to wipe out the rebels close to his compound," Mr Mallah said.

"He has used chemical weapons before and no action was taken.

Syria tensions don't stop Abbott

In March, at least 30 were killed when a rocket allegdly containing chemical weapons hit the village of the village of Khan al-Assal in northern Syria.

"The world cannot just sit back and let him nuke innocent people," Mr Mallah said.

Zaky Mallah was the first Australian charged under anti-terrorist laws, for making a jihad-style video. He was acquitted of the charges.

In one video of the alleged massacre posted on YouTube, children are seen receiving first aid in a field hospital, notably oxygen to help them breathe. Doctors appear to be trying to resuscitate unconscious children.

A handout image released by the Syrian opposition's Shaam News Network shows people inspecting bodies of children and adults laying on the ground as Syrian rebels claim they were killed in a toxic gas attack.

Another video showed what activists said was a case of hysteria following a chemical strike in the eastern suburbs. The authenticity of the videos has not immediately been verified.

A young girl held her head in her hands and frantically repeated "I'm alive'', as a man in a white coat tried to comfort her.

A pharmacist who treated victims said: "Their mouths were foaming, their pupils were constricted, and those who were brought in while still alive could not draw their breaths and died subsequently."

Survivors, some twitching uncontrollably, lay on gurneys with oxygen masks covering their faces.

The Wall Street Journal cited an unnamed official as saying there were "strong indications'' that Syrian government forces had carried out a chemical weapons attack.

Damascus has vehemently denied it unleashed chemical weapons on rebel-held area outside Damascus.

If confirmed, the attack would be the largest scale use of chemical weapons since Saddam Hussein's Iraqi forces attacked the Kurdish town of Halabja in 1988.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Syrian forces on Thursday bombed and shelled a number of rebel zones where the Coalition alleged the attacks took place the previous day.

The head of the UN inspection mission, Aake Sellstroem, was in talks with Damascus "on all issues pertaining to the alleged use of chemical weapons, including this most recent reported incident," a UN statement said.

"But we do need to do our due diligence and get all the facts and determine what steps need to be taken."

Human rights groups backed calls for access for the UN inspectors to the sites of the alleged attacks.

Should the allegations be true, "the attacks would amount to war crimes," said Amnesty International's deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui.

The UN inspectors arrived in Damascus on Sunday with a strict mandate to investigate three sites for the alleged use of chemical weapons.

A high-ranking Syrian security source described the idea that the army would use chemical weapons while UN weapons inspectors were working inside the country as "political suicide".

The UN Security Council in New York yesterday demanded "clarity" on what had occurred in Syria. 

The 15-nation body expressed "strong concern'' about the allegations and agreed that any chemical weapons use is "a violation of international law''.

The allegations of gassing civilians dwarfed all previous such accounts in the increasingly bloody civil war.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that 647 Syrians were killed in the attacks, and it attributed nearly 590 of those deaths to chemical weapons.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, considered the most authoritative group tracking casualties in the conflict, estimated at least 136 dead from an air assault but didn't address whether chemical weapons appeared to be involved.

The Local Coordination Committees activist group said hundreds of people were killed or wounded. The Syrian National Coalition, the main Western-backed opposition group in exile, put the number at 1300, basing its claim on accounts and photographs by activists on the ground.

Syria is said to have one of the world's largest stockpiles of chemical weapons, including mustard gas and the nerve agent sarin.

Jean Pascal Zanders, an independent researcher who specialises in chemical and biological weapons and disarmament, said that in videos of the aftermath of the attacks, the hue of the victims' faces appeared to show many suffered from asphyxiation.

However, he said the symptoms they exhibited were not consistent with mustard gas or the nerve agents VX or sarin.


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White House under pressure over Syria

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 23 Agustus 2013 | 20.02

This image provided by Shaam News Network on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2013, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, purports to show a young victim of an attack on Ghouta, Syria recuperating in a hospital. Picture: AP Source: NewsComAu

  • France pledges force over alleged gas attack
  • 'Chemical' horror: Activists claim 1300 dead
  • Distressing images of victims released
  • Bodies lined shoulder-to-shoulder in tragedy

THE United Nations and the United States have called for an immediate investigation into the alleged massacre in Syria, as worldwide revulsion over photos of child victims grows.

A spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said the allegations "need to be investigated without delay". Obama administration official Jen Psaki said the White House has a range of options available if accounts of a massacre are verified. 

Images released yesterday featuring the bodies of dead children lined up on the ground --  some residents placed chunks of ice on the bodies to preserve them until burial -- sparked international condemnation.

Activists said the Syrian regime killed at least 1300 people with toxic gas, although casualty estimates varied substantially.

The latest developments come as France is seeking a reaction with "force" if a massacre in Syria involving chemical weapons is confirmed, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said.

Syria has denied opposition claims that chemical attacks on several Damascus suburbs killed 1,300 people including children. Mana Rabiee reports.

"If it is proven, France's position is that there must be a reaction," Fabius told BFM-TV, speaking of a "reaction with force" while judging it "impossible" to send ground troops.

Republican Senator John McCain warned US President Barack Obama had given Syria President Bashar al-Assad a "green light'' to commit atrocities by failing to use military force to respond to previous attacks.

"When the president of the United States says that if he uses these weapons that it would be a, quote, 'red line and a game-changer,' (Assad) now sees that as a green light,'' he told CNN. "The word of the president of the United States can no longer be taken seriously, as it isn't throughout the entire region.''

The White House said it was appalled by reports of the attack outside Damascus, and renewed calls for Syria to allow a UN probe. 

Syrian rebels claim this  is one of the missiles carrying chemicals that targeted eastern Ghouta, on the outskirts of Damascus.

Mr McCain has been a frequent critic of Mr Obama's reluctance to commit US military forces to protect civilians in Syria, and bemoaned the horror of the latest attack.

He said that in "couple of days'' US air power could take out Syrian air force runways. 

"We can supply the right kind of weapons to rebels, establish a no-fly zone by moving Patriot missiles up to the border. This can be done very easily.''

Australian response: Will we go to war over this?

In Australia, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said he will be speaking to the UN Secretary General about the crisis today.

"The UN's position now is investigators are in the country. We are now as an international community calling upon the Syrian Government to give them full access to this most recent horrific incident in order to establish the facts," he said.

Mr Rudd gave no indication of how he would respond if it is a confirmed chemical massacre, saying he plans to take a calm and measured approach to the situation.

Comment: How can we ignore these pictures?

Australian Zaky Mallah, who has travelled to Syria and lived with Free Syrian Army rebels engaged in the bloody civil war against President el Assad, told news.com.au the Syrian leader had used chemical weapons before.

"Assad is in desperate need to wipe out the rebels close to his compound," Mr Mallah said.

"He has used chemical weapons before and no action was taken.

In March, at least 30 were killed when a rocket allegdly containing chemical weapons hit the village of the village of Khan al-Assal in northern Syria.

"The world cannot just sit back and let him nuke innocent people," Mr Mallah said.

Zaky Mallah was the first Australian charged under anti-terrorist laws, for making a jihad-style video. He was acquitted of the charges.

An image grab taken from a video uploaded on YouTube by the Arbeen unified press office allegedly shows dead sheep laying on the ground in eastern Ghouta.

In one video of the alleged massacre posted on YouTube, children are seen receiving first aid in a field hospital, notably oxygen to help them breathe. Doctors appear to be trying to resuscitate unconscious children.

Another video showed what activists said was a case of hysteria following a chemical strike in the eastern suburbs. The authenticity of the videos has not immediately been verified.

A young girl held her head in her hands and frantically repeated "I'm alive'', as a man in a white coat tried to comfort her.

A pharmacist who treated victims said: "Their mouths were foaming, their pupils were constricted, and those who were brought in while still alive could not draw their breaths and died subsequently."

A handout image released by the Syrian opposition's Shaam News Network shows Syrians carrying the body of a child into a mass grave following what Syrian rebels claim to be a toxic gas attack by pro-government forces.

Survivors, some twitching uncontrollably, lay on gurneys with oxygen masks covering their faces.

The Wall Street Journal cited an unnamed official as saying there were "strong indications'' that Syrian government forces had carried out a chemical weapons attack.

Damascus has vehemently denied it unleashed chemical weapons on rebel-held area outside Damascus.

If confirmed, the attack would be the largest scale use of chemical weapons since Saddam Hussein's Iraqi forces attacked the Kurdish town of Halabja in 1988.

A Syrian girl in shock screams in Arabic "I am alive" following an attack in which Syrian opposition claim the regime used chemical weapons in eastern Ghouta, on the outskirts of Damascus. The image grab taken from a video uploaded on YouTube by the Arbeen unified press office on August 21, 2013. It has not been independently verified.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Syrian forces on Thursday bombed and shelled a number of rebel zones where the Coalition alleged the attacks took place the previous day.

The head of the UN inspection mission, Aake Sellstroem, was in talks with Damascus "on all issues pertaining to the alleged use of chemical weapons, including this most recent reported incident," a UN statement said.

"But we do need to do our due diligence and get all the facts and determine what steps need to be taken."

Human rights groups backed calls for access for the UN inspectors to the sites of the alleged attacks.

There are claims thousands of people have been killed in a Syrian army chemical weapon bombardment.

Should the allegations be true, "the attacks would amount to war crimes," said Amnesty International's deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui.

The UN inspectors arrived in Damascus on Sunday with a strict mandate to investigate three sites for the alleged use of chemical weapons.

A high-ranking Syrian security source described the idea that the army would use chemical weapons while UN weapons inspectors were working inside the country as "political suicide".

The UN Security Council in New York yesterday demanded "clarity" on what had occurred in Syria. 

A handout image released by the Syrian opposition's Shaam News Network shows smoke above buildings following what Syrian rebels claim to be a toxic gas attack by pro-government forces in eastern Ghouta.

The 15-nation body expressed "strong concern'' about the allegations and agreed that any chemical weapons use is "a violation of international law''.

The allegations of gassing civilians dwarfed all previous such accounts in the increasingly bloody civil war.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights reported that 647 Syrians were killed in the attacks, and it attributed nearly 590 of those deaths to chemical weapons.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, considered the most authoritative group tracking casualties in the conflict, estimated at least 136 dead from an air assault but didn't address whether chemical weapons appeared to be involved.

A handout image released by the Syrian opposition's Shaam News Network shows a woman mourning over a body wrapped in shrouds laid out in a line on the ground with other victims which Syrian rebels claim were killed in a toxic gas attack by pro-government forces.

The Local Coordination Committees activist group said hundreds of people were killed or wounded. The Syrian National Coalition, the main Western-backed opposition group in exile, put the number at 1300, basing its claim on accounts and photographs by activists on the ground.

Syria is said to have one of the world's largest stockpiles of chemical weapons, including mustard gas and the nerve agent sarin.

Jean Pascal Zanders, an independent researcher who specialises in chemical and biological weapons and disarmament, said that in videos of the aftermath of the attacks, the hue of the victims' faces appeared to show many suffered from asphyxiation.

However, he said the symptoms they exhibited were not consistent with mustard gas or the nerve agents VX or sarin.

This citizen journalism image provided by the Local Committee of Arbeen which has been authenticated based on its contents, shows a Syrian girl receiving treatment at a makeshift hospital in Arbeen town, Damascus after an alleegd toxic gas attack. (AP Photo/Local Committee of Arbeen)

In this citizen journalism image provided by the Local Committee of Arbeen, a man and woman mourn over the dead bodies of Syrian men after an alleged poisonous gas attack fired by regime forces that killed 1300 people, including many children. Picture: AP

A handout image released by the Syrian opposition's Shaam News Network shows people inspecting bodies of children and adults laying on the ground as Syrian rebels claim they were killed in a toxic gas attack.

Citizen journalism image provided by Aleppo Media Center AMC which has been authenticated shows a Syrian boy holding an Arabic placard that reads: "if Syria's children bled petrol, the entire world would have intervened," during a demonstration against the alleged chemical weapons attack at the suburbs of Damascus. (AP Photo/Aleppo Media Center, AMC)


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