Stately Bentley to go SUV: company

Luxury car maker Bentley says it will go ahead with plans to launch a sport utility vehicle in 2016. Source: AAP

LUXURY car maker Bentley, a unit of German auto giant Volkswagen, says it will go ahead with plans to launch a sport utility vehicle in 2016.

The Bentley brand has been associated down the years with stately vehicles for heads of state, the rich and show business stars.

"Bentley Motors today confirms that it will proceed with the development of the Bentley SUV," which would be made in Crewe in Britain and go on sale in 2016, the automaker said in a statement earlier this week.

"It will create over 1,000 jobs" in Britain.

Over the next three years, Bentley would invest more than STG800 million ($A1.34 billion) in its headquarters at Crewe and the development of new models, it said.

Bentley's pursuit of an SUV had been up in the air in the past months, as the company awaited a green light from Volkswagen and debated where production would be based.

"The Volkswagen Group believes in the UK as a competitive location for industrial production. Bentley fans all around the world are looking forward to the brand's first SUV," said VW chief executive Martin Winterkorn.

Bentley is part of the VW group, Europe's largest automaker, alongside other brands such as Audi, Porsche, Seat and Skoda.

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US won't seek death penalty for Snowden

The US has told Russia it will not seek the death penalty for intelligence leaker Edward Snowden. Source: AAP

ATTORNEY General Eric Holder has told the Russian government that the US will not seek the death penalty for former National Security Agency systems analyst Edward Snowden.

In a letter dated July 23, the attorney general said the criminal charges Snowden faces do not carry the death penalty and that the US will not seek the death penalty even if Snowden were charged with additional death penalty-eligible crimes.

Holder says his letter follows news reports that Snowden, who leaked information on largely secret electronic surveillance programs, has filed papers seeking temporary asylum in Russia on grounds that if he were returned to the United States, he would be tortured and would face the death penalty.

The attorney general's letter was sent to Alexander Vladimirovich Konovalov, the Russian minister of justice.

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Couple born same day die a day apart

A US husband and wife who were born on the same day and celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary last year have died just a day apart.

The couple's son Les Brown Junior told the Long Beach Press-Telegram on Thursday that 94-year-old Helen Brown died on July 16 and 94-year-old Les Brown died on July 17. She had stomach cancer. He had Parkinson's disease.

The Browns were born on New Year's Eve, 1918. Their son said his parents met in high school and eloped in 1937 aged 18 because their parents thought the marriage between a wealthy man and a working-class woman would never last. They celebrated their 75th anniversary last September.

The couple moved to Long Beach in 1963. He was a photographer and she sold real estate.

They'll have a joint memorial service on Saturday.

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Last shift for 400 Holden workers in SA

AS 400 people work their last shift at Holden's Elizabeth factory, unions have again expressed concerns about the future of the manufacturing industry in South Australia.

The Adelaide workers, who accepted voluntary redundancies, will complete their last shift on Friday, leaving a workforce of 1700.

SA Unions says the loss of the jobs is not only a sad day for the workers and their families but another warning sign that a manufacturing plan is needed for the state.

As well as the loss of jobs, the cumulative experience of hundreds of skilled workers is going, Unions secretary Janet Giles said in a statement.

Australian Manufacturing Workers Union State Secretary John Camillo told AAP it was very sad to see the workers facing their last day, some having been with Holden for 37 years.

The morale of the remaining workers is "very low" as they are still unsure of the future of the Elizabeth operations.

Holden, which says that to remain viable it needs to save $15 million in labour costs, is currently negotiating a new labour agreement which could include pay cuts.

But Mr Camillo said the workers had made it quite clear they would not accept such a move.

Extensive talks have been held with Holden, with union proposals including flexibility about working days, lunch breaks, annual leave and other entitlements.

Mr Camillo said the workers had even agreed to bring in their own tea and coffee, to cut out the $200,000 annual tea service bill.

An independent expert Goran Roos has been scrutinising Holden's books and considering ways to achieve savings.

Mr Camillo said his report is due to be presented early next week.

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Atlas Iron targets production increase

ATLAS Iron increased shipping volumes 16 per cent during the June quarter and expects to lift production further this financial year.

The Perth-based miner says it shipped 2.2 million tonnes of iron ore during the June quarter, up 16 per cent on the previous three months.

It says it plans to produce between 9.8 and 10.3 million tonnes this financial year, compared to the 7.4 million tonnes it shipped during 2012/13.

Atlas says it received net cash flows from operating activities of $62 million, excluding working capital adjustments, during last financial year, while capital operating costs were around $49-50 a tonne, which was within its guidance range.

The company said the average price for its iron ore fell from $US126 ($A136.33) a tonne in the March quarter to $US107 last quarter, but the price had since recovered.

Atlas managing director Ken Brinsden said production had been affected by unseasonal bad weather in Western Australia during the June quarter.

But he said the company was nonetheless happy with its performance.

"This is a strong result, with the company continuing to expand production while meeting the quarter's cost and shipping guidance," he said in a statement to the Australian Securities Exchange on Wednesday.

"This was achieved despite difficult and unseasonal weather conditions."

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Havana airport to get $US10.2m upgrade

Cuba's Havana airport will get a $US10.2m upgrade to improve operations at the overcrowded facility. Source: AAP

CUBA'S main international terminal is getting a $US10.2 million ($A11.04 million) overhaul to improve operations at the overcrowded facility, according to state-run media.

The Havana Reporter, an English-language semi-weekly newspaper, says the Terminal 3 upgrade will include eight footbridges for boarding and the expansion of a parking area outside the terminal.

Government website Cubadebate added that the project also calls for new walkways, additional check-in counters, lighting and air conditioning improvements and systems to conserve water and electricity.

Airport director Juan Carlos Quintana told Cubadebate that the eastern part of the terminal would be upgraded to accommodate larger airplanes, and nearly 17,500 square metres of new roofing has already been installed.

Terminal 3 is the most modern of the Jose Marti International Airport's terminals. It was built with Canadian assistance at a cost of $US93 million, and inaugurated in 1998 in a ceremony involving Fidel Castro and Canada's then-premier, Jean Chretien.

However, it has not kept up with increasing traffic since then, and at times seems to be straining at the seams with long waits at check-in, immigration, security and baggage claim.

Cubadebate said the terminal has as many as 1,800 to 2,000 travellers passing through at times, a number that can rise to 2,500 if people accompanying passengers to the airport are factored in.

"The current design only allows for the terminal to accommodate 1,400 passengers, a number lower than the real volume that exists in these moments, which hurts the quality of service," the website said.

Overall, 2.5 million travellers pass through Terminal 3 each year, according to Cubadebate.

The terminal handles most international traffic with the exception of charter flights to and from the United States, which go through Terminal 2.

The number of travellers to the island has increased steadily since the 1990s, when in the midst of a severe economic crisis following the breakup of the Soviet Union, Castro's Communist-run government turned to tourism for badly needed hard currency.

Some 2.7 million tourists visited the island in 2011, according to the most recent government figure available, up from 2.1 million in 2007. Authorities predict it will hit three million this year.

Canada sends more travellers to Cuba than any other country, followed by England, Italy and Spain.

Repairs on the terminal began earlier in July and are expected to last six months, during which time access will be restricted to passengers only, Cubadebate said.

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NSW hospitals at risk of infection

The Opposition says cuts to the number of cleaners in hospitals could lead to serious infections. Source: AAP

THE NSW opposition is warning of an infections outbreak following reports of a drastic drop in the number of cleaners at some of NSW's busiest hospitals.

Opposition health spokesman Andrew McDonald cited a recent report which found Royal North Shore Hospital was down 67 full time cleaners compared to numbers in 2010.

During the same period Westmead Hospital lost 20 full time cleaners while the Nepean Hospital was down 25.

Across the greater Sydney region there has been an overall loss of 139 full time cleaners, Dr McDonald said.

"Slashing the number of cleaners in our hospitals is a huge infection risk and highly dangerous," he said.

The average hospital cleaner cleaned a minimum of 35 beds per week or 1820 beds per year, while unclean beds, wards and operating theatres could lead to serious and deadly infections, he said.

"Golden Staph and Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) still kill people in NSW hospitals in 2013," he warned.

"Cutting the number of cleaners also means vacant beds are left empty for hours until they can be cleaned, while more patients sit waiting to be admitted in the emergency department."

Mr McDonald blamed the staff reductions on the O'Farrell government's $3 billion cut to health funding.

"A huge reduction in cleaners and the number of cleaning hours in our hospital is what happens when you cut $3 billion from the health system."

But a spokeswoman for Northern Sydney Local Health District denied the cuts.

She said Royal North Shore Hospital had employed 44 more cleaners since July 2011, taking the number of cleaners to 186.

This represents a 30 per cent increase in staff, she added.

A spokeswoman for Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District said cleaning staff at Nepean Hospital had increased by 7.8 Full-time equivalent (FTE) positions since July 2011.

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Judge finalising deal in Toyota case

Motorists say their Toyota's value plunged after recalls over claims they unexpectedly accelerated. Source: AAP

A CALIFORNIAN judge is finalising a billion-dollar settlement in cases in which motorists say the value of their Toyotas plunged after recalls over claims they unexpectedly accelerated.

US District Judge James Selna said on Friday he was approving the deal that was announced in December and will affect 22 million consumers.

Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against Toyota since 2009, when the Japanese car manufacturer started receiving complaints its cars accelerated on their own, causing crashes, injuries and even deaths. More than 14 million vehicles have been recalled since the claims surfaced.

Toyota has denied the allegations, blaming driver error, faulty floor mats and stuck accelerator pedals for the problems.

Steve Berman, a lawyer representing Toyota owners, has said the settlement is the largest in US history involving car defects, estimated to be up to the value of $US1.6 billion ($A1.75 billion).

Those who sold their vehicles at a loss can receive anywhere from $US125 to $US10,000 depending on the level of depreciation, he added.

"This is a great settlement for consumers," Berman said.

"It includes both safety fixes to make Toyota vehicles safer, as well as monetary relief for owners who saw a reduction in their vehicle's value."

The company had previously said it will take a one-time, $US1.1 billion pre-tax charge against earnings to cover the estimated costs of the settlement.

"This agreement allows us to resolve a legacy legal issue in a way that provides significant value to our customers and demonstrates that they can depend on Toyota to stand behind our vehicles," the car manufacturer said in a statement.

The cases were consolidated before Judge Selna in Orange County and divided into two categories, those for economic loss and those for wrongful death.

Toyota has settled a couple of wrongful death cases and the first one to go to trial is scheduled to begin in a Los Angeles courtroom next week.

As part of the economic loss settlement, Toyota will offer cash payments from a pool of about $US250 million to eligible customers who sold vehicles or turned in leased vehicles between September 2009 and December 2010.

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People-smuggling boss back in custody

PEOPLE-SMUGGLING "kingpin" Sayed Abbas has been detained again by Indonesian authorities, after a Jakarta court rejected Australia's request for the Afghan's extradition, a prosecutor says.

South Jakarta District Court last Thursday found "no legal foundation" to extradite Abbas, ordering his release citing Indonesia's 1979 extradition law that did not cover the crime of people-smuggling.

His release was seen as a major blow to Australia as it desperately seeks to reduce the number of asylum seekers arriving on its territory by sea and to dismantle people-smuggling networks that organise the boat journeys.

"After the court ruling, Abbas was detained again by immigration, and he's still in their custody because, ultimately, the decision to extradite is the president's," prosecutor Mahayu Suryandari told AFP.

"So Sayeed Abbas will remain in detention up until the president makes his decision," she said, adding that Thursday's court ruling was also under review.

Canberra is faced with record numbers of asylum seekers arriving on its shores.

Four more asylum-seekers died after a people-smuggling ship carrying around 150 passengers capsized off Christmas Island on Tuesday, triggering a major rescue operation.

Australia has sought Abbas' extradition since 2010, accusing him of organising dozens of boats for asylum seekers, including one in 2011 that sank and killed some 200 people.

Australian authorities have said they believe Abbas continued to arrange boats for asylum seekers from his prison cell.

A court in Perth issued a warrant for his arrest on 27 charges related to people smuggling to face a maximum jail term of 20 years.

Asylum seekers arriving in Indonesia from countries such as Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar pay people smugglers to get a seat on often rickety wooden vessels for the journey to Australia, but hundreds have died on the perilous voyage.

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PM's daughter sorry over Mean Girls quip

Jessica Rudd (L) has apologised for comparing Parliament House to Lindsay Lohan movie Mean Girls. Source: AAP

PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd's daughter has apologised for offending hardworking political staffers after comparing Parliament House to a film about mean girls.

In a controversial column for Cleo Magazine this week Jessica Rudd likened the halls of power in Canberra to the 2004 Mean Girls flick, starring Lindsay Lohan.

Former Rudd press secretary Jamila Rizvi took exception to the column on the Mamamia blog site.

"It's true that political staff are often young, idealistic and inexperienced," she said.

"But that doesn't make them sex-obsessed, shameless, lazy, or bitchy."

Most of the time politicians and their staff were "too bloody busy to be getting their Lindsay Lohan on".

"Why? Because they're running the country."

Ms Rudd has since offered an apology for the comments following a backlash on social media.

"To all staffers, journalists, politicians and anyone within a 100-kilometre radius of Parliament House: I am sorry," she wrote.

"I know how hard you work, what it's like to balance that with your family life and then to be beaten up about it at every dinner party... to have people say you're a waste of taxpayers money... if you're a journalist, that you spin lies."

But she reiterated her concerns that "cynicism has become the language of politics."

"People don't feel like they can have a conversation about politics without sarcastic quips."

That had led to "a lot of us, particularly young people, feeling like it is either too hard to talk about or too ugly".

Ms Rudd urged young people to get involved in the political debate, be idealistic and use their voices.

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