Support for Rudd takes a hit: Newspoll

VOTER support for Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has slumped, according to a poll published hours after he named a date for the federal election.

Mr Rudd claimed underdog status on Sunday as he announced Australians would go to the polls on September 7 and according to the latest Newspoll, he could be right.

The poll, conducted this weekend and published in part by News Limited late on Sunday, shows that although Mr Rudd is still more popular than Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, his support as preferred prime minister is at its lowest.

Voter satisfaction with Mr Rudd dropped four percentage points in the past two weeks from 42 per cent to 38 per cent and dissatisfaction jumped six points from 41 per cent to 47 per cent.

The survey found voter support for Labor had fallen one percentage point in the last fortnight to 37 per cent, compared to the coalition's 44 per cent.

On a two-party preferred basis, the coalition has kept its lead of 52 per cent to Labor's 48 per cent.

Support for the Greens is down one point to nine per cent, compared to 11.8 per cent at the last election.

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Bishop says sorry for UK school abuse

A SENIOR Scotland Catholic has apologised to pupils from a former boarding school in the Highlands amid claims of sexual and physical abuse by monks, two of whom are believed to be Australian.

Alleged victims who attended the Catholic Fort Augustus Abbey school told a BBC Scotland investigation that they were molested and beaten by monks over a period of three decades from the 1950s.

It has also been claimed that abuse was carried out at Carlekemp, its feeder school in East Lothian. Both schools are now closed.

Five men said on the Sins Of Our Fathers documentary, screened last Monday, that they were raped or sexually abused by Father Aidan Duggan, an Australian monk who taught at Carlekemp and Fort Augustus between 1953 and 1974.

Duggan died in 2004 but some abuse claims relate to men who are still alive.

A retired Sydney priest is being investigated by police over the abuse allegations.

Hugh Gilbert, the Bishop of Aberdeen, said mass at Fort Augustus church on Sunday and address the issue in his homily.

"It is a most bitter, shaming and distressing thing that in this former Abbey School a small number of baptised, consecrated and ordained Christian men physically or sexually abused those in their care," he said.

"I know that Abbot Richard Yeo has offered an apology to those who have suffered such abuse and I join him in that.

"We are anxious that there be a thorough police investigation into all this. And, that all that can be done should be done for the victims. All of us must surely pray for those who have suffered."

Scotland on Sunday also reported that the Church is planning to publish annual audits dealing with abuse allegations against Scottish clergy.

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Iran's Rowhani tells West to use dialogue

IRAN'S new President Hassan Rowhani says the only way for the international community to interact with Tehran on its controversial nuclear program is through dialogue and not sanctions.

"The only path to interact with Iran is through negotiations on equal grounds, reciprocal trust-building, mutual respect and reducing hostilities," he said in a speech after being sworn in before parliament on Sunday.

"If you want a proper answer, do not speak with Iran with the language of sanctions but with the language of respect," he said, adding Iran would "not surrender to sanctions, nor be threatened with war".

He was referring to years of unfruitful negotiations with the so-called P5+1 group of the US, Britain, France, China and Russia plus Germany over Iran's nuclear activities, which the world powers suspect is aimed at military objectives despite Iranian denials.

Rowhani, who won a surprise June 14 presidential election, has promised to engage in constructive interaction with the world.

The inaugural speech indicated the path that Rowhani's moderate administration would take.

After the speech, he also presented parliament with his government line-up, mostly filled with technocrats seen as close to his mentor, pragmatic ex-president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.

Among the key nominees were veteran retired diplomat Mohammad Javad Zarif, tapped for the foreign ministry, and ex-oil minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh, named to return to the same portfolio.

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US a 'willing partner' if Iran serious

IRAN will find the US a "willing partner" if new President Hassan Rowhani is prepared for serious talks on its nuclear program, the White House says.

In a message congratulating Rowhani on his inauguration, the White House said it "presents an opportunity for Iran to act quickly to resolve the international community's deep concerns over Iran's nuclear program".

"Should this new government choose to engage substantively and seriously to meet its international obligations and find a peaceful solution to this issue, it will find a willing partner in the United States," the statement by White House press secretary Jay Carney said on Sunday.

In taking the oath of office in Tehran, Rowhani called on the West to engage Iran through dialogue not sanctions.

"The only path to interact with Iran is through negotiations on equal grounds, reciprocal trust-building, mutual respect and reducing hostilities," Rowhani said after being sworn in before parliament.

"If you want a proper answer, do not speak with Iran with the language of sanctions but with the language of respect," he said, adding Iran would "not surrender to sanctions, nor be threatened with war".

The West is hoping for a fresh start under Rowhani after years of unsuccessful negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear program, which it suspects is aimed at developing a nuclear weapons capability.

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Sri Lanka protest toll rises

POLICE have poured into a village near Sri Lanka's capital for the funeral of a teenager shot dead by troops during a protest against contaminated water.

Security in Weliweriya village was strengthened as a hospital official said a third person had died after succumbing to injuries sustained during the army's crackdown on the residents' protest on Thursday.

"We have another three people in the intensive care and their condition is serious," spokeswoman for the hospital in Colombo, Pushpa Soysa, said.

Police said 17-year-old Akila Dinesh Jayawardena was killed when troops fired at unarmed residents demonstrating against a factory which they accused of discharging chemical waste and polluting ground water.

Jayawardena was buried on Sunday evening amid tight security by police commandos who were seen near the village cemetery too.

Mourners returning from the burial stopped briefly at the village centre to shout slogans denouncing the authorities and pressing their demand for safe drinking water. They dispersed peacefully, witnesses said.

Roman Catholic priest Lakpriya Nonis said armed troops stormed his St Anthony's church shortly after Thursday's protest and assaulted men, women and children who had sought refuge there.

"They came into the church premises and assaulted people sheltering inside," the priest told reporters after Sunday's burial.

Official sources said nearly 50 people were injured with most of them suffering bullet wounds, while some had been beaten with sticks and rifle butts.

The privately-run Sunday Times said up to six people had been killed and that authorities were not revealing the total number of casualties.

The burials of the other two victims are yet to be decided.

Dipped Products Ltd says it's not responsible for the pollution at Weliweriya.

Its factory remains shut because of the protest.

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Retirees more worried about finances

AFTER consistently topping the list of those who feel most financially secure, retirees are starting to worry.

A survey by ME Bank shows Australian households recorded an overall financial comfort level of 5.5 out of 10 - up from 5.29 six months ago.

But while all other households feel slightly better about their finances, retirees were the only group to turn more pessimistic.

The financial comfort of retirees - in particular those propped up by government payments - deteriorated by five per cent.

They reported feeling increasingly worried about their investments, living standards and income stability.

This is the first time retirees have not topped the list of most financially comfortable since ME Bank's survey began in 2011.

The report suggests lower borrowing rates has relieved pressure on those with mortgages, but done little for low-debt retirees.

Meanwhile, a stronger share market and housing market helped empty nesters - parents whose children have left home - assume the top spot, with their comfort levels up by 12 per cent.

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Chevron's Q2 profit falls 26 per cent

CHEVRON'S quarterly profit is huge - $US5.37 billion ($A6.04 billion) - but it's down 26 per cent from last year on lower oil prices and maintenance work at some refineries.

The results follow similar profit declines at Exxon Mobil and Shell, and they lag behind Wall Street expectations as well.

Chevron Corp said on Friday that it earned $US2.77 per share in the second quarter, down from $US3.66 per share. Year-ago net income was $US7.21 billion.

Analysts were expecting earnings of $US2.97 per share. Revenue was down 8 per cent but still came in higher than expected at $US57.37 billion.

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NSW premier honours top melanoma expert

INTERNATIONALLY recognised melanoma expert Professor John Thompson has been named NSW's top cancer researcher of the year.

Prof Thomson received the Premier's Award at a Cancer Institute NSW function hosted by Barry O'Farrell on Friday.

"Melanoma is Australia's national cancer challenge," said Mr O'Farrell, praising Prof Thompson's work at the Melanoma Institute Australia and the University of Sydney.

He said Prof Thomson and his team were making important advances in the prevention, detection and treatment of melanoma.

It was a big night for the Melanoma Institute. Apart from Prof Thomson's award, honours also went to Dr Georgina Long and Dr Pascale Guiterra.

A team from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) won the inaugural Big Data, Big Impact grant program.

The team comprised of Dr Jason Wong, Dr Luke Hesson, Associate Professor John Pimanda and Dr Joe Thurbon will be funded to work on a project called Exploring the Dark Matter of Cancer Genomes.

Explaining the new award, Professor David Currow, CEO of the Cancer Institute NSW, said: "Cancer research has entered a new era - and NSW is at the forefront.

"Gone are the days when researchers toiled in isolated labs with limited samples."

He said there was much data available but "the challenge is unlocking it".

Another UNSW winner was Professor Neville Hacker, who won the Professor Rob Sutherland Make a Difference Award for his pioneering work in the field of gynaecological oncology.

His centre at the Royal Hospital for Women has become a model for similar centres throughout Australia.

Other awards went to Dimitri Conomos, outstanding research scholar; Goldie Yuan Lam Lui, Pfizer oncology scholarship; TROG Cancer Research, innovation in cancer clinical trials; Anthony Gill and Roderick Clifton-Bligh, excellence in translational cancer research; and Dr Orazio Vittorio, the kids' cancer project.

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US stocks fall after soft jobs report

US stocks have fallen in opening trade with a soft employment report showing weaker than expected jobs growth in July.

After 10 minutes of Friday trade, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 59.21 (0.38 per cent) at 15,568.81.

The broad-market S&P 500 had shed 4.79 (0.28 per cent) at 1,702.08, pulling back from Thursday's record closing high.

And the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite had dropped 9.05 (0.25 per cent) to 3,666.69.

The Labor Department says the United States added 162,000 jobs in July, well below the 175,000 expected on average by analysts.

The unemployment rate fell to 7.4 per cent from 7.6 per cent in June.

"The downside of the disappointing employment report is that it shows growth isn't as strong as participants wanted to believe yesterday," said Patrick O'Hare of Briefing.com.

"The upside for the stock market is that creates an opening for the Fed to maintain its asset purchase program at the current pace past September."

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US jobless rate falls to 7.4% in July

THE US unemployment rate fell to a better-than-expected 7.4 per cent in July but jobs growth slowed sharply, official data shows.

The Labor Department said on Friday the US added 162,000 jobs last month, well below the 175,000 expected on average by analysts.

But the decline in the jobless rate from 7.6 per cent in June was twice as big as the estimated one-tenth point drop.

At 7.4 per cent, the jobless rate is the lowest since December 2008, when it was 7.3 per cent.

That is markedly better than in July 2012, when the jobless rate stood at 8.2 per cent.

The improvement in the unemployment rate increased the chances the Federal Reserve will begin to taper its bond-buying program in September, analysts said.

"The Fed is on track to hit its 7.2 to 7.3 per cent Q4 unemployment rate target, and that probably matters more to FOMC members - especially the hawks and near-hawks - than the tiny slowing in payroll growth," said Ian Shepherdson of Pantheon Macroeconomics.

"We expect a robust August employment report, and think September tapering is a 70/30 bet."

Jobs growth for the prior two months was revised downward by a combined 26,000.

The June figure was revised to 188,000 jobs from 195,000, and the May reading was revised to 176,000 from 195,000.

Over the prior 12 months, jobs growth averaged 189,000 per month.

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