Abbott to reveal red tape reduction plan

EDS: Not for use until 0001, Monday, July 8.

SYDNEY, July 8 AAP - Opposition Leader Tony Abbott will flesh out the coalition's plans to cut $1 billion worth of red and green tape from the Australian economy.

Mr Abbott and Senator Arthur Sinodinos will unveil the coalition's policy to boost productivity and reduce regulation at a function in Sydney on Monday.

The coalition says the plan will reduce Australia's regulatory burden by $1 billion a year.

Central to the policy are promises to repeal the carbon price and mining tax and streamline environmental regulation.

The coalition will also establish an overall deregulation unit within the Department of Finance and link senior public servants' bonuses to cuts to red tape.

Mr Abbott said the changes would create a more productive government and more efficient businesses.

"The Coalition will cut the regulatory burden by $1 billion a year and curtail the growth of regulation that is impeding the capacity of Australia to grow and succeed," he said.

"This policy will lower business costs and strengthen the economy."

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Three known dead after Canada train crash

LAC-MEGANTIC, Canada, July 7 Agencies - Police sifting through the site of a horrific cargo train crash in Quebec say they have discovered two more bodies, and anticipate "many more" fatalities.

The crash of an oil-laden train and subsequent explosions that shook the village of Lac-Megantic on Saturday have so far claimed three lives, said police spokesman Michel Brunet, who added at a press conference that "we know that there will be many more" deaths.

Fires are preventing rescuers from reaching part of the 73-car train, and billowing black smoke could still be seen long after it derailed.

The eruptions early on Saturday morning sent residents of Lac-Megantic scrambling through the streets under the intense heat of towering fireballs and a red glow that illuminated the night sky.

A fire chief likened the charred scene to a war zone.

The multiple blasts came over a span of several hours in the town of 6000, which is about 250 kilometres east of Montreal and about 16km west of the US border.

About 30 buildings were destroyed after tanker cars laden with oil caught fire.

The derailment caused several tanker rail cars to explode in the downtown district, a popular area packed with bars that often bustles on northern summer weekend nights.

Police said the first explosion tore through the town shortly after 1am local time.

The fire then spread to several homes.

Brunet said he couldn't say where the bodies were found exactly because the families have not been notified.

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Israeli cabinet OKs army draft rejig bill

ISRAEL'S cabinet has approved a plan that would gradually end a contentious system that has granted automatic draft exemptions to Jewish ultra-Orthodox seminary students.

Under a longstanding system, thousands of young men are allowed to skip compulsory military service to pursue religious studies.

This has caused widespread resentment among secular Jewish Israelis.

The new system, which needs parliamentary approval, would reduce the number of exemptions and require ultra-Orthodox men to register for service.

It would go into effect in three years.

In cabinet fourteen ministers voted in favour of the legislation, four ministers abstained and none voted against.

The draft was a central issue in January elections and propelled Yesh Atid, the secular rights party behind the new regulations, into the government.

Finance Minister and Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid called it "a historic day".

"After 65 years, we finally end this distortion. We are all very excited," he told reporters.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday the law will be implemented "gradually".

Ultra-Orthodox religious leaders and MPs spoke of a "sad day" for Judaism.

Many strictly religious Jews believe that by studying the Torah and serving God they are defending Israelis.

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Venezuela says no contact yet with Snowden

VENEZUELA'S foreign minister says his country has not yet been in contact with US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden, despite its offer of asylum.

Elias Jaua says he expects to consult on Monday with Russian officials.

Snowden is believed to be in the transit area of a Moscow airport.

Jaua's comments came on Saturday during a Caribbean summit in Trinidad and Tobago.

They were distributed by his office.

President Nicolas Maduro announced on Friday that he would grant asylum to Snowden, and he repeated the offer on Twitter on Saturday, saying Venezuela is ready to protect Snowden "from the global persecution of the empire".

Bolivia and Nicaragua have also offered asylum but it is not clear if any of them have provided him the documents he would need to travel.

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Four hurt on first day of Spanish bull run

FOUR people, including a 24-year-old Australian, have been injured on the first day of the running of the bulls in the Spanish city of Pamplona.

Several thousand thrill-seekers dashed alongside six fighting bulls through the streets on Sunday.

Despite a large crowd of participants because the run coincided with a weekend, only four people were treated for injuries and no one was gored, officials said.

The regional government of Navarra, which is responsible for organising the annual San Fermin festival, said in a statement that none of the four are seriously injured.

A 24-year-old Australian, identified only by the initials JC, was being treated for bruising, as was a 44-year-old British citizen.

A US citizen identified only as CS was also receiving treatment for a minor injury.

A 36-year-old native of Pamplona with a minor injury was the only remaining in the hospital by mid-afternoon, the government said.

There was a moment of tension as the last bull of the pack became disoriented and turned around to look back at runners, but it eventually entered the bullring without charging at anyone.

Every morning of the nine-day festival, at 8am, six bulls specifically bred for fighting race through the narrow, medieval streets of Pamplona accompanied by an equal number of large steers - each wearing a clanking cowbell - tasked with keeping the pack tight and galloping at an even pace.

Due to the disorientation of the last bull, Sunday's run took four minutes and six seconds, a relatively long time.

Every time the bull turned his head, runners scattered, tripped and fell as they tried to get away despite being hemmed in by the narrow streets.

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Peak bodies want education cap dropped

MORE than 20 professional bodies are demanding the federal government scrap its planned cap on tax deductions for self-education expenses, fearing it will hurt the economy.

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Russian train derails, 80 injured: reports

AT least 80 people have been injured after a Russian passenger train travelling from Siberia derailed near the Black Sea, the emergency situations ministry says.

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Russian train derails, 80 injured: reports

AT least 80 people have been injured after a Russian passenger train travelling from Siberia derailed near the Black Sea, the emergency situations ministry says.

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