Bieber gives injured Vic fan private show

Pop megastar Justin Bieber has performed a secret, intimate concert for an injured Melbourne fan. Source: AAP

POP megastar Justin Bieber has performed a secret, intimate concert for a Melbourne fan whose dreams of seeing him perform were shattered, along with her spine, in a horrific car accident last month.

Friends of Melbourne teen Kate O'Neill launched a social media campaign to encourage the Canadian teen idol to visit Ms O'Neill who had saved thousands of dollars to be able to attend all of his Australian concerts.

The 19-year-old, whose Twitter account @BieberMelbourne has more than 29,000 followers, tweeted on Wednesday morning that it was the best day of her life, after she received a tweet from the official Justin Bieber account.

At the time, she had no idea of the surprise that lay ahead.

"Not even the amount of pain I am in right now can ruin this for me," Ms O'Neill wrote on Wednesday morning.

Ms O'Neill is still in hospital recovering from her injuries, which include broken ribs, a fractured spine, internal bleeding and lacerations to her kidney and liver.

"If I meet Justin I will hug him so tight IDGAF (I don't give a f**k) about my broken spike (spine) and broken ribs," she tweeted on Wednesday morning.

"I thought this was going to be the worst week of my life but Justin has made it the best! I can't believe this I am so happy!"

On Wednesday afternoon, a car transferred Ms O'Neill from hospital to a private studio where Bieber performed an impromptu acoustic set for her and 50 other fans.

After his performance, Bieber said he loved his "Beliebers" who do so much for him.

"It was so special to be able to give something back, especially to an amazing fan like Kate," Bieber said.

Then he asked Ms O'Neill to kiss him on the cheek.

Ms O'Neill was quoted in a release from Bieber's management as saying the concert had been amazing.

But it was on Twitter that she revealed her true excitement:

"AHWSJJDJEIDIEJHSJWSIYWUWOWODHJWIDIWBB BEST DAY OF MY LIFE I CANT BREATHE OMFG JUSTIN AND THE CREW ARE SO PERFECT SVSJJSDJJSJDJSDISIWJDJWJS," she wrote.

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Amphetamines link to higher HIV risk

THE growing use of amphetamine-style stimulants across Southeast Asia has increased the risk that users will contract HIV or other blood-borne viruses, a report has found.

Amphetamine-type stimulants are the second most used recreational drugs in the world, after cannabis, and the use of amphetamines continues to grow.

The study of amphetamine use in 11 countries in Southeast Asia found those who injected the drugs were more at risk of contracting a blood-borne virus.

Other users are at higher risk of contracting HIV due to higher-risk behaviour, such as unsafe sex.

The study found users of amphetamine-type stimulants faced multiple HIV risks.

"Use appears higher among groups vulnerable to HIV such as sex workers, men who have sex with men, and young people," said the report, by the Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) in co-operation with the Asia-Pacific Drugs and Development Issues Committee.

ANCD chairman John Herron said the report highlighted the need for governments to take action.

"The effects of amphetamine-type stimulant use on young people cannot be underestimated," Dr Herron said.

"Drug use may negatively impact on schooling and employment opportunities and contribute to risky behaviour - especially risky sexual behaviour amongst young people."

He said the rising use of amphetamines in Australia and in Southeast Asia was disturbing.

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Facebook says users connect with brands

Facebook has defended the presence of commercial brands on the popular social networking site. Source: AAP

FACEBOOK has defended the presence of commercial brands on the popular social networking site, saying users aren't "revolting" against it.

Facebook on Wednesday released a detailed breakdown of Australian user figures for 2013, showing nine million Aussies visited the site every day.

The data, from the site's 2013 Aussies on Facebook research, showed 12 million Aussies logged on to the site at least once a month.

At a media briefing in Sydney, Facebook Australia's head of measurements and insight, Helen Crossley, said 63 per cent of local users regularly "connected with brands" on the site.

She said Facebook had no problem with that.

"We want to help people connect to the brands that matter to them," Ms Crossley told reporters.

"It's actually OK for brands to be in the news feed ... We don't really see that people are revolting against that at this stage.

"We see that people are increasingly connecting with brands."

She said 69 per cent of users logged on to Facebook to stay in touch with family and friends, with 80 per cent of users accessing it via mobile phone.

The data, compiled by research firm TNS, also showed Facebook users spent 12 per cent of their total media consumption time on the site.

Thirty-three per cent of users engaged with politics on the site, while 40 per cent posted news articles and 32 per cent used it to keep up with current affairs.

Ms Crossley said users were most likely to log into the site between 2pm and 5pm, or after 8pm.

Aussies accessed the site at work, on holidays, at school and even in bed, the data showed.

In a blog post earlier this week, Facebook reportedly said it was revising the way it delivered information to its billion-plus users.

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'Little joy' in UK soldier killing: court

ONE of the two men accused of hacking to death a British soldier in broad daylight told police he had "little joy" in killing, the jury at his London trial has heard.

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Greens secure deal on debt ceiling

The Greens have secured a deal with the federal government to scrap the national debt ceiling. Source: AAP

THE Australian Greens have secured a deal with the federal government to scrap the national debt ceiling.

Leader Christine Milne has released details of the agreement, which also includes requirements for further debt reporting in the budget and other documents relating to the budget position.

As well, the government will deliver a debt statement when its borrowings increase by $50 billion.

"It's a good outcome," Senator Milne said.

The Greens' negotiations had secured a higher lever of federal government debt reporting and it could no longer use the issue "as a figleaf for budget" spending cuts.

"The Greens have always been at the heart of responsible economic management," she said.

The new arrangements are likely to be in place from the 2014/15 budget due in May.

The agreement means the government will be able to get its legislation through the Senate with Greens support.

It also signals the end of a long-running argument over initial plans by Treasurer Joe Hockey to increase the debt ceiling from $300 billion to $500 billion.

The current ceiling was due to be reached by December 12.

Labor had opposed a $200 billion rise, offering the government a $100 billion increase instead.

Mr Hockey rejected Labor's proposal, saying Australia needed a buffer in case of an emergency.

Senator Milne said the Abbott government gave the Greens most of what they asked for to secure the deal.

"Yes, pretty much," she said.

It's a victory for the coalition, which is facing hurdles on other unrelated legislation in the Senate where the Greens and Labor have the numbers if they combine.

Senator Milne did not think the revised debt legislation would go through until next week.

The debt ceiling was introduced in 2008 by the former Labor government.

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Abbott defends ADM-GrainCorp decision

Labor has stepped up its attack on the government's rejection of a foreign takeover of GrainCorp. Source: AAP

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott has defended his treasurer's call on the attempted foreign takeover of GrainCorp, telling a high-level business audience that good government is about pragmatic idealism, not perfection.

The federal opposition on Wednesday stepped up its attack on the government's rejection of the foreign takeover bid, with shadow treasurer Chris Bowen claiming Treasurer Joe Hockey blocked the deal due to political pressure and his decision would cost jobs.

"I do not see the national interest test was properly invoked in this instance," Mr Bowen told the National Press Club.

He said he would have approved the deal based on the available information.

Mr Hockey last week blocked the $3.4 billion takeover of GrainCorp by American agribusiness Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) after deciding it was contrary to the national interest.

Farm groups and the government's junior partner the National Party had campaigned heavily against the deal, which would have given ADM control of 85 per cent of Australia's east coast grain ports.

Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board examines all major foreign investment proposals and must decide if they are contrary to a loosely defined "national interest" test.

However, the treasurer of the day must make the final decision.

On Wednesday evening, Mr Abbott was in Sydney to attend a gala dinner hosted by the Business Council of Australia.

"The coalition in opposition tried to stop a government from breaking its election commitments. The current opposition is trying to stop a government from keeping its election commitments," he told the audience.

"Yes, the coalition has knocked back one - just one - foreign investment application out of more than 130 received, but I do want to stress that foreign investment applications will always be considered on their merits and approved where it is in the national interest to do so."

Alison Watkins, the Graincorp CEO who announced her resignation after the takeover bid was knocked back and is set to take up a position with Coca-Cola Amatil, was among those in the audience.

"If I may say so, only from the outside does government mostly seem a matter of choosing right from wrong," Mr Abbott said.

"On the inside, it much more often involves choosing the greater good, or the lesser evil - getting the best possible outcome, not necessarily the perfect one."

Mr Bowen - who also attended the dinner - has claimed the takeover rejection did not pass "the common sense test".

"Clearly this was a decision frankly that was taken for political reasons," he said earlier on Wednesday.

"I'm not entirely sure it was a decision that Joe Hockey didn't have foisted upon him. It's a decision which he claims to be his own. If it is his own, it is a particularly weak one."

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Asthma hampers play, sex and work: study

NEARLY a third of dads with uncontrolled asthma avoid running around with their kids, according to a study that shows the condition affects almost every aspect of adult life.

It takes a toll on dating, sexual pleasure and people's careers, according to an Asthma Australia report on the study of more than 1000 people with poor asthma control.

More than one in 10 mothers in the study avoid playtime with their children and 16 per cent of parents find it difficult to carry their child.

More than two million Australians have asthma, and the condition can be controlled with the right medication and treatment plan, says respiratory physician Dr Simon Bowler.

"There is absolutely no reason why people with asthma can't gain better control."

He said the place to start was to discuss an action plan with a GP.

Dating and socialising are a major problem, with a large proportion of people in the study saying they cannot not keep up with friends during a night out. Many say they go home early.

A third say they worry about wheezing at the theatre or movies.

One young woman said she didn't tell her boyfriend about her asthma on their first few dates. When she could not hide it any more, she pretended it wasn't important.

A third of men and about 20 per cent of women in the study say their asthma interferes with their sex life.

Asthma Australia CEO Mark Brooke says it is essential for people to ask their GP for help.

"Often simple changes like getting a treatment plan or reviewing their medication can help minimise the impact on patients' sex lives," said Dr Bowler, chair of the organisation's medical advisory committee.

More than half of the people in the AstraZeneca-sponsored study miss work every year because of their symptoms.

Almost 20 per cent take time off six times a year or more.

A large proportion say asthma has hampered their career.

Almost two thirds have had an asthma attack at work, with 40 per cent saying stress made their symptoms worse.

One senior executive said he had been embarrassed by staff who tried to keep away from him when he had an asthma cough.

Only six per cent say their colleagues are supportive and many do not feel comfortable taking medication in front of others.

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