Perth Arena opens doors for local acts

Split Seconds performing at the Perth Arena. Picture: Richard Polden Source: PerthNow

Perth Arena opened for the first time. Picture: Richard Polden Source: PerthNow

PERTH'S newest entertainment venue finally opened its doors to the public last night with a free concert featuring local music acts.

Perth Arena's Plug Into Perth event was opened by local indie band Stillwater Giants, who secured their spot as the first band to play the venue via a community competition.

The evening also included performances by well-known Perth-born bands Sugar Army and Split Seconds as well as local hip hop artist Drapht, whose 2011 album Life of Riley debuted at #1 on the ARIA Album Charts.

The multi-purpose venue, which is expected to seat up to 15, 500 people for concerts, will be open for the general public to explore tomorrow as part of a free Access All Areas open day from 11am.

The main areas of the arena, the backstage areas and dressing rooms will all be open and the public will be allowed onto the main stage in between entertainment acts.

There will be Q&A sessions and seminars with the architects and live music throughout the day.

Sir Elton John and his band will officially open the Arena on Saturday.

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Woman's body found in car

POLICE are investigating the discovery of a woman's body in a car on the Great Northern Highway, outside Derby.

The 39-year-old was found in the car on the side of the road after what police believe was a domestic incident.

A section of the highway was closed while forensic officers examined the vehicle.

A police spokesman said a 39-year-old was assisting police with their inquiries.

They have asked for anyone who saw any suspicious behaviour on the highway, north of the Willare Roadhouse, between Friday afternoon and Saturday morning to contact police.

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Woman dead after horror crash

A fatal car accident involving two cars in Oakford. Picture: Matthew Poon Source: PerthNow

A WOMAN has died and a man has been airlifted to hospital after a horror crash in Oakford this afternoon.

Police and emergency services were called to the crash just before 2pm after two cars collided on Thomas Road.

The woman died at the scene and the man was taken by the RAC rescue helicopter to Royal Perth Hospital.

He is in a serious but stable condition.
 
 

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Lingerie football hits Perth

Sara Stanford and Stephanie Lethborg are both taking part on Sunday. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: PerthNow

THE local tryouts for the world's sexiest sport start on Sunday.

Already big in the US, lingerie football is set for touchdown in Australia.

And, the concept's Perth promoter Armando Formica is hoping it will eventually attract up to 10,000 spectators for matches.

Mr Formica says contenders can tryout in ``little bike shorts and sporty tops'' but will be expected to wear bloomers and bras if they make the team.

``It won't be that revealing once they wear their shoulder pads, arm guards, socks and shoes,'' he said.

``You see a bit of cleavage and their belly and the top of their leg and that but really that's all you see.''

Applicants will be tested for speed, agility, strength and focus at George Burnett Park in Karawarra, from 1-4pm.

Contenders must arrive at 12.45 pm and must be older than 18.

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Call for independent Rayney murder probe

FRESH INQUIRY: A Forensic expert on Lloyd Rayney's defence team calls for an independent inquiry into her murder. Source: PerthNow

CLEARED: Lloyd Rayney yesterday with daughter Sarah before he heard Justice Brian Martin find him not guilty. Picture: Kerris Berrington Source: PerthNow

AN inquiry or even a royal commission into the way West Australian police handle high-profile murders should be conducted, a top Perth barrister says.

Jonathan Davies, who has helped expose injustices in WA's legal system including the infamous John Button and Darryl Beamish cases, said today the Rayney case was yet another example of mistakes being made by police.

But he said it was unlikely an inquiry into the Rayney case would be held.

Lloyd Rayney was acquitted yesterday of killing his wife Corryn in 2007, ending his five-year ordeal to prove his innocence and renewing speculation about who committed the murder.

The conduct of police investigating the case was criticised by presiding judge Justice Brian Martin, who said their behaviour "ranged from inappropriate to reprehensible'', although he believed there was nothing to suggest the probe was not thorough.

Aside from a substantial legal bill, Mr Rayney is now left with an incomplete defamation case related to comments by Senior Sergeant Jack Lee, head of the major crime squad, who told journalists shortly after Ms Rayney's death that her estranged husband was the "prime'' and "only'' suspect.

Mr Davies said the police had fixated on Mr Rayney and other lines of inquiry might have emerged if they had taken a broader approach.

However, he acknowledged police faced public pressure to come up with a suspect in murder investigations.

While Justice Martin had found WA police "very wanting in approach'' to the investigation, they didn't make a habit of it or have a poor philosophy, Mr Davies said.

But there had been a few ham-fisted efforts, including the Andrew Mallard and Mickelberg cases, he said.

"Heaven knows the cops have a complicated and overwhelming task, but sometimes I think we put such pressure on them, that we force them down paths of error,'' Mr Davies said.

"We need to find out what's going wrong with these cases and we need to learn by our mistakes.

"Mistakes have been made and police seem to shrug their shoulders and get on with it.''

However, it was unlikely an inquiry or royal commission would be conducted, he said.

"I think the government of the day closes ranks.

"Law and order is a football that's used whenever it suits the government of the day, trying to drum up electoral support and be seen to be doing something.

"But when it comes to actually addressing the core issues, the core difficulties that face criminal justice and police services, they've shown themselves to be reluctant to respond.''

WA Premier Colin Barnett said an inquiry was not needed.

"We don't need an inquiry but I'm sure the police commissioner will look at that. The police minister will also look at that and the attorney-general,'' Mr Barnett told reporters.

"Did the police fail in their role in the prosecution?

"I'm not really confident to comment on that but obviously there will be some review.''

Also today, Robin Napper, a forensic expert who worked on Mr Rayney's defence team, called for an independent investigation into Ms Rayney's murder.

"We are almost desperate to get an independent team in from outside the state, take all the information. This can be solved,'' Mr Napper told ABC radio.

O'Callaghan saying nothing on Rayney acquittal

WA Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan has stayed tight lipped on Mr Rayney's acquittal.

Mr O'Callaghan refused to say if officers criticised for their conduct in the case would be stood aside while the prosecution considers whether to appeal the not-guilty verdict.

Police said yesterday they would make no comment on the matter for three weeks, which is how long the prosecution has to make its decision.

Mr O'Callaghan today again declined to comment.

"I will do nothing until I get advice from the State Prosecution Authority,'' he said.

"It's in their hands. They might have it for another 21 days. I will make no further comment.''

The Law Society of WA yesterday said the verdict had shown that the right of citizens to a presumption of innocence and a fair trial was fundamental to the maintenance of the rule of law.

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Perth Arena our Sydney Opera House

Perth Arena is set to open next weekend and today Nine News took a look inside.

THE controversial $550 million Perth Arena has the potential to become the city's equivalent to the Sydney Opera House, West Australian Premier Colin Barnett claims.

Years overdue, hundreds of millions of dollars over budget and boasting an architecture that has already violently divided opinion in the city, the arena finally opens its doors to the public on Friday for a free sound check concert for local residents.

Despite the finishing touches still being placed on the exterior of the angular amphitheatre, which sports a retractable roof that can open in seven minutes, it will be officially christened by Sir Elton John next Saturday night.

The opening concert will bring up the curtain on the most contentious construction in Perth since Richard Court's Bell Tower in 2000.

According to Graham Partridge, chairman of the venue manager VenuesWest, the 15,000-seat multipurpose arena will become one of the world's best entertainment facilities as soon as it opens its doors.

But during a tour of the facility, Mr Barnett went one step further, claiming that as the years go by the architectural oddity could be placed on a par with the Opera House and its iconic shells.

"It has been contentious at times, it cost more than anticipated, it took longer to build but the final result is simply brilliant,'' Mr Barnett said.

"This is an iconic venue for Perth for many years to come. The arena is a work of art itself.

"While it has cost more than it should, it is so good and will be so popular and so well used it will be a bit like the Sydney Opera House.

"It cost more than it was meant to, but we would not be without it.''

The venue has 36 luxury appointed corporate suites, a 680-bay underground car park, five dedicated function spaces and space for touring trucks, which can drive directly onto the arena floor.

Following Sir Elton on November 10, the Arena has already secured appearances by Pink, One Direction, Nicki Minaj, Jennifer Lopez, Matchbox Twenty, The Wiggles, Nickelback, Mike Tyson and Russell Brand, along with anchor tenants Perth Wildcats NBL team and the Hopman Cup tennis tournament.

PERTH ARENA FACTS

- The venue will hold up to 13,910 spectators for tennis events, 14,846 for basketball and a maximum of 15,500 for concerts

- The retractable roof can be opened or closed in seven minutes, three times faster than the roof at Rod Laver Arena

- Visitors will be greeted by The Pendant, a curved array of 88 flat- screen TV screens suspended from the 22m- high roof

- It will be the home of the Hopman Cup mixed tennis tournament, and the Perth Wildcats NBL basketball team

- The controversial angled design of the arena was based on the Eternity Puzzle created by controversial British MP Christopher Monckton and intended to be impossible to solve

- Taking inspiration, the triangular puzzle pieces which bedeck the arena exterior form the map of Australia on the western side, with a red and a white striped mast marking the WA border

- A photovoltaic array on the roof can generate up to 111kW of power

- The new arena has cost a whopping $548.7m -  after an original estimate of $160m

- Each seat has an individual air- conditioning vent underneath

- Unsigned Perth band Stillwater Giants will be the first band to play there after winning a community competition to pick a local band to christen the new stage

- The accompanying 'Arena app' for smartphones helps plan your trip to the venue, alerts you if a car bay is available and guides you to your seat.

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Severe fire warnings for Gascoyne, Pilbara

RESIDENTS in inland parts of Western Australia's Gascoyne and western Pilbara are being warned of severe fire danger on Saturday.

In the Gascoyne, the Bureau of Meteorology has forecast a severe fire danger rating which takes in the Shires of Cue, Meekatharra, Mount Magnet, Murchison, Sandstone, Upper Gascoyne and Yalgoo.

A severe fire danger rating is also in place in inland parts of the Shires of Carnarvon and Shark Bay, the far western part of the Shire of Menzies and the western edge and southwestern tip of the Shire of Wiluna.

In the Pilbara, a severe fire danger rating is in place for the inland part of the Shire of Ashburton.

Very hot, dry and windy conditions are forecast for all the affected areas.

Any fire that does start and take hold will be unpredictable, very fast-moving and difficult for firefighters to control, the Department Fire and Emergency Services has warned.

Residents are being asked to watch for signs of fire and to call triple zero if they see flames.

"Have your bushfire survival plan and kit ready,'' the DFES said on Friday.

"Keep up to date with bushfire information through local radio, websites and TV. Do not wait for a warning before you act.''

The safest option for anyone not prepared to the highest level was to leave bushfire risk areas early in the day, the DFES said.

Residents can check the Fire Danger Rating for their area by visiting www.bom.gov.au or calling 1300 659 213.

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Port Hedland first call for luxury liner

One of the world's most luxurious ocean liner, Voyager, has visited Port Hedland. Picture: MegaZoi/Flickr

UP to 3000 passengers on one of the world's most luxurious cruise ships have gained an interesting first impression of Australia after cruising into one of its busiest ports.

Up to 3000 passengers on one of the world's most luxurious cruise ships have gained an interesting first impression of Australia after cruising into one of its busiest ports.

On the Australian leg of its latest round-the-world voyage, the 311-metre mega liner Voyager of the Seas made Western Australia's Port Hedland its first call on Friday.

The vessel manoeuvred its 64,000 tonne hull into a harbour that will export about 240 million tonnes of iron ore this year.

The idea was to show off the might and power of the world's largest bulk export port, although the image of manganese, iron ore and Dampier Salt is far removed from what the passengers might have expected from their first view Down Under.

"This not only enhances local tourism and economic benefits to the town, but also gives tourists a chance to see firsthand the operations of one of the world's busiest ports,'' Port Authority chief executive Roger Johnston said.

Voyager is one of the world's largest floating hotels, featuring 15 decks, 10 pools and 14 bars, clubs and lounges.

It also has the world's first ocean-going rock climbing wall, mounted on a funnel, and an ice-skating rink.

It is the first time the mega liner, one of the largest cruise ships to visit Australia, has berthed at Port Hedland.

The port received its first two cruise ship visits last year and is expecting a further five cruise ships this financial year.

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The Judge's findings on key evidence

A liquidambar seed pod in Kings Park. Source: PerthNow

PERTHNOW breaks down Justice Brian Martin's findings on key pieces of evidence exhibited at the Lloyd Rayney trial.

THE PHONE TAP

Justice Martin said Mr Rayney had engaged in "discreditable conduct" by having the family's home telephone tapped.

"The accused has engaged in discreditable conduct, including knowingly arranging for illegal telephone interception, making a false declaration and giving deliberately false evidence to a court while on oath," he said.

"The evidence raises suspicion; in some instances quite strong suspicion. But discreditable conduct does not prove guilt and suspicion, even strong suspicion, falls well short of proof beyond reasonable doubt".

The judge said he was also satisfied that Mr Rayney removed the recorder and digital notetaker from the roof of the home and that he destroyed or placed the CDs of the recordings "beyond the reach of police".

SCREAMS FROM KINGS PARK

While two people who lived near Kings Park reported hearing a "blood curdling" female scream on the night of August 7, 2007, Justice Martin said he was satisfied the scream had nothing to do with Corryn Rayney's death.

"The scream came from units adjacent to Kings Park and not from the bush area of Kings Park," he said.

"The totality of the evidence satisfies me that at Kings Park the deceased was not in a state which would have permitted her to scream."

He also discounted the evidence of an off duty police officer who reported seeing someone he thought could be Corryn Rayney in Victoria Park that evening.

The judge said he was also satisfied that two cars -- one a Ford Fairlane similar to Mrs Rayney's -- reported by an RAC patrolman to be fishtailing on Albany Highway that night were not connected to the case.

THE DAUGHTERS' TESTIMONY

The Rayney's two daughters Sarah, 15, and Caitlyn, 18, both testified at the trial. But Justice Martin said he had "significant reservations" about aspects of their evidence.

"Both daughters were exceptionally well prepared for the giving of evidence," he said.

"This was immediately apparent in the manner and content of their answers. Caitlyn in particular was alert to the implications for the accused in her answers and the nuances in the prosecutor's questions. Her hostility to the prosecutor was suppressed, but readily apparent."

Justice Martin noted that Caitlyn had said in a written police statement signed in 2007 that she had gone to bed at about 11.30pm on the night her mother disappeared.

In court, under questioning from her father's lawyers, she said it was closer to midnight.

THE DINNER PLACE CARD

Justice Martin said a dinner place card bearing Mr Rayney's name which was found close to Mrs Rayney's bush grave in Kings Park was a mystery.

"Sometimes an apparently incriminating piece of evidence has an innocent explanation that is not obvious; sometimes an apparently implausible explanation is true....," he said.

"The State case cannot succeed on the basis of the place card alone."

Justice Martin found the dinner place card had come from a legal dinner Mr Rayney had attended in July 2007.

He said Mr Rayney's former secretary Shari Paradise gave "intentionally untrue evidence" about the card and declared her a hostile witness.

But he found she had been telling the truth when she said Mr Rayney had told her he had put the card in the console of a car.

Justice Martin also found that Mr Rayney had lied to a colleague, barrister Philip Urquhart, about which car he had driven to the legal dinner.

SECRET TAPE RECORDINGS

As well as the telephone tap, Justice Martin also found that Mr Rayney had secretly recorded conversations with his wife on a dictaphone -- and made a false claim about them in the Magistrate's Court.

"The accused knew that the recordings were not protected from disclosure by reason of legal professional privilege and he knowingly made a false claim for that privilege," he said.

"The accused compounded his false claim by swearing an affidavit that was false in material aspects and followed up with false evidence..."

POLICE CONDUCT

Justice Martin said former major crime squad boss Jack Lee demonstrated a lack of judgement and gave inappropriate responses at a September 2007 press conference in which he identified Mr Rayney as the prime and only suspect in Mrs Rayney's death.

Justice Martin said other officers involved in the inquiry into Mrs Rayney's death also engaged in conduct that should not be tolerated, such as that directed at lawyer Clare O'Brien, who is a friend of Mr Rayney's.

"Ms O'Brien is to be commended for her generosity of spirit in not taking offence at the behaviour of the detectives....however that generosity should not deflect from the totally unacceptable behaviour of the officers who conveyed the threat that if Ms O'Brien did not cooperate both she and her brother would be charged," Justice Martin said.

"Those officers misused their position of authority and threatened to abuse their power of arrest which should only be exercised when the evidence justifies an arrest."

Justice Martin also found that police officer Mark McKenzie had tried to mislead Mr Rayney by chatting to him in his capacity as the family liaison officer without telling him he was also second in charge of the investigation.

Police officers had also behaved inappropriately by trying to persuade forensic pathologist Gerard Cadden to change his report that he found three seed pods in Mrs Rayney's hair to two.

"In substance they set about persuading a witness to alter that witnesses' evidence to fit with the police view of the evidence," the judge said.

But Justice Martin said he was satisfied that a police officer had not tried to mislead Dr Cadden before he gave evidence at the trial by providing him with only a section of a video tape of his examination of Mrs Rayney's head at a preliminary examination.

BLACK COAT

Mrs Rayney was unlikely to have been wearing the black coat to bootscooting that was found lying across her bed, the judge found.

Justice Martin said it was the type of coat more likely to have been worn to work than to a casual bootscooting class.

After hearing evidence from bootscooters he said he was left with more than a reasonable doubt as to whether Mrs Rayney was wearing a coat at all that night.

"The failure of the evidence to prove that the deceased was wearing a coat at bootscooting leaves a significant gap in the evidence upon which the State relied to prove that (Mrs Rayney) arrived home and entered the house after bootscooting," he said.

SEED PODS

Justice Martin found that there had been three seed pods in Mrs Rayney's hair on the day of her postmortem, August 17, 2007 -- and he found that they were not planted.

But while two of the seed pods were collected by police, there was doubt as to what became of the third.

Justice Martin said he had concerns about a third pod collected by police from Mrs Rayney's body bag four months later and had ignored it as evidence.

He said if the seed pod was not "planted" in the body bag it could have become contaminated as evidence by contact with other items and objects.

A reason put forward by a police officer for a search of the body bag had an "air of unreality", he said.

Justice Martin also questioned why it had taken five hours to search the bag and why the pod, although it had been mixed with sand from Kings Park, was still consistent with soil from Como.

He said he had significant doubts as to whether it was the third pod found in Mrs Rayney's hair in August.

BUSH GRAVE

Justice Martin noted that Mr Rayney was in a soft physical condition at the time his wife disappeared and said he believed it would have taken him much longer than the 38 minutes it took a police officer to dig a grave similar to Mrs Rayney's.

Justice Martin also noted that Mrs Rayney at 78 kgs had been heavier than her 67kg husband, who had a back problem.

"I am satisfied that if the accused dug the grave and buried (Mrs Rayney), he could not have completed that task in 38 minutes," he said.

Justice Martin said a man's hankerchief found in the grave with Mrs Rayney could not be linked to her husband.

SOIL, SAND AND PAINT PARTICLES

The judge said he was satisfied that some soil, sand and paint particles found on Mrs Rayney's body, clothing and boots, along with the two seed pods from her hair, had come from outside the family home in Como.

"Across the boots, clothing and the body of the deceased, the totality and consistency of (the particles), including seed pods, has satisfied me that they came from Como...," he said.

"It is unlikely in the extreme that the deceased was waylaid on her way home to Como and was forcibly taken to another locality which, by coincidence, possessed the same combination of soil and other artefacts."

Justice Martin said he was satisfied that Mrs Rayney was "in difficulty" and lying on the ground when the seed pods became caught in her hair.

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Tinley quits as Labor housing spokesman

Labor MP Peter Tinley, who has resigned as an opposition spokesman. Picture: Marie Nirme Source: PerthNow

PETER Tinley has announced his resignation from the shadow cabinet because of expected "personal upheaval" as a result of his family's involvement with a company that has gone into receivership.

Mr Tinley issued a statement this afternoon, saying he had resigned from the shadow portfolios of planning, housing and local jobs.

"This morning, Thursday November 1, BHP Billiton placed the company Port Village Accommodation and related companies into receivership," the statement said.

"My wife is a director of a company which has invested in Port Village Accommodation. I am not a director or shareholder in any of the related companies. I am a beneficiary to our family trust which has invested in one of the related companies.

"I resigned directorship responsibilities in the companies prior to becoming the Member for Willagee. I am deeply saddened that Port Village Accommodation has been placed into receivership in spite of the effort of all parties in the project.

"However as a result of today's development, there is no doubt going to be great personal upheaval and stress upon my family over the coming months.

"For this reason, I have decided to resign from my shadow portfolio duties of Planning, Housing and Local Jobs as I now need to devote time to supporting my wife and family through the ensuing months as well as serve the people in the electorate of Willagee."

Opposition Leader Mark McGowan confirmed he has accepted Mr Tinley's resignation from shadow cabinet.

"Peter Tinley informed me of his decision today, I thanked him for his efforts and wished him and his family all the best as they deal with the challenges ahead. I respect Peter's decision to focus on his family and the electorate of Willagee," Mr McGowan said.

"I have decided to assign the portfolios of Housing and Planning to Bill Johnston who also holds State Development and Energy. Fran Logan will add Local Jobs to his portfolios of Corrective Services and Water."

Mr Tinley has been touted as a future leader of the WA Labor Party.

A former SAS major, he won the seat of Willagee in 2009 after the resignation of former premier Alan Carpenter.

Just before his victory in the by-election, Mr Tinley agreed to pay the former operator of a Port Hedland caravan park after delays in the multi-million-dollar sale of the caravan park.

At the time, Kimberley Scott told media he had sold the Port Hedland Caravan Park to Mr Tinley's Port Village Accommodation but had not yet been paid in full.

It was claimed that Mr Scott was paid a $1 million deposit - but did not receive an additional $8.5 million four weeks later. The matter was resolved before Mr Tinley won Willagee.

John Bowler to retire

Separately today, the independent member for Kalgoorlie, John Bowler, announced he would retire at the next state election in March.

Mr Bowler was a minister in the former Labor government but was dumped by the party in 2007 after being embroiled in a Corruption and Crime Commission investigation.

He won the seat of Kalgoorlie as an independent in 2008.

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Salad producer fined after finger amputation

A COMPANY has been ordered to pay more than $50,000 after an employee had two fingers chopped off in a vegetable slicer.

Harvest Freshcuts was today found guilty in Perth Magistrates Court of failing to provide and maintain a safe workplace and, by that failure, causing the employee serious harm.

The company was fined $40,000 and ordered to pay $12,000 in costs.

The business produced ready-made salads for supply to supermarkets and contained several machines to cut and slice the produce, one of which was a belt slicer.

Vegetables were placed on the slicer's conveyer belt and fed into a cutting chamber with three rotating blades.

An employee was operating the machine in June 2009 and wanted to clear some vegetable matter from the chamber.

He hit the emergency stop button and put his hand into the chamber, not knowing that the emergency stop button and interlock were not functioning because of a fault in the electrical relay.

The blades were still spinning when he put his hand in and two of his fingers were amputated to the middle knuckle.

After the incident, the employer fitted the slicer with electrical relays that were less likely to fail, and if they did fail, would fail to a safe state and cut off power to the blades.

WorkSafe acting executive director Ian Munns said the case illustrated how important it was to have lock-out and tagging procedures at workplaces with machinery.

"It's never safe to leave any piece of machinery operational while doing repairs or performing maintenance, and this case illustrates that effective lockout and tagging procedures are vitally important in any workplace where machinery is used,'' he said.

"Subsequent to this incident, the employer made the changes needed to reduce the likelihood of another incident like this, but these measures could reasonably have been taken at an earlier stage.''

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Senior managers facing fraud charges

TWO West Australian government employees have been charged with fraud and stealing, with one alleged to have fraudulently used more than $66,000 worth of Cabcharge vouchers.

Major fraud squad detectives today revealed that two separate government agencies had been investigated.

A 55-year old Wembley man has been charged with seven counts of fraud, following a probe into the misuse of corporate credit cards.

Police will allege that between 2007 and 2011, the man, who was employed as a senior manager, used his corporate credit card for unauthorised purchases worth more than $16,000.

He is due to appear in Perth Magistrates Court on December 5.

Those charges came after an investigation into corporate credit card misuse at a separate government agency, which resulted in allegations that a 60-year old Parkwood woman unlawfully used Cabcharge vouchers while employed as a senior manager.

The purchases were in excess of $66,000, police said.

The woman is due to appear in Perth Magistrates Court on January 16 to answer five counts of stealing as a servant.

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Sandy: Dozens dead, homes and lives ruined

The MTA has released vision of floodwaters in Manhattan's subway stations, promising to return services to customers safely and efficiently. Vision: MTA

An ambulance sits abandoned in the middle of a flooded street after Sandy in Hoboken, New Jersey. Picture: Michael Bocchieri/Getty Images/AFP Source: AFP

Damage caused by a fire at Breezy Point in the New York City borough of Queens. Picture: Frank Franklin II Source: AP

Officials are estimating at least 50 homes have been destroyed as a fire ravages a flooded Queens.

An explosion at a Con-Ed power plant is caught on CCTV camera in New York City. Credit: TrillianMedia.

SUPERSTORM Sandy has smashed into the American northeast, leaving millions without power and parts of Manhattan underwater. Conditions remain dangerous as this one-of-a-kind storm moves inland.

 Live updates, photos, news and alerts will be posted here as they come to hand.

8.15pm: The Twitter troll who became an online villain after several false tweets about the destruction of Hurricane Sandy has apologised and resigned from a Republican congressional campaign.

Twitterati had heaped criticism on ComfortablySmug after the micro-blogger claimed the New York Stock Exchange was flooded and that Consolidated Edison was shutting off all power to New York City during the storm.

Both "breaking" news posts were refuted by authorities, but not before being retweeted hundreds of times, sparking panic as the massive storm devastated the US east coast and claimed dozens of lives.

After going silent for several hours, ComfortablySmug offered "the people of New York a sincere, humble and unconditional apology".

The Buzzfeed online news site had earlier identified ComfortablySmug as a 29-year-old hedge fund analyst and the campaign manager of New York Republican congressional candidate Christopher Wright.

6.25pm: NYC will be open for business on Wednesday. ''The financial markets will resume, as will businesses in all 5 boros,'' New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg tweeted. He also urged New Yorkers to share cabs with 4000 yellow cabs the first to hit the streets as of 4.30pm on Tuesday.

A car is upended on a mailbox on Surf Avenue in Coney Island, New York, in the aftermath of Sandy. Picture: AP Source: AP

6.15pm: Buses returned back on the road for limited service from 5pm Tuesday, and are expected to be almost at normal strength by Wednesday morning, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York tweeted.

This photo provided by Metropolitan Transportation Authority shows people boarding a bus, as partial bus service was restored on Tuesday. Picture: AP Source: AP

6pm: Limited air travel is expected to return to the New York City metro area on Wednesday. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey says John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and Newark International Airport in New Jersey will open at 7am with limited service, CBS News reports

5.45pm: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has spoken of his devastation over the destruction caused by super storm Sandy. "The Jersey Shore of my youth is gone," he tweeted. "It was an emotionally overwhelming afternoon for me as a son of this state."

"We will rebuild the Shore," he said. "It may not be the same, but we will rebuild."

"Tomorrow we start recovery. We can be sad but, sorrow should not replace resilience."

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie holds a media briefing on damage and recovery efforts. High winds and a massive storm surge caused major destruction to the Jersey Shore and throughout the Garden State. Source: Getty Images

5.30pm: Eight young Aboriginal athletes from the Northern Territory, far north Queensland and regional NSW are pushing ahead with plans to run the New York marathon on Sunday. The marathon is going ahead despite devastation left by super storm Sandy.

The squad - Korey Summers, Justin Gaykamangu, Marius Clarke, Kieren De Santis, Grace Eather, Emma Cameron, Jurgean Tabuai, Nat Heath and Amber Parker - were in Sydney today ahead of their flight to the US  tomorrow morning.

Indigenous marathon runners Nat Heath, Marius Clarke, Kieren De Santis, Grace Eather, Korey Summers, Justin Gaykamangu and Amber Parker go for a jog at Bondi Beach in preparation for their trip to New York. Picture: Katrina Tepper Source: News Limited

5.20pm: These taxis aren't going anywhere anytime soon, overwhelmed by floodwaters in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Taxis sit in a flooded lot after Hurricane Sandy in Hoboken, New Jersey Picture: AFP Source: AFP

5.15pm: A man smiles relieved to find a free charging station offered by a 7-Eleven store in an area with power in Manhattan.

People charge their devices at a free charging station offered by a 7-Eleven store in an area with power in Manhattan. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

5.05pm: The super storm has forced the American Red Cross to cancel more than 300 blood drives, causing a shortfall of more than 9000 blood and platelet donations across 14 states that would otherwise be available for those needing transfusions.

4.55pm: The toxic stew of raw sewage, industrial chemicals and floating debris that has filled flooded waterways around New York may threaten the health of residents, the Huffington Post reports.

"Normally, sewer overflows are just discharged into waterways and humans that generate the sewage can avoid the consequences by avoiding the water," said John Lipscomb of the clean water advocacy group Riverkeeper. "But in this case, that waste has come back into our communities."

4.15pm: For the second night in a row, superstorm Sandy and its aftermath forced David Letterman to live out that performer's nightmare: Telling jokes to a vacant theatre, or as he called it, "a big ol' empty barn''.

Letterman hosting the Late Show to an unpeopled Ed Sullivan Theatre on Tuesday, as he did on Monday, says the Associated Press, was the oddest sight of the continuing cultural fallout of the hurricane.

4.00pm: One clever thinking individual hooked his bicycle to generate electricity for people to charge their mobile phones.

A man rides a bicycle to generate electricity so residents can charge their cell phones after Hurricane Sandy left them without power. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

A man rides a bicycle to generate electricity so residents can charge their phones. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

Others took the opportunity to have a party.

Residents have a party on the sidewalk during the blackout after Hurricane Sandy. OuctyreL AFP Source: AFP

3.55pm: Employees of the restaurant 'Zum Schneider' enjoy food and beers in the empty dark  dining room

Employees of the restaurant "Zum Schneider" enjoy food and beers in the empty dining room during a power outage caused by Hurricane Sandy. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

3.53pm: It's night in New York, and many areas are still without power.

Cars drive down a darkened 2nd Avenue after Hurricane Sandy. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

3.40pm: The  New Jersey National Guard has come to Hoboken to help residents of the heavily flooded city on the Hudson River across from New York City, the Associated Press reports.

Officials announced the Guard's arrival in messages posted late on Tuesday on the city's Twitter and Facebook accounts. It says Guard members will use high-wheeled vehicles to assist in evacuating residents and delivering supplies to flooded areas in the 2.6-square-kilometre city.

A resident walks through floodwaters in the aftermath of superstorm Sandy in Hoboken, New Jersey. Source: AP

3.20pm: New York University Hospital lost years of scientific research after the Smilow building lost power during the superstorm, destroying precious enzymes, antibodies, DNA and thousands of mice, the Daily News reports.

2:48pm: The death toll for super storm Sandy has now risen to 50, according to the Associated Press.

A weakening Sandy, the hurricane turned fearsome super storm, has killed at least 50 people, many hit by falling trees, and still isn't finished.

As it inched inland across Pennsylvania, it was ready to dump more of its water and likely cause more havoc. Behind it: a dazed, inundated New York City, a waterlogged Atlantic Coast and a moonscape of disarray and debris - from unmoored shore-town boardwalks to submerged mass-transit systems to delicate presidential politics.

2:18pm: An off-duty New York police officer has drowned in Staten Island trying to rescue his family from super storm Sandy, CBS News reports.

NYPD officer Artur Kasprzak, who died during the storm helping family. Picture: Facebook http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=378116695598452&l=35e4131a99 Source: Facebook

Officer Artur Kasprzak, 28, reportedly died after pulling six members of his family into his attic so they could escape the rising waters.

2:12pm: As residents in America's northeast endure the wind and rain from super storm Sandy, the state of Georgia now faces a higher risk of dangerous wildfires.

The Georgia Forestry Commission said the dry conditions, mixed with the high winds from the storm, creates a huge hazard, as WRCB TV reports.

2:10pm: A 13-year-old girl was killed when a catastrophic wave destroyed her family home on Staten Island, the Daily Mail reports.

Angela Dresch, 13, died when her Staten Island home was hit by the storm surge during Superstorm Sandy. Picture: Facebook Source: Supplied

Angela Dresch, whose house was in the mandatory evacuation zone, was found dead, her mother is in a critical condition and her father is still missing.

Neighbours said the family refused to leave their house as it was looted during  Tropical Storm Irene last year.

 2:03pm: The man behind a US-based Twitter account which yesterday posted misinformation about the storm that many American news organisations re-tweeted has resigned from his post as a Congressional aid for a Republican candidate, BuzzFeed reports.

The Twitter handle- Comfortably Numb- yesterday began a rumour that the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange had flooded and that a power company was cutting off power to customers before the storm hit. Read his full resignation statement here.

Watch this video for a look at the damage from the air above New Jersey.

The US National Guard has released aerial footage of the New Jersey coastline in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

1:45pm: Photographer Michael Cinquino has captured a stunning view of New York City as seen from Brooklyn.

A view of the Big Apple from Brooklyn after Sandy as caputred by photographer Michael Cinquino: "New York City. View from Brooklyn: 10.30.1" he tweeted." Source: Supplied

1:15pm: US fashion retailer American Apparel is no stranger to controversy, but their storm-themed sale which offered a 20 per cent discount "in case you are bored during the storm" has angered many, according to tech website Mashable.

Also watch amazing amateur footage taken of flooding in Stuyvesant Town in New York.

Flooding from Hurricane Sandy in Stuyvesant Town, NYC. Credit: Daniela Kafshi

12:59pm: US President Barack Obama's re-election bid could be helped by super storm Sandy because people look to leaders during times of emergency, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani told AAP.

Obama has suspended campaigning in the lead-up to the November 6 poll as he returns to Washington DC to oversee the national response to Sandy.

Meanwhile, here's a look at where the storm will head next, plus this incredible image of flood damage in the East Village in New York has been posted on Twitter.

Nadiya Anderson @NadiyaaAndEast Village NYC #Sandy #Hurricane http://instagr.am/p/RaMI21hg5i/ Picture: Twitter Source: Twitter

12.52pm: Relatives have paid tribute to a young Jewish couple who were killed by a falling tree in Brooklyn while walking their dog, the New York Observer reports.

Student Jacob Vogelman, 23, and teacher Jessie Streich-Kest, 24, were found dead  in Brooklyn's Ditmas Park neighbourhood.

"Jessie loved life and was deeply devoted to social justice,'' a family spokesman said in an email statement.

The South Ferry subway station, near Battery Park, is flooded with seawater. Source: AP

This photo provided by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority shows the South Ferry subway station after it was flooded during superstorm Sandy. Source: AP

12.40pm: The New York Times says the city's subway may be closed for four or five days due to flooded tunnels. Transit officials who surveyed the damage to the system found battered stations and damaged signals. The South Ferry station at the southern tip of Manhattan was filled "track to ceiling'' with water, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said.

12.36pm: A heartwarming story has emerged from the New York Aquarium at Coney Island, which was badly hit by Superstorm Sandy. Staff stayed on-site throughout the night to care for orphaned baby walrus Mitik, who has had health issues since his rescue.

A beachfront house is left badly damaged in the aftermath of yesterday's surge from superstorm Sandy. Source: AP

12.28pm: CNN is reporting that 6.9 million customers are without power in 15 states and Washington D.C. - about 1 million less than four hours ago.

12.24pm: Lovable muppet Elmo appeared on WNYC radio to help kids deal with the Sandy disaster and was asked by  one young fan if he was scared during the storm.

"Yeah but Elmo was with his mummy and daddy and he asked a lot of questions about what was happening,'' he said, adding that he wondered if the wind would ever stop.

"If Elmo's friends don't have electricity it will be on very, very soon and be careful out there,'' he said.

12:18pm: New York's JFK and Newark airports will reopen for some flights tomorrow, local time, according to CBS News.

12.10pm: The US economy will absorb the cost of cleaning up after Sandy, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani says.  Mr Giuliani, who is in Sydney for the Property Council's annual conference, said New Yorkers would bounce back from the monster storm. The clean-up and reconstruction is expected to cost about $45 billion.

12.02pm: The New Jersey Turnpike will reopen tomorrow, local time, according to nj.com. The toll road, which was shut down from exit 14 due to chlorine fumes, will resume from 6.30am on Wednesday.

11.52am: The New Jersey Shore, famous for its amusement parks and fine white sand beaches could be among the  areas hardest hit by Superstorm Sandy, NBC News reports.

Aerial shots of the iconic beach strip show boats tossed inland and shredded boardwalks. Governor Chris Christie has called the damage "unthinkable."

Boats cluster together at a marina in Brant Beach, on Long Beach Island on the New Jersey shore. Picture: AP /Philadelphia Inquirer, Clem Murray Source: AP

A portion of Harvey Cedars on Long Beach Island, New Jersey, is underwater a day after Superstorm Sandy blew across the New Jersey barrier islands. Source: AP

11.43am: A crane dangling precariously from a high-storey building in New York remains "stable" but experts worry it could still crash to the ground.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said t "the Department of Buildings has determined that the crane is currently stable," but high winds are preventing further work on the site, ABC news reports.
 

11:30am: No Australians have been killed, injured or hurt by the deadly Superstorm Sandy, Foreign Minister Bob Carr said.

Senator Carr said reports so far indicated none of the estimated 24,000 Australians in the area were in "great trouble''. "This is a great relief,'' Senator Carr told ABC radio.

Meanwhile, Sandy has destroyed 70 per cent of the crops in southern Haiti and caused widespread deaths of livestock while in neighbouring Jamaica it's left at least $16.5m worth of damage, officials told Associated Press.

A mighty blizzard buckets down on West Virginia, dropping a metre of snow and toppling trees. Vision: Fox News

11:19am: Amid the scenes of devastation in New Jersey, some residents reacted to the storm with spirit.

In one poignant photograph posted on Twitter by local WABCTV reporter Newton Jones Burkett shows one tough New Jersey resident holding a sign which reads "count your blessings".

This photo of a New Jersey resident was posted on Twitter by local WABCTV reoprter Newton Burkett. Picture: Twitter Source: Supplied

"You have to admire the spirit of the people in the West End of Long Beach," Mr Burkett tweeted.

11:10am: Claudia McCann the wife of Robin Walbridge who captained the replica ship of the HMS Bounty who remains missing at sea after the boat got caught in the storm said he was a storm veteran.  "He was the best in the industry," she said.

11.02am: New York City will be open for business from tomorrow, says Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

"NYC will be open for business tomorrow. The financial markets will resume, as will businesses in all 5 boros #Sandy," he tweeted.

Meanwhile if you want to know what it's like to live through this kinds of storm, take a look at these pictures taken by Australian journalist Sean Plambeck.

New York residents line up to use a payphone. Picture: Sean Plambeck Source: Supplied

A sign for a New York bar. Picture: Sean Plambeck Source: Supplied

Inside a bar in New York City following Sandy's power outages. Picture: Sean Plambeck Source: Supplied

10.59am: Not even the Boss can beat Superstorm Sandy with the rock star cancelling a gig due to the disaster.

A Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band concert scheduled for tonight US time at the Rochester Blue Cross Arena in upstate New York was postponed until Wednesday because of flight cancellations for the band and ticket holders.

10.48am: Monmouth County in New Jersey is imposing a curfew on all residents in the "interests of safety and security".  All residents need to be off the streets by 7pm local time, nj.com is reporting. The curfew will stay in place until 7am Wednesday local time and only "essential personnel" are allowed outside to deal with the disaster.

Storm-weary residents in Statten Island said "Sandy you broke our hearts" in a poignant message left on a damaged home. A photo of the message, written in pink spray-paint was posted on Twitter by local WABCTV reporter Lucy Yang. Source: Supplied

10.43am: AN Australian who weathered Superstorm Sandy joins the stunned populace of New York to examine the damage done to one of the greatest cities in the world. Read the full account here.

People look at homes and businesses destroyed during Hurricane Sandy in the Rockaway section of the Queens borough of New York City. Picture: Spencer Platt Source: AFP

10.41am: The pictures coming out of the east coast of the United States continue to amaze.

10.35am: NY Mayor Bloomberg has tweeted that the city's schools will remain closed tomorrow, and that 2.6 million households remain without power. "Con Ed is working as fast as they can to restore power. We are doing everything possible to help.  Power and transit remain our biggest challenges. It's a mammoth job".

Point Pleasant is now a wasteland of sand and broken houses. Vision: Fox News

10.29am: Most of the shows in New York's iconic Broadway theatre district will re-open tomorrow, after being suspended as Hurricane Sandy bore down on the city. Some of the city's most popular shows, including Jersey Boys and The Book of Mormon, were to open for either tomorrow's matinee or evening performances, the official Broadway League industry group said in a statement.

10.23am: NY Mayor Bloomberg: I  visited Breezy Point Qns. where 80 homes burned. The area is completely leveled. Fortunately there were no fatalities.  We can now confirm 18 fatalities citywide. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and friends. I can't say enough about the extraordinary work of our first responders at the FDNY and NYPD, EMS, hospital workers, and more.

10.18am: The subway station beneath New York's World Trade Centre.

Flooding at the Path station beneath the World Trade Centre, New York. Picture: nygovcuomo / twitter Source: Supplied

10.12am: President Obama has conferred with power and utility executives, asserting that the restoration of power to the areas hardest hit by Superstorm Sandy must be "a top priority". He has offered the utilities the services of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

10:02am: New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has visited Breezy Point in Queens to look at the damage.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg surveys the damage caused by Sandy at Breezy Point in Queens. Picture: Instagram/ supplied by New York City Mayor's office Source: Supplied

 Mayor Bloomberg said New Yorkers are pulling together in this crisis.

"We've seen an enormous outpouring of support from people who want to volunteer & contribute," he tweeted.

9:41am: The death toll from the disaster now stands at 48 in the US alone, according to the Associated Press.

9:40am: An Australian mother has given birth amid the chaos of Superstorm Sandy after having an epidural by torchlight and being evacuated during labor. Chat with other Australians living through this disaster LIVE from 10:30am AEDT.

9:30am: Incredible images of the devestation emerging from Breezy Point in Queens where the superstorm sparked a fire that burnt 80 homes.

This aerial photo shows burned-out homes in the Breezy Point section of the Queens borough New York. Picture: AP Photo/Mike Groll Source: AP

Robert Connolly, left, embraces his wife Laura as they survey the remains of the home owned by her parents that burned to the ground in the Breezy Point section of New York. Picture: AP/Mark Lennihan Source: AP

9:21am: Superstorm Sandy grounded more than 18,000 flights across the globe, and it will take days before air travel gets back to normal.

According to the flight-tracking service FlightAware, more than 7,000 flights were canceled on yesterday alone. Delays rippled across the US, affecting travelers in cities from San Francisco to Atlanta. Some passengers attempting to fly out of Europe and Asia also were stuck.

Meanwhile, more vision has emerged of the key moments of the last 24 hours of the superstorm.

Americans are waking to devastation following hurricane Sandy

9.16am: Three commercial nuclear power reactors remain shut in the aftermath of superstorm Sandy while another plant - the oldest in the United States - is still on alert.

Nine Mile Point Unit 1 reactor on Lake Ontario, northwest of Syracuse, New York, shut down automatically Monday night when an electrical fault occurred on a power line used to send electricity from the plant to the grid, according to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The second reactor at the site lost one of its incoming power lines, causing a backup generator to start. That reactor was continuing to produce electricity.

Another nuclear reactor, Indian Point's Unit 3, about 40km north of New York City, was shut down Monday because of external electrical grid issues, said operator Entergy Corp.

9.10am: The search for the sick and injured continues as many homeowners return to their properties for the first time.

Two New York City Fire Department firefighters view damage in a neighborhood in the Breezy Point area of Queens in New York. Picture: /Stan HONDA Source: AFP

A man surveys the damage to his basement after flooding due to Hurricane Sandy in Little Ferry, New Jersey. Picture: Andrew Burton Source: AFP

New York Police Department divers walk through a flooded area in the Breezy Point area of Queens in New York that was hit hard by Hurricane Sandy. Picture: Stan HONDA Source: AFP

9.05am: New York mayor Michael Bloomberg says the New York City Marathon will go ahead as scheduled this Sunday.

9.03am: Repairing the power and mass transit system is a "massive job", Mayor Michael Bloomberg told a news conference.

9am: Mayor Michael Bloomberg says storm has resulted in 18 fatalities in NYC. A number of bodies have been found in seafront districts hit by the storm on Monday night, causing widespread flooding and more than 20 major blazes.

8.49am: President Obama will tour storm-damaged regions of New Jersey with tough-talking Governor Chris Christie tomorrow, the White House has announced. The tour will replace President Obama's previously scheduled election campaign trail events.

8.48am: NASA has released a time-lapse video of satellite images showing the growth of Hurricane Sandy through to after it struck the United States' east coast.

From start to finish, NASA satellites capture hurricane Sandy's massive size

8.43am: Some habits die hard. New Yorkers gather around a closed Starbucks coffee shop.

Why are these New Yorkers clustered outside a closed Starbucks? Two words: working wifi. Picture: nowthisnews / twitter Source: Supplied

8.40am: The floodwaters that poured into New York's deepest subway tunnels may pose the biggest obstacle to the city's recovery from the worst natural disaster in the transit system's 108-year history. The head of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said it was too early to tell how long it would take to pump them dry and make repairs. Critical electrical equipment could be ruined. Track beds could be covered with debris. Corrosive salt water could have destroyed essential switches, lights, turnstiles and the power-conducting third rail.

8.33am: New video footage shows the extent of damage to houses and properties along the New Jersey shoreline.

See an aerial view of the obliterated homes and condos along the Jersey shoreline. Vision Fox News

8.25am: The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority says it will resume regional rail services tomorrow morning US time. A statement from the company says it expects to reopen subways and bus services later today.

Watch the storm roll into Manhattan and take out the power through the night. Vision: Richard Shepherd

8.02am: New York City's famous marathon is looking increasingly unlikely to go ahead as scheduled on Sunday. Marathon officials insisted yesterday - before the storm hit - that the race would go ahead as planned. However, the extent of damage now makes running an event of such a scale unlikely. Organisers say they will make an announcement later this morning.

A woman shops for groceries by flashlight in the Tribeca neighborhood of New York. Picture: Richard Drew Source: AP

7.49am: The total death toll and damage cost from Superstorm Sandy continues to grow.

• United States: The death toll, which is not yet final, stands at 38. Most deaths have been attributed to falling trees.
• Canada: One woman was killed when struck by a falling object.
• Haiti: The storm did not directly hit Haiti but it brought several days of drenching rains, causing rivers to overrun their banks across much of southern Haiti. Officials say as much as 70 per cent of crops were destroyed in some areas. The official death toll was 52.
• Cuba: Officials say the storm killed 11 people, including an infant, damaged more than 130,000 homes, and destroyed about 15,000 homes in eastern Cuba.
• Jamaica: One elderly man was killed when a boulder rolled onto his property and crushed him as the eye of Sandy traveled over eastern Jamaica. Floodwaters flattened farms, ripped roofs off houses in shantytowns and marooned rural areas.
• Bahamas: Police say the hurricane apparently killed two people, including the CEO of a bank who fell from his roof while he was trying to repair a window shutter.
• Dominican Republic: The storm killed two young men who drowned while attempting to cross rivers in separate incidents. Nearly  30,000 people were evacuated due to widespread flooding in the south of the country, including parts of the capital.
• Puerto Rico: The U.S. island territory was spared a direct hit but heavy rains caused flooding on the island. One death was reported, a man who was swept away in a rain-swollen river near the southern town of Juana Diaz

7.38am: New York's annual Halloween parade has been cancelled because of superstorm Sandy. "For the first time in our 39 year history, the mayor's emergency management and the NYPD have cancelled the parade,'' organisers said in a statement on their website.

People in New York's Tribeca neighborhood wait for a chance to charge their mobile phones on an available generator setup on a sidewalk. Picture: Richard Drew Source: AP

7.29am: There are reports that some Australians are walking up to 80 blocks towards uptown New York to find internet connections to let people back home know they are okay.
Here's a facebook post from Johnny Mackay from the band Children Collide.
"Thanks for your concern everyone. We're totally fine. No power, hot water or phone service. Candles are fun. It was kind of like camping. Today we walked 80 blocks uptown to civilization and sweet, sweet Internet. Mwah, mwah, mwah. I look forward to catching up on what exactly happened. x"

West Broadway is seen covered in beach sand due to flooding from Hurricane Sandy in Long Beach, New York. Pictur: Mike Stobe Source: AFP

7.25am: Superstorm Sandy will end up causing about $US20 billion in property damages and $10 billion to $30 billion more in lost business, according to IHS Global Insight, a forecasting firm.

In the long run, the devastation the storm inflicted on New York City and other parts of the Northeast will barely nick the US economy.

The short-term blow to the economy, though, could subtract about  0.6 percentage point from US economic growth in the October-December quarter, IHS says

Christopher Hannafin enters a friend's cottage through a window to salvage belongings from the structure destroyed by Superstorm Sandy, on Roy Carpenter's Beach, in the village of Matunuck, in South Kingstown. Picture: Steven Senne Source: AP

7.22am: Former Bush era FEMA director Michael Brown has criticised President Obama's response to Superstorm Sandy as being too speedy.
"One thing hes gonna be asked is, why did he jump on [the hurricane] so quickly and go back to D.C. so quickly when inBenghazi, he went to Las Vegas? Brown says. Why was this so quick? At some point, somebodys going to ask that question. This is like the inverse of Benghazi."

7.12am: The US Federal Communications Commission has reported that "a very small number of 911 emergency call centres are down". Calls are being re-routed to centres in states not affected by Superstorm Sandy, it says.

7.11am: The New Jersey Transit authority has tweeted an image showing cargo containers and boats washed on to the Morgan Draw Bridge.

Debris on the Morgan Draw Bridge. Picture: New Jersey Transit / twitter Source: Supplied

7.09am: Hurricane Sandy - by the numbers.

• 38 reported dead in the United States, one in Canada
• 200, including 20 babies, evacuated from NYU-Tish Hospital after flooding and power failure
• 8 million people are without power, from South Carolina to Maine
• 18,000 flights have been cancelled, and growing
• 6100 in New York emergency shelters
• 4.7 million children staying home from school
• 7 subway tunnels flooded

6.54am: Pictures show the devastation in the New York City borough of Queens after fire destroyed between 80 and 100 homes.

A fire fighter surveys the smoldering ruins of a house in the Breezy Point section of New York. More than 50 homes were destroyed in a fire which swept through the oceanfront community during superstorm Sandy.Pictur: /Mark Lennihan Source: AP

Homes destroyed by a fire at Breezy Point are shown, in the New York City borough of Queens. More than 190 firefighters contained the six-alarm blaze fire. Picture: Frank Franklin II Source: AP

6.34am: Sandy has stopped filming of shows like Gossip Girl, but New York's late-night talk show hosts are vowing to stay on air. Read more here.

6.21am: The airports within New York City remain closed, and you can see why with this picture taken by airline JetBlue at LaGuardia Airport in Queens.

6.12am: Instagram, the photo-sharing app recently acquired by Facebook, came into the limelight this week as a key source for pictures showing the devastation of Hurricane Sandy.

Photos of the storm were popping up on many social networks including Twitter and Google+, but Instagram data showed at least 521,000 photos with the hashtag Sandy.

Another 306,000 were tagged #hurricaneSandy and 39,000 tagged #Frankenstorm.

6.07am: President Barack Obama will travel to New Jersey Wednesday to view storm damage from Hurricane Sandy with Republican Governor Chris Christie, the White House said.

Mr Obama will also visit victims of the huge storm and will thank "first responders who put their lives at risk to protect their communities," White House spokesman Jay Carney said in a statement.

US President Barack Obama gives a statement about the US government's response to superstorm Sandy at a Red Cross in Washington. Picture: Jewel Samad Source: AFP

5.56am: US President Barack Obama said today the crisis sparked by superstorm Sandy was not over and vowed to do whatever it took to handle a disaster which he said had left America heartbroken.

"This storm is not yet over," Mr Obama warned during a visit to the headquarters of the American Red Cross in Washington, adding that people affected by the storm needed to know "America is with you."

The president said his message to government officials is "no bureaucracy. No red tape."

"Obviously this is something that is heartbreaking for the entire nation," President Obama said.

A bartender at the International Bar in the East Village of New York makes drinks in the dark as New Yorkers cope with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Picture: TIMOTHY A. CLARY Source: AFP

5.50am: The New York Stock Exchange will reopen on Wednesday, officials said. The exchange said in a statement Tuesday that its building and trading floor are fully operational and that normal trading will resume at the usual starting time of 9:30 am.

There had been erroneous reports Monday that the exchange floor had flooded. Exchange spokesman Ray Pellecchia said the exchange's building did not have any flooding or damage.

Tuesday marks the first time since 1888 that the NYSE remained closed for two consecutive days because of weather. The earlier shutdown was caused by a massive snow storm.

5.41am: Searches along the US north-east coast have revealed the death toll from the storm is now 38. The Associated Press breaks down the toll state-by-state as:

New York: 17

Pennsylvania: 5

New Jersey: 4

Connecticut: 3

Maryland: 2

Virginia: 2

West Virginia: 1

North Carolina: 1

Off the coast of North Carolina: 1

A general view of submerged cars on Ave. C and 7th st, after severe flooding caused by Hurricane Sandy. Picture: Christos Pathiakis Source: AFP

5.39am: Sandy will end up causing as much as $US50 billion through damages and lost business, AP reports. The estimate totals about $US20 billion in damages and $US10 billion to $US30 billion more in lost business, according to IHS Global Insight, a forecasting firm.

In the long run, the devastation the storm inflicted on New York City and other parts of the Northeast will barely nick the US economy. That's the view of economists who say higher gas prices and a slightly slower economy in coming weeks will likely be matched by reconstruction and repairs that will contribute to growth over time.

The short-term blow to the economy, though, could subtract about 0.6 percentage point from US economic growth in the October-December quarter, IHS says. Retailers, airlines and home construction firms will likely lose some business.

5.04am: Hurricane Sandy has had an economic impact well beyond its already impressive physical size, with European stock and oil markets, airlines and insurance companies all affected by the storm.

"When New York is closed, there is roughly 40 per cent less volume in Paris," said stock trader Yves Marcais at Global Equities.

"The real engine is still Wall Street," he added as trading in New York was suspended for a second day, marking the first time traders have been told to stay away since the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.

Trading volume in Frankfurt amounted to less than 2.0 billion euros ($2.52 billion), almost half the average recorded by the German financial capital last week.

4.45am: The US death toll has risen to 35, the Associated Press reports.

4.28am: Some good news for American drivers. The price of petrol has fallen after Hurricane Sandy.

The US average for a gallon (3.8L) of regular fell by about a penny, to $US3.53 ($3.41). That's more than 11 cents lower than a week ago. Gasoline futures fell a penny to $US2.63.

With many roads impassable, drivers won't be filling up as much, which will slow demand for petrol.

"It will take some time before we can get demand anywhere close to normal," independent energy analyst Phil Flynn wrote in his daily energy report. "Many people are staying home if possible."

4.19am: The New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq exchange have announced they will reopen at 12.30am AEDT tomorrow after Hurricane Sandy forced a two-day shutdown, the markets' first closure since the 9/11 attacks of 2001.

"We are pleased to be able to return to normal trading tomorrow," said NYSE Euronext chief executive Duncan Niederauer. "Our building and systems were not damaged and our people have been working diligently to ensure that we have a smooth opening tomorrow."

4.02am: Internet traffic and websites worldwide have been hit by the effects of superstorm Sandy which has damaged data centres or cut their power, industry sources say.

The storm slammed into the east coast of the United States, causing power cuts and heavy flooding in a zone where some 150 data centres are situated, in the states of Virginia, New Jersey and New York, according to a tally by the site Datacentermap.

Data centres, which house and treat computer data, are the nerve centres housing the servers that contain companies' strategic data and through which there flow the data from telecommunications operators and online content sites.

3.43am: The impact of Sandy isn't just being felt on the coast, as these pictures from West Virgina and Ohio show.

An ambulance is stuck in over a foot of snow off of Highway 33 West, near Belington, West Virginia. Picture: Robert Ray Source: AP

Waves pound a lighthouse on the shores of Lake Erie, near Cleveland. High winds spinning off the edge of superstorm Sandy took a vicious swipe at northeast Ohio, uprooting trees, cutting power to hundreds of thousands, closing schools and flooding parts of major commuter arteries that run along Lake Erie. Picture: Tony Dejak Source: AP

3.34am: Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is collecting relief supplies in Ohio in an attempt to strike the right tone in the aftermath of superstorm Sandy.

Mr Romney told Dayton-area voters that Americans have "heavy hearts" because of suffering along the East Coast. He thanked attendees for their donations, but didn't mention President Barack Obama in his brief remarks.

Mr Romney's campaign had neatly lined up toothpaste, nappies, canned food and other goods before Mr Romney's appearance. After he spoke, he collected bags of relief goods from supporters.

US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney helps to gather donated goods as he attends a storm relief campaign event in Kettering, Ohio. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

3.10am: New York's stock markets will likely reopen late tonight AEDT after a two-day shutdown due to Hurricane Sandy, despite the widespread power outages and flooding still affecting the city, New York state governor Andrew Cuomo said.

"I spoke with (US Treasury Secretary) Tim Geithner about accelerating the return of Wall Street and we are cautiously optimistic that Wall Street will be back online tomorrow," he said.

2.57am: The US death toll has climbed to 33, the Associated Press says, with many of the victims killed by falling trees.

The death toll climbed rapidly, and included 17 victims in New York State - 10 of them in New York City - along with four dead in Pennsylvania and three in New Jersey. Sandy also killed 69 people in the Caribbean.

2.46am: Travel chaos has shown little sign of abating as flooding, power outages and strong winds from Sandy have kept thousands of airplanes on the ground and buses and trains in their terminals.

More than 16,000 flights have been cancelled since Sandy first began battering the eastern United States on Sunday and regular schedules are not expected to resume before Thursday at the earliest.

New York's three main airports are closed - and LaGuardia even has flood water on the runways - and there is no word yet on when they will reopen.

2.32am: President Obama has cancelled campaign stops in Ohio on Wednesday to deal with aftermath of superstorm Sandy.

2.30am: A US Coast Guard ship is continuing to search for the skipper of an HMS Bounty-replica that has featured in Hollywood movies but sank in raging seas spawned by superstorm Sandy, leaving one other crew member dead. Read more here.

This photo provided by the US Coast Guard shows the HMS Bounty, a 180-foot sailboat, submerged in the Atlantic Ocean during Hurricane Sandy. Picture: AP Source: AP

2.13am: At least 10 people were killed when superstorm Sandy hit New York, city mayor Michael Bloomberg just said.

"Tragically we expect that number to go up," Mr Bloomberg warned at a press conference.

2:12am: More than 8.1 million homes and businesses were left without electric power across the eastern United States with superstorm Sandy still moving across the region, the US government said.

The most extensive outages were reported in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania where millions were plunged in darkness by the storm, the US Department of Energy said.

2.05am: Phone and cable companies are still assessing the damage in the storm-hit areas of the East Coast amid widespread reports of phone outages in flooded areas.

Cablevision, which serves parts of Long Island, New York City and New Jersey, says it's experiencing widespread outages due to the loss of power. Verizon Communications, the biggest phone company in the region, says some facilities in downtown Manhattan are flooded, shutting down phone and internet service. The company doesn't yet know the extent of outages in New Jersey, which bore the brunt of the storm.

AT&T says there are "issues" in hard-hit areas, and it's in the early stages of checking for damage and restoring service.

1.50am: The scene at Breezy Point in New York where 50 homes burned but so far no deaths have been reported.

Damage caused by a fire at Breezy Point in the New York City borough of Queens. Picture: Frank Franklin II Source: AP

1.41am: A hopeful sign of better things to come for New York City.

1.17am: The Associated Press reports that the death toll from Sandy in the US has climbed to 18, including six in New York, four in Pennsylvania and three in New Jersey, with most of the victims killed by falling trees. Sandy also killed 69 people in the Caribbean before making its way up the US Eastern Seaboard.

1.13am: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie says 2.4 million homes are without electricity in his state, twice as many as when Hurricane Irene hit last year. He also asks bosses to encourage their workers to stay at home for the day as commuting may be dangerous.

1.00am: A water tanker has washed ashore on New York's Staten Island during the storm.

12.34am: The massive relief operation that is unfolding to help Sandy victims may also prove uncomfortable for Mitt Romney.

The New York Times and Washington Post are already highlighting how Mr Romney had suggested in a Republican candidates debate last year that a big government agency was not the best way to handle disaster relief.

"Every time you have an occasion to take something from the federal government and send it back to the states, that's the right direction and if you can go even further and send it back to the private sector, that's even better," he said.

Mr Romney's campaign has since said that he would not abolish the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) which is handling the central government's coordination of the storm effort with states.

The New York Times, which has backed Mr Obama, called Mr Romney's notion "absurd" and asked "does Mr Romney really believe that financially strapped states would do a better job than a properly functioning federal agency?"

Damage from fire destroyed about 80 houses Monday night in the flooded neighborhood of Breezy Point. Picture: Frank Franklin II Source: AP

12.25am: Firefighters in boats rescued more than 25 people from 50 homes in a New York neighbourhood that were destroyed by a mass blaze after superstorm Sandy, officials have said.

The Breezy Point district of Queens was left a smoldering tangle of wood and metal after the blaze. Firefighters said it was "a miracle" that only two minor injuries were reported.

Floodwaters were chest high on the street and firefighters used boats to make rescues, a fire department spokesman said.

About 25 people were trapped in an upstairs apartment in one home, and the apartment roof was ablaze when the people were rescued, according to New York media reports.

12.03am: The New York Times has an interesting interactive here showing the spread of power outages across the US East Coast.

Read more from day two of Superstorm Sandy

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RAYNEY VERDICT: Nervous wait after lengthy murder trial

Lloyd Rayney Source: PerthNow

BARRISTER Lloyd Rayney will learn his fate tomorrow when the Supreme Court judge in his long running murder trial delivers his verdict.

Justice Brian Martin, QC, will announce his decision at 11.30am, bringing to a close one of WA's most intriguing criminal trials.

Mr Rayney has been on trial for three and a half months, charged with the wilful murder of his estranged wife Corryn Rayney, 44, on August 7, 2007.

If convicted, it is a charge that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, with minimum terms ranging from 15 to 30 years jail.

Mr Rayney, 50, also faces an alternative count of manslaughter, which has a maximum penalty of 20 years jail.
 
The case has been heard before a judge who has been sitting without a jury.

During the trial, which began on July 16, Justice Martin heard from more than 100 witnesses, as well as received written statements from more than 200 others, and viewed more than 700 exhibits.

 
The State has contended that Mr Rayney is a calculated killer who murdered his wife, a Supreme Court registrar, because she was a threat to his private and professional life.

But Mr Rayney's lawyers have claimed he is an innocent man who had been wrongly targeted by police.

A big public turnout is expected for the verdict.

Perth barrister Tom Percy, QC, said he expected many members of Perth's legal fraternity to be in court - if they could get a seat.

Mr Percy said he hoped the courts would make arrangements for what was expected to be an "unprecedented'' public turn out.
 
He said the courts could have one or two other courtrooms available where members of the public, who hadn't been able to get a seat in the main courtroom, could watch the verdict via a videolink.

"I would hope they would have it beamed into another court room at the same time,'' he said.

"I can't remember a case that has attracted such public interest.''

Mr Rayney's civil action, in which he claims police defamed him in 2007 by identifying him as the prime and only suspect in his wife's death, is still before the courts, but was put on the backburner pending the outcome of the murder trial.

Mr Rayney also still faces a Commonwealth Telecommunications charge which relates to the tapping of the family's home telephone.

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Deadly reality of prescription painkillers

The biggest spike in opiate deaths since the heroin epidemic in the 1990s is being blamed on prescription painkillers like oxycodone. Source: news.com.au

IF you believe the politicians, use of illegal substances is the biggest problem we face. In reality deaths, overdoses and black market sales of prescription drugs is the far bigger one.

And it sweeps up people of all ages, from all walks of life.

Collectively we must be in a lot of pain. In the 15 years to 2007 there was a threefold increase in the number of prescriptions written annually for opiod painkillers to 7 million. And the number available jumped from 11 to 70!

In the United States in 2010, 254 million prescriptions were filled for opiods. This is  "enough to medicate every American adult around the clock for a month" according to analysts Cowen and Co.

The biggest of them all is not even a new drug. Oxycodone (better know by the brand name Oxycontin or "Hillbilly Heroin") has been around since 1917. 

In the US in 2008, 14,800 or 40 per cent of all accidental poisoning deaths were due to opiod painkillers. This number had trebled since 1999.

Australian figures show a doubling (from 360 to 705) of opiod overdose deaths between 2007 and 2010.

It is not just young people or celebrities like Heath Ledger. A new report by the National Drug and Alcohol Research centre found the biggest increase in accidental overdoses was in the 45-54 year old age group.

The US Centre for Disease Control and prevention estimates that for each drug related death there are:
* 10 treatment admissions due to drug abuse
* 32 ED visits for drug abuse or misuse
* 130 people who abuse or are dependent
* 825 non-medical users

So how did we get into this mess?

Up until the mid-1990s, the only way opiates could be absorbed was via injection. A US company bought the rights to oxycodone, which was long out of patent and came up with a way to get it absorbed in a time-release fashion when taken orally. It was seen as a breakthrough for those with pain due to terminal cancer.

And had it stayed just used in that setting, things may not have got out of hand. But it was promoted for use in all forms of chronic pain, such as back pain and arthritis. Worse still it was promoted as being non-addictive.

In 2007 Purdue Pharma, which makes oxycontin, pleaded guilty to misbranding the drug "with intent to defraud and mislead the public". It paid $US635 million in penalties. In 2010 revenue was over $US3 billion.

By this time the damage was done. Doctors and patients had found out the hard way. The drug caused significant side effects, didn't last the 12 hours it was claimed to, had significant withdrawal symptoms when stopped and was indeed addictive.

After I discussed this topic on talkback radio there were numerous calls. One man in his 30s got withdrawal symptoms after two weeks on the tablets. He was urged to stop the drug by friends who noted a change in his personality. Another described coming out of a haze and having been a zombie whilst on the tablets.

And out on the streets addicts had a new source of highs and profits - the local doctor and pharmacist. A prescription for 20 Oxycontin tablets costs a concession cardholder $5.60. On the street each tablet can be sold for more than that. Use a few and finance yourself with what you sell.

Is it hard to be prescribed oxycontin? Nowhere near as hard as it should be. Doctors must accept some of the blame. But doctors are also part of a society, which has in the words of Anna Lemke of Stanford University, come to see "treatment of pain as the holy grail of compassionate medical care", leading doctors to prescribe even when they may wonder about abuse.

Demand for pain relief is driven by a societal view that all suffering is avoidable. 

But at what cost?

State health departments "monitor" prescriptions. My personal experience is that they are often months behind and have little power to act. The Federal Government (which pays the bill) could clamp down but is not interested.

Then there are people who have unwittingly had their lives affected. These are people who have been started on the drug after an injury but never come off it. 

Yes, there are some who are helped and suffer no adverse effects - but not many especially compared to the numbers harmed directly or indirectly

So is there an answer? In my opinion it should never have been approved for use other than in terminal pain. Other than for misleading marketing it may not have been. It should be restricted to use in terminal cancer pain. Anyone getting a script must register with a pharmacy and only be dispensed by one pharmacy. And all pharmacies need access to a central database of users. This will make doctor shopping useless, as the scripts can't be filled.

We also need to accept that sometimes pain is part of life. And in a post operative sense may alert you to problems. Those who have come off the drugs have found other ways of managing pain. This includes less addictive drugs, exercise, acupuncture, mind techniques and physical therapies. Yet the government is biased towards use of drugs by subsidising them but not other forms of pain treatment.

And if you are offered oxycontin (which seems to be commonplace in hospitals), ask about an alternative. If you must use it following injury or surgery then use the lowest possible dose for the shortest possible time.

We managed without these drugs until very recently and can do so again.

www.drjoe.net.au
www.drjoetoday.com

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Travellers in limbo as cruise company sinks

BELLY UP: A company that organised cruises on the luxury liner 'Athena' has gone bust.

A COMPANY that booked the ship Athena for a series of Australian cruises has gone into voluntary administration, casting doubt on the travel plans of thousands of people.

Western Australia's Department of Consumer Protection advised today that Sydney-based Classic International Cruises Pty Ltd had gone belly-up.

The department believes several thousand people around Australia may have booked on 20 Athena cruises departing from domestic ports up until April next year.

The Athena was due to depart Marseilles in France on November 12 on a cruise bound for Fremantle, but is currently being held by authorities because of a financial dispute.

More than 500 passengers were booked on the 12-night cruise, departing December 18, which was bound for Bali and Broome.

Commissioner for Consumer Protection Anne Driscoll said the administrator had advised that efforts were underway to find a replacement ship with the intention of continuing the cruise schedule.

Ms Driscoll advised affected passengers to contact the administrator to register their details, as well as their travel agent, who would be regularly updated by the administrator on alternative arrangements.

"In the event that the cruises are cancelled, Consumer Protection believes a number of remedies will be available, including refunds through the Travel Compensation Fund and possible credit card chargebacks,'' she said.

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Arrest made after car rebirthing raids

CAR SCAM: Gang Crime Squad police have raided three locations in Welshpool and Kewdale to bust a car rebirthing outfit. Picture: Stewart Allen Source: PerthNow

A MAN has been arrested and nine Toyota Prados have been seized by West Australian police investigating a car rebirthing syndicate.

A police spokeswoman said the gang crime squad had executed three search warrants in the eastern suburbs of Kewdale and Welshpool on Tuesday morning and seized nine Prados.

Some of the vehicles had been stolen and some had been used for parts, the spokeswoman said.

A man had been arrested and was assisting police with their inquiries.

Police and the Motor Trades Association of WA have this year repeatedly warned buyers of second-hand cars to be cautious about their purchases amid mounting evidence of a substantial car rebirthing industry in Perth.

In many cases, odometers had hundreds of thousands of kilometres wiped off while safety features such as airbags were not connected. 

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Child run over in shopping centre carpark

INJURED: A child has been taken to Princess Margaret Hospital after being run over in a Booragoon shopping centre carpark. Source: PerthNow

A TODDLER has been run over by a car in a shopping centre car park in Perth's southern suburbs.

The 2-year-old child was run over just after 2.20pm at the Booragoon shopping centre.

St John Ambulance treated the child at the scene for bruising to the leg, but no further treatment was needed.
 

 

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