This Block star scrubs up surprisingly well

On The Block, Fans v Faves, Alisa and Lysandra have a major dummy spit over the fairness of the shows judging and threaten to leave the show. Courtesy: The Block/Nine Network

Dale from The Block, dressed by Myer a Blaq shirt ($79.95) and Blaq trench ($199.95), both available from April. Picture: Nicole Cleary Source: News Corp Australia

BETTER watch your back Scott Cam. There's a new knockabout Aussie tradie ready to step into your shoes.

Dale Vine, The Block veteran and landscaper, has won over fans of the renovation show and Channel 9 executives have the 32-year-old from Geelong earmarked for other TV shows as well.

Vine competed with partner Sophie on the 2012 edition of The Block and immediately grabbed attention with his laid-back slacker charm.

DALE VINE AND SOPHIE FROM THE BLOCK WANT TO START FAMILY

That popularity has jumped to a whole new level on The Block: Fans v Faves where Vine is paired with another former contestant Brad Cranfield.

BRAD CRANFIELD AND DALE VINE ON TACKLING THE BLOCK

Vine — shown here modelling some new looks from Myer instead of his characteristic shorts and thongs look — has turned into the show's sensitive new age guy, wowing the judges with his styling — everything from art to flowers to fluffy cushions — at the old Dux theatre in Melbourne's Albert Park.

A fun 'bromance' has developed between Vine and Cranfield who have overtaken twins Alisa and Lysandra Fraser in popularity.

Vine, in particular, has shone in front of the camera. So much so that Nine admits it is considering him for other TV projects.

"Audiences love Dale and it's clear that he's become quite a natural in front of the camera," a Nine spokesman said.

"He also has great comedic timing, which resonates both with our older and our younger viewers. Should a suitable show come up, we'd be happy to take a look at Dale."

Sharp-dressed man ... Dale Vine from The Block in a Blaq shirt ($79.95) and Blaq trench ($199.95), both available from April at Myer. Picture: Nicole Cleary Source: News Corp Australia

Vine is taking the new-found fame in his stride.

"At the moment I'm pretty happy just cruising as a landscaper but if it (another TV opportunity) came knocking I'd definitely entertain it for sure," he said.

"Anything with a bit of humour in it (would suit me). Any contestant on a reality show would say Getaway because they go on free holidays all the time but I think their books are already full of talent."

The Block was this week drawn into controversy, when contestant Steve O'Donnell sounded off on social media, complaining he'd been made to look "mentally deficient".

Vine had some solid recommendations for O'Donnell.

"My advice to contestants of reality TV shows would be not to use social media as a venting source if you're not happy with how you're coming across on TV," he said.

"Then again, probably don't apply to a renovation show with no renovating experience if you don't want to appear inexperienced. Steve and Chantelle are both great people and lots of fun, but they're not going to be winning any construction industry awards. They would be first to admit that."

Vine is hoping his construction skills will help he and Cranfield get top dollar for their Albert Park apartment when it's auctioned in April.

Experts already have the four apartments pegged at upwards of the $2 million mark apiece. Dale and Sophie pocketed $355,000 from the sale of their South Melbourne terrace.

"Sophie and I were able to buy a home with the first lot of prize money," Vine said. "Now I can hopefully win some more money to have a crack at doing few things (renovations) to it.

"That would be the dream — to get a bit of coin to continue working on our own place."

Model looks ... Dale Vine from The Block wears a Brave by Wayne Cooper shirt, $99.95 and a Blaq Blazer, $199, both available from Myer from April. Picture: Nicole Cleary Source: News Corp Australia

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‘I was fired for turning down my sex-crazed bosses’

The lawsuit claims Sally O'Dowd told Jackson "she loved young black and Hispanic men" and made a crude reference about his penis. Picture: New York Post Source: New York Post

A STRAPPING young New York public relations rep claims his female bosses treated him like a sexy hunk of meat — and then quickly kicked him to the curb when he turned down their sleazy proposals, according to a lawsuit.

Joseph Earl Jackson says his supervisors at Open Communications Omnimedia in Chelsea flirted with him, fondled him and even asked him to take part in a salacious "bang sesh."

Jackson said he "endured" seven months of lusty ladies hugging him, kissing him and telling him, "You are so handsome" at their company offices.

The junior account coordinator claims the company's chief strategist, Sally O'Dowd, told him "how she loved young black and Hispanic men" and "that she loved how sexy his chest and deltoids were in his white button- down shirt," according to the Manhattan civil suit.

Joseph Jackson allegedly received unsolicited sexual texts and advances from his boss Sally O'Dowd and co-worker Katie Campisano. Picture: New York Post Source: New York Post

O'Dowd even allegedly commented on Jackson's penis size after a client pitched a new product — a case with a condom inside.

She said the condom "probably wouldn't fit Joseph," the suit claims.

Jackson, who was hired in July 2013, says O'Dowd, "without warning, hugged him three times," "sexually whispered into his ear, 'You are so handsome,' " and kissed him on the nape of his neck.

The incident left him "distraught," he says in court papers.

The alleged harassment did not stop with O'Dowd, the suit claims, adding that another supervisor, Kathryn Campisano, allegedly pursued Jackson on the sly.

Katie Campisano allegedly sent unsolicited sexual texts to co-worker Joseph Jackson, according to a lawsuit filed on Monday. Picture: New York Post Source: New York Post

The supervisor allegedly sent him a text message last November that asked, "When are we going to have our bang sesh?"

She followed up the query a month letter with a message that read, "I'm going to need you to be my next boyfriend Joseph," the suit says.

Jackson remained a loyal employee despite the distractions, he claims in court papers that say he "endured, he continued to perform as a stellar employee," and was even given more responsibility in mid-February.

But when Jackson complained to Open Communications CEO John Andrew Morris, the exec allegedly ridiculed him in front of his colleagues.

Morris called Jackson "a hater that needed to be removed," the suit says, and he was canned on Feb. 21.

The harassment has left him feeling "extremely humiliated, degraded, victimised, embarrassed, and emotionally distressed," according to the suit, which is seeking unspecified damages.

Representatives for Open Communications did not return messages for comment.

You can read more of this story from our partners at The New York Post.

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‘I was fired for turning down my sex-crazed bosses’

The lawsuit claims Sally O'Dowd told Jackson "she loved young black and Hispanic men" and made a crude reference about his penis. Picture: New York Post Source: New York Post

A STRAPPING young New York public relations rep claims his female bosses treated him like a sexy hunk of meat — and then quickly kicked him to the curb when he turned down their sleazy proposals, according to a lawsuit.

Joseph Earl Jackson says his supervisors at Open Communications Omnimedia in Chelsea flirted with him, fondled him and even asked him to take part in a salacious "bang sesh."

Jackson said he "endured" seven months of lusty ladies hugging him, kissing him and telling him, "You are so handsome" at their company offices.

The junior account coordinator claims the company's chief strategist, Sally O'Dowd, told him "how she loved young black and Hispanic men" and "that she loved how sexy his chest and deltoids were in his white button- down shirt," according to the Manhattan civil suit.

Joseph Jackson allegedly received unsolicited sexual texts and advances from his boss Sally O'Dowd and co-worker Katie Campisano. Picture: New York Post Source: New York Post

O'Dowd even allegedly commented on Jackson's penis size after a client pitched a new product — a case with a condom inside.

She said the condom "probably wouldn't fit Joseph," the suit claims.

Jackson, who was hired in July 2013, says O'Dowd, "without warning, hugged him three times," "sexually whispered into his ear, 'You are so handsome,' " and kissed him on the nape of his neck.

The incident left him "distraught," he says in court papers.

The alleged harassment did not stop with O'Dowd, the suit claims, adding that another supervisor, Kathryn Campisano, allegedly pursued Jackson on the sly.

Katie Campisano allegedly sent unsolicited sexual texts to co-worker Joseph Jackson, according to a lawsuit filed on Monday. Picture: New York Post Source: New York Post

The supervisor allegedly sent him a text message last November that asked, "When are we going to have our bang sesh?"

She followed up the query a month letter with a message that read, "I'm going to need you to be my next boyfriend Joseph," the suit says.

Jackson remained a loyal employee despite the distractions, he claims in court papers that say he "endured, he continued to perform as a stellar employee," and was even given more responsibility in mid-February.

But when Jackson complained to Open Communications CEO John Andrew Morris, the exec allegedly ridiculed him in front of his colleagues.

Morris called Jackson "a hater that needed to be removed," the suit says, and he was canned on Feb. 21.

The harassment has left him feeling "extremely humiliated, degraded, victimised, embarrassed, and emotionally distressed," according to the suit, which is seeking unspecified damages.

Representatives for Open Communications did not return messages for comment.

You can read more of this story from our partners at The New York Post.

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Ukraine blasts Russia ‘invasion’

A group of armed men in military uniform takes control of two airports in the Crimean region, a move Ukraine's government calls an invasion. Sarah Toms reports.

UKRAINIAN authorities say they have regained control of two Crimean airports seized during an "armed invasion" by Russian forces that prompted the country's new pro-EU leaders to appeal for protection from the West.

The spiralling tensions in a nation torn between the West and Russia took another dramatic turn on Friday, when ousted president Viktor Yanukovych emerged from hiding to insist he had not been overthrown and would continue to fight for the future of Ukraine.

'Armed invasion' ... a soldier, one of approximately 20 who were wearing no identifying insignia and declined to say whether they were Russian or Ukrainian, stands outside the Simferopol International Airport. Source: Getty Images

Mr Yanukovych told reporters in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don in his first public appearance for almost a week that he had been "compelled to leave" Ukraine after he received threats to his security.

"I have not been overthrown by anyone, I was compelled to leave Ukraine due to an immediate threat to my life and the life of those close to me," he said, sitting at a desk alongside a senior editor from the ITAR-TASS news agency in front of three Ukrainian flags.

"I intend to continue the fight for the future of Ukraine against those who try to saddle it with fear and terror."

Back in the fray ... Ukraine's fugitive president Viktor Yanukovych came out of hiding to insist he was not overthrown. Source: AP

Mr Yanukovych, who fled after being impeached by parliament on Saturday, savaged the anti-Kremlin and pro-EU forces who have now taken power.

"Power in Ukraine has been taken by nationalist, pro-fascist young people who represent the absolute minority of people in Ukraine."

"This is anarchy, terror and chaos," he added.

Aftermath ... an anti-Yanukovych protester warms himself next to a fire as he guards a barricade in a street heading to Kiev's Independence Square, the epicentre of the country's current unrest. Source: AP

Meanwhile, the head of Ukraine's security and defence council said Russian soldiers and local pro-Kremlin militia were responsible for the dawn raids on Crimea's main airport and another base on the southwest of the peninsula where pro-Moscow sentiment runs high.

A spokesman for Russia's Crimea-based Black Sea Fleet denied any involvement in the airport occupations. But Ukraine's parliament immediately appealed to the US and Britain to uphold a 1994 pact with Russia that guaranteed the country's sovereignty in return for it giving up its Soviet nuclear arms.

Both MPs and UN Security Council chair Lithuania said they would also ask the world body to address the Crimea crisis at its next session — a request that would need to gain support from veto-wielding members such as Russia.

Heightened security ... Russian troops block the road way towards the military airport at the Black Sea port of Sevastopol in Crimea. Source: AP

In Kiev, interim president Oleksandr Turchynov attempted to regain control over unravelling security in the vast nation of 46 million by sacking the armed forces chief appointed by Mr Yanukovych at the height of deadly protests last week.

Western governments have been watching with increasing alarm as Kiev's new rulers grapple with the dual threats of economic collapse and secession by Russian-speaking southern and eastern regions that had backed Yanukovych.

Nation divided ... pro-Russian supporters warm up with tea while gathering outside the Crimean parliament building. Source: Getty Images

Russian President Vladimir Putin this week stoked concerns that Moscow might use its military might to sway the outcome of Ukraine's three-month standoff by ordering snap combat drills near the border involving 150,000 troops and nearly 900 tanks.

US Secretary of State John Kerry attempted to relieve diplomatic pressure in a crisis that has increasingly assumed Cold War overtones by announcing that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had assured him Moscow "will respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine".

Tensions simmer ... gunmen patrol Crimea. Source: Getty Images

Mr Putin also appeared to take a more conciliatory approach on Thursday by vowing to work on improving trade ties and promising to support international efforts to provide Kiev with funds that could keep it from declaring a debt default as early as next week.

But tensions were soaring by the hour in Russian-speaking Crimea — a scenic Black Sea peninsula that has housed Kremlin navies for nearly 250 years and was handed to Ukraine as a symbolic gift by a Soviet leader in 1954.

Militaristic scenes ... Pro-Russian demonstrators hold placards reading "Crimea for peace" as they stand on a T-34 Soviet tank, set as a WWII monument in front of the Crimean parliament. Source: AFP

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Seven to air Corby program

CHANNEL Seven will air unseen footage of Schapelle Corby on its Sunday Night program this weekend.

The segment, which the network is promoting on its Facebook page, is a pull-together of previously unseen footage of Corby and her interactions with family members in order to get past the Indonesian intervew ban.

Mercedes, may be interviewed as the ban does not apply to her.

Aspokeswomanfor Sunday Night told News Corp: "There's no interview with Schapelle, and no payment was made.

Schapelle Corby is ecstatic as she is driven away from Kerobokan.

"It's a compelling piece of journalism that captures the moments and days after Schapelle stepped behind the door of the villa and experienced freedom for the first time in nine-and-a-half years."

The footage shows an overwhelmed Corby, her face shrouded in the scarf and hat she wore when leaving prison, being driven from Kerobokan.

The footage shows a beaming Schapelle Corby Skypeing her relatives in Australia after her release.

Hunched over in the back seat, Croby utters her first words since leaving prison: "I feel like a, I feel like a crab."

Arriving at the exclusive Sentosa Seminyak resort, Corby squeals in delight as she greets her family, jumping and down in excitement.

Her brother-in-law Wayan, the husband of her sister Mercedes, thrusts his fist into the air in jubilation.

Taking her scarf and hat off, she embraces her sister Mercedes and hugs her nephew and niece.

Schapelle Corby has been holed up in a luxury Bali resort courtesy of Seven since her release after serving nine years for smuggling drugs into Bali.

The Indonesian government has blocked her tell-all interview with veteran journalist Mike Willesee, threatening to breach her parole and send her back to jail.

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Wild Rothschild heiress alarms friends

Wild Rothschild ... Kate Rothschild has reportedly developed a party streak since she divorced her society husband, Ben Goldsmith. Source: AP

KATE Rothschild's friends are concerned about the British banking heiress' growing wild side, after she was spotted partying in grubby clothes with her rapper boyfriend.

The 39-year-old mother of three was seen wearing sneakers and a tracksuit to a glitzy London nightclub last week, causing a stir when her companion, the extravagantly monikered Jay Electronica, got into an argument with door staff after he was denied him entry.

"To be quite frank I was shocked when I saw the pictures," a longstanding family friend of the Rothschilds told the Daily Mail . "One tries not to jump to conclusions, but when she goes out looking like that it is terribly worrying."

The incident underscored what Ms Rothschild's friends described as a total transformation since 2003, when she married the fabulously wealthy Ben Goldsmith in what was the society wedding of the year.

The marriage imploded in 2012 after Mr Goldsmith uncovered Ms Rothschild's yearlong affair with the US rapper, whose real name is Timothy Elpadaro Thedford, after finding text messages between the two.

Under his influence ... Rapper Jay Electonica is said to have introduced Ms Rothschild to his party-heavy world.

Soon after, Ms Rothschild's society invitations are said have dried up — not that she seems to mind.

"Kate leads a dual life," the family friend said. "She is a fantastic mother, utterly dedicated to her three children, but when not on mummy duty she and Jay have a very different lifestyle."

Mr Thedford, 37, is said to have introduced Ms Rothschild to his world of drinking and partying, which couldn't be further from her comfortable upbringing.

But for better or for worse, close observers think Ms Rothschild is following her heart.

Complete transformation ... friends say Kate is following her heart, but question her direction.

"Whereas Ben is socially confident and comfortable dealing with huge financial deals, he wouldn't be able to change a tyre," the friend said. "Jay could strip down the entire engine and put it back together. I think Kate finds that exciting. There is a passion in this relationship which was sadly lacking with Ben, for all that they were best friends."

Ms Rothschild and Mr Thedford are both "square pegs in round holes," the friend added. "Perhaps that's what has kept them together through everything."

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What Qantas cuts mean for you

Qantas to freeze wages until return to profit. Courtesy: Sky

What does the Qantas cuts mean for travellers? Source: Supplied

QANTAS is slashing staff and services across the board, trying to find a massive $2 billion in savings. How will these cuts affect consumers and travellers?

PRICES

Travellers aren't likely to see any significant hikes in airfares following yesterday's announcements. Chief executive Alan Joyce repeatedly stressed the fierce competition it was facing from foreign airlines, especially in capacity, so it doesn't make sense for Qantas to give those rivals another competitive advantage by raising it own prices.

ABBOTT REFUSES TO BACK QANTAS

Australian Business School professor of travel and tourism economics Larry Dwyer said there's unlikely to be major changes to flight prices in the near future.

"At the moment, they want some stability, [Qantas] has an interest in maintaining stability and small revolutions at work - not some dramatic changes overnight. There's some concern and the last thing the travelling public wants is uncertainty."

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said the airline will defer new aircraft deliveries. Source: Supplied

He added the real risk for Qantas is that negative coverage is more likely to turn customers away and decrease loyalty.

"Qantas has always had a loyal following among Australians. Increasingly these stories are emerging of not so good experiences coupled with continued talk of job cutting, I don't think that loyalty base exists anymore. That's the real risk for Qantas, that it will lose a portion of its customer base permanently to other airlines."

Professor Dwyer argued prices might come into play if people are wavering in their loyalty to Qantas. He said it's possible for Virgin to increase prices because it's part of supply and demand.

A Qantas spokesman told news.com.au yesterday: "Today's decision has no impact on flight prices. Qantas customers won't notice any difference."

PLANES

There's unlikely to be any mass-scale renewal of its aircraft, either through new planes or a makeover of its existing aircraft which may be looking a bit tired.

To reduce cost, Qantas has delayed delivery of new planes including eight flagship A380s. It will also sell off or early-retire Boeing 767s and the six oldest 747s.

In all, 50 aircraft will have its delivery deferred or sold.

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said the company will slash 5000 jobs. Source: Getty Images

ROUTES

Qantas announced it will exit the Perth to Singapore route by the end of September this year. It will also replace 747s with A330s on the Sydney to Singapore and Brisbane to Singapore routes in the same period.

Flights between Melbourne and London will be retimed in November to reduce time spent on the tarmac at Heathrow Airport.

The company said it will also suspend any growth plans for Jetstar Asia and "exit under-performing routes" although has not made any specific announcements relating to regional Australia.

Professor Dwyer said reduction in routes could impact customer loyalty.

"[If] there are less planes flying that will impact on the ability for transport and so on. [It would make Qantas] a less popular alternative than a company that is trying to promote regional development," he said.

FREQUENT FLYERS

While the sell-off of its lucrative Frequent Flyers division was rumoured before today's announcement, there has been no decision made. The Frequent Flyers' program was the most profitable operation of all of Qantas' units, reporting a $146 million profit.

MARKETING

Qantas spends tens of millions of dollars every year on marketing itself and Australia to the world. Its most recent effort included flying out the cast of Modern Family to Australia for a special episode of the comedy series.

Modern Family cast arrive in Queensland on a special Qantas flight. Source: Supplied

A spokesman said: "We won't stop promoting Australia to the world. That's important for us and the tourism industry. Nor do we have any changes to announce to our Ambassador program or our support for tourism initiatives, which we see as important investments in promoting Australia."

The spokesman said Qantas saw a 22 per cent boost in bookings following its partnership with Ellen.

While Qantas wouldn't reveal how much it spent on the Modern Family activity, the spokesman said: "We wouldn't make these investments if we didn't get a good return."

Qantas half-year results revealed it spent $314 million on "selling and marketing" in the six months to December 2013.

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Man takes wrong child home from school

Not happy ... Derek and Angela Stone, parents of Everett Stone, are fuming over how the school handled the mishap. Source: Supplied

A 79-year-old man who thought he was picking up his great-grandchild from school on Friday drove home with the wrong tot — and didn't realise the snafu until his wife eyeballed the little boy.

As soon as the great-grandfather made a right turn instead of a left out of the Sterling, Connecticut school, 5-year-old Everett Stone yelled "I live on Pine Hill Road!" which incidentally is the same street that his great-grandson lives on.

"[The great-grandfather] said 'I know you live on Pine Hill Road but your mum is sick so you have to come to my house,'" the boy's father, Derek Stone, 38, told The Post.

"The man pulls into his garage and my son refuses to get out of the car."

"So the man goes into the house and gets his wife, who took my son's hat off, and said 'Hey you have the wrong kid,' then they called the school."

The kindergarten boys were wearing similarly styled hats, the same colour coats and are about the same height and build.

Instead of calling Everett's parents or the police, the Sterling Community school secretary asked the elderly gentleman to drive the boy back to the school. She then notified the principal who called the boy's parents.

"The secretary says 'Bring him back,' at that point the police should have been notified," Derek said.

Derek's wife Angela panicked when Everett didn't get off the bus with their other two children.

"The principal gets on the phone, and tells my wife 'There's been a mix-up, your son went home with another kid's grandfather,'" he said.

Angela runs a daycare centre out of their home so she couldn't leave to pick up their frightened child, so the school sent him home on a school bus.

"They put him on an empty school bus, scared to death, and sent him home alone," Derek fumed.

"That was their answer to getting my son home."

Derek and Angela blasted the school for not immediately calling the police. They're also fuming that they waited at least two days to learn the identity of the man who accidentally brought their son home.

"All weekend long, we didn't know the gentleman's name, where he lived, the school didn't give that information to the state police," he said.

"The school administration handled it wrong from the get-go."

Derek and his wife demanded that the state police investigate. They concluded that it was an innocent mix-up, but the parents are still fuming over the lax security at the school.

"It's scary that it could even happen, thank God it was an innocent grandfather who meant no harm to my child, but it could have been anyone walking in and taking my child," Derek said.

District Superintendent Rena Klebart told The New York Post that the school is cooperating with a police investigation — but refused to say why she didn't immediately call the cops.

"Quite frankly, seeing the child in the office, knowing that the parents had been notified, and looking back on it, we would have immediately called the police," she said.

"There was always a procedure in place for pick up, what we did immediately… we added additional staff and additional pick up locations so that we were able to monitor that more closely."

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Conroy under fire for ‘brain snap’

A number of the government ministers took the opportunity in Question Time to have a go at Senator Conroy's accusations during Senate Estimates.

Unapologetic ... Opposition defence spokesman Stephen Conroy says the Federal Government should be saying sorry to the Australian people for keeping secrets. Source: News Corp Australia

LABOR defence spokesman Stephen Conroy is clinging to his job after refusing to apologise to the decorated Army General he accused of conducting a political cover-up.

During a Defence Estimates hearing on Tuesday Senator Conroy deeply offended the commander of Operation Sovereign Borders, former SAS officer and Afghanistan war commander Lieutenant General Angus Campbell, by calling into question his integrity.

The government's day two charge against the Labor head kicker was led by Prime Minister Tony Abbott who demanded an apology for the "brain snap".

"I think that uniformed officers of our country should be treated with our deep respect," Mr Abbott said.

The issue escalated into a full-blown political debate when former army officer and Independent Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie, who opposes the government's policy, moved a motion in the House of Representatives to ``admonish'' Senator Conroy for attacking General Campbell's integrity.

Mr Wilkie, who was at Duntroon with General Campbell in 1984, said he was disappointed that the debate became so political and that his motion was opposed by Labor.

The motion was seconded by Foreign Minister Julie Bishop who described the Conroy attack as a "despicable slur".

"If he [Senator Conroy] does not [apologise], the leader of the opposition should remove him from the role of shadow minister for defence. He is unfit for that role," she said.

Predictably it was opposed by Labor on party political lines with Opposition leader Bill Shorten accusing the government of using the general as a political football and of smearing the military.

Tough day at the office ... Commander of Operation Sovereign Borders Lt-Gen Angus Campbell during the fiery Senate Estimates hearing. Source: News Corp Australia

The motion was carried on the voices.

In an unprecedented intervention, the Chief of Defence General David Hurley used a Senate Estimates hearing to defend the man he promoted to three-star status to take the Operation Sovereign Borders Job.

Treading a fine political line given the sensitivity of the issue, General Hurley said he was pleased that the accusations were withdrawn.

"But unfortunately once said the shadow will linger," he said.

"Lieutenant General Campbell has a reputation in Canberra, more widely in Australia and overseas, of integrity, intellect and studied impartiality."

A visibly subdued but unrepentant Senator Conroy told the Senate that he was not criticising General Campbell for simply following orders.

"No Australian wants to see the politicisation of the military," Senator Conroy said.

He then spent several hours trying to pry political answers from senior defence officers about Operation Sovereign Borders.

General Hurley and Navy chief Vice-Admiral Ray Griggs refused to answer dozens of questions instead referring Senator Conroy to "`on water matters'' and the minister in charge, Immigration Minister Scott Morrison.

During his opening remarks General Hurley also revealed that Australia's main base in the Middle East at Al-Minhad Air Base (AMAB) near Dubai would be named Camp Baird in honour of the nation's latest Victoria Cross winner Commando Corporal Cameron Baird who was killed in action last June.

About 400 Australians are based there to support another 400 still serving in Kabul and Kandahar in Afghanistan.

Defence Minister David Johnston squashed rumours that the navy's two new 27,000 tonne amphibious landing ships would be based at Townsville and not Sydney.

"It will be Garden Island [Sydney]," Senator Johnston said.

Lt General Angus Campbell. Source: DailyTelegraph

ATTACK HAS BROUGHT OUT THE BIG GUNS Comment Simon Benson

STEPHEN Conroy is rapidly running out of friends in the Labor caucus. And so too will Opposition leader Bill Shorten if he doesn't do something about him.

A growing number of senior Labor MPs believe Conroy should resign — and if he doesn't, Shorten should sack him.

His attack on General Angus Campbell was unbecoming of someone with ambitions of becoming Defence Minister.

But it was the Chief of the Defence Force's response that is more problematic for Conroy and ultimately Shorten and the Labor party itself.

General David Hurley's public admonishment of Conroy in defending the integrity of one of his most senior officers was without precedent.

It signalled that the senior brass of the ADF have no confidence in the man.

"Once said, the shadow will linger," he said of Conroy's accusations that Campbell was involved in a government cover-up on border protection.

What General Hurley was saying was that Conroy's attack will not be forgotten.

For that reason alone it is almost impossible for Conroy to ever be considered for a role as Defence Minister in a Labor government.

But it is deeper than that for Shorten's attempts to show leadership.

Shorten needs to demonstrate that he has control over one of his Victorian numbers men — one who is out of control and prepared to engage in factional bully-boy tactics with the military.

Some senior Labor MPs believe Conroy should never have been given the job and it should have gone to David Feeney.

Many had even hoped he would have left parliament at the election, such was the toxicity which many colleagues believe he brings to a factionally fragile Labor caucus.

His behaviour also blunted Labor's attempts yesterday to force the sacking of assistant health minister Fiona Nash. And there are many of Conroy's mates who aren't at all happy about it.

Shadow Defence Minister Stephen Conroy accuses the Commander of Operation Sovereign Borders General Angus Campbell of being engaged in a political cover up during a fiery Senate Estimates hearing.

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Late bills could haunt you for life

Changes to the Privacy Act mean lenders will be able to tell when you're late with a bill payment. Source: Supplied

ON MARCH 12, a new comprehensive credit reporting system (CCR) will come into effect in Australia that will change the way lenders assess risks when taking new clients.

At present, a person's credit file — the detailed collection of their financial history — is governed by the Privacy Act and only provides limited negative information, like defaults and bankruptcies to lenders.

However under the new system, known as CCR, a much wider range of information will be available, from details of credit cards and personal loans to monthly bill repayment history.

The information will also be able to be shared among credit providers, but not with telecommunications and utility companies at this stage.

Credit reporting agency Veda's marketing manager Belinda Diprose said the changes are designed to provide a clearer picture of consumer behaviour.

"It's really about making sure people aren't overextending themselves and lenders have best possible picture when it comes to making a credit decisions," she said.

Under the new system lenders will be able to share information on credit cards and loans. Source: Getty Images

"Previously they were able to share some information [like] credit applications you made as well as if you have an overdue debt, default, bankruptcy, court judgments."

However the changes mean companies will be able to access additional information around the types of credit, limits and how often people pay their bills on time.

"If you miss a repayment by more than five days that will be marked on your file under the new system, However a default is not marked just because you missed a repayment," Ms Diprose said.

Credit defaults are when a payment of $150 is more than 60 days overdue.

Ms Diprose said although the changes mean more information will be collected, they will allow people to establish a positive credit rating quickly and show they have recovered from negative events.

However people will need to remember to be vigilant with bill payments in order to keep their file clean — which could be a struggle considering 80 per cent of Australians don't keep track of their credit history.

Paying bills on time will become more important under the new system. Source: Supplied

Ms Diprose said the changes will bring Australia more in line with the US and UK, where consumers actively use their credit score to seek out a good deal from providers.

"A good credit history makes you more attractive to credit providers … It's a really important piece of that lending decision so you can get credit you want," she said.

Veda's top tips for managing your credit rating:

• Set up direct debits to ensure bills are paid on time

• Schedule loan repayments for payday

• Keep track of credit commitments and only apply for credit when you really need it

• Credit includes things like store finance so don't neglect payments on your fridge or car

• Close any accounts you don't need

• Get your bills via email and flag them to make sure they're paid on time

• If you're having trouble meeting payments, ask for an extension or negotiate new terms

• Get a copy of your credit report so you know where you stand

To get a copy of your credit score visit Veda.com.au 

###

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Roman gladiator school unearthed

Recreated ... A digital reconstruction model of the Roman school of gladiators at Carnuntum with a view from the north into the courtyard with the training arena. Source: AFP

A TEAM of archaeologists says they have discovered the almost complete remains of a Roman school of gladiators on the banks of the Danube in Austria and virtually recreated the site using sophisticated techniques.

The so-called ludus "is on a scale to rival the famous ludus magnus, the gladiatorial school behind the Coliseum in Rome," the archaeologists said on Wednesday in a statement.

The team, announcing their findings in the journal Antiquity, said the "spectacular" find at Carnuntum was mapped and virtually reconstructed using non-invasive techniques such as aerial surveys, electromagnetic induction and ground-penetrating radar.

"The resulting archaeological maps and plans of individual buildings, streets and Roman infrastructure allow the virtual reconstruction of the city layout and the development of ancient land and townscapes in two and three dimensions," they said.

"Although some 100 ludi are thought to have existed in the Roman Empire, almost all have been destroyed or built over," said the team, from Austria, Belgium and Germany.

Excavations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries revealed many elements of the Carnuntum complex including a legionary fortress and town but the ludus was only discovered in 2011.

Carnuntum was the capital of Upper Pannonia in Roman times and a major trading centre for amber.

A digital reconstruction model of the Roman school of gladiators at Carnuntum with a view from the South.

Its archaeological park contains the ruins of amphitheatres, Roman baths and the remains of a monumental arch known as Heidentor.

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Skier paralysed after Sochi crash

Russian freestyle skier Maria Komissarova broke her back after crashing in a training even in Sochi. Source: AP

THE Russian freestyle skier who was hospitalised following an accident at the Sochi Winter Olympic Games says she has no feeling from the waist down.

Maria Komissarova, 23, was flown to Germany for treatment on a fractured spine following a crash in training for the ski cross event at Sochi 2014, by far the worst accident of the Winter Games.

She has undergone several operations in Russia and Germany after the accident but until now there had been no specific information about her condition.

However Komissarova revealed in a message on her Instagram account that she was currently paralysed from the waist down.

"I do not feel my body lower than my belly button," she wrote.

"But I am strong and I know that some day I will definitely be on my feet again."

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits Komissarova in a hospital in Sochi. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

Komissarova posted a picture of herself lying down with her fiance Alexei Chaadayev, also a Russian skier, saying that she would not have stayed sane without his support.

While still hospitalised in Russia, Komissarova received a visit from President Vladimir Putin at her bedside.

It was soon after that visit that the decision was taken to evacuate the injured skier to a clinic in Munich, Germany, which has treated several high-profile Russian athletes in the past.

Ski-cross is one of the most frenetic and risky events of the Games, where several skiers race down a slope filled with jumps, obstacles and banked corners.

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Castro victims make rare appearance

Rare appearance... Ohio Governor John Kasich introduces, from left, Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight during his State of the State address. Picture: Tony Dejak/AP Source: AP

THE three women who survived a decade-long captivity at the hands of kidnapper Ariel Castro have received awards for courage from the governor of their state.

At his annual courage awards Ohio Governor John Kasich called the women's story one of hurt beyond imagination, but also a story that didn't end there.

"It is also a story of three women who found an inner strength and a courage that brought them through and sustained them," Kasich said near the end of his annual State of the State speech. "No one rescued them, they rescued themselves — first by staying strong and by sticking together, and then by literally breaking out into freedom."

The women were freed when one of them pushed her way through a door and sought help.

The presentation nearly overshadowed Kasich's speech given the women's popularity since their release. They were household names in Cleveland for years as missing persons, and their discovery electrified a community accustomed to bleaker outcomes.

Moved... Kasich called them "three extraordinary women". Picture: Tony Dejak/AP Source: AP

Kasich hugged the women as he entered the hall before his speech and pictures of that moment quickly flew across cyberspace.

As he announced the awards, Kasich called them "three extraordinary women, who despite having the worst in this world thrown at them, rose above it and emerged not as victims, but as victors."

The women — Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight — walked onto the stage to be embraced by the governor and receive their medals. The audience stood and cheered for more than two minutes, the longest ovation of the night. It was a rare case of the trio being together following their rescue.

"Is that just unbelievable," a clearly moved Kasich said to GOP House Speaker William Batchelder and GOP Senate President Keith Faber, who were also on stage. "Wow."

Sick... Ariel Castro, centre, killed himself in prison. Picture: Angelo Merendino/Getty Images Source: AFP

The women were rescued in May after being kidnapped by Ariel Castro from the streets of Cleveland between 2002 and 2004 at the ages of 14, 16 and 20.

Castro periodically kept them chained in rooms, sometimes in the basement, and restricted access to food and toilets. He fathered a girl with one of the victims.

Castro pleaded guilty in August to hundreds of charges. He told a judge at sentencing that he suffered from addictions to sex and pornography. "I'm not a monster. I'm sick," he said.

A month later, on September 3, the 53-year-old Castro hanged himself in prison at the beginning of a life sentence plus 1,000 years.

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Uganda paper outs 200 ‘homos’

Dangerous...A Ugandian paper has outed 200 people it says are homosexual, after the president signed laws making homosexuality punishable with life in prison. Picture: Twitter/Kasha Jacqueline Source: Supplied

A UGANDA newspaper has listed 200 people it accused of being gay, a day after the president called homosexuals 'mercenaries' and signed one of the world's toughest anti-gay laws.

"Exposed!'' the headline of the Red Pepper tabloid read, beneath photographs of Ugandans it said were gay, as well as reporting on lurid stories of alleged homosexual actions.

"Uganda's 200 top homos named,'' the daily newspaper added.

In 2011, prominent Ugandan gay rights campaigner David Kato was bludgeoned to death at his home after a different newspaper splashed photos, names and addresses of gays in Uganda on its front page along with a yellow banner reading "Hang Them''.

On Monday, Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni signed a bill into law which holds that repeat homosexuals should be jailed for life, outlaws the promotion of homosexuality and requires people to denounce gays.

Mr Museveni said he could not understand how one could "fail to be attracted to all these beautiful women and be attracted to a man'' instead and described in graphic details his particular revulsion to oral sex.

Gay rights...Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni signs a new anti-gay bill that sets some of the world's harsh penalties for homosexual sex, including life in prison. Picture: AP Source: AP

The signing of the law came despite fierce criticism from Western nations and key donors, including US President Barack Obama, who has warned that ties between Kampala and Washington would be damaged.

The bill will provide a stiff test for foreign donors, with Mr Museveni warning Western nations not to meddle in the central African nation's affairs, and that he was not afraid of aid being cut.

Last year the Red Pepper published photographs of retired gay British man Bernard Randall, taken from his stolen laptop.

Mr Randall, who was then arrested on charges "trafficking obscene publications'', was deported last month.

Prominent Ugandan gay activist Jacqueline Kasha posted photographs of the newspaper's front page on Twitter, warning that the "media witch hunt is back''.

Homophobia is widespread in Uganda, where American-style evangelical Christianity is on the rise.

Gay men and women in the country face frequent harassment and threats of violence, and rights activists have reported cases of lesbians being subjected to ``corrective'' rapes.

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Aussie voted 15 times in election

Casting votes...Prime Minister Tony Abbott addresses the National Press Club in Canberra during the 2013 federal election campaign. Photo By Gary Ramage Source: News Limited

POLICE will be called in to investigate 128 cases where Australians voted more than once at the 2013 federal election, with one person suspected of voting 15 times.

At the high end, the Australian Electoral Commission claims there are numerous voters who voted up to seven times, with one person alleged to have voted nine times, another 12 times and one 15 times.

"We sent inquiry letters to 18,770 electors who had multiple marks recorded beside their names," AEC acting head Tom Rogers told a Senate estimates hearing on Tuesday.

Replies are still being processed but more than 8200 have been ruled out as "official error".

Another 1979 people have admitted voting more than once.

Multiple choice...Voters at Revesby Public School Polling booth in 2013 Federal Election. Source: News Limited

"The greater majority of those, over 81 per cent, being elderly, with poor literacy, or with a poor comprehension of the electoral process," Mr Rogers said.

In some instances, voters received postal votes and were also provided with ballot papers from mobile AEC officers visiting aged care facilities, he added.

"There are 128 electors who have more than two marks recorded beside their names," Mr Rogers said.

He could provide no reason for the multiple votes, but said the AEC has notified the Australian Federal Police and Department on Public Prosecutions and plans to refer a large number of cases.

Election...A voter makes his way to the Ascot Vale Primary School polling station in the electorate of Melbourne on election day on September 7, 2013 in Melbourne. Picture: Getty Source: Getty Images

"We take it very seriously," Mr Rogers said.

Liberal senator Dean Smith said such a high number of repeated votes could not be put down to "electoral literacy".

"That seems to me a very blatant abuse of the process," he said.

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Pressure mounts on Qantas

Qantas will announce massive job cuts on Thursday despite federal government assistance looking likely.

PRESSURE is mounting on Qantas, with government MPs criticising its management and CEO Alan Joyce, and unions warning flights could be disrupted tomorrow when the airline announces the loss of up to 5000 jobs.

The future of Qantas dominated federal politics yesterday, Liberal MP Warren Entsch blasting its "mismanagement", while fellow Liberal Teresa Gambaro warned government help could turn Qantas into a "Godzilla".

RELATED: QANTAS SET TO AXE 5000 JOBS, SELL ITS MELBOURNE TERMINAL

MORE: DARK DAYS FOR THE FLYING KANGAROO
Labor MPs also attacked Qantas management.

The Herald Sun revealed yesterday that Qantas is set to slash up to 5000 jobs and is negotiating to sell off its long-term leases at airport terminals in Melbourne and Brisbane as it seeks savings of $2 billion.

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce Source: HeraldSun

The airline is seeking federal government assistance, and is expected to announce a $300 million half-year loss.

Mr Entsch told a meeting of Coalition MPs if there were to be an assistance package for Qantas, it ought to be "fair'' and available to other rivals.

But any package had to be accompanied by questioning the competency of the management, including Mr Joyce.

Ms Gambaro told the meeting the government should not give a debt guarantee to Qantas but if it did, help should also be given to its rival Virgin Australia — which has its HQ in her Brisbane electorate.

"Qantas is an 800-pound gorilla and if we do this we will turn it into a Godzilla," Ms Gambaro said.

To add to the pressure, Qantas engineers have threatened to raise safety concerns that could disrupt flights tomorrow, sending an early warning about what the heavily unionised airline could expect if job cuts are as deep as feared.

Pressure is mounting on Qantas as they are set to announce 5000 job cuts. Source: HeraldSun

Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association secretary Steve Purvinas sent an email to Qantas requesting a safety risk assessment for the hours after the cuts announcement.

"Some members ... have expressed concerns that the announcement is causing them to have trouble sleeping and this is leading to a situation of fatigue at work," he wrote.

The Federal Government is pushing ahead with plans to amend the Qantas Sale Act to remove the provision that requires Qantas to be majority Australian-owned, agreeing with the airline that the law makes it difficult for it to compete with foreign-owned competitors such as Virgin.

But Labor and the Greens, along with some Coalition MPs, do not support the changes, and a debt guarantee seems more likely.Opposition Leader Bill Shorten reiterated his party's view that the airline needed to remain Australian-owned.

"Eight of the world's top 10 airlines are owned by foreign governments. Labor doesn't see why Australia should hand away a national icon to a foreign government,'' he said.

ellen.whinnett@news.com.au

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Bieber to face fresh assault charges

Cell phone footage shows Justin Bieber enjoying the beach in Panama, days after his arrest in Florida.

JUSTIN Bieber has turned himself into police in Toronto to face an assault charge dating back to December. Oh, and Americans want him permanently deported from the USA as well...

According to CBC news, the 19-year-old will be charged in connection to the alleged assault of a limousine driver who drove Bieber and his entourage around on December 29, 2013.

He'll be given a notice to appear in court at a later date.

As if he doesn't have enough problems, …Bieber now also faces the threat of deportation from his adopted home of America, after thousands of people signed a petition to get him kicked out of the country.

Justin Bieber hands himself over to police in Toronto

The White House will review a petition calling for Justin Bieber to be deported from the US after 100,000 people signed it.

In just a few days, the petition, which is titled "Deport Justin Bieber and revoke his green card", reached 100,000 signatures, meaning it will automatically be reviewed by White House staff, who must officially respond to it.

The petition was posted online on January 23, the day after the Canadian pop star was arrested for DUI and resisting arrest in Miami, and it's still going strong.

The petition reads: "We the people of the United States feel that we are being wrongly represented in the world of pop culture.

Singer Justin Bieber performs onstage in Los Angeles in December. Source: AFP

"We would like to see the dangerous, reckless, destructive, and drug abusing, Justin Bieber deported and his green card revoked.

"He is not only threatening the safety of our people but he is also a terrible influence on our nation's youth. We the people would like to remove Justin Bieber from our society."

Biebs, who's been licking his wounds on the beaches of Panama, will appear in front of a judge on February 14.

In a new interview with GQ, Bieber's manager Scooter Braun has said that he needs to let Bieber make his own "mistakes".

justin bieber Source: DailyTelegraph

"It's the same as being with a kid growing up, as a parent. There is a point where you guide them and there's a point where you feel like you've planted enough seeds and you watch them make mistakes.

"My responsibility is to always be there when they fall, always be there to help them get back up. But at some point I need to let them fail, because if they don't they're going to have no humanity."

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RUSH HOUR: The stories you need to know today

Thursday 30th January - all the news you need to know.

We imagine it looks something like this scene from the Great Gatsby, just in the sky. Picture: Supplied Source: NewsComAu

WELCOME to our "headlines in a hurry" morning news coverage. We will be bringing you the top stories this morning, so you can get across the news quickly.

Today:

• A woman who was trapped under a bus in Sydney's CBD yesterday has died

• Police are investigating what killed father Greg Hutchings and his daughter Eeva Dorendahl, 4

• Good news about Michael Schumacher's health (below)

• No one is sure what a mysterious green light seen high in Adelaide's western sky was, but police suggest it may have been a meteor

• Extreme weather warnings issued for Far North Queensland, with wild waves and winds up to 120km/h an hour predicted

• Chinese media have published the "thoughts" of their failing Jade Moon space rover and it is emotional stuff, man

9:30am

That's it for Rush Hour for today. Tune in again tomorrow.

9:17am

Breaking: Justin Bieber is expected to arrive in Canada's biggest city, Toronto, today to face a charge in connection to an alleged assault involving a limo driver last month , the country's national broadcaster reports.

More to come on news.com.au.

9:08am

A freak storm struck Atlanta overnight and there are some incredible pictures coming out of there:

The remains of a snowstorm that swamped Atlanta, US overnight.Picture: AP Source: NewsComAu

8:35am

The Indian team won't be waving any flag at the Sochi Olympics, The Washington Post reports . The IOC suspended Indian Olympic Association for violations of its charter, and while its athletes can compete they won't be allowed to wear their country's insigna.

8:18am

Dramas on the way to work in some of our major cities.

A burst water main is causing peak hour chaos in Brisbane's south-east and Underwood Road is closed.

An overheight truck has hit sprinklers inside the Eastern Distributor in Sydney. It's the latest large truck to cause gridlock around the city's CBD.

8:31am

Joanne Lees and murdered backpacker Peter Falconio. Picture: news.com.au Source: NewsComAu

The body of British backpacker Peter Falconio is buried at the bottom of a desolate well, according to a witness who has just come forward.

Falconio and girlfriend Joanne Lees were attacked in 2001 by Bradley Murdoch near Alice Springs, who was convicted of Falconio's murder in 2005.

8:00am

Stephen Currie... Picture: Supplied Source: NewsComAu

This man was lost in the north Queensland bushland for 28 days and endured temperatures of almost 40 degrees.

Stephen Currie was found near Chillagoe shoeless, shirtless and 15kg lighter after surviving on an extarordinary diet of butterflies, mussles and fruit , The Courier Mail reports.

You can read more about it here.

7:45am

A 28-year-old Melbourne woman was punched from behind, thrown into a pole and spat on during an unprovoked and random street attack.

The woman was waiting to cross the street near Carlton Gardens on Thursday when a man began shouting at her.

He first punched the woman in the shoulder before pushing her forward into a pole, a police spokeswoman said.

7:25am

The first shark was killed on Australia Day. Picture: Supplied Source: NewsComAu

Stories about WA's intention to kill any three-metre bull, tiger or great white shark caught within a kilometre of Perth and South West beaches continue to spread around the world.

CNN has aired stories about the policy, along with articles in German, American, Canadian and Russian publications.

Meet the 'Shark Whisperer': Myths busted about sharks

Despite the anger, the state's beleaguered Premier Colin Barnett says nothing will change his mind about the shark kill policy.

The first shark was killed on Australia Day , although activists believe it was not 3m in length.

7:19am

Not pretty. A 70-year-old woman was stabbed during a fight in Sydney's west after two men got into an argument around 3:40pm yesterday afternoon.

The man who allegedly struck the woman has been charged by police and the woman was taken to hospital for treatment.

7:06am

Missing... Maddie McCann. Picture: Supplied Source: AP

British police have left Portugal after reports yesterday arrests were imminent in the Madeleine McCann case.

It is understood that UK authorities sent Portugese authorities a letter seeking help in interviewing three potential suspects earlier this month.

6:36am

Schumacher struck rocks while skiing. Picture: Supplied Source: NewsComAu

Despite fears he may remain in a "persistent vegetative state", there are positive reports about Michael Schumacher's health this morning .

French national newspaper L'Equipe reported medics have begun the process of gradualling awakening the retired German racing driver.

6:30am

You want to fight me? Picture: Kym Smith Source: News Limited

Malcolm Turnbull has spoken up in defence of the ABC's independence after Prime Minister Tony Abbott questioned whether the national broadcaster was acting in the national interest yesterday.

"Politicians, whether prime ministers or communications ministers, will often be unhappy with the ABC ... but you can't tell them what to write," Mr Turnbull said in a media interview.

On Macquarie Radio yesterday, the Prime Minister said: "It dismays Australians when the national broadcaster appears to take everyone's side but our own and I think it is a problem."

6:17am

The Chinese moon rover Jade Rabbit, pictured on the surface of the moon. Picture: Supplied Source: NewsComAu

China landed its Jade Rabbit moon rover weeks ago and it's not going too well. Looks like it'll come to a cold, rocky and moon-dusty end soon.

But here's where it gets a little strange. China's official news agency, Xinhua, has published a fictional first-person account of what's going on in the Rover's mind.

"The sun has fallen, and the temperature is dropping so quickly … to tell you all a secret, I don't feel that sad. I was just in my own adventure story - and like every hero, I encountered a small problem," said the Rover.

"Goodnight, Earth," it said. "Goodnight, humanity."

Wow. That's deep.

6am

Good morning, and welcome to our "headlines in a hurry" morning news coverage. We will be bringing you the top stories this morning, so you can get across the news quickly.

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Cop's letter to the partner he had to kill

Massachusetts State Trooper Christopher Coscia had tears streaming down his face as he wrote about his K-9 partner Dante. Screengrab via ABC. Source: Supplied

A POLICE officer who had to make the heartbreaking decision to put down his loyal German Shepherd partner has written a touching tribute to the dog.

Massachusetts State Trooper Christopher Coscia reluctantly put down his K-9 Unit partner Dante because the dog was suffering from seizures caused by pulmonary hypertensions that were disrupting the flow of oxygen to his heart.

"I write this story with tears in my eyes and flowing freely down my face," Mr Coscia wrote in an open letter. "Most dogs are just dogs, but you sometimes run into ones that are somehow as much human as they are dog."

Dante was Mr Coscia's partner for nine years.

"He was my first dog," Mr Coscia told New York Daily News . "I spent 70 hours a week with my dog. He was always there."

Read the letter in full:

"It was a cold snowy day, training was cancelled due to the snowstorm, and I was left with the unenviable task of when I should make the decision to put my partner of nearly nine years to sleep.

Dante was a great dog. He was big, beautiful, black and tan shepherd. I often described him as a look-a-like for the dog in the show "Run Joe Run," for those old enough to remember that program. He had a regal look, with his big head, ears and large stature. He had his own personality. Most dogs are just dogs, but you sometimes run into ones that are somehow as much human as they are dog. A Type A dog was only to be touched by those closest to him, and sometimes not even by them.

Dante suffered from pulmonary hypertensions and had to be put down. Source: Facebook

Dante was best described as a one-person dog, and as tough as he was for other people to get close to, our relationship never wavered. Every morning when I opened the door to his kennel he would jump up on me, wrap his paws around my waist, get his morning greeting and pat from me, storm up the stairs, and push the door open ready to go to work.

During Dante's career he was able to answer calls in towns as far west as Lee, North Adams, and Shutesbury, and calls as far east as Brighton, and even, for a few of his last successful calls, on the South Shore. Once he was able to track and locate a guy who had just murdered his girlfriend, and another time he located a cash seizure that was several times greater than the previous largest seizure in Commonwealth history.

During his career he helped to rid the streets of drugs. He was able to locate and assist in the seizure of more than 1,000 grams of Heroin, more than 8,600 grams of cocaine (one seizure alone of more than 7 lbs that had been canned mechanically), more than 1,000 lbs of marijuana, and more than $14,000,000 in cash.

Dante was very intelligent; one day when I was out with him I made the mistake of teaching him to open the cruiser door - a task which took five minutes once I showed him how.

From that, Dante figured out that doors open with handles, and all you have to do is grab them with your mouth and pull or turn. He took this new knowledge and taught himself to slide open the door that separated us in the cruiser, his way to always be close to me. While on patrol he would occasionally stick his head through for his occasional ear rub. When you see such a powerful, intelligent dog so helpless at times somehow made the events that follow even harder.

It all started one day while taking Dante out to his kennel. He collapsed on me, falling like a rock with no control of his body. After several tests it was obvious to the vet that Dante had pulmonary hypertension, a disease of unknown cause that prevented him from getting enough oxygen to his lungs and making him collapse. The right side of his heart was enlarged, causing poor blood circulation. As the weeks went on, he started getting seizures because of the same lack of oxygen to his brain. He had one of these seizures in the yard the other day, and after I sat on the ground in the snow with him patting him calmly waiting for it to be over, I came in the house.

Upon walking in, to my dismay, I realised my wife and two children had been intently watching us to make sure all was okay. But it wasn't and when I walked in the door, my wife and daughter were crying, knowing what was to be coming, possibly sooner than we were ready.

My son was sitting very sombrely, thinking if we don't dwell on it things it will get better.

My son and daughter were 3 and 1 when I, respectively, when I got Dante. They knew him practically their entire lives.

The day came when it was time to take him to the vet for the inevitable. After more than 2,300 rides that we took together, the dog who had trouble making out to the yard just feet away sat upright in his car for One Last Ride.

It was a ride I had I delayed for eight hours, just driving around with him as we did so many times, struggling with the decision to put him down. He sat upright, alert as ever, checking the perimeter always on guard. How does the dog who can barely breathe remain upright and vigilant for so long?

I sit here writing this obituary in a parking lot not two miles before we reached our final destination. My story is as written, and although it jumps about it is written from the heart. I write this story with tears in my eyes and flowing freely down my face. Dante is still somehow sitting upright watching me as I write about him, every once in a while sticking his head through the cage, letting me know things will be all right. But the more he reassures me, the more I wonder if what I am doing is right. I am glad he made it through the holidays. My wife's birthday was yesterday. I did not want to do that to her; for her to remember her birthday as the day we put down Dante would forever bring a tear to her eye. Much as it does to me as I write this with every new thought and remembrance of my partner, each paragraph brings a new thought and anguish for me.

Respectfully submitted.

Trooper Christopher Coscia

Massachusetts State Police K9 Section

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Is this 'haunted' road the coolest in the world?

Welcome to Bregagh Road. Known as the Dark Hedges, this road has featured in Game of Thrones. Courtesy: YouTube

The Dark Hedges in Ireland. Picture: Thinkstock Source: Supplied

TUCKED away in Northern Ireland, near the village of Armoy lies a stunning site: A row of Beech trees that curve in crazy cool ways. Welcome to Bregagh Road.

The trees, planted by the Stuart family in the 18th century to dress up the road towards their manor, sit intertwined, creating a truly bizarre site in any season.

Rumour has it a ghost haunts the Dark Hedges. Picture: Thinkstock Source: Supplied

Now called The Dark Hedges by locals and tourists alike (Northern Ireland started using images from the road in their tourism campaigns in the late 1990s), the site has been used for scenes from Game of Thrones.

The road features in Game of Thrones. Source: Supplied

Rumour has it that the supernatural "Grey Lady" now haunts the road, especially the last beech tree at dusk. Some say she is the ghost of a maid from a nearby house who died in mysterious circumstances centuries ago. Another theory is that she's a lost spirit from an abandoned graveyard that's believed to lie hidden nearby.

The road has featured in tourism campaigns for Ireland. Picture: John5199, Flickr Source: Supplied

To get here, drive northwest about 80 kilometres from Belfast off Antrim Coastal Road.

Happy trails!

It's a striking site. Picture: IrishFireside, Flickr Source: Supplied

You won't forget this road trip. Picture: David Jones, Flickr Source: Supplied

'This story originally appeared on the Huffington Post.

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