Rhythm link to language ability

LANGUAGE ability might be related to sense of rhythm, a study suggests.

Scientists have found people who were better able to tap their finger to a beat showed a more consistent brain response to a repeated speech syllable.

The research highlights the importance of understanding the rhythm of a language, as well as its content, say the researchers.

It also suggests that musical training could be used to boost language skills such as reading.

"Rhythm is an integral part of both music and language," said study leader Dr Nina Kraus, director of the Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory at Northwestern University in the US. "And the rhythm of spoken language is a crucial cue to understanding."

For instance, tiny timing differences distinguish consonants such as "b" and "p". Hearing that difference is necessary to match the sounds with the letters, according to the scientists.

In the study, more than 100 teenagers from Chicago were asked to tap their finger in time with a metronome.

They also had their brain waves recorded as they listened to the synthesised speech sound "da" repeated over a 30-minute period.

The better the participants' sense of rhythm, the more consistent was their brain response to the sound.

"It may be that musical training, with an emphasis on rhythmic skills, exercises the auditory system, leading to strong sound-to-meaning associations that are so essential in learning to read," said Dr Kraus.

The findings appear in the latest issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.

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UK unis offer free online courses

TOP UK universities are to begin offering free online courses open to anyone around the world.

More than 20 leading institutions, including Southampton, Warwick and Reading have signed up to provide short courses in subject areas such as science, maths and technology.

The degree-level courses will be accessed from Wednesday through an online hub called FutureLearn, a private firm owned by the Open University.

It says its aim is to "increase access to higher education for people worldwide by offering a diverse range of high-quality courses and content from great universities, educators and institutions".

Students in any country will be able to sign up for a course through the FutureLearn site and study for free.

It is understood to be the first time that a UK-based organisation has been set up to offer what are known as "massive open online courses" (MOOCs).

MOOCs are already popular in the US where there are a number of established hubs, including Coursera, which carries classes from top Ivy League universities such as Yale, Princeton, Columbia and Brown, as well institutions in other countries, like the University of Amsterdam and Peking University.

FutureLearn has won support from the British government, with Universities Minister David Willetts saying it was an "exciting development for UK learning".

"I encourage all our institutions to explore the opportunities offered by new modes of technology, such as MOOCs. This will keep the UK ahead in the global race to deliver education in worldwide markets," he said.

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Development on Cape York a step closer

A POTENTIAL World Heritage nomination for Queensland's Cape York doesn't figure in the government's 20-year plan for the area, the state's deputy premier says.

A draft plan for the peninsula was handed to the Cape York Regional Planning Committee on Wednesday and will likely be finalised by mid-2014 following public consultation.

The plan will replace the previous government's Wild Rivers Act.

Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney says the plan outlines areas suitable for agriculture, tourism and mining, while protecting high-value farm land and the environment.

"The communities on Cape York deserve the opportunity to build a future just as every other Queenslander deserves that opportunity," he said.

Environmental groups say the plan opens up pristine areas on Cape York for development and removes laws protecting rivers.

"They want to open up the most sensitive waterways and landscapes to mining, dams and land clearing on an unprecedented scale," Wilderness Society spokesman Gavan McFadzean said.

He says the plan puts in jeopardy the aspirations of some Traditional Owners to nominate Cape York as a World Heritage site.

Mr Seeney says he's "simply not interested" in a World Heritage nomination.

"I'm more interested in the economic futures of the communities on the Cape," he said.

Australian Conservation Foundation spokesman Andrew Picone, who sits on the committee, says he's disappointed some members raised concerns about the size of the area outlined as environmentally significant.

The committee, formed in September last year, includes nine local mayors, six government MPs, two environmentalists, and representatives from the Queensland Resources Council and Agforce.

Prominent indigenous leaders Noel and Gerhardt Pearson are also members.

The work of the committee runs parallel to the state government's creation of Bioregion Management Plan to replace Wild Rivers declarations across Cape York.

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Abbott cabinet a '50s throwback: Shorten

LABOR frontbencher Bill Shorten says Tony Abbott is crying "crocodile tears" when he says he is disappointed to only have one woman in his cabinet.

Incoming Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will be the only female in the coalition's 19-member cabinet, an arrangement the prime minister-elect described as "disappointing".

But Mr Shorten says there are talented women in Liberal Party ranks and Mr Abbott as party leader could not blame anyone but himself for their lack of representation in senior roles.

"He needs to buy a mirror to find out where the problem lies," Mr Shorten said in Melbourne on Tuesday.

"Mr Abbott's crying crocodile tears when he claims he's disappointed that there's only one woman in cabinet."

Former coalition industry spokesperson Sophie Mirabella could have been a second woman on the new government's frontbench, but she ruled herself out last week with being in danger of losing her seat of Indi, where she trails by 387 votes with counting continuing.

Mr Shorten described the incoming cabinet as a "throw-back to the 1950s and '60s", pointing out that the previous Labor government had six women in cabinet.

However he rejected the idea that Mr Abbott was a misogynist, saying actions speak louder than words.

"Maybe it's inexperience, maybe it's their values," he said.

"This shows they're really out of touch."

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Qld doctor accused of hog-tying 13yo boy

A Gold Coast doctor has appeared in court accused of assaulting a child patient in his clinic. Source: AAP

A GOLD Coast doctor has started his 59th birthday by appearing in court after being accused of hog-tying a child in his clinic.

The doctor, a long-serving paediatrician in Southport, is facing two counts of common assault and one count of deprivation of liberty after the incident in October last year.

It's alleged the doctor hog-tied the 13-year-old boy while his mother was present during a consultation.

In a brief mention at the Southport Magistrates Court on Tuesday, the doctor's case was adjourned until November 11.

The doctor made no comment during the mention.

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Dominic Bird granted bail in Malaysia

PERTH man Dominic Bird has been granted bail in Malaysia but will not be allowed to return to Australia until the outcome of an appeal against his acquittal on drug trafficking charges that carry the death penalty.

The 33-year-old was set free two weeks ago after being found not guilty of supplying 167 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover police officer, but was re-arrested days later, just minutes before his flight to Perth was to depart after prosecutors launched an 11th hour appeal.

But the Malaysian Court of Appeal on Tuesday dismissed a request by prosecutors that Mr Bird be remanded until the appeal process, which is expected to take at least six months, runs its course.

Mr Bird must first come up with 50,000 Malaysian ringgit ($A16,000) in order to post bail, and will be required to report to police once a week.

He must also surrender his passport.

It's unclear in the immediate aftermath of Tuesday's ruling if Mr Bird will be able to raise the $A16,000.

Prosecutors are yet to detail the grounds on which they will appeal the case, while the circumstances surrounding last week's drama have also prompted accusations from Mr Bird's lawyers that Malaysian authorities conspired to obtain an "unlawful" warrant for his arrest.

Mr Bird's lawyers also argue that, having been declared by the Kuala Lumpur High Court to be a free man, he should be allowed to return to Australia pending the outcome of the appeal.

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NSW premier boosts gun search powers

NSW police will be able to stop and search people, cars, bikie clubhouses and "criminal dens" for guns, without a warrant, under legislation to be introduced into parliament this week.

Under the changes, police will be able to stop and search anyone who has been banned from owning guns without a warrant - even if there's no cause for suspicion, Premier Barry O'Farrell says.

"The changes mean officers can also search their cars and their premises for firearms," he told reporters in Sydney.

Fewer than 70 people in NSW are currently subject to a firearm ban, but the new laws would also make it easier to increase the number, Mr O'Farrell said.

Penalties will be increased from 10 to 14 years for possession or supply of illegal weapons.

Police Minister Michael Gallacher says the laws will enable police to target known people.

"It will give police the ability to target people they know are involved.

"Currently police need reasonable cause to suspect," he said.

"The existence of the banning order will be in itself the ability that police will need to pull them over, search their cars ... simply walk in the door."

It comes after the government last week shot down an uncannily similar proposal by Labor.

But Mr O'Farrell said Labor's bill wouldn't work because it concentrated power in the hands of the Police Commissioner.

The premier's announcement came as police said they had charged a member of the Hell's Angels with a range of gun offences after finding a shortened rifle and ammunition in his car.

The 27-year-old was set to appear in court on Sunday after being stopped at Darling Point on Saturday evening.

He's been charged with possessing a prohibited firearm, failing to keep a firearm safely and possessing ammunition without a licence.

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Lead inspections begin in WA town

AN investigation into lead contamination in the Western Australian town of Northampton has finally begun with authorities beginning to arrange individual property inspections.

As part of the Northampton Lead Tailings project, the Department of Lands has sought Aurora Environmental to investigate contamination throughout the town in the state's Mid West region.

An information marquee was set up at the Northampton Show on Saturday, encouraging people to arrange a time for investigators to visit their property.

Inspectors will walk over each property, photograph sites, collect samples and talk to residents.

The project aims to collect information from every land parcel in Northampton to determine the extent of the distribution of lead tailings, which contain about three per cent lead.

Shire of Northampton chief executive Garry Keeffe told AAP the inspections were a precautionary measure and locals were not overly concerned about lead contamination.

"We can't know until the testing is done if there are any tailings but it will give surety to people," he said.

"If any properties do have tailings, the government will rectify it."

The old Northampton State Battery opened in 1954 and over the next 30 years, leftover materials from mining, called tailings, were stockpiled.

Tailings were removed by local builders and residents, and used elsewhere, unaware of the potential impact on human health.

Since then, steps have been taken to rectify the situation such as demolishing the state battery buildings in 2010 and sealing tailings in a containment cell, but the full extent of the distribution of lead tailings in Northampton remains unknown.

A final report on phase one of the project is due mid next year.

The state government will use it to determine if further investigation or action is required.

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Bishop welcomes US-Russia deal on Syria

Incoming foreign minister Julie Bishop has welcomed the US-Russia deal on Syria's chemical weapons. Source: AAP

INCOMING foreign minister Julie Bishop has welcomed a "significant" deal between the US and Russia that could see Syria stripped of its chemical weapons.

The new accord gives Syria a week to provide details of its chemical weapons stockpile, and requires that international inspectors are given complete access to them.

The goal is to have the weapons removed by the middle of next year, but Barack Obama has warned if Syria doesn't uphold its end of the bargain the US could still use military force.

Ms Bishop on Sunday said the deal was a "positive step in the right direction", and praised the US over its handling of the crisis.

"It is as a result, I believe, of the United States making it quite clear that they would use military force if need be," she told Network Ten on Sunday.

Australia has assumed the presidency of the UN Security Council until the end of the month, and could be called to act on behalf of countries pushing the case for a strike against Syria.

Syria's ally Russia would likely veto any such motion, but Ms Bishop said in the past the president of the council had been asked to prepare a statement on behalf of the majority of nations.

"First things first, we want to see how this agreement between the US and Russia plays out," she said.

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