Woolworths investigates mushroom poisoning

CANBERRA residents who may be feeling ill after consuming mushrooms bought from a Woolworths supermarket are being advised to seek immediate medical attention following a possible Death Cap mushroom poisoning.

ACT Health is investigating after three patients from the same household attended Canberra's Calvary Hospital in the last 48 hours with poisoning symptoms.

They claim to have been affected by mushrooms purchased from a Woolworths in the suburb of Dickson on April 17.

"This appears to be an isolated incident and there have been no other recent reports of Death Cap mushroom poisoning in the ACT," the territory's chief health officer Dr Paul Kelly said.

In a statement on Saturday, Woolworths advised that customers follow ACT Health's recommendations, which include seeking immediate medical attention if they experience stomach aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.

ACT Health also recommends throwing away any mushrooms bought from Woolworths in Dickson around that time as a precaution.

Woolworths says it is not aware of any other cases.

"We take customer safety very seriously and are working closely with our supplier and ACT Health to investigate the claims," the company said.

In Canberra in 2012, a man and a woman died and two others were poisoned but recovered after consuming a meal which contained Death Cap mushrooms.

"People are reminded not to pick and eat any wild mushrooms. It can be extremely difficult for even experienced collectors to distinguish Death Cap mushrooms from other edible mushrooms," Dr Kelly said.

The highly toxic Death Cap mushroom is a native to Europe but has spread around the world, with populations observed in Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide. It resembles a common edible variety used in Chinese cooking.

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Egypt reports first case of MERS virus

AUTHORITIES have detected the first case of a SARS-like virus in Egypt.

State news agency MENA says a 27-year-old civil engineer was diagnosed on Saturday after returning from Saudi Arabia, where the Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS, has been centred.

It says the man was quarantined upon his arrival at Cairo airport on Friday and transported to a nearby hospital.

Saudi Arabia's Health Ministry said late on Friday five more people in the kingdom had died from MERS.

The ministry says 92 people have died and 313 have contracted the virus in Saudi since September 2012.

MERS can cause symptoms such as fever, breathing problems, pneumonia and kidney failure.

King Abdullah fired his health minister on Monday as officials struggle to alleviate public concerns amid a spike in infections.

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Letter written aboard Titanic sells for $2

A LETTER written by a passenger on the Titanic describing the "wonderful passage" - hours before the ship hit an iceberg - has sold at auction for STG119,000 ($A216,343.97).

Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge says the handwritten note was bought by an anonymous telephone bidder at an auction in Devizes, western England, on Saturday.

The price, including a fee known as the buyer's premium, topped the pre-sale estimate of STG100,000.

The letter was written by second-class passenger Esther Hart on April 14, 1912.

"The sailors say we have had a wonderful passage up to now," she said in the note to family in England.

Hours later the passenger liner described as "practically unsinkable" hit an iceberg and sank, killing more than 1500 people.

Hart was among about 700 survivors.

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US consumer confidence jumps

US consumer confidence surged in April, approaching the highest level since the recession began in 2007 as Americans reported greater optimism about their financial situation and the economy.

The University of Michigan says its index of consumer sentiment rose to 84.1 in April from 80 in March.

That's just a point below the 85.1 reached last July, which was the highest in nearly seven years.

Americans have cut back on debt and benefited from steady hiring and rising stock and home prices.

Just 28 per cent said this month that their finances were getting worse, down from 37 per cent in March and the lowest level since April 2007.

Americans were also slightly more optimistic about future hiring, the survey found, though the gains were slight.

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Pakistan airstrike kills 37

PAKISTAN Air Force jets have hit suspected Taliban hideouts in the north-western tribal region, killing at least 37 people and injuring 18.

The insurgents were attacked in Khyber, which borders Afghanistan, on intelligence that rebels involved in recent bombings were present, a military official said on Thursday, on the condition of anonymity.

The casualties could not be verified through independent sources because the area is remote and too dangerous for the media.

It was the first airstrike since a 40-day ceasefire with the Taliban ended April 10.

Violence has broken out again after the Taliban refused to extend the truce.

A policeman known for opposing the Taliban was the target of a suicide bombing Thursday that killed him and at least two civilians in the restive southern port city of Karachi, police officer Farooq Awan said.

"About two kilograms of explosives were used by the bomber," Awan said.

Another police officer said three people were injured in the attack.

No one took responsibility for the bombing, which came a day after government and Taliban representatives met in Islamabad to revive the stalled peace process.

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NSW students' paid trip to Anzac service

ONE hundred NSW school students will be among lucky ballot winners at next year's Anzac Day centenary service at Gallipoli.

The NSW government will put up $1 million to enable the students and chaperones to take part in the anniversary dawn service in 2015.

The service at Anzac Cove marks 100 years since the fateful Gallipoli landing on April 25, 1915.

Public and independent school students in Year 10, 11 and 12 next year will be able to apply for the school tour.

"The experience won't end when they return home," Premier Mike Baird said.

"Students will share their experiences and be leaders in honouring the Anzac legacy within their school and local community as the future guardians of our proud military heritage."

Australians hoping to attend the 2015 service had to enter a ticket ballot.

Following consultations between Turkey, Australia and New Zealand, attendance at the centenary service was capped at 10,500 with 8000 for Australians.

Of those allocated to Australia, 400 double passes were for sons and daughters of Gallipoli veterans, 400 were for school students and 400 double passes were for current defence personnel.

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Globe to do worldwide Hamlet tour

FOUR centuries after his death, William Shakespeare is probably Britain's best-known export, his words and characters famous around the world.

Shakespeare's Globe theatre in London is setting out to test the Bard's maxim that "all the world's a stage" by taking Hamlet to every country on Earth, more than 200 in all.

The company describes the plan as "insanely ambitious".

Some suspect it's impossible, and Amnesty International has weighed in to point out the "dark irony" of taking a play about a conscience-troubled prince to authoritarian North Korea.

Hamlet opens on Wednesday with the first of three performances at the Globe.

Then the 16-strong cast and crew will board a schooner for Amsterdam, starting a journey that will take them to seven continents by plane, boat, train, bus and jeep.

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