Corby escapes parole punishment

In an interview for Seven's Sunday Night, Mercedes Corby talks to Mike Willesee about Schapelle and how her sister feels after her release from a Bali prison. Courtesy Channel 7/Sunday Night

SCHAPELLE Corby has avoided punishment over an inflammatory TV interview, with Indonesian authorities finding no grounds to send her back to jail.

The convicted drug smuggler was released from a Bali jail in February, but a month later her sister Mercedes endangered her parole by speaking to the Seven Network.

In the interview, she continued to argue her sister was innocent, and speculated the 4.1kg of marijuana found in the body board bag in 2004 may have come from Indonesia, or been placed there by a baggage handler.

Authorities promised to investigate whether the controversial comments breached Corby's parole by causing unrest the community.

Australian Schapelle Corby ... accompanied by Mercedes's husband Wayan visit the Parole Office for her monthly report. Source: News Corp Australia

The matter remained unresolved while Justice Minister Amir Syamsuddin campaigned for the legislative elections, which were held on Wednesday.

On Friday, the Office of the Corrections Director-General, which reported to the minister on the issue, confirmed to AAP it found "no legal grounds to stop Corby's parole".

Spokeswoman Ika Yusanti said authorities would not punish Corby over the words of her sister.

"The one who said it was Mercedes and not (Schapelle) Corby herself," she said.

Mercedes Corby ... on Channel Seven's Sunday Night program. Picture: Channel Seven Source: Supplied

"So yes, (the parole) still goes on and believe us, she's still under our supervision. We will closely watch her." Corby also won't be investigated over secretly-filmed footage that shows her former cellmate, Renae Lawrence, alleging the 36-year-old confessed to her that she knew the drugs were in her bag, and that she'd smuggled before.

Schapelle Corby ... on Channel Seven's Sunday Night program. Picture: Channel Seven Source: Supplied

Law and Human Rights Ministry spokesman Goncang Raharjo said Corby had been reporting for parole without issue, and would continue to be evaluated monthly.

The interview with Lawrence, who remains in a Bali jail for her part in the Bali Nine drug smuggling conspiracy, "couldn't be considered as evidence".

Happy and free ... Schapelle Corby on Channel Seven's Sunday Night program. Picture: Channel Seven Source: Supplied

"No, it won't affect things at all for Corby," he said.

"She could only go back to jail for instance, if she was taking a walk on the street and then she slapped someone." But Mr Raharjo said Lawrence must answer questions over her interview, which was broadcast on the Ten Network this week. "What's her motive?" he said.

In an exclusive interview with Renae Lawrence from Denpasar, Lawrence admitted that Schappelle Corby had told her that she had smuggled drugs into Bail on numerous occasions. Courtesy: TEN Eyewitness News

"Is she going to be a whistle blower or justice collaborator? "If yes, then why not report this to the police?" Lawrence is serving a 20-year sentence and can apply for parole next year.

Corby's parole requires her to live in Bali until 2017.

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‘We’re confident this is MH370’

The search for flight MH370 is at a pivotal point, with mounting expectations it could be found within days

An aircraft involved in the hunt for Malaysia Airlines flight 370 has picked up a possible fifth signal.

Spectators take photos of a Chinese Ilyushin IL-76 aircraft as it comes in for a landing. Picture: Rob Griffith Source: AP

RESCUE teams are now within "several" kilometres of what they are now confident are the black box flight recorders from missing Malaysian plane MH370, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has revealed.

But he said they were now engaged in a race against time to find it as the signal starts to fade.

The Prime Minister will meet personally with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing this afternoon to update him on the latest efforts to find the black box, hinting that it would soon be located.

"We have very much narrowed down the search area ... we have now had a series of detections, some for quite a long period of time.

"It's now getting to the stage that the signal from what we are very confident is from the black box is starting to fade.

"We are hoping to get as much information as we can before the signals finally expire.

"We have very much narrowed down the search area.

But the PM said he did not want to reveal any more details out of respect to the Chinese families, until he met with President Xi tonight in Beijing.

"I really don't want to say more than that," he said.

The PM later has described the loss of Malaysian flight MH370 as one of the "great mysteries of our time".

Search continues .. Leading Seaman Aircrewman (LSA) Daniel Colbert winches LSA Joel Young into the water from HMAS Toowoomba's S-70B-2 Seahawk helicopter Tiger 75 to retrieve possible debris. Picture: Julianne Cropley/Australian Department of Defence Source: Getty Images

The Prime Minister confirmed the position of the black box flight recorder was now known and would update President Xi personally.

"It is probably the most difficult search in human history," Mr Abbott said in a speech to 1800 people at the official launch of Australia in China week.

"I thank the government and people of China for the help that they have given to Australia as we lead this search and recovery effort.

"I look forward to providing President Xi with the latest update when I meet him in Beijing this afternoon. We are confident that we know the position of the black box flight recorder to within about a kilometre.

"Still, confidence in the approximate position of the black box is not the same as recovering wreckage from almost four and half kilometres beneath the sea or finally determining all that happened on that flight."

Working together ... Commanding Officer of HMAS Success Capt. Allison Norris, RAN, greets the Peoples Liberation Army Navy Liaison Officer Commander Lin Wan from the Luyang II class guided missile destroyer Haikou (DDG-171). Picture: Julianne Cropley/Australian Department of Defence Source: Getty Images

Delivering a personal message of condolence for the families and friend of 154 Chinese victims, Mr Abbott assured the Chinese leadership "that Australia will not rest until we have done everything we can to provide comfort and closure. You will be among sorrowing friends should you choose to come to Australia."

However there was some confusion as — almost at the same time as Mr Abbott was speaking — the head of the agency leading the search issued a statement saying there were no new breakthroughs.

Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, head of the Joint Agency Coordination Centre said a signal detected by a RAAF AP-3C Orion aircraft was not related to an aircraft underwater locator beacon.

It is believed that the confusion arose because he was referring to a detection made by a plane on Thursday.

Today's optimism arose from a more recent spotting by a ship.

The report was Tweeted by aviation expert Geoffrey Thomas, the editor-in-chief of the website airlineratings.com and executive editor of AirlineReview.com.

Mr Thomas told Perth radio station 6PR that the Ocean Shield and the HMS Echo have both left the search area "at speed" and sources had told him there was a possibility they had "triangulated" and located the black box.

"Echo has come along and done a radar scan, an echo scan if you like, along the bottom and they've had a return which is a positive, which may indicate the wreckage of a plane."

Tony Abbott says he is very confident the signals are from MH370 but are weakening. Courtesy: Sky

He stressed these were unconfirmed reports but "if they are firm enough to say we have located the black box, that is enough for them to launch the Bluefin 21 to go down to the bottom and take photographs or scan the bottom with a sonar scanner.

"It will either take an electronic scan or it will have a camera and lights and take a photograph.

"If HMS Echo has come in and done a scan of the ocean floor over their triangulated best estimate, then all of the sudden you're getting a very positive return off the ocean floor.

"Don't forget, the ocean floor is all silt, a big object like a 250 tonne aeroplane, it is going to give you a different shaper return, rather than a softer return."

Asked about the search effort, Mr Thomas said: "I think they have done an absolutely outstanding job, I mean the international collaboration now basically led by the Australians, with the United States, the British, the Malaysians and the Chinese. I think they've done an extraordinary job given the limited information they had to start off with ... to have found this so quickly is outstanding."

FROM EARLIER TODAY

Search crews have detected a new signal thought to be from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 from the depths of the Indian Ocean.

Former Defence chief Angus Houston, heading the Joint Agency Coordination Centre in Perth, confirmed an aircraft has detected a fifth signal in the vicinity of Australian defence vessel Ocean Shield, during the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane.

The signal was detected by a RAAF P-3 Orion plane in the search zone, and is potentially from a man-made source.

The command centre handling the hunt for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane is analysing a freshly detected underwater sound that could have come from a man-made source, possibly the jet's black box.

The sun sets ... as Able Seaman Communications and Information Systems Noel O'Brien keeps a look out from the port flag bin of HMAS Toowoomba, as Operation Southern Indian Ocean continues. Picture: LSIS James Whittle/Australia Department of Defence Source: Getty Images

Retired air chief marshal Angus Houston, who co-ordinates the joint agency search from Perth, says the hunt has yielded a potential new lead after an RAAF Orion aircraft detected a signal in the vicinity of the vessel Ocean Shield.

"The acoustic data will require further analysis overnight, but shows potential of being from a man-made source," the former defence force chief said in a statement on Thursday evening.

The RAAF has been dropping buoys carrying microphones from planes near where the earlier sounds were heard.

Royal Australian Navy Commodore Peter Leavy said each buoy was dangling a hydrophone listening device about 300 metres below the surface.

Fifth signal ... Angus Houston said the new signal will require further analysis to confirm it is from a man-made source. Picture: AP Source: AP

DETAILS OF FRIDAY'S SEARCH

Up to 15 aircraft and 13 ships will be part of today's search effort in two areas close to each other, more than 2300 kilometres north west of Perth.

Isolated showers are predicted, with 10 — 15 knot southerly winds and sea swells of up to 1.5 metres.

No objects were sighted or recovered yesterday.

Ocean Shield failed to detect underwater signals yesterday after positive transmissions thought to be from Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 were received on Saturday and Tuesday.

"They continued the pinger operations through the night," Mr Houston said.

"They haven't picked up anything. I don't know how much longer they'll go for because the likelihood on Day 34 is that the batteries must be getting near their use-by date."

Meanwhile, British Royal Navy survey ship HMS Echo is arriving in the area help the Ocean Shield.

Grief ... A woman ties a message card for passengers on-board the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 at a shopping mall near Kuala Lumpur. Picture: AP Source: AP

The hydrographic survey ship, whose specialist equipment can scan the seabed and has been specially adapted to listen for the sonar pings, was diverted from her patrol in the Indian Ocean after a request from the Malaysian authorities for support.

Searchers have not yet decided to send down the US Navy's Bluefin 21, an autonomous underwater vehicle that is able to travel deep underwater.

The two transmissions that were received on Tuesday were markedly weaker than the two sustained transmissions heard on Saturday.

Both sets of transmissions have been determined to be consistent with man-made frequencies coming from aeroplane black boxes.

Malaysia's acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said he remains "cautiously optimistic" after the latest ping.

New pings ... Sub Lieutenant Ryan Penrose watches HMAS Success as HMAS Perth approaches for a replenishment at sea while searching for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. Picture: AFP/AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE/ABIS NICOLAS GONZALEZ Source: AFP

Mr Houston has said he believes MH370 will be found "in the not-too-distant future"

"Hopefully in a matter of days, we will be able to find something on the bottom that might confirm that this is the last resting place of MH370," he said.

Mr Hussein told the BBC he was confident search teams were getting closer to discovering the wreckage.

"I know there will be answers. I know we will find the plane. It is just a matter of when," he said.

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One great hour of television costs how much?

The cripple, the dwarf and the mother of madness. Take a look at all the drama set to unfold in episode two of Game of Thrones, Season 4. Courtesy HBO.

"Where does it hurt most?" "The wallet." Source: Supplied

THE most spectacular episode in Game of Thrones almost never happened.

We're talking about Blackwater, the ninth episode of season two. It features a huge battle between the forces of King Joffrey and his would-be replacement, Stannis Baratheon, in the bay of King's Landing.

That single hour of television ended up costing $8 million. Which is about $2 million more than the already stupendous amount spent on your average Game of Thrones episode.

Eight million. BOOM. Source: Supplied

The show's writers, David Benioff and Dan Weiss, had to plead with HBO for the extra money. Without it, those spellbinding battle scenes would not have been possible.

"We almost had no battle at all," Benioff told Entertainment Weekly. "For budgetary reasons, we came very, very close to having all the action take place off-screen, the way plays have handled battle scenes for a few thousand years."

"To our minds, the entire season builds to this clash, and if we didn't see any of it, we were undercutting the story and short-changing the audience."

"Wait, it cost HOW much money?" Source: Supplied

Weiss and Benioff faced a similar problem in season one. They had to avoid showing a huge battle at the end of the season because there simply wasn't enough money.

"This whole story of Blackwater goes back to the first season because we were supposed to have that battle with Tyrion and we ended up not able to shoot it," Benioff said. "And so we had him go down to friendly fire early."

The pair didn't want that to happen again. They decided the Blackwater episode was important enough to warrant facing the bosses at HBO.

"Seriously. That's a lot of money." Source: Supplied

"We went down on bended knee. 'Just this once. Please.' We were genuinely nervous about it for the whole time until we finally wrapped it," Benioff said.

"The impressive thing about the conversation where we went in asking for more money, a considerable sum, in order to shoot the Blackwater battle — we didn't get everything we wanted — but (they didn't ask), 'Will this attract more viewers? Is this something that's going to pump ratings?'

"It's all about why this story needs this big battle. 'You guys were able to do the first season successfully without major, big scale battles, why does this one need to have one?' And so it was really a long conversation about how the second season all builds towards Blackwater."

Benioff and Weiss demolished the arguments in favour of fiscal restraint. Source: Supplied

Money wasn't the only hurdle, of course. Blackwater was filmed in pretty rough conditions.

"I think pretty much a month straight of night shoots, which is just tough for anybody unless you're a vampire," Benioff said.

"There was an incredible amount of mud. It's tough for the crew, but then when you actually see it on screen and see how good it looks, you see the way the weather affects people. You see the wind blowing their hair and the rain coming down. None of that's faked."

The end result was undeniably spectacular. But was it worth an extra $2 million? Come to think of it, is Game of Thrones worth $6 million per episode?

We'd love to hear your thoughts. You can talk to us on Twitter: @SamClench | @newscomauHQ

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Fresh underwater signal found

The search for missing flight MH370 in the Indian Ocean will resume with up to 14 planes and 13 ships.

Searching ... Able Seaman Boatswain's Mate Cameron Grant directing the boat coxswain on a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) of HMAS Perth while searching for debris from missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. Source: AFP

SEARCH crews have detected a new signal from the depths of the Indian Ocean, thought to be from Flight MH370.

Former Defence chief Angus Houston, heading the Joint Agency Coordination Centre in Perth, confirmed an aircraft has detected a possible signal in the vicinity of Ocean Shield in search for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane.

It is understood it was detected by a RAAF P-3 Orion plane in the search zone.

The signal will be further analysed but it is potentially from a man-made source.

"The acoustic data will require further analysis overnight," Houston said.

It brings the number of signals that have been detected so far to five.

The Associated Press said the aircraft had dropped sound-locating buoys by parachute into an area near where the sounds were last heard.

The latest development comes after the Australian Defence vessel Ocean Shield failed to detect underwater signals earlier today after positive transmissions thought to be from Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 were received on Saturday and Tuesday.

"They continued the pinger operations through the night," Houston said.

"They haven't picked up anything. I don't know how much longer they'll go for because the likelihood on Day 34 is that the batteries must be getting near their use-by date."

He said no decision had been made to send down automated underwater vessel, Bluefin 21 yet.

The two transmissions that were received on Tuesday were markedly weaker than the two sustained transmissions heard on Saturday.

Both sets of transmissions have been determined to be consistent with man-made frequencies coming from airplane black boxes.

SEARCH FOR MH370: What lies beneath the Indian Ocean

The news comes as a large number of objects were spotted by aircraft and ships during yesterday's search, but none of the "small number" recovered were believed to be related to missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

Up to 14 aircraft and 13 ships will be part of today's effort, 2280 kilometres north west of Perth, with isolated showers predicted.

Australian ship Ocean Shield will continue its underwater search for signals to the north of the defined area, as Chinese ship Haixun 01 and HMS Echo look in the south.

Latest search zone ... this map released by AMSA shows the target of today's search. Source: Supplied

As the search parties prepare for another day scouring the Indian Ocean, Malaysia's Prime Minister has called on the world to unite in prayer, saying he is "more optimistic" that MH370 can be found amid the discovery of two new signals.

Najib Razak tweeted that the update from Joint Agency Coordination Centre head and retired Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston had provided hope.

Yesterday, Air Chief Marshal Houston said the number of transmissions detected by Ocean Shield now stood at four.

"(The) signals will assist in better defining a reduced and much more manageable search area on the ocean floor," he said.

"The better Ocean Shield can define the area, the easier it will be for the autonomous underwater vehicle to subsequently search for aircraft wreckage."

"I believe we are searching in the right area, but we need to visually identify aircraft wreckage before we can confirm with certainty that this is the final resting place of MH370," Air Chief Marshal Houston said.

SEARCH: What lies beneath the surface of the Indian Ocean

Optimistic ... Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott (R) bids farewell to Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak after his visit to Perth. Source: AFP

The news was warmly received by Malaysia's Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein who tweeted that Air Chief Marshal Houston was "very professional" and "seems (like) a good man."

Air Chief Marshal Houston said data analysis of the first two detections found they were consistent with "the specification and description" of a flight data recorder.

Two signals ... The chief co-ordinator of the Joint Agency Coordination Center Retired Australian Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston. Source: AP

According to work conducted by the Australian Joint Acoustic Analysis Centre at HMAS Albatross in Nowra NSW, it was not of natural origin and was "likely sourced" from specific electronic equipment.

Defence Minister David Johnston said he was confident that there is life in the black box despite the days that have passed.

"May I say the battery life in the black box transponder has a long way to go in our opinion, certainly several days into the future," Senator Johnston said.

A Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion flying past Australian Defence Vessel Ocean Shield on a mission to drop sonar buoys to assist in the acoustic search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. Source: AFP

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Actor told to ‘shut up’ on Hughes

After a long and protracted trial, a jury has found former Hey Dad! star Robert Hughes guilty of child sex offences

HEY Dad! actor Ben Oxenbould claims he was passed over for TV work after supporting his co-star Sarah Monahan against convicted sex predator Robert Hughes.

Oxenbould told Network Nine's A Current Affair that he had "copped a lot of criticism from people, particularly in the industry'' after standing by Monahan and endorsing her shocking abuse claims against Hughes when she went public four years ago.

The 45-year-old actor said he'd been called an "idiot" and told "you'll never work again" in the wake of giving a TV tell-all over his knowledge of Hughes' inappropriate behaviour on the set of the now defunct Channel 7 sitcom.

ROBERT HUGHES: "I got away lightly" compared to co-stars — Sarah Monahan

ROBERT HUGHES: Hey Dad! star found guilty of one more sexual assault

ROBERT HUGHES: Hey Dad! star guilty of sexually assaulting three girls

Told he would "never work again" ... former Hey Dad! actor Ben Oxenbould. Source: Supplied

In a sit-down hosted by ACA's Tracy Grimshaw — alongside Monahan and co-stars Simone Buchanan, Julie McGregor and Christopher Truswell — Oxenbould argued going public against Hughes had cost him work.

A real-life horror story ... former Hey Dad! stars Christopher Truswell, Simone Buchanan, Julie McGregor, Sarah Monahan (seated) and Ben Oxenbould on the set of Nine's A Current Affair. Source: Supplied

"I've had executive producers say 'Benny we wanted you for that role but mate ... and I think but mate what? I'm not the bad guy here."

When some shied away from the scandal, Oxenbould said: "my lesson in professionalism was 'shut up about the paedophile'."

Public face betrayed the truth ... The Hey Dad! cast in 1992 (from left) Ben Oxenbould, Julie McGregor, Sarah Monahan, Robert Hughes, Mathew Krok and Rachael Beck. Source: News Limited

Monahan revealed she continued to pay a personal price for going public and is now not on speaking terms with her mother after alleging Hughes had molested her when she was the 10-year-old child star of Hey Dad!

Police have said Monahan's TV testimonial also prompted others to come forward with evidence which helped convict Hughes this week, found guilty of 10 charges involving four victims including two counts of sexual intercourse with a child.

ROBERT HUGHES: Sarah Monahan and Simone Buchanan unite against star

It can also now be revealed Hughes' niece Melinda O'Donnell was a witness who gave evidence against her famous uncle but was not a complainant against him.

Asked if Monahan's mother had not agreed with her decision to go public, she told ACA: "no, apparently she was very upset."

Found guilty of sexual assault ... former Hey Dad! star Robert Hughes. Source: News Corp Australia

Now living in San Antonio, Texas, but campaigning for a public register of sex offenders across Australia, Monahan said she hoped Hughes would be given a sentence "worth what he put all those girls through.''

McGregor, who played opposite Hughes as his ditzy on-screen secretary Betty, said: "the whole thing has been a horror story and all the revelations have been so shocking for me."

"I was so glad that Sarah was so brave to do this, I just think she's wonderful."

Buchanan, who sat shoulder-to-shoulder with her former TV sibling when she first made her claims added: "I'm really sad this whole thing happened but I'm glad the verdict came in and people, these girls are validated."

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Shock winners of Nine’s The Block

Rookie renovators Steve and Chantelle have won the 2014 Block fans v faves with a massive auction result

Underdogs ... Steve O'Donnell and Chantelle Ford with host Scott Cam after their shock auction win on Tuesday night. Picture: Ian Currie. Source: News Corp Australia

THIS is a result nobody saw coming.

Steve O'Donnell and Chantelle Ford have shocked TV viewers by hammering their more experienced rivals to win The Block: Fans v Faves.

The Victorian couple silenced the doubters when their Albert Park Dux apartment sold for a whopping $2.47 million — $636,000 above reserve.

THE BLOCK: Steve O'Donnell says show makes him look 'mentally deficient'

THE BLOCK: Show's co-creator in war of words with Steve O'Donnell

The pair pocketed an extra $100,000 for their win on a night when the four teams netted a combined total of $2.4265 million — believed to be an all-time record for an Australian TV show.

Steve, 35, a chimney sweep, and Chantelle, 31, a sales and marketing business owner, have been dating for two years.

"We'd just hope the apartment would sell," Chantelle says. "We didn't dare dream about what we'd do (if we won). The first thing we're going to do is have a party with our tradies."

Steve and Chantelle's relationship has come under the microscope in recent times but the couple say they still very much together.

"We're closer than ever really," Chantelle says. "Every relationship has arguments and disagreements and people caught some of those on camera.

"People say if you can survive The Block you can survive anything and we have come out the other end together.

"We get to have this memory with each other forever which is so cool."

THE BLOCK: Did Twitter predict the right winners?

THE BLOCK: Lysandra says show's producers bullied contestants

THE BLOCK: TV show's judges their favourite unit

Upset win ... Brad, Sophie and Dale congratulate a shocked Steve O'Donnell and Chantelle Ford. Picture: Ian Currie Source: News Corp Australia

Brad and Dale's Apartment 4 was first up for auction and there was fierce bidding between two parties.

The pair's reserve was set at $1,802,750 but it wasn't long before bids crossed the $2 million threshold. The apartment sold for $2.31 million — $507,250 above reserve.

That set the tone for the rest of the auctions where bids came thick and fast and punched through $2 million within seconds.

Kyal and Kara, the viewers' favourites to win, were in a state of shock after their Apartment 2 was sold for $2.44 million — $567,250 above their reserve of $1,872,750.

"This is truly life changing," were the only words Kyal could utter after the result.

Alisa and Lysandra were reduced to tears when their Apartment 3 sold for $2.375 million — a massive $616,000 above the reserve of $1.759 million.

Last year, the pair netted $395,000 when they won The Block: Sky High.

"That was insane," the twins said after the auction. "We have now won over $1 million on The Block."

The best came last. Steve and Chantelle had struggled right throughout the 12 weeks of renovation and were given no chance by punters to win.

Some viewers even doubted the couple would make reserve for Apartment 1.

COMMENT BELOW: Are you pleased Steve and Chantelle won The Block?

How wrong they were. The final auction was frenzied as bidders who had missed out on the previous three apartments took no prisoners.

Given little chance ... A bleary-eyed Steve O'Donnell and Chantelle Ford celebrate their win on The Block: Fans v Faves. Picture: David Caird. Source: News Corp Australia

The pair's reserve of $1.834 million was smashed straight up and by the time the hammer came down, they had beaten Alisa and Lysandra by $20,000.

"When Steve and I applied for The Block we didn't realise we'd be up against previous winners who had done it all before," Chantelle says.

"We did feel out of our depth (at first). We took it week by week and our confidence did grow."

The Block: Fans v Faves has been a ratings stunner for Nine, averaging upwards of 1.8 million viewers nationally on Sunday nights.

The new series of The Block has just started filming in Prahran in inner city Melbourne and will screen later in the year. The new teams will have a hard time beating the monster figures achieved tonight.

"This is a great result for the couples who have worked so hard for every dollar they have earned in profit at the auctions," Nine's director of television, Michael Healy, says. "This project required real entrepreneurial spirit and hard work. I'm really happy for all concerned."

Host and Gold Logie nominee Scott Cam was so overcome by the auction results that he did a fully clothed 'bomb' into the Fans v Faves swimming pool.

Contestants have now won a total of $8,131,501 across eight series of The Block..

Taste of victory ... Steve O'Donnell and Chantelle Ford enjoy a spot of champers before breakfast today. Picture: David Caird Source: News Corp Australia

THE BLOCK: THE MATCH REPORT

Apartment 4 — Brad and Dale

Reserve: $1,802,750

Sold: $2,310,000

Profit: $507,250

Apartment 2 — Kyal and Kara

Reserve: $1,872,750

Sold: $2,440,000

Profit: $567,250

Apartment 3 — Alisa and Lysandra

Reserve: $1,759,000

Sold: $2,375,000

Profit: $616,000

Apartment 1 — Steve and Chantelle

Reserve: $1,834,000

Sold: 2,470,000

Profit: $636,000

Plus $100,000 prize money

TOTAL: $736,000

TOTAL MONEY EARNED BY ALL CONTESTANTS THIS SERIES $2,426,500

Stealing the limelight ... The Block host Scott Cam finishes the show with a fully clothed leap into the ground floor pool. Picture: Ian Currie Source: News Corp Australia

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On the brink of a breakthrough

Authorities say submarines searching for MH370 will only be deployed when another signal is detected.

Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Edward Potts-Szoke, a naval flight officer with Patrol Squadron (VP) 16, monitors his workstation on a P-8A Poseidon during the search for MH370 yesterday. Picture: 2nd Class Eric A. Pastor Source: Supplied

Naval air crewman, Operator 2nd Class Mike Burnett, a sailor attached to Patrol Squadron (VP) 16, participates in a "foreign object damage walkdown" outside the P-8A Poseidon before the search mission yesterday. Picture: 2nd Class Eric A. Pastor Source: Supplied

FOR these US crew members tasked with helping to solve the world's greatest airline mystery, there is a sense that a major breakthrough could come "any day now".

The day before, the Joint Agency Coordination Centre, which is managing the multinational hunt for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane, announced the Australian defence vessel Ocean Shield had detected two acoustic events in the far north of the search zone.

These sounds, authorities said, were consistent with transmissions from a flight data recorder and a cockpit voice recorder. And it came a day after Chinese state media announced one of its ships had detected pulse signals in the region.

■ HUNTING FOR CLUES IN THE DEEP

It was, in the words of Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, one of the most promising leads this international search effort has had so far. And the War Eagles, as they are also known, are aware of it.

Finding any debris at this point would help authorities narrow the vast search zone, which is now located, 1650km north-west of Perth.

"The reality is, it could be any day now," Lieutenant Clayton Hunt, the flight's 28-year-old pilot cautiously explained.

The belief of all those looking for MH370 is that at some point it will be found.

And this is what spurs this squadron on.

Most of those on board the P8 Poseidon on Monday were part of the crew which began scouring the Malacca Strait a week after the plane went missing.

Since then, most have completed around 14 missions – some 16 – but none of those searches have found that definitive piece of the puzzle.

So when US Navy air crewmen Dave Everly spotted something bright green floating just below the surface almost four hours into the nine-hour flight, he called out and the location was immediately marked, and the information relayed to the Australian coordination centre.

The P-8A Poseidon – a purpose built Boeing 737 with advanced radar and sonar equipment that is also capable of detecting and destroying a submarine out of the water – was flying just 700ft above the water. It then made a sharp turn and headed back over the stretch of water to get another look.

Sailors attached to Patrol Squadron (VP) 16 hard at work on board a P-8A Poseidon yesterday during the search for MH370. Picture: 2nd Class Eric A. Pastor Source: Supplied

It made this run four times and even climbed back up to 1500ft – still very low compared to the 30,000ft these aircraft usually travel – to allow the plane's camera to get a better look.

But even with this advanced equipment, electronic warfare operative Christopher Walsh, 23, explained it was more likely that the human eye will spot any MH370 debris rather than his radar equipment.

This is because debris, such as fabric, will float just below the surface of the water making it harder for radar to detect, he added.

Despite this, whenever someone spots something that isn't a white cap, the froth produced by waves crashing into each other, it is treated as a possible find.

"I don't know what it was, whether it was seaweed or fabric, but it didn't have a definite shape," air crewmen Everly said after the crew finished scouring around 20,000sq kms of the Indian Ocean yesterday. "I saw it three times."

Lieutenant Clayton Hunt, Patrol Squadron (VP) 16, (third from right) talking to his crew and media on board P-8A Poseidon before it left Perth International Airport yesterday. 2nd Class Eric A. Pastor Source: Supplied

And it wasn't the first time the air crewmen, who spent up to an hour at a time perched over a window staring out looking for any sign of MH370, has spotted debris since this long search began.

On previous missions he has sighted numerous items in the water including yellow rope, however none have turned out to be from the missing plane.

While disappointing, it doesn't deflate him or the rest of the crew.

According to Lt Hunt, not finding major debris was not a failure, it was still a success.

"Every square mile of water we did cover indicated it wasn't there, so we know it's not there, and can rule it out," he said.

"Today's mission was right on par with that, so that's a success."

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Milward charged with Sophie’s murder

BENJAMIN James Milward has been charged with the murder of French student Sophie Collombet.

The 25-year-old was also chaged with deprivation of liberty and robbery.

Earlier, it was reported: 'YEAH, yeah - you got me'.

These were the alleged words of French student Sophie Collombet's accused killer after sharp-eyed Coffs Harbour detectives stopped him on the streets of the NSW coastal town and asked his identity yesterday afternoon.

Benjamin James Milward, 25, today faced an extradition hearing at Coffs Harbour Local Court.

He was formally refused bail and released into the custody of three Queensland detectives who were driving him straight to Brisbane where he will face court tomorrow.

In court documents, Coffs Harbour detective Lindsay Schubert stated that he and colleague Stephen Vout were heading along Harbour Drive about 2.40pm on Monday when they saw Milward walking east.

Police have released CCTV footage of Sophie Collombet leaving a bus at the Cultural Centre Bus Stop from the night she was murdered.

Det Schubert said they asked Milward: "Are you Ben?"

Milward allegedly replied: "Yeah, yeah - you got me. Was it the internet?"

Det Schubert said Milward was arrested and participated in a short interview before being taken to Coffs Harbour police station.

Milward's mother earlier today visited the site where Sophie's body was found.

Diane Milward placed flowers under the rotunda where the naked body of Ms Collombet, 21, was found on March 28.

"I am heartbroken," Ms Milward, 50, said.

"I am still in shock, just can't believe it ... It's like a nightmare.

"We are all so sorry and sad and it shouldn't happen to anybody - and a beautiful girl like Sophie she's just gorgeous - it's just wrong," she said.

Ms Milward said she came to pay her respect to the 21-year-old.

Arriving with her sister-in-law Tere Douglas the pair read letters left to honour the student at the rotunda.

"We're going to stand by him, he is still my son," she said.

"You just don't think this could ever happen - I'm still in denial I think just hoping for some glimmer of hope that it's all a big mistake.

The pair said they would be in court tomorrow.

They will also join a walk for the student on Thursday.

Earlier it was reported: THE man police want for questioning over the death of French student Sophie Collombet is on his way back to Queensland after being extradited from NSW.

Benjamin James Milward, 25, was being driven to Brisbane by Queensland detectives after a brief extradition hearing in Coffs Harbour.

Milward was arrested in the northern NSW coastal town on Monday after local detectives spotted him in a supermarket and nabbed him.

Detectives from Brisbane travelled to Coffs to apply to have him extradited.

Milward did not appear in the dock of Coffs Harbour Local Court.

Magistrate Robert Walker released him into the custody of three Queensland detectives and he will face Brisbane Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Earlier, The Courier-Mail reported detectives have arrested a man wanted for questioning over the bashing murder of French student Sophie Collombet after he was seen walking down a street in NSW.

Benjamin James Milward, 25, was last night being held in custody and under questioning by Queensland detectives who travelled to Coffs Harbour to speak to him.

He was arrested on a murder warrant and detectives were expected to seek an extradition order in court today.

Ms Collombet was walking home from her class at university when she was bashed to death near the William Jolly Bridge about 9pm on March 27. Her body was found naked about 6am the next day.

A week after her body was found police released Milward's name and photograph and said they wanted to speak to him.

Police released CCTV images placing Milward at nearby train stations just over two hours after Sophie was last seen.

He was arrested by NSW detectives after he was seen walking along Harbour Drive.

Last night Ms Collombet's family had been informed about the arrest but were cautious about speaking.

They were being kept well informed by detectives in Brisbane via a liaison officer.

"At the moment I think he is a suspect so we will wait for more official things to happen," Sophie's father, Guy Collombet, said.

He again praised police for the work they had done and was amazed at how quickly things had happened.

Ms Collombet's friend Roselyne Trott last night told The Courier-Mail: "We can only hope ... there will be something done about it for Sophie's sake."

Another friend, who asked to be known only as Emi, said: "I just hope ... they find the murderer."

Milward's aunty Tere Douglas last night said the family did not have relatives in Coffs Harbour.

Ms Douglas said Milward was expected to apply for legal aid.

"We're glad that he has been found," she said. "It is a relief."

Milward's mother Diane had earlier pleaded for him to hand himself in.

"We love you Ben, please come home," she told The Courier-Mail.

Queensland Police released a statement last night saying a man was "assisting police".

"A 25-year-old man is in custody in relation to the murder of 21-year-old Sophie Louise Collombet at South Brisbane last month," it read.

Milward is expected to appear in court in Coffs Harbour today.

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Dressing ‘normal’ is so hot right now

Jerry's so hot right now. Source: News Limited

THERE is a new trend in fashion and there's a chance you are already following it: It's called normcore and it's all about dressing 'normal'.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs is an icon of Normcore dressing. Source: AP

What it is?

Normcore is a collective, neutral blandness – eschewing obvious markers of luxury, fashion and distinctive style and instead opting for a more low key, cool look with a dash of athleticism and a whiny of the '90s.

Let's just say its emergence has knocked the life out of more exuberant trends like digital prints and made a bit passé those head-to-toe colour-blocked looks worn by bloggers.

It's anti-fashion and anti-trends, which is ironic considering it's one of the biggest, well, 'trends' of fashion right now. Yes, a healthy sense of irony is needed.

How do you do normcore?

If you regularly wear T-shirts, sneakers and nondescript jeans, you're probably in on normcore already, whether you realise it or not. "Normcore seeks the freedom that comes with non-exclusivity. It finds liberation in being nothing special, and realises that adaptability leads to belonging. Normcore is a path to a more peaceful life," states K-Hole.

This is how it's done: A model in Paris shows off her normcore style. Source: Supplied

Where did it originate?

The term 'normcore' first appeared in mass media with a story in New York Magazine from February this year but full credit goes to trend forecasting agency K-Hole.

It snowballed into mentions at Vogue.co.uk, Forbes, The Huffington Post and Vanity Fair. The breadth of coverage further solidifies its place and confirms that its influence goes beyond fashion.

Let's not give all the recognition to K-Hole though – science fiction writer William Gibson is thought to have first come up with the term.

Key normcore items:

■ Birkenstocks

■ Tracksuit pants

■ Cotton jersey

■ Grey marle

■ Crocs

■ Tevas

■ Baseball caps

■ White socks

■ Turtlenecks

■ Relaxed jeans

■ Flannel shirts

■ Bucket hats

Does Normcore spell the end of Hipster fashion? Source: ThinkStock

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Pistorius: ‘I smell Reeva’s blood’

Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius is expected to take the stand in his murder trial of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Devon Maylie looks ahead on what to expect from Pistorius. Photo: AP

AN emotional Oscar Pistorius began testifying in his murder trial with an apology to the family of Reeva Steenkamp, the girlfriend he killed last year in his home.

Fighting his tears, he firstly apologised to the Steenkamp family for killing Reeva.

Stammering and with his jaw trembling, Pistorius began his testimony tonight by saying Steenkamp "felt love" before he shot her dead in what prosecutors say was premeditated murder and he says was an accident.

"There hasn't been a moment since this tragedy happened that I haven't thought about your family. I wake up every morning and you are the first people I think of," he told the Pretoria court. "I can't imagine the pain and emptiness I caused you and your family. I was simply trying to protect Reeva. When she went to bed that night she felt loved." Pistorius told the court he had been on anti-depressants and sedatives since killing Reeva and that he is "scared to sleep".

Questions ... Oscar Pistorius is expected to take the stand tonight in his murder trial.

"I have terrible nightmares about things that happened that night, where I wake up and I can smell blood," he said.

Oscar Pistorius weeps as he listens to evidence by a pathologist in court in Pretoria, South Africa. Source: AP

Earlier the murder trial of Pistorius was told of the horrific injuries inflicted upon Steenkamp, with a pathologist describing her arm wound as "almost akin to that of an amputation".

The Paralympian slumped forward in his seat and appeared to be retching as Professor Jan Botha described the effects of the gunshots on Steenkamp.

"Shots could have been discharged in the space of four seconds," Botha told the court. "I think it's highly unlikely she would have been able to call out."

"Before she was in a position to react, the remaining bullets would have struck her," Botha said as Pistorius sobbed into his hands.

Pistorius bent down in the dock plugging his ears with his fingers as Botha's evidence about Steenkamp's cause of death contradicted the state's account.

Steenkamp was first shot in the hip, then in the arm. The third bullet hit her hand and the fourth hit her head, Botha said.

The state has already alleged that Steenkamp was first shot in the hip, that the second bullet missed, the third bullet hit her arm, and the fourth went through her hand and head.

The murder trial resumed in Pretoria to a packed courtroom around 5pm AEDT.

If convicted, the Olympic athlete could be going to prison for 25 years to life.

Pistorius' account that he killed Steenkamp by mistake is going to "stand or fall'' with his testimony in court, a legal expert says.

Unable to hear the evidence ... Oscar Pistorius is charged with murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Source: AP

Charged with premeditated murder for Steenkamp's death, Pistorius and his defence team say he will testify to counter accusations that he intentionally killed Steenkamp by firing four times through the door in his bathroom before dawn on Valentine's Day last year, hitting her in the head, arm and hip.

Pistorius says he mistook Steenkamp for a dangerous intruder hiding in a toilet cubicle.

South Africa has no trial by jury, meaning Judge Thokozile Masipa will pronounce Pistorius guilty or not guilty of murder, and Pistorius has the chance to convince her that he did not intentionally kill the 29-year-old model.

Tragic ... Oscar Pistorius says he shot Reeva Steenkamp after mistaking her for an intruder. Source: AP

But Pistorius' testimony also gives prosecutors the chance to cross-examine the celebrated double-amputee runner and scrutinise every aspect of his story.

Facing a possible life sentence, his questioning by chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel could be the biggest challenge yet for the 27-year-old Pistorius, a disabled athlete who fought for years to win the right to compete alongside able-bodied runners and made history by running at the 2012 Olympics.

Brian Webber, one of Pistorius' lawyers, said they had no choice but to put Pistorius on the stand. Legal experts say it's a risk Pistorius' defence has to take. In a rare comment after the prosecution closed its case, Pistorius said ``we have a lot ahead of us.''

Support ... Oscar Pistorius hugs his aunt Lois Pistorius after the prosecution closed its case. Source: AP

Pistorius often reacted emotionally to details of Steenkamp's death in the four weeks of prosecution-led testimony at his trial. He retched loudly and vomited in court when a pathologist described Steenkamp's grisly injuries and cried and frequently covered his ears while sitting in the dock in an apparent attempt to block out graphic testimony.

During his own testimony, he will have to describe in depth his fatal shooting of Steenkamp.

"He can't ignore it,'' Marius du Toit, a criminal defence lawyer and former state prosecutor in South Africa who is observing the trial, said of Pistorius testifying. "He has to get into the box and confirm his version and be open to cross-examination. And this matter is going to stand or fall with that.''

Cannot stand what he hears ... Oscar Pistorius reacts as he listens to evidence about how his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp died. Source: AP

Defendants in South Africa have the right to remain silent but because he has admitted killing Steenkamp, Pistorius is under pressure to tell the court why he decided to shoot through the door with his 9mm pistol without knowing — in his version — who was on the other side.

Prosecutors charge that Pistorius murdered Steenkamp after a fight and he must dispel their accusations that he intentionally shot her as she hid behind the locked door, legal experts say.

Pistorius likely won't be the first witness the defence calls on Monday, but he should take the stand straight after pathologist Prof. Jan Botha gives evidence.

Pistorius has not yet spoken publicly about the shooting, only giving his side in a written statement at his bail hearing a year ago and in court documents presented at the start of the trial last month. In those statements, Pistorius claims to have been in a loving relationship with Steenkamp but, in fear for his life, he shot at what he thought was an intruder after hearing a window being opened in his bathroom and then a noise inside the cubicle.

Even if he is acquitted of murder, Pistorius faces a negligent killing conviction which can carry a five-year prison sentence. His testimony must show that he acted reasonably when he shot four times from close range.

"A reasonable man most probably would not have fired four shots through the door,'' lawyer and observer du Toit said. "His actions were definitely not reasonable and I think that's his biggest problem.''

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