Aboriginal protest disrupts Melb CBD

A large protest opposing the closure of remote indigenous communities in WA has shut down Melbourne. Source: AAP

A LARGE protest opposing the closure of remote indigenous communities in WA has shut down streets in central Melbourne.

SEVERAL thousand people gathered outside the city's main railway station Flinders Street at 4pm.

"Enough is enough - where is the justice for Aboriginal people?" a speaker shouted to the crowd before the walk through CBD streets, flanked by police.The rally forced the closure of Flinders and Elizabeth streets, where surrounding streets soon became clogged with cars and trams forced to stop.Rally goers gathered again outside Flinders Street station, blocking the intersection, just on 5pm.Police, on foot and on riot horses, followed the marchers all the way.Jason Maxwell, 31 of South East Dandenong Ranges, was among the protesters."I disagree, strongly disagree, in selling out on the aboriginal communities just for money," Mr Maxwell told AAP.He said the WA and Federal governments should recognise the importance of the link between indigenous people and their lands, and it was wrong to describe this as a lifestyle choice."It is the worst thing that a modern government could ever say," Mr Maxwell said."It's a political tool to separate us, and I think it is wrong."The protesters did not enjoy universal support, with a heckler heard to shout "move over to WA".

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Ukraine rebels 'killed govt soldiers'

Amnesty International believe Russian-back soldiers in east Ukraine executed government soldiers. Source: AAP

AMNESTY International says it has evidence that Russian-backed separatists in east Ukraine have executed several captured government soldiers in gross violation of international humanitarian law.

THE human rights group said in a statement that footage it has seen shows at least four Ukrainian soldiers - now confirmed dead - being interrogated by rebel militia.

Pictures showing bullet wounds to the soldier's heads and bodies appeared to show they had died as the result of execution-style killings, the group said.Rebel officials could not immediately be reached for comment on Amnesty's allegations.The English-language Kyiv Post newspaper earlier this week managed to contact a rebel unit commander, Arseniy Pavlov, who is believed to be a Russian national, to respond to widely aired claims he was responsible for executions.In the telephone interview, which has been uploaded to YouTube, Pavlov responds that he personally shot dead 15 Ukrainian servicemen.

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Man charged over Melb bouncer stabbing

A MAN has been charged after a bouncer was stabbed in the back outside a Melbourne nightclub.

SECURITY camera footage released after Thursday's late-night attack shows the 29-year-old bouncer manning the door as a man approached from behind and stabbed him in the back.

Police raided a house in Footscray late on Monday where they arrested a 25-year-old man.He has been charged with conduct endangering life, assault and weapon offences.The man was bailed to appear in Melbourne Magistrates Court on June 30.

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