Boy (16) stole motorbike

A 16-YEAR-OLD boy who amassed 35 criminal convictions in two years, has admitted stealing a motorbike three weeks after he was banned from driving.

The repeat offender pleaded guilty at the Children's Court to theft of the motorbike at Custom House Square, in central Dublin, on August 23 last year. He also admitted stealing three soft drinks from a shop last December.

Garda Ronan Morley listed the teenager's 33 previous convictions which included blackmail and extortion, burglary, driving without a licence, dangerous driving, and public order offences.

Judge Elizabeth MacGrath remanded the boy for sentencing in September.

Copter smash leaves 10 dead

A HELICOPTER chartered by an Australian mining firm has crashed into a mountain in eastern Indonesia, killing all 10 passengers and crew.

The Bell 412 -- carrying two Australians, two South Africans and six Indonesians -- lost contact with authorities yesterday afternoon minutes after take-off from the city of Manado.

A search and rescue team discovered the wreckage at around 2 am.

There was only one survivor at the scene, an Indonesian who later died of his injuries in hospital.

40 hurt in NY tour bus crash

A TOUR bus carrying more than 30 passengers has overturned on a New York state road, injuring several people.

A dispatcher for the Broome County Sheriff's Office said four people were seriously injured and 36 others suffered minor injuries.

He said the crash happened last night on Interstate 81 near Whitney Point village.

No Jerry Lewis for telethon

THE Muscular Dystrophy Association says comedian Jerry Lewis will not appear in their telethon this year.

Lewis (85) announced in May that he was retiring as host of the telethon that has become synonymous with his name since the 1950s.

He said he would make his final appearance on this year's September 4 telethon.

But the MDA said yesterday that Lewis "will not be appearing on the telethon".