Brother leaves 'green' Australia PM red-faced

SYDNEY - The brother of Australian Prime Minister John Howard faces prosecution for felling endangered trees, local media reported on Wednesday as Howard prepared to host a major six-nation conference on climate change.

The Daily Telegraph newspaper said Howard's older brother Stan faced a hefty fine or possible jail term if convicted of knowingly cutting down dozens of threatened species of trees on his property at Bowral, 100km southwest of Sydney.

Australia, the United States, Japan, China, India and South Korea are meeting in Sydney on Wednesday and Thursday for the first Asia-Pacific Partnership for Clean Development and Climate to fight climate change without sacrificing economic growth.

- REUTERS