Bad weather hits India flood rescue ops

BAD weather is hampering rescue operations in rain-ravaged northern India where up to 1,000 people are feared to have died in landslides and flash floods that have left pilgrims and tourists stranded in remote mountains without food or water.

So far 557 bodies have been found after torrential rains struck the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand on June 15, flooding the Ganges river and devastating an area known as the "Land of the Gods" for its revered Hindu shrines.

More than 20,000 people were cut off in remote areas with the full extent of the loss of life only likely to emerge after flood waters recede and rescue workers reach isolated areas, officials said.

"The death toll could be more than 750 - maybe around 1,000," Uttarakhand chief minister Vijay Bahuguna said in the state capital Dehradun late on Saturday.

Raging rivers have swept away houses, buildings and entire villages.

Dozens of helicopters and thousands of soldiers have been deployed to help people trapped across the state.

But air operations had to be suspended on Sunday due to rain and overcast conditions over the pilgrimage sites of Kedarnath and Badrinath as well as Rishikesh, which is popular with adventure tourists for its white-river rafting.

Twenty trekkers including six Americans were rescued on Saturday after they were marooned near a remote glacier, while the army managed to make contact with nearly 1,000 people stuck in mountains near Kedarnath.

Weather permitting, two aircraft were to transport a medical team and equipment to set up an emergency "mini hospital" in the region, Indian Air Force spokeswoman Priya Joshi said.

About 120 bodies were recovered from the Kedarnath temple complex and more were feared to be lying in nearby jungle where tourists took refuge after hotels and other buildings collapsed in the deluge.

The Times of India newspaper said some people had died of hunger and illness when relief failed to reach them in time.

"Mostly the young survived. But many had to see their loved ones die a slow death in front of their eyes," it quoted a rescue worker as saying.

Rescuers hoped to evacuate more people on Sunday after road links to several areas were reopened.

The military operation, involving around 50 helicopters and more than 10,000 soldiers, was focused on reaching those stranded in the holy town of Badrinath after earlier finding widespread devastation in the Kedarnath temple area.

Special trains and buses have been pressed into service to bring tourists home while medical and food supplies were being flown to stranded people.

Floods and landslides from monsoon rains have also struck neighbouring Nepal, leaving at least 39 people dead, according to the government in Kathmandu.

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Mob attacks pensioners in Nicaragua

A MOB suspected to be made up of supporters of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega attacked a protest by senior citizens over pension payouts, drawing outrage from political, business and religious groups.

About 300 people wearing printed government t-shirts and their faces masked by scarves "suddenly appeared, running and shouting they would kill us," said Luciana Chamorro, who was at the scene of the violence in Managua on Saturday.

"They were beating up some old men with bats and kicking them," said Chamorro, one of a group of college students on hand to support the elderly protesters.

Chamorro, grand-daughter of former president Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, said the mob was trucked in to the area.

She said men were stripped naked, bags and mobile phones were grabbed, and the protesters were given just seconds to "disappear" from the square that has been occupied for a week for the demonstration.

The attackers, both men and women, destroyed the makeshift camp and smashed the windows of nearby cars, she said, adding that police "laughed" and blocked demonstrators from running away.

The violence was condemned by opposition politicians, business groups and Catholic leaders, who accused the government of using "paramilitary groups" against the elderly in a move he called "state terrorism."

Protesters are calling for the government to pay out partial pensions to elderly Nicaraguans who have paid into the social security system for at least five years, but who did not work the 750 weeks, or just under 14.5 years, required to earn a pension.

The president of the social security administration said on Friday the agency does not have the money to pay reduced pensions, which would amount to about $US95 million ($A103.6 million) annually.

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Privacy search engines jump after NSA row

INTERNET users are taking a fresh look at "privacy" search engines that do not store data or track online activity, in light of the flap over US government surveillance.

While Google's market share has not seen a noticeable dent, privacy search engines like US-based DuckDuckGo and European-based Ixquick have seen jumps in traffic from users seeking to limit their online tracks.

"I think people are seeking out privacy alternatives," said Gabriel Weinberg, founder of DuckDuckGo, an engine created in 2007, which does not store IP addresses or create profiles of users.

The stored data has become a concern following revelations of a massive surveillance program run by the secretive National Security Agency, with access to data from Google, Yahoo! and other internet firms.

US officials say the information gathered is vital in the fight against global terrorism.

The same data and profiles can be used by the search engine to deliver ads and sold to outside marketers as well.

"What people type in their search engines is their most personal things," Weinberg said. "It's a little creepy that a search engine can know so much about you."

DuckDuckGo had been growing slowly in recent years, but its traffic charts showed a surge after the first news broke June 6 of the government's PRISM surveillance program. By June 20, traffic had hit nearly three million queries, double the level of a year earlier.

More than half of DuckDuckGo traffic comes from outside the United States, Weinberg says.

"This NSA story played into the trend of people's fears" about online tracking, said Weinberg.

Weinberg said another factor is that Google results are being gamed by search engine spammers and other companies trying to rank their results higher."

Dutch-based Ixquick, which also uses the name StartPage, said it too had seen a dramatic jump in usage after news of the PRISM data sharing program.

Last week, the two meta-search engines - which use the results of Google and other search sites and strip out identifying information - served as many as 3.6 million queries.

"This growth has been sustained, it shows no signs of slowing down," said spokeswoman Katherine Albrecht.

The revelations about PRISM "really have woken people up," she said.

"People had heard the message of privacy but hadn't been able to nail it down to how it relates to them."

The company proclaims it "has never turned over user data to any government entity anywhere on earth" and is "not directly subject to US jurisdiction."

Another search engine, California-based Blekko, allows users to select privacy settings and keeps no data if the user selects "do not track."

"Even if you are not a criminal, you probably make searches that you don't want your minister, boss, or spouse to know about," said Blekko's Greg Lindahl.

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Severe weather to strike NSW coast

A SEVERE weather warning is in force for a large swathe of the NSW coast forecasted to suffer gail force winds and rain up to 200mm.

A trough is sitting off the coast, but widespread rains arrived on Saturday at areas from Newcastle to Ulladulla.

On Sunday, the trough will deepen, bringing widespread showers before the system intensifies, the Bureau of Meteorology predicts.

Some areas will experience between 100mm and 150mm of rain.

A low pressure system is expected to form within the trough on Sunday night.

"That will intensify the rainfall, particularly on Monday," bureau meteorologist Rob Taggart told AAP.

Widespread rains are expected from Newcastle to Batemans Bay.

Computer models have yet to pinpoint where the full force of the weather system will strike, but the coastal areas between Sydney and Newcastle are the likely target.

"Which means Sydney will get hit pretty hard (on Monday)," he said.

Localised falls expected between 150mm and 200mm in some areas will also dictate any flood warnings issued.

The bureau has issued a flood watch with minor to moderate flooding predictions for the Wyong, Georges, Nepean, Cooks, Woronora and Paterson and Williams rivers.

Heavy rains combined with king tides may also cause minor flooding in coastal areas.

The bureau has also issued a warning to sheep graziers in the Illawarra, south coast, southern tablelands and central tablelands.

"There is a high risk of losses of lambs and sheep exposed to these conditions," the bureau website states.

The State Emergency Service (SES) has urged residents to clear gutters and downpipes on their homes, fix any roof damage and secure any loose items in yards or on balconies.

On Tuesday, Sydney will see more rain, but weakening, as the weather system moves north.

Higher rain totals are expected for the mid-north coast and Hunter on Tuesday.

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ADF personnel never off duty: Gen Hurley

DEFENCE force chief General David Hurley has warned military personnel they are never off duty.

General Hurley said the degree of public scrutiny of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) indicated Australians expected better behaviour from them.

Following disclosure of misconduct by a group of Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) cadets, he said defence personnel needed to demand more of themselves.

"An ADF member is never off duty. Leaders will be held accountable for the way in which they exercise their authority and every member of the ADF at every rank will be expected to take responsibility for their actions," he said in a statement on Friday.

Seven cadets have been suspended for what's been termed drunken stupidity around a Canberra nightspot.

Last week, Army Chief Lieutenant General David Morrison revealed a group of more senior soldiers were under investigation for producing and distributing offensive materiel on the defence computer system and internet.

General Hurley said defence had taken a strong and visible stance against unacceptable behaviour.

"This is cultural reform in action. This is the Defence Senior Leadership taking steps to set the boundaries and expectations necessary to give full force to cultural change," he said.

General Hurley said ADFA was an important training institution for future defence leaders and he was extremely disappointed some cadets had engaged in unacceptable behaviour which brought their colleagues, ADFA and the ADF into disrepute.

He said he made no apology for the decisive action to eliminate unacceptable behaviour.

"We will not accept or excuse illegal, offensive or discriminatory behaviour in the ADF. Such behaviour contradicts our Defence values and will have swift and decisive consequences," he said.

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Life sentence in HK for killing Briton

A MAN who brutally murdered the British aunt of his ex-wife and hid her body under a sofa has been sentenced to life in prison by a Hong Kong court.

Ahmed Fareed "was convicted of murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment," a judiciary spokeswoman told AFP.

Fareed was sentenced at the southern Chinese city's High Court on Thursday.

He was arrested in Hong Kong in March 2011, just days after 64-year-old Briton Janet Gilson went missing.

She had been staying with her niece on Lamma Island, which lies a short ferry ride from Hong Kong's glittering downtown and is a favourite with ex-pats.

Police found the retired Salvation Army worker from Essex under a sofa at her niece's home, the South China Morning Post reported.

The court heard that she had been suffocated after being strangled with a rope and had a towel stuffed into her mouth.

She also had four of her ribs broken in what Justice Michael Stuart-Moore called an "ultimate crime".

"Words fail to describe the whole horror," Stuart-Moore said as he delivered the sentence, the Post reported.

"This was a most brutal killing of a woman... who had done no harm to the defendant," he said.

Gilson was on vacation to visit her niece Julia, who is divorced from Fareed.

According to the Post, Fareed had been barred by a court order from entering Julia's home at the time of the murder.

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No wrongdoing on legionnaires news: Wesley

A MANAGER of the Wesley Hospital in Brisbane at the centre of a disease outbreak denies any wrongdoing in not revealing a 2011 legionnaires' death.

The Queensland Nurses Union is calling for an independent investigation into the Wesley Hospital management for not publicly disclosing a previous case of legionnaires' disease.

The Brisbane hospital is currently dealing with a deadly outbreak of legionnaires', which killed one patient and put another in intensive care this month.

Queensland Health is investigating the current outbreak and announced this week it will include the 2011 death in its probe.

UnitingCare Health, which operates the hospital, has previously told reporters there haven't been any past cases.

But UnitingCare director Richard Royle on Wednesday admitted he knew of the 2011 death, while a fortnight ago he denied knowing about any previous legionnaries' cases.

On Thursday he claimed he hadn't been misleading the public or trying to cover up the past.

Mr Royle says the 2011 case was a "sporadic case" and not worthy of telling the public about, even though Queensland Health had been notified at the time.

"I did not make the 2011 case public because it was not confirmed as hospital acquired," Mr Royle added.

He said the current outbreak was different because the hospital's water system was the source.

The Queensland Nurses Union's acting secretary, Des Elder, said withholding information and making false statements are serious offences.

"There absolutely has been a cover-up," Mr Elder said.

"I don't think there's any question that the hospital management has tried to conceal that.

"There had in fact been a previous occurrence of legionella previous years ago when they (UnitingCare) made statements to the press, quite openly, that there had not been."

Mr Elder said had the Wesley been a public hospital, Mr Royle would be held accountable for making false statements.

"It would be a breach of the code of conduct in Queensland Health for a CEO to lie," he said.

Mr Elder said a public hospital chief executive would face disciplinary action under the same circumstances, but declined to say whether he believed Mr Royle should be sacked.

He called for an independent investigation into Mr Royle's false statement and the delay in passing relevant information to Queensland Health.

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Gay marriage debate reignites in parly

A LIBERAL senator who crossed the floor to vote in favour of recognising same-sex couples who wed overseas has been praised for acting "with her heart and her mind", even though the bill was overwhelmingly defeated.

Senator Sue Boyce's support wasn't enough to carry the bill to amend the Marriage Act, so that same-sex marriages in foreign countries including New Zealand were recognised under Australian law.

The private member's bill, moved by the Australian Greens, was shot down in the Senate on Thursday by 44 votes to 28.

DLP senator John Madigan again called for a federal referendum on same sex marriage after the vote.

"We're often told that a majority wants same-sex marriage, well I'm saying put it to the people," Senator Madigan said.

He vowed to push for a referendum to define the definition of marriage as just between a man and a woman.

Senator Boyce said such a referendum would fail because it was a "disgusting and immoral idea".

She said she didn't favour the "backdoor" approach the Greens were taking to build groundswell support for same-sex marriage.

But she supported gay marriage, and as this bill would bring that closer to reality, she defied the party line to support it.

"There is no reason not to allow same-sex mariage in Australia," she said.

"I believe that this bill will assist us in moving towards that, and if we are to vote on this bill I will be supporting it."

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said he didn't counsel Senator Boyce against voting for the bill, and defended her right to cross the floor even though the coalition does not support changes to the Marriage Act.

"People on our side of the political fence have always had the right if they feel strongly enough about something to make their own decision," Mr Abbott said.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said Senator Boyce's decision to cross the floor was an important step, and congratulated her for voting with "her heart and her mind".

Finance Minister Penny Wong said Mr Abbott had ensured the legislation would fail by refusing to allow opposition MPs a conscience vote.

Senator Wong, who is in a same-sex relationship, also hit out at the "hurtful and divisive" debate on gay marriage but said she respected that some people held different views.

"What I do disagree with however is their right to impose that opinion on me and upon others in my situation," she told the upper house.

"It (marriage) is special, it is unique ... and that is why those of us who are in same-sex relationships also want to be able to demonstrate our love and commitment through marriage."

Senator Wong's home state of South Australia introduced a bill in state parliament on Thursday to allow same-sex marriage.

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Rio native title deal irks splinter group

A NATIVE title group in Western Australia's Pilbara has inked a land use deal with Rio Tinto despite objections by rival claimants.

On Wednesday, Rio Tinto and Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation (YAC) held a signing ceremony at Roebourne to celebrate the deal, covering 13,000 sq km of land between Tom Price and Karratha, including the mining giant's major rail lines and supporting infrastructure, and some deposits slated for future development.

But the breakaway Wirrlu-Murra Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation (WMYAC) said it did not receive adequate responses to serious concerns it raised about the deal at an authorisation meeting on Tuesday.

"A clear majority of native title members stated that they did not authorise proceeding with the Rio Tinto agreement," WMYAC said in a statement.

But YAC said it was the only party that was legally permitted to represent the Yindjibarndi people in native title negotiations after a Federal Court ruling in February.

YAC claims WMYAC was set up with financial assistance from Fortescue Metals after YAC knocked back a land use deal with the iron ore miner for its Solomon project.

YAC chief executive Michael Woodley said WMYAC had been informed "all the way" for the past four years while the Rio deal, comprising money, jobs and training, was thrashed out.

As a sign of good faith, the splinter group had been offered half of the rights to negotiate and 50 per cent of the benefits package, but had refused it, Mr Woodley said.

"We've got a paper trail to prove that," he told AAP.

He said he was not surprised by WMYAC's stance.

Mr Woodley said he believed their complaint was "part and parcel" of YAC's dispute with Fortescue over Solomon, where WMYAC was in February awarded work as a contractor.

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Tokyo stocks close 1.83 per cent higher

TOKYO stocks closed 1.83 per cent higher on Wednesday, after official data showed Japan's exports soared in May thanks to a weaker yen, while eyes are also on the conclusion of the US Federal Reserve's policy meeting.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index jumped 237.94 points to 13,245.22, while the Topix index of all first-section shares rose 1.86 per cent, or 20.17 points, to 1,106.57.

The headline index firmed on selective dip-buying, while investors await the Fed's policy board meeting and chairman Ben Bernanke's remarks soon after, brokers said.

Markets have been speculating about when the Fed would start tapering off its $US85 billion-a-month bond-buying program, known as quantitative easing and which is credited with helping buoy global equities.

"There is a sense of hope that Bernanke won't disappoint the market," said Kenichi Hirano, operating officer at Tachibana Securities.

"Investors appear to be mostly betting the Fed won't cut back on its bond-buying for a while."

Japan's latest economic data showed the country's trade deficit widened last month as the weak yen pushed up import costs.

But exports jumped 10.1 per cent from the same month a year earlier as the cheaper currency helped make Japanese exporters more competitive overseas.

The data comes as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe works to stimulate the economy with a big-spending growth plan dubbed "Abenomics".

SoftBank's Tokyo-listed shares rose 4.20 per cent to 5,460 yen after a rival bidder for Sprint Nextel dropped its takeover offer.

US satellite television provider Dish Network said it had cancelled plans to submit a revised bid for the US-based wireless carrier.

SoftBank has offered to pay about $US21.6 billion for the company, in what could be one of the biggest foreign acquisitions by a Japanese firm.

In other trading, Toyota rose 1.21 per cent to 5,870 yen, Sony slipped 1.03 per cent to 2,015 yen, and Mitsubishi UFJ, Japan's biggest bank, gained 2.42 per cent to 593 yen.

In currency markets, the US dollar was at 95.11 yen in Tokyo, against 95.37 yen in New York late Tuesday.

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