Nth Korea won't co-operate with UN body

THE head of a UN human rights probe says he can't get answers from North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un and his government is responding with slander.

Former Australian High Court justice Michael Kirby, who heads the UN commission examining North Korea's human rights record, said on Tuesday that his July 16 letter to the leader hasn't been answered, and the government has offered no evidence to contradict graphic testimony of human rights abuses in the secretive nation.

Kirby, a former judge in Australia's highest court, told the UN Human Rights Council that the commission it created in March nonetheless gathered testimony from dozens of victims and experts at public hearings in Seoul and Tokyo last month that has "given a face and voice to great human suffering."

For example, he said, the commission heard from a young man imprisoned from birth, who said he lived on rodents, lizards and grass and saw his mother and brother executed.

It also heard from a young woman who said she saw another female prisoner forced to drown her own baby in a bucket, Kirby said, and a man who said he was forced to help collect and burn the corpses of prisoners who died of starvation.

"The commission invited the authorities of Democratic People's Republic of Korea to attend the public hearings in Seoul and make representations, but received no reply," Kirby said.

"Instead, its official news agency attacked the testimony we heard as 'slander' against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, put forward by 'human scum'."

In a June 19 dispatch, the KCNA news agency also denounced the witnesses as "wild dogs in human form" who had become "the main player in the confrontation farce under the patronage of the south Korean puppet group and brigandish US imperialists".

"An ounce of evidence is worth far more than many pounds of insults and baseless attacks," Kirby told the 47-nation Council based in Geneva, which is the UN's top human rights body.

"So far, however, the evidence we have heard has largely pointed in one direction - and evidence to the contrary is lacking."

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Man who defaced Queen's portrait in court

A FATHERS' rights campaigner has denied defacing a portrait of the Queen displayed in Westminster Abbey.

Tim Haries, 42, is alleged to have smuggled a can of spray paint into the abbey on June 13 before defacing the picture painted by Australian-born artist Ralph Heimans.

Appearing at London's Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday, the Fathers4Justice campaigner pleaded not guilty to a charge of causing criminal damage of more than STG5000 ($A8584).

Haries, an electrician from South Yorkshire, was given conditional bail to return to the court for trial on January 6.

The case is expected to last one or two days.

The painting had been on display in the abbey's Chapter House for only a few weeks before it was vandalised with paint.

It was unveiled in London last year for the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

The oil on canvas, which measures 9ft by 11ft and depicts the Queen in the cacrarium of Westminster Abbey, also known as the Coronation Theatre, is valued at around STG160,000.

It shows her in a moment of solitary reflection, standing at the centre circle of the Cosmati pavement, on the exact spot where she was crowned.

Immediately after the damage was done, a picture was taken and the image uploaded to the internet.

Haries allegedly shouted "Fathers4Justice!" when he was arrested.

The artwork had to be removed from public display for repairs before going back on show in July.

Haries was supported by a number of Fathers4Justice campaigners of both sexes in the public gallery - many of them wearing purple - although the group said the act at Westminster Abbey was not an official protest.

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Coppola, Domingo win Japanese arts prize

FILMMAKER Francis Ford Coppola and opera singer Placido Domingo are among five winners of a lucrative arts prize that has been dubbed the "Nobel Prize of the arts".

The Godfather director and the Spanish tenor are recipients of the Japan Art Association's Praemium Imperiale Awards, which come with a Y15 million ($A163,043) purse.

The awards are open to visual and performing artists - and architects - of any nationality. This year's other recipients, announced on Tuesday in London, are British sculptor Antony Gormley; British architect David Chipperfield; and Italian painter Michelangelo Pistoletto.

The winners will receive their awards from Japan's Prince Hitachi at a ceremony in Japan in October.

Previous winners of the prize, founded in 1989, include Italian screen star Sophia Loren and British actress Judi Dench.

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ALP members show strong support for Albo

The cheer from the outgoing deputy prime minister Anthony Albanese's supporters belted through the trade union hall in Sydney as he entered.

The member for Grayndler was there on Tuesday evening to launch his bid for the leadership of the federal Australian Labor Party.

Mr Albanese is competing against outgoing minister and Right faction powerbroker Bill Shorten for the job, the winner to be decided by a vote of rank-and-file members and caucus.

If he wins, Mr ALbanese reckons he can oust the newly-elected Coalition government in one term.

From the eruption of support in the room, it seems a couple of hundred NSW rank and file members and several senior current and former ALP MPs agree.

Outgoing health minister Tanya Plibersek, former NSW premier Nathan Rees, ALP national president Jenny McAllister and retiring former cabinet minister Greg Combet were among the members at the launch.

Mr Combet, who studied economics with Mr Albanese at Sydney University in the 1980s, told the crowd "he's the right leader for the Labor party in these times."

"When you've just lost an election, you really need to look for ... someone steeped in Labor tradition, someone true to Labor values, someone who'll fight," he said.

"Where else can you look but Anthony Albanese?"

The room lit up as Mr Albanese took the podium, praising the reformed leadership selection process as "opening up... the most significant decision that a political party can make."

He backed himself as being "up for this job", referring to the many portfolios he's held and his challenging role as leader of the House of Representatives in a minority government.

"I have the capacity, I had to deliver Bob Katter and Adam Bandt on the same platter."

Mr Albanese was careful to stick to a "civil debate about ideas, not personalities," agreed to by himself and Mr Shorten.

"(Bill Shorten's) a very good candidate and would make a very good leader of the Labor party," he told the crowd.

Mr Albanese is embarking on a three-city tour over the next three days and will be taking along his three word slogan "Vision. Unity. Strength." as he seeks wider support for his tilt at the ALP's top job.

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Worst over in Vic baby illness mystery

More than a dozen babies in Melbourne's Royal Women's Hospital have fallen ill to a mystery bug. Source: AAP

VICTORIAN Health Minister David Davis says the worst is over after more than a dozen babies in a hospital nursery came down with a mysterious infection.

Fifteen newborns being cared for in The Royal Women's Hospital's intensive and special care nursery were quarantined when the illness emerged nine days ago.

Two babies had to have surgery for an inflammatory bowel condition.

Mr Davis said the outbreak was a challenge that had been well-managed.

"An infection in neonatal has been worked through and followed up with the support of the chief health officer of Victoria," he said.

"We are now eight days since any further infection. This can happen from time-to-time but has been handled appropriately and carefully."

Mr Davis said state opposition allegations that funding cuts were to blame for stress in neonatal units were false and bed numbers were at record numbers.

He said adequate bed numbers in neonatal units was a long-term challenge for government that was separate to the infection.

"From time-to-time there are peaks in demand (of beds) and there is pressure. However the state government is working to ensure their sufficient capacity," he said.

A hospital spokeswoman said there was no danger to new arrivals and that the babies are getting better.

Australian Nursing Federation state secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said she was concerned about the stress on neonatal care units across the state.

"There is continuing pressure put on those units and we know that there has been an issue this week with 20 babies still being barrier nursed," Ms Fitzpatrick said.

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London mayor Johnson backs UK fracking

London Mayor Boris Johnson says wind farms are a "disease" and the UK should embrace nuclear power. Source: AAP

WIND farms are a "disease" which have blighted Britain's countryside and the country should embrace nuclear power and fracking to meet its energy needs, London Mayor Boris Johnson says.

Johnson accused the energy companies of "ruthlessly exploiting" a shortage of supply as he insisted the UK must stop "pussy-footing around" and start exploiting shale gas reserves.

The senior Tory said turning to a new generation of nuclear plants and fracking would cut energy bills and boost the economy.

Writing in The Sun on Sunday he said he was shocked by the number of wind turbines he saw on a recent drive to Scotland.

"It is a good 20 years since I last drove all the way to Scotland, and in the interim something unbelievable has been done - in our name - to our green, pleasant and precious countryside," he said.

"I mean the windmills, the turbines - whatever they are called. I mean the things that look like some hideous Venusian invasion, marching over the moors and destroying the dales; the colossal seaside toys plonked erratically across our ancient landscape; the endless parade of waving white-armed old lunatics, gesticulating feebly at each other across the fields and the glens.

"They seemed to be everywhere, and I asked myself, when were we consulted? Was there a referendum? Did someone ever warn the British people that these moaning seagull slicers were going to be erected on some of the most sensational scenery that God ever called into being?

"The answer is that no one warned us, because no one really took the decision to do it. It just sort of happened. We have contracted these mills like a disease, because of our pathetic apology for an energy policy."

Claiming that the turbines would not meet the UK's needs he blamed the last Labour administration for failing to get to grips with the issue, leaving the UK facing an energy crisis.

"It is time to take the fight to the energy companies, who have been ruthlessly exploiting their position - and the best answer is an enormous increase in supply. We can do it, and we can do it in a way that is as clean and green as any technology on earth," he said.

"First we need to grow some collective cojones and launch the nuclear energy programme that this country has too long delayed. Do you know how much of their juice the French get from their nuclear programme? Almost 80%. They are laughing at us - us, the nation that split the atom!"

He added: "Next, we must stop pussy-footing around, and get fracking. Even if we have 100s of fracking pads, they are nothing like as ugly as windmills, and they can be dismantled as soon as the gas is extracted."

Mr Johnson said shale was "clean and green" and would help the UK secure its own energy supply without relying on gas from countries such as Russia.

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Trekkers' attackers captured in PNG

FOUR men suspected in the ambush and murder of two guides leading a group of Australian trekkers in Papua New Guinea have been captured by villagers, police say.

The four were captured on Sunday morning near the town of Wau, a five-and-a-half-hour walk from the Black Cat Track in PNG's Morobe province, where local guides Kuia Kerry and Matthew Lasong were killed when they were attacked by six armed men.

Several Australians and six PNG men were injured in the attack.

Police said on Sunday one suspect was caught in the town of Salamaua while the other three were caught in Wau.

"I believe it is only a matter of time before the other two are captured and brought in," Police Commissioner Tom Kulunga said in a statement.

"Whilst I encourage the local community to continue to assist police capture the remaining attackers, I urge you not to take the law into your own hands.

"Let the law deal with them."

Mr Kulunga also confirmed reports a man was attacked and killed by relatives of one of the two murdered porters.

He said the relatives accused the man of harbouring the six criminals and attacked him.

Police intervened and flew him to the nearest health centre but he died from loss of blood.

"There will be an investigation and the persons responsible for this recent death will be arrested. No one has the right to take anyone's life," Mr Kulunga said.

Police have sent 30 additional personnel to the area to capture the remaining fugitives.

"The commitment of the villagers in helping police bring in the four suspects speaks volumes for our people's genuineness and hospitality as well," he said.

"The attack was an isolated and one-off incident and not a reflection of the generally friendly people of the Morobe Province."

Meanwhile the survivors of Tuesday's machete attack have set up a trust fund for the local porters who were injured in the ambush.

Mackay man Nick Bennett was injured when he was hit on the head with a gun.

On Sunday, he told ABC radio all the trekkers had returned home and were coming to terms with the horrific experience.

But he says while the trekkers are traumatised, their injuries are insignificant compared with what had happened to the porters, some of whom had limbs hacked off and would never walk again.

"We've set up a trust fund and we're asking people ... just to provide a few dollars into an account that we've got set up to help them get the services that they need," he said.

"We've made a commitment to ensuring that we support those porters and their families who've absolutely been devastated by this.

"We really need help and we're appealing to people to be generous. Anything - a peso, a dollar, a pound - would be helpful right now for these guys."

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Colorado floods leave hundreds missing

EMERGENCY workers involved in a massive effort to rescue stranded flood victims in Colorado, where more than 500 people are still unaccounted for, are bracing for a fresh pounding from storms.

Officials said efforts to locate those in need of help were hampered by flood damage to many mobile phone towers.

New flash floods were expected to inundate the area, which thousands were forced to evacuate.

Raging floodwaters in the city of Boulder, already confirmed to have killed at least four people, apparently claimed the life of a fifth on Saturday - a 60-year-old woman swept away in the torrent.

The Larimer County Sheriff's Office said on Twitter that the woman was "missing presumed dead", after floodwaters destroyed her house, and officials warned the toll will likely climb further.

"There might be further loss of life," Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle told reporters on Sunday. "It's certainly a high probability.... With an army of folks and an air show, we're hoping to reach everyone as soon as possible."

But some additional help was on the way, with President Barack Obama declaring a major disaster in Colorado and ordering federal aid to support state and local efforts.

"Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster," the White House said.

And the Wyoming National Guard was helping the evacuation effort after Governor Matt Mead activated five UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and 20 crew members, the state's military department said.

In the disaster zone, helicopters circled above submerged houses in a search for survivors in the western US state, with hundreds still missing.

About 350 people were unaccounted for in Larimer County alone, from where about 475 people were evacuated, according to the sheriff's office.

In neighbouring Boulder County, 231 people were unaccounted for, according to CNN, though authorities cautioned that the numbers were fluctuating.

"It is no doubt an epic event," Weld County Commissioner Sean Conway told The Denver Post. "It is a once in 500 years or 1000 years situation."

Search and rescue teams are being deployed to assess the situation and contact stranded residents.

The US National Guard provided seven helicopters to help get people out of danger.

About 1200 residents were pulled out of the Pinewood Springs area by the National Guard and Fort Carson personnel, state authorities said on Twitter.

But many others are still awaiting rescue, which authorities said could take days for some.

Impassable roads forced authorities to use a helicopter to evacuate 200 residents from Jamestown, northwest of Boulder, according to news reports.

Residents' furry friends were also stranded by the torrential rains.

"Our victims' advocates told me tonight there were almost as many pets as people getting off the evacuation helicopters today," the Larimer County Sheriff's Office tweeted.

Officials said there were widespread power outages as streets became raging rivers after the state received months' worth of rain in just a few days.

Rain began pelting the state earlier this week, in Boulder, which saw 18.3 centimetres of precipitation in about 15 hours beginning from Wednesday night, with more downpours likely over the weekend.

Pictures from helicopter cameras showed heavy rain had reduced the towns of Jamestown, Lyons and Longmont to little more than islands, with ready-to-eat meals being dropped to stranded, anxious residents below.

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Liberal lead narrows in McEwen

The margin is tightening in the nation's closest election race in the Victorian seat of McEwen. Source: AAP

THE margin is tightening in the nation's closest election race in the Victorian seat of McEwen.

Liberal challenger Donna Petrovich narrowly leads Labor incumbent Rob Mitchell, with just 142 votes separating them at lunchtime Saturday.

This has narrowed from Friday, with almost 85 per cent per cent of the vote counted.

In Victoria's other close contest, between Liberal Sophie Mirabella and independent Cathy McGowan in Indi, the latter's lead is widening.

On Saturday, Ms McGowan led by 805 votes with more than 88 per cent of the ballots tallied.

Mrs Mirabella this week ruled herself out of a cabinet post in the Tony Abbott government, saying her decision allowed the new prime minister to choose his ministry without waiting for the result in her seat.

Counting continues Saturday and Sunday.

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Police end Mexico City plaza occupation

Police have raided Mexico City's historic centre to remove striking teachers from Zocalo plaza. Source: AAP

RIOT police have swept thousands of striking teachers out of the heart of Mexico City.

The authorities used tear gas, flash grenades and water cannon against protesters to bring a swift end to weeks of occupation of the Zocalo plaza over reforms to the country's dysfunctional education system.

Three days before Mexican Independence Day, the teachers armed themselves with metal pipes and wooden clubs and blocked off the Zocalo with steel grates and plastic traffic dividers, threatening to scuttle the traditional national celebration in the massive colonial-era square.

Before moving in, the government had promised that Independence Day celebrations would take place in the Zocalo as scheduled, and the head of the federal police warned on national television that police would move in at 4pm local time.

The teachers, many veterans of battles with police in poor southern states, promised not to move from the square where they have camped out since last month.

Some fixed knives and nails to wooden planks and declared themselves ready to fight.

Others set up sewage-filled portable toilets in the path of police vehicles.

Shortly after 4pm, the police swarmed in, shooting tear gas from specially equipped fire extinguishers, tossing flash grenades and spraying water from armoured trucks.

Protesters hurled sticks and chunks of pavement broken from the streets around world-famous tourist attractions including the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Templo Mayor and the National Palace.

But within a half hour, police had cleared the Zocalo and much of the surrounding historic centre of virtually all protesters.

Union organisers said they would reassemble away from the main plaza at the nearby Monument to the Revolution.

Small knots of teachers, self-described local anarchists and other supporters hurled bottles and rocks at police on some of the main avenues of downtown Mexico City.

It was a dramatic reassertion of state authority after weeks of near-constant disruption in the centre of one of the world's largest cities.

The teachers have marched through the capital at least 15 times over the last two months, decrying a plan that aims to break union control of education with a new system of standardised teacher testing that become law on Tuesday.

The teachers say blocking the reform itself is no longer the point.

They say they are now trying to maintain pressure to protect their rights and privileges as the government puts the labour reforms into effect and reduces union control over teacher hiring and assignment.

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