Albo launches ALP leadership bid

Anthony Albanese will visit three cities and launch a website in his bid for Labor leadership. Source: AAP

BILL Shorten may have the majority support of the ALP caucus for the party's federal leadership but he's going to have a tough fight winning over NSW rank and file members.

More than 200 people packed into the trade union hall in central Sydney on Tuesday night for the launch of outgoing Deputy Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's leadership bid.

The fervent supporters gave the member for Grayndler a standing ovation and cheered "Albo, Albo," as he entered.

ALP member and staunch "Albo" supporter Melanie Brake, 36, told AAP the party needed reform and Mr Albanese was the best person to deliver it.

"He is the kind of person that has the integrity and a Labor vision," she said.

"He has the credibility within the party, he has the standing in the party and he's got the credentials and the experience to do it."

Mr Shorten and Mr Albanese have both nominated for Labor's inaugural ballot of caucus and ordinary ALP members to elect the new federal parliamentary leader in opposition.

The result will be announced on October 13 after a postal ballot of Labor's estimated 40,000 members and an October 10 caucus meeting.

Mr Shorten says the majority of the ALP caucus is behind him and that he was encouraged by expressions of support from grassroots members.

But that didn't stop Labor frontbencher Penny Wong throwing her support behind Mr Albanese for leader.

Former climate change minister Greg Combet, who introduced the aspiring opposition leader at the launch, is also backing Mr Albanese.

"You've got to be clear in mind about your values, your policies... and articulate that to the community," he told AAP.

"Most importantly, you've got to be tough and fight hard and Anthony has all those attributes. I think the times demand him."

But he expects Mr Shorten will have a lot of support particularly in his home state of Victoria.

"He'd be a great leader if he was elected too," Mr Combet said.

It is understood Mr Shorten, the Right faction powerbroker, can count on about 54 per cent of the caucus vote.

But the grassroots membership skews to the Left and is likely to favour Mr Albanese.

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."

Acting Labor leader Chris Bowen wouldn't endorse either contender but would attend campaign events if both aspirants were present.

Mr Shorten said he and Mr Albanese had agreed to a "civil debate about ideas, not personalities".

The pair also agreed that the loser of the ballot would still get a senior role in opposition.

Asked whether he and Mr Albanese had policy differences, Mr Shorten said their values were "quite similar".

But he added that issues surrounding services for people with disabilities must be kept at the centre of the political stage, and that Labor must still keep the Abbott government accountable during the leadership contest.

Mr Shorten appears to favour outgoing health minister Tanya Plibersek for the opposition deputy leader position, if she chose to run.

Bookmakers have Mr Albanese a clear favourite.

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First witness testifies in Kenya case

THE prosecution in the crimes against humanity case against Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto has called its first witness at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

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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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Stronger pound could hit UK recovery

THE pound has defied recent expectations of a fall as it heads towards a level of $US1.60 for the first time in eight months.

A focus on prospects for a tapering of monetary stimulus in the American economy has pushed down the greenback against sterling in the money markets.

Investors believe the withdrawal of former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers from the running to become the next chair of the US Federal Reserve makes a sharp cut in the Fed's multi-billion dollar quantitative easing (QE) program less likely.

It comes on top of a recent improvement in the pound's fortunes due to scepticism over Bank of England governor Mark Carney's flagship low interest rate policy.

The strengthening in the currency may have come too late for many British summer holidaymakers but could make imported goods and materials cheaper for UK firms and consumers.

By contrast, exporters are likely to face a struggle to sell their products abroad as they become increasingly expensive - threatening prospects for recovery in the country's beleaguered manufacturing base.

The pound has been rising since plunging to below 1.49 US dollars in July, and pushed above 1.59 following the latest announcement about the future running of the Fed.

But the strength of sterling could hamper the UK's efforts to boost gross domestic product, which remains 3% below pre-recession levels.

Lee Hopley, chief economist at manufacturers' organisation EEF, said: "The higher pound is going to be an issue for some exporters.

"A lot of what British companies export is less price sensitive than it used to be, but it will still be an issue. Quite a bit of the recovery has been led by exports."

Sterling has been on a rollercoaster ride over the summer, falling sharply on the initial impact of Mr Carney's arrival at Threadneedle Street, after an indication that interest rates would remain low for some time to come.

The prospect of cheap money pushed stock markets up but sent the pound spiralling lower, with some analysts predicting it would go as low as 1.30 US dollars, given the decline in North Sea oil production and continued trade deficit.

However, sentiment hardened as doubts began to emerge about the details of the Bank's "forward guidance" policy, linking any possibility of an interest rate rise to a fall in unemployment to 7%.

While the headline guidance suggested this meant they would not rise until 2016 at the earliest, traders began to believe the Bank's forecasts on unemployment were too pessimistic, leading to the expectation that rates would come up sooner.

The likelihood of higher interest rates has led traders to expect there will be increasing demand for the pound, pushing up its price.

In addition, this weekend's announcement by Mr Summers that he was pulling out of the race to lead the Fed has depressed the dollar

Mr Summers was seen as a sceptic on the Fed's QE policy. The prospect of billions continuing to flow out of the central bank continuing to flow into the US economy unhindered drove down the value of the currency.

Some economists already believe the rise in the sterling has gone too far, however, and that it is set for a fall.

Jessica Hinds of Capital Economics said that the rise in the pound was already looking overdone last week, predicting that UK rates were likely to remain at their current low until 2017 amid a recovery not yet as strong as that of the US.

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ACTU fears Abetz's agenda

THE peak union body has raised concerns about incoming Employment Minister Eric Abetz's agenda in power.

Prime Minister-elect Tony Abbott unveiled his ministerial line up on Monday, naming Eric Abetz as his Employment Minister in waiting.

Senator Abetz and the rest of the Abbott government ministry will be officially sworn in on Wednesday.

Australian Council of Trade Unions president Ged Kearney warned the union movement would vigorously oppose any attempts to wind back work rights and conditions.

"We are concerned about some of his intentions for workplace relations previewed during the election campaign," she said in a statement.

She singled out having the Fair Work Commission oversee enterprise agreements for pay rises without trade-offs and backing employers' push to cut penalty rates as examples.

Ms Kearney said unions would work cooperatively with Senator Abetz.

She urged him to show restraint on public service job cuts.

The coalition has plans to trim the public service by at least 12,000.

"When public sector jobs are cut, we lose services and communities suffer," she 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.

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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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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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