Flood rescue prompts police warning

A 68-YEAR-OLD man's narrow escape from his rapidly submerging ute in NSW's Northern Rivers region has prompted police to repeat warnings to motorists not to drive into floodwaters.

Police said that at about 6am (AEDT) on Saturday the man ignored signs warning of water over a causeway at Ellangowan, 20km south of Casino, and drove his utility in, flooding the vehicle up to the bonnet.

The force of the water pushed the ute off the causeway and it began to float downstream.

Police said the man managed to get out moments before the ute submerged and he was swept about 100 metres downstream before he managed to grab a tree.

At about 8.30am a passerby heard his cries for help and called a nearby resident, who waded towards the man but wasn't able to reach him because of the current.

Police and Casino Volunteer Rescue Association officers were called and conducted a swift water rescue of the man who was treated for mild hypothermia before being taken to hospital.

The rescue came only hours before the body of a man was found in his submerged car on a flooded road at Mylneford, about 20km northwest of Grafton on the NSW north coast.

That death prompted a warning to motorists from Deputy State Emergency Operations Controller, Assistant Commissioner Alan Clarke, and he repeated the warning after learning of the Ellangowan rescue.

"Roads are closed for a very good reason - they are flooded and dangerous," he said in a statement.

"We are again appealing for motorists and members of the public to never enter floodwaters or cross flooded causeways.

"It is dangerous for them and for those who have to rescue them."

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16 sites for new nuclear plants in Iran

IRAN has selected 16 locations for the contruction of nuclear power plants as part of a plan to generate 20,000 megawatts of electricity at multiple sites over the next 15 years.

State TV says that experts at the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran have finished studies to select the best locations across the country.

It added the sites were chosen in part for their resistance to earthquakes and military air strikes.

The Islamic republic says it needs 20 large-scale plants to meet its growing electricity needs over the next one-and-a-half decades.

State TV also says that Iran has discovered new uranium resources in the country that will put its reserves at 3990 tonnes compared to 1385 tonnes three decades ago.

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Pistorius spends time with family

Oscar Pistorius (R) has been freed on bail pending a high-profile trial for killing his girlfriend. Source: AAP

SOUTH Africa's Olympic "Blade Runner" and murder suspect Oscar Pistorius was on Saturday with his family spending his first day out on bail pending trial for the killing of his girlfriend.

Pistorius was freed on a record one million rand ($A110,656) bail on Friday after eight days in cells and an emotionally charged four-day bail hearing.

"I would like Oscar to just compose himself and to have a normal day," his uncle Arnold Pistorius told the local Eyewitness News.

Pistorius will return to court later this year when a date will be set for trial for having shot dead his model girlfriend and law graduate Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day.

When contacted by AFP, his father Henke Pistorius refused to say how his son had slept. He spent the night at his uncle's house in Pretoria.

But a source close to the family told AFP that "the family just want time together. They haven't thought about anything except being together".

Pistorius claims he killed his lover by mistake thinking she was a burglar.

The grieving parents of his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, however, did not appear convinced.

"It doesn't matter how rich he is and how good his legal team is. He needs to live with himself if he lets his legal team lie for him," his father Barry told the Afrikaans language daily Beeld.

Pistorius has assembled some of the best legal brains in South African to defend his case.

"He'll have to live with his conscience. But if he's telling the truth, I may forgive him one day," said Steenkamp's father.

But "if it didn't happen as he described it, he should suffer. And he will suffer ... only he knows".

Pistorius' family sent flowers and card to the Steenkamp family, but "what does that mean? Nothing," said June, Reeva's mother.

In addition to the bail cash he posted on Friday, which experts say is among one of the highest ever set in South Africa, Pistorius had to surrender his passport and his firearms.

He will have to report twice weekly to Pretoria's Brooklyn police between 7am and 1pm each Monday and Friday. He was also ordered not to take alcohol or drugs.

Pistorius may also on Saturday hold talks with his trainer to get back on the track, despite being banned under the terms of his bail from competing outside South Africa.

"He is a professional athlete. He needs to keep his body in shape," said the family source.

His arrest on February 14 shocked the world and gripped South Africa, where he became a national hero after becoming the first double amputee to compete in the Olympics last year.

The state charged him with the premeditated Valentine's Day killing of 29-year-old Steenkamp.

If found guilty he faces a possible life sentence.

Just hours before the magistrate decided to release Pistorius on bail, arguing he was not a flight risk and did not pose a danger to the public, defence lawyer Barry Roux appeared to concede that the star sprinter could be convicted on a lesser charge of homicide.

That charge entails negligence rather than murderous intent and can carry a sentence of up to 15 years in prison.

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Opposition slams world inaction on Syria

Syria's opposition coalition says it will form a government to run "liberated areas" of the country. Source: AAP

THE umbrella opposition National Coalition condemned world powers for failing to act to stop the slaughter in Syria, as missiles killed at least 29 in Aleppo.

The remarks by spokesman Walid al-Bunni came after the Coalition had said it would form a government to run "liberated areas" of Syria and was pulling out of several international meetings in protest against world "silence".

"We cannot continue listening to statements that are not accompanied by action," Bunni said it remarks to France 24's Arabic-language channel.

"The world has a responsibility to protect (the Syrian people) from a butcher who has been slaughtering them for two years," a reference to President Bashar al-Assad.

Referring to a meeting of the Friends of Syria group in Rome next Thursday, Bunni said: "We want to say... if you are our real friends, help us to stop the massacres that are being committed against our people".

Late on Friday, the group had said it would not attend meetings in Italy, Russia and the United States to protest against the "shameful" lack of global condemnation of "crimes committed against the Syrian people".

It had been due to attend the Friends of Syria, and Coalition chief Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib had also been invited to Moscow.

"The international silence on the crimes committed every day against our people amounts to participating in two years of killings," a statement said.

"We hold the Russian leaders in particular ethically and politically responsible because they continue to support the (Damascus) regime with weapons."

Bunni also challenged the United States to honour what he said were promises of support for democracy in Syria.

"Our visit to Washington is on hold until Washington takes a stance that is in accordance with US statements on its support for democracy."

On Friday, Bunni announced plans for a government for "liberated areas" that he said he hoped would be based inside northern Syria.

Its composition and "prime minister" would be chosen at a meeting on March 2, he added, with Coalition members saying the gathering would be held in Istanbul.

Meanwhile, peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi said Thursday's attack in Damascus had left about 100 people dead - substantially more than a previous toll of 61 - and wounded another 250.

Describing it as a "war crime", the UN-Arab League envoy said "nothing could justify such horrible actions that amount to war crimes under international law".

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said "nothing can justify an act of such brutality that killed so many people, mostly civilians, including children".

Both the regime and opposition have blamed "terrorists" for the attack near the ruling Baath party's main offices.

The same day, another 22 people were killed in a triple bombing targeting security headquarters in northern Damascus, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

In the second largest city of Aleppo, at least 29 people, including 19 children, had been killed and 150 wounded when three missiles hit Tariq al-Bab district on Friday, said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman.

Shelling of the city's Maadi district caused a building to collapse, killing an unknown number of people, and rebels fought troops near Aleppo international airport and Nayrab air base to the southeast.

The army's use of surface-to-surface missiles is part of a bid to advance on Aleppo, swathes of which the rebels have seized since mid-2012, said Abdel Rahman.

"The army has been trying for weeks to come closer to Aleppo via its eastern entrance, in order to assault it. Elite troops are being sent... but so far the army has been unsuccessful."

The Britain-based Observatory said 149 people were killed nationwide on Friday, adding to an overall UN death toll of at least 70,000 dead in the 23-month conflict.

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Malaysia busts child trafficking syndicate

MALAYSIAN police said they have broken up a child trafficking syndicate and rescued 21 children and babies.

Police in the northern state of Penang said they arrested 43 suspects, at least 20 of them women, in a nationwide operation which began late last December.

"The babies and children were aged between a month and nine years," Penang police chief Rahim Hanafi said in a statement on the force's Facebook page.

Reports also cited him as saying in an earlier press conference that police made raids Thursday night in six states and the capital Kuala Lumpur.

"We are also working closely with Interpol on a few of the children believed to have been taken to neighbouring countries," Friday's The Star newspaper quoted Rahim as saying.

Malaysian police have in recent years broken up several other child trafficking syndicates, nabbing Malaysians and Indonesians who bought children from poor women and sold them on for as much as $A5,880.

The suspects face jail terms of between three to 20 years.

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Hitler and Frankenstein run for election

ADOLF Hitler is running for election in India. So is Frankenstein.

The tiny northeast Indian state of Meghalaya has a special fascination for interesting and sometimes controversial names, and the ballot for state elections Saturday is proof.

Hitler, aged 54, has already been elected to the state assembly three times, with little controversy over being named after the Nazi dictator.

He points out that he's not an exact match; his middle name is Lu.

Hitler has travelled the world, including to the United States and Germany. He has often been asked by immigration officials why he has that name.

He says it wasn't his decision.

India played little role in World War II, and many Indians view Hitler not as the personification of evil but as a figure of fascination.

Among the 345 contestants running for the state assembly are Frankenstein Momin, Billykid Sangma, Field Marshal Mawphniang and Romeo Rani.

Some, like Kenedy Marak, Kennedy Cornelius Khyriem and Jhim Carter Sangma, are clearly hoping for the electoral success of their namesake American presidents.

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Arrests over Tunisian politician murder

TUNISIA'S interior minister has announced the arrest of several suspects in the assassination of a leftist politician two weeks ago that plunged the country into a political crisis.

Ali Larayedh said late Thursday that "rapid progress" had been made in the investigation into Chorki Belaid's killing.

He gave few details, however, and could not confirm whether those arrested were the suspected killers themselves or say who was behind the assassination.

Belaid was shot four times outside his home on February 6, provoking days of unrest after many held the government responsible for his death.

Tunisia's prime minister has since resigned and the largest party in the assembly, the moderate Islamist Ennahda Party, is now working on putting together a new governing coalition.

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Scottish schools hit by horse meat scandal

ALL Scottish schools have been told not to serve frozen beef burgers after one was found to contain traces of horse DNA.

Local authorities were advised to "place a hold" on the use of the products following the discovery in a burger at a North Lanarkshire school kitchen.

The measure also applies to council leisure facilities and some social care establishments.

The revelation was made after frozen burgers were removed for testing last week.

Scotland's Rural Affairs Secretary, Richard Lochhead, said it was "really unacceptable that any school child in Scotland should be eating a burger which has got horse meat in it".

News of the discovery in North Lanarkshire emerged on Thursday night.

The school where the positive test was recorded has not been named.

A local authority spokesman said: "The council has notified the Food Standards Agency, as it is required to do, and investigations are continuing.

"Our investigations are focusing on the use of frozen burger supplies during the past three months, the maximum length of time these would be held in storage."

Samples of frozen mince came back negative for horse DNA.

Meanwhile, councils across the United Kingdom were advised to take frozen beef burgers off the menu as a precautionary measure.

The move was confirmed by procurement agency Scotland Excel, which deals with contracts across Scotland.

A spokesman said: "On the evening of February 21, we were advised by North Lanarkshire Council that traces of horse DNA were found in a frozen beef burger that had been supplied to one of the schools in their area.

"Scotland Excel is very concerned to learn of this incident despite the steps taken by our suppliers to provide assurances on their processed meat products.

"Investigations are taking place and we are continuing to work with our suppliers to ensure that the necessary verification is taking place across the supply chain.

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Nike suspends Pistorius contract

US sportswear giant Nike has suspended its contract with Oscar Pistorius after the South African Paralympic star was charged with murdering his girlfriend.

"Nike has suspended its contract with Oscar Pistorius," the firm's UK and Ireland spokesman told AFP on Thursday.

"We believe Oscar Pistorius should be afforded due process and we will continue to monitor the situation closely."

Seen worldwide as an inspirational athlete, Pistorius, who has both legs amputated below the knee, is linked to several corporate giants.

He is facing murder charges over the Valentine's Day shooting of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his home in South Africa.

Pistorius, who became the first double amputee to compete against able-bodied athletes in the Olympics at the 2012 London Games, says he shot Steenkamp by mistake through a bathroom door, believing she was a burglar.

Pistorius earned millions in endorsements but the murder charge saw billboards featuring his image taken down soon after the news broke.

An advert for Nike showing Pistorius setting off from the starting blocks with the line "I am the bullet in the chamber" has been removed from the runner's personal website.

A Nike spokesman confirmed on Tuesday the sporting goods and apparel manufacturer had "no plans for Oscar Pistorius in upcoming campaigns".

Golf icon Tiger Woods, another Nike-backed athlete, retained the endorsement of the company during his infamous sex scandal when other sponsors severed ties with the then-married father of two.

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Eurozone PMI at two-month low

PRIVATE business activity across the eurozone hit a two-month low in February, signalling a steepening of the economic downturn, a leading growth indicator says.

The Purchasing Managers' Index, a leading indicator, published by London-based Markit fell to 47.3 in February from 48.6 the previous month, the company said on Thursday.

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