Sharp drop in N Korea refugees to South

THE number of North Korean refugees fleeing to the South fell sharply in 2012, officials in Seoul say, with activists citing crackdowns and tighter border controls.

A total of 1508 North Koreans arrived in the South in 2012 - nearly all of them via China - down from 2706 the previous year, the Unification Ministry said on Wednesday.

Activists said the North under new leader Kim Jong-Un had cracked down on people trying to flee the country.

Searches for North Koreans living in hiding in China have also been intensified in co-operation with Chinese security authorities, they said.

"Border guards are under an order from Kim Jong-Un to shoot to kill anyone who attempts to cross the (North Korea-China) border illegally," Pastor Kim Sung-Eun of the Caleb Mission told AFP.

The mission is one of several South Korean Christian evangelist groups which help North Koreans escape and resettle in the South.

Kim said the cost of getting someone out of North Korea had escalated in recent years to around 10 million won ($A9,000) - more than half of which is used to bribe border guards.

A total of 24,613 North Koreans have settled in the South since 1998, the Unification Ministry said, with around half of them unemployed or retirees struggling to make ends meet.

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Indian lawyers shun rape accused

LAWYERS in India say they will refuse to defend the men accused of a fatal gang-rape that sparked protests across the country.

Hearings are expected to begin on Thursday at the Saket district court in south New Delhi, where police will formally present a 1000-page charge sheet against the six accused.

"We have decided that no lawyer will stand up to defend the rape accused as it would be immoral to defend the case," Sanjay Kumar, a lawyer and a member of the Saket District Bar Council, told AFP.

Kumar said the 2500 advocates registered at the court have decided to "stay away" to ensure "speedy justice", meaning the government would have to appoint lawyers for the defendants.

Another lawyer at the court confirmed the boycott to AFP.

Five men are expected to face charges including rape, murder and kidnapping in the Saket court, with the prosecutor likely to seek the death sentence.

A sixth suspect is believed to be 17 years old, meaning he would be tried in a court for juveniles.

The brutality and horrific nature of the attack on a 23-year-old has led to protests in the capital and elsewhere over the widespread abuse of women and sex crime in India.

The rape victim died at the weekend after 13-day struggle to survive injuries so grievous that part of her intestines had to be removed.

She was repeatedly raped on a bus on December 16 before being thrown from the moving vehicle at the end of a 40-minute ordeal.

In 2008, Indian lawyers refused to defend a gunman who took part in attacks on Mumbai which killed 166 people, leaving him with a government-appointed lawyer. He was executed in November last year.

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Five killed in French flat fire

FIVE people, including a child, have been killed and 18 others hurt in a pre-dawn fire in a Paris apartment building.

Rescue workers say they all lived in the same flat on the fifth floor of the six-storey building in a disadvantaged area of Gennevilliers, northwest of the capital, adding that the cause of the fire remained unknown.

Around 100 firefighters fought the blaze that began in the early hours of Wednesday in a fourth-floor flat.

Fifteen of the 18 people injured were taken to hospital. Two were firefighters who suffered hand burns.

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Toxic cannisters washed up on Qld beaches

POLICE are warning people not to handle mysterious silver canisters containing a toxic gas that are washing up on beaches in central Queensland.

The silver canisters, which have been found on beaches since February last year, contain toxic aluminium phosphide which can be fatal if inhaled or ingested.

Aluminium phosphide is a colourless, flammable and toxic gas.

Mild exposure by inhalation can cause a ringing in the ears, fatigue, nausea and pressure in the chest.

Police have received reports of the containers being found between Lady Elliot Island and Mabuiag Island, with the most recent being discovered at Zilzie near Rockhampton.

Authorities don't know where the canisters are coming from.

The canisters are 30cm high and 15cm in diameter. People who find them are urged not to handle them and immediately call Triple Zero.

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Shark sightings clear SA beaches

SOUTH Australian swimmers have had a New Year's scare with shark sightings forcing the closure of two popular beaches.

Police said Moana Beach, south of Adelaide, had been evacuated and closed on Monday evening (ACDT) after a 2.5-metre shark was spotted 100 metres from the shore.

A short time later, nearby Christies Beach was closed following another sighting of a 2.5-metre shark.

Police said it was not known if it was the same animal in both sightings.

AAP pbc/a

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Tourists flock to Sydney for NY eve

SYDNEY'S famous fireworks have attracted not only locals, but brought in overseas visitors keen to experience New Year's Eve down under.

American Melissa Sjostedt says she's wanted to see the fireworks on the bridge since reading about it in a four-page spread in the National Geographic 10 years ago.

"Ever since that I've always wanted to see this for real, live, in person," the 30-year-old from Florida told AAP from Dawes Point Reserve.

Mathieu Herman, 30, from New York City, said he'd made the trip to Australia specifically for New Year's Eve.

"I saw it last year on TV and it looked fabulous. I said to myself 'it's something I've just got to do'.

"I love Australia and if the fireworks are as good as they're supposed to be, I might move here."

Sisters Liann, 25, and Joanne, 19, from Flintshire in North Wales, got to Lady Macquarie's Chair at 10.30am to snag the best view of the fireworks.

"It's been a cracker day so far except for the achey bum, I should have brought more pillows," said Liann as she reclined, drink in hand, on a beach towel.

"It's our first time in Australia so we don't know what to expect.

"But it's got to be better than back home, it's minus five (degrees) there at the moment."

Essig Roland and his girlfriend Marika Rauecker, both from Austria, were anxiously waiting at 7pm (AEDT) just to get into the packed venue.

"What can you do but just stand here and wait" said Mr Roland, who'd been queueing for an hour.

Pop princess Kylie Minogue, chosen as the event's creative ambassador, was a big drawcard for the couple making the trip down under for New Year's this year.

"We're big Kylie fans we've already been to her concert in Austria," he said.

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Thousands gather on Sydney harbour for NYE

Sydney's lord mayor says the city is spending $6.6 million on its New Year's Eve event. Source: AAP

THOUSANDS of revellers have gathered at Sydney's sparkling harbour to take part in the party that kicks off New Year's celebrations the world over.

Temporary cyclone fences surround the city's best vantage points as people armed with fold-up chairs, picnic blankets, nibbles and booze stake a claim.

Lucky types are bobbing on boats in the harbour while others are happy to simply line the sides of roads, with jubilant partygoers spilling from pubs onto the streets.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore says about 1.5 million spectators are expected to line Sydney Harbour to watch the fireworks.

Another two million Australians will catch the $6.6 million event on their teles, as will at least one billion people worldwide.

"This is really putting Australia on the map in terms of welcoming people to the New Year," Ms Moore said.

Pop princess Kylie Minogue, chosen as the event's creative ambassador, developed the theme 'Embrace' and chose its colour scheme and soundtrack.

She will be honoured with a musical-note firework which will be one of 100,000 individual pyrotechnic creations this year, including koala, octopus and hand images in lights.

Minogue said being home to host New Year's Eve was a dream come true.

"It's been a huge year for me and the finish line is tonight," she said, adding that her boyfriend was the first in line for a hug come midnight.

Minogue said her 25 years in the music industry hadn't been easy and had its ups and downs, but it had been "an amazing ride" overall.

Other celebs who have headed Down Under to ring in the New Year include Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx and Jonah Hill.

They will be joined at The Star casino's Marquee Nightclub by Gossip Girl heart throb Chace Crawford, Glee's Matthew Morrison and Arrow actor Colton Haynes.

Out on the streets, more than 3000 police officers will be on crowd control.

"If you act up, you are going to be arrested and charged. There's no view of the fireworks from a police cell," warned Assistant Commissioner Alan Clarke.

At Mrs Macquaries Point, 6283 people had already claimed a spot by midday while the super keen began queuing for the panoramic views of Sydney Harbour and the city skyline 24 hours before the gates of the Botanic Gardens opened at 10am.

Many have queued for hours under the sun.

"It's a much younger crowd than usual, a lot of backpackers rather than families like previous years," said Karla Davies from the Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust.

American Melissa Sjostedt said she had wanted to see the fireworks on the bridge since reading about it in a four-page spread in the National Geographic 10 years ago.

"Ever since that I've always wanted to see this for real, live, in person," the 30-year-old from Florida told AAP from Dawes Point Reserve.

People going to the CBD to watch the fireworks have been urged to leave their cars behind and take public transport, with road closures in place and extra trains and buses laid on for the night.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge will be closed in both directions from 11pm on Monday to 1am on Tuesday.

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UK bishop urges against gay marriage

THE head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales has urged followers to write to their representatives in Parliament to oppose the government's plans to allow gay marriage.

In a letter read to congregations over the weekend, the Archbishop of Westminister, Vincent Nichols, called for Catholics to express their views "clearly, calmly and forcefully."

Nichols who is president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales says he is concerned about how a change in the law would affect what children are taught about marriage.

He says he wants members of Parliament to "defend, not change, the bond of man and woman in marriage as the essential element of the vision of the family."

Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservative-led government plans to introduce legislation in January to allow gay marriages. Recent opinion polls suggest a large majority of the public supports the change.

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Central African Republic troops fight back

The Central African Republic troops are battling to re-capture a rebel-held city, officials say. Source: AAP

GOVERNMENT soldiers in the Central African Republic are battling to re-capture a rebel-held city, a military official says, despite regional efforts to seek a peaceful end to the growing crisis.

The military official said the fighting in Bambari, which rebels from the Seleka coalition seized on Sunday, was "especially violent", and a humanitarian source said witnesses some 60 kilometres away could hear detonations and heavy weapons fire for several hours.

The new violence came the same day as the Central African Republic's neighbours took steps to tackle the crisis in the chronically unstable country, where rebels have advanced towards the capital Bangui, stoking local and international alarm.

Foreign ministers in the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) announced late on Friday that more troops of the Central African Multinational Force (FOMAC) would be sent to the country.

"Five hundred and sixty men are already on the ground, and we agreed to a request by the ECCAS general secretariat to increase their numbers and allow them to accomplish their mission as a rapid deployment force", as Seleka rebels threaten the capital, Chad's Foreign Minister Moussa Faki Mahamat said after a meeting in the Gabonese capital Libreville, which is seen as a potential venue for peace talks.

The international force is "to deploy so Bangui and all cities that have not been captured (by the rebels) so far cannot be targeted by the rebels", added Gabon's Foreign Minister Emmanuel Issoze Ngondet.

ECCAS deputy secretary general Guy-Pierre Garcia said earlier that the rebels and the Central African government had agreed to unconditional talks.

"The goal is to get to negotiations (between the government and the rebels) by January 10," a source in the Central African Multinational Force said.

Central African (CAR) President Francois Bozize's appeals for help from former colonial power France and from the United States have fallen on deaf ears.

French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said on Friday that France had no intention of getting involved in the crisis, and would only intervene to protect its own nationals there.

The French defence ministry said late on Friday that 150 troops had arrived in Bangui from Libreville as a "precautionary measure" to protect French and other European citizens.

Fears about the deteriorating security situation led Washington to evacuate its embassy in Bangui and the United Nations to pull out staff.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said on Friday that it too had evacuated some workers, although it stressed it would continue to provide aid to the growing number of displaced people.

A diplomatic team from FOMAC has begun talks with authorities in Bangui and sent a delegation to the rebel-held strategic town of Ndele in the north to meet members of the rebel coalition Seleka, which launched its offensive on December 10.

The UN has demanded rebels halt their offensive, and urged Bozize's government to ensure the safety of civilians amid fears of a breakdown in law and order in the country.

A coalition of three rebel movements known as Seleka - or the "alliance" in the Sango language - has taken a string of towns, including four regional capitals, among them the garrison town and key diamond mining hub of Birao.

The coalition wants the government to fulfil the terms of peace pacts signed in 2007 and 2001, providing for disarmament and social reintegration, including pay.

Bozize took power in a 2003 coup and has twice been elected into office.

In 2006, France, which supported Bozize in his rise to power, had lent logistical help and air support to fight off rebels.

While Seleka says it has no plans to move on the capital, a statement last week announcing it had suspended its advance was followed within a day by news of further rebel victories.

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Chile seeks arrests in singer's 1973 death

A Chilean court has sought to prosecute any suspects in the killing of singer Victor Jara. Source: AAP

A CHILEAN judge has ordered the arrest of eight ex-army officers for the brutal murder of leftist folk singer Victor Jara, killed in 1973 just days after General Augusto Pinochet came to power.

This is the first time a Chilean court has sought to prosecute any suspects in the killing of the pacifist singer - a crime that became emblematic of the bloody Pinochet dictatorship that left more than 3000 people dead.

Two of the former soldiers were accused of murder, while the others were said to be accomplices, Chilean justice officials said in a statement.

An international arrest warrant was issued for one of the suspects, Pedro Barrientos Nunez, who lives in the United States.

"After bringing together many elements, there comes a time when one must end the investigation and try to move toward a resolution," Judge Miguel Vazquez Plaza told reporters.

Jara family lawyer Nelson Caucoto said he was "quite satisfied" with the decision.

The singer, whose lyrics spoke of love and social protest, became an icon of Latin American popular music with songs like The Right to Live in Peace, The Cigarette and I Remember Amanda.

Jara was married to British dancer Joan Turner, with whom he had two daughters.

He was also a member of Chile's Communist Party and a fervent supporter of the Popular Unity coalition that backed Marxist president Salvador Allende, who came to power by popular vote in 1970.

Jara was arrested the day after the September 11, 1973 coup that installed Pinochet as dictator.

His body was found days later, riddled with 44 machine gun bullets. He had been held, along with around 5,000 other political prisoners, in Santiago's biggest stadium, where he was interrogated, tortured and then killed. He was 40.

Among other horrors, the singer-guitarist's fingers were crushed, broken by rifle butts and boots.

The case was revived in 2009, and Jara's body was exhumed, after a soldier who had been in the stadium after the coup admitted to the shooting - though he later retracted his confession.

In December 2009, thousands of Chileans attended an official funeral for the singer, whose original burial had been conducted by his widow in near-secrecy and almost total anonymity.

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