World News: Heavy rain set to hinder body search in town hit by landslide

HEAVY rain looks set to bring fresh misery to the Chinese town devastated by a landslide, swelling an unstable lake trapped behind a barrier of mud and debris and hindering the search for bodies.

There is little hope of finding more survivors in the remains of the valley town of Zhouqu, where 702 people are confirmed to have died when an avalanche of rocks and dirt roared down the slopes at the weekend. Another 1,042 are missing.

The rain forecast for coming days will challenge security and rescue teams. Some 45,000 people have been evacuated and officials warned others to leave or stay away.

The search and rescue mission in the town has allowed Beijing to showcase its formidable ability to mobilise against natural disasters.

More than 10,000 police, troops and firefighters have been sent to the town to aid with the rescue efforts.

But some people are angry at the government over policies they felt left the town vulnerable to landslides.

Officials have warned for years that heavy tree-felling and rapid hydro development were making the mountain area around Zhouqu vulnerable to land slips.

Ex-senator dies in plane crash

FORMER United States Senator Ted Stevens has died after the plane he was travelling in crashed into a remote Alaskan mountainside.

Four others died alongside the Republican senator after the single-engine plane experienced sudden fog and rain on Monday afternoon.

Court rules on gay marriage

mexico's Supreme Court has ruled that all 31 of the country's states must recognise same-sex marriages performed in the capital.

In a 9-2 decision, the tribunal cited an article of the constitution requiring states to recognise legal contracts drawn up elsewhere.

President heading for victory

early election results show President Paul Kagame is heading for a landslide victory, the chairman of Rwanda's electoral commission said today.

Mr Kagame is poised to win more than 90 per cent of the votes cast in the central African nation yesterday.

Leaders aim to mend dispute

THE presidents of Colombia and Venezuela have agreed to restore diplomatic relations severed nearly three weeks ago by smoothing over a dispute over allegations Colombian rebels have camps in Venezuela.

The rapprochement came during a four-hour meeting between Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Colombia's new leader, Juan Manuel Santos, both of whom said they are starting to rebuild confidence.

Singer sets out language plan for election

Haiti: Singer Wyclef Jean said he plans to govern in English and Creole if he is elected president, setting him apart from his political rivals in the former French colony.

Malaysia: Politician Bung Mokhtar Radin has escaped going to jail for entering a polygamous marriage without permission from the Islamic courts.

The court outside Kuala Lumpur instead allowed him to pay a fine, escaping a month-long jail sentence.