The official death toll from Wednesday's quake stood at 809 last night, but the Indonesian Red Cross believes up to 4,000 people are lying beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings.

Three days' hard labour may not sound like much of a holiday. But for Jenifer Dagg it was the highlight of a trip to Nepal.

Authorities have made contact with three Australians who had been unaccounted for in the earthquake-ravaged Indonesian city of Padang, but concerns remain for four others who still have not been in touch with officials.

Western intelligence agencies have known about Iran's second uranium enrichment plant, hidden in the mountains west of Qom, since construction began in 2006.

Police are being forced to take a 'patient approach' in their hunt for a couple still on the run with $3.8m in Westpac's cash.