AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, Feb 2

AAP General News (Australia)
02-02-2007
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, Feb 2
Midday Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1130


Water Howard (CANBERRA)

JOHN HOWARD says the South Australian government's opposition to the 10-billion dollar
federal water plan is a smokescreen to avoid signing the deal.

The prime minister says SA Premier MIKE RANN has previously complained his state is
short-changed under the existing arrangements involving the Murray-Darling basin.

And Mr HOWARD's told ABC radio .. in many respects the new deal is more beneficial
to South Australia than any other state.

The PM has also indicated .. under the water security plan .. BHP Billiton may be forced
to pay for 33 megalitres of water it draws daily .. free of charge .. from the Great Artesian
Basin.



Workplace (CANBERRA)

The prime minister says Labor's recruitment of former airline chief Sir ROD EDDINGTON
as a key business adviser won't fool business into accepting the party's workplace policy.

The former British Airways chief has been enlisted to head a panel advising Opposition
Leader KEVIN RUDD.

But JOHN HOWARD says Mr RUDD's industrial relations policy is inconsistent with his
deputy leader JULIA GILLARD.

He's told ABC radio says Ms GILLARD has reminded business that if Labor wins there'll
be a million AWAs at risk and unfair dismissal laws will be back .. which he says is a
nightmare for small business.

Mr RUDD has apparently backed away from KIM BEAZLEY's pledge to rip up the government's
Work Choices laws .. with a spokesman saying rather than tear up the laws .. the leader
simply wants to get rid of Work Choices.



Qantas (SYDNEY)

The private equity consortium seeking to take over Qantas has told shareholders there
are no plans to break up the airline .. and it's committed to retaining the Qantas and
Jetstar brands.

In a formal bidding offer to shareholders .. Airline Partners Australia says the 11-billion
dollar takeover will keep Qantas in majority Australian ownership.

But the consortium has ruled out increasing its share price offer of five-dollars-60.

The bid requires 90 per cent acceptance to succeed and Qantas directors have recommended
shareholders accept the offer.


Vanuatu Foster (SYDNEY)

Australian conman PETER FOSTER has been sentenced to six weeks' jail and fined 14-hundred
dollars for illegally entering Vanuatu .. after fleeing there from Fiji.

FOSTER's jail term will be backdated to January 14 .. meaning he'll be free on February 25.

Police say it's unclear if FOSTER will be deported once he's served his jail term.

FOSTER pleaded guilty earlier this week to a charge of entering Vanuatu without a valid visa.

He fled there last month after skipping bail in Fiji .. where he's wanted on fraud charges.



Hicks (LOS ANGELES)

A US military spokesman says DAVID HICKS won't be punished for the media storm caused
by his lawyers during this week's visit to the Guantanamo Bay prison camp.

HICKS' lawyers caused worldwide headlines when they revealed the Australian and other
inmates were shown news articles and photos of Iraqi leader SADDAM HUSSEIN's execution.

US Commander ROBERT DURAND has confirmed stories and photos about SADDAM's execution
were made available to Guantanamo inmates .. but says the material wasn't graphic or sensational.

DURAND says the aim of the news articles was to keep the inmates up to date with world affairs.

HICKS' lawyers have alleged he was placed in solitary confinement in March last year
as punishment for complaining to an Australian embassy official about his treatment.



UK Scandal (LONDON)

Downing Street says British Prime Minister TONY BLAIR has been questioned by police
for a second time over a cash-for-honours probe .. clouding his final months in office.

The revelation came two days after a key BLAIR aide was re-arrested on suspicion of
a cover-up over the alleged illicit funding of his governing Labour Party.



Climate (CANBERRA)

New research suggests climate models may have underestimated the rate of sea level
rise caused by greenhouse gas emissions.

The study .. co-authored by a leading Australian researcher .. found sea levels could
rise by as much as 88 centimetres by 2100 .. around 30 centimetres higher than previous
highest forecasts.



Water Vic (MELBOURNE)

Water levels in Melbourne's reservoirs have dropped almost 35 per cent in the past
year .. despite an intense campaign for residents to save water.

Melbourne's water storages held 56 per cent of capacity at this time last year .. but
were down to just 36.5 per cent yesterday.



Telstra Broadband (BIRDSVILLE)

An events organiser warns failure to install broadband in remote Australia could kill
off iconic events like the Birdsville Races.

RAY MAGUIRE .. who's based on the Gold Coast .. says people are becoming less likely
to visit a destination if they're unable to reach the outside world easily while they're
there.



BRIEFLY IN OTHER NEWS:



Oscar-winner RUSSELL CROWE will play the Sheriff of Nottingham in a revisionist remake
of the Robin Hood story.




British police have been given more time to question nine suspects seized over an alleged
Iraq-style plot to kidnap and behead a Muslim soldier.




Two Canadian tourists have been killed in a light plane crash in Fiji.




Four Palestinians have died in renewed clashes that jeopardised a three-day truce between
warring factions Fatah and Hamas.




The fate of HARRY POTTER will finally be revealed on July 21 .. when the seventh and
last instalment of J K ROWLING's book series is published.


IN FINANCE:


At 1112 AEDT, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index was UP 18.3 points to 5,832.4, and the all
ordinaries index was 16.8 points HIGHER at 5,813.6.

The Australian dollar was trading at 77.38 US cents, DOWN from 77.51 US cents at Thursday's
close.

It was at 59.44 euro cents, DOWN from 59.48 euro cents on Thursday.

In Sydney, gold bullion was trading at $US655.80 per fine ounce, UP $US2.20 from $US653.60
at Thursday's close.



IN SPORT:



Golf Women (Sydney)

Little-known Chinese Taipei competitor YUN-JYE WEI has joined SARAH KEMP on top of
the leaderboard early in the second round of the Women's Australian Open at Royal Sydney.

WEI has picked up birdies on two of her opening five holes to reach six-under, equal
with overnight leader KEMP who is yet to commence her second round.

Tournament fancy KARRIE WEBB briefly earned a share of the lead before a bogey dropped
her back to a share of third place at five-under, alongside compatriot NIKKI CAMPBELL,


Soccer English Cole (LONDON)

Chelsea defender ASHLEY COLE doesn't need surgery for a knee injury and is likely to
return before the end of the season.

COLE was carried off the field during the 3-0 victory over Blackburn amid fears the
England international may be sidelined for the rest of the season.



AND ONLY IN AMERICA:


US PETA (WINTON)

An animal-rights worker .. charged with dumping the bodies of euthanased dogs and cats
.. has told a US court she left the carcasses in a rubbish bin because they stank.


US Hand (NEW BRUNSWICK)

A US doctor has pleaded guilty to stealing a dead person's hand .. that was later found
at the home of a stripper.



US Pedicure (CHICAGO)

Police in Chicago are looking for a man who used at least 20 day spas in the region
.. and then left without paying.



US Dessert (ATLANTIC CITY)

In Atlantic City .. it can cost one thousand dollars just for dessert .. and that doesn't
include the tip.



ENDS MIDDAY ROUND-UP

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