AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, Dec 8

AAP General News (Australia)
12-08-2006
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, Dec 8
Breakfast Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 0430


US Blair Conference (WASHINGTON)

US President GEORGE W BUSH says British Prime Minister TONY BLAIR will soon begin a
Middle East peace mission .. and meet both Israelis and Palestinians.

The announcement came a day after a high level US commission called for an aggressive
new attempt to forge peace between Israel and the Palestinians .. linked to a broader
effort to stabilise Iraq and the wider region.

BUSH says he supports the mission.



AWB Pass (CANBERRA)

Parliament has passed a bill that strips disgraced wheat marketer AWB of its export
veto power for the next six months.

The government rushed the Wheat Marketing Amendment Bill 2006 through both the upper
and lower houses last night .. before parliament's summer recess.

The bill hands AWB's prized monopoly power of veto to Agriculture Minister PETER MCGAURAN
until the end of June .. allowing him to control it while the current harvest is sold.

It comes after last week's damning findings of the Cole report on AWB's 290 million
dollars in kickbacks to SADDAM HUSSEIN'S regime.



Labor (CANBERRA)

Labor leader KEVIN RUDD is expected to unveil his new look frontbench today.

PETER GARRETT .. CHRIS BOWEN .. CRAIG EMERSON and BOB MCMULLAN were elected unopposed
to the frontbench yesterday to replace KIM BEAZLEY .. GAVAN O'CONNOR and BOB SERCOMBE.

South Australian senator ANNETTE HURLEY also left the frontbench .. after falling victim
to a factional deal to squeeze both Mr BOWEN and Dr EMERSON into the shadow ministry.

Female Labor MPs have criticised the decision.

Labor's new deputy leader JULIA GILLARD is tipped to take over the industrial relations
portfolio from STEPHEN SMITH.



AFI (MELBOURNE)

Australia's first ever indigenous language feature film has been awarded the country's
top movie honour.

Billed as an Aboriginal comedy .. Ten Canoes last night won the best film category
at the 48th annual Australian Film Institute Awards at a gala event in Melbourne.

The film also picked up best direction for co-directors ROLF DE HEER and PETER DJIGIRR.

Ten Canoes collected a total of six awards .. including best original screenplay ..

best cinematography .. best editing and best sound.



Iraq Aust (CANBERRA)

The HOWARD government is standing by its position that America isn't planning an early
pull-out from Iraq .. and says a high level US report justifies its stand on the war.

Yesterday's report by the Iraq Study Group indicates current US policy isn't working
.. and that time's running out for Washington to act.

JOHN HOWARD says elements of the report warn of the consequences of an early withdrawal
of coalition forces from Iraq.



Abuse (CANBERRA)

Customary law will no longer be considered in sentencing decisions for indigenous offenders
.. under controversial legislation passed by parliament.

The new bill was rushed through the Senate last night .. despite strong opposition
from Labor and the minor parties and a Senate committee's recommendation to scrap it.



Environment (CANBERRA)

Parliament has approved a major overhaul of Australia's environmental laws .. but Green
groups say it's a backward step for the country's natural habitat.

The Senate passed changes to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation
Act late last night .. on its last sitting this year.

Greens leader BOB BROWN is furious .. and accuses the government of trying to please
big businesses that want to profit from developments.



Helicopter Funeral (BRISBANE)

An Army Black Hawk pilot .. who died in a helicopter crash off Fiji .. will be given
a full military funeral today in Townsville.

But Townsville's civic leaders are angry national political figures will miss it.

Captain MARK BINGLEY and SAS Trooper Corporal JOSHUA PORTER died Wednesday a week
ago when the Black Hawk crashed while trying to land on HMAS Kanimbla.

Trooper PORTER's body hasn't been recovered.

Captain BINGLEY's funeral is at 11am (AEST) at St James' Cathedral.

Long-standing prior engagements will keep Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD .. Opposition
Leader KEVIN RUDD .. and Defence Minister BRENDAN NELSON away.

But acting Townsville Mayor ANN BUNNELL says it's another slap in the face for the
strong military community in north Queensland.



UK Spy (MOSCOW)

Seven staff working in a London hotel bar .. where former Russian spy ALEXANDER LITVINENKO
drank before he died from radiation poisoning .. have been found to have traces of polonium
210.

A public health agency says preliminary results received from seven staff members at
The Millennium Hotel's Pine Bar show they appear to have been exposed to low levels of
polonium 210.

And in Russia .. officials say a Russian man who met murdered ex-spy ALEXANDER LITVINENKO
last month in London also is sick with radiation poisoning.

While back in London .. family and friends have paid their respects to LITVINENKO at
a funeral ceremony.



BRIEFLY:



A parliamentary report has recommended wages owed to generations of indigenous people
must be immediately paid back by states and territories.




In Britain .. six people have been injured when a freak tornado hit a street in north-west
London .. ripping roofs off houses .. uprooting trees .. and sending debris flying.




The Bureau of Statistics says 264 thousand 300 births were registered in the year to
June .. a 3.3 per cent increase over the previous year .. and more babies were born in
the past 12 months than at any time since 1972.



AND IN SPORT:


SOCCER AL (SYDNEY)

Newcastle continued its A-League resurrection with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over
Queensland Roar at Suncorp Stadium last night.

The jets jumped to third on the ladder, just one point behind second-placed Sydney FC.

An Australian record crowd for a club match is being tipped for Melbourne's Telstra
Dome tonight for the top-of-the-table clash between the Victory and Sydney.

Melbourne is 13 points clear and a win would virtually seal the minor premiership.



SWIM AUST (BRISBANE)

West Australian EAMON SULLIVAN clocked the fifth fastest 100 metres freestyle time
by an Australian man to win gold at the national swimming titles in Brisbane last night.

Queensland's JESSICAH SCHIPPER narrowly missed her own world record to win the 200m butterfly.

JODIE HENRY and LIBBY LENTON face off in the latest instalment of their 100m freestyle
rivalry at the world championship trials tonight.

The other highlight will be LEISEL JONES attempting to better he own world record in
the 200m breaststroke and the other finals are the men's 200m backstroke and 200 breaststroke.



CUP QLD (BRISBANE)

MATTHEW HAYDEN will get the chance to put some runs on the board ahead of next week's
third Ashes Test when he plays for Queensland in today's limited-overs cup clash with
Victoria at the Gabba.

The Bulls will again be without injured Australian allrounder SHANE WATSON, who has
virtually ruled himself our of contention for the third Test starting in Perth next Thursday.

Victoria will be missing star batsman BRAD HODGE.



ASHES ENGLAND (PERTH)

England spinner MONTY PANESAR .. overlooked for the first two Tests in the Ashes series
.. will get his chance to push for selection in the third Test when he plays in today's
festival match at Lilac Hill in Perth.



ENDS BREAKFAST ROUND-UP

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