AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, Aug 22

AAP General News (Australia)
08-22-2006
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, Aug 22
Midday Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1130


Ajax (MELBOURNE)

A deal to keep embattled car parts maker Ajax Fasteners afloat .. could be sealed soon.

The AWU's CESAR MELHEM says union officials are due to meet Ajax's administrator at
midday (AEST) .. to discuss the deal.

Ford and component supplier PBR signed the multi-million-dollar rescue package early
this morning .. and Holden says it expects to follow suit soon.

Union officials will take the package to the 189 Ajax employees who face the axe.

Meanwhile .. Victorian Premier STEVE BRACKS says only long-term supply contracts can
secure the future of Ajax.



Telstra Windsor (CANBERRA)

Independent MP TONY WINDSOR says the federal government should admit its mistake ..

and scrub the full sale of Telstra.

He's also against a proposal to park the government's remaining shares in the Future Fund.

Mr WINDSOR's comments come on the day federal cabinet debates what to do with the government's
remaining 51.8 per cent holding in the telco.


Terror Aust (CANBERRA)

A year after the release of the Wheeler report on airport security .. there are still
people with criminal records working at our airports.

But Transport Minister WARREN TRUSS says ASIO and the Australian Federal Police have
decided they're no security risk.

He says anyone with a serious criminal record is refused an Aviation Security Identification
Card .. which is needed to work at airports.



China Plane (SYDNEY)

A passenger has reported a bomb scare on board a flight from China to Australia.

JASON HARPER has told the Nine Network a note .. warning that a bomb would explode
on the China Southern Airlines flight from Guangzhou to Sydney .. was found one hour into
the journey.

The flight returned to Guangzhou .. where nine passengers were taken off the plane
and interviewed for two hours .. before being allowed to re-board.




Sentencing (MELBOURNE)

Victoria is abolishing suspended sentences for people convicted of serious crimes ..

in all but exceptional circumstances.

Legislation to be introduced this week will take away the option for judges and magistrates
to apply a suspended sentence for things like murder .. manslaughter .. rape and most
armed robberies.

Attorney-General ROB HULLS says the community expects people convicted of serious
crimes will receive more than a slap on the wrist.



Poll Qld (CAIRNS)

Queensland's political leaders are campaigning in the state's north today .. as a new
poll shows the Labor government is on track for a fourth term.

The Newspoll .. published in today's Australian newspaper .. shows Labor ahead 54 per
cent to 46 per cent on a two-party preferred basis.

Premier PETER BEATTIE's satisfaction rating of 46 per cent is unchanged from the last
survey .. while Opposition Leader LAWRENCE SPRINGBORG is on 36 per cent.



Moylan (CANBERRA)

Liberal moderate JUDI MOYLAN has survived a preselection challenge for the federal
seat of Pearce in Western Australia.

She was one of three Liberal backbenchers who voted against tough new migration laws.

Ms MOYLAN has told the ABC she's relieved .. because you can never take pre-selections
for granted.



Mideast Italy (BEIRUT)

Italian Prime Minister ROMANO PRODI says his country is ready to lead a United Nations
force in south Lebanon .. where shooting by Israeli troops at Hizbollah fighters has shown
the fragility of a week-old truce.

UN Secretary-General KOFI ANNAN is expected to make a decision on the command of the
force this weekend.

Lebanon has welcomed Italy's offer of two-thousand troops .. the biggest commitment
any country has yet made.



Mideast Airstrike (GAZA CITY)

Israeli aircraft have fired two missiles at a home in a northern Gaza refugee camp
.. wounding two bystanders.

The owner of the home .. an activist with the Islamic Jihad militant group .. wasn't
there at the time.

He says he was warned before the airstrike to leave the house .. which was allegedly
used to store weapons.



Spain Crash (VILLADA)

Spanish authorities are blaming high speed and broken regulations .. for the country's
second deadly rail crash in as many months.

Six people are dead and 36 hurt .. after the first carriage of a train bound for the
French border .. smashed into the pillar of a bridge and dragged other carriages off the
rails.

Spain's development minister says railway authorities breached regulations by joining
carriages of a high-speed train to the back of a regional one.



Diabetes (SYDNEY)

A new study shows almost one in four young Australians living with insulin-dependent
diabetes struggles with long term depression.

The research from Diabetes Australia finds 60 per cent of sufferers find it difficult
to access appropriate medical support services.

Type one diabetes is a life-long autoimmune condition affecting more than 140-thousand
Australians.



BRIEFLY IN OTHER NEWS:

Daylight (MELBOURNE)

Australia's south-eastern states are expected to adopt a common daylight timetable
.. operating from the first Sunday of October to the first Sunday of April.



Explosives (ADELAIDE)

An appeal to raise funds for the families of three men killed in an explosives factory
blast in South Australia has been closed .. after raising more than 200-thousand dollars.



Photos Parents (SYDNEY)

A parents' group says the case of a primary school student .. who showed his classmates
nude photos on his mobile phone .. should act as a wake-up call about the dangers children
face from technology.



Rampage (BRISBANE)

The mayor of the Queensland town of Woorabinda .. where up to 40 youths went on the
rampage on Sunday night .. says boredom is to blame.



Film Aust (SYDNEY)

The head of the Australian Film Institute says local movies need to be given longer
runs at the box office .. but the demand for cinema screens is fearsome.



US Space (WASHINGTON)

US researchers say a huge collision between two clusters of galaxies .. provides the
first direct evidence of the existence of dark matter.



AND IN SPORT:

Cricket Aust (MELBOURNE)

MATTHEW HAYDEN .. PHIL JAQUES and SIMON KATICH have been given the chance to fight
for an opening spot in Australia's one-day cricket team .. after being named in the 18-man
squad to tour Malaysia next month.

The Australian selectors have opted to rest ADAM GILCHRIST.

The 18-man squad also includes fast bowler GLENN MCGRATH .. who returns for the first
time since January when he stood down from the side to help his wife in her battle against
cancer.

MIKE HUSSEY has been named vice-captain.



Cricket Pakistan (LONDON)

Pakistan captain INZAMAM-UL-HAQ warns his team may pull out of the one-day series against
England if he's not cleared of ball tampering allegations.

INZAMAM says it would be difficult for his side to play the series if it's labelled
a team of cheats.

INZAMAM could be banned for eight one-day internationals or four Tests if he's found
guilty of ball tampering and bringing the game into disrepute.



League Stewart (SYDNEY)

Bulldogs leagues club president KEVIN STEWART has died after a short battle with cancer.

He was 77.

STEWART was a former New South Wales health minister .. and was the club's president
for four years.



ENDS MIDDAY ROUND-UP

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