AAP General News (Australia)
08-20-2009
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, Aug 20
BREAKFAST ROUND-UP: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 0430
CLIMATE (CANBERRA)
We'll get more energy from wind farms and solar panels .. with politicians set to pass
the government's the Renewable Energy Target scheme today.
The RET will see renewable energy generation more than double over the coming decade
.. by forcing electricity retailers to buy a portion of their electricity from renewable
sources.
It costs more than coal-fired power .. and the extra cost is passed on to consumers.
Meanwhile .. senior Liberal JOE HOCKEY says his leader MALCOLM TURNBULL has the full
support of the partyroom in his deal with the government.
But .. the Greens say the coalition's deal with the federal government is a win for
big polluters .. who won't bear the cost of the scheme.
HOUSE LETTER (SYDNEY)
An anonymous letter naming two people as the alleged killers of newsagent MIN LIN and
his family has reportedly been received by the family's lawyer DANIEL SHEEN.
The Daily Telegraph says the two-page letter .. written in English .. was sent to the
lawyer's World Tower offices and immediately passed to police.
The paper quotes a family source as saying the letter details how Mr LIN .. his wife
.. their two sons and Mrs LIN'S sister died .. but says Mr SHEEN has declined to comment.
CHINA AUST (MELBOURNE)
Australia's ambassador to China has flown to Canberra for top-level crisis meetings
over the strained ties between Canberra and Beijing.
Fairfax newspapers say ambassador GEOFF RABY arrived in Canberra yesterday for what
an official called emergency meetings .. although the
foreign affairs department says
the meetings are routine.
While Chinese state media has said little about the 50 billion Gorgon gas deal .. an
editorial in the China Daily newspaper claims Australia's sinophobic politicians are leading
an anti-China chorus.
It also accuses Australia of siding with a terrorist after the visit of activist REBIYA KADEER.
IRAQ (BAGHDAD)
US defence officials say plans to withdraw American forces from Iraq over the next
two years remain in place despite a wave of bombings in Baghdad.
Devastating attacks across Baghdad have killed at least 95 people in the worst day
of carnage to hit the Iraqi capital in 18 months.
It's also been the bloodiest day since US troops pulled out of the country's cities.
ASIO (SYDNEY)
The duties of the nation's ASIO spy agency could reportedly be expanded to focus on
law enforcement and border security in a move towards an FBI-style agency.
The Sydney Morning Herald says senior members of Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
are understood to be considering expanding the agency's threat list.
The paper says ASIO's activities could be expanded to include organised crime and border
security as well as national security threats.
FLU AUST (MELBOURNE)
Pregnant women .. health workers and the chronically ill will be given the first of
millions of swine flu vaccinations to be available within weeks.
News Limited newspapers say the federal government is about to take delivery of two
million doses of swine flu vaccine by the end of the week.
It has ordered 21 million doses in all .. enough to vaccinate every Australian.
News Limited says if Australia's chief medical officer approves of the mass vaccination
.. doses of the vaccine will be available from September 7.
RENT (BRISBANE)
Relief may be in sight for renters who have been hit in the hip pocket by skyrocketing
rents over the past few years.
New stats say there's been a small decrease in rental rates across Australia's capital
cities over the June quarter .. suggesting rental yields may have hit their peak.
Leading property statistics agency RP Data says weekly house rents fell by 3.5 per
cent nationally over the June quarter .. while unit rents dropped 0.6 per cent.
FROMELLES (CANBERRA)
The government is standing by the firm excavating a mass grave of World War One diggers
amid fears that methods used on site could result in the 300 soldiers' remains being mixed
up.
Defence Personnel Minister GREG COMBET says the government is satisfied the project
is being conducted in a professional and dignified manner.
An independent archaeologist has strongly criticised the methods used to retrieve the remains.
NEWSPOLL VIC (MELBOURNE)
The Victorian government continues to hold a convincing lead over the opposition in
the latest Newspoll.
The poll .. published in the Australian newspaper .. shows on a two party-preferred
basis .. Labor leads the coalition 56 per cent to 44 per cent .. maintaining the 12-point
lead from May-June.
Premier JOHN BRUMBY'S satisfaction rating sits at 46 per cent .. while Opposition Leader
TED BAILLIEU's rating is 35 per cent.
CHARITY MACKLIN (CANBERRA)
A
new report shows demand for crisis accommodation and charity food handouts has risen
by 50 per cent due to the economic downturn.
The study commissioned by the federal government found two-thirds of charities are
seeing demand for their services increase.
Housing and Community Services Minister JENNY MACKLIN says the government will allocate
an extra 80 million dollars for emergency relief accommodation.
VACCINE (SYDNEY)
A visiting autism expert will give the keynote address at the Asia Pacific Autism Conference
in Sydney today .. to warn parents NOT to stop children's vaccinations.
Internationally renowned epidemiologist ERIC FOMBONNE says the disorder is commonly
and erroneously linked to childhood vaccines.
He says parents are placing their children at unnecessary risk if they opt out of vaccines
which offer protection against diseases like measles and polio.
TUNISIA DOZEN (TUNIS)
A Tunisian health official says a woman's claim of being pregnant with 12 babies is a big farce.
The official says he believes the 30-year-old woman claiming to be expecting six boys
and six girls has a mental problem.
Authorities say the woman has again refused to undergo medical tests .. there are no
medical records of her pregnancy in the city hospital in Gafsa.
BRIEFLY IN OTHER NEWS ..
AFGHAN VOTE (KABUL)
Afghans are preparing to elect a president today .. reeling from a surge in Taliban
attacks over recent days.
LAWRENCE (SYDNEY)
The inquest into the death of Sydney woman REBEKAH LAWRENCE continues today .. after
the inquest heard yesterday of the death of a man .. who also attended a controversial
self-help program.
GERMANY SHOOTING (BERLIN)
A German pensioner has gone on a shooting rampage which left three people dead and
a fourth seriously hurt .. before surrendering to armed commandos after a three-hour siege.
NUGGET (PERTH)
Under the watchful lenses of 90 security cameras .. the world's second-largest gold
nugget has gone on display at the Perth Mint.
IN SPORT ..
CRICKET AUST (LONDON)
Australian captain RICKY PONTING says he does not expect too warm a reception when
he plays what could be his last Ashes Test on English soil.
While the booing that has followed him for much of the series was replaced by applause
against the England Lions last week, PONTING is not counting on a send-off like the one
SHANE WARNE received at the same ground in 2005.
LEAGUE JUDICIARY (SYDNEY)
Gold Coast will consider appealing a four-match suspension handed to fullback WILLIAM
ZILLMAN after he was found guilty of biting South Sydney's JAMIE SIMPSON at the NRL judiciary.
AFL TIGERS (MELBOURNE)
Richmond defender GRAHAM POLAK is set to make an emotional AFL return in Saturday's
clash with Hawthorn, little more than a year after his near-fatal accident.
TENNIS MASTERS (CINCINNATI)
Australia's CHRIS GUCCIONE has stunned seventh-seeded Frenchman JO-WILFRIED TSONGA
to book a third round berth at the Cincinnati Masters.
ENDS BREAKFAST ROUND-UP
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