AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, April 19

AAP General News (Australia)
04-19-2009
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, April 19
Midday Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1130


Boat (BRISBANE)

More of the asylum seekers badly burned in Thursday's boat explosion will be operated
on today .. as police continue their investigations into the blast.

The federal government is still not saying what caused the explosion off Ashmore Reef
that killed up to five people and injured more than 40 others.

Deputy Prime Minister JULIA GILLARD says 18 Australian Federal Police officers are
in Darwin working with the Northern Territory police .. and their conclusions will be
made public.

But she says she won't comment on an ongoing investigation .. adding the HOWARD government
often rushed out with half-baked reports on allegations that turned out to be untrue.

The injured asylum seekers from Afghanistan are in hospitals in Darwin .. Perth and
Brisbane .. where burns specialist MICHAEL MULLER says the first words of one patient
.. speaking through an interpreter .. were to thank staff for helping him.



Boat Evans (PERTH)

Immigration Minister CHRIS EVANS won't confirm that another boatload of asylum seekers
is on its way to Australia.

But he says authorities are on high alert because there's a chance of more arrivals
.. a situation the Opposition blames on the RUDD government's relaxed border protection
policies.

Senator EVANS has also dismissed reports of a huge funding boost for Indonesia to help
halt the influx of asylum seekers from the Middle East .. saying there's nothing new at
this stage.

Meanwhile the Greens are calling for boat arrivals to be allowed onto the mainland
instead of being shipped to Christmas Island for processing .. saying it'd be safer and
more humane.



Climate Wong (CANBERRA)

Climate Change Minister PENNY WONG says reducing carbon emissions is just like getting
fit .. it won't happen unless you have a plan to get there.

The government's climate adviser Professor ROSS GARNAUT has told a Senate hearing it
might be best to dump the proposed carbon reduction scheme and have another crack at it
later.

But Senator WONG says parliamentarians should support Labor's election commitment to
have a scheme up and running by next year .. and Opposition leader MALCOLM TURNBULL should
put the coalition's policy on the table.



Schools Gillard (CANBERRA)

Deputy Prime Minister JULIA GILLARD says the government's door is open .. to any schools
unhappy about the rollout of economic stimulus money for refurbishments.

Fairfax papers say primary school principals in New South Wales are being quoted two
million dollars for prefabricated buildings supplied through the state's education department
.. when they could be built locally for half the price.

Ms GILLARD says tenderers must have local employment plans .. and schools can choose
to organise building projects themselves.



Anzac France (LONDON)

The credit crunch is being blamed for stopping Australians from flocking to France
for an Anzac Day dawn service honouring World War One diggers who fought on the Western
Front.

About five thousand people turned out last year at the Australian National Memorial
near the rural town of Villers-Bretonneux for the first dawn service .. but Australian-based
tour companies say demand's plunged for Anzac Day trips to the heart of the Somme this
year.

Meantime a warning for big retailers who open in New South Wales on Anzac Day morning
.. they risk fines of up to 11 thousand dollars.



US Family (MIDDLETOWN)

Police in America say a man's killed his wife and their three young children before
taking his own life.

A relative's made the gruesome discovery at a house in Maryland.

Police say 34-year-old CHRISTOPHER ALAN WOOD died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

His 33-year-old wife FRANCIS and their three children suffered "traumatic cuts" ..

but the causes of their deaths are yet to be confirmed.



Briefly in other news ..

Church (BRISBANE)

Sacked Catholic priest Father PETER KENNEDY will celebrate mass at St Mary's Church
in Brisbane for the last time today.



Drugs (CANBERRA)

Hard-hitting ads to dissuade young people from taking drugs are being rolled out nationally
.. as part of an 18 million dollar federal government campaign.



Amnesty (SYDNEY)

A collection of high-powered military weapons has been surrendered to police under
the New South Wales firearms amnesty.



US Conference (WASHINGTON)

America is boycotting this week's UN conference on racism .. over language in the meeting's
final document it says could single out Israel for criticism and restrict free speech.



SriLanka (COLOMBO)

At least 28 civilians have been killed in two days of fighting .. as Sri Lankan troops
try to push into a small no-fire zone where Tamil Tiger rebels have bunkered down for
their final stand.

Iran Journalist (PORT OF SPAIN)

US Secretary of State HILLARY CLINTON has led a chorus of outrage at the eight-year
jail sentence for US-Iranian journalist ROXANA SABERI .. by an Iranian court that accused
her of spying.

in Sport ..


League (SYDNEY)

The Bulldogs can jump to third on the NRL ladder if they beat Parramatta at ANZ Stadium
this afternoon.

In today's other games, the Warriors play the Roosters in Auckland and the bottom two
teams, Cronulla and North Queensland, clash in Adelaide.

Last night reigning premier Manly continued their revival with a 24-8 win over South
Sydney and Newcastle made it three successive victories with a 24-18 conquest of St George
Illawarra.

The round concludes tomorrow with Wests Tigers hosting Melbourne at Leichhardt Oval.



Super Sharks (DURBAN)

Defending champions Canterbury Crusaders have held on for a hard-fought 13-10 win over
the Sharks in their Super 14 match in Durban.

All Blacks captain RICHIE MCCAW scored a try in his return to Super 14 rugby following injury.



Motor V8 (HAMILTON, NZ)

Qualifying for the second race of the Hamilton 400 V8 Supercars event is underway today
with Ford's JAMIE WHINCUP the man to beat.

WHINCUP claimed his third race win from as many starts this season in yesterday's first
race to end a five-year drought in New Zealand for Ford.



Motor Indy (Los Angeles)

Australia's WILL POWER has taken pole position for the Indycar Grand Prix of Long Beach
in California.

POWER edged out former IndyCar Series champion DARIO FRANCHITTi for the top qualifying
place with RAPHAEL MATOS in third.



Tennis Roddick (WASHINGTON)

ANDY RODDICK has followed fellow tennis ace ROGER FEDERER down the aisle, marrying
Sports Illustrated swimsuit model BROOKLYN DECKER at his Texas home.

Among those attending the wedding were tennis great BILLIE JEAN KING and RODDICK'S
Davis Cup teammates JAMES BLAKE and MARDY FISH.

FEDERER married longtime girlfriend MIRKA VAVRINEC last weekend in a small ceremony
in his home town of Basel, Switzerland, after meeting her at the Sydney Olympics nine
years ago.



ENDS MIDDAY ROUND-UP

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